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But for countless college students, this experience looks a bit different this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in school closures across the country, and many college students have been forced to navigate an academic year from their parents’ homes. A recent study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs shows this shift has affected the drinking habits of college-age students, and alcohol consumption has decreased as students have returned home....

While you can’t expect your preschooler to sit quietly through an hour-long tale, teaching kids not to interrupt is an important social skill. Children who understand how to politely enter into a conversation—instead of talking over people—will likely be more successful in developing and maintaining relationships. Why Kids Frequently Interrupt Kids often interrupt adult conversations because they’re bored. If you’re talking to someone else about adult topics and your child isn’t involved in the conversation, they may frequently interrupt as an attempt to amuse themself and gain attention....

How Popular Is the Name Ethan? While the name Ethan has been in the top 100 most popular names in the United States for over 30 years now, and the top 20 for the last two decades, it hasn’t always held the same popularity. Ethan was a top 1,000 most popular names in 1901 but fell off the list. It remained off the list for over 50 years until 1952 when it reentered the list at #996....

How Do Dizygotic Twins Form? Dizygotic twins form from two separate eggs fertilized by two separate sperm. (Di=2, zygotic=zygote) In most cases, a woman only releases a single egg, or ovum, from her ovaries during an ovulation cycle. But sometimes, for various reasons, multiple eggs are released in a cycle. If sexual intercourse or insemination occurs and the eggs are fertilized, multiples can result. Dizygotic twins occur when two eggs are fertilized by two sperm, implant in the uterus, and develop into two fetuses....

These are real questions single dads across the U.S. are asking. Before you give up on getting full custody of your kids, here are the answers single dads need to know. Full Custody vs. Joint Custody Full custody is often referred to as sole custody. Parents who want to win full custody rights should understand the differences between full custody and joint custody. Ultimately, a court prefers to award parents joint custody of a child....

“Fetal development is an astonishing nine-month journey,” explains Thais Aliabadi, MD, an OB/GYN and co-founder of Trimly. “The fetus meets a new developmental milestone every few weeks. In just 16 to 24 weeks, the pregnant person may experience fetal movements for the very first time. As you progress further in your pregnancy, the ’little baby kicks’ become a daily norm. At times, you might feel a different type of movement that feels more rhythmic or pulsating....

Some preemies do fine in conventional child care settings, but others, especially those who were born very early or who had additional complications, may have immune systems that are too weak for group child care settings. Other preemies may be delayed in meeting milestones, and rigorous academic programs and strict potty training schedules may be frustrating for child and parent alike. Child Care Options Parents of premature babies have many child care options to choose from....

However, at any stage of pregnancy loss, you can and may want to have a funeral or memorial service. Some people do not want to have a funeral. If this is you, honor yourself and your wishes. Why a Funeral? Funerals can be an important part of the grieving process for people who have experienced a loss. A funeral provides a way to say goodbye and to honor the memory of a loved one....

However, being a good teammate doesn’t always come naturally. It’s important to foster good teammate behavior when your kids begin youth sports, as these qualities will transcend beyond just the game and apply to many aspects of their lives. Read on to learn more about how to teach your child to be a good teammate. Benefits of Team Sports According to Amy Morin, LCSW, psychotherapist and international bestselling author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” “13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do,” “13 Things Mentally Strong Women Don’t Do,” and “13 Things Strong Kids Do,” team sports have a plethora of developmental benefits for kids....

Understand What’s Behind the Sensitivity People often misunderstand sensitive children and think they’re just being melodramatic and making a fuss over nothing. While some gifted children may have a flair for the dramatic, that does not diminish the intensity of their emotions. These children may be experiencing what psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski called an emotional overexcitability. That means that they actually do experience emotions more intensely than others. Have Your Child Create an Emotional Response Scale Emotionally sensitive children seem to respond to each negative experience as though it were the end of the world....

Once, older women were told they had very grim prospects of getting pregnant and giving birth to a healthy child. Science has now shown us that this is not necessarily true. Areas of Concern for Women Looking to Conceive After Age 35 Here are some areas of concern for midlife moms. Fertility Fertility is certainly not an issue with every mother over the age of 35. However, everyone, including men, will have a decline in fertility beginning in their thirties....

There are many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day when both parents identify as some variation of “mom.” Approaches to the day, however, tend to fall into one of two categories: giving mom a break or celebrating together as a family. Ways to Celebrate By Giving Mom a Break Sometimes, all mom wants for Mother’s Day is a break. You can opt for breakfast in bed, followed by a massage or some other relaxing kid-free activity....

“My room is making noises,” “I need a drink,” “I’m hungry,” “I miss you so much,” “I’m scared,” “I’m lonely,” “I’m sick” or simply, “I can’t sleep.” A child’s nighttime excuses can melt almost any heart and diffuse parental protests, especially if it’s 3 a.m. and you need to work in the morning. It’s easy to simply turn down the sheet and let your child sleep in your bed. But the next morning—after enduring a night of tossing and turning and a child that’s hard to wake—you may regret the choice....

It’s one of the most common “nervous habits,” a category that also includes hair-twisting, nose-picking, and thumb-sucking. Formally, it’s characterized as a body-focused repetitive behavior. While some kids bite their nails because they are fidgety, others don’t know what else to do when they feel anxious. Fingernail biting can be self-soothing. In addition to being unpleasant to witness, nail-biting could do some damage to your child’s teeth and nails. So, if your child is particularly aggressive when they’re gnawing on their nails, it may be important to address the issue with their dentist....

Use Matter-of-Fact Language Don’t try to convince your child that someone with a disability is just like they are. Instead, acknowledge that they are a little different, but make it clear that just because someone is different, that doesn’t make that person bad. Then, show your child how to talk about those differences in a respectful manner. Give your child the language to use to talk about someone who has a learning disability or a physical disability....

In fact, no matter what your child plans to do professionally someday, they will need to know how to think critically, solve problems, and make decisions. As a parent, it’s important that you ensure that your kids can think for themselves and have developed a healthy critical mindset before they leave the nest. Doing so will help them succeed both academically and professionally as well as benefit their future relationships....

A crib mattress can cost several hundred dollars, so it’s very tempting to simply reuse your older child’s mattress for a new baby or purchase one secondhand. However, a used crib mattress (even if it was used by a sibling, close family member, or friend) might not be as safe as you think. Is Your Used Crib Mattress Safe? A baby’s mattress must be firm. Soft mattresses are associated with an elevated risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)....

What Is a Venn Diagram? A Venn diagram can become complicated, but in its simplest form, it is two circles that overlap in the middle. Each circle represents one item that is being compared: Item 1 and item 2.One circle contains the qualities that are unique to item 1. The other circle contains the qualities unique to item 2.The area where the circles overlap contains qualities that both item 1 and item 2 have in common....

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, and hula hoops can be a fun part of meeting that requirement. Playing with a hoop also burns calories, strengthens muscles, and improves coordination at any age. Try these hula hooping activities to get started. Once you’ve got the hang of it, encourage each other to try something fancier: Shift the hoop up and down your neck, or get a pair of hoops and see if you can whirl one on each arm at the same time....