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From the moment parents find out a baby is on the way, we make an endless number of decisions about how we will care for the new arrival. Hours are spent considering whether to breastfeed or formula-feed, to use cloth diapers or disposable, not to mention the hand-wringing that attends the question of who will care for the child while parents work! The discussion on what it means to raise a, for example, Jewish, African American, Indian or Latino child in American culture often does not occur until much later. Whether a family is actively part of one cultural group or religion, an interfaith family or minimally connected to a religious or cultural group, the choices about how we want to include culture in family life should be deliberate and intentional. How do we, as parents, help our children develop cultural identity?

The first step is for parents to be clear on their goal. We cannot pass on to our children that which we are not clear-minded about ourselves. If we marry someone of the same religion or culture, it may seem likely to eliminate these conflicts. “We are both Jewish, African American, or Christian, so there is no need to discuss how we are going to raise the kids.” What we fail to recognize is that, like any group identity, we all have our own unique experience of what it means to be part of a particular religion or cultural group. Interfaith families, on the other hand, typically have these conversations much sooner, as they are well aware that they grew up with different traditions.

As we think about how to incorporate culture and religion into the lives of our children, it is important to explore our own childhood experiences. What rituals and traditions brought you joy and which did you avoid? How did you feel connected to your cultural identity as a child? When we have explored these questions ourselves, it becomes much easier to pass along those traditions and values to our children.

Many parents wonder when to begin teaching their children about religion and culture. While it’s never too late, beginning early is recommended. We begin reading to our children long before they are able to read because we know they must be exposed early in order to read themselves when they are older.

Summer is coming and while we have our fingers crossed for lots of warm sunny days there are bound to be a few rainy afternoons that will be perfect for a trip to the movies. Here's a handy list to help you plan your summer.

I've broken this list into two parts — the more all-ages appropriate films that are likely to be rated PG (believe it or not, most of these films are not yet rated) and the somewhat more intense movies that will be more appropriate for tweens and teens.

All-ages movies for summer 2013

"Epic" – May 24 (PG)

Looking at the releases scheduled for this summer there are not a lot my munchkins will be clamoring for but Epic is one film that my daughter has announced we will be going to see early and often. She’s nuts about fairies and this has the kind of arboreal fantasy world that is right up her alley. As a non-sequel it does promise to be a bit more original than many of the other films this summer and it’s produced by the studio that created Ice Age, Rio, and Horton Hears a Who so it has a good pedigree.

"Monsters University" – June 21 (not yet rated, most likely G or PG)

I’m not sure what to make of this one. It’s Pixar, so that’s good considering their continuing record of quality storytelling. However, it’s been 12 years since Monsters Inc. and it feels a little like the well was running dry and they said, “Hey, people liked Monsters Inc. let’s do more with that one!” I’m going to trust the laurels Pixar may be resting on and give this a shot.

"Despicable Me 2" – July 3 (PG)

I am not a fan of the original Despicable Me. I felt it had a lot of story problems and the characters were weak. On the other hand, my kids loved it and they can’t wait for this one. Not least because the little yellow minion guys are featured prominently in the trailers and my son is always excited when a movie includes a submarine car.

"Turbo" – July 17 (not yet rated, most likely PG)

So there are plenty of jokes in this summer’s movies about snails and/or slugs, or slug-like creatures — let’s just say gastropods in general to save time. They’re slow but they think they’re fast; they need to hurry so they make running movements/noises and go nowhere. And this particular snail wants to race in the Indy 500. I’m having trouble picturing how they resolve the problem of showing a life-size snail racing next to life-size cars. I hope they succeed; this one is from DreamWorks so it has a chance.

Today, we have another awesome giveaway associated with our new BabyMap portal: a $100 gift package from Washington GET, Washington's 529 plan, which you can use at nearly any public or private college in the country.

The gift basket includes a $50 enrollment fee waiver to Washington GET, as well as a baby T-shirt, bath thermometer, baby calendar, diapers, wipes, bath soap and lotion.

How to enter the giveaway:

It's easy! Just leave a comment on this post about your favorite current baby or toddler product. Include your email in the comment form so that we can contact you if you are the winner.

Additional entries will be given for the following (leave an extra comment for each action to let us know):

1. Follow ParentMap on Pinterest

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This giveaway ends Friday, May 17, at noon. We will leave a comment reply for the winner by the end of the day.

Make sure to check back to see if you've won if you haven't already heard from us by email!

GET this - we have a lucky winner! Thanks to all who entered - you GET us happy! - and this giveaway is now closed.

And be sure to hop over to our new BabyMap site for the latest baby/pregnancy news and resources, including baby sleep tips, hottest apps for new parents, monthly milestones that matter, and much more.

And don't miss our upcoming BabyMap events (May 15 and 18) featuring leading relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., who will offer valuable advice on the transition to parenthood and ways to stay close and connected to your partner.

If you were to meet my daughters, chances are good you would either stifle a laugh, raise an eyebrow or experience a few seconds of silencing sensory overload. They are known for being … original in how they put together an outfit.

Now 6 and 8, they favor loud colors, big patterns, bold styles, historical throwbacks (no problem here going to the grocery store in a prairie outfit plus apron) and, above all else, some seriously good clashing. Somehow, they manage to often look really classy, too.

Many grown women would be envious of what my girls know so young. They choose unexpected outfits that please their inner creativity and wear them confidently, concerned only with how they feel and what they like.

But my daughters — especially the older one — are finally getting to the point where they want to have a say not only in the kind of clothes they wear (that’s been the case practically since toddlerhood, when they both refused to wear pants and have pretty much religiously shunned them ever since. “Hello, nice to meet you, we are members of the No Pants religious sect, can we give you some pamphlets?”) but in where we shop.

Suddenly, stores I’ve paid zero attention to since crossing the threshold into adulthood are demanding my attention.

Even before the official tween years begin, my kids are deftly able to identify which companies are a good match for their personal style tastes, thanks to the range of savvy-to-insidious techniques marketers are using to reach them, from game and app ads to billboard to commercials that have become so much a part of the American child’s media diet that kids don’t even realize the commercials are separate from the content.

My requirements for their dress so far have been simple: It has to be acceptable (read: it doesn’t look like Rihanna’s latest video ensemble), it has to be decent quality (I know they wear it out, but I can’t stand something falling apart after six washes) and it has to fit the budget.

I also get that they want to be inspired and delighted and amused by their clothes. I’m kind of a semi-reformed clotheshorse, so I honor that. They want the satisfaction of dress-up time to bleed over into daily life.

For now they are still dressing for themselves. But I know it’s precious few years until they begin to build their outfits — and, possibly, their whole public persona — based on what they think others want to see.

So far everyone’s needs have been easy to meet at a variety of kid-type stores we’ve been shopping at since they were toddling.

Until now. I can see the precarious future already being mapped out.

When stories like the recent Abercrombie and Fitch controversy come out, many parents worry about the impact on their children. I spoke with King 5 about how kids see and hear these messages loud and clear, how it affects them, and what parents can do.

By Deanna Duff

Once upon a time, comic books chronicled the adventures of characters like Superman or Archie and were read by wide-eyed kids. In recent decades, however, comics have gained prestige, new and longer narrative forms, and adult audiences. Through June 9, B.C.'s Vancouver Art Gallery is highlighting this journey with an exhibit titled Art Spiegelman: CO-MIX: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics and Scraps, the first-ever retrospective of one of the most influential figures in comics.

Spiegelman's work — particularly Maus, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning series detailing his father’s WWII experiences as a Holocaust survivor — is often credited with helping comic art gain mainstream recognition. The exhibit includes more than 400 drawings, sketches, studies and panels relating to not only Maus, but Spiegelman's early underground work from the 1970s, as well as more recent comics and illustrations.

While much of CO-MIX is more suitable for teens and adults (with some mature content, sexual themes and strong language), some of the show's sections, such as “Kids Comics,” are specifically family-friendly. The gallery's robust family programs (see below) can help kids and parents explore the most appropriate aspects of Spiegelman's work. (Make a weekend of it in Vancouver using ParentMap's "48 Hours" itinerary as a guide.)

The first section of the exhibit, "Topps Candy," features work dating from Spiegelman’s early professional career, when he began drawing for Topps Candy Company. Kids will enjoy the nearly floor-to-ceiling display of "Garbage Pail Kids" and "Wacky Package" trading cards, stickers and memorabilia.

The two sections devoted to Maus are arguably the show’s centerpiece. Visitors can study some of the earliest sketches of Maus (from 1978) and track the work’s evolution. Black-and-white photos of Spiegelman and his mother are displayed alongside the cartoon renderings (with little, furry mice scattered throughout the glass cases). For budding artists, it may offer insight into how reality can be creatively interpreted.