All Modern Parenthood
Amber Portwood: MTV 'Teen Mom' a role model for better or worse?Amber Portwood, the MTV 'Teen Mom' star headed to a five-year jail prison term for drug charges, apparently has some real influence with teens. A poll shows she has convinced 77 percent of teens that pregnancy and parenting are really, really hard. But what about the 23 percent who said she made it look easy?
Youth sports: The problem, say kids in a new poll, is adultsYouth sports, through the eyes of kids polled by i9 Sports, have a problem: the adults who run them. Eighty-four percent of kids said they either want to or have quit a team, and a third wish adults didn't watch their games because it makes them nervous.
Dog hero in Ghana rescues newborn babyDog hero rescues newborn baby in Ghana and joins the ranks of other African dogs who've become national heroes.
Mister Rogers goes viral in PBS remix of 'Garden of Your Mind'Mister Rogers, the PBS children's TV icon of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,' gets a fresh remix. The mash-up puts his old school message in 'Garden of Your Mind' to a new beat.
Emergency room visits an overreaction to childhood scrapes?Emergency room visits for typical childhood playground accidents are probably an overreaction. Attitude adjustment to fearful parenting is necessary: "worst-first" is not the best philosophy.
Disney bans junk food, Mickey Mouse brands health. Hmmm...Disney's new ban on junk-food advertising during children's programming has been hailed as an important public health step. But what about the company's new initiative to brand "health food" with a Mickey Mouse label?
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth: Too young to get engaged?Miley Cyrus, 19, and Liam Hemsworth, 22, announced their engagement today, raising questions about Hollywood's romanticized depiction of (too?) young marriage and its impressions on the average teenager.
Free games: the power of a kid’s imagination vs. gigabytesFree games needed for your kids this summer? Look no further then their own imaginations, give them unstructured time, and encourage creation. It can make a messy kitchen table, but too much media can create another kind of mess.
Amber Portwood, Teen Mom star, sentenced to prison. Are you sad?Amber Portwood, Teen Mom star, is sentenced to prison on a felony drug charge. Octomom Nadya Suleman is considering stripping for money. Rather than horrified glee when it comes to public mommy train wrecks, perhaps we should find some sympathy. And yes, even sadness.
Facebook access for under-13 kids is good – if parents involvedFacebook is already used by millions of kids under 13 who lie about their ages to gain access. It makes sense that the social media network design specific guidelines for them, including parental permission.
Father's Day gifts in a divorce: Who buys? Who makes the cards?Father's Day gifts in a divorce fall to mom. Then one day, the teens say, "We got it, Mom."
Pre-school graduation: Sad symptom of accelerated childhoodGraduation rituals – gowns and mortarboard hats - are too grown up for preschool and kindergarten students. Our accelerated – anxiety provoking – modern childhood needs more simple, age-appropriate activities.
Disney: No more junk food ads for kids; and Mrs. Obama backs itDisney plans to junk the junk food ads in kids' TV programming. Anti-obesity crusader, first lady Michele Obama, will be at the announcement today to endorse the move.
Facebook lowering age restriction? Will your toddler friend you?Facebook is reportedly exploring lower age restrictions to allow the under-13 set to get in on the social network. Reality is, many under age are already using it – but do they really need it?
Breastfeeding goals: Over half of new moms miss the markBreastfeeding goals are largely unmet in the US where 85 percent of new moms intend to breastfeed for at least three months; more than half of all new moms miss that mark.
High school graduation: Ode to the average studentHigh school graduation sees loads of 4.0s head across the stage for honors on their way to Harvard. But most wonderful and successful people never went to the stage for an honor. The average student's potential is full of surprises.
Father’s Day gifts: Mom’s dilemma – to surprise or get a listFather's Day gifts are always a Mom's dilemma: Surprise or solicit a list? What does he really want?
Looking for the 'perfect' nanny: Experience or up-to-date 'expertise?'A nanny's years of experience raising children wasn't enough for one mother looking for the 'perfect' childminder. Have babies changed so much in the last few years that child-care providers need the most 'up-to-date' expertise?
After graduation: Parents still lose sleep over kids’ homeworkEven after the kids' graduation, some parents still wake in the night asking: Honey, did we finish the homework? And just wait what they bring home from the Classroom of Real Life.
Connect with kids' feelings first, then change aggressive behaviorThe first step parents should take to correct a child's aggressive reactions during playtime is to connect with their feelings, not punish them. Then you can address their specific inappropriate behavior.
