Parenting Journals

Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • 8 Natural Cough Remedies That Are Safe And Effective

    8 Natural Cough Remedies That Are Safe And Effective

    Stop Coughing! Naturally, Of Course. Humans have been coughing since the beginning of time. With so many centuries of coughing experience, we’ve had ample time to test out a number of different natural cough remedies. Here are 8 home remedies for a cough that are time-tested. Why Do We Cough? Your sinuses and the surface […]

  • Helping Your Child To Express Themselves Through Clothing

    Helping Your Child To Express Themselves Through Clothing

    Research published in Reuters Health found that children who learn to express themselves are more likely to have good social and emotional skills. Expressing yourself doesn’t have to be verbal though – clothes can be an excellent way for your child to express themselves and start to show their personality. Through fashion and dress up, […]

  • Simple Ways To Encourage Your Young Child’s Love Of Music

    Simple Ways To Encourage Your Young Child’s Love Of Music

    Music can play an important role in your child’s development, and studies have shown that listening to music can enhance a child’s learning ability while giving them an outlet for self-expression. Moreover, engaging in activities that require music, or participating in music lessons, can also help to hone your little one’s creativity in an enjoyable […]

  • 3 Tips To Help You Unlock Your Potential To Be A Better Parent

    3 Tips To Help You Unlock Your Potential To Be A Better Parent

    Parenthood may be the most rewarding thing you do in your lifetime, but it does come with its own set of challenges and learning curves. As a parent, it’s not unusual to find yourself worrying about how well you are doing at the job. In fact, parents spend 37 hours worrying about their kids every […]

  • Essential Emergency First Aid Tips for New Moms

    Essential Emergency First Aid Tips for New Moms

    The transition to parenthood has many psychological effects, and it is common to develop depression or anxiety. Having a baby is a daunting experience, and many first-time mothers need some advice from those with more experience. Learning first aid may help to ease your anxieties and provide you with the knowledge you need to help your baby should […]

  • Few Reasons Why American Parents Are More Inclined Towards European Formula For Their Babies

    As a parent you there won’t be a single thing left to ensure the health and wellness of your baby. When it comes to feeding, you would want to give your baby the best nutrition. To give them the best baby formula that has the right amount of wholesome ingredients that would help in your […]

  • How Baby Car Seats Help Keep Your Baby Safe On A Road Trip

    How Baby Car Seats Help Keep Your Baby Safe On A Road Trip

    By Daniel Clark Whether you just had a baby or have only begun to think about traveling with your child after their birth, baby car seats have become an essential for any and every parent with a baby below the age of 3. Even though keeping your baby close to you is an option, a […]

  • Are All Baby Formula The Same? Find The Perfect Formula For Your Little One

    Are All Baby Formula The Same? Find The Perfect Formula For Your Little One

    By Daniel Clark Trying to find the perfect baby formula for your little one can be really confusing. Especially with so many options available, it becomes really difficult to choose the right baby formula for your little one. Although most mothers prefer feeding their baby with breast milk, some babies are unable to tolerate it. […]

  • Choosing Baby Formula To Supplement Breast Milk

    By Daniel Clark Being the parent of a newborn, every parent considers getting an organic baby formula for them. Many don’t understand the concept of natural, but there is an abundance which makes the formula, a worth investing. There are many formulas available in the hipp formula UK which includes organic fortified with iron, calcium, […]

  • 5 Common Baby & Toddler Care Myths Debunked

    By Tim Shanley If you’re a new parent, there are plenty of resources to turn to, but how can you be sure you’re following the right advice? Today, there are thousands of websites, blogs, online publications and magazines dedicated to baby and toddler care. And then there are the “old-fashioned” sources such as books and […]

  • Sugar Overload: Do You Know How Much Sugar Your Kids Are REALLY Consuming?

    Sugar and spice and everything nice. Isn’t that how the saying goes? We associate sugar with all that is good. We call people and actions sweet. We reward our children with sugary snacks when they do well. Who else remembers focusing on the lollipop prize for sitting still at the barber or being good at […]

  • Diabetes On the Rise: How to Minimize Your Kids Risk

    When we discuss type 2 diabetes we often picture older adults struggling with declining health and “later-life issues”. This narrative never really transferred over to kids in the past in the manner it does now. The common understanding was that children develop type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes was reserved for adults. However, today’s […]

  • Are Organic Snacks REALLY Healthy?

    As parents, we want the best for our children – and that includes stocking the fridge and the pantry with the right meals and snacks. However, as functioning adults in the 21st century, we also know that there is barely enough time between work and life demands to create every meal from scratch. So, what […]

  • How to Help Your Kids Develop Healthy Habits

    By Lisa Pecos In a world where screen time has almost completely taken away play time, helping your child develop healthy habits is more important than ever. Healthy eating and regular physical activity can improve your child’s physical and emotional health, giving them the best chance for a happy and successful future. Getting your kids […]

  • Ways to Prevent Homesickness When Your Child Goes Away to Camp

    By Lisa Pecos Summer camp is where some of our best childhood memories are made. Days are jam-packed full of fun and adventures, yet for some children, this isn’t enough to stop them from feeling homesick. Most children will feel homesick at some point when away at camp, but for some it can turn what’s […]

  • 6 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe and Healthy This Winter

    6 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe and Healthy This Winter

    By Jamell Andrews I know it’s early in the summer season but when winter brings with it the allure of freshly fallen snow and all kinds of fun cold-weather activities that children love. Unfortunately, it can also be a time of viruses and bacteria that lead to colds and flu. Use these tips to help […]

  • Sticker Shock for Those Considering Starting or Expanding Their Family

    By Lisa Pecos If you’re considering starting a family, chances are that you’ve given some thought to the extra expense that having a child will add to your responsibilities, but exactly how much it costs may surprise you. A report just released last week is giving wannabe parents a bad case of sticker shock, reporting […]

  • Early Signs of Autism to Look Out For

    By Lisa Pecos Most children with autism don’t get a final diagnosis until the age of four. There is no specific medical test or blood test to diagnose autism the way you would a medical condition such as cancer or diabetes. Medical professionals base their diagnosis on a child’s behaviour and development. Since children without […]

  • Opioid Overdoses Triple Among Kids & Teens – How to Protect Your Kids

    By Lisa Pecos The Journal of the American Medical Associating (JAMA) Pediatrics recently published an alarming report stating that the number of young children and teens hospitalized in the U.S. for opioid overdose has almost tripled in recent years.

  • 6 Fun Fall Activities for Families

    By Jamell Andrews Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t have to mean making life all about school and work. The season of falling leaves and all things pumpkin-spice offers a whole slew of fun, family-friendly activities to enjoy. Here are 6 fun things to do as a family this fall.

  • Program to Prevent Teen Pregnancy with Virtual Babies Backfires

    By Lisa Pecos It may seem like something out of an 80s sitcom, but giving teen girls lifelike baby dolls to care for as a way to dissuade them from getting pregnant is something that has been going on for years. A recent study out of Australia, however, has found that this may actually have […]

  • Report Finds Medicine is Over-Prescribed for Young Children with ADHD

    By Jamell Andrews Though behavior therapy is the recommended first line of treatment for young children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a report has found that more children are being treated with medication instead.

  • Coping with Infertility and Understanding Your Options

    Making the decision to start a family is one of the most exciting times in your life. Unfortunately, happiness and joy can quickly turn into depression and fear when a baby cannot be conceived naturally due to infertility issues. Understand that you are not alone. Approximately one in six couples struggles with infertility. With proper […]

  • How Much Stress is Too Much: Signs Moms Should Look Out for

    Stress is one of those things that just happens – especially when you’re responsible for the lives of others. Stress is inevitably your body’s natural way of reacting to thoughts or activities in your life that can often make you feel overwhelmed. Your body goes into a “flight or fight” mode which releases stress hormones […]

  • How Much Sleep Do Your Kids and Teens Really Need?

    By Lisa Pecos Chances are that you’ve long been told that you should be aiming for 8 hours of sleep every night, but does that go for your children too? And if you struggle to get in a full 8 hours on most nights, is it realistic to expect that your child or teen can? […]

  • 5 Fun Ways to Help Enhance Your Child’s Learning Potential

    As parents, you are your child’s first teacher. While you may already be actively involved in their education, there are still things you should be doing at home to help them evolve academically. You’ll need to be the motivator and support system that helps your child to not only retain the information they’re learning now […]

  • 5 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe at Amusement Parks

    By Lisa Pecos Nothing says summer fun like a day at an amusement park. From the rides to the games, amusement parks have all kinds of fun things to do for the whole family. With all of this fun, though, there are also a few risks for children, from getting separated from family to getting […]

  • Protecting Your Kids from Ticks

    By Jamell Andrews With the warm weather and coming summer vacation, children will be spending more time outdoors. The warmer weather at this time of year also means that that tick season is in full swing. A tick bite can put your child at risk for different diseases, with Lyme disease being especially concerning. According […]

  • How to Get the Most Out of Family Time

    By Jamell Andrews Between school and work, extracurricular activities, and household chores, it’s easy to see why family time is at a premium these days. If you, like may parent’s, are finding that you don’t have nearly as much time to spend together as a family as you’d like, then these tips can help you […]

  • W.A.T.C.H. Releases 2016 Summer Safety Report of Most Dangerous Toys

    By Lisa Pecos World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) has released their 2016 Summer Safety Report and chances are that some of your child’s favorite warm-weather toys have made the list. With emergency departments expecting to treat approximately 2.7 million children injured in accidents this summer, parents and caregivers should have a look at […]

  • Recognizing Sensory Processing Issues In Children

    As a parent who has a child with special needs, you know how difficult it can be to find out why your child is finding life much harder than other children their age. Finding out why your child is not relating well to the world is the first step to helping your child cope.

  • Summer Child Care: What to Do with Older Kids this summer

    By Jamell Andrews Along with trying to combat the dreaded summer vacation boredom that’s bound to rear its ugly head on an occasion or two, parents of older children also find themselves scrambling for child care solutions when school’s out but work isn’t.

  • What to Ask Your Obstetrician During Your First Trimester

    The first trimester is the most critical time for growth and development of your baby. At the end of these 3 months, your baby will have developed functioning organs and a nervous system. There will be a lot of questions that you may have for your obstetrician in order to prepare for your baby’s arrival. […]

  • Dads: Your Long Commute Could Have a Negative Effect on Your Kids

    By Lisa Pecos We all know that the commute to work can be stressful and the longer the commute, the more of a pain it is. Past studies have looked into the impact that long commutes have on your health and have found that those with longer commutes are more likely to be overweight, have […]

  • How Our Lifestyle Choices Affect Our Kids

    I learned it by watching you!” is a tagline that has taken up permanent residence in our collective cultural brain. Even if we don’t remember the actual commercial in which the young son told his father he learned his drug-seeking/abusive behavior by watching him, we know the line. Moreover, we know that it isn’t just […]

  • 7 Tips for Being a Better Stepparent

    By Jamell Andrews With the rate of failed marriages increasing, more and more people are becoming step-parents. Stepping into the role of parent for a child that already has a mother and father isn’t always easy. Even with the challenges you may face, being a stepparent can be rewarding and you can form a strong […]

  • Helicopter Parenting – Are You Guilty of It?

    By Jamell Andrews It’s hard to imagine that a parent could take too much interest or responsibility for their child or give them too much attention. Isn’t that a parent’s job and right as the person responsible for bringing them into this world and loves them more than anything? It turns out that you could […]

  • How Good-Cop, Bad-Cop Parenting Can Harm Children

    By Eirian Hallinan Anyone who has grown up in a household with two parents knows that one parent tends to be easier than the other when it comes to getting their way. This is usually the result of one parent being more comfortable as the disciplinarian than the other. While this can create a nice […]

  • 12 Fun Family-Friendly Summer Activities

    By Vanesa Sallego Summer’s on its way, which means hot and sunny days and your children home from school for some summer vacation. To help make the most of this time of year and keep your children from getting bored, we’ve come up with a list of 12 fun summer activities that are fun for […]

  • Tips for Travelling with Children

    By Lisa Pecos Summer vacation is fast approaching, and while many parents are looking forward to getting away, the idea of travelling with children can be a little daunting to say the least. Fortunately, a little planning can help take the stress out of travelling with children and make vacations a lot easier on the […]

  • Making Healthy Foods Fun for Kids

    By Jamell Andrews Most children will take a processed snack pack or treat over fruits and veggies any day, but with childhood obesity becoming an epidemic, finding ways to make healthy foods more appealing is more important than ever. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the last 30 […]

  • Puberty Woes or PCOS: Know the Signs

    By Jamell Andrews As a parent of an adolescent daughter, it’s easy to brush off acne and irregular periods as normal parts of puberty. While missed or heavy periods and acne are certainly common at this stage of a girl’s life, they can also be signs of a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

  • 5 Things to Watch Out for During Pregnancy to Keep Yourself Healthy

    Most women go into healthy living overdrive as soon as they start trying to get pregnant, which is highly recommended. As soon as conception occurs, your body begins changing, and the healthier you are, the easier it is to cope with all the changes. Unfortunately, issues can come up during pregnancy that you may not […]

  • 5 Tips for Talking to Your Teen Driver about Drinking and Driving

    It is a well-known fact that drinking and driving is the number one killer of teenagers in the nation. Cell phone usage while driving is running a close second, but drinking and driving is still the number one cause. It is very important that you talk to your teenager about the dangers of drinking when […]

  • Unusual Causes for Asthma Attacks

    Odd Things that May Trigger Asthma Attacks Asthma is an ongoing breathing disorder characterized by difficulty breathing, coughing and sometimes wheezing. About half of all asthma attacks are produced by various allergens, which irritate and inflame the airways; the rest can be caused by factors that have nothing to do with allergies, but which still […]

  • Drinking in Movies and Teenage Drinking

    Teenagers Who Watch Actors Drinking Alcohol in Movies More Likely to Drink Themselves A study published earlier this year in the journal Pediatrics found that young European teens who watched more scenes of actors drinking in Hollywood movies were more likely to binge-drink and otherwise abuse alcohol. Researchers gave questionnaires to more than 5,000 15-year-olds […]

  • Can Vaccines Cause Peanut and Other Food Allergies?

    Do Vaccines Cause Peanut and Other Food Allergies in Children? No child health topic is being more hotly debated in the United States right now than mandatory vaccinations — and the side effects, sometimes quite serious or deadly, that many parents believe are a direct result of vaccines given to infants and young children. Greater […]

  • Reducing Exposure to Environmental Allergens

    Control Your Child’s Allergies Naturally Part 2 of 2 In Part 1 of our allergy prevention report, we discussed the importance of feeding our children foods that are known to strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body, which will help prevent or lessen allergy symptoms. That is preventing allergies from the inside out, which […]

  • Natural Children’s Allergy Prevention

    Natural Ways to Prevent Your Child’s Allergies Part 1 of 2 Spring is upon us. Flowers — and allergies — are in full bloom. Are there natural steps that parents can take, to prevent or lessen children’s seasonal allergies? Yes, there are many.

  • Taking Short Breaks from Daily Parenting Duties Is Good

    Taking Mini-Breaks from Daily Parenting Duties Is Good for You, Will Recharge You We know that you are a loving, dedicated mom (or dad!), and there aren’t enough hours in the day to do all the things you want to do for your family. But it is important to remember that taking a break from […]

  • Delaying School Start for Summer-Born and Premature Children

    Delaying Start of School for Summer-Born or Premature Children Lowers Academic Performance, Says Study; Some Parents Disagree Children who start school a year later due to summer birthdays or premature births may do worse academically later on, according to a British study published recently in the Journal of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.

  • Helping Your Child Prepare for Tests

    12 Tips to Help Your Child Do Well on Tests Other than making sure your child gets plenty of study time to prepare for a test, are there specific things that you and he or she can do, to insure they do their best on a test?

  • Diabetes in Young Children

    More White, American Children Getting Type 1 Diabetes Cases of type 1 diabetes are increasing among white American children, especially among 5- to 9-year-olds, according to a study published recently in the journal Diabetes. Almost 6,000 new cases of the disease were diagnosed in the United States among white teenagers and children, ages 19 and […]

  • Cigarette Vapor Damages Children’s Lungs

    Children’s Lungs Could Be Especially Vulnerable to E-Cigarette Vapor Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have become popular in the last few years among many people trying to quit regular cigarettes; they were heralded when they were introduced as a much safer way for people to get the nicotine they want, without the thousands of chemicals that […]

  • Hearing Damage from Loud Music

    Warn Your Children About Hearing Loss from New Music Players Many young children and teenagers got MP3 players as holiday gifts last month; doctors want to urge parents to caution their children not to play their music too loud, to avoid noise-induced hearing loss.

  • ‘Rat-Bite Fever’ from Pet Rats Can Sicken or Even Kill, Says CDC Report

    As pets go, most parents would agree that rats are not among the cutest (though we know some kids might disagree). It turns out there is a good reason not to cave in and get your child a pet rat, if that’s what he or she wants. A 10-year-old boy from San Diego, CA died […]

  • Most U.S. Teens Are Sleep-Deprived

    Almost All U.S. Teenagers Are Not Getting Enough Sleep, Says Study A full night’s sleep is one of the best things a teenager can do for his or her physical and emotional health, mental alertness and performance at school or sports. Yet, a new study found that more than 90 percent of American teenagers aren’t […]

  • Some Words of Caution Before You Buy Your Children’s Holiday Toys

    Before you buy toys for the children in your life this holiday season, the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) — and doctors — caution you to keep some important things in mind. PIRG has released its annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, which evaluates many children’s toys that are being sold during the holiday season. As […]

  • 5 Ways to Keep Your Children Healthy — Naturally!

    It’s good to know that in our day and age, medical knowledge and the ability to obtain information have increased so vastly, compared to even just a few decades ago. But even now, prevention is a fundamentally important way to maintain our health and that of our children, so that we won’t need medical interventions […]

  • Better Solutions to Discipline Children than Screaming!

    Let’s face it, what parent hasn’t lost his or her cool in the face of a defiant child or children, and started screaming. If you never have, you’re in a small minority. Nearly all parents — close to 90 percent — have yelled at their kids at some point, according to a survey of almost […]

  • Family Meals Keep Kids Slim?

    Could Pleasant, Peaceful Family Meals Help Fight Childhood Obesity? You might not think of it, but having peaceful, pleasant family meals could help maintain children at a healthy weight, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Minnesota gave 120 families iPads to record mealtimes for 8 days; half the families had overweight […]

  • Deadly Enterovirus D68 Now in 47 States

    What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Children Nine American children died in recent weeks, who were infected in the 2014 enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreak that has now spread to 47 states and the District of Columbia. So far, the viral strain has been detected in samples submitted for a total of nine children who […]

  • Use of Synthetic Growth Hormone by American Teens More than Doubled in a Year

    The Internet has made shopping for so many goods a lot easier and more practical. For parents, it is important to remember that teens may also avail themselves of the ease and convenience that shopping online affords. And unless parents educate and are vigilant over their teens, youths may be getting their hands on some […]

  • American Children Eat Too Much Salt and Sugar, According to Two Studies

    Two recent studies examined sugar and salt consumption among American children, and found that American youths tend to eat too much of both. One study, published recently in the journal BMC Public Health, found that 60 to 90 percent of school-age children develop cavities, and the researchers concluded that sugar is the number-one reason for […]

  • Study Shows Many Teens Still Use Cell Phones While Driving

    Plus: The Importance of Parents Setting a Good Example Despite the fact that all motorists are aware of the dangers of talking or texting on a cell phone while driving, many Americans continue to engage in the practice. And teenagers are no exception. A new study has found that the vast majority of American teenagers […]

  • Do ADHD Drugs Increase Risk of Cardiac Disease in Children?

    Like other diseases and conditions in our modern world, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses in children have increased markedly, globally and in the United States, in recent years. More children and teens with ADHD are taking pharmaceutical drugs to treat this condition. Millions of American children are now being treated with these stimulant drugs, which improve […]

  • ‘Little League Shoulder’ Increasingly Common in Youths Who Play Sports

    Summertime means thousands of American children are honing their pitching skills on baseball mounds throughout the land. But as always, it is important to start a new sports or fitness regime with plenty of warm-up and cool-down exercises, stretching, appropriate strength-training, and to not go overboard too quickly. Also, having long breaks from playing a […]

  • Many U.S. Kids Still Getting Too Much Daily Screen Time, Says CDC

    For years, doctors have been advising parents to limit the time their children spend daily watching television or on a computer — the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children get no more than two hours a day of non-school-related ‘screen time.’ But the message isn’t getting through to all families. The Centers for Disease […]

  • Eating Lots of Fortified Foods, Plus Taking Vitamin-Mineral Supplements Could Be Bad for Your Child

    A report released recently by the Environmental Working Group cautions parents to watch out for their children getting too many vitamins and minerals in their diets from fortified foods. According to the report, the problem could arise when children eat lots of servings of fortified foods, such as ready-to-eat breakfast cereals and nutrition bars, especially […]

  • Parents Who Don’t Get Enough Sleep May Increase Their Children’s Risk for Obesity, Says Study

    A new study has found that parents who regularly don’t get enough sleep at night are more likely to have young children who, likewise, don’t sleep enough. Lost sleep in turn puts these youngsters (and the parents) at higher risk for being overweight or obese. The study, done by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, […]

  • Could Regular Exercise Make Children Smarter?

    We know that adults can improve their concentration and help guard against memory loss as they age, when they get regular exercise. Similarly, a new study found that kids may gain cognitive benefits from being physically fit, as well. Researchers at the University of Illinois found that children who are in better physical shape tend […]

  • Many Simple Steps Your Family Can Take to Help Save the Planet!

    Parents do well to teach their children the importance of doing what we each can, to help save our planet. The efforts of one person alone don’t amount to much, true; but when you add many, many people, and many families, we collectively surely can make a big difference. Below are many simple, easy things […]

  • Having a Dog Can Help Ease Symptoms, Improve Behavior in Children with Autism

    Parents of autistic children know how difficult it is at times to manage all of life’s responsibilities, and to care for a child with special needs. Autism has aspects that can make parenting and teaching autistic children that much harder. Many parents are turning to dogs to help their autistic children: dogs can make an […]

  • Violent Video Games Linked to Aggression in Children, Says Study

    A study of more than 3,000 school-age children found that playing violent video games a lot seems to increase the odds that children and teenagers will engage in aggressive behaviors in real life. Researchers said that frequent exposure to the violence in these games causes children to start seeing their world in a ‘more aggressive […]

  • Energy Drinks and Sports Drinks Linked to Unhealthy Behaviors in Teenagers

    A new study has found that teenagers who regularly consume energy drinks and sports drinks are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Teens who often drank energy drinks like Red Bull and ROCKSTAR were more apt to smoke, use illicit drugs and drink alcohol. And teens who drank either energy or sports drinks regularly […]

  • Natural Remedies for Children’s Allergies

    If you are the parent of a child who suffers from allergies, eczema or asthma, you look for ways to bring relief and comfort to your son or daughter — but you want natural, better alternatives to antihistamines, skin-altering cortisone creams, chemical inhalers, or even nasal rinses (the latter could be too much to expect […]

  • Rising GI Infections in Children Linked to Heavy Antibiotic Use: CDC

    Antibiotics prescribed by doctors are linked to rising numbers of serious bacterial infections that can cause severe diarrhea in children, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, recently published in the journal Pediatrics, found that 71 percent of Clostridium difficile infections in children 1 to 17 developed soon […]

  • Autism Rates Increasing Rapidly: CDC

    Autism rates in the United States rose by 30% between 2008 and 2010, and by 120% between 2000 and 2010, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in 68 8-year-old children had been diagnosed with autism by 2010, up from 1 in 88 two years earlier, says the […]

  • Overweight Teens’ Life Expectancies Not Increasing?

    It’s common knowledge that people’s life expectancies in developed countries have increased in the last 50 years, as science has uncovered new ways to prevent, treat and cure illnesses. But a study has found that people who were obese or overweight as teenagers are not living longer than similar people did five-plus decades ago. The […]

  • September Is the Worst Month for Asthma Attacks in Children

    A study published in the April, 2014 print edition of the journal Pediatrics found that September is the worst month for asthma attacks for children who suffer from the condition. Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel did a retrospective, population-based study where medical records for a period of five years were reviewed, for more […]

  • Natural, Safe Asthma Remedies for Children

    Doctors believe that we are in the middle of asthma and allergy epidemics, as the numbers of children and adults who suffer from these conditions continue to grow, with no concrete explanations for the increases. Asthma is now the leading chronic (or ongoing) illness in children. More than 1 in 10 American kids now have […]

  • Childhood Cancer Cases Continue to Rise in the United States

    Plus: 25 Things You Can Do to Help Prevent Cancer in Children Earlier this year, the American Cancer Society published its yearly report, “Cancer Facts & Figures.” For the first time, the report included a special section on statistics about the prevalence of childhood and adolescent cancers. The separate section may be indicative of the […]

  • Caffeine, Energy Drinks and Children

    With all the sugar and toxic chemicals in sodas, we should be pleased to know that children are drinking fewer caffeinated sodas these days. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that children, teens and young adults have decreased their caffeinated-soda consumption considerably: in 1999, 62 percent of kids to […]

  • 7 Healthy, Quick, Easy-to-Make School Lunches!

    For parents who opt out of school-meal programs and prefer to prepare their kids’ lunches, the following are useful tips, plus some healthy, quick and easy lunch ideas. Choose Your Bread Carefully! A good lunch sandwich starts with good bread. Unless you bake your own bread (and most of us don’t), good bread choices at […]

  • Heart Disease Begins in Childhood

    Most people think of heart disease as something that only middle-aged or older folks have to worry about. But long-term studies from the last several decades have shown that heart disease sometimes begins in childhood. Therefore, preventing heart disease later in life begins with eating a healthy diet and developing healthy habits in childhood. Coronary […]

  • Cheerios Cereal Will no Longer Have GMO’s … but that Still Leaves the Toxic Chemicals!

    In January, 2014, General Mills foods announced that it would no longer use genetically modified organisms (GMO’S) to make its original cereal, Cheerios. While Cheerios has never contained GMO oats, the company will now use non-GMO cane sugar, instead of GM beet sugar. Growing numbers of consumers and advocacy groups are raising concerns about the […]

  • Healthy After-School Snacks for Children

    When aiming to keep your kids healthy or addressing problems of excess weight, the snacks that you feed your children are more important than many parents realize. It’s not enough to work at feeding kids healthy meals, only to let them munch on candy bars, candies or store-bought cookies and Hawaiian Punch after they get […]

  • Seven Ways to Encourage and Improve Your Child’s Academic Success

    So, you think you may have the next Einstein or medicine Nobel prize recipient in your home … or perhaps you simply want to ensure that you give your child the best chance to succeed in life by helping them get a great education. Whatever your motivation, many parents are interested in finding ways to […]

  • Eight Big, Free Gifts that Parents Can Give to Their Children

    If you hit bull’s eye and got your kids some fancy, expensive gifts for the holidays that they are still playing with some weeks later, kudos to you. But what if you got your kids presents that only held their interest for a couple of days? You probably feel like you wasted money. It turns […]

  • Today’s Children Are Less Fit than Their Parents: Study

    A review of global studies measuring fitness levels among children found that today’s kids have become progressively less fit than children from the last previous decades. The studies, which examined the fitness levels of 25 million youths, found that modern kids can’t run as fast or as far as kids from as recently as a […]

  • Losing Sleep Linked to Higher Blood Pressure in Youths

    A new study has found that losing as little as one hour of sleep a night is associated with higher blood pressure in pre-teens and teenagers. Frequent or ongoing sleep loss, which can result in higher blood pressure, could put sleep-deprived youths at greater risk for cardiovascular disease in later years. Researchers from the Chinese […]

  • Overuse Injuries

    How to Prevent Overuse Injuries in Your Young Child or Teenager The benefits of participating in sports for school-age children are almost too many to count: sports help keep children healthy, trim, away from drugs; they help children develop social skills, discipline, a sense of fair play, self-esteem, and so on.

  • Post-Concussion Care Recommendations for Children’s Sports Injuries Are Often Inadequate

    In tandem with recent media attention to concussions in professional sports, the American Academy of Pediatrics presented a detailed report on concussions in youth sports at its recent national conference in Orlando. The report, titled “Returning to Learning Following a Concussion,” discusses results from various studies, and its authors call for cognitive (mind) rest following […]

  • The Importance of Reducing Stress in Your Life During Pregnancy — and Some Ideas for Doing So

    In a perfect world, all women who become pregnant would have a relatively peaceful nine months, with plenty of leisure time to rest and to plan for the joyous arrival of their babies. But in the real world, adversity happens often. Sometimes, a woman is subjected to high stress levels during her pregnancy, whether the […]

  • Teach Your Children How to Avoid Colds

    Colder weather usually means an increase in the number of colds that all of us could get, including children. A lot of kids stay home from school with a cold every year, especially when the weather turns cold. Colds can be caused by hundreds of different viruses; these viruses are contracted from droplets of mucus […]

  • Spanking Young Children Is Tied to Problem Behavior Later

    Parenting styles differ, but we have become increasingly aware in the last few decades that physical punishment backfires and does more harm than good, when trying to get children to behave. A new study adds to the scientific evidence that researches have amassed, which shows that corporal punishment — in this case, spanking — has […]

  • Keeping Your Kids’ School Lunches and Game-Time Snacks Safe from Bacteria

    You are a mom who understands that we are what we eat; you want to be sure that your children eat healthy, fresh, wholesome foods. Because these foods do not have toxic, artificial preservatives or non-nutritious fillers in them, you know that many of them spoil much faster. A tummy ache, or worse, can happen […]

  • Six Tips for Stress-Free Family Meals

    Family time is something that’s increasingly in short supply in our busy modern times. Some of the best opportunities for family togetherness are mealtimes — in particular, dinner, when we can leave the day’s cares behind and family members can enjoy a relaxing evening. Recent research by Columbia University found that children who eat regular […]

  • To Get Your Child and Teenagers to Listen About Health Dangers, Try Using Positive Messages

    A new study found that when it comes to getting through to young people, you may be better off focusing on the positive, rather than using scare tactics. If you’re a parent, you may at times get frustrated by how hard it is to get your children to listen to you when you warn them […]

  • Is Vitamin D Important for Reducing Ear Infection Risk in Young Children?

    Is Vitamin D Important for Reducing Ear Infection Risk in Young Children?

    A growing number of studies shows that vitamin D is an important tool for preventing ear infections in young children. Vitamin D, found naturally in some foods and in enriched foods, and made by the skin when exposed to sunlight, is used by our immune systems to fight disease — the vitamin D receptor (VDR) […]

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