Is this a match?

I’m not convinced that Target’s new Cartwheel partnership with Facebook will be successful with moms who chose the “discount retailer with a touch of class.”

With Cartwheel, REDcard holders browse exclusive deals, then share them with friends.  The more card holders share, the more they save.

The program rolls out shortly with selected REDcard holders.

http://cartwheel.target.com/

Princess buzz

Have you caught the buzz from the castle of Disney?

Princess Merida, from the fairytale, Brave, has been given a makeover in advance of joining The Disney Princess Collection.  The glamorized redesign has been criticized by those who appreciated the adventure-seeking tomboy, who was a real-world role model for girls.

A shaky start for Common Core

Are your kids ready for Common Core standards?

Their teachers probably aren’t.

At least, that’s according to a poll released last week from the American Federation of Teachers.  (Link below.)Although a majority of teachers support the new standards, less than one-third have received training.  Hopefully, that small percentage was in New York and Kentucky – states that have already tested kids using the tests.

http://www.aft.org/newspubs/press/2013/050313.cfm

Read the label

It’s tough enough to find appropriate children’s clothing  at a decent price without checking for country of origin, but  more parents are looking at labels.

China, Vietnam and Bangladesh, site of the most recent factory tragedy, are the top three importers of apparel.  But that picture is changing:  Disney has stopped production of branded merchandise in Bangladesh.  By next spring, Disney will also stop production in Ecuador, Venezuela, Belarus and Pakistan.

“How to read a comic”

Have you seen the new  Sesame  Street  comic book?  It  released Saturday for Free Comic Book Day.

Since it’s the first Sesame comic book, it’s appropriate this issue shows “How to read a comic.”  Just another sign of the societal shift toward visually driven communication – and not just at the preschool level.

Moms Nite Out

Thursday is National Mom’s Night Out.

This year, I’ve seen more mall and retail-based events scheduled to give moms special and memorable experiences.  To locate local happenings click: http://momsniteout.com/

Prom goes wild

The 2013 prom season officially begins this weekend.

But according to data, including Visa’s third annual survey, prom spending has gone overboard yet again.  Visa  says the average family will spend $1,139 on prom. Lower income and single parent families will spend the most.

More than a thousand dollars on prom!  Consumption consumerism gone wild.