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While the responsibility to be a great role model ultimately falls on the parental figures in a child’s life, it’s perfectly OK to encourage an already existing desire to be a role model. Below we’ve outlined five effective strategies you can use to help foster that dynamic in a healthy and fruitful way. Model What it Looks Like to Be a “Good” Role Model Each of the three therapists we spoke to about this issue all agreed that the most effective way to teach older children how to be a great role model is to be a great role model yourself....

“The point of a balance bike is to teach a child to learn to ride without training wheels,” says Elizabeth Davis, MD, FAAP, a pediatric sports medicine physician with Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “They are bikes without pedals that kids can sit on while their feet touch the ground. There is no known advantage of a balance bike over a traditional bike, but the child may possibly learn to ride a two-wheeled bike with pedals a little sooner....

Do I Need to Pre-Wash Baby Clothes? Many parenting and pregnancy books will advise you to pre-wash your baby’s clothes before they ever wear them. This is because these garments have had a life before your little one, even if the items are brand new. They’ve sat in warehouses and on store shelves and possibly been treated with chemicals during the manufacturing process. “If you don’t normally for your own new clothing, please do pre-wash new baby clothing,” advises Brandi Winch, owner of Homemaid Cleaning Service and Homemaid Home Organization....

For example, IVF may be the first option if a person’s fallopian tubes are blocked or if you will be using a gestational carrier and/or an egg donor. IVF also may be used in severe cases of male infertility or when previously cryopreserved eggs are being used. Still, even in these cases, IVF may come after trying to get pregnant and several fertility tests. The more you understand about what’s coming next, the more in control you’ll feel....

Yet for many people, the reality of what happens when we finally have that baby in our arms is a little different. Exhausted from labor, our hormones raging all over the place, and confronted with the baby who may not be easily consoled, it’s easy to feel like the reality of motherhood is just not what we imagined it to be. And this reaction can be enough to make us feel disappointed, discouraged, or wracked with guilt....

But there are also many life lessons your toddler might be able to teach you. You simply have to be open to the idea that your toddler might have an even better way of thinking about certain things than most adults do. Here are 13 lessons you can learn from your little one. Don’t Give Up After Failure Toddlers fail more than they succeed. They often fall down, put their clothes on inside out, and lose their tempers on a daily basis....

Miscarriage Rate for All Conceptions If taking into account the number of known miscarriages and the number of unknown miscarriages, there is a greater chance of miscarriage than not. As alarming as this statement may be, it illustrates that pregnancy loss is a commonly occurring event. It usually goes entirely unnoticed, often because it occurred within days of the conception and the pregnancy was non-viable from the start. Research involving in vitro fertilization (IVF) found that a very large percentage of harvested eggs harbored chromosome abnormalities, the leading cause of early-term miscarriage....

But if you want to provide insight and advice when they are talking to you, it is important that you have a good grasp of what it means if your teen says their significant other is “ghosting” them or has “left them on read.” Common Terms No longer is it enough for parents to know just what sexting is. Now, you need to add in “benching,” “53X,” and so many more terms to your vocabulary....

For instance, calling someone “fat,” “retard,” “nerd,” or any other derogatory name chips away at the target’s self-esteem, sense of self-worth, and self-concept. To make matters worse, name-calling happens a lot and can encourage that behavior in your child. What Is Name-Calling? Name-calling is abusive, derogatory language, or insults. It is a form of relational bullying. Sadly, this behavior is common among kids. Name-calling, which is sometimes dismissed as teasing or ribbing, is often present in sibling bullying....

You wonder if they could have a food allergy and watch for telltale signs like hives, swollen lips, or even difficulty breathing, and yet, the mysterious reaction never goes any further than a few complaints about itchiness. Is it that your child just doesn’t like apples and celery, or could something else be going on? According to Kara J. Wada, MD, clinical assistant professor in the division of allergy immunology department of otolaryngology at The Ohio State University Medical Center, it could be that your child has oral allergy syndrome (OAS), especially if they have seasonal allergies like hayfever or allergic rhinitis....

Of the many diaper-related struggles (hello, rashes and blowouts), one of the first things I noticed when my daughter was born was how red and irritated her sensitive newborn skin got from her diapers. I slathered on all the diaper balm I could, let her go diaperless every now and then (not an option I recommend for more than a few minutes), and was careful to wipe her down with nontoxic wipes at each changing....

However, if a couple has recurrent miscarriages, there can be many reasons for the multiple losses, such as an anatomical abnormality in the woman’s reproductive organs; a blood clotting disorder; or hormonal problems. Infections, environmental factors, and advanced age of either or both parents also are thought to play a potential role in recurrent pregnancy loss. In some couples who have recurrent miscarriages, the problem may be some sort of chromosome abnormality in one or both partners....

While this may sound surprising, experts note that parents can use this motivation to help encourage kids to move, too. Being intentional with incorporating movement into your family’s daily life can help kids naturally get more exercise What the Data Says While some children still enjoy active and vigorous play, the amount of time kids spend being physically active lessens at age 8, and even more at age 11. These results from 2019 don’t account for the impact of COVID-19 or factoring social distancing and less human interaction into the mix....

Roughly 20% of American children today have a weight that classifies them as obese. Childhood obesity can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Most children weighing in the obese range will stay that way as adults, where they face an increased risk of various health problems, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. According to the study, childhood obesity is both reversible and preventable by following certain dietary habits....

Allowing kids to go on play dates without you is important to help encourage independence, but it’s still smart to get some key information from playmates’ parents or guardians to make sure your child will be safe while having fun. Here are some questions to ask other parents before a play date at their house, and tips on how to inquire without being too intrusive. Why Ask Questions Before a Play Date?...

Difference Between GERD and Reflux In gastroesophageal reflux, or reflux for short, stomach contents come back into the esophagus. When an infant has reflux, the milk may stay in the esophagus or the baby may spit up. Reflux is a relatively common occurrence in infants. About 70% to 85% of infants spit up many times a day within the first two months of life. In 95% of cases, infants stop spitting up by the time they are 12-months-old....

What Is an Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA)? To understand what an endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA) is, first you have to know what the endometrium is. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus. It changes during pregnancy and during the menstrual cycle to provide an ideal environment for the implantation of a fertilized egg and the growth of the placenta. Endometrial receptivity is the ability of the endometrium to provide this ideal environment for the growing embryo....