Vexed by this vaccine
My three girls will not be appearing in any of Merck's commercials for the Gardasil vaccine for cervical cancer. (See photo at left.)
I am thrilled that several state Legislatures, including Florida's, have stopped jumping on the Gardasil bandwagon. At least 20 states were considering making the cervical cancer vaccine mandatory for 11- and 12-year-old girls. Although the shot prevents sexually transmitted diseases, I am skeptical because of the intensive lobbying effort by Merck, which funded groups that were promoting the vaccine.
This vaccine has not been around long enough for us to know if there are long-term negative effects (Remember Vioxx?) or how long the immunity even lasts. I'm glad everyone has come to their senses and is taking a step back to see if this shot is all it's cracked up to be.
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work.
Joy Oglesby has a preschooler...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s.
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters.
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 15, and Lily, 7, and is married to a journalist, Bob Norman. She covers Broward County government, which is filled with almost as much drama as the Norman household. Almost.
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator and the father of a 7-year-old girl, and two boys ages 4 and 3.
Kyara Lomer Camarena has a 2-year-old son, Copelan, and a brand new baby. 
South Florida Parenting is your guide for local events and things to do with your family. Our site offers resources, features and insightful columns on all types of parenting issues.
Parents and their children can access a multitude of free educational resources.