June 1, 2012 As a practicing obstetrician, I encourage my patients to consider saving their newborn’s cord blood and placenta blood stem cells for two important reasons. First, cord blood stem cells are used to treat as many as 80 life-threatening blood disorders. Second, important strides are being made in the field of regenerative medicine…
June 7, 2012 It can be very unnerving for a parent to discover that their child sleepwalks. The first thing many parents do in this situation is try to figure out what sleepwalking is, what causes it, and what the dangers are. The good news is that sleepwalking is not as scary or unusual as…
June 4, 2012 Alicia is a typical five-year-old: she’ll start kindergarten in the fall, loves finger painting and dreams about visiting Disney World. She also has five credit cards in her name. Alicia is among the growing numbers of children victimized by identity theft, which is on the rise among children and has actually doubled…
June 14, 2021 By getting rid of excess, staying organized, and embracing simplicity, you can find more time to focus on what really matters. Here are 30 suggestions to simplify your summer with the kids. It will allow time to pursue more fun and meaningful activities and get the most out of your days. Not…
June 18, 2012 From picnics to parties, summer can be messy! Moms know clean up can be tough with kids running around the house. Luckily, clean up is in the bag with Glad ForceFlex Black Bag. Glad is capturing these wild moments with their new reality show, The Wild Life and giving everyone a chance…
July 18, 2012 In today’s competitive world parents would like to give their kids all the advantages to ensure that they grow up smart. They devour any information they find that purports to give tips on how to raise intelligent kids. Unfortunately, some of the information out there is not rooted in facts. These myths…
July 1, 2012 Congratulations to The Mommyhood Project: the SocialMoms Blog of the Week! I’ll admit it, I’m possibly a little nostalgic about being pregnant and having babies. My youngest just turned five and is starting Kindergarten in two months. Since I’m not up for having a fourth kiddo, I decided to follow Cortney’s journey to motherhood…
July 23, 2012 With 2012 proving to be a financially challenging year for many people, summer can leave moms with a feeling of dread. Many families wonder: How are we going to keep the kids entertained without breaking the bank? If your kids are anything like mine, they are bored as soon as summer vacation begins….
July 19, 2012 Starting your baby on solids is a fantastic milestone, but it can also be a daunting prospect. Most moms take the traditional route of starting with pureed fruit and vegetables or rice cereal, but an increasing number of parents are now trying baby led weaning. Baby led weaning ditches the usual purees…
July 25, 2012 Summer is here and it feels like we wait all year for these long days with no school schedules. Then a commercial for a learning center comes on and you hear that your kids can lose up to 2 reading levels over the summer and 1-3 months of learning. Without hiring a…
August 8, 2012 Summer break means vacation, picnics, BBQs and sleeping in. It’s also a great time to catch up on those all-important physicals and eye-exams. And if your child is looking to transition from glasses to contact lenses – summer is the perfect time to try it out before school starts again. Did you…
June 7, 2021 Schools in many parts of the United States are increasingly offering a dual language program for students. When describing a dual language program in this article, I’ll refer to English and Spanish, but of course there are many other combinations such as English/French, English/Chinese (Mandarin), English/German, etc. The most common type of…
July 20, 2012 We recently discussed standardized testing in the public school system and whether or not it is a hindrance or blessing. After reading through all the comments, it appears that most of you believe it is ultimately harming the public schools as a whole. This lead me to start thinking about schooling options….
August 9, 2012 Back to school lists are everywhere. Stores are crowded with people rushing around to prepare kids for school. September approaches quickly. Whether your child is in first grade or fifth; a simple gift for their new teacher is a great idea. Some schools have teacher appreciation days; other teachers never receive the…
July 24, 2012 I recently had the chance to chat with Summer Sanders, retired gold medal Olympic swimmer and author of Champions are Raised not Born. Summer was very candid in her thoughts about raising competitive children, finding your support system as a working mom, and her passion for the Duracell Virtual Stadium. SocialMoms: At…
August 10, 2012 It’s getting close. Stores are beginning to herald its arrival with sale signs. The sun is starting to set earlier, and your pool passes are about to expire. Whether your family dreads or welcomes it, school is on its way, and there’s no stopping it. Here are some tips and tricks that…
August 13, 2012 The stressed out morning. We’ve all been there. Some of us find ourselves there more often than not. It’s that time when you have more things to accomplish than time in which to do so. Sometimes the stress comes from waking up late. Sometimes it comes from trying to locate a missing…
August 15, 2012 As a Mom of 3 who attended a total of 6 preschools, I really can’t stress the importance of finding one that is right for you, your child, and your pocketbook! Not all preschools are the same. Taking time to do your research will likely guarantee a smooth transition and a great…
August 23, 2012 Divorces happen. Statistics report that almost 50% of marriages in America end in divorce. And many of those spouses have children … children that can get lost in the shuffle and who suffer as much as, if not more than, their parents. Unfortunately, children who suffer during divorces can continue on a…
August 27, 2012 Leaving behind friends, favorite haunts and memories is hard enough as an adult. Now imagine the shock kids go through – watching toys get packed, vans loaded, and the car stuffed to the gills? Riding for hours on end into uncharted territory, only to wind up in a strange place, a new…
September 7, 2012 If you have kids who have gone back to school, then you know just how crazy the hours between the time they get home and bedtime can be. We call it rush hour around my home. It seems from the moment you pick them up from school it is rush, rush, rush….
September 24, 2012 During the summer months, we tend to slip away from our routine and let things be a little more casual. The kids are out of school so there’s no need for structure around that rigid schedule and there’s no homework to look over. The freedom feels great but then, like most good…
June 8, 2021 School has ended and summer is here but that doesn’t mean the learning has to end! Science experiments are a great way to explore the world around you – and for some schools an experiment for the science fair is mandatory. At a loss for ideas? We’re starting a new series of…
November 26, 2012 Wants and wish lists can often overtake the true meaning of the holidays – giving back. While adults may realize it’s better to give than to receive, teaching kids this mantra can be tricky. The best way to impart this wisdom on your children is to show them, not tell them. Here’s…
November 1, 2012 Access to quality books and educational materials can make the critical difference in helping children succeed – in school and in life. In middle class and affluent communities, children have ready access to books – through books at home, in their schools, and in places throughout their community. By alarming comparison, in…
December 10, 2012 The third in our series of science experiments. These are a great way to explore the world around you – and for some schools an experiment for the science fair is mandatory. At a loss for ideas? Here’s another one to test. We often refer to orange juice, lemon juice, or tomato products…
February 13, 2013 In today’s world and economy, many moms are looking for ways to bring in additional income. Maybe you’re working in an office, or from home. Perhaps you’re looking to go back to the workplace. But sometimes you find yourself in a rut, unable to further your career for whatever reason, or doing…
January 30, 2013 Teenage drinking. It’s a subject many parents of teens don’t like to think about – or even discuss with their kids. Some parents assume that if they don’t have a drinking problem, and don’t have any alcohol in their home, their kids will be fine. But, according to a recent study, teenage…
February 25, 2013 We’ve all heard the saying ‘You are what you eat’ and it’s natural for parents to encourage their kids to eat healthy. But what about ‘You are what you watch?’ Should parents encourage their kids to watch positive TV programs that don’t include any violence or sarcastic comments? Does what they watch…
April 9, 2013 Now that my kids are all in elementary school, I look back fondly on the infant and toddler years -sort of. It was adorable when they learned to crawl and walk, say Mommy and sing along to the ABCs. But I didn’t love big bulky diapers and changing the kids in the back of…
March 25, 2013 Are your teens on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram? If they are, there’s a good chance that it’s caused them stress or anxiety. For something meant to connect us with others, social media seems to have the exact opposite effect on teens. According to mental health consultant Stefanie Weiss it can even make…
February 8, 2017 This past week, my kids and I stumbled into the middle of a very traumatic experience. The day ended with my daughter panicked, shaking, and bawling while I held her. As you can imagine, it was one of the worst days of my life as a parent. I had no idea how…
February 14, 2017 The other day a friend repeated a saying that got me thinking:“Never do for you kids what they can do for themselves.” To her, it sounded brutal, but I think it makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. One of the biggest hurdles for parents, and particularly moms,…
February 27, 2017 Schoolrooms today look very different than they did just a decade ago. One major change is the addition of computers and tablets. Many schools provide a tablet for each child; some even allow students to take the devices home. This raises questions and concerns about kids, technology, and the latest trend: gamification. You have…
March 9, 2017 My intern recently told me about a topic she’s studying in her Business Finance class. The topic stuck with me and I realized that her class has something to teach me as a parent, and as a human being. Fundamental Attribution Error The topic she’s studying is called “fundamental attribution error.” It…
March 14, 2017 Being a mother can be very isolating. Whether you stay at home or work, are single or married, wealthy or struggling, it can feel like no one understands the chaos and energy drain that every day holds for you. That’s why I appreciate videos about other moms who get it. It’s even better…
March 29, 2017 When I see kids, I always try to greet them with a cheerful hello and some sort of conversation starter, usually a compliment. I typically say something like, “Oh don’t you look pretty/handsome today. I like your shirt/dress/bow/tie.” I believe in empowering kids, and an ad recently made me reconsider how I greet…
April 24, 2017 Have you heard the expression, “I was a good mom until I had kids?” I was convinced that people without kids just don’t understand the nitty-gritty of parenting. To prove it, I asked a group of non-parent friends, “What is the best part of being a parent?” and “What’s the worst?” Their…
May 2, 2017 Standardized tests are a subject that few people agree on—from kids to parents to education experts. The situation in our school district is up in the area as the tests catch up with the new Common Core curriculum. A little background: The No Child Left Behind Act introduced under George W. Bush’s ramped…
May 9, 2017 A few weeks ago, friends of our family went camping at a lake close to home. They invited us to come up and hang out for a day. While we sat together by the lake, we all felt the difference between this calm state and life back home. The kids played well together,…
June 1, 2017 Kids’ birthday parties, and the presents involved, don’t usually take top priority in my schedule. This means I sometimes find myself scrambling for a gift the day before the party. Not only do I lack time, I often don’t know what the birthday girl or boy would like. My new favorite solution to…
June 6, 2017 Last week my daughter cut her hair from two-thirds of the way down her back into a pixie cut. Her dad, her grandparents, and I were nervous; we all worried that she would hate her new look. But I was also proud of her. Nearly every girl in her school has very…
June 15, 2017 Whether your kids are toddlers or just about to head out the door for college, it’s never too late to remember that they crave attention and acceptance. Often we get too busy and distracted to put ourselves in their places and remember that they want these three simple things from us: Time…
June 22, 2017 Should I make my kid do workbooks over the summer? I hear the same question every summer and it’s a subject that tends to produce a lot of mom-guilt: My answer is always an emphatic no … sort of. Studies show that learning can decline dramatically over the summer months. There’s even a…
June 28, 2017 They call it “summer slide” for a reason. Many kids don’t read—or learn anything—during the summer break. What’s worse, they can lose a grade level or more in reading ability. As a mom of three, I know that forcing reading on some kids can cause the biggest battle of the day. Gently encouraging…