Can playing music to your baby or young child make her smarter? That was the claim of the much-hyped “Mozart Effect” several years ago, but the truth isn’t exactly black and white. Certainly, music is a great complement for stimulating babies’ brains and teaching toddlers vocabulary, but the jury’s out…
Snow days are no excuse for slow days. Cold weather may seem like the ultimate “get out of exercise free” card, but it shouldn’t be. Regardless of the outside temperatures, your children need to stay active. It’s the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for kids and adults alike. The Centers…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 500 people a year – including about 30 kids – die of carbon monoxide poisoning, and even more are sickened. This odorless, colorless gas is given off when gas, oil, kerosene or wood are burned, and it’s the most common…
With the holidays winding down and the kids still on Christmas break, there’s no time like the present to get your children to work on those ever-important thank you notes. Far too many parents don’t appreciate the true value of having their kids write out thank-you cards to generous friends…
We’ve all heard the old wives’ tale that if food dropped on the ground or other surface is picked up within five seconds that it’s safe to eat. If you have small kids who drop food on a regular basis and stuff it right into their little mouths, then a…
Summer is right around the corner. And while that means vacation for the kids, it can mean a whole lot of work for parents. In the current economic climate, summer camp can be too costly for many families. That means it’s up to you to find an affordable alternative to…
All kids get bashful or uncharacteristically quiet in some settings, but what should you do if your child is chronically introverted? Experts say absolutely nothing, if this is the child’s true nature, and the shyness doesn’t exclude your child from opportunities that present themselves, either personally or academically. Never persecute…
The heat is on – and it’s only going to get worse. All the SPF in the world often isn’t enough to protect your child from the beating sun in those hotter-than-heck months. But there is a ray of light. You can take other fool-proof measures to cover your kids…
“I look fat.” “My butt is too big.” “My arms look jiggly.” How often do you find yourself complaining about your physical flaws in front of your children? Unless the answer is never, it’s one too many times. By showing that you have a lack of self love to your…
When it heats up outside, the siren song of the ice-cream man’s truck may be the only thing that gets the kids out of the air-conditioned house on the double. But if you’re worried about the fat, calories and sugar of those tasty treats, then the ice-cream man might be…