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By preparing them in advance, you will be equipping your child with skills to effectively deal with bullies. More importantly, you’ll help them gain self-confidence and internal strength, two assets that will serve them well for the rest of their life. When most people think of self-defense, they think of hitting back or using another type of physical force for protection. But in a broader sense, self-defense includes being proactive to prevent problems before they happen....

Even though I was in Manhattan on September 11th, and had lots of thoughts and feelings about that day, I felt unsure about how to discuss it with my son. How much information should I share? How could I share details that were informative, but without scaring him? What was the right balance here? Somehow I stumbled through an initial conversation with him, and it went well enough. Over the years (he’s in fifth grade now) we’ve built on that conversation, and I think he has a pretty good understanding of what happened that day, what it signifies, and what the September 11th attacks’ place is in American history....

Extraversion: Extraverted people are high energy, sociable, and good at communication. Conscientiousness: Conscientious traits include strong impulse control, focus on goals, reliability, and punctuality. Neuroticism: Neurotic individuals are emotional, anxious, moody, and irritable. Openness: Imagination, insight, and multiple interests are all part of this personality trait. Agreeableness tends to increase gradually until adulthood. It’s natural for kids and teens to go through periods of low agreeableness, such as during puberty. Even then, though, some tweens will be more agreeable than others when dealing with the challenges in their environment....

Sadly, some claims about alcohol and breastfeeding can erode a parent’s desire to nurse or damage the breastfeeding relationship with their baby. That’s why it is important to make sure you have the facts about alcohol and breastfeeding to keep you and your baby safe. Breastfeeding Parents Can Drink Alcohol in Moderation While frequent, excessive drinking is strongly discouraged, there is nothing wrong with the occasional alcoholic beverage while breastfeeding....

New research published by the American Society for Microbiology has shown that antibiotic exposure in infancy could lead to an irreversible altered genetic makeup of the microbiota in babies. The alteration that occurs then impacts the immune system, thus increasing the risk of developing childhood food allergies. What the Study Showed The study exposed baby mice to the antibiotic ampicillin via maternal breast milk. Researchers then monitored the gut microbiota (microscopic organisms in the gut) of the mice as they aged....

Some milk products contain rbGH (sometimes called rbST), a synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormone given to cows to help them make more milk. Some parents are concerned that this added growth hormone can cause health problems in kids. Concerns About Growth Hormones in Milk Artificial growth hormones in milk are generally considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for a couple of reasons....

Traditional discipline techniques aren’t always effective for a child with autism. Depending on where they fall on the spectrum, they might struggle to understand consequences or handle harsh reprimands. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use any discipline at all. Instead, gentler and consistent strategies may be the key to helping children with autism manage their behavior. Understanding Common Autistic Behaviors We usually discipline children because they consciously act in inappropriate ways, whether it’s swiping treats off a sibling’s plate or intentionally tripping a child on the soccer field....

Growing up, you may have seen baby walkers everywhere: They were popular and frequently used for decades. As such, you may consider purchasing one as your baby becomes more mobile and is getting ready to walk. You might think that your baby would enjoy being able to use a baby walker, and that baby walkers are useful for babies who are learning to walk. Let’s take a look at why baby walkers are harmful, what you should know about teaching your baby to walk, and what safe alternatives to baby walkers are out there....

Published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the study found that when children are the youngest in their class, they have a greater chance of experiencing educational problems, as well as social and even emotional complications. The findings could help parents considering when to enroll their child in school. The Study Researchers with King’s College London, the Karolinska Institute, and Orebro University looked at information on almost 300,000 individuals....

A fact family is made up of three numbers. As in any family, the members (number) are related. At least four math facts that can be made with them. For example, consider 6, 4, and 10. These members of a fact family are related because the first two numbers can be added to get the third. Starting with 1, ask your child what they need to add to make 10....

That being said, it’s normal to want to lose weight postpartum. If part of feeling healthy and confident to you means losing some weight, you may be considering intermittent fasting. In a nutshell, intermittent fasting is eating during set windows of time and not eating (fasting) during set windows of time. For example, you may eat during the first eight hours of the day and fast for the remaining 16....

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized more than 45 antigen tests, including 17 at-home options. There are a few things you should know before you start playing Dr. Mom or Dr. Dad, though. What Are At-Home COVID-19 Tests? At-home, or antigen, tests are over-the-counter screenings used to detect an active Coronavirus infection on the spot. Some call for at-home sample collection and require a lab for interpretation, but for the most part, at-home antigen tests are quick, convenient, and affordable—and they can be completed entirely at home....

The powerful ingredient offers a long list of benefits and is found in everything from acne-fighting cleansers to anti-aging serums. In fact, the AHA is so ubiquitous that you may not even realize it’s in some of your favorite products, and it likely wouldn’t occur to you to question its use at different stages in your life. When you’re pregnant, all of the habits and routines you once knew well come into question, and using glycolic acid is no exception....

This may occur if ejaculation happens outside the vagina, or if semen gets on someone’s fingers and then they place them near or inside the vagina. Pregnancy may also occur without ejaculation if the erect penis comes into contact with the vaginal area. A small amount of semen—just a drop or two—is excreted at the start of an erection. This occurs before actual ejaculation and is sometimes called pre-ejaculate....

This can raise a lot of questions about child custody for single mothers if the father isn’t named on the birth certificate and doesn’t want to be a part of the child’s life. Does the mother have to file for custody? Or is it assumed that since the child lives with her and the father isn’t around, she automatically gets custody and doesn’t need to actually file for it? Some moms in this predicament even wonder whether formally filing for child custody could work against them, causing an absent father to reappear out of the woodwork and demand joint custody or regular visitation....

How Popular Is the Name Christopher? Christopher is one of the most popular names in existence. You can also find it in various ethnolinguistic forms throughout the world. As an English first name, Christopher is a classic, regularly used since the 15th century. In the U.S., the name has been in the Top 500 names since 1900. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it ranked at the No. 2 spot from 1979 to 1994—its most popular year....

In December 2022, the FDA extended the authorization for these boosters to kids between 6 months and 4 years old. If your child completed the Moderna primary series (two shots) at least two months ago, they can get a Moderna bivalent booster. If they are still in the process of getting their three Pfizer primary series shots, the third one will be a bivalent booster. If they have completed the three-shot Pfizer series, they do not need a booster yet....

Luckily, most cases of diaper rash are mild and clear up with at-home treatments—but that doesn’t make them any less unpleasant for both you and your uncomfortable baby. They seem to have a way of sneaking up when you least expect them, leaving you concerned and curious about how it could have been prevented. So, what’s the deal with diaper rashes? We’re here to break down what they are, the causes, the treatments, and how to help prevent them from wreaking havoc on your baby’s sensitive hind parts (and your sanity)....