How I Protect My Family from Chemicals in Everyday Products

 United Nations-sponsored research released Tuesday links man-made chemicals in everyday products to increased birth deformities, hormonal cancers and psychiatric diseases, reports Reuters. As a 25-year mom of two girls and two boys, those findings don't surprise. They do concern me, however. As a special-needs teacher and health writer, I've followed findings on phthalate and BPA (Bisphenol A)-- chemical plastics connected to health problems-- for years.  First Person: How I Protect My Family from Chemicals in Everyday Products 

Sibling rivalry: Parenting tips to help kids get along

I'm always saddened when I hear parents say that their kids don't like each other. I'm not bragging (well, not much), but our four kids all get along great and always have. I don't say that to be self-righteous. I don't know exactly why our family has so little sibling rivalry. We may just be lucky. If it had anything to do with our parenting, here's what we did. Sibling rivalry: Parenting tips to help kids get along

What parents should know about childhood obesity

For a society that values tolerance, there's one population we're not very nice to--fat people. We treat fat kids especially badly. We rail against bullying, but then we shame overweight kids and guilt parents for making them fat. We make cruel, sententious remarks like "it's their fault for letting (insert name) get 'that way.'" I always want to retort "what way? Nice? Smart? Helpful? Cute?"

Oh right, fat. Because that's all that matters is that he's chubby. Never mind what an awesome person he is. And I'm not convinced that juvenile obesity is the epidemic we tout it as. Sure I've seen the grossly overweight adults on their hover-rounds. Their fat is more permanent, unless they make lifestyle changes. But among kids, there's more too it. Fat in kids is more transitional. Part of it might be a money-making ploy on the part of healthcare. But then I do tend to wear a tinfoil hat when it comes to government and national health initiatives. And I digress. The point is that not every fat kid may be overweight. Here are things parents need to know about fat kids and weight loss.  What parents should know about childhood obesity

Study Showing Breastfeeding Benefits Should Encourage Moms

A study in the journal Pediatrics comparing development in breastfed infants to those fed with milk-based or soy formula shows exciting results on the advantages of breastfeeding for the first year of life. It underscores that breastfed babies truly are the best fed. Study Showing Breastfeeding Benefits Should Encourage Moms 

Parent-Child Role Reversal: Emotional Blackmail

Parent-Child Role Reversal: How Children Emotionally Blackmailed into Parenting Their Parents
Parent-child role reversal occurs when parents make their children responsible for their behavior and happiness. The child becomes the parent and the parent acts the child.  How do parents make children sway roles?
Read More

Parent-Child Role Reversal:Shame-Based Behavior

Parent-Child Role Reversal and Shame-Based Behavior
Alcoholism and sexual abuse are obvious causes of shame-based behavior in children. Other parenting behaviors shame children also. Parent child role reversal causes shame-based behavior in children. It breaks down a child's self-care boundaries.
Read More

Toxic Shame vs. Healthy Guilt:

What is Toxic Shame and How Does it Differ from Healthy Guilt?
What is shame? Shame is good, healthy guilt that has gone bad. Shame is also organic guilt with no foundation in reality. Guilt as a limit switch for unhealthy behavior, is healthy, when it remains in proportion and is  merited. Read More

How Toxic Shame Grows in Dysfunctional Families

Psychological and Sociological Development of Toxic Shame Behavior
What is toxic shame? Toxic shame is a corrosive, pervasive sense of guilt which the shame-based person has done nothing to merit. Is shame organic or environmental? Toxic shame, like a parasite, grows in an unhealthy environment.
Read More

Childcare to Caregiver Ratios

Babysitters, Children Home Alone and Caregiver to Child Ratios
State laws are very strict about licensed caregiver to child ratios. Caregiver to child ratio depends upon age of child and size of group. Unfortunately, laws are less clear about age and ratio for at-home babysitters.
Read More

Understand Adolescent Brain Development: Lack of Fear; Thrill Seeking

Understanding Adolescent Brains; Lack of Fear Means Need for Excitement
Adolescent brains have adult capacity but lack the restraint that comes with age. The brain of a teenager has developed intellectually, but doesn't understand cause and effect and consequences. This leads to a need for excitement and danger.
Read More

Understand Adolescent Brain Development: Concrete vs. Abstract Operations

Parenting Teens: Understanding Adolescent Brain Development
The brain of a teenager has developed for the most part, to its full adult ability. Teens progress from concrete, two-dimensional thinking to abstract thinking. Adolescents brain neurons are firing at a rate unparalleled at any other time of life.
Read More

Understand Adolescent Brain Development: Selfishness, Fairness, Ethical Behavior

Understanding Adolescent Brain Development; Empathy, Selfishness and Self-Care
Parenting is a challenge. Parenting a teenager can seem like a monumental task. The adolescent brain has all adult capabilities. But the teen's sense of fairness and ethics has not completely formed yet, so many healthy teens seem ruthless and selfish.
Read More

How to Get Children to Sleep: Children and Night Frights

Why Children Don't Sleep at Night and How You Can Help
Children and sleep. Two words that are often polar opposites. Are you going on no sleep because of a wakeful child? Here are several considerations that may help that child to sleep so that you can rest too. Read on...

Helping Children Cope with Divorce

Helping Children Cope with Divorce
Divorce is worrisome for a parent and terrifying for a child. Age, past experiences and temperament affects how each child reacts to divorce. Developmental psychology that can help us help a child cope with a divorce. Read on...

Attitude of Entitlement: What to Do?

Why Kids Today Are so Lazy, Selfish and Undisciplined
"Kids today expect everything to be handed to them. Kids today are lazy and selfish. Kids today have no self-discipline. Kids today don't want to work for anything... " Why are there so many problems with 'kids today'? Developmental psycholology looks at rewards, prizes, gifts and motivation in teenagers and kids.

Tweens: Understanding is the Key

Tweens: What is a Tween?
Tween is a buzzword that defines the 9-12 year old child, caught be-'tween' childhood and teenager. Lower ages of puberty have caused a social, cultural and educational push-down. We need to understand our tween to best help them.
View more »

Asperger Syndrome and Spectrum Autism Disorder Awareness

Asperger Syndrome, Spectrum Disorder Autism: Build Community Awareness
Spectrum Disorder Autism (SDA) and Asperger Syndrome as affecting a larger population than ever before. Read All Cats Have Aspberger's Syndrome to help children and adults understand these challenging conditions.
View more »

100 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Children

Breast-Feeding Infants: 100-Plus Reasons and Benefits to Nursing Babies
Nursing babies is the primary way to sustain life and give joy. Here are more than 100 reasons to nurse a baby.
View more »