5 Back To School Reminders About Online Child Safety

Posted on August 27, 2018

Back in the day, it was a little simpler. Parents would tell their children not to get into a stranger’s car. While still an enormous concern, cyberspace is posing an entirely new set of dangers that need to be addressed in real-time.

Especially considering 88% of kids ages 12-17 own a phone with 80% accessing the internet. The team at SafeHome.org recently released a report / infographic called Keeping Kids Safe in Cyber Space.

Here are 5 tips from the report. To view the full report, visit the links above.

1. Parents Must Be Proactive: The first step for cyber safety is for parents to block inappropriate sites, use a VPN and create a firewall. It is critical to closely monitor your childs online activity and step in the moment something or someone seems suspicious.

2. Identity Theft: Warn Them About Giving Out Information: When a pop-up says you just won a new XBOX, or someone needs your bank account to wire you money, even some adults fall for it. Warn your child never to give out information such as your address, phone number or credit card.

3. Check Social Media for Cyber Bullying: Determine when your child can go online — mornings, evening, weekends, after they showered or finished their homework. Be clear about what activities they can do online: email, do research for homework, listen to music, etc.

4. Warn Them Never to Meet In-Person: Online predators lure children into situations that could result in sexual abuse and other physical harm. Warn young children never to meet with anyone without a parent and older children to do so in a public place.

5. Set Age-Appropriate Guidelines: Determine when your child can go online — mornings, evening, weekends, after they showered or finished their homework. Be clear about what activities they can do online: email, do research for homework, listen to music, etc.

Good luck parents! Safe websurfing, kids!

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Celebrity

Former RHOA Star Kenya Moore Gets Love From ExCastmates

Posted on August 27, 2018

Former Miss USA may not have be a Real Housewives of Atlanta housewife next season, but she is still good pals with several of her co-stars who have snapped pics with the mom-to-be during her pregnancy.,

“ow! My girl @thekenyamoore is just glowing today?#babydaly #auntiecynt,“the former model and agency boss captioned a photo of herself cradling Moore’s growing bump.”

View this post on Instagram
Wow! My girl @thekenyamoore is just glowing today? #babydaly #auntiecynt
A post shared by Cynthia Bailey (@cynthiabailey10) on Aug 25, 2018 at 3:31pm PDT

Moore and Daly are expecting their first child together. The 47-year old announced the news during the reunion show and is due this winter.

Since then, she has been plagued with verbal assaults by online followers who have consistently accused the star of faking her bump.

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Parenting

The Excess Back-to-School Supply Trappings

Posted on August 26, 2018

Raise your hand if you have at least one basket or box or drawer or bin somewhere in your home that houses the piles of excess school supplies your child’s school made you buy that the kid never used?

I have such a massive basket in the corner of the office in my house so brimming with items that we can literally do shopping from this basket! Wow!

And…. surprise! I’m not the only one who feels this way! There have been several articles written on the ridiculousness!

Are School Supplies Getting out of Hand, All Parenting.com

Open Letter to Sadist Teachers, PeopleIWantToPunchInTheThroat.com

Too Many School Supplies, On My Mind

What Do You Think of Your Child’s School Supply List, NorthesCambia.com

Cray!

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Celebrity

The Perfect Reactions to Serena Williams’ Post-Pregnancy Blood Clot Compression French Open CatSuit Ban

Posted on August 25, 2018

The outfit Tennis champ Serena Williams wore to compete in the 2018 French Open last May triggered the competition to ban her from donning that “Wakanda”-inspired black super hero cat suit for future competitions.

“I believe we have sometimes gone too far. Serena’s outfit this year, for example, would no longer be accepted,” French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said in an interview with Tennis Magazine, adding it won’t adapt as strict a clothing code as Wimbledon, which requires players to wear all white, but will have its limits. He added that the FFT will be looking to view collections ahead of next year’s tournament.

The 23-time Grand Slam champ designed the suit with her sponsors at Nike with special compression material and technology to aid with blood clots she has and developed dangerously after delivering her first child, daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. with her husband Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

“I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess,” Williams said during a press conference, adding that she felt like a queen from Wakanda, the fictional nation in the movie “Black Panther.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a superhero,” Williams said. “It’s kind of my way of being a superhero.”

Besides making her feel amazing, Williams’ said the outfit choice was also meant to inspire other new moms, especially ones who have also suffered post-pregnancy health issues. “For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy — here you go. If I can do it, so can you!” she wrote on Instagram at the time. She had been in bed for weeks after delivering because of the clots.

“I’ve been wearing pants in general a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going,” Williams told reporters. “So it’s a fun suit but it’s also functional, so I can be able to play without any problems.”

This is yet another bump in her road after motherhood. Not only did she lose her rank when she had a baby last September, but she also suffered postpartum blood clot related near-death experience, postpartum blues too.

Nike had the perfect response to the catsuit ban:

“You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers.

I loved April on Twitter’s response which was supported by another Tennis Legend, Chris Evert!

And others not so subtdly pointed out that Serena was not the first to wear a catsuit though the first to be banned for it.

What was once a scandalous outfit is now, if not de rigueur, simply no big deal, thanks to fashion taste makers like Serena Williams. Well done @serenawilliams for your fashion tribute to Anne White and her 1985 Wimbledon outfit. pic.twitter.com/FCGONKXLA1
— Alexis Shabadoo Jr. (@JDGoodness) May 29, 2018

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The Birth Control App the Catholic Church Approves

Posted on August 24, 2018

The FDA has approved a fertility-tracking app that boasts a lower unintended pregnancy rate than the pill, without the side effects of hormonal contraception.

The Natural Cycles app was developed by a Swedish nuclear physicist Elina Berglund and her husband Raoul Scherwizl. They created the app as a way to go “beyond contraception,” and to “get to know your body and unique cycles,” according to their website.

Berglund told o last year that the goal of the app is use scientific research to empower women with knowledge about their body, and to replace medication with technology.

In approving the app for use to prevent pregnancy, the FDA noted that its expected failure rate is 6.5 percent – lower than the 9 percent expected failure rate of the contraceptive pill, and 18 percent expected failure rate of condoms.

“Consumers are increasingly using digital health technologies to inform their everyday health decisions, and this new app can provide an effective method of contraception if it’s used carefully and correctly,” said Dr. Terri Cornelison, assistant director for the health of women in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in a Aug. 10 statement.

Users of the Natural Cycles app record their temperature each morning with an extra-sensitive thermometer. This data is combined with information about the woman’s menstrual cycle into an algorithm that can help determine when a woman is ovulating. A woman’s body temperature rises slightly when she is fertile, allowing her track her fertility day-to-day.

The app had already been approved by German inspection and certification agency Tüv Süd.

As of last year, the app reported having more than 150,000 users in over 160 countries around the world.

While the Catholic Church teaches that the use of contraception is immoral, because it intentionally separates procreation from the sexual act, it does approve of fertility mapping methods like natural family planning, which helps married couples achieve pregnancy – or avoid it, if there is a just reason to do so – by tracking a woman’s natural fertility.

Continue reading.

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Celebrity

Bump Round Up: Lily Aldridge, Hilary Duff, April Geary and More (LINKS)

Posted on August 23, 2018

We stalk your fave expecting, new or vet celebrity parent so you don’t have to, so here is what they’re up to around the web:

Lily Aldridge and husband Kings of Leon Caleb Followill are expecting their second child.(Celebrity Baby Scoop)

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West reportedly have one more embryo to possibly grow into a baby via iVF or surrogacy (US Weekly)

Robin Thicke and his girlfriend April Geary are expecting their second child and she revealed she had a miscarriage too. (PEOPLE)

Hilary Duff is showing off her growing bump and anxiously awaiting the birth of her second child (Daily Mail)

Jesse Williams and his wife both lost their child support adjustment requests during a contentious post-divorce battle (BCK Online)

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7 Life Ways to Get Your Child Ready For Kindergarten

Posted on August 23, 2018

Whether she is heading to pre school or kindergarten, before your child goes to classroom, there are certain skills a parent or caregiver can help them develop.

Stimulate the kids’ imaginations throughout the day. Research conducted by Dr. Woolley and her team at the Children’s Research Laboratory discovered that it’s okay for kids to use their imaginations in life and in play. The study looked at when kids are able to start separating fantasy from reality. The results showed that by the age of 3 most kids can determine the difference, even though many children continue to believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy until they are 8 or 9. The reason they believe, however, is because adults persuade them to continue to believe. By using her imagination in play she is more likely to be able to write creatively in school, and she will be better able to imagine what the Civil War was like. And while humans use their imaginations every day, as they grow older they begin to use it less and less. The less you use it the more you lose it. Helping kids grow their imaginations will lead to smarter and more talented kids.

Go on outings to interesting and educational places. Children are like sponges when they are young, and they are able to absorb tons of information. The more that you can expose him to interesting and educational information the smarter he will become. The smarter he becomes the more prepared he will be for school. Trips to the zoo or to a museum are a great way to help spark his imagination.

Work on noticing letters and words when you go on outings. When you are out and about you are surrounded by words and letters. Notice these things with the kids. Ask questions and congratulate her when she gets the right answers. Make learning a game and an adventure. Create a list of things that you want to find while you are out. For example, try to find a stop sign, a restaurant sign, and a street sign. Work together to find everything on your list.

Play games to teach the kids how to win and lose gracefully. Teach him how to play card games and board games. Don’t let him win every time, and let him see how you win gracefully. When he does win a game, make sure that he also wins gracefully and does not brag about his win or make his siblings feel bad about losing. When you lose make sure that you congratulate the winner and show him how to handle losing with grace

Develop morning routines for getting themselves ready. One big difference that will take place when she goes off to school is that she will need to get up earlier and start to take care of a few things herself. Have her get up and put on the clothes that you have laid out the night before. Encourage her to put her dirty clothes into her hamper and to make her bed. She should be able to get herself to the table for breakfast on time. Make sure that the backpack is already packed and ready from the night before so that there is no drama in the morning about where things are. Finally have her brush her own teeth and hair and then head out the door to the bus or carpool. Keeping a chart in a central location is an effective way to remind her of the things that need to get done before school without having to nag her.

Help the kids learn how to be empathetic. Empathy is an emotion that everyone could use a little more of. Lead by example and help your charges show empathy for others. If a child falls down while you are at the playground, ask him how he thinks that child feels. Remind him of times that he fell down. This is especially important to do if he had anything to do with the other child falling down. If you see a child crying you might ask her what is wrong. When he sees you being kind and empathetic he too will learn how to be empathetic.

Keep a routine with the children so that the school routine will not seem so hard. During the day you have a lot of things to do and places to go no doubt. Try to keep the children on a schedule or in a routine of sorts. For example, go to the library for story time every Tuesday at 2. Kids will learn that they go to the library at the same time every Tuesday and they will look forward to it. Don’t be surprised if they are upset if you miss a day. Children thrive on routine and consistency. Once she starts school her whole day will be scheduled, and having an idea of what keeping a routine feels like will make her better able handle it.

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DEBUNKED: No, Khloe Kardashian Didn’t Go Low Carb To Have a Tiny Baby

Posted on August 22, 2018

I saw an article by the UK Sun suggesting that Khloe Kardashian cut her carbs to have a small baby. It then talked to an expert who expressed concern that restricting your diet over fears of a big baby could have a negative impact on a pregnancy.

The Sun quoted Lorna Marsh, Associate Editor at BabyCentre, who told Fabulous Online: “It’s sad to hear of an influential celebrity endorsing any dieting in pregnancy, especially as it’s unlikely to affect a baby’s size, which depends on so many factors.”

When I looked into the context of the suggestion, I figured out that Khloe was actually watching her diet reasonably over concern about having to get a C-section which is common with babies that are too large to fit in the birth canal. Khloe said on an episode of her hit E! show Keeping Up with the Kardashians that she wanted to have a vaginal birth like her sisters.

“If I want a donut or cookies I’ll eat them, I’m not depriving myself,” she told her mom, Kris Jenner, who said she wanted to see Khloe eat more. “Everything I’m doing is instructed by my doctor,” adding, “I would love to avoid a C-section if possible, but if my baby turns out to be really big, I’m gonna have to get a C-section.”

As a woman who suffered from gestational diabetes with her first child, I am going to jump on Khloe’s side on this one. It is a FACT that excessive eating, especially of carbohydrates and sweets can in fact cause your baby to be too big, but more importantly, it can cause the mom to develop GD, the temporary condition where mom and baby have diabetes during the pregnancy.

It goes away once mom gives birth. The body senses the baby as a foreign invader and stops making insulin as it should and that’s why it is not a permanent conditition, though after a woman gets it, her and her child are more prone to develop Type 2 Diabetes later in life or some other autoimmune condition. It’s serious stuff!

I’ve blogged this before, but I used to drink 7-11 Slurpees daily because I discovered they helped me stave off the 5 months of morning sickness I experienced all day while pregnant. All of that sugar not only caused me to get too big too soon (and the baby too), but it also contributed to my positive gestational diabetes diagnosis later on in my pregnancy.

I had to measure my blood sugar daily with a stick test and see a dietitian who instructed me to reduce my carbohydrate intake in order to keep myself healthy and to stop the baby from going too much larger.

As a preventative measure, for my following two pregnancies, I stuck to a diet that limited carbs because I did not want to get GD again! It was not fun poking my fingers all the time and also, it is a health risk to the baby.

The doctors and experts who criticize celebs without actually being their physician or caregiver are overstepping their bounds and in this case, giving out potentially bad advice.

So Khloe is right on this one, but I guess spinning it like she was going out of her way to have a tiny baby is better for selling papers! ha!

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What to Look For When Shopping for a Nursing Bra

Posted on August 21, 2018

It is an undisputed truth that your breasts and cup size are likely to double or maybe triple during pregnancy, while nursing and afterwards. The process of growing a baby includes producing milk in your breast ducks. It’s nature’s way of making sure your infant will be able to have nourishment when born.

The term engorgement refers to the overproduction of milk that has not been expressed (squeezed out by hand or a pump) or consumed by baby. This also causes a new mom’s breast to no longer fit in the bras she wore before becoming pregnant.

Many expecting and new moms will go up in bra size as well. This growth will require her to get an entire new selection of nursing bras, sports bras, lingerie, work bras and more. Fortunately, there are a lot of all-in-one bras on the market to ease the cost of having to go out and purchase a lot of new bras.

Personally, I still wear the bras that I got for nursing because they usually are made of superior material and are quality-constructed to last the test of time. They have to be given all that snapping and unsnapping required while breastfeeding an infant. Some women breastfeed their babies until 18 months and beyond so they have to invest in a top notch bra like Knix which makes a comfy 8-in-1 evolution bra that is multi-functional and stylish.

When shopping for a new nursing bra, make sure to get one that is 100%, a blend of cotton and Lycra or another stretchy synthetic that grow with your fluctuating breasts. This feature is important because if a nursing bra is too tight and puts pressure on your breasts, it can increase risk of mastitis and clogged milk ducts.

Women with larger busts should look for bras with wide-set strap with extra cushioning, a back band that has at least three or four rows of hook-and-eye closure options and side seams that sit almost under the armpit.

Also, a nursing bra shouldn’t cut into your breasts or cause them to spill out. The straps shouldn’t dig into your shoulders, and the band across your back needs to sit horizontally without riding up.

Good luck nursing shopping!

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Parents’ Guide to 10 Gluten-Free Birthday Cake Alternatives

Posted on August 21, 2018

I was in my generic chain local drug store the other day on a hunt for vegan snack options and bumped into an entire section filled with paleo, whole 30, keto, vegan, GMO and gluten free options. The fact that many conventional stores are accommodating people with varying dietary restrictions made me smile.

I am always sad for kids who cannot partake in birthday celebrations at school because of a peanut or gluten allergy and because of innovation in foods, they have more option. Whether you’re going for custom Kroger cakes, a large heavily discounted Costco or BJs wholesale market cake, or a specialty baker, you can now request these larger outlets create a yummy cake without the offending items!

Parents may have a challenging time finding alternatives to the traditional birthday cake for a child who is gluten intolerant. However, with some creativity, a sense of adventure in baking, or a willingness to try the unusual, it doesn’t need to be a challenge at all. Here are some fun alternatives that kids are sure to enjoy.

Chocolate Mousse – For the chocolate lovers, serving chocolate mousse in cute little dessert dishes with sprinkles on top is just the ticket. Use candle numbers and secure them to the serving plate. Arrange the individual dishes around the candles.

Ice cream parfaits with gluten free cookies

Using parfait glasses or clear dessert dishes, layer different flavors of gluten free ice cream on top of each other. You can add fruit and/or nut layers for even more variety. Add a candle for the birthday child and you’re all set.

Sundaes

Set up a table with all the fixings for sundaes and let the kids build their own. For birthday flair, you could bring out the ice cream bucket with candles lit and sing birthday greetings to the lucky child. Make sure that the ice cream you choose is gluten free. Some ice cream products do contain gluten, but that information should be listed on the container.

Chocolate fountain

Kids and adults alike love chocolate fountains. You can use fruit, marshmallows and gluten free cake squares for dipping. When deciding what type of chocolate to use for the fountain, check to make sure it is gluten free. Chocolate is gluten free, but some companies use additives that include gluten.

If the information is not on the package you can go to the company’s website to find out whether or not the product contains gluten.

Shaved Ices

Party on a hot day? Serve shaved ice in a variety of flavors. Kids love shaved ice, and on a blazing summer day it’s the perfect birthday treat. You can get creative and make rainbow ices by putting different color syrups on the ice. You can also use two colors to make three by using colors that mix; for example, use yellow and red on each side and an orange strip will appear down the middle where the syrups meet.

Garnish servings with gluten free cookies.

Chocolate covered fruit – If you don’t want to go the route of the chocolate fountain, you can get or make chocolate covered fruit. Strawberries and pineapple are perfect for dipping. You can purchase readymade treats or you can do it yourself. If neither of those appeal to you, consider using a fondue pot and let the kids dip their own fruit in the chocolate.

Gluten free Peter Rabbit carrot cupcakes – A Peter Rabbit themed party is perfect for spring or for kids who love Beatrix Potter. For something a little different, try making these cute gluten free cup cakes.

Crispy rice cake – Rice Krispie Treats are a long time favorite of kids, and now Kellogg makes a brown rice gluten free product for those who have allergies. This product is also Kosher. Making the marshmallow treat in a cake shape and adding frosting makes a nice alternative to the traditional birthday cake. Erewhon also offers a gluten free brown rice crispy cereal that is available at Whole Foods.

Cupcake tree – If you have a good gluten free cake recipe, you can make cupcakes and arrange them on tiered serving plates. Some moms make regular and gluten free varieties and place designs on each to signify the difference.

Gluten free pound cake – If you really need a cake and it has to be gluten free, there is a great pound cake recipe at cookingglutenfree.com. This recipe includes instructions for making the cake and a recipe for making gluten free flour substitute.

Birthday cake alternatives are becoming popular for all kinds of reasons. From ice cream cakes to birthday pies, the list of alternative desserts continues to grow. If you have a child that’s gluten free, these 10 options will ensure that he still has a birthday filled with treats, despite being gluten intolerant.

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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt