iVillage - Janet Shamlian

Mutton What?

2009-03-31T14:46:25Z

Even living in Texas, where they all but close the schools for the rodeo, I'd never heard of it.

And, honestly, I thought it was an early April Fools' when the TODAY show called and asked for a story on Mutton Busting. Take a look...

Watch the segment from TODAY

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

"It's a children's version of bull riding," the producer told me. Only, as the name implies, the riding is done on sheep who are none to happy to have kids as young as FOUR piled on top of them, holding on for dear life.

Ok, moms, would you let your pre-schooler give this is a shot?

Barter Boom

2009-03-03T23:23:39Z

I always wait too long for a haircut, but when I do make it to the salon, I see her. She's got hair I'd trade an arm for, locks that must be costing a fortune--or so I thought until we started talking. It didn't cost her a limb, but she was trading for hair care. A successful interior decorator, she was furnishing her stylist's home in exchange for, as she put it, a lifetime of being blonde.

Bartering has been around for ages, but it's back in vogue for a nation in recession. Just log onto your local Craigslist, and you'll see a laundry list of possible trades; tattoos for a bull terrier anyone? I found that listing on the website today. Nothing's off the table, as I discovered in reporting the story for TODAY. In Los Angeles, we met an artist who traded a painting for plastic surgery. Let's just say it was the above-the-neck variety.

Watch the segment from TODAY

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Unusual swaps aside, bartering is a coping mechanism seeing a resurgence in tough times. From car repair to legal work, tutoring to tattoos, nothing is off the table if it help both parties. And why not? The stylist has a beautiful home and the decorator has what many of us would love--a good hair day... every day.

TODAY on iVillage

Gran' Anne

2009-03-03T16:52:52Z

Gran' Anne. That's what my kids call her instead of 'grandma'. I'm fairly certain she came up with the moniker a decade or so ago when she first became a grandmother but wasn't quite ready to hear herself referred to as one. In any case, Gran' Anne is just a few minutes away and I've always felt fortunate that in an emergency, she was close and capable and WILLING to take on five children with little or no notice.

For many families, grandma is more than just a standby sitter, she's a daily presence in their lives. From the nation's first family--where Marion Robinson has moved into the White House to help care for Sasha and Malia--to families across the country where both parents are working, it's a trend we explored on TODAY.

Watch the segment from TODAY

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It's the way kids used to be raised before nannies and daycare became fashionable. Whether it's the economic downtown or just a back to basics approach, grandparents are emerging as caregivers again in big numbers. But as any parent who's shared the job can attest, it's a delicate dance of living with decisions that will almost certainly, at some point, differ from your own.

Personally, I have come to terms with the fact that when I drop the kids at Gran' Anne's, all bets are off. There will be sugar-filled Orangina and root beer at any hour they want it. Movies appropriate for my 13-year-old will be watched by my 6-year-old well past his bedtime. But there will also be treats no parent could argue with: Endless hugs and an abundance of love.

TODAY on iVillage

The Ninth Floor

2009-02-21T02:53:17Z

I spent a day at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston but it wasn't one of those emergency room trips that's a rite of passage for every parent on the planet. This time I was on the ninth floor, and at Texas Children's, that's where kids with cancer come for chemotherapy. It was a story for the NBC Nightly News, a feature on a woman who'd opened a recording studio up on nine to help these very sick children express their feelings through music.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It was an inspirational story, and I fell hard for two little girls I interviewed. Their moms were just as lovely. And, of course, I left there feeling grateful for five healthy children who do not have to spend time on the ninth floor of Texas Children's Hospital. It was one of those days we should have all the time, when gratitude for what we have replaces concerns about what we don't.

Here we go again... the mommy wars

2008-09-02T21:39:40Z

I arrived in my daughter's classroom for an end of the school year performance. A mom I'd met but didn't know well greeted me in a voice that ensured the entire room would hear. "It's great to see you in person instead of on television for a change." While I was verbally rescued by other parents, she scored the intended bulls-eye. The truth is, I missed the Halloween party, the holiday party and all the field trips last year. And that doesn't include what I missed for my other four children! Her comment was months ago, but it still burns like yesterday's workout.

I was reminded of that day by the chatter swirling around Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, also a mom of five. There's been a firestorm of criticism of her for navigating a demanding job and campaigning for an even bigger one, all while raising a large family with special needs and unique circumstances. From "she's a bad mom" to "her daughter wouldn't be pregnant if she'd spent more time at home", there are hungry-man plates of judgment being served up from the corner cafe to the blogosphere . Here's a shocker, most of it is coming from other moms.

Women with these types of jobs rarely go it alone -- just like their male counterparts. There's usually a supportive spouse and relatives or a loving caretaker in the picture. And it helps when you work for a family-friendly employer (thank you, NBC).

Politics aside and as a journalist, it's intriguing to see the so-called mommy wars resurrected and reignited once again. As a working mom, it's disheartening to see another -- whomever she is -- attacked for her choices.

Back To School

2008-08-20T14:28:31Z

It sounds schmaltzy, but I packed my purse full of tissues today. I'm usually a little too enthusiastic about the first day of school, even if it arrives dreadfully early where we live. Three months of five kids will do that to you. This first day was different. My baby started kindergarten. A milestone for him, nothing short of a heartbreaker for his mom.

Summer vacation is officially over. It feels like we just celebrated the end of tests and tutorials and started staying up late and not getting up early. After weeks of living on our own schedule, life is once again governed by the school calendar, dictating everything from dinner hour to vacation weeks.

The kids are anxious to reconnect with their friends. I'm anxious, too. Last year at this time I would return home from the morning carpool run to the arms of a little boy who couldn't wait to see his mommy. Forevermore, I'll be the one waiting for him.

The Storm

2008-08-05T01:33:54Z

I told my children I was heading to Galveston and they begged me to take them along, eager for the beach on a week that has delivered the most oppressive heat of the year. But this was no pleasure trip. It's one of the toughest parts of being an NBC News correspondent: leaving on a moments' notice and not being able to tell those I love when I'll return.

On storm duty
I'm writing from along the Texas Gulf Coast for coverage of the storm named Edouard. The last time I was here in this capacity, the "he" was a "she" -- Hurricane Rita in 2005. By now, I know the drill: grab my rain jacket and wellies, top off the car and most importantly.. pack a cooler. What's inside has the potential to be breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next couple of days.

Our NBC team shooting long lines at the Galveston, Texas gas station.
Who thought anyone would ever wait for almost $4 a gallon gas!
I used to laugh when reporters stood out in hurricanes, getting blown off the screen. Now, that's me and it's not as funny. But it makes for an interesting day. I'll start the morning on the Today Show, spend the afternoon in a driving rain updating the storm for MSNBC viewers and, in the early evening, write a story for the NBC Nightly News.

Watch the segment from TODAY

And then, if it's not too late and the roads are clear, I'll head home... and file one last report -- about mommy's day at the beach.

Cancer In Your Kitchen?

2008-07-28T13:32:34Z

When I first read about a possible link between granite counter tops and lung cancer, I couldn't help thinking back a few years to a report questioning whether under wire bras caused breast cancer. "Is this the same fear mongering or a legitimate concern?" I wondered as I read the story with the newspaper splayed out on my own granite counter.

In our house the counter top is one of those so-called islands, and we do everything from cook to crosswords on it so I couldn't dismiss it as easily as I laughed off the bra story.

The fact that granite can emit cancer-causing radon and radiation isn't in dispute. So can airplanes, x-rays and the sun. It's the levels of radon and radiation that are important. Recent reports are full of stories about homeowners tearing out their granite after testing revealed dangerous radon levels- yet some experts say the chances of owning such a counter are one in a million. Another story indicated it was all related to the COLOR of your counter: pink, purple and red reportedly yield higher levels of radiation.

So what can you do? It depends how concerned you are. The EPA has said there is no significant health risk associated with granite counters, but testing is the only way to know for sure. Home kits are available at home improvement stores and you can find more information at EPA.gov/radon.

On Sunday mornings, the boys in our house make breakfast for the family. My five-year-old takes such delight in endlessly stirring the pancake mix as he sits on the counter. That image is enough for me to pursue a little peace of mind.

Case Closed: Madeleine McCann

2008-07-21T09:29:38Z

It was more than five years ago, but I remember it like yesterday. I lost my 4 year old daughter in a store. Racing through the building while scanning the exits and screaming her name, it was ten minutes of the worst heart racing terror I've ever known. Maybe you've had a similar gut-wrenching experience. Most of these separations have quick reunions and happy endings, as mine did, remembered only by the guilt-ridden parent. The exceptions make headlines, and I'm reporting on one of those heartbreakers for Today from NBC's bureau in London.

She's a British child, but you may know her name. Madeleine McCann disappeared more than a year ago while vacationing with her family in Portugal. Her mom and dad went to dinner, leaving her sleeping in a condo alongside her younger brother and sister. When they returned the twins were still asleep, but 3-year-old Madeleine was gone. Her parents launched a worldwide search, while enduring harassment and death threats for a decision they'll forever regret.

The case was officially closed on Monday, and Kate and Gerry McCann were cleared as suspects. Investigators have done what no anguished mom and dad could ever do: give up hope.

It's different, of course, than briefly losing a little girl in a department store. But reporting on Madeleine reminded me of the day when that little hand I was holding was suddenly gone, and when for a few minutes I imagined the worst.

Madeleine McCann

Related content on iVillage:

Information on keeping your child safe

The Jolie-Pitt Twins

2008-07-14T14:15:09Z

I can't imagine many jobs that offer as much day-to-day variety. A month ago I was in Iowa, witness to those devastating floods. Today I am outside a hospital on the French Riviera where Angelina Jolie has given birth to twins.

The French hospital where Angelina Jolie gave birth to twins
My work as an NBC News correspondent for Today and Nightly News is truly a window on the world, so when iVillage offered me the opportunity to write a behind-the-scenes look at the stories I cover, I jumped.

As they've got me categorized under the parenting and pregnancy blogs, the Angelina assignment seemed a good place to start, though I believe I wound up in the mom corner (and proud to be here), because I am the mother of five.

But Ms. Jolie has dusted me. She's up to six now in record time and with just two pregnancies!

I'm here in Nice with a team from the Today Show. The sparkling Mediterranean is behind us and in front of us, photographers are literally camping outside every hospital entrance. It is a scene.

Angelina's view from her French hospital suite
Ms Jolie and her newborns (Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline) are said to have a suite of rooms here, the windows of which appear newly coated to keep camera lenses away. With a helipad on the roof, it seems unlikely the Jolie-Pitts will be making an exit through the front doors anytime soon.

Watch the report from TODAY

We're going to wait it out for a while. While I'd love to see those babies, a glimpse of dad wouldn't be bad!