Who knew your monster-in-law could actually serve a positive purpose in life aside from birthing your spouse? Ahem… How well do you get along with your mother-in-law? The answer could have a major impact on your children’s lives. According to a new study, married couples, who live with or nearby their mother-in-law, are more likely to have healthier babies than those who don’t. In addition, researchers say children born to said couples are also less likely to die in infancy. Finally, the study also found that when grandma is a driving force in a family, mom and dad tend to … Continue reading →

Summer is the perfect time to load your child in a stroller and enjoy Mother Nature. Sadly, it only takes a few minutes for a relaxing stroll to go south if you don’t take a few basic precautions, such as: *Buckling up your child with a five-point harness *Not letting older siblings run while pushing the stroller *Not putting excessive weight in the stroller’s basket *Making sure to employ the stroller’s brakes after you park it And last, but not least, not letting your baby wear his expensive bling on a stroller ride lest he get mugged. I wish I … Continue reading →

“You’re a waste of human skin.” I’ve thought that about several people I’ve met over the years, but I certainly wouldn’t say it to them. It’s not because I fear their reaction; rather, it boils down to self control. Think before you act; in the end, it could prevent a lot of unnecessary drama. Too bad parents in Berlin, Maryland, couldn’t exercise the simple rule. Doing so, would have kept them out of the headlines. Unfortunately, now, the entire world knows the small town is home to a bunch of bullies. You can read all about the bully war thanks … Continue reading →

And you thought Scrooge only reared his ugly head at Christmastime. Apparently, the grump works overtime in Colorado trying to turn young kids’ summer fun into a major summer bummer. Just ask three-year-old Emerson Cohen. The girl and her mom were recently thrust into the national media spotlight when they were cited for defacing property with sidewalk chalk. As in the colorful writing instrument used by kids of all ages for outdoor summer fun. That sidewalk chalk. Sarah Cohen, Emerson’s mom, told local news reporters that she used the chalk to encourage her daughter to practice her penmanship outside of … Continue reading →

Apparently, the crazies are not limited to high school graduation ceremonies. A group of California parents have just shown the world that pyscho starts early on the West Coast. Thanks to greed, immaturity and outright lunacy, moms and dads attending a Los Angeles-area preschool commencement exercise, have landed smack in the middle of the media spotlight. According to news reports, a group of deranged parents turned a preschool graduation ceremony into an all-out brawl. And no, they weren’t fighting over front-row seats, parking spaces or the right to cheer loudly when their child’s name was called. Rather, the altercation stemmed … Continue reading →

By now you know that Facebook is considering allowing kids under 13 onto the site. Sure, there’s talk of mandatory parental supervision and speculation that the under 13 section will be ad free, but let’s get real here; this is Facebook were talking about. The social media phenomenon currently states that users must be 13 years or older; yet a recent Microsoft study published in AdAge estimates that more than 7.5 million underaged kids are already on Facebook, and a huge chunk of them got there with their parents’ help. Parents, who are virtually clueless about the ever-changing privacy setting … Continue reading →

One of the tenets of good parenting is teaching children about consequences. But what happens when kids see adults act inappropriately and not have to suffer a penalty for their negative actions? Well, you get a situation similar to the one described in my fellow blogger Stephanie Romero’s post about her son’s recent high school graduation ceremony. In her blog, Stephanie detailed the frustration she felt when several parents blatantly defied the principal’s plea to remain silent while the graduates’ names were being announced and diplomas were being handed out on stage. From what I gather from reading Stephanie’s post, … Continue reading →

Thank goodness my daughter is not a girly-girl. I stink at applying make-up and I can’t style hair to save my life. Scroll down to my bio photo for proof. Fortunately, my daughter blissfully embraces her short, low-maintenance hairdo. Not only do her not-so long locks save us precious time in the morning, but they also assure that she will never be banned from her class picture because I’ve turned her tresses into an eye-popping coiffure. Sadly, the same can’t be said for Marcella Marino. The pretty 4-year-old blonde made headlines recently when school officials booted her from a class … Continue reading →

And people wonder why helicopter parents exist… I am THAT Mom when it comes to school field trips. My second grader has yet to take a class trip without me. I will chaperone school excursions until she graduates from high school, if the school allows it. And if there comes a day when school administrators put the kibosh on having parents supervise students, I’ll probably still show up because you can’t stop moms and dads from being present at public venues, right? Hovering be damned; I refuse to allow this to happen to my kid… or this: According to news … Continue reading →

No parent takes delight in seeing his child fail at school. However, most moms and dads don’t try to disown their kid when she flunks a test. It’s called being reasonable, rational… sane. Sadly, some parents don’t exercise these gifts and you end up with a story like Tuan Huynh’s. The Pennsylvania dad has been court ordered to move out of his home until he completes a mandatory parenting class, as well as 100 hours of community service. Huynh’s punishment is a result of abandoning his 16-year-old daughter outside of a mall because she received a failing grade at school. … Continue reading →