Our idea of family may have changed a ton—there are new roles and routines to adjust to and new highs and new lows. Yet, through it all, it can be helpful to remind ourselves of the people in our lives who are there for us, whether in person or over the phone. Here are the ways our team at Verywell has learned to appreciate family. Even if it means staying apart, there are always opportunities to come closer together....

Simply put, this means that the program has been specifically designed to teach skills that have been proven to be helpful in learning to read, such as phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, text comprehension (including decoding and word attack skills) and prosody. What Basal Reading Programs Look Like Basal readers are usually a grade-leveled series of textbooks produced by an educational publisher. They focus on teaching reading either by a code-emphasis approach or a meaning-emphasis approach....

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) lists three primary reasons to induce labor: In addition to these recommendations, providers might suggest an induction if amniotic fluid levels are low, or if your water has broken without being followed by contractions within 24 hours. The ACOG also says that inductions without medical indication should not happen prior to 39 weeks gestation. There are simply too many risks to the baby prior to that timing....

While a mattress may just seem like, well, a mattress, there are specific safety considerations to keep in mind, as well as features that are worth looking (and budgeting) for. Safety Standards Because safety is central to choosing a crib and mattress, the dimensions of full-size cribs and mattresses have been standardized under federal regulations. That makes it easy to buy the two separately without worrying about fit. The aim of these regulations is to prevent accidental head entrapment and suffocation between the mattress and the crib sides....

Donna didn’t know what to do at first. It didn’t seem to make sense that her perfectly-trained daughter, who was even night-trained, was suddenly unable to control her bladder. After talking to other parents, Donna realized that the birth of her second child was most likely the cause of Agathe’s regression. Agathe was having difficulty adjusting to sharing her mama with someone else, who always seemed to need her. “Seeing a baby get all this attention, she wanted some herself,” Donna explains....

Determine What Type of Caregiver You Want There are key differences between a nanny, au pair, mother’s helper, babysitter, and a private caregiver, so the first thing you should do is research which type of care you prefer. Compensation, training, living arrangements, hours, and transportation requirements may greatly influence what type of professional care provider you seek and can reasonably employ. Prioritize Your Requirements Over Your Preferences While it’s easy to imagine hiring a Mary Poppins who is capable of doing it all, keep in mind that child care providers are only human, just like you....

Herbs are commonly used to boost low milk supply, but certain actions, foods, and medications can help you make more breast milk as well. Learn more about how to increase breast milk supply by using a galactagogue. Do You Need a Galactagogue? Although many people worry about making enough breast milk, most do not need to use a galactagogue and are actually making sufficient amounts of breast milk. If your newborn has a good latch and you’re breastfeeding on demand at least every 2 to 3 hours, you should make enough breast milk for your baby....

What Is FMLA? The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained. People can use FMLA when they or a family member have a serious illness. They also can use it to care for a newborn or an adopted child. The idea is that if someone qualifies and their employer meets certain requirements, they can take time off to handle these important situations without losing their health insurance or their job....

Being a Hostess at Your Play Date Being a play date hostess can be a scary idea if you’ve never invited a bunch of moms and their friends over to your home before. With a little planning, you can host a play date that’s fun for everyone and easy on you. Be ready when the doorbell rings and your house quickly fills up with moms and babies looking for a fun time....

The best way to lessen the discomfort and fear (for both you and your child) is to educate yourself on what will happen and to be ready to manage any physical and emotional trauma that your little one may go through. Preparing Yourself Preparing children for surgery begins by preparing yourself. Here are some of the basic things you should know before taking your child into the operating room....

The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child should visit the dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday. While it may sound early, starting at that age will start your baby on a path for great oral health and prevent a number of dental problems that can occur during childhood. The first visit gives parents a chance to become educated on how to properly care for their child’s teeth and gives children a chance to become comfortable with the dental environment at an early age....

Play is the work of your young children. From the first lullaby to dramatization of a favorite story, music and other creative arts can stimulate language and literacy development. You can help build pre-literacy skills through dramatic play and one-on-one interaction. Many pediatricians believe that a child who has never held a book or listened to a story is not a fully healthy child. Reading aloud to young children is so critical that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that doctors prescribe reading activities along with other advice given to parents at regular check-ups....

But there may come a time you when decide to send out an announcement about your loss to friends and family. Below, you’ll find some suggested wordings for loss announcements of many kinds. Use what feels right for you or draft one of your own. Mail and Email Announcements If you’ve already told people you’re pregnant, it may be easier to send out an announcement—either by mail or email—to let everyone know at once that you’ve miscarried or that your baby died....

While stories such as this don’t usually make national headlines, Brown and Rihanna have spotlighted a very real issue amongst teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teen dating abuse affects 1 out of every 11 high school students. Teen dating violence, as defined by the Crime and Violence Prevention Center (CVPC), includes hitting, yelling, threatening, name calling, or any other form of verbal, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse....

More: Our Favorite Pregnancy Announcement Ideas Whether you’re a first-time momma or have some experience, you want your baby announcement to be memorable. If you’re stuck about how you’re going to make your grand pregnancy reveal, here are some pregnancy announcement ideas to let your man know he’s going to be a new dad. 1. Create a Scavenger Hunt When it comes to unique ways to make your pregnancy announcement, this one is at the top of the list....

Before you jump to any conclusions, however, consider that positive discipline may be an effective way to teach your children valuable life lessons. While it still involves giving kids negative consequences for misbehavior, it also involves taking steps to prevent behavior problems before they start. Build a Positive Relationship Positive discipline uses an authoritative approach, where a child’s feelings are taken into consideration. Children are encouraged to share their feelings as well as discuss their mistakes, ideas, and problems openly....

The following list provides just a few examples to get your creative thought processes going: Study of almost any historical event can be greatly enhanced by a visit to important sites related to that event. For example, study the Civil War and then plan a vacation that includes visits to actual battlefields. Or, when American history is being studied, plan a trip to Washington D.C. Trips to oceans and beaches can include many activities that support biology and other science topics....

It’s easy for kids to get restless and bored indoors during the winter holidays—especially if it’s cold where you live and you’re staying at home. Sit-down family board games are often the go-to, but you can also mix things up and get creative. These holiday activities can be easily modified to suit your space and the holiday you’re celebrating, and are adaptable for kids of all ages and abilities. First, set up a wrapping station with paper, ribbons, scissors, and tape....