Blog Posts by The_Stir

scary dollDolls and toys for kids are meant to be joyful and sweet. They are meant to spark imagination and give children good dreams for their future. Sometimes, though, that all backfires.

Who hasn't seen a horror movie (or four) about a doll? Let's face it, some dolls are creepy as hell. Their broken faces seem to cry over better days, their glassy eyes tell of unspeakable horrors. It's almost too much to bear.

More from The Stir: 11 Cruel, Mocking Photos I Took of My Babies (PHOTOS)

Maybe it's just because I have seen too many horror movies, but dolls, particularly old ones, scare me to death. Here are 8 of the scariest dolls I have ever seen. Warning: These dolls aren't for kids!

Evil Eye Doll

Evil Eye Doll

If I had this doll in my room, I promise you I would never sleep. What is UP with those eyes all rolled back in the head and those arms reaching toward you? Shiver. Night. Mare.

Cracked Doll Face Nightmare

Cracked Doll Face Nightmare

There is nothing more haunting than an old, weathered doll. Maybe

You've probably heard about the practice of "redshirting" -- holding a kid back from kindergarten until they start at age 6. People say it's unfair, and that parents do it to give their children an advantage that cheats the system. At 6, after all, Junior is one of the oldest kids in class, and theoretically better at everything from academics to sports. More boys are redshirted than girls, whites more than minorities, and rich more than poor.

It's funny that I never heard about how controversial redshirting was until I'd redshirted my own kid. Now that he's just started first grade (at 7), I try to ignore the outcry over this issue that's apparently irresponsible, classist, and erodes the level playing field that age restrictions are supposed to create.

More from The Stir: Home-Schooled Kids Are Smarter

Because I can tell you this: it was absolutely, completely, without a doubt the right decision for us to make.

It was a hard decision, for sure. We went back and forth

peanut butter sandwichWow, people are passionate about peanut butter and jelly. What started as one Arkansas boy's sandwich has now turned into an international debate with people vehemently raging both for and against the right to eat peanut butter in schools.

More from The Stir: Mom Gives 6-Year-Old Daughter Drug-Laced Sandwich for Lunch

It started when Jenkins Clifton-Jones took a PB&J to school one day. Apparently his mom didn't know about the six-year ban his school had in place against peanut products to protect students with allergies. According to Area Wide News, when a teacher saw him about to take a bite, she confiscated the sandwich, helped the boy get a new lunch, and sent a note home explaining the school's policy.

Sounds simple enough, right? Not even close.

Instead, his mom, Denise Clifton-Jones, took to Facebook to express her anger over the policy, and eventually started the page "School Nut Ban Discussion." Since then hundreds of people have chimed in with their very adamant

puppy

Are your kids begging for a puppy? Do they promise again and again that they'll walk the dog and feed the dog and clean up after the dog? Are you beginning to cave? Well, don't. Aren't these the very kids who vow to do their homework immediately after school, later running out the door to play with friends, and promise to use inside voices when you ask them to, but yell at the top of their lungs instead? Indeed, they are, and I guarantee that they won't be as helpful as they're making you believe they will be. And, it turns out, having a puppy is even harder than having kids ...

(And, yes, that's my 9-week-old golden retriever. Don't let her cuteness fool you. She's a devil.)

More from The Stir: 15 Precious Animals Caught Cuddling & Snuggling (PHOTOS)

1. You'll no longer sleep though the night. You'll be up just as often as you were with a newborn and a puppy isn't nearly as good of an excuse for dark circles as a new baby is.

2. Scrubbing pee and shit out of

spinach dipQuestion: What's the difference between spinach and boogers? Answer: Children will eat their boogers! Buh dun, ching! Poor spinach, it gets such a bad rap. Everyone knows that it's great for you -- it's a superfood, after all -- but some of us have a hard time incorporating it into our, and our family's, diet. That's where this list comes in.

More from The Stir: 5 Fantastic Crock Pot Recipes for Busy Moms This Fall (PHOTOS)

Spinach goes out of season in the winter, so fall's your last chance to shove all its fresh, leafy goodness down your pie hole. And trust me, with these 8 recipes, eating spinach has never, ever, been better.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip. Spinach? Check. Cheese? Check. Mayo and sour cream? Check, check. This recipe from Paula Deen (who else?) sounds delicious.

Spinach Salad on Garlic Croutons. One of Rachael Ray's 30-minute meals, this salad sounds fantastic, but probably only for the grown ups. If your kids aren't into garlic, try a spinach

Birth StoryIt seems that for many women, child birth is a very subjective thing. Stories range from women who claim they had "orgasmic" births to women who say they were miserable every second of their labor and never want to do it again. For me, the number one take away from my to labors was this: most times labor is what you imagine it will be. Your mind can make it horrible or great. It depends on what you believe it will be.

More from The Stir: 10 Ways Childbirth Is Just Like Going Number 2

A Cafe Mom Studios Birth Story piece recently told Dania M's story. Her birth story is a wild one and really shows how the mind can dictate what labor is like and that there is no one, universal experience. Dania had done all the research she could to prepare for having a baby, but when she was induced, the experience was far different than she had imagined. See below:

She had imagined horrific pain and screaming agony, but when it came time to be "induced" when she was two weeks

maternity wardIf parents know one thing, it's that after babies, finding time to do any uninterrupted baby-making activities becomes more and more challenging. Some child care facilities have realized how difficult it can be, so they're providing free child care so that parents can get it on. Seriously.

More from The Stir: New Way of Making a Baby Takes 3 People Instead of 2

Where do you sign up, right? Well, you have to go to Denmark, as that's where the group of nurseries have come up with this creative offering for free "quality copulation time". The reason why they're doing it isn't just because they think parents deserve some time for sex, but rather because they want them to make more babies so they can stay in business.

According to the BBC the birth rate of the country is one of the lowest in the world, and the nurseries are seeing a declining number of kids enrolling. So in fear for their jobs, they came up with this creative solution to increase funding.

Dorte Nyman

Ivanka Trump Valentina petite pump ($139.95, Nordstrom.com)Guess we can blame Carrie Bradshaw and Lady Gaga, but for at least a decade now, it seems like women's shoe styles have only gotten higher, pointier, and more perilous to walk in. A 4 1/2" heel is nothing compared to some of the sky-high stilettos women have felt compelled to squeeze their aching tootsies into to achieve high style. It's a shame, because while they're definitely sexy sometimes, who really wants to wear shoes like that all the time? I sure don't! Most moms I know sure don't!

More from The Stir: 10 Reasons Fall Style Makes Us Jump for Joy

So thank goooodness it looks like the tide might be turning! At London's Fashion Week, the heel of choice wasn't a painful, impractical five- or gaaah! even seven-incher. Instead, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloe, and Chanel's new collections were all showing a stocky, one-inch (maaaaybe two-inch) heel being dubbed the "petite pump." Oooh! Hello, footsies' new BFF!

I admit, I was born the perfect candidate for