Parenting

Funding your dream playground

Brett Kidd for Little Tikes Commercial

Little Tikes Commercial reports that funding a dream playground requires thoughtful planning and creative strategies.

What to expect when your baby comes home from the NICU

Jessica Madden, MD for Aeroflow Breastpumps

Aeroflow Breastpumps reports on the transition from NICU to home, highlighting unique care needs, infection prevention, feeding plans, and mental health support.

Too sick for school? How to make the call in 4 minutes

Alan Lucks, MD for Doctronic

Doctronic reports that when deciding if a child should stay home from school, ask three key questions about fever, ability to participate, and contagion risk.

The Kid Whisperer: How to put an end to arguing in your classroom

Scott Ervin, Tribune News Service

Dear Kid Whisperer, I have come up against a behavior with my eighth-grade students that I don’t know what to do with. And this behavior has multiplied in one of my class periods to the point that it puts a stop to all instruction almost every day. I call it strategic arguing. I have four st…

US refusals of crucial newborn vitamin spike, raising risk of dangerous bleeding

Julie Steenhuysen Reuters

The percentage of parents and caregivers refusing a standard vitamin K shot for infants at birth has accelerated sharply this year, putting more newborns at risk of life-threatening bleeding episodes.

The Kid Whisperer: How to deal with a kid who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer

Scott Ervin, Tribune News Service

Dear Kid Whisperer, I have a nagging 5-year-old who won’t take “no” for an answer. I have done my best to turn off my brain and repeat the same line over and over, but I think it’s time for a consequence since he keeps nagging me and won’t stop. I’m just not sure what the consequence should …

How much income do you need to afford daycare in 2026?

Anthony Thompson USA Today

ConsumerAffairs found annual toddlercare costs more than average in-state tuition at a four-year public college in 37 states.

Childcare Costs vs. Working: How American Families Balance Career Growth & Daycare Expenses (The Dual-Income Dilemma)

Discover how American families balance career growth against rising daycare expenses when evaluating dual incomes versus staying home. Learn how flexible work schedules, a Dependent Care FSA, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit help offset qualifying childcare costs.

The Kid Whisperer: How to make your kid make her world more stimulating

Dear Kid Whisperer, My 12-year-old struggles with boredom. She is very smart, and when she’s not stimulated, she gets bored very easily. When she’s not on her tablet, she’s basically bored instantly. I’m not sure what to do to keep her stimulated at home. Answer: This is one of those answers that I must preface with the following: The question that you asked leads me to believe that you will ...

Childhood vaccine exemptions hit record high, nearly doubling in five years

The share of kindergartners with at least one vaccine exemption reached 4.2% this year, nearly double the 2.2% from five years ago.

The Kid Whisperer: How to avoid walking your kid on a leash

Dear Kid Whisperer, What are your thoughts on the "kid leashes" (the small backpack with a strap that the parent holds on to) I've seen people using out in public? I have three kids under the age of 7, and I've considered using one on my toddler when we are out in crowded places like amusement parks or airports. I have mixed feelings about them: From a safety standpoint, it would be really ...

As Trump drastically rolls back rules for Head Start, some Republicans are wary

Among items on the chopping block are requirements to conduct screenings for kids with disabilities, keep class sizes small, help children brush their teeth daily and mandate school bus monitors.

3 in 5 Americans favor stronger oversight of social media companies, poll finds

A majority of Americans support more government rules for social media companies, including a mandatory age-verification tools to keep younger children off social media, according to a new poll.

The Kid Whisperer: Don’t allow your kids to live their truth

I’ve seen a really scary change in how kids are raised over the course of the last quarter century as I’ve worked with parents as a teacher and principal and as a behavioral consultant. In, I’m sort of guessing, an attempt to value the individuality of their kids (whatever that means), today’s parents often seem to be letting their offspring come up with their own system of beliefs and values, ...