WellesleyWeston Magazine

FALL 2012

Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.

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Wellesley-Based Blog Sets Tone for Mannered Parenting how doesone react when neighborhood parents brag about their child's accomplishments? What does one do when a three- year-old habitually greets you by your first name, with the smiling approval of her parents? And how does one respond when rude chil- dren terrorize your home? Navigating these sticky social parenting dilemmas is the raison d'ĂȘtre of the blog "Manners for Modern Mothers" (www.mannersfor- mothers.com). It's a Web site that stands out as a beacon of sensibility from the glut of online parenting resources, thanks to its thoughtful insight, good taste, and restraint in an age of let-it-all-hang-out. "We tackle perplexing suburban situations, especially since parent- hood adds a whole new dimension," explains Elizabeth Baxter Butcher, a Wellesley resident and mother of two young children. She is a co- founder and contributor to the blog, which is updated an average of twice per week. "The blog centers on how to deal with new, yet recur- ring circumstances with grace and decorum." "Parenthood places you into new social situations, and presents new challenges," agrees Elizabeth Hammond Pyle, a mother of four children under the age of twelve, and the site's co-creator and elec- tronic scribe. "For example, the first time you attend or host a play date, you're not entirely sure how that works. The same is true of serv- ing on a school or volunteer committee." But if you visit "Manners for Modern Mothers," don't expect to find a primer on which fork to use at an elegant social gathering. "It's more about manners in the Jane Austen sense, and maintaining your equa- nimity, " says Butcher. "We're more interested in the bigger picture." The popular blog, which was founded in 2009, isn't heavy-handed or preachy. "We aim to be light and ironic, and we're lacking in 125 fall 2012 | WellesleyWeston Magazine

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