BumpNews

10 Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids

Posted on February 5, 2015

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and soon you’ll be scrambling to find activities for your little ones to do while celebrating the day together! Here are a few ideas to get you going.

Make heart shaped pancakes – Make heart shaped pancakes for breakfast! Put pancake batter into a squeeze bottle and draw heart pancakes on the griddle! You can also cut sandwiches, deli meats, and fruits into heart shapes using cookie cutters. Creating heart shaped cupcakes or muffins is simple, just drop a marble or rolled up piece of tinfoil between the baking liner and muffin tin before baking to create an indent in the finished product, it will look just like a heart!
Create a conversation heart wreath – Cut the middle out of a paper plate to create a ring. Have your children help you cut out hearts and write short messages on them such as “I love you” or “You rock” and glue the hearts onto the ring to create a conversation heart wreath. Be creative with your phrases and make them special to your family.
Make your own valentines – Younger children will usually have a party in their classroom to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their classmates, so take some time to help your child create their own cards. They don’t have to be fancy, all you need is some construction paper, glitter glue, stickers, doilies, and adhesive to jump start the creativity in your child. Encourage your child to be creative and let them create whatever they want to, the cards don’t all have to be the same as long as there is one for every child in their class.
Valentine’s Day scramble – Post a piece of paper on the wall that has the words “Valentine’s Day” on it and see how many words you can create from those letters, adjusting to the age of the children around you. How many words can you find? You could also add the traditional candy heart phrases and see what additional words you can make using those letters.
Hold a Valentine’s Day dance party – Invite your neighbors over for a fun, family friendly dance party! Decorate the room with streamers and balloons, choose a few fun songs together, and get ready to dance!
Themed worksheets – A quick search online will turn up dozens of Valentine’s Day themed worksheets, from math sheets to crosswords, so you can easily find something to meet your child’s needs.
Love themed books – Hit up the library for books with a Valentine’s Day or love theme; most libraries will have seasonally appropriate books on a separate shelf, which makes finding them easy. Check a few out and read them together!
Create coupon books for family members – Talk about what love is and what it means and then discuss various coupons you could create to show family members that you care about them. Offer to walk the dog for free, give a back rub, have one on one time, play a game together or offer to sweep the floor. The receiver can then choose when to redeem the coupons. Coupon books are a great way for kids to be able to give back to the family without a monetary contribution.
Go pink and red! – Create a pink and red theme! Pink lemonade, strawberry milk, cupcakes with pink frosting, watermelon, beets, strawberries, and apples are all great pink and red foods to offer for snack time.
Make a paper heart chain – Use your cutting and gluing skills to create a chain of hearts to hang up in your house! You can either create a chain by cutting hearts out like you would with paper dolls or cut out hearts together and tape or staple them together to create a chain of unique hearts. Hang them where everyone can enjoy them.

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Lessons from a biracial upbringing where physical features color racialidentity

Posted on February 5, 2015

A friend of mine shared a 2012 Bossip article in social media that was about Parks and Recreation actress Rashida Jones and her sister Kidada Jones.

Although both grew up with a Jewish mom and African American dad, the legendary Quincy Jones, they had differing experiences that were colored by whether each young woman looked more black or white.

Kidada struggled with being slightly darker skinned and having brown eyes, looking more black. She describes how Rashida was essentially able to receive all the benefits of whiter skin because she had green eyes and Caucasian features.

The family started out poor, and endured the typical types of discrimination multi-racial families dealt with back in the 1970s. Quincy said in a joint family interview in 2005 that he thought racism would have ended by the 1980s. (Yeah right)

But things got easier for the sisters.

Eventually, as their dad became more successful, they got to live as rich girls, yet were still very different, partially based on self- identification based on complexion and hair texture (and Kidada’s struggles with dyslexia played a part too)

In that 2005 Glamour family magazine interview, Kadida describes feeling disconnected to her Jewish in-laws who she felt were disappointed in their mom for marrying a black man.

In her predominantly white grade school, Kadida described not feeling like she could compete with the other girls. She resented that so she rebelled and became a tomboy, and would eventually get kicked out of the exclusive school they both attended.

All the while, Rashida who had straight fine hair and features considered desirable or exotic like green eyes, had an easier time fitting in, spoke well and excelled in school.

Shockingly, during the interview, Kadida accused her sister of passing for white, but Rashida denied it, saying she can’t help the way she looked.

Rashida added in as part of her defense that she too felt the sting of people telling her she couldn’t be black because she looked too white.

She said she got dinged in Hollywood for not looking black enough when she went out for roles asking for an African American woman. Casting directors would tell her she was too ethnic looking to get roles for white women.

By high school, Kadida decided to find a place where she could fit in and decided she wanted to attend a more racially diverse public school. Their mom Peggy got a fake address and enrolled Kidada in Fairfax High.

Kadida described the experience in the interview:

All those kids! A deejay in the quad at lunch! Bus passes! All those cute black boys; no offense, but I thought white boys were boring. I fit in right away; the kids had my outgoing vibe. My skin and hair had been inconveniences at my other schools–I could never get those Madonna spiked bangs that all the white girls were wearing–but my girlfriends at Fairfax thought my skin was beautiful, and they loved to put their hands in my hair and braid it. The kids knew who my dad was an my stock went up. I felt secure. I was home.

It is quite an interesting tale that parents of young biracial children, especially those that have different physical features and hair texture should check out. HERE.

I went to college with a girl who was dark with African hair and features but her younger siblings were biracial and had biracial features because her mother remarried a White man later. This young lady’s actions, demeanor and attitude gave me the feeling that she felt inferior to her siblings based on their looks. Parents do not realize how their words and varying treatment of their children matter but I suspect there was some poor word choice used with her too that colored her disposition.

In law school, one of my classmates and her sister remind me some of Rashida and Kadida. She was fairer skin yet had more African facial features. Her sister has more European facial features yet was browner -skinned.

On the flip side, my friend was the president of the Black Student Union in high school and college and dated a blue black African dude all through college and law school. She was bold, sometimes brash and opinionated. You took attention when she walked in the room. She commanded acknowledgment because of her commanding unapologetic demeanor which would leave no one in doubt that she was an African American woman.

Her sister, on the other hand, only had white friends and sat quietly when some of them would use the N word or talked in denigrating fashion about blacks and African Americans. She eventually married a white man whose family didn’t approve of him marrying her, my friend shared.

So sad.

Meanwhile, my friend married a black man and has two daughters who are fair skinned yet look distinctly African American still.

Her sister’s sons look pure Anglo Saxon.

It’s all interesting dynamics and I have no opinion but simply wanted to share some insights and provide some food for thought.

Do you have any thoughts? I’d love for you to chime in. HIt me up @JayJayGhatt or @Bellyitch on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook!

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The History of Autism

Posted on February 4, 2015

Given that Autism is such a hot topic of late, I am sharing the stats and information from an infographic we shared last year that gave a historic overview of the condition

The History of Autism

Over the past century, the definition of autism and the array of disorders it encompasses has not only changed but also been subject to gross misunderstanding. Let’s take a look at a short history of autism, as well as current diagnosis rates and information.

What is Autism?

Autism is an umbrella term for autism spectrum disorder, which is characterized by:
Constant problems with social communication and interaction across a variety of contexts
Repetitive, restricted patterns of behavior, activities and interests
Early-onset emergence of symptoms (typically in the first two years of life)
Symptoms that cause major impairment in social, educational or other important areas of functioning
It’s called a spectrum because of the wide range of symptoms and impairment levels children can have. Some are only mildly affected by their symptoms, while other children are severely disabled.
The Greek root of the word “autism” is “autos,” meaning “self.” Individuals with autism are generally withdrawn from social and emotional interaction, giving rise to the term.

Autism: A Brief Timeline

1911
Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler first uses the term in reference to certain symptoms of schizophrenia.
1920s
Stemming from the belief that autism symptoms are caused by diet (including those high in gluten), biochemical treatments are used, and diet supplements and restrictions are put in place for children with autism.
1930s
Electroconvulsive therapy is first used to try to correct antisocial and self-destructive behavior. Though controversial, this type of treatment is still used in rare cases today.
1940s
“Autism” is first used to describe children who experience emotional or social issues.
1943
A definition for autism is put in place by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner. He describes autism as “lack of affective contact, fascination with objects, desire for sameness and non-communicative language before 30 months of age.”
1944
German scientist Hans Asperger detects a condition with similar afflictions that is now called “Asperger’s syndrome.” There is still believed to be a link between autism and schizophrenia.
1950s
Autism is falsely suspected of being caused by cold and uncaring mothers. Parentectomy, or the removal of the afflicted child from his or her parents for long periods of time, is utilized for treatment by a doctor in a study.
1960s
Various treatments are tested, but there is still a limited understanding of what helps patients. Pain and punishment are still inflicted on children to try to correct antisocial behavior. The use of LSD is implemented. As a serotonin inhibitor, it is believed that altering the patient’s state of perception will help alleviate symptoms.
1965
Bernard Rimland, an American psychologist, establishes the Autism Society of America, one of the first autism advocacy groups.
1980s
Early forms of behavioral therapy are used primarily in the treatment of children with autism, and autism is finally categorized separately from schizophrenia. Neurosensory therapy is introduced, as researchers and doctors begin to believe that sensitivity to auditory stimulation is responsible for some antisocial behavior.
1990s
Holding therapy, in which a child is restrained and forced to perform various social reactions like maintaining eye contact, is used.
Today
The term “autism spectrum disorder” is used, and specific tools for diagnosing the severity of a child’s case are developed. Applied behavioral therapy and psycho-dynamic therapies are typically used to treat children with autism.

Autism Today

Due to a more thorough understanding of the disorder and effective treatments for its symptoms, more children are getting the help they need to live more social, emotionally fulfilling lives. We now understand a lot more about the disorder and who it affects.
1 in 68
Estimated number of children affected by an autism spectrum disorder. For boys, the number is 1 in 42
.
2%-18%
Likelihood that a person will have a second child with autism if they already have one
1 in 10
Number of children with autism who also have Down syndrome or another chromosomal disorder
2 years
Age at which a diagnosis of autism is typically reliable. Most children are not diagnosed until they are 4 years old.
Unfortunately, along with a more thorough understanding of autism has come a boom of diagnoses and fear regarding the cause of the disorder.
120%
Increase in autism spectrum disorder prevalence between 2002 and 2010.
And thus we have all the varying speculation including the ones linking vaccines to the increase. Not only as it been linked to vaccinations, as a now-debunked once-heavily relied upon study stated, but also most recently to things like C-section births.
We still do NOT know.

Sources:

1. http://www.webmd.com

2. http://www.washingtonpost.com

3. http://bdkmsw.umwblogs.org

4. http://www.cdc.gov

5. http://www.nimh.nih.gov

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Eco-Friday: How to have a Baby Clothes Swap Party

Posted on January 31, 2015

swaps!

Personally, I have attended a couple of clothing/closet swap parties for adults where girlfriends get together, take turns and shop each others’ clothes that we won’t wear any longer. It is a trendy and economical way to get “new” clothes without breaking the bank and swapping out your wardrobe.

In these tough economic times, purchasing new clothes for an impending arrival, especially for families on a budget and with more than one child, is not always an option. Organizing a baby swap is a very wonderful way for everyone to save a buck and get some new stuff. Here are some tips I gleaned from online research:

Step 1 – Select a date.

Based on your schedule and your family’s schedule, select a date that best works for you.
From there, decide if your swap will host both kids and adults – this will also help in determining the time of your swap (daytime vs. nighttime), the food, the activities, etc.

Step 2 – Declutter.

Get the word out about your Clothing Swap house party sooner rather than later. This gives everyone ample time to clean out their closets and find items to swap.
Make sure to invite your guests three-to-four weeks in advance. With your invites, give your guests the following instructions:

What to bring:

Kids clothes and accessories in all sizes that are wearable and freshly laundered.

Most swap-worthy items fall into 3 categories

NEW Clothes (with tags)
NEARLY NEW Clothes (worn only once or twice)
GENTLY USED Clothes (worn, but still in very good condition)

What NOT to bring:

Out of respect for fellow swappers and your community, please do not bring ripped, dirty, stained items, those with broken zippers, or otherwise unwearable.

Note that all unclaimed items can be donated to a host selected non-profit or cause.

Step 3 – Prepare for your party.

You can create a successful swap by designating different areas of your home for different articles of clothing or different children’s clothes sizes. For example, your living room might be the location for all clothes for newborns, while the bedroom might have clothes for toddlers.

Set up different tables clearly labeled with sizes or type of clothing to help your guests “organize” when they arrive.

Mirrors, racks and hangers are helpful but not required

Hope this is helpful.

And sidebar: it was refreshing to see Tia Mowry Hardrict and Tamera Mowry-Housley balk at a pricey bottle of olive oil in that episode earlier and second guess a decision to pay $80 for some flimsy resort wear an episode before when they went to the Bahamas. So many times on reality TV shows, we have women, who may not necessarily be independently wealthy, make so many outlandish shopping purchases flagrantly and without any regard to the final price. You’ll see the camera zoom in to a total that is 500th times what an average family would pay or even earn in a month. Many times, they can’t really even afford the crap but do it for the cameras and show. It’s so great that Tia and Tamera don’t buy into that and reveal that even though they may earn more as actresses, they watch their pennies and wallets and refuse to succumb to extravagant spending. It’s a great lesson and good to see. The truly wealthy people on this earth do not spend extraneously as “new money” people do and that is the reason they remain wealthy. Okay. Off my soap box now! 🙂

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You’ve heard of ‘free range chicken’; Now there’s ‘free range kids’

Posted on January 31, 2015

Parents who let their young children walk home from school and roam free without adult supervision around town are getting into trouble.

The new hip term for the practice is “free range.” Yes, the same term we use to describe chickens that grow up on a farm free to roam and that are not pumped with anti-biotics and growth hormones. (Poultry loves say these chickens taste the best and are healthier than conventional chickens that grow up on poultry farms)

Close to where I live, a couple of kids, 10-year old Rafi Meitiv and his 6-year old sister Dvora were walking home from the park in Silver Spring, Maryland when a police officer stopped, questioned them and drove them home to their parents.

The state child protection services threatened to take the kids away from their parents, Alexander and Danielle Meitiv, unless they came up with a safety plan citing laws that state leaving children unsupervised is a form of neglect.

“I’m just parenting the way I was parented and the way that almost every adult I know was parented,” said Danielle who, with her husband, have found themselves in the middle of the “Free Range Parenting” debate.

There is even a 2010 book by Lenore Skenazy on the topic “Free-Range Kids, How to Raise Self, Self-Reliant Kids (Without going Nuts with Worry).”

On the opposite side of the Meitiv’s are those who say they are setting up their children to be victims of bullies, child predators or crime perpetrators who may take advantage of young children.

It’s so interesting to me that there is a new term for the way I grew up.

One of my favorite memories as a child happened when I visited my cousin Abe in New York City at age 6 or 7 and of us traveling all over the burrough from park to park, playground to playground, flea market to corner store, visiting his friends at various other apartment buildings all day. We were supposed to make our way back home to go to a wedding which brought my family and I up to the city, but didn’t. So we got left, then, realizing this fact, we headed back out for a few more moments of fun until the sun came up.

No officer, adult or other authority figure batted an eye to see us go about.

Now, I wouldn’t think of releasing my 7, 9 and 12 year old in a city without supervision or at least the guidance of an older person, but certainly we do in our own town. Our kids ride their bikes on their own and run around the block to practice for their track and cross country sports. The middle kid routinely traverses down to the town creek to catch critters and has done so since he was 8-years old.

Sometimes, I worry, but I do see the value of letting them be independent and playing without the overtly watchful eye of their parents.

We live in the world of helicopter parenting, where parents shepherd their kids’ every move and do not allow them to be independent, make mistakes and learn from them. I am guilty of being one too, to a certain extent on some things.

Society is also rightful in being fearful that the “mistake” end up being one that can cost a child his or her life. We’ve seen that before. So, yeah, that matters too.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Chime in!

h/t ABC News

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10 iPhone apps to help you manage your household expenses

Posted on January 29, 2015

In the world of mobile devices, few are as popular or as versatile as

Apple’s powerful iPhone. Busy professionals have quickly learned just

how useful an iPhone can be when it comes to streamlining business

operations and tracking data, but it may come as a bit of a surprise to

learn how much the iPhone in your pocket can do in terms of managing

your personal life as well. These 10 apps are effective and valuable

budget-management tools and can assist you in the often complicated

business of tracking and keeping up with household expenses.

Manilla

– Chosen as a Top 100 Web Business by PC Magazine and ABCNews.com’s App

of the Week, the free Bills & Account Manager app from Manilla

helps you monitor your bills, statements and notices so that you can

keep up with exactly how much money you’re spending in each area. As an

added bonus, you can also set up text or email message alerts to let you

know when a bill is due to help you avoid further damage to your

finances with late fees and penalties.
Expenses and Income – CashTrails Lite

– The free Lite version of CashTrails lets you track both what’s coming

in and what’s going out, as well as log your daily expenses to help

determine exactly how much money is spent on incidental purchases. Group

filtering to separate your regular expenses from those of a

professional nature or special vacation spending allows you to

compartmentalize your budget and organize your entries in a way that

makes most sense to you.
Spending

– The simple name of this $2.99 app is an indication of exactly what

you can expect from it; an app that is no frills, no fuss and directly

to the point. Spending helps you keep up with how much money you spend,

track your expenses and manage your accounts quickly and easily. There

are no extraneous features and no superfluous commands or complications,

leaving this app beautifully easy to use and free of frustration.
iSpending

– With this free app you can set up separate categories to

compartmentalize and track your expenses in a more detailed fashion,

while still keeping an eye on the big financial picture. Daily, weekly,

monthly and annual summaries are displayed on the home page, allowing

you to access budget and expense information at a glance.
Pageonce – Money & Bills

– Part of managing your household budget and tracking expenses is

making sure that you stay current with all of your bills. That’s where

this free app comes in handy, allowing you to keep up with and even pay

all of your bills with just a few taps of the screen. Called the

“Cadillac of money management apps” by CNN Money and chosen as an iTunes

Staff Favorite, Pageonce is a valuable expense tracking tool.
iXpenseIt Lite –

Tracking daily and monthly expenses is fast and simple with the free

Lite version of the paid iXpenseIt app, which is more than powerful

enough to easily keep up with household budgeting. CNN Money Magazine

calls iXpenseIt Lite one of the “Best iPhone Apps” and LAPTOP Magazine

rates it among the 50 Most Useful iPhone Apps.
Expensify

– While this free app is designed for business travelers, you can still

keep up with your daily household expenses by using Expensify. You can

even generate full PDF copies of your household expense reports for

later review!
Checkbook HD Free

– Once upon a time, household expense tracking and management was

accomplished by keeping an up-to-date and accurate checkbook register.

As paper checks become less and less common, this free app simulates the

experience to help you keep up with your bills the old fashioned way.
Bills Monitor Free

– With this free app, you can review upcoming expenses through the

calendar view or specific categories, keeping up with what’s going out

at any given time. If you’d like to keep your household expenses and

budgeting information hidden from prying eyes, there’s also a

password-protect function.
Smart Budget

– Free, straightforward and easy to use, Smart Budget allows 30 trial

transactions before requiring an upgrade to the full version, giving you

plenty of time to decide whether or not this expense management and

household budgeting tool is for you. Should you choose to upgrade, it

can be quickly and easily handled with in-app purchasing.

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Best Snow Day Announcement: ‘School is Closed’ set to Frozen’s ‘Let it Go’ (VIDEO)

Posted on January 27, 2015

When our kids’ school is out, we get an email or an automated call or perhaps we get the word watching the local news.

Moses Brown High School principal Matt Glendinning of Rhode Island took a creative and fun route by capturing the news in a hilariously funny YouTube video to the very popular Oscar-winning tune “Let it Go” from the blockbuster Disney animated film Frozen.

Too funny! Check it out: “School is Closed”:

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10 Family-Friendly Winter Vacation Locations

Posted on January 27, 2015

The Westin Lake Vegas Resort Spa – Vegas.com

If you live in a cooler climate that experiences wintry weather during the colder months, but aren’t a fan of toughing out the colder days or participating in winter sports, the idea of escaping to a warm, sunny locale for a quick family vacation during winter break can be incredibly appealing. While there are a staggering number of places around the world that enjoy warm weather during the winter months, these are 10 of the best and most family-friendly spots to visit if you’re looking to escape the winter doldrums with your brood.

Florida Keys – With average temperatures in the 70’s, even during January and February, the Florida Keys offer American families the chance to get as close to the equator as possible without leaving the continental United States. In addition to the many beaches and water sports, there are also ample opportunities to learn more about marine life on a glass-bottomed boat or a chartered eco-tour.
Dominican Republic – Skipping the country in search of warmer climates doesn’t have to empty your bank account. During the winter months, most resorts in the beautiful and exotic Dominican Republic slash their prices dramatically, leaving their prices well within most budgets. Temperatures during the winter months also tend to hover in the high 70’s to 80’s.
Maya Riviera, Mexico – With year-round temperature averages of about 78°, the Maya Riviera is a popular destination for those who aren’t wild about winter weather. From sparkling beaches to spectacular Mayan ruins, there’s definitely something to suit every member of your family in the area.
Hawaii – If you don’t mind a bit of crowding, the Hawaiian Islands may be the perfect choice for your winter getaway. Because each of the eight islands has their own attractions and offer something different to tourists, you’ll be able to find activities everyone in the family will enjoy. Luxury accommodations can get quite pricey, however, because the winter months are quite popular for tourists to visit Hawaii.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Vegas might have the dubious honor of being dubbed “Sin City,” but it’s also a surprisingly suitable family destination, and ranked number one on Getaroom.com’s list of wintertime bargain destinations in the United States. Average temperatures fall a bit short of tropical in the winter, hovering in the low 60’s during the winter months, but you still won’t need to pack those heavy jackets and scarves.
The Amalfi Coast, Italy – During the winter months, the Amalfi Coast region is one of the warmest areas of Italy, with average temperatures in the 50’s. Some hotels and restaurants are closed or on limited schedules during the winter months, but there are still plenty of attractions to keep everyone entertained and out of the snow during winter break.
Phoenix, Arizona – With spring-like temperatures hovering in the high 60’s, the many attractions and activities in Phoenix make the city a great escape from winter weather for a short jaunt during winter break. There are plenty of activities for kids, including museums and other educational pursuits, as well as a variety of outdoor activities.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica – From zip-lining through rainforests and thrilling canopy tours to surfing lessons and low-key horseback trail rides, there’s plenty of tropical fun to be had in Costa Rica during the winter months. The crowds are almost non-existent and prices are dramatically dropped during the winter season, which can be quite rainy in certain areas but is easily avoidable by traveling a very short distance.
Orlando, Florida – Families have been making the pilgrimage to Orlando year-round for decades to visit the Happiest Place on Earth and take advantage of the many amenities. It’s significantly less expensive during the winter months, provided that you avoid peak days like Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day, and will have average temperatures in the low 70’s.
Cyprus – The third largest Mediterranean island is dotted with olive and citrus groves, mountains and beaches, and is an impressively low-cost winter vacation destination for families. Temperatures are in the high 70’s from November to February. The island also does not shut down during the winter low season, so you’ll still be able to visit historical sites, go hiking, and enjoy the many amenities of hotels whose rates drop by almost half from November through March.

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Value of 10 old Toys THEN and NOW (INFOGRAPHIC)

Posted on January 25, 2015

The month of January is often reserved by families to clean house, including dumping old toys their kids no longer play with and make room for new toys they got for Christmas or Winter holidays.

Be careful as you chuck old dolls, you may be throwing away a collectors item. I recently purchased a collector’s edition Barbie Irish doll for $3 at my kids’ school holiday bazaar and when I looked up its value today, it’s $69!

Check out Two Little Fleas’ infographic sharing 10 toys that have increased or decreased in monetary value compared to the price at the year of purchase:

Play Interactive Version (via Two Little Fleas Bingo).

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A non-vaccinated kid at Disney responsible for recent measles outbreak

Posted on January 23, 2015

Officials are blaming the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland parks on a kid of “anti-vaxxers”, parents who refuse to immunize their children from deadly diseases,

Apparently, as the theory goes, somebody’s non- vaccinated kid caught the measles while traveling abroad then went to one of the Disney Parks in California and sneezed. It was the little action needed for all the other anti-vaxxer kids at that park to be exposed and come down with the deadly disease.

Sheesh!

A total of 64 children since December in California have contracted the highly contagious disease, a likely impact of the anti-immunization movement, the Washington Post reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that measles is so contagious that if “one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.”

And there you have it. We knew it was coming.

The outbreak has gotten so bad, California officials issued a warning telling anyone under 12 who is not vaccinated to avoid Disney, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Disney has told its employees in contact with measles-sickened co-workers to stay home until they can prove they’ve been vaccinated and undergo a blood test.

It’s a case of too much education, a new study says, finding that anti-vaxxers are affluent, educated and cluster in certain communities and infect each others’ thinking on the issue.

It’s unfortunate. As I’ve blogged before, I could have died from catching German Measles while a small child living in my native Sierra Leone, West Africa decades ago. Vaccinations were a premium and privilege that all kids did not get back when I was growing up.

My best friend and I contracted the disease at the same time and he died.

It is for this reason, I am always baffled by those who decide against vaccinating their kids, and to take their chances, believing they are protecting their kids, and not putting them as risk for early death. A report in 2011, found that the study that catapulted the modern anti-vaxx movement was a big fraud.

Baffles the mind!

Sound off in the comments. Risk worth taking or reckless option to not vaccinate?

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parenting advice

Given that Autism is such a hot topic of late, I am sharing the stats and information from an infographic we shared last year that gave a historic overview of the condition

The History of Autism

Over the past century, the definition of autism and the array of disorders it encompasses has not only changed but also been subject to gross misunderstanding. Let’s take a look at a short history of autism, as well as current diagnosis rates and information.

What is Autism?

Autism: A Brief Timeline

Autism Today