In the world outside of K-12 education, major decisions are routinely based on more than one type of assessment, says John Merrow, author of Choosing Excellence: Good Enough Schools Are Not Good Enough. A medical doctor, for example, wouldn’t operate on a patient based on the results of a single test. Instead, the doctor would take a second measurement and look for other indicators. Similarly, college admissions offices never base their decisions solely on test scores....

15 to 30 minutes Materials Piece of rope at least 6 feet long Directions Extensions Keep track of ways to go under the rope and talk about which ones work best.

Hammer or large bucket of sand Broomstick with a flat end Chalk, a stick, or a rope Ping-Pong ball Five beanbags or sponges Directions

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) defines deafness as the “audiological condition of not hearing.” The NAD includes people with very limited hearing who cannot rely on their limited sense of hearing for comfortable communication. Causes of Deafness Most deaf children are born to hearing parents. Causes of deafness include: Heredity: Genetic links have been found in the Human Genome Mapping Project Severe illness in childhood such as rubella (German measles) or spinal meningitis Prenatal maternal illnesses Exposure to long-term loud noise or exposure to sudden extreme noise Preventable prenatal substance abuse Physical injury or damage to the brain, the head, or the ear Age-related hearing loss...

The situation gets worse as kids grow into adolescence. The landmark Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health released in 1996 found that almost half of all youths age 12 to 20 were not vigorously active on a regular basis and 14 percent were completely inactive. Girls are twice as likely to be inactive as boys. In some ways, safety concerns have actually contributed to the problem. Fearing harm from strangers or traffic, today’s parents are more likely to drive their kids everywhere rather than let them walk or ride their bikes, as previous generations did....

Hugs release oxytocin (often referred to as the “love hormone), and there’s even evidence suggesting that hugs can decrease blood pressure, reduce illness severity, and help people recover from interpersonal conflict. Ahead, we’ll take a closer look at the research on kids and hugging, connect with therapists who offer wisdom on the benefit, and share what to do if your child doesn’t like to be hugged. Why Are Hugs Important for Kids (and Parents)?...

Fortunately, you can still get your daily caffeine fix while pregnant, but there are some important things to know about how to safely consume caffeine during pregnancy. Caffeine Safety Recommendations During Pregnancy Caffeine is an ingredient in many beverages, foods, and snacks, so it might be hard to avoid caffeine altogether. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry too much about taking in a small to moderate amount of caffeine each day during pregnancy....

Making a decision about treatment is best made between you and your healthcare providers. Still, the more you know about your options, the easier it will be to navigate this part of your journey. To help you make sense of what is available to you, we have outlined the treatment options for postpartum depression—psychotherapy, medication, alternative/complementary options, and lifestyle changes—in a clear and easy-to-understand way. Psychotherapy Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is usually the first treatment option offered to people battling postpartum depression, especially for mild to moderate cases....

Advice About Circumcision First, there is the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics’ position on circumcision has evolved quite a bit over the years. In 1971, they stated that there are no valid medical indications for circumcision in the neonatal period. That changed to there being “no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision” in 1975 and to saying that “data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision” in 1999....

Reasons for an Adult Adoption It’s important to note that adult adoption is different from establishing guardianship. Legal guardianship is intended to help safeguard and provide for an adult who cannot care for him or herself. Guardians are able to act for the person for whom they provide guardianship, making legal, financial, and health decisions on the individual’s behalf. Adult adoptions are completed for different reasons: Birth family: An adult adoptee after finding his/her birth family may choose to be adopted by his/her family of origin....

Trying for your first or third child? Didn’t matter. Trying for a year or eight years? Didn’t matter. Experienced no lost pregnancies or many lost pregnancies? Didn’t matter. If you needed support, you received support. This is how it should be. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In fact, sometimes the dialog and dynamic in online infertility forums can get really combative—and the ensuing drama can become stressful, unproductive, and unsetting in its own right....

Some couples may also turn to more scientific methods like IVF to improve their odds of having a girl or boy. However, IVF treatments are often very costly and not an option for every family. So, if you do find out that your baby isn’t the sex you hoped for, how can you move past these feelings of sadness or disappointment? Gender disappointment is a normal reaction if your dreams don’t match reality....

But for families who don’t celebrate Christmas, being surrounded by holiday decor for months can be overwhelming. It might even feel exclusionary, particularly if you have young children who are wondering why they don’t participate in the same customs as their classmates. We turned to some experts to dig into the trends surrounding the holiday hype, along with some tools for how to cope if your household isn’t a Christmas-celebrating one....

Likewise, your teen needs to realize that no matter how hard they try to be a good partner, they cannot make the abuse stop. But, they can take steps to keep themselves as safe as possible regardless of their partner’s words, actions, and choices. Often, the first step in accomplishing that task is thinking through how they can take back some control and stay safe and then putting those things into a safety plan....

Teens may need professional counseling for behavior problems, emotional problems, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, stress, relationship difficulties, and traumatic experiences. The longer you wait to seek help, the worse your teen’s problems may become. It’s important to seek help as soon as you can. Learn about the warning signs that indicate it’s time to get help. Is It Just Normal Teen Behavior? It can be hard to tell if your teen is having serious problems or if her actions constitute normal teenage behavior....

Select the Right Site The single most important choice you will make, and that will have the greatest chance to make or break your family camping experience, is the site you select. You may really like the idea of backpacking several miles into a remote location and setting up camp, but your kids (or your partner) may not be quite as into that idea as you are. If you have some novice campers, choosing a campsite in an established campground at a state or national park might be a good idea....

A game of Capture the Flag can be a quick and simple turnaround or a long battle. Everything depends on the deviousness of the players. That, plus the number of teams and players and the size of your playing area, will determine the length and competitiveness of a game. You can play with any number of players but usually having at least 6 or more on a side is ideal....

For example, can your child also be a vegetarian if you are a vegetarian? Depending on the diet, the answer is usually yes. But there is a caveat; you must develop meal plans that ensure your child receives all the nutrients needed for adequate growth and development. Appropriately planned vegetarian or vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics....