Today's Parent | Parenting Resources… Articles, Advice, Help & Tips

A world of benefits to you and your growing baby is at your feet … if, doctors say, you move those feet. Regular, moderate exercise — favorites include walking and water aerobics — can help reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes for some women; lessen pregnancy-related woes such as backache, bloating and constipation; increase energy; and improve mood.

“Even women who weren’t exercising before becoming pregnant can start an exercise program,” said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of the National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC), long a trusted source for women’s health information. “The key if you fall into this category is to check with your health care professional to ensure there are no medical reasons to avoid exercise.” Read More

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 4.5 million children are living in households headed by grandparents, with 2.4 million of these grandparents taking primary responsibility for their grandchildren’s basic needs. And the issue of grandparents raising grandchildren is expected to increase in coming years.

Yet for many grandparents, finding out where to go for help has not been easy; it can be difficult to locate information about the range of support services, benefits and policies available to help grandparents and other relatives in their caregiving roles. Fortunately, that changed in 2000 when a group of child and aging advocacy and research organizations developed the first edition of GrandFacts: State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children. Read More

Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way for your child to get needed nutrients. But how do you encourage kids-notorious for being picky eaters-to explore the wide world of food? According to the health and parenting experts at KidsHealth, the answer is pleasant persistence.

It turns out that once is not enough when it comes to kids and trying new foods. It may take up to 15 tries before children warm up to new tastes, research shows. So if your child turns up his nose at green beans or broccoli, don’t assume he will never like those good-for-you green veggies.

Consider starting a new rule at your family table: Everyone takes at least a bite of what’s being served, even if they tried it before and didn’t like it. This exposes kids to new tastes again and again, increasing the odds that they’ll eventually accept some of them. It also makes trying new foods just part of the normal routine. The KidsHealth experts offer these tips for implementing this one-bite strategy: Read More

Five tips for combining work and leisure while on the road

When your job takes you away from home, bringing your family along may actually make good business sense. Combining work and pleasure not only helps keep the family together, but could save you money.

According to Travelocity, half of all business professionals include a leisure component in their work-related travels, with more than 70 percent planning to bring family with them on trips this year.

“The blended business/family trip is quickly becoming a significant trend,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing for Best Western International. Read More

Few students make it through their school careers without a little teasing or taunting, which seems par for the course. Most can handle it and go on to be confident, successful individuals. However, more and more, students in schools across the country and the world are facing much worse: beatings, threats, emotional ridicule, and humiliation on a daily basis. The trend seems to be escalating, say experts. Or perhaps it’s just that others are taking a more active concern in bullying and bringing the topic into the limelight.

DEFINING A BULLY

Bullying occurs when an individual repeatedly picks on another individual. It can be physical, verbal or psychological, according to the Canada Safety Council. With today’s electronic age, bullying doesn’t even have to be face-to-face. Harassment e-mails, text messages or instant message pop-ups on the computer can spread words of hate electronically. Read More

Ask any mom you know when she last gave herself, instead of one of the kids, a true “time-out”-the kind of time-out that allows her to rest and relax.

If she is anything like the millions of moms in the U.S. who juggle kids, family, a job and the daunting task of overall home management, she is unlikely to recall the last time she dedicated a day, hour or even 15 minutes entirely to herself. With our increasingly busy society, moms are less inclined to take a break from life’s demands to simply slow down and relax. It just seems like there is never enough time to take care of daily responsibilities and avoid exhaustion at the same time.

Make time for yourself
But setting aside time to care for yourself can be easier than it may seem. Just 15 minutes a day spent focused on a rejuvenating or relaxing activity can result in a renewed, fresh-minded mom. Many of us are familiar with the classics such as taking a bubble bath, exercising or reading a book. However, more and more women are finding relief from less conventional de-stressing activities such as playing a computer game or meditating.

Read More

It can be easy to help preschoolers love the Earth and learn to “be green.” Since young children are naturally drawn to living things, try some of the following ideas to support their curiosity and wonderment about nature and the environment.

What It Means To “Be Green”
Explain to your child that “being green” can mean doing things that are friendly to living things in nature such as plants and animals. Read More

The gift of a smile is often taken for granted, but millions of Americans cover their mouth or simply don’t smile from embarassment. Which is why we initally fell in love with celebrity cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bill Dorfman, when he was featured on the ABC hit show, “Extreme Makeover.”

This dentist to the stars is responsible for transforming the smiles of celebrities such as, Usher, Nia Long, Jessica Simpson, ‘Dexter’s’ Julie Benz, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestant Niecy Nash, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne and several members of the cast of “Desperate Housewives,” among many others. But what most people do not know about this father of three and “America’s Dentist,” is his active involvement in children’s charities. Friends of the Family will be honoring Dr. Dorfman for his long-standing dedication and tireless commitment to organizations that benefit children and families on April 30, 2010 at the 14th Annual “Families Matter Benefit & Celebration” at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Read More

Parents want their kids to be safe while traveling. According to a recent Evenflo study, car seat safety is top of mind among moms. Nearly 75 percent of moms are extremely concerned about car seat safety and nine out of ten moms say they are in the know when it comes to their child and car seat safety.

What parents might not know is that their cars are equipped with special tools that do keep kids safe–Lower Anchorages and Tethers for Children (LATCH). LATCH is a standardized child restraint anchorage system that facilitates correct installation of car seats and allows them to be installed without using the vehicle’s seat belt system. LATCH makes the correct installation of car seats easier and avoids any confusion that might be caused by the numerous types of vehicle seat belt systems on the market today. Read More

Helping your child find the right college is a great responsibility. Guiding a son or daughter who isn’t interested in a traditional college education or career is an even greater challenge.  There are, however, many avenues to a meaningful, relevant and successful future.

A technical or vocational education offers numerous opportunities for your child to embrace a passion while learning the skills to command rewarding jobs. According to the Career College Association, programs are offered in more than 200 occupational fields ranging from automotive technology to visual and performing arts.

As you and your child consider future options, ask the following questions: Read More