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

Parents know: Family trips are often far from relaxing, and what’s meant to be a dream vacation can all too quickly turn into a nightmare. But ensuring your trip goes smoothly is easier than you think. As long as the kids aren’t bored, and the parents aren’t stressed, families can avoid the bickering that all too often causes a trip to go awry. Easier said than done, of course, but picking the right hotel will go a long way toward tantrum-proofing your vacation. Avoid these five common mistakes when planning your trip, and you’ll find yourself headed for family vacation bliss.

Top five things parents forget to consider:

1. Your kids’ interests: Kids are just as picky about their vacation, if not pickier, than adults, and it’s worth taking the time to ask them what they want to do. Are they going to be happy in a big city or at the beach? What do they want to do when they get there? You can find a hotel these days with almost any amenity, from trapeze lessons to roller coasters to water parks, so their requests might be easier to fulfill than you think. The important thing is to get them just as excited about the trip as you are.

2. Your kids’ attention spans. Some kids can entertain themselves all day with sand, a bucket, and a shovel. Others will grow bored within minutes. If your kid needs lots of stimulation, steer clear of the quiet beach bungalows and consider an activity-packed megaresort. Read More

One of the joys of being a parent is watching your child learn new skills and reach new milestones. Learning to read is one of the milestones that parents eagerly await and often worry about. Parent everywhere what to their best to help their children prepare for reading success.

Simple activities and materials can help your child build reading readiness skills every day. Here is a “Top 10” list of what you need at home, starting today, that will make all the difference in your child’s reading future: Read More

About 6 million US women will get pregnant this year. Women used to get their pregnancy information from other women–the “old wives” of old wives’ tales fame. Today, however, the most common source of information for pregnant women is their obstetrician. But 3 out of 4 will also look for health answers online, and that’s where the problem starts. According to womenshealth.gov, the accuracy of pregnancy information on the Internet varies widely.

Virtually everything about pregnancy has changed since our mother’s time–nutrition and exercise recommendations, pre-term screening tests, and what goes on in the delivery room, for example. What hasn’t changed is that old wives’ tales still abound!

Here are seven untruths we hear all the time from mothers-to-be.

You can tell whether it’s a boy or girl by how you are carrying.

False. The way you “carry” (the shape and distribution of your baby bump) is based on a few things, such as the depth of a mom’s pelvic cradle or the mom’s weight, but it won’t predict your baby’s gender.

Avoiding peanuts during pregnancy will keep my child from developing a food allergy.

False. A recent definitive study in the New England Journal of Medicine put this myth to rest once and for all. It’s okay to eat known allergens while you’re pregnant.

Pregnant women shouldn’t fly because of radiation risk.

False. The amount of cosmic radiation is negligible and not a health concern. Read More

According to a survey by Lawyers.com, only 51% of Americans have an estate plan in place.  Are you one of the statistics? Have you ever considered who would take care of your minor children if something happened to you?

This question scares most parents because they do not know or have not put it in writing.  Unless you have an estate plan in place and have named a guardian for your minor children, a judge will make that decision for you. While courts often appoint a relative or family friend, the court is not required to do so.  The court can appoint anyone it determines to be in the “best interest” of the child.   Is this what you want?   If not, it is extremely important you have an estate plan and name someone to act as guardian of the person as well as the property.

Another scary thought is in Florida, guardianships terminate at age 18 and all funds held in the guardianship are distributed outright to the child then.  Would you want your 18-year old to inherit money?  Most 18-year olds I know are not mature enough to handle funds responsibly.  Thus, the best solution would be to name a guardian of the person in your will (to make living, school, medical decisions) and create a trust for your children (to handle any funds they will inherit). If the trust is prepared and funded properly, a guardianship of the property might be avoided altogether.  The added benefit is it allows you to pick the person who will control the finances for your children and allows you to determine when the funds will be distributed to them.  A trust of this nature is easy to create with proper planning.

What is estate planning and why is it so important?

Estate planning is the process of arranging for the disposal of your assets at your death and deciding who will handle your affairs.  Your estate plan will also name a guardian who will care for your minor children if both natural parents are deceased.  Depending upon the size of your estate, it may also include some tax planning to help defer or avoid estate tax.  Estate planning also encompasses arranging your affairs in case you become incapacitated. Documents that provide who will make health care and financial decisions for you should always be part of your estate plan. Read More

Pregnancy certainly affects the lives of expectant moms and dads, but it doesn’t have to put a damper on your summer vacation plans.

Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about traveling while pregnant that we hear from pregnant women every day.

Is it safe for me to travel while pregnant? Are all forms of transportation safe?

We don’t recommend hot air balloons or camels, but most conventional modes of transportation are safe. If you have a “high risk” pregnancy or are carrying multiples, your doctor may have a different restriction date in mind, so ask him or her for recommendations tailored to your specific health profile. Here are some general guidelines:

· You can travel by plane up to your 36th week — but check individual airline policies, which may vary.

· For cruises, the last acceptable time frame is 23-27 weeks, depending on the cruise line.

· If you are going by bus, train, or driving, stay no more than 1 hour away from a hospital. Camping in a remote area, for example, is not advisable. You can travel by car right up to the end of your delivery date, but try to stay an hour away from your doctor or delivery hospital.

How can I stay healthy while pregnant and traveling? Read More

Many families who are looking to expand their brood will turn to furry friends, which often become as much a member of the family as anyone else. So how do families decide if a pet is right for them, and if so, what type is best for your family?

For help in choosing a canine companion or other pet, follow the tips below to select the perfect fit for your family.

How Old Are the Members of My Family?

If the youngsters in your household are under seven years old, they are usually not developmentally suited for puppies 5 months old and under or toy-sized (under 15 pounds) dogs of any age. Puppies have ultra sharp “milk teeth” and toenails and often teethe on and scratch children, resulting in unintentional injury to the child. The puppy becomes something to be feared rather than loved.

Toy dogs are fine-boned, touch-sensitive creatures that do not weather rough or clumsy handling well. They break relatively easily and are quicker to bite than their larger boned, mellower relatives.

Unless your children are unusually sensitive, low-key, respectful individuals, a medium-to-large sized dog over 5 months old is usually the safer choice. Regardless of size, a responsible adult should monitor all interactions between small children and dogs. When there is no one to watch over them, they should be separated.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, are there frail elderly or physically challenged individuals in the household? If so, strong vigorous adolescent dogs are not a wise idea. No aging hips or wrists are safe from these yahoos. People who were one-breed fans throughout their lives may one day find that their favorite breed demands more than they can physically handle. The new dog must fit the current physical capabilities of his keepers with an eye toward what the next 10-15 years will bring.

Who Will Be the Dog’s Primary Caretaker?

A decade or so back, this was an easy question to answer– Mom. She stayed home and cooked, cleaned and raised the family dog. Most families these days do not have that option. All adults have to go to work and the kids head off to school. This leaves the family dog to be sandwiched in between lessons and sports and household chores and so on. One parent should be designated Primary Caretaker to make sure the dog does not get lost in the shuffle.

Some parents bow to the pressure their children put on them to get a dog. The kids promise with tears in their eyes that they will religiously take care of this soon-to-be best friend. The truth of the matter is, during the 10 – 15 year lifespan of the average dog, your children will be growing in and out of various life stages and the family dog’s importance in their lives will wax and wane like the Moon. You cannot saddle a child with total responsibility for the family dog and threaten to get rid of it if the child is not providing that care. It is not fair to child or dog. Read More

One challenge busy parents face is finding a sitter, but there are many safe, effective ways to find new sitters you can trust:

• Talk to your friends at work, school, church, etc. Ask your friends which babysitters they use and if they would mind sharing and making an introduction.  Also, ask your friends if any of their children have begun babysitting. It is easy to lose track of kids’ ages and before you know it, they’ve graduated from high school and are off to college (and you’ve potentially missed out on a great sitter).

• Join your local moms network. Many mom groups have sprouted all over the country and the best ones often focus on moms in your specific, local community. Your local moms network is an invaluable resource helping families, schools and the entire local community. Families in these networks often post messages or send e-mails looking for babysitters or informing the network that their teenager is available to babysit.

• Check out quality online resources. There are many websites that will find a local sitter for you, but not all sites are created equal. Evaluate the site thoroughly to find out what kind of security checks they provide and when the last check was completed on the individual of interest. Not all sites perform security and reference checks, presenting a major safety issue. Once you find a candidate, have your own interview, security check and reference follow-up. It may feel awkward, but I also recommend working in the home the first day or two your new sitter works for you, until you feel completely comfortable entrusting them with your children.

Elsa Englund Kayuha, M.D., mother of four children and founder of GotSitter.com

It’s summertime and moving season is in full swing, many families are preparing for life in a new home. The summer months often offer increased flexibility, better weather and the opportunity to make the move a family event. However, whether it’s moving to a different home around the block, or relocating to a new city, families face additional challenges when moving with children.

Making Moving Manageable

For both parents and children, moving to a new home can sometimes be a traumatic experience. A recent Rent.com survey found that 69 percent of families have moved to a new home at least once during their children’s lifetime and 18 percent of families have moved three or more times! Since changing homes can be tough on kids, 54 percent of parents worry about their children’s apprehensions surrounding the move, while additional concerns include finding the right time for the kids to move (31 percent), making sure moving day logistics run smoothly with the kids (27 percent) and getting kids motivated to help with moving (22 percent).

Children also fret about their new homes, but in different ways from their parents. More than half of American parents (54 percent) report that their children worry most about making new friends at school or in their neighborhood, 18 percent wonder if they’ll truly feel at home in the new place and 14 percent feel anxious about getting acclimated to the new neighborhood.

Happiness at Home

When choosing where to move, parents are tasked with the challenge of securing a place that’s affordable and located in a family-friendly neighborhood, while children may be expected to start at a new school and get used to unfamiliar surroundings. When choosing a new family home, an overwhelming 61 percent of parents cited a safe neighborhood as being the most important factor, while a quarter of parents (24 percent) believe that a living space large enough for the entire family to live in comfortably is equally important.

However, the younger members of the families have different priorities on their lists! One third of parents (32 percent) say that children want their own bedrooms, 28 percent say kids wish for a neighborhood with other kids their own age and 26 percent responded that what kids really pine for is a big backyard with enough room for a swing set, pool or tree house. Read More

Kids remember the strangest things. Ask any teen what he remembers about his childhood and he will most likely tell you about the adventurous things that his parents did with him. You can tell it has impacted him because it brings a smile to his face when he retells it.

Summer is a perfect time to do things with your kids that just might make some lasting memories. These times will never present themselves again, because next summer your child will be one year older (you will, too), and he may not appreciate the family experience as much as he would this year.

Here are some suggestions. This isn’t a mandatory list, so there’s no need to become compulsive and do everything. In fact, one or more of these might give you your own ideas. It may be one of the things that bring a smile to your child’s face long after he becomes an adult. Read More

Every year, more than 4 million women give birth in the United States. That’s more than 10,000 every day, which leaves many new mothers — and their babies —feeling lost in the crowd.

In order to find a more “boutique” approach to prenatal and primary health care, a growing number of women are turning to midwives. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005, midwives attended more than 300,000 U.S. births — and more women are seeing midwives for family planning, annual exams and for help navigating normal life transitions.

“When you decide to visit a midwife, you can expect a special kind of care. Some midwives spend up to an hour with first-time patients, and most midwives stay with women through the entire birth process,” says Cathy Collins Fulea, a certified nurse-midwife and midwife expert at www.RealSavvyMoms.com.

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are independent providers who care for women through all stages of life and are trained through graduate-level education to handle the majority of complications that may arise during pregnancy and birth. Most CNMs and CMs attend deliveries in hospitals, and with low rates of induction, cesarean section and episiotomy, midwives maintain an impressive safety record for both mothers and babies. Read More