Everything Parents Need to Know About Fidgets

There’s a new fad that is taking over classrooms of all age groups. Students are playing with toys called “fidgets” while they are in class. Parents need to know that there is a constructive purpose for using a fidget – at least, for some students. Fidgets are all the rage now, but the concept isn’t new. The fidgets that are popular right now are small toys that spin. CNN described them this way: A fidget spinner is considered to be a type of fidget toy; a low profile, handheld device that people can, well, fidget with without making a big … Continue reading

Babee On Board Helps Pregnant Commuters Find a Seat

Many people understand that certain seats on public transportation are set aside for those who would have difficulty standing for the whole trip. Those seats are for people who are disabled, elderly, or pregnant. An app that has been released in the UK is helping pregnant commuters find a seat. Babee On Board is an app created by a company called 10x and they are based on London. They want to make public transport stress-free for everyone. Their app is simple to use and unobtrusive. It is an improvement over their previously released Babee on Board badge, which was hardware … Continue reading

More Young Adults are Living With Their Parents

Years ago, when the “Baby Boomer” generation was young, it was expected that they would graduate, get married, and start having children in their early 20’s. Today, for the first time in more than 130 years, Americans who are between the ages of 18-34 are more likely to live with their parents than any other living situation. A Pew Research Center analysis gathered data about Americans who are between the ages of 18-34. They found that 32.1% are still living in their parents’ homes. Another 31.6% have moved out of their parents’ homes and are currently living in their own … Continue reading

Parenting VS the Internet Mob

Parenting isn’t always easy. Sure, there are moments of absolute bliss. There are also days when a parent is exhausted, a child is especially cranky, and the whole thing turns into a big scene. It can be frustrating and embarrassing when this happens. Even worse, there is the potential that a stranger will take a photo or video of the “meltdown”, or write about it on social media. Chances are, you probably had at least one temper-tantrum in public when you were a toddler or young child. It’s part of being a toddler. Your mom was probably embarrassed by your … Continue reading

How to Help Your Kids Fall Asleep

Sleep is important. We all know what it feels like to have to get up and start the day after not having enough sleep. Before parents can turn in for the night they need to make sure their children are asleep. What can you do if your child is resisting bedtime or getting up at night? Here are some ideas that could help your kids to fall asleep. How much sleep do kids really need? The National Sleep Foundation has some recommendations that are based upon the age of the person. Adults need less sleep than children and babies do. … Continue reading

Dads are Important, Too!

A few months ago, a book was released that emphasized the important role that dads have. It is possible that the book may have influenced some parents to take a moment and think about the importance of dads and whether society might need to update its idea of what dads can do. Let me begin by clearly stating that I think that both dads and moms are very important to their children. Each can have a very strong influence. Whether that influence is positive or negative depends largely on the individual choices each parent makes. A book called Do Fathers … Continue reading

Pregnancy and Last Minute Changes

Yesterday I found out that one of my two midwives left the practice.  Yesterday also happened to mark a calendar month before my due date.  As you might guess, in my hormonal state (and given that I’m also just kind of a worrier anyway), I found this all upsetting. Now that there’s only one midwife, there’s a chance I might have a regular obstetrician deliver my baby, if my midwife isn’t on call when I go into labor.  Not only that, it will be one I won’t know, because all of my prenatal appointments have been with my midwives.  It’s … Continue reading

Avoiding the Brushing Battle

My daughter likes to fight. And by fight I mean win. The kid battles me at every turn:  bedtime, mealtime, chore time, and brush time. The simple act of brushing a few baby teeth has been a struggle since my child was a toddler.  Unfortunately, she still hasn’t outgrown her displeasure with brushing and flossing, but there’s hope for all of you parents dealing with the tumultuous twos and threes right now. To help your child embrace the hygienic task, which he will likely be doing daily for the rest of his life, consider the following: Shopping Trip:  Toddlers love … Continue reading

Summer Bedtime Battle

If you have young children, getting them to cooperate at bedtime can be a challenge during the school year; however, during the summer months, the conflict typically intensifies. In my home, bedtime battles are as heated as the Sahara sun. If even a sliver of daylight can be seen on the horizon, my 8-year-old thinks she should be wide awake and as far away from a bed as possible. So, you can imagine how brutal bedtime is when the sun rises just after 5 a.m. and doesn’t set until nearly 9 p.m. Summer’s extended daylight is great for farmers, but for … Continue reading

What’s the Most Important Parenting Skill?

  Patience, forgiveness, empathy?  What is the most important parenting skill? Good parenting isn’t presented to us at baby showers or as a parting gift from hospital staff following 21 hours of labor.  So, how do you acquire the skills needed to raise decent human beings?  Moreover, what are the most important qualities needed to ensure your child is able to grow into a valuable member of society? Patience:  Wash, dry, fold, break up fights, chauffeur, shop, cook, clean, repeat… over and over again.  After years of this monotony it’s no wonder many parents find it challenging to be patient … Continue reading