As kids grow up, it’s healthy and fun for them to compete in sports such as soccer, baseball, basketball, gymnastics, football and even extreme sports, including mountain biking, BMX and skateboarding. But while all that physical activity is beneficial for growing bodies, there is the chance of getting hurt. Consider…
Taking a vacation with little ones can seem like anything but when kids are pulled out of a familiar environment and familiar rituals. But with a little planning and flexibility, you and your family can have a good time and keep everyone happy and well-rested. The first thing to consider…
Do you struggle with getting your children to wind down? Well, caffeine could be the culprit that’s keeping your child wired. Although the United States hasn’t issued recommendations on how much caffeine kids should consume, health officials in Canada recommend the children of preschool age do not exceed 45 milligrams…
Do you earn an ‘F’ when it comes to shopping for school supplies? This year, get more for your money and send them to school with everything they need. First, take an inventory of the items that you have lying around in playrooms, bedrooms or offices. You may have enough…
Can playing music to your baby or young child make her smarter? That was the claim of the much-hyped “Mozart Effect” several years ago, but the truth isn’t exactly black and white. Certainly, music is a great complement for stimulating babies’ brains and teaching toddlers vocabulary, but the jury’s out…
Eating a nice meal with a child can seem downright unappetizing at times if the child’s manners leave a lot to be desired. Teach your kids manners without starting a food fight. The best time to start teaching table manners is as early as they can hold a spoon. Start…
When you’re tight on time and your kids are foaming at the mouth for food, a snack can be just the thing you need to tide them over. Unfortunately, all snacks are not created equal. Although cookies, fruit snacks, juice, brownies and cupcakes may seem like the ultimate mouth-watering in-between…
They may not wring their hands, yell or furrow their brows, but kids do experience stress, just like adults. Childhood may not be one big picnic for all kids, all the time. And just like adults, kids need healthy ways to relieve stress and relax. A calm, stable and reliable…
Touching, tasting, smelling – they’re all ways in which small children learn about their environments. But it can also get them into trouble. Inevitably during the course of growing up, kids will make the mistake of swallowing, inhaling or sticking into pretty much any orifice some sort of item in…
This is the time of year when many children enroll in school or leave the home for college. And with those enrollments come vaccinations, in many cases. The next few months will see doctors’ offices stocking up on flu shots in anticipation for the winter season. The National Institutes of…