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children-related stories
Nudity - Boundaries for Babies?
Do your kids go naked? Photo: nkpix, Flickr
Parents often don't notice their own kids' nudity, especially if they're laid back about it themselves. There's nothing cuter than a baby's chubby bottom, and breastfeeding moms quickly become comfortable with sharing their body with their babies. But as birthdays come and go, nudity becomes an issue in some homes.
"My mother, it used to drive her crazy how naked Ava was," Aly Mandel, mom of five, recently told The New York Times. "My mother-in-law also, they both felt it crossed the line of what was appropriate. My mother-in-law would come in and automatically say, 'Ava, put on your clothes. Put on your underwear.'" Mandel, however, saw nothing wrong with her six-year-old daughter's desire to be naked.
Boundaries aside, are today's parents too worried about what their kids aren't wearing? At The Mommy Files, Amy Graff wonders, "Whatever happened to naked summers?" As soon as they start stripping down en masse, we all get a little uneasy.
It comes down to personal comfort. Kids usually develop modesty all by themselves, in time, and once they do, that needs to be respected. But until then, is it a parents' job to teach modesty or to let them enjoy those few short years of childhood innocence?
Dad Lets 11-year-old Son Drive, Gets Arrested
Would you let your kid drive your car? Photo: SXC.hu
With a story like this, the devil is in the details. If Mr. Aguilar was in fact driving while intoxicated, that's a very serious crime, but if he was only showing his son how to drive, is that just as bad? Didn't our dads let us take the wheel every now and then, just for fun? We asked some dads if they would let their little guys drive at that age, and if their own fathers did the same when they were young.
Edward from Staten Island was very clear: "I would never let my 11 year old drive....period. My father didn't let me drive until I was 18 and getting ready to take the test." Clark University professor and playwright Gino DiIorio agreed: "I would never let my kid drive a car underage. My father barely let me drive the car when I was of age." And a Los Angeles father named David had this to say: "My dad wouldn't let me look at his car at that age. My children won't drive until they are 50." Only one dad we spoke with, Jonathan, said that he might be willing to let his kid drive before the legal age of 16, but only "somewhere on a back road with an old beatup car."
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Brett Singer is the editor-in-chief of DaddyTips.com. You can follow his tweets at Twitter.com/brettsinger.
Bathtub Injuries - 43,000 Tots Treated Each Year
Toddlers get hurt falling down in the bathtub. Photo: sxc.hu
"That is because young children, the ones typically injured in bathtubs and showers, they tend to topple forward," Dr. Gary Smith study author and director of Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio tells MSNBC. "They have a high center of gravity, and they tend to strike their head and their face, and that ends up with injures such as lacerations."
Lacerations account for 60 percent of injuries, with the head most commonly involved. In fact, the study -- which will be published in the August issue of Pediatrics -- found that these kinds of injuries are more common than those from scalding water or being submerged.
Young Kids Spending More Time Online
Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, In The News
Kids get friendly with the Internet. Photo: sxc.hu
The first time I used the Internet -- and I'm aging myself, here -- I was a college graduate. The year was 1996. My kids, on the other hand, could both handle a mouse quite nicely by the age of three. The Internet to them isn't a marvel -- it's just another way to entertain themselves, find information and communicate. And a Nielsen report proves that kids are incorporating the Internet into their daily lives.
Nearly one out of ten Internet users is a child younger than 11, and the number of kids in this age group getting online has grown by 18 percent. To compare: In the same time period, the use of the Internet by all other users grew ten percent. Boys spend more time online than girls, but girls surf more websites.
So everyone's online, and in some houses, everyone's got their own computer, too. But is this healthy?
'Fit as a Firefighter' Camp Helps Kids Lose Weight
Louisiana firefighters are saving kids' lives, but not in the usual way. Image: sxc.hu
Kids in the camp learn lifelong healthy living tips: Nutrition, portion control and the consequences of a diet rich in sugar and fat. But they also have classes in rock climbing, karate, square dancing, CPR and first aid. Unlike most summer camps, these kids learn from a unique group of adults -- local firefighters, state police and Louisiana National Guard's Blackhawk Helicopter and Boot Camp.
Weight loss summer camps aren't a new idea, but Slidell's "Fit as a Firefighter" program is definitely innovative. The firefighters focus on diet and exercise, but they tackle a third area that's often forgotten in traditional summer camp programs: Self-esteem. The camp knows that overweight kids often suffer -- or even overeat -- because of stress, poor self-image or teasing. "We try to teach on all the issues that they're dealing with right now," says Morrison. "They are very sensitive children."
It's a formula that seems to be working. Camp leaders say that kids often come back to camp the following year trimmer and more fit.
Diets don't work -- especially for kids -- which is probably why the "Fit as a Firefighter" camp is so successful. Instead of breaking kids down or taking away their favorite foods, Slidell firefighters appear to be focusing more on showing kids how to enjoy exercise in a safe environment and teaching them good nutrition.
If your child is or was overweight, would you consider sending them to a weight loss camp?
Liv Tyler Interferes, Spit Up Stains, and More - Links We Love
Is your kids addicted to junk food? Image: sxc.hu
Liv Tyler recently stopped a mother in the park, shouting at her to stop hitting her toddler. She's gotten both cheers and jeers for her actions. What do you think? Would you interfere with another parent in public? -- Motherlode
We wish they would love to snack on organic vegetables. They're more likely to dig chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Momversation asks, "Is your kid a poor eater?"
Great tip for busy parents who aren't the scrapbooking type: Use a day-by-day calendar to write down the little moments that make you laugh. -- Parenting
Just because a school is struggling doesn't mean its students and teachers deserve a failing grade. Read about a student's experience at an "F" school to find out why. -- St. Petersburg Times via Whoa, Momma!
Remember that girl who claimed to have fallen asleep while a tattoo artist covered her face with 56 tattoos? Yeah, her dad saw right through that one. She admits she lied, but the artist says he'll pay for half of the removal anyway. -- Telegraph
Tired of those primary-colored plastic baby toys littering your living room? Maybe you'd like this monster-inspired version instead. I bet they don't sell that at Target! -- Bioempemera
Finally, baby advice we can use: How to get spit-up stains off your clothing. -- Alpha Mom
Tots need to keep TV time limited, but when you need a little break, that television can be a lifesaver? So what should little ones be watching? BabyCenter has a list of the best shows for small children.
Our generation of parents is more honest than ever and we like to blog about it. That might not be good for the future of mankind, says one non-mom: She says we're making her afraid to have kids. -- Babble
Modern Fathers the Equivalent of Hired Help?
"At some point in the last few decades, the American male sat down at the negotiating table with the American female and -- let us be frank -- got fleeced," he writes.
He is referring to the role of the modern father -- a role that he says has been diminished and debased by the modern mother who has decided his value lies in doing as he's told with nary a thanks. No longer the powerful head of household, he's become the equivalent of unpaid hired help. The babysitter, the heavy-lifter, the go-to guy when something trivial needs to be done.
Day Out with Daddy: Celebrity Dads and Kids
Matt Damon
Actor Matt Damon gives his daughter, Isabella, a lift at LAX Airport. Damon and his wife, Luciana Barroso, have two daughters together -- Isabella and Gia. Luciana also has a daughter, Alexia, from a previous marriage.
Bauer-Griffin
Tom Brady
The New England Patriots' star quarterback, Tom Brady, visits with his son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan. Mom is Brady's former girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan. Brady married Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen in February 2009 in Los Angeles.
Revolutionpix / Fame Pictures
President Barack Obama
Despite his insanely busy and important schedule, President Barack Obama makes it a point to spend as much time as he can with daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.
Getty Images
Brad Pitt
Actor Brad Pitt, who has six children with actress Angelina Jolie, visits the playground with three of their kids -- daughter Zahara, and sons Pax and Maddox. Not pictured are daughter Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox.
James Devaney, WireImage
Will Smith
Will Smith and two of his children with actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith -- daughter Willow and son Jaden -- enjoy a night out in New York City. Smith also has a third child, son Trey , from his previous marriage to Sheree Zampino.
Eric Charbonneau, Le Studio/Wireimage
Tom Cruise
Actor Tom Cruise walks the streets of Manhattan with his daughter, Suri Cruise; mom is actress Katie Holmes. Tom also has two other children -- daughter Isabella and son Connor -- from his previous marriage to actress Nicole Kidman.
James Devaney, WireImage
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey sits in the sand with son Levi on the beach in Malibu. Levi is McConaughey's first child with model/handbag designer girlfriend Camila Alves.
X17online.com
Seal
Sexy crooner Seal, seen here playing in the park with one of his sons, has three children with supermodel wife Heidi Klum -- daughter Leni, son Henry and son Johan. The couple recently announced that baby #4 is on the way!
Bauer-Griffin
Gavin Rossdale
Singer Gavin Rossdale hanging out on the slopes with his oldest son, Kingston. Rossdale and his singer/fashion designer wife Gwen Stefani have two sons, Kingston and Zuma.
Michael Buckner, Getty Images
Ben Affleck
Actor/director Ben Affleck picks up his oldest daughter, Violet, from school. Ben and his wife, actress Jennifer Garner, have two daughters – Violet Ann Affleck and Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck.
Bauer-Griffin
Dr. Laura Schlessinger on Working Moms
Just For Moms, Money & Work, Books
Dr. Laura feels sorry for working moms. Image: Amazon.com
She says she did not set out to write a book condemning mothers who work but in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, she managed to do just that. When asked at what point stay-at-home mothers should return to the workforce, she answered "never" and insisted that mothers should always be home when their children are.
She uses her own life as an example of how this can be done. When her son was young, she says she arranged to do her radio show only during the hours when he was at school. She says that mothers who claim they cannot manage that type of schedule with their jobs are just not trying hard enough.
When Is It OK To Lie To Your Kids?
Is lying to your children ever acceptable? Or should you always tell them the truth? Image: Amazon.com
Some of Dr. Gardenswartz's examples are pretty straightforward. I would never say "The car doesn't work until your seat belts are buckled." I go with "Put your seatbelt on." While in a taxi with my son and one of his friends, the friend told me that his parents don't make him wear a seatbelt. I calmly informed him that he wasn't with his parents at the moment. After staring at me for a second with a look of shock on his face, he buckled up.
So in general, I agree. But I think there are times when it is acceptable to lie to children.
For example:
How To Raise Your Kid's I.Q.
In the early 1900's, when French psychologist Alfred Binet created the first test to measure intelligence in children, he warned that the resulting I.Q. scores shouldn't be considered the definitive marker of a child's potential. He insisted that intelligence was not a fixed quantity and the idea that it could not be increased was baseless. Over time, however, that warning was ignored and conventional wisdom now holds that intelligence is genetic and whatever potential a child is born with is all he or she will ever have.As proof of this genetic predetermination, experts point to studies of identical twins raised apart who achieved similar scores on I.Q. tests. Because they grew up in different environments, the only explanation for the comparable scores must be genetics, right? In addition, studies have shown that poor people are less intelligent than rich people and this, too, is considered a function of genetics.
But is any of this really true? Is a person's potential mental ability truly set in stone? According to a new book by Richard Nisbett, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, the answer is an emphatic "no." The book, "Intelligence and How to Get It," looks at not only how to increase your child's intelligence, but offers ideas on how to address poverty and inequality in America.
Worst Babysitter Ever?
Toddlers, Weird But True, Childcare
They've never found Bigfoot. The Loch Ness Monster? I don't think so.But The Worst Babysitter In The History of Babysitting? Yep. I think this is her.
Let's look at the facts.
Brandy Albright was babysitting a 2 year old boy in Port St. Lucie, Florida. She fell asleep. OK, it happens.
But wait.
She fell asleep on the toilet. Hm. That's not good.
The boy wandered outside. He was found either in "an alligator-infested canal" or near a "busy highway" depending on which report you believe. I'm not sure which is worse, but certainly neither one is good. Also not good: The kid was wearing a shirt smeared with feces.
One more thing: Police found a bottle of OxyContin in the house. That could explain the whole falling asleep on the toilet thing, and the fact that it took the cops two minutes to rouse Ms. Albright from her slumber.
First Born Kids Get More Mom Time
Hey, all you little brothers and sisters! Looking for ammunition against your parents? It's your lucky day -- a new study out of Brigham Young University shows that first-born kids get as much as 30 minutes more quality face-time with mom and dad than do second children.Most birth-order research focuses on how it can determine children's personality traits later in life, and studies bear out the common stereotypes: the oldest child is generally smart and ambitious, while later-born kids are often more liberal, rebellious, and flexible.
And lo, the guilt! Now I know for sure that the baby won't have all the advantages of our oldest. Scientific proof that second kids totally get the shaft, and it can only lead to a life of crime. Especially because second children are often winners in the discipline lottery: another study notes that parents are more relaxed -- and lax -- the second time around.
We had our second child eight months ago, nearly four years after the birth of our daughter. We dote on both the kids, but the big girl definitely got more one-on-one time with both of us, with every mewl and giggle getting our full attention. But the baby? What, he's eating paper? Eh, it's just fiber, won't hurt him.
My family of origin is a perfect example of birth-order politics. As the eldest, I'm a very traditional kind of gal with a stick-in-the-mud attitude, while my middle sister is the peacemaker. My brother, they baby of our family, is the outlaw. While I only have two, I can definitely see my kids playing out these classic roles. This study opened my eyes to the ways I short-change the baby, and I plan to carve out more time for one-on-one interaction with him.
Are you the responsible older sibling, or the carefree wild-child baby of the family? How does birth order influence your kids?
Why Does Dora Have To Grow Up?
Kids 5-7, That's Entertainment
Nickelodeon and Mattel have released an image of their all-new older Dora. She won't be replacing the original "Dora the Explorer," but what will this new "tween" Dora be called? Dora the Mall Shopper? Dora the Texter?By releasing the image, the two companies seem to be trying to soothe the minds of troubled parents. It's as if they're saying, "We know you were upset by that weirdly inappropriate silhouette. But look! It's not like she's a Bratz doll or something. She's wearing leggings! And besides -- she's still Dora."
But she isn't, at least not exactly. She's older. And the one question that Mattel and Nickelodeon haven't answered is the one that we think is the most obvious.
Why?
Bedtime Today - Are There Too Many Distractions?
Each spring, Daylight Savings Time brings a barrage of bedtime complaints. "Why do we have to go to bed? It's still light out!" Well, first of all, it's barely still light out, I tell my kids. And what I think but don't tell them is that in another month, we're going to have to pull the shade at bedtime to hide the sun.My kids go to bed early. On school nights, we start the (admittedly long) process at 6:30 with the hope that everyone is asleep by 7:30. Eight o'clock at the very latest. I don't do this for myself -- though I did wonder once in those early years if 5:30 was too early to put a baby to bed. No, it's for them. At their ages, six and nearly four, my girls still need a solid 11-12 hours of sleep every night. And when they don't get it, we all pay.
I remember complaining about my own bedtime as a child, but I think it's a lot harder to stick to a bedtime schedule today than it used to be.
Take Noggin, for example, which used to shut down at 6:00 p.m., a clear sign to kids that it was time to wrap things up for the day. Now you can catch Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! at midnight (though I'm not sure why you'd want to). When we were kids, the sun set and playtime was over. But today, kids -- and adults, for that matter -- have access to the programs, games, and websites they love 24/7. Bedtime means missing out on fun time! Or at least that's what I'm hearing from my kids.
Sick Kids - Do You Google Their Symptoms?
Health & Safety, Medical Conditions
After five minutes of reading about rheumatic fever and Lyme disease, I closed my laptop with a shudder. (She's fine, by the way.)
Healthy or Hurtful?
Lice
Once upon a time, that kid in kindergarten with the lice had to stay home until he (or she) was nit-free. Not any more. Some schools are letting nit-infested students back into the classroom. Makes you itchy just thinking about it, doesn't it?
anissat on sxc
Long-Term Breastfeeding
We all know that breast is best, but how long would you nurse to give your baby the best start? Six months? A year? How about eight years? Some moms do, but it's a controversial decision, to say the least.
Getty Images
Autism and Vaccines
After a decade of worry, it turns out that the doctor who linked autism and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine faked his data. This is a double whammy. We're no closer to knowing what causes autism, but some parts of the world, like Great Britain, are seeing reductions in vaccination rates and an increase in childhood illnesses.
Getty Images
Crying isn't Necessarily Cathartic
Think a good cry will make it all better? Maybe not, at least not in any measurable physiological way. The value of a crying jag is all in the social response of the people around you. If they're sympathetic, the crying helps. But if they're not, you won't feel any better.
jupiterimages
Probiotics
Trying to keep your kids healthy? Take a look at their diet -- and their prescriptions. One mom cured her son's gastrointestinal issues by introducing a milk-like drink containing probiotics into his diet.
un-sung on flickr
Stress Makes Kids Fat
We blame junk food and television for kids' weight problems, but a new study has found that a stressful home life can double a child's chances of being fat. Kids whose families are going through stressful life events -- an illness or death, a divorce, or a financial crisis -- are at higher risk for obesity and it's related health concerns.
Getty Images
Eating Disorders - Not Just a Girl Thing
Parents of girls know to be on the lookout for signs of an eating disorder, but boys are also at risk for disordered eating and distorted body image, and it's just as dangerous for them as for their female peers.
matchstick on sxc
A Big Butt is a Sign of Good Health
Here's a common post-baby complaint: "My butt is huge now!" Stop complaining -- that extra padding in the back may actually be protecting your health. Adults with pear-shaped bodies -- carrying their weight in their hips and thighs -- are less prone to Type 2 diabetes. Embrace your butt!
lunita on flickr
In so many ways the Internet makes us better patients and better partners in our children's health care (and in our own, as well). I mean, knowledge is power, right? I've impressed our pediatrician more than once with my comprehension of basic childhood healthcare, but I've annoyed her too. (Especially that time I had to correct her dosing on a prescription ... whoo boy.)
But while the Internet is chock full of advice, not all of it is good. In fact, says pediatrician Dr. Robert Nohle, Googling symptoms can "be a gamble."
