Recent Articles of Note

How Companies Learn Your Secrets (NYTimes)

A look at how Target analyzes customer data to predict life changes, such as pregnancy, in order to target them with coupons for pregnancy and baby stuff. Fascinating, but I'm pretty disgusted with this kind of neuromarketing as it works below the level of conscious decision making.

Infant Formula Marketing in Hospitals (Commercial Alert)

Infant formula makers often get hospitals to give out samples at hospitals to aggressively market their products. More information in this link as well as a petition to sign. (Note this is US-based, I don't know what the law or situation is in Canada. At our Toronto hospital, we were given formula in Gabe's first few days of life when he wasn't able to breastfeed at first.)

Dear Daughter… (The Murverse)

A parent's frank note to a daughter about how sexist the world is towards girls. Excerpt: So. The world hates you. You are considered the worst thing to be compared to. Throw like a girl. Talk like a girl. Cry like a girl. God forbid we ever be girls.

Why French Parents Are Superior (WSJ)

An excerpt from a new book about what can be learned from "French" parenting, a style the author says is more relaxed yet achieves happier outcomes. I haven't read this (or the "tiger mom" book either) but I'm always interested in different approaches and am curious about non-North-American attitudes and practises. From this article, she points out French parents set firmer boundaries and teach patience by delaying gratification.