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Labor Bag
Hi, I'm 38 weeks pregnant today and I'm wondering what exactly to pack for me and my baby. Sho...
August 2012
Disney Characters Go High-Fashion! Are They Too Skinny??
Friday, August 31, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Barneys New York and The Walt Disney Co. have joined together to create an “Electric Holiday” for the holiday season. The campaign, which will be unveiled Nov. 14, turns “Disney’s most favorite heroes into runway supermodels and fashion regulars into Disney types.”
Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Daisy Duck, Cruella de Vil, Princess Tiana, and Snow White are all making an appearance, donning designer clothing as they walk the runway.
While it’s been said that the campaign will surely entertain people of all ages, there are some who are already questioning the model-ready versions of the adored Disney character. Huffington Post compares Minnie, Goofy, and Daisy to Kate Moss, saying they look “creepily reed-thin, in the way only a cartoon character can.”
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share One of Our Recipes to Facebook!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Need some more ideas for your family's weekly meals? Check out our recipes! Find one that interests you and hit the Facebook "Like" button to share it out with your family and friends to tell them what will be cooking in your kitchen tonight! ...
Do you ever worry your children are growing up too fast?
Friday, August 31, 2012
Do you ever worry your children are growing up too fast?...
Grandmother Giving Birth - to Grandchild
Thursday, August 30, 2012 by Sara McTigue
Today, Cindy Morales will give birth. To her own grandchild.
In a turn of events that tugs at the heart, Morales’ own daughter, Emily, was rendered unable to carry a pregnancy. Emily was diagnosed with cervical cancer. In order to save her life, she needed surgery to remove her uterus. To add to the tragedy, the night before the surgery was to take place, Emily’s doctor informed her that the routine pregnancy test run before the operation showed that she was, in fact, pregnant.
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Reply to Today's Community Chalkboard Question!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Getting to know our members better is truly important to us. One new way to do that is through your answers to the questions on our Community Chalkboard. We’ll ask new questions all the time, all you need to do is go to our Home page and click to type in an answer in the answer field. ...
Why This Mom Wishes She Could Perfect the Art of Baking Bread
Thursday, August 30, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
I love bread. To me, there is nothing that smells better (okay, maybe fresh cookies) than a loaf that is warm, just out of the oven, ready for me to gnaw on. I can eat it with butter or without, doesn’t matter.
Which is probably why I have always wanted to bake bread. Good bread. Delicious bread. The kind of bread I buy in the bakery when I grocery shop; only made at my house, on my counter, with my hands (and my children’s, of course), during a long, lazy Sunday. You know, the loaf that fills the house with its aroma?
Unfortunately, I don’t have the bread baking gene. Or, I just have yet to perfect it.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
We all know little ones can be messy. It's a brave parent indeed to that would take an adorable bundle of mess into a home with white walls, and white carpet - an obvious kid-free zone....
Thursday, August 30, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
It is my little girl's first day of kindergarten (sniff, sniff). At this moment in time, I take a step back, reflect, and feel pretty darn good about the early childhood she has had, especially the elements of her education which have prepared her for the journey of public school.
From the first moment I held her, I knew she had potential. She was bright. She was smart. She was ready to learn. She was gifted. Maybe. Maybe not.
Do you believe your little one may be gifted? How do you know?
Which baby items would you consider to be a waste of money?
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Which baby items would you consider to be a waste of money?...
Thursday, August 30, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Today, August 30th, marks the anniversary of one of the worst days of my life. Between the arrival of my twins and the birth of my third child, I lost a baby. It was on this day - 12 years ago - that I suffered through the heartbreaking misery of losing a child I never got to meet out of the womb.
The tree, planted in his or her honor stands very tall now. And every single day as I pass the tree, I have a simple thought back to that moment when I realized that the heart inside of me had stopped beating.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 by Sara McTigue
How often do you find yourself feeling like “that mom”?
You know, the one that everyone stares at with a side-eye as she drags her toddler, screaming and kicking (the toddler, not the mom) through the aisles of the grocery store, just trying to get some milk and bread so that the rest of the family doesn’t starve? Or the one who attended a group play date, then returned home with a child who is suddenly feverish and lethargic, only to test positive for strep, which was – of course – passed to all the other children who had been together? Or the one who shows up to school at the normal pick-up time, only to find the parking lot full and her preschooler in tears because she forgot about their special performance for Penguin Awareness Day (go ahead and mark your calendars – it is January 20th)?
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Update Your Status!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
We love hearing how you're feeling, what's going on with you and your family today, and whatever else you'd like to share! Your My Everyday status is the place for you to do just that - tell us and other members what's new. Go to your My Everyday / My Activity and start sharing in the "update your status..." field, then select "Updat...
Mom Lets 4-Year-Old Son Sip Beer and Wine
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Saturday night, a South Carolina mom was arrested after allegedly allowing her 4-year-old son to sip beer at an Irish Pub, according to this article.
Deputies from the York County Sheriff’s Office were told that Gretchen Lynn Kinnear, 44, gave her son “about three ‘shots’ of beer.”
The 4-year-old said that the drink “tasted funny and made him laugh a lot … the ‘tea’ his mom gives him makes him dizzy.” The young boy also said that “his mother gave him similar ‘tea’ at home.”
Poppy Montgomery Talks about Mommy Guilt
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
It is a feeling that is no stranger to any mother: guilt. In a recent blog written for People, Poppy Montgomery talks about how sometimes guilt overrides her life and makes her question her parenting skills. As a single mother to four-year-old Jackson, Poppy tries to balance parenthood and work on the show Unforgettable.
“The questions I am most frequently asked as a (now) single, working parent seem to be about BALANCE. How do I find balance? How do I juggle work, parenting, dating, love … LIFE … how do I prioritize in an attempt to ‘have it all?’ The very simple truth is … I don’t. That’s not to say that I don’t try. I do. I try every day. But I rarely succeed. Occasionally of course there are fleeting moments of pure, magical sanity that creep into both parent and child concurrently and those moments are the sweetest, but mostly I am wondering just like lots of other parents I know: ‘Am I doing this right?’ ‘Is this normal?’ ‘Is this my fault?’ ‘I FEEL GUILTY!’”
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
My children are all the most beautiful, funny, smart kids in the world (yes, I know yours are too – as they should be). But I don’t ever want them to take themselves too seriously. Their idiosyncrasies and flaws are the things that I adore the most about them. Their imperfections are what make them perfect. - Sara McTigue...
Carpet Cleaning: DIY Or Hire a Pro?
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
It’s that time of the year again.
No, not back to school. Not even end of summer.
It’s the time of the year when every single thing the kids have spilled on their bedroom carpets (drinks they aren’t supposed to have in their rooms, melted crayons ground into the fibers, something pink that I still haven’t determined the origin) and every single time the dog has puked on mine shows up again. Just pops right out of the floor like it’s playing a game of hide and seek. It’s gone and then, the next day, BAM! There it is again.
Did (or do) you suffer from morning sickness?
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Did (or do) you suffer from morning sickness?...
Hurricanes and More: Emergency Preparedness
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 by Sara McTigue
Living in Florida my entire life, I’ve seen my share of hurricane watches, warnings, and landfalls. So, when the spaghetti models showed that tropical storm Isaac might head this way, it didn’t take much to feel ready for the possible effects. A full tank of gas, a few supplies from the grocery store, and fully charged electronic devices left me feeling prepared. Of course, as often happens, the storm didn’t heed the weather forecasters' predictions, and we were left with only rain and a day off from school.
People who say they sleep like a baby
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
How true! For one, babies wake for dirty diapers, hunger, and such. And, we'd like to meet a parent whose baby does sleep through the night, just so we know who to direct the jealousy toward......
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Watch an EverydayFamilyTV Video!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Check out one of our new EverydayFamilyTV videos - we promise it'll be worth it! You can find them by selecting the EFTV icon within the navigation. We hope you're able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! ...
Do you give your kids vitamins? If yes, what kind?
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Do you give your kids vitamins? If yes, what kind?...
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
And the winner is... Jamie! We love our members, and their creativity! We thought this photo was too cute not to see what you would have to say about it. Type your cool/smart/funny/creative caption into the comment box below and hit the 'Post Comment' button to be entered to win a Kindle Fire. It's that simple! ...
Top 10 Throwback Toys I Wish I Had Kept For My Kids
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Whoops! Will be revealing my age with this post! But so what?
Truth is, back in the 70s and 80s, we had some pretty awesome toys to play with. They might not have met up to today's child safety standards - but my friends and I played with them well. (Maybe we swallowed a few things we shouldn't have, but all was well in the long run!)
This Tuesday, I (I mean, WE) take a stroll down memory lane and revisit the Top 10 toys I wish I had kept for my children.
Monday, August 27, 2012
"Do as I say, not as I do" - right? Here are some tips for battling bad behaviors....
Pediatricians’ Stance on Circumcision Changes – Again!
Monday, August 27, 2012 by Kim Shannon
An updated policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is asking parents to include the following medical information, along with their cultural, religious, and ethical beliefs, when deciding whether or not to circumcise their newborn boys.
The AAP says, “they want parents to know that the benefits of the procedure outweigh its small risks. But they stop short of recommending the surgery, which removes the foreskin of the penis, for every newborn boy.”
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share Your Poll Results to Facebook!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Become a part of our fun fact-base! Keep your eyes peeled for the results in our Fun Facts throughout the site! Just enter a section relating to you and take the poll on the right. Check out the results, then click the Facebook "Like" button to share this with your friends and family. Feel free to take a few more polls while you’re ...
Monday, August 27, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
I was looking for a read for an airplane ride. Yes, I had high hopes of actually reading on this trip versus entertaining the munchkin on a recent cross-country flight. I was armed and ready with entertainment for the kiddo: snacks, books, stickers, coloring book, and - when all else failed - the portable DVD player. Things went amazingly smoothly and I ended up digging into a book I snagged during a recent visit to my library. The book? "My Two Moms," by Zach Wahls.
Haven't heard of Zach Wahls? Check this out.
What's the funniest thing your little one has done lately? We'd like to laugh too!
Monday, August 27, 2012
What's the funniest thing your little one has done lately? We'd like to laugh too!...
Monday, August 27, 2012 by Stef Daniel
When you look at the cost of raising a child from pregnancy and through to adulthood, it becomes really clear that us normal low to middle class folks really cannot afford to have kids.
At least on paper.
Picking the Right Name to Yell
Sunday, August 26, 2012
This made us giggle. Still trying to find that perfect name, ending in a vowel of course? Check out our Baby Name section!...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Complete One of Our Courses!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
We’ve compiled relevant articles and videos into easy to use Courses, allowing you to save time and find the resources you are looking for in one place. Start learning today! Either select the "Guided Learning" image on the left-hand side of the screen on our Homepage or go to your My Everyday and select one of our Courses from the ...
What's your biggest parenting challenge?
Sunday, August 26, 2012
What's your biggest parenting challenge?...
Alanis Morissette Talks about Her Postpartum Struggle
Saturday, August 25, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Alanis Morissette has been very open about her feelings and practices since becoming a mom, most notably, her decision to breastfeed until her son stops on his own and not a minute sooner. She recently opened up to ET Canada about something else she has experienced as a mother: postpartum depression.
She says, “I just thought it was a swampy chapter, if I soldiered it out, that it would go away. I came to realize that the longer I waited, the more intense it would become.”
Twice Weekly Shopping for Grocery Store Savings: Would You?
Saturday, August 25, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
This school year, a lot has changed. I've gone from having little time to myself to having way too much time on my hands.
I've bleached the entire house, scoured the garage, and gotten my work done in record time. I've mowed the lawn and been done by 9 AM. I've watched too many talk shows and stared at the clock, counting down the hours until my children return.
To say it another way, I'm lost with both girls in school full time.
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Write in your My Everyday Blog!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Your My Everyday blog is the perfect place to unload about your pregnancy cravings, record precious moments, and save all of those new thoughts, feelings, and lessons learned that come with life as a parent. Check out this instructional video for help with How to Use: My Everyday ...
What is baby's favorite bedtime story?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
What is baby's favorite bedtime story?...
Saturday, August 25, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I picked up my daughter from kindergarten and this is what went down:
Daughter -"Hey mama, guess what?
Me - "What baby?"
Daughter - "I went up to a girl today in school and said, ‘Will you be my friend?’"
Me - "You did? I am so proud of you, what did she say?"
Daughter - "She said NO!"
New Episiotomy Guidelines – Why ‘A Little Snip’ Can Be Bad
Friday, August 24, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Over the last century, thousands of women have received an episiotomy – a surgically planned incision between a woman’s vagina and anus – during childbirth. It was originally thought that an episiotomy would help prevent extensive tearing; however, the more recent school of thought is that an episiotomy may actually “turn into deeper lacerations during delivery, damaging the area around the rectum.”
Sorry Sandals; or Why This Mom is Fed Up With Buying Shoes
Friday, August 24, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
I picked my daughter up from kindergarten yesterday and when I leaned over to give her a kiss I realized this:
She was wearing a new pair of shoes.
By new, I mean not ours.
How many hours of sleep did you get last night?
Friday, August 24, 2012
How many hours of sleep did you get last night?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Reply to Today's Community Chalkboard Question!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Getting to know our members better is truly important to us. One new way to do that is through your answers to the questions on our Community Chalkboard. We’ll ask new questions all the time, all you need to do is go to our Home page and click to type in an answer in the answer field. ...
Food and Athletes: Exercise Well, Eat Well
Thursday, August 23, 2012 by Lissa Coffey
“The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.” -George Eliot, 1874
We have a choice in the kinds of exercise we pursue. It’s a good idea to introduce kids to different sports and physical activities when you get the chance. Take them to a friend’s soccer game, or a cousin’s dance recital. Have them go running with dad on the weekend, or go bowling as a family. Pretty soon they’ll discover what they really enjoy, and that it is fun to be fit!
Cleans, Softens, and Causes Cancer?
Thursday, August 23, 2012 by Sara McTigue
In recent years, more and more people have begun to focus on the health and safety of the chemicals used in everyday products; from the foods we eat to the materials we use to package them. Continuing that trend, focus has broadened to include the personal care items we use to cleanse and care for ourselves – and our babies.
One of the market leaders in that area, Johnson & Johnson, has announced their plans to undertake a serious effort, unprecedented in their arena, to remove even more chemicals from their products.
First Days: Easing the Transition
Thursday, August 23, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
There is little doubt that I am more nervous about this than my kid. At least that is the way it appears. She seems ready for her new schooling adventure. And me? I am a wreck.
Are you ready for your little one's new adventure this fall? Are they heading off to preschool or childcare for the first time?
Whether heading to preschool, a new childcare center, or even introducing a new babysitter, change can be a challenge. For everyone.
Can you make this transition a bit easier? How can it be done?
Do you sing lullabies to your baby? If so, which are his or her faves?
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Do you sing lullabies to your baby? If so, which are his or her faves?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Watch an EverydayFamilyTV Video!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Check out one of our new EverydayFamilyTV videos - we promise it'll be worth it! You can find them by selecting the EFTV icon within the navigation. We hope you're able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! ...
At What Age is Bathroom Privacy ESSENTIAL?
Thursday, August 23, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Nearly any mom site or blog that you happen across in your internet surfing lifetime will include a joke, an article, a blog post, or a reference in general to the lack of privacy that mothers get in the bathroom.
Maybe pregnancy care is so invasive as a way to prepare women for the fact that their private life is about to end. Completely.
Parents Raising ‘Genderless’ Children
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Baby Storm’s gender is a family secret. It’s parents, Kathy Witterick and David Stocker, decided to hide it’s gender “in an effort to provide the child freedom to eventually decide on a gender identity, without the influence of societal expectation and narrow, traditional gender roles.”
Baby Storm’s five-year-old brother, Jazz, was raised the same way and is often mistaken to be female, due to “his penchant for wearing his hair in braids and sometimes donning a dress.” And even though Jazz is old enough for school, he elected not to start last year because he doesn’t want to get made fun of.
Maggie Gyllenhaal on Judging Others
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Before Maggie Gyllenhaal had children, she thought she could pick the perfect parent out of a crowd. She thought unkind things about mothers who she saw “neglecting” their children by doing things such as talking on a cell phone while their baby was sleeping. She says, “I used to be judgmental of the way other people would parent. I would look at someone talking on a cell phone while her baby was asleep in a stroller and think, ‘How can that mother have her cell phone out?’”
Waiting for the Fairy: Preparing for Lost Teeth
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 by Sara McTigue
My oldest hit another great milestone today when she attended the first day of first grade. It’s pretty exciting stuff – but also a little sad, realizing how fast it all goes. One thing that hasn’t been moving fast enough for her, though, is her tooth situation; specifically, losing a tooth.
Throughout her kindergarten year, kids would show up with snaggle-toothed smiles, proud to have lost a tooth or two. She would come home excitedly talking about their visits from the tooth fairy, and insist that one of her teeth felt “a little wiggly-ish.” But here we are, entering first grade and still dealing with a full set of pearly whites.
It's that time of year! When do your children start school?
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
It's that time of year! When do your children start school?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share an EverydayFamily Blog to Facebook!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Don't you love being able to share something fun you've just read with your Facebook friends and family? Click the Facebook "Like" button above or below the blog to do so! Check out this instructional video for help with How to Use: EverydayFamily Blogs ...
$5 Magazine Deals from Amazon: Great for Gifts!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Amazon must know my addiction. It’s not a drug, and while I love my two cups of hot java each morning, it’s not caffeine, either. Shoes are pretty, but I don’t need more than a few pairs, and I can do without knick knacks that collect dust.
Magazines, though? Well, that’s another story.
Is Your Toddler Boxing at Daycare?
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 by Sara McTigue
“He pinched me!” “She tried to bite me!” I hear these things from my children often enough to know that kids sometimes try to resolve their issues physically. However, as a responsible adult, I step in and redirect them to better behaviors.
At a daycare in Dover, Delaware,things were handled much differently. In a cell phone video, taken at the daycare, “police say one child can be heard crying and yelling, ‘He’s pinching me,’ while a daycare worker responds, ‘No pinching, only punching.’” Not exactly the kind of redirection the parents sending their kids to the daycare were hoping for, I’m sure.
Who gives your little one(s) a bath more often: You or your partner?
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Who gives your little one(s) a bath more often: You or your partner?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Update Your Status!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
We love hearing how you're feeling, what's going on with you and your family today, and whatever else you'd like to share! Your My Everyday status is the place for you to do just that - tell us and other members what's new. Go to your My Everyday / My Activity and start sharing in the "update your status..." field, then select "Updat...
Ten Reasons to Love Your TODDLERS Before they Become TEENS
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 by Stef Daniel
Parenting teens can be rewarding. But it can also be a big, huge slap in the face - especially when you realize just how much (and how fast) your children have changed in such a short time. Just yesterday, they were adorable toddlers who loved you unconditionally. Today....not so much.
This Tuesday I share with you 10 reasons to love your toddlers NOW, before they become teens! Because once puberty hits, things change!
Experts Question Drug Used to Help Baby Girls Who Might Be Born with a Small Penis
Monday, August 20, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Some expectant mothers out there worry if their baby girls might be born with small penises. Since the 1980s, mothers in this position have been prescribed a drug called dexamethasone, which “seems to help prevent fetuses at risk of this from developing partly masculinized genitals.” However, after researchers in Sweden conducted “rigorous research” on the long-term side effects of this drug, those doctors are no longer enrolling new patients.
“And last month, the record of the best-known American champion of the drug was questioned when patient advocates charged she’s misrepresented her work to patients and the government.”
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a disease resulting from mutations of genes that can alter the development of primary or secondary sex characteristics. “In girls, it can also cause the clitoris to resemble a small penis, or the vagina to become partly closed like a scrotum.”
Parenting Team or Going it Alone?
Monday, August 20, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
We are a team. The hubby and I, that is. When it comes to parenting, I wasn't sure we'd be such a dynamic duo, but it has worked out pretty well. We don't do things perfectly. Sometimes, we don't see eye-to-eye. And sometimes, we miscommunicate. Mostly though, we have had success in this adventure called parenthood.
What about you? Are you and your significant other working well as a team in parenthood?
Does your baby use a pacifier?
Monday, August 20, 2012
Does your baby use a pacifier?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share an Article to Facebook!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Don't you love being able to share something great you've just learned with your Facebook friends and family? Click the Facebook "Like" button just below the article title to do so!...
Cloth Toilet Paper: Would You or Wouldn't You?
Monday, August 20, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
I taped this phenomenally interesting show the other night called Extreme Cheapskates. Like seeing a train wreck, or Hoarders, I couldn’t turn away. And, of course, as I watched I made notes, thinking I have to blog about this!
So here goes the first story.
One family with kids professes to be great cheapskates, and one way they save money is something I have never heard – or, actually, thought – about: they skip buying toilet paper at the store and instead cut up cloth out of strips and use this as toilet paper.
Monday, August 20, 2012 by Stef Daniel
The other day, after an extremely long and painful day trying to rein in the energy and feistiness of my 5 year old - I used a scare tactic to get her to go to sleep.
I know, right - AWFUL MOM!
I said, "If you don’t lie down and go to sleep RIGHT NOW (this was after an hour of wiggling) when the boogeyman comes, he will know that you aren't asleep."
Not my finest hour.
6 Year Old in a 5 Point Harness: Why I Still Use 'Baby Seats'
Sunday, August 19, 2012 by Sara McTigue
A friend and I were talking about car seats the other day. She noticed that all three of my children are in five point harnesses, including my 6-year-old first grader. I half-jokingly will tell people that I’ll keep them in their seats until they get their learner’s permits.
In contrast, a neighbor of mine – who is also a police officer – regularly drives down our street with his 3 year old unrestrained (and usually standing up) in the back seat. My heart sinks each time I see it, and I wonder how someone who must have seen a car accident or two can operate a car without protecting his child.
At what age did you decide you were ready to start a family?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
At what age did you decide you were ready to start a family?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Take a Poll!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
You can become part of our fact-base. Keep your eyes peeled for the results in our Fun Facts throughout the site! Just enter a section relating to you and take the poll on the right. You can also check out the results and take a few more polls while you’re at it. Why not? It’s fun!...
Jessica Alba Turns a Scary Parenting Moment into a New Company
Saturday, August 18, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
When Jessica Alba walked into her daughter’s bedroom three years ago, she saw a heart-stopping scene in front of her. She found daughter Honor, now four, eating the gel beads in her diaper. In that moment she thought about what those beads could be made of and wondered if she had just poisoned her daughter.
How many children do you and your partner hope to have?
Saturday, August 18, 2012
How many children do you and your partner hope to have? ...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share Your Comment to Facebook!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
We love hearing what our members have to say, so there are plenty of places for you to share your opinion on our site! Just comment on an article, blog, or wherever else you feel inclined to share your thoughts, and select the Share Comment box next to the Post My Reply button to share to your family and friends on Facebook....
Saturday, August 18, 2012 by Stef Daniel
The literary expression of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" has roots that stem back to the early 1200's in famous literary works.
Apparently, there must have been a recession or an economic slump back then as well.
Some recent documents released this year show that around 3/4 of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. This is just one of the many reasons that unemployment is so catastrophic to the average family. Without savings to back them up, the loss of just one paycheck can result in a financial crisis.
I feel the pain. Do YOU?
10-Year-Old Girl Goes Missing After Flying Alone on United Airlines
Friday, August 17, 2012 by Kim Shannon
At what age is it appropriate to let a child fly alone on an airplane? This is the newest debate after Annie and Perry Klebahn's 10-year-old daughter, Phoebe, missed her United Airlines plane connection because the third-party unaccompanied minor service representative had "simply forgotten to show up."
Phoebe's parents “only knew their daughter did not make it when her summer camp in Michigan called to say she hadn't arrived.”
How did you reveal baby's gender to family and friends?
Friday, August 17, 2012
How did you reveal baby's gender to family and friends?...
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Watch an EverydayFamilyTV Video!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Check out one of our new EverydayFamilyTV videos - we promise it'll be worth it! You can find them by selecting the EFTV icon within the navigation. We hope you're able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! ...
Keep the Memories Alive: Ramblings from a Mom Whose Youngest Started Kindergarten
Friday, August 17, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
This has been a tough week for me. My youngest daughter started kindergarten on Thursday, and I have been crying ever since. I miss her like crazy each day when she leaves the house, and I think about her throughout the day. Though she went to pre-K last year, she was still home for half of the day. Now, she’s gone from 8-2:45.
I’d already seen (and cried) through my oldest going away to school; now, not only am I losing a second child to what comes next in life but I’m realizing this: my story time, mommy and me, block playing on the floor for hours days are over.
Just. Like. That.
Community Check-in: How far along are you or how old is baby today?
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Community Check-in: How far along are you or how old is baby today?...
Thursday, August 16, 2012 by Sara McTigue
For anyone who has been writing the checks to pay for it, the information in this article may not come as a huge surprise: “In almost half of all states, the cost of center-based care for one child exceeded annual median rent payments.” Even more staggering, “when two children are factored in, the costs exceeded rent payments in all 50 states.” Yes – no matter where you live in the United States, paying for childcare for two or more children can cost more than a home for your family.
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share One of Our Recipes to Facebook!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Need some more ideas for your family's weekly meals? Check out our recipes! Find one that interests you and hit the Facebook "Like" button to share it out with your family and friends to tell them what will be cooking in your kitchen tonight! ...
Thursday, August 16, 2012 by Lissa Coffey
When I was young I knew about two kinds of bikes: a two-wheeler and a three-wheeler! Now there are dozens of different bikes to choose from, depending on what kind of biking you want to do.
Here’s a quick primer to get you started.
Thursday, August 16, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I always wanted to be a nice mom. I dreamt of being the kindest mom on the face of the planet, who would dote on and coddle her children to ensure that they felt loved.
And for the most part, I am pretty nice (at least I think so). My kids probably wouldn't agree because they commonly accuse me of not being fair, or of being sooooooooo mean.
Yeah, right!?
One of the things that my father taught me was not to over-coddle. Whenever I talk to him on the phone nowadays about some of the things my kids are or are not doing, he always has a quick, 'sink or swim, eat or starve' response. Sure, sometimes I think he isn't very compassionate - but growing up with him, I know that he is.
Thursday, August 16, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Darkness. Quiet. A new baby. It was all good, nearly magical.
That is how I remember those early days of rocking my baby to sleep each evening. I’d sit in the rocking chair, placed in the corner of her room and hold her. The chair would sway slowly back and forth. She’d nurse and then drift off to the most beautiful slumber (most of the time).
When she was asleep, I would quietly pick her up and place her oh-so-gently into her crib. From there, I’d tiptoe out. With the baby monitor set to blaring, I’d crash for my four to six hours of sleep that I knew I’d be granted.
As time passed, others began to fret about rocking my little one to sleep. “Shouldn’t she learn to fall asleep on her own?” family and friends began to question.
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Reply to Today's Community Chalkboard Question!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Getting to know our members better is truly important to us. One new way to do that is through your answers to the questions on our Community Chalkboard. We’ll ask new questions all the time, all you need to do is go to our Home page and click to type in an answer in the answer field. ...
Go Team Maddy! Rick van Beek Competes in Triathlon and Gives Us All a Lesson on Love
Wednesday, August 15, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Every so often, something wondrous happens. From it, we are given an opportunity to learn by example – a light of hope may appear for those who are struggling, and others may simply feel inspired to make a difference – something wondrous changes us all.
Madison, known as Maddy, is a 13-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. She “can neither walk nor talk, and her dad says he isn’t even sure that she can see.”
So, four years ago, van Beek began training for outdoor races. Since then, “under the name Team Maddy, van Beek and his daughter have been participating in half-marathons, triathlons, and other outdoor races.”
Hilary Duff: Putting Paparazzi out of Work?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
If you follow Hilary Duff on Twitter, you may feel like you are experiencing her baby growing up right along with her. The first time mom has Tweeted about every first baby Luca, now 4 and a half months old, has experienced. Recently, this includes his woes with teething.
People recently put an article on the site calling Duff out for constantly Tweeting pictures and updates about her baby boy. While the article was not negative, it did have a tone that seemed to say that they thought her constant Tweeting was getting old.
Recycle That . . . . Chicken?! Dinners for Less
Wednesday, August 15, 2012 by Kathy Murdock
Okay, I admit it: I feed my family waaaaaay too much chicken.
I am okay with it for the following reasons:
1. It’s healthy
2. It’s inexpensive when bought on sale
3. Like whipped cream, it goes with anything
What are your best tips for dealing with tantrums?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
What are your best tips for dealing with tantrums?...
2 Hours or 30 Minutes - How Much Time Do You Devote to Exercise?
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 by Lissa Coffey
“Give about two hours, every day, to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong.” -Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Jefferson was pretty ambitious when he suggested two hours a day of exercise. Most of us don’t have that kind of time. Today’s health authorities recommend that everyone have at least 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity exercise. And we can get this exercise in several rounds of 10 minutes or more at a time if that works out more conveniently for us.
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Share an Interactive Tool to Facebook!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Did you find one of our tools helpful? Click the Facebook share button to spread the word to a Facebook friend or family member who may find it helpful too! Like your results? Just click the Facebook share button after the results have displayed to get the word out! Check out this instructional video for help with How to Use: Interactive Tools &n...
Tuesdays Top 10 - 10 Things that SCREAM VACATION
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I have to face it. Gone are the days of impromptu summer vacations dining out at snazzy boardwalk restaurants and staying first class in a beachfront high rise hotel with a hot tub on the patio. Yeah! Not only can I not afford those things with 4 kids, but it also wouldn't be quite as relaxing now as a mother as it was before my talent for procreation dominated my life. (Oh YES, procreating is a TALENT!)
Funny, but as we just returned from a last minute vacation - I realized just HOW much my definition of a dream vacation has changed over the last 15 years. Instead of visiting a resort, or staying beachside, I stayed with my parents who live in beautiful, sunny, and HOT Florida. And it was one of the best weeks of my life!
This Tuesday, it's the Top 10 things that SCREAM DREAM VACATION for me now! Please let us know what makes your vacation with kids AMAZING!
What are your best tips for disciplining without yelling?
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
What are your best tips for disciplining without yelling?...
Aren't You Dressing Your Toddler in Designer Duds?
Monday, August 13, 2012 by Kim Shannon
Dara Sandler, a 33-year-old Manhattan mother, spent “$10,000 for her daughter’s summer wardrobe. She plans to spend a few thousand dollars more for fall.” Dara’s daughter, Juliet, wears the latest designer fashions - $650 dresses and $400 shoes.
Juliet Sandler is three years old. Dara says, “I dress my daughter exactly the way I dress myself … I really believe when she dresses like this, she feels better about herself.”
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Write in your My Everyday Blog!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Your My Everyday blog is the perfect place to unload about your pregnancy cravings, record precious moments, and save all of those new thoughts, feelings, and lessons learned that come with life as a parent. Check out this instructional video for help with How to Use: My Everyday ...
Holistic Medications - Yay or Nay?
Monday, August 13, 2012 by Stef Daniel
I admit, I have a gypsy soul. In a previous life, I was probably some sort of healer, and I probably should have been a nurse in this life because I am truly interested and excited about the human body and the different ways that it can find healing.
When I had kids, I became ultra focused on pediatricians, and listened intently to every word they said - even taking notes in the office. If they told me to give 200mg of ibuprofen every four hours, I did exactly that. When my kids were sick, I worried and fretted until they were well.
However, as my kids got older - and traditional illnesses of strep throat and colds and flu ran their course, my gypsy healing roots have returned. Now, I don’t rush my kids to the doctor at the first sign of fever and have become pretty good at self treating, and self diagnosing their conditions as they arise.
How do you keep baby busy in the car?
Monday, August 13, 2012
How do you keep baby busy in the car?...
Monday, August 13, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
I never thought I would title a blog about child development, “Mr. Mom Is Sexy.” Just like you evolve as a parent, as a writer my ideas are constantly changing based on day to day interactions, environment, etc.
So why is the title of this blog, “Mr. Mom Is Sexy?” It is because a recent CNN article says so. I admit it. The title of the article made me click for more.
Are dads who stay at home sexier?
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Comment on an Article!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
We really want you to be able to share what you learn, think, and feel about the information on our site. Select an article from anywhere on the site that relates to you and use the commenting field at the bottom of the article. Type in what you'd like to say and select the "Post My Reply" button....
Is your little one afraid of anything?
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Is your little one afraid of anything?...
I'm Lazy (but that's not why I don't wear a bikini)
Saturday, August 11, 2012 by Sara McTigue
We shared a picture on Facebook this week of an adorable baby, captioned with the words “Hey Mom, I know you probably won’t ever get to wear that bikini again, but I promise I’m worth it.” While most of the feedback we’ve gotten has been from women (and men) who felt the picture summed up a feeling they could understand, we’ve also gotten some feedback that found it to be untrue or insulting. It wasn’t intended to be either – simply a statement of what many women have found to be true.
The adorable little baby in that picture happens to be one of mine.
Saturday, August 11, 2012 by Heather Montgomery
Every parent has struggled with getting their kids to eat healthy well-rounded meals instead of sweets and fatty items. Laila Ali has found something that works for her four-year old: trickery. She tells People that she recently saw her competitive four-year old challenge two six-year olds to a race. After losing he complained about wanting to be six so he could be faster.
She says, “So I thought, I’m going to capitalize on this, and I said, ‘Did you eat your green beans? Because they’re going to make you faster!’ And he’s like, ‘Okay!’ And now he’s eating his vegetables. Whatever works!”
Today's Everyday Sweepstakes Action: Watch an EverydayFamilyTV Video!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Check out one of our new EverydayFamilyTV videos - we promise it'll be worth it! You can find them by selecting the EFTV icon within the navigation. We hope you're able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! ...
Do you Keep a Gun in the Home?
Saturday, August 11, 2012 by Stef Daniel
The world is a violent place. There are reminders every day when you watch the evening news, that no matter how safe you feel you are in your neighborhood, home, school - or even during an evening out to the movies - violent things CAN occur.
The first thing to realize is that your ACTUAL statistical chances of being victimized by a violent crime are actually very low. In fact, in recent years, according to the FBI, violent crime has dropped by 70% compared to just a few short years ago. Your actual chances of something horrific happening to YOU are very, very low and depend mostly upon your age, gender, and lifestyle habits.
Still, the issue of gun control is a heated one.
