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

“A child can learn some wonderful life lessons while caring for an animal, but there can be some potential hazards that accompany pets of any kind, says Debra Holtzman, J.D, M.A, an internationally recognized safety and health expert and best-selling author of the new book “The Safe Baby: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living” (Sentient Publications, 2009). A young child can harm your pet, and some pets can most certainly harm your child. Never leave a baby or young child alone with any pet and always supervise children around dogs, cats, ferrets and other animals. Even if your home doesn’t have a pet, teach your children these important tips. Read More

Recent research shows that setting house rules for teen drivers could help them steer clear of car crashes when it’s done constructively.

In fact, teens who say their parents establish rules and pay attention to their activities in a helpful, supportive way are half as likely to be in a crash. According to research from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm®, it’s important for parents to communicate with teens that the rules are in place to keep them safe — not in order to control them.

Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for adolescents, and a teen driver’s greatest lifetime chance of crashing occurs in the first six to 12 months after receiving a license. However, studies show that the majority of these crashes are preventable. Read More

Get your child off to a good start and help them maintain a proper weight.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone. If an individual is overweight or underweight it could put them at risk for various diseases and may keep them from fighting off infections.

Learning to maintain a healthy weight should start as early as possible. When children are in the womb, we can control what they eat by eating properly ourselves. After giving birth, parents can control a baby’s weight with proper nutrition by using formula and breast milk appropriately. However, as our babies grow, it can become harder and harder to control what a child eats, making it more difficult to ensure that they are developing properly. Read More