A great babysitter is a precious resource – and one that’s highly coveted by other families. When date night comes along, or if you have to go out for any reason, making decisions about with whom you can entrust your kids is important. Of course, leaving the kids with a…
When we were children, it felt like we had the weight of the world on our shoulders with those overstocked backpacks. But not anymore. Parents, school officials and medical professionals have wised up to the potential health hazards of packing those backs too much. Hence, the ever-growing popularity of backpacks…
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…
It’s a hard habit to break, but it can be done. We’re talking about the dreaded thumbsucking. Parents – take heart. Eventually, the time is going to come, probably just not soon enough. Research shows that 30 percent of preschool children still suck their thumbs, although most outgrow it by…
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, candy seems like the go-to gift for adults and kids alike. From a box of chocolates to conversation hearts to jelly beans, there’s no shortage of sugar. Lots of parents don’t exactly love the idea of loading their kids up with candy, especially when…
You’ve got the reading and ‘riting down – but what about that last R, ‘rithmetic? Math has changed since those days when future moms completed worksheet after worksheet and worked out addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tables – without the aid of a calculator. Math, thankfully, has become more hands-on…
Bottled water may seem like one of those things you just can’t live without, but in reality there are far more cons than pros. When it comes to bottled water, all that glitters isn’t gold. For example, many people assume that bottled water is the best option. However, good old-fashioned…
In the age of texting, e-mail, Facebook and other forms of communication that teens have available, it can be hard for parents to keep up with all those cryptic abbreviations. But your child’s life might depend on you deciphering them. Would you know what “robotripping on DXM” would mean? Or…
Peanuts, dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, sulfites…many foods contain potential allergenic products. And up to 8 percent of kids have life-threatening food allergies, and those limitations can become problematic as kids enter school or change schools. But parents and administrators can keep all kids safe and happy as they deal with…
With so many kids engaging in television, video games, and computer activity, it seems what most children are in dire need of is some time outdoors. Playing outside gives your child a chance to blow off some steam while getting their daily dose of physical activity. And yes, we all…