Category Archives: Parents

Parenting is a very special job. Find great tips here on how to make your job easier – or at least take comfort in knowing that others are going through the same thing!

Study: Women Consider Leaving Workplace Due to COVID-19

A study was released by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org that showed that in corporate America, 1 in 4 women are now considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers due to COVID-19. The report is based on data and insights from 317 companies employing more than 12 million people, along with survey responses from more than 40,000 individual employees. It urges companies to act immediately to avert this potential crisis and includes recommendations for addressing the feelings of burnout and being “always on” for work that many employees are grappling with right now. According to the study, working mothers … Continue reading →

Keep the Kids Entertained on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is family time. In previous years, you may have celebrated this holiday with plenty of family members. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it unsafe for large groups of people to gather together indoors. How will you keep the kids entertained while dinner is being prepared? Here are a few ideas to try. Thanksgiving Coloring Pages Gather up the crayons and print out some Thanksgiving themed coloring pages from the internet. Crayola.com offers some free Thanksgiving coloring pages for parents to download for their kids. Another option is to buy a large sketchbook and give each child a … Continue reading →

Día de los Muertos During COVID-19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued guidance that can help keep your family safe and healthy while celebrating Día de los Muertos. Celebrations must be done differently this year in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The CDC points out that if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Día de los Muertos festivities. There are safer ways to celebrate the holiday. The CDC recommends these lower risk activities: Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering … Continue reading →

Halloween Safety During COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have posted information parents should consider before making decisions about how to celebrate Halloween this year. The purpose of these guidelines is to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC, if you may have COVID-19, or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities. You also should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters. The following activities are lower risk: Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with … Continue reading →

When Parents and Grandparents Disagree

It isn’t unusual for a parent, and a grandparent, to “butt heads” about parenting choices. This can lead to frustration and anger from both parties. It might be helpful to understand why these situations are happening – and what might help put an end to those uncomfortable moments. Psych Central posted information from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at Michigan Medicine. It provided some insight on why parents and grandparents sometimes disagree about parenting choices. Half of the parents who took the poll described disagreements with at least one grandparent about their parenting. One in … Continue reading →

How to Avoid Politics on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time when families get together, eat a traditional meal, and share what they are thankful for. Many families look forward to spending time with relatives on Thanksgiving. Other families, however, might not get along with each other very well. Here are some tips to avoid political arguments on Thanksgiving. You may have relatives that post way too many political things. This can be irritating if you disagree with their viewpoints. If you will be sitting at the table with those relatives on Thanksgiving – mute them as soon as possible. Doing so might make you hate them … Continue reading →

New York Updated their Car Seat Law

The State of New York wants parents to protect their infants and children from motor vehicle accidents, which is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 through 13. Car seats provide that protection. New York enacted an updated car seat law that went into effect on November 1, 2019. New York’s first car seat law went into effect on April 1, 1982. It required all children to be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system while riding in a motor vehicle, until they reach their 8th birthday. The law described “an appropriate child restraint system” as “one that … Continue reading →

Mayo Clinic: Vaping Causes Health Risks to Teens

Is your teenager vaping? Many people believed that vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Since then, new information has revealed that there are some health risks that come from vaping. The Mayo Clinic points out that vaping can negatively affect health of teens. Part of the reason is because the vaping liquid includes nicotine.  According to the Mayo Clinic, nicotine dependence in teens and young adults is particularly concerning because when a person is younger than 25, the brain is still developing. Exposing a developing brain to an addictive drug such as nicotine can potentially lead to permanent alterations in … Continue reading →

Your Child will not be Poisoned by Halloween Candy

It is reasonable for parents to want to do everything they can to keep their children safe. Unfortunately, this desire for security can cause some parents to believe urban legends, and inaccurate news articles, regarding Halloween candy. Rest assured, there is no credible evidence of people handing out poisoned Halloween candy.  Snopes.com has put together a detailed history of the urban legend about poisoned Halloween candy. The most famous incident occurred in 1974. A father in Houston, Texas, intentionally purchased cyanide and used it to poison Pixie Stix. He gave one of the poisoned candies to his son, one to … Continue reading →

Study: “Good Enough” Parenting is Good Enough

Parents are human, and all humans make mistakes. Some parents worry that if they are not perfect parents, it could result in lasting harm to their babies. A study from Lehigh University debunks that idea. “Good enough” parenting is actually good enough. A study titled: “Secure Base Provision: A New Approach to Examining Links Between Maternal Caregiving and Infant Attachment” was published in the journal Child Development. It was co-authored by Susan S. Woodhouse (an expert on infant attachment), Julie R. Scott (of Pennsylvania State University), Allison D. Hepsworth (of the University of the Maryland School of Social Work), and … Continue reading →