And this is why I can never find a babysitter. Don't kids need drug money anymore?!

I generally prefer that my kids do most of the tantruming alone (when we're home and it's safe to do so). It's really difficult to communicate anything when they're in that state, and I have the other kids to deal with, and in our house the tantrum is often about a sibling dispute, so I need to tend first to the…

I feel like you're being awfully glib about the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

I don't believe that, and I can't see why I "seem to," but if that was your read, I apologize. I do think there's a difference, however, between concocting an awful story about a famous person on the internet and bringing false criminal charges against someone. There's a reason one has civil ramifications (and…

Dude. I go to a couple Indian weddings a year (my in-laws appear to know pretty much everyone). There are DEFINITELY "basic" Indian weddings.

"My philosophy is that a kid doesn't learn to make choices as an adult unless they're allowed to make choices as a child (as an adult, I'm still insecure about making the "wrong" decision)."

Throw it away? Wow, I can't even fathom that. I have three kids - there's just no way to please everybody all of the time.

That's a really interesting perspective - thank you so much for sharing it. I think it's really important for kids to learn how to ask for what they want in an appropriate and respectful way, and how to handle themselves when they don't get it. Tangentially related, I recently overheard my daughter shout at her…

"It sounds like your children will be wonderfully adjusted!"

Honestly, it's just more nuanced than a good headline makes. Kids should be given leave within reason to make choices and express themselves. My daughter has been picking her own clothes out since she was a year old (my sons, who are 2 and 4 years older, incidentally, still don't really care what they wear) - this…

The culture of misogyny is the same, albeit with strikingly different results. I don't think we can equate saying awful and untrue things on Tumblr that were potentially damaging to someone in a position of relative power with murdering several strangers and then offing oneself, but yes, I think it's pretty obvious…

Also, by "historically" I mean that the awful ramifications have a long historical context, not that this is something that is in the past. I just re-read my response and realized it might seem as if I think things are all better now - I do not.

I agree that it's completely horrible, and was in no way trying to diminish the damage it has historically caused (although many of those wrongly charged for rapes are in prison because the wrong suspect was prosecuted, not because the rape in question didn't take place - inept or corrupt investigation, racism, bad…

"I'm not suggesting that people who make false claims shouldn't be held accountable, especially to the people they hurt (both the accused and actual sexual assault survivors)."

I'll put the false equivalency of your question aside for a moment: I doubt I would have felt compelled to comment in a live forum about what an awful person a convicted rapist is, but you're right - I probably wouldn't be jumping to his defense, either. Ultimately, I do think it's important to view even the worst…

Slander is awful, and it looks like there's a good case against her. If I were in his position, I would probably sue, public apology or no. And it's up to a jury to decide whether or not she understood what she was doing and/or made efforts in good faith to retract her statements in a timely manner (which it doesn't…

A false accusation of rape is obviously horrible and vile, but maybe we should lay off the attacks a little? If we could be a little more compassionate to the mentally unstable people who make false claims, perhaps they would come forward with the truth sooner. And maybe instead of shaming them so thoroughly, we…

The hand-wringing and "this is why you should NEVER post pictures of children on the internetz!!!!!" is driving me a little batty. Isn't the problem here racism and invasion of privacy? If I want to post a picture of my goddamned 3 year old carrying the cat up the stairs for my family and friends, I should be able…

I think it's pretty sketchy for the hospital to put up a sign that said their policy was "a new state law," but I do think requiring some time for private consultation with a doctor for adolescents and teens is really important, and not just so kids can ask the questions they don't want their parents to hear. When I…

She's adorable. How's her "child bride" face?