All Modern Parenthood
- Arbor Day: 5 reasons to plant the family tree
Arbor Day: The family tree is good for the planet – 5 reasons to plant one, or more
- New pink LEGOs for girls enforce Disney Princess sterotypes
A new line of pink LEGOs, marketed towards girls, is just another example of the extreme gendering prevalent in children's popular culture, and enforces the Disney Princess stereotypes that have made Disney billions.
- World of Warcraft unites mother, son miles apart
World of Warcraft online role-playing game kept a mother connected to her son – and strengthened their relationship – when he moved 1,00 miles from home. When her son moved 1,200 miles away from home.
- Mother's Day: Consider the life lived in 15-minute increments
Mother's Day: The prosaic detail of a mother's day – lived in 15-minute increments of cereal, pet-minding, chauffeuring, professional duties, homework, and ... bedtime – is part what we thank her for.
- Crime or parenting? Cops called for kids playing alone in park
Parenting styles vary widely, from the helicopter variety to the free range. But a neighbor took the issue into her own hands recently, calling the cops on a dad who left his kids playing alone in a nearby park.
- From breastfeeding to veganism, don't judge a book by its cover
Several high-profile parenting books have drawn the ire of planet momdom recently, as parents debate the merits of different parenting styles, from breastfeeding to co-sleeping to veganism. But Modern Parenthood reminds: don't judge a book by its cover.
- Teens drinking hand sanitizer – though underage drinking is down
Teens drinking hand sanitizer to get drunk is a new trend noticed by California authorities. While overall underage drinking has been going down in the past decade, 72 percent of teens who do report having had an alcoholic drink apparently were able to get it without resorting to the gooey gel.
- Letting kids play: celebrating low-tech toys
Low-tech toys can be overshadowed by the razzle-dazzle of the electronic toy industry, but that doesn't mean all parents have forgotten the joys – and educational benefits – of a cardboard box and some string.
- Kids’ shoe stores: Boys are superheroes and girls are princesses
Kids' shoe stores can be an interesting look into the minds of today's marketers, who continue to promote the 'Frailty Myth' through advertising that urges girls to be pretty princesses, and boys to be tough superheroes.
- Stranger danger and donuts: one school's (over) reaction
Stranger danger is something every parent thinks about--who is my child talking to when I'm not around. But sometimes, an offer of a free donut is simply that, as one school found out, albeit not before scaring its parents.
- Ban homework before third grade; support children’s play
A homework ban before third grade would stop the increasing imposition on kids as young as kindergarten-age. After school free time for children's play actually Increasingly helps younger kids develop important skills, and learn to control emotions.
- Etan Patz and other missing children have mom’s radar pinging
Etan Patz, who is still being searched for 33 years after he was kidnapped, and other cases of missing children have one mom struggling with her stranger danger radar.
- Bullying: Teens take the lead as anti-bullying mentors, advocates
Bullying prevention starts with teens, and in communities around the country they are taking the lead as anti-bullying leaders, advocates, and mentors for their peers. It is an inspiring trend at a time when several high-profile teen suicides have been linked to bullying.
- Parenting: Enjoying the finish line – happiness in the here and now
Parenting can be a search for your kid's next milestone, rather than reveling in the happiness of the here and now, or that finish line of the moment.
- Giuliana Rancic expecting, joins celeb surrogate trend
Giuliana Rancic, the E! News host, says she and husband, Bill Rancic, are expecting their first child, via gestational surrogate, this summer.
- Silence, inner sanctimommy! I’m trying to find a parenting style
Don't put your baby on my dinner table, please, my inner sanctimommy said as I was on the way to finding a parenting style.
- Disney Princess flowers: coming soon to a garden near you
The Disney marketing machine is branching out, literally, with Disney Princess brand flower seeds. Princess parents hoping for a vegetable garden may be out of luck. Belle and co. adorn flowers only, with Mickey and friends promoting veggies.
- Etan Patz and the helicopter parent fear of stranger danger
Etan Patz disappeared 33 years ago; the case is not good cause for today's continued anxiety and helicopter parent fears of stranger danger.
- Etan Patz: His disappearance started the era of parent anxiety
Etan Patz disappeared in 1979 and so did a nation's innocence. He vanished in broad daylight in Manhattan, sparking an era of parent anxiety – Amber alerts, milk carton photos – and sheltered American children.
- Molly Sims: Pregnant supermodel speaks honestly about cravings
Molly Sims, the pregnant supermodel and actress, shows refreshing openness as she speaks honestly about her cravings:. She says she's making no effort to reign in her sweet tooth, and is loving not having to worry about her figure.