By now, you may have heard about Sarah Palin reportedly using hand-written notes to keep her talking points readily available during a Tea Party Convention Q&A session. The controversy, criticism and comedic commentary has only just begun. On Twitter, @karidrouin coined the phrase “telepalmer” and there’s a Facebook page devoted to Palin’s note-keeping system.

I’ll refrain from opining on the politics of the situation, but I will note that the moms out there know this memory-jogging method is nothing new. We’ve been writing reminders on our hands since the invention of the pen, often to the ridicule of friends and family. But perhaps Ms. Palin will help give this modest memory tool the recognition it so handily deserves…

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Crib Notes

What multitasking mom
hasn’t written on her palm
all the things she needs to do
and a grocery list or two?

Heaven help if she forgets,
lest she endlessly regret
that she missed the new car-pool
or just left a kid at school!

Each mom has her special way
to keep Mommy Brain at bay;
those with crib notes close at hand
will remember things as planned.

Take a tip from Sarah Palin,
and you’ll nevermore be failin’,
for your memory’s fine and dandy
when a Magic Marker’s handy.
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©2010 Carlotta Eike Stankiewicz