According to the bible, the Garden of Eden was God’s gift to the first humans, Adam and Eve. As the story goes, it was a luscious garden that God intended for Adam and Eve to live in peacefully, contently, and innocently as they effortlessly reaped the fruits of their paradise. The Garden of Eden contained a special tree called the tree of knowledge of good and evil and Adam and Eve were forbidden, by God, to eat its fruit....
How do you get started? Like any good recipe, it starts with making sure you have the right tools for the job. When it comes down to it, all you really need to make baby food is a banana and a fork. However, if you’re starting with purées, a fork won’t cut it for most puréed fruits and veggies—not to mention meats. That said, you don’t necessarily need fancy kitchen implements to make baby food at home....
Yet, it seems like there are twins everywhere you turn; perhaps you notice more and more families with double strollers out and about in the mall or more frequent announcements in the media from celebrity parents celebrating the birth of twins. Television shows like “Kate Plus Eight” (formerly “Jon and Kate Plus Eight”) or “Texas Multi Mamas” shine a spotlight on multiple births. Schools report record registration of twins and multiples and educators wrestle with the issue of classroom placement....
The Best-Interests Standard Many parents find this legal jargon confusing. Don’t all parents want what’s best for their children? For the most part, yes. However, in the majority of contested child custody cases, the judge determines what would be best for the children, despite both parents’ good intentions and competing wishes. Crucial Factors While there’s no Magic 8 Ball, you can expect the judge to consider the following factors before making a decision:...
Start by compiling a list of possibilities: places you pass on your route to work or your child’s school; clubs to which friends or acquaintances belong; places you’ve seen advertised. Then use the criteria below to zero in on the family-friendly gym that’s right for you. Workouts You Want for Yourself First and foremost, what kind of exercise do you already enjoy or know you want to try? Is a pool a must-have or a nice perk?...
These tests can be performed by doctors, but are often performed by ultrasound technicians, who are not permitted to interpret the results. Ultrasound images must be interpreted by a physician. What an Ultrasound Technician Does Ultrasound technicians, or sonographers, are trained to operate ultrasound machines and take fetal measurements. Since they are not medical practitioners, they are not qualified to give medical diagnoses. Nurses and other practitioners with a medical background can take an eight-week certificate program....
That’s the official definition. The unofficial definition is, it’s essentially milking yourself to make sure you empty out your breast fully and your baby gets all of that milk. Why Breast Compressions Help Increase Milk Supply Breastfeeding works on a “supply and demand” system, so you need to make sure your breast is emptied fully to send the signal for your body to produce more milk. The milk at the end of a feeding is called hindmilk and has more fat and calories than the foremilk at the beginning of a feeding....
Why Little Kids Love a Box Before your child begins to invent pretend worlds and imaginary friends, she will usually love a toy for being exactly what it is. A block is magical, not because it can be reimagined as a telescope or precious gem, but because it is a block. It can be pushed through a hole, rolled across the floor or dropped repeatedly from the top of a high chair....
Experiencing technical difficulties, having limited access to teachers, and worrying about your child’s social development—as you try to do your own work or responsibilities around the home—can be very overwhelming and stressful. Most students are now going back to traditional in-person school, but some will continue with virtual learning or return to it periodically (either by choice, due to hybrid schedules, or because of local outbreaks). If you’re feeling frustrated and not sure how much longer you can manage virtual school, here are seven ways to hang on to your sanity while your child does school online....
While every parent wants their child to grow in this way and doing so is important to living a happy and productive life as an adult, this transition often comes with some difficulties—both for sons and daughters as well as mothers and fathers. Types of Independence Adolescents can become healthy, autonomous adults that are not controlled by other people or external forces through practicing autonomy in the following three ways:...
There are several types of mistakes people make when they take a home pregnancy test that can lead to inaccurate results. For example, not waiting to take a test until your period is late or drinking lots of water before the test. Potential test errors fall into two categories: those related to timing and those related to interpretation. Learn more about how to avoid a pregnancy test error. What Not to Do Before Taking a Pregnancy Test While unusual, drinking too much water before taking a test can produce a false negative result....
As a stay-at-home mom, it’s easy to feel guilty about dropping off your child to have someone else take care of her when you could be doing it yourself. However, Mom’s Day Out can be a good thing for both of you. How to Pick a Mother’s Day Out Program When considering a Mother’s Day Out program, here are five ways to make your decision easier. Take Your Time If you’re struggling with the decision, now’s a good time to take a step back....
While there is no specific set of rules to follow when it comes to Mother’s Day, allowing space for your natural feelings and placing boundaries where you need them is often a good place to start. If you find yourself dreading Mother’s Day, here are some ideas to help get you through the day. Intentional Avoidance Avoidance can be a helpful coping mechanism, whether it’s avoiding a family gathering or the day altogether....
For parents who have lost a child, it makes no sense for life to end at such a young age—particularly when the death is sudden and without warning. The loss cuts so deep, it can be suffocating. If you are dealing with this type of loss in your family, here are some ways to help you and your family cope. Stick Together Stick together as a family and lean on each other for help....
Fortunately, there are ways to overcome your stress and anxiety and still eject sperm for testing or treatment. Relaxation techniques, producing a sperm sample at home, using sex toys, using a semen collection condom, or having surgical sperm retrieval are among your options. Here is what you need to know about collecting a sperm sample for a semen analysis test. How Sperm Samples Are Collected Often the semen sample must be produced in the fertility clinic, in a room set aside for this purpose....
If your child is struggling or underperforming in school, then it is important that you intervene early to keep problems from snowballing. School years go by quickly, and a child can fall behind in a matter of weeks without the right support. In order to understand when to ask for an IEP, it is important to understand what an IEP is and who can get one. Then you can decide if it is time to ask for an IEP or try a different option for support....
Conduct a Beach Scavenger Hunt If you’re planning a day trip or a vacation at the beach, or if you live near the shore, take advantage of all the wonderful things your tween can find on his scavenger hunt. Provide the tweens with a small plastic shovel, a small net, binoculars, sunscreen, a pail to put their finds in and a small journal or notebook. Look for: To Find Five different types of shells (oyster, mussel, crab, etc....
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberbullying escalated. During stay-at-home orders, research shows cyberbullying increased 70% and toxicity on online gaming platforms increased 40%. These numbers illustrate that despite increased education and improved school bullying prevention programs, incidences of cyberbullying continue to escalate. So parents need to do what they can to prevent cyberbullying in their kids’ lives. Why Prevention Is Important Cyberbullying is deliberately and repeatedly inflicting harm using electronic devices, gaming apps, and online social media platforms....
