Engel has managed to maintain a friendly relationship with each of these young women, but she is not oblivious to the unique problems that challenge stepfamilies. Consequently, she became an advocate and spokesperson for stepfamilies, developed an expertise in legal issues that affect stepfamilies, authored two books on related topics, and currently serves as president of the Stepfamily Association of America. Whether or not a step-mom is able to carve out a successful relationship with her stepdaughter is sometimes beyond her control, particularly if a biological mom is not supportive of the friendship....

Put your right foot out to the side and back in (like the hokey-pokey). Repeat.Put your left foot out and back in. Repeat.Hop forward, then wait a beat.Hop backward, then wait a beat.Hop forward three times.Do it all over again! For bocce, use hard-boiled or plastic eggs instead of the typical bocce balls. You need one white egg to serve as the pallina, or target. The goal is to roll the other eggs as close as you can to the pallina without touching it....

Get a tournament going or just kick the ball around for fun, you can even toss extra fitness challenges into each base to ramp up the exercise quotient. The kids won’t even realize you’re sneaking in the extra fitness!

Published in Environmental Health, the study finds that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may increase a child’s risk of being overweight. Though more research is needed, initial results show that those babies gain weight more quickly during their first year of life, potentially leading to health concerns now and in the future. About the Study Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder followed 123 Hispanic mother-child pairs in Southern California....

More: How to Make the Transition from the School Schedule to Summer Mode Going to the movies is always a fun and iconic summer treat. It gets you out of the house, into the air conditioning, and entertained. Seeing a movie on the big screen and eating snacks is a family favorite and AMC just offered the best summer discounts for parents. Every Wednesday all summer long, kids can get a movie ticket and an AMC KidsPack, which includes a kid-size popcorn and fountain drink, plus a pack of AMC frootie tooties, all for just four dollars....

15 to 20 minutes Materials Some of your toddler’s clothesLarge stuffed animals Directions Extensions Add sunglasses and jewelry.Add a favorite hat.Make the animal talk about what you are doing.Have the doll say, “Thank you,” for the new look.

Once you realize that these diseases, like measles, flu, and meningococcal meningitis, etc., might in the best case scenario just keep you out of school for a few weeks, but can also tragically be deadly, you will hopefully encourage them to catch up on all of their vaccines. Your Teen and Vaccines You probably shouldn’t just assume that they have already had all of their immunizations just because they were attending public or private high school....

The name Ava might also be another version of Eve or Eva, which comes from the Hebrew name Havva (from the word hayya) meaning “life, lively.” Yet another possible meaning is “voice, sound” which comes from the Persian language. How Popular Is the Name Ava? The name Ava was not particularly popular during most of this century until very recently. Although it always held a place in the top 1,000 names according to the Social Security Administration 2020 data, it barely hung on to the list during certain years....

The City Tour 2 is a dedicated travel stroller that folds up tightly, allowing for easier travel while still providing a smooth, comfortable ride for the child. This compact, 14.5-pound stroller fits into a convenient package that’s ideal for parents who don’t have the space—in the car or in the house—to store and transport a large stroller. Our expert product testers put this stroller to use over the course of three months....

All child passenger safety experts and safety organizations agree that it’s safe for little legs to touch the vehicle seat when riding rear-facing. What About Kids’ Comfort? Parents sometimes ask what children are supposed to do with their long legs if they stay rear-facing for several years. “That can’t possibly be comfortable!” is a common sentiment. Although it looks uncomfortable to our adult eyes, it’s actually very comfortable for toddlers to ride in a rear-facing car seat....

15 minutes Materials Small timer Directions Extensions If you have troubles with story time, set the timer and begin where you left off with any unfinished books the next night.

How Will We Make Our Relationship a Priority? Especially if you’re used to being alone on dates or at one another’s homes, living together with your children is going to be an adjustment. Don’t wait for some type of “problem” to pop up before you decide to intentionally tend to your relationship with your partner. Make plans to continue dating one another or schedule an occasional weekend getaway so that you can have some time alone....

Swimming works every muscle in your body, and since you are weightless in the water, it’s an exercise you can safely and comfortably continue throughout your entire pregnancy. There is nothing like floating in refreshing water when you are pregnant! We reached out to the experts to learn more about the benefits of swimming while pregnant. Is Swimming Safe During Pregnancy? We have good news: there really aren’t any specific dangers when it comes to taking a swim while pregnant....