Moms Around Town: Padded Bikini Tops, Dating After Divorce and More

Here's what moms and others concerned with parenting were talking about in Patch communities throughout southeast Michigan this past week: 

Fenton

 said: "I don't like the padding, regardless of the age. It's sending the message that bigger breasts are better. "

 wrote: "When I first heard about Ambercrombie's bathing suits a couple of weeks ago, I was furious. Now, two weeks later, it angers me to hear about it again. I think it's ridiculous that anyone would buy a seven to ten year old a push up, padded bathing suit or bra. What's next? Will Victoria's Secret have a toddler section?"

Rochester

 said: "I found Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block and the toddler version very helpful. They provide many easy to use tips for a lot of different situations that seemed to work for my girls. I couldn't handle the "cry it out" methodologies; Dr. Karp provides a much gentler approach."

 said: "My favorite for parenting teenagers is "Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall" by Dr. Anthony Wolf."

Brighton

 said: "(I) don't think a new person should be introduced until it is a serious relationship. The kids should know that you're dating (if old enough to understand) but don't need to meet the person. For older parents, I think it makes a difference if they are divorced or widowed; but they are the only ones that can know when they're ready."

Dexter

said: "So far, knock on wood, we haven't had to deal with the death of a human family member, I dread the day. However, we have a strong faith and belief in God and are teaching that to our girls. So when the day comes when they lose someone close, I hope knowing where their loved ones end up will give them, and us, comfort."

said: "As an outside resource for the death of someone particularly close, I highly recommend Ele's Place. They are a local non-profit organization that helps kids deal with grief. It has been a godsend for my daughter who lost her dad last September. She has also seen friends lose a parent, another friend lost her brother, and a friend committed suicide in the past eight months. I don't know how I would have dealt with all of this on my own. I am grateful for our weekly Ele's Place meetings. The focus is on remembering, but they deal with answering questions in a straightforward, age appropriate way."