Even when there are bus services or other transportation options, managing the family schedule can still feel like a part-time job. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to keep the schedules straight and ensure everyone gets to where they need to be on time. Set a Limit on How Many Activities the Kids Do It’s OK to set a limit on how many activities your kids do every year....

The most important thing to remember is that potty training is a process and your child will have accidents. However, assuming they are developmentally and emotionally ready for toilet training, if you stick to this method, your child will be using the potty consistently in just three days. Learn more about how to quickly potty train your child. Is Your Child Ready? Before deciding to take the leap, make sure your child is ready for potty training....

Teaching your teen to get up and out of bed on time, even when they are tired, is an important life skill. Part of becoming a responsible adult is being able to start work on time and being able to show responsibility. So if your teen is late for school every morning, intervene. Help them learn how to take on more responsibility for their behavior. Nagging them, waking them up repeatedly, and pushing them out the door will only increase their dependence on you, however....

Research has shown that when families enjoy activities together, children not only learn important social skills but also have higher self-esteem. Strong family bonds also encourage better behavior in children, improve academic performance, strengthen parent-child communication, and teach your child how to be a good friend. As a parent, you play a key role in cultivating and protecting these family bonds. But building strong family connections doesn’t always happen naturally....

The Trevor Project released a national survey on LGBTQ youth mental health for 2022, calling it “one of the most diverse surveys of LGBTQ youth ever conducted.” This groundbreaking study indicates that “LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide compared to those who did not.” Yet parents might rightly have concerns about their children who are on the LGBTQ spectrum, since these youth by and large experience challenges to their mental and physical health, even in 2022....

It’s hard to teach kids about feelings because it’s a fairly abstract concept. It’s hard to describe how it feels to be sad, scared, or excited. It’s important to begin teaching kids about their emotions as early as possible since their feelings affect every choice they make. Kids who understand their emotions are less likely to act out by using temper tantrums, aggression, and defiance to express themselves. A child who can say, “I’m mad at you,” is less likely to hit....

Overview The literal meaning of the phrase in vitro is “within the glass.” It is a Latin term, which more generally refers to anything occurring in a laboratory setting. This is the opposite of in vivo, which means within the body (or literally, “within the living”). Today, IVF is a mainstream—albeit expensive—fertility treatment. Less than 5% of fertility patients requires IVF. An estimated 8 million IVF-conceived babies have been born around the world....

The study published in the journal Cognition found that babies typically remember multiword sequences and single words long before they begin to speak. What they have not determined is whether babies learn speech and language by adding words together, or by breaking down familiar word sequences. Testing Sentence Recognition Researchers looked at 36 babies aged 11-12 months that were not yet talking but were developing normally. The babies’ eye movements were tracked in response to pre-recorded word sequences that were played pseudo-randomly....

“Sudden sniffing death” occurs when the heart stops pumping after someone has used an inhalant. Huffing can also cause other severe health consequences like permanent brain damage and destruction of the heart, kidneys, and liver. Often young people view inhaling or huffing household substances as a way to get a quick high. This can be especially true for young kids who are not driving and have limited access to drugs....

The kind of arrangement you and the donor choose will have an impact not only on you, the intended parent, but also on your future child, the donor, and the donor’s children (if they have any). The potential impact of your choice is good reason to carefully consider your options. Of course, your options will depend on what is available to you. For example, using a known donor will not be an option if no one you know is offering or able to donate....

Thanks to COVID-19, everything we do comes with new concerns and questions, and the holidays—a time we hope will be enjoyable and relaxing—are no exception. When you have a young baby at home, they’ll be at the forefront of your mind. Is it safe to have the usual stream of holiday visitors? What do I need to do to keep my baby safe? Here, we’ll answer questions about how to protect your newborn from COVID-19 this holiday season....

The AAP even weighs in on issues like drug testing in schools. For instance, the AAP supports substance use prevention and intervention programs, but they conclude “that research evidence does not support the initiation or expansion of school-based drug testing programs at this time.” They also offer policy statements that address everything from contraception for teens to school start times and cheerleading injuries. Being aware of the latest policy statements and guidelines from the AAP can help you make the best decisions for your kids from birth through adolescence....

How Popular is the Name Liam? The name Liam has been one of the fastest-rising Irish names in the United States. Its popularity seemed to explode in the mid to late 2000s when the Social Security Administration showed its drastic jump from the No. 75 spot in 2008 to No. 15 in 2011. Around this time, the massively popular movie franchise, “Taken,” made its debut, starring Irish actor Liam Neeson. This undoubtedly contributed to the name’s sudden popularity....

How Popular Is the Name Luke? The name Luke has been a top 500 name for boys in the U.S. since 1955, but it got a bump in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. This is perhaps because of the 1977 release of the first “Star Wars” film, featuring Luke Skywalker as its central character. Luke ranked #97 in the U.S. in 1980, breaking into the top 100 for the first time, but it hovered in that area for another decade....

Researchers from the University of Oxford released a groundbreaking study in June, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that found that the brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid is significant to developing a brain region that impacts memory, learning, reasoning, cognitive functioning, and more. Even more importantly, the chemical levels they found could predict math attainment 19 months later, suggesting they impact the brain’s neuroplasticity. Why Teen Brains Need Math Psychologist Raquel Libbin, PhD, explains that the crucial chemical the study is analyzing will help teens in their future in ways we haven’t even fully understood yet....

This noisy breathing shouldn’t necessarily cause concern. However, pay attention to signs of respiratory distress. Contact your baby’s doctor right away if you notice any warning signs. Turns blue all over or in areas that typically get a lot of blood flow like the lips, tongue, and the vagina. Even though bluing of the hands and feet can be fairly common due to an infant’s immature circulatory system, if other areas are turning blue, it’s time to get immediate attention....

That may seem like a lot, but it’s just 10 more badges than a Life Scout already has, and chances are, your son has already completed many of the badges on the required list. Your child’s list of badges must include these 13 very specific topics. Required Badges Below are the required merit badges Eagle Scouts must earn: First Aid One of the first merit badges to be offered by the Boy Scouts of America, the first aid badge requires demonstrating the ability to help when someone is ill or injured until professional help arrives....