A couple of interesting links from Slate.com – one concerning the very touchy subject of disciplining your kids (hat tip to forum user meiqi for the tip) that breaks down the different techniques (i.e. "Shock and Awe," "The Evil Eye" and "The Rational Saint") and concludes that one approach seems particularly effective (give your two cents here).
The second pontificates on the human politics of playdates and how easily they lead parents to judge each other. No super insights are offered here, but it’s food for thought nonetheless.