Both seasoned and new parents are well aware of the rapidly evolving stages of a tot under 12 months. Most parents crave the hands-free relief provided by an activity center, and it can be tough to find something to keep baby occupied that’s safe yet entertaining. With a wide range of play gyms, jumpers, and activity centers on the market, sorting through all the options to find an ideal solution can be challenging....

Short bursts of 10 or 15 minutes count toward this daily tally, so make sure your child has lots of opportunities for physical activities before, during, and after school. Physical Activities at School Academics are important, but so is finding time for fitness. When kids have the chance to run and play before school and at recess, they focus more and fidget less during class. Brain breaks also help. Physical education (PE) provides another opportunity to move during the school day....

Come, Sit, Down, Stay, and Leave It—these five basic commands can make a huge difference in your relationship with your dog. I’m going to give you a few simple “rules” for training in general, and then a basic method for training your dog to respond to each of the five fundamental commands. You should still take your dog at least to a basic obedience class for socialization, training under the eye of an instructor, and fun, and I suggest you read at least one good training book....

Directions Cover a table with paper bags or butcher paper. Spread out the fabric on top. Arrange the leaves and flowers in a design on half of the fabric. Fold the fabric so that the blank half is on top of the leaves and flowers. Feel where the flower and leaf outlines are against the fabric. Use a hammer and pound on the top of the leaves and flowers until the color has bled through the fabric....

Preserve the beautiful blooms of summer, take a stroll or hike together, and collect flower petals for this activity. Materials Needed:· Flower petals· Wooden popsicle sticks· Crayon pieces· Waxed paper· Paper towels· Kitchen towel· Paper clips· IronWhat to Do:Step One: Your child can choose an assortment of flower petals.Step Two: Using a popsicle stick, your child should scrape the crayon pieces over a paper towel to make a handful of crayon shavings....

As with all medical interventions, the use of forceps or a vacuum extractor will only be offered when it is thought to be necessary for the health of the baby and/or mother. The forceps are placed so that they hold the sides of the baby’s head near the ears and cheeks. The operator of the forceps then gently pulls the baby’s head downward while you push during a contraction, and then will guide the baby out of the birth canal....

The concept of free-range parenting hit the media in 2008 when Lenore Skenanzy, a New York columnist, wrote an article titled, “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone.” The story gained national media attention as people weighed in on her decision. Skenanzy is clear that she made sure her son was able to read the subway map, and she gave him money in the event he needed it....

Level: Moderately easy Time involved: Two to three hours Materials: Newspaper or plastic Small round glass fishbowl (I used one that I found at a craft store that was approximately 4 inches wide.) Candle wick (The stiff wicks with a metal tab on the bottom work best.) Glue gun Pencil Masking tape Decorative marbles Spoon Gel wax (I used about 1/3 of a 23-ounce container.) Knife Medium saucepan Blue gel wax dye Candy thermometer Tweezers Decorative fish that can be added to gel candles (These can be found in the candle-making section of a craft store....

Age: Five and upTime: 30 minutes or moreType of Activity: Arts and crafts If you find an old picture frame at a garage sale for a few cents, buy it. Even if it has banged up wood and no glass, you can turn it into something fabulous! Simply gather an old picture frame; paint (house paint, craft paint, whatever you have); paintbrushes or old sponges; decorative scraps (fabric, aluminum foil, sand); glue and safety scissors; something nifty (an old toy, a piece of mirror, a sea shell, a leaf, something that’s special to you); a plastic grocery bag; sandpaper (optional); and cardboard (optional)....

My daughter was being born eight weeks early, I was hoping (praying) that she was a she because I knew that female preemies stand a better chance of surviving the dangerous complications of low birth weight and prematurity. She did fine because she got good care; she was a she. But this is just the beginning of the story. Boys are more mobile and active from uterine life onward, but mostly in the large muscle, whole body realm....

Daily Vegetable Servings for Kids You may be familiar with the general rule of aiming for three to five servings of vegetables each day, but the Choose My Plate guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer much more specific recommendations based on children’s ages. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a child isn’t likely to go from eating a few spoonfuls of veggies (or less) to eating a cup or more overnight....

Whether you’re trying to conceive after 35 or are just thinking about the future, here are some things you should know about getting pregnant later in life. Getting Pregnant After 35 Conceiving after age 35 has its challenges but it’s by no means impossible. Some people may need reproductive assistance, such as IVF, however, others will conceive on their own after just a few cycles. Learn more about what impacts your ability to get pregnant after age 35 and how you can improve your odds....

How can parents tell if their child’s language development is advanced? A first step is to look at typical language developmental milestones. In other words, it’s key to understand how many words a child is expected to say at various ages, such as at 12 months, 16 months, 18 months, and older. A second step is to look at what advanced speech is. Learn more about gifted children and language development....

Preventive Pills to Discuss with Your Doctor Aspirin works as a blood thinner to prevent strokes and heart disease. Just one baby aspirin a day can reduce severity of heart attacks. Also, if you have high cholesterol (total over 240) and a family risk of heart disease or other risk factors, you should also be taking a cholesterol-lowering medication. The benefits of a multivitamin and calcium supplement are for girls and women of all ages....

That’s not to say there isn’t a good reason for phasing bottles out in your child’s second year. Research shows that prolonged use of bottles can cause tooth decay. Using bottles may also lead toddlers to drink too much milk, which can lead to imbalanced nutrition as milk replaces other foods in your child’s diet. And if milk is replacing a variety of foods, your child isn’t getting exposure to the flavors and textures that can help expand their palate....

QUESTION: My 12-year-old son doesn’t hand in his homework. He doesn’t do all of it and when I try to help him he gets angry and throws a fit. He also tunes his teachers and parents out when we try to talk to him about this problem. What is going on? ANSWER: You need to schedule a conference with your son’s teacher immediately to find out what is causing your son to be so reluctant to complete or hand in his homework....

Negative Impacts People who are or were bullies are more likely to drop out of school than their peers. They are at increased risk of experiencing depression, anxiety disorder, and psychological distress, especially if they face up to the seriousness of their bullying behavior. Bullies are more likely to abuse tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. They are more likely than their peers to engage in early sexual activity. Increased Risk of Problems With the Law Being a bully as a child or teen increases the odds of future run-ins with the law....