These periods of eating less or not opting for what adults may consider a “full meal” can make you nervous that your little one isn’t getting the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. In fact, many toddlers simply eat one good meal each day and then just pick at their other meals. Can that be healthy? Sure. As long as they are gaining weight and growing and developing normally for them....

As a parent coach or volunteer, you can help your team grow closer with bonding activities like these. Ideally, you should limit participation to team members and chaperones (at least most of the time). Having other parents and siblings along changes the dynamic and doesn’t help the team develop tight bonds. Team Bonding Outings Take team members to see sporting events in their chosen sport, at the high school, college, or semi-pro level (since those are more affordable than professional events)....

At 1 week, you aren’t technically pregnant yet, but it’s an important time of preparation. While your body is starting a new cycle to achieve pregnancy, you and partner can prepare by talking openly about your feelings and expectations, making healthy lifestyle choices, and choosing a doctor if you don’t already have one. If you’ve already taken a pregnancy test and spotted the telltale pink lines, you’re likely farther along than you think....

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) encourages frequent position changes that don’t interfere with maternal and fetal monitoring and that are not contraindicated by complications. In some cases, a baby may respond poorly to certain positions. If that happens, you will need to try something different. For instance, the standard supine (back-lying) position has known adverse effects, like fetal heart deceleration. It’s hard to know how your body or your baby will respond to positions in labor, so trying out a variety of different things is a good idea....

Do they send kids home with any sort of sniffle or is fever a requirement? Or, are they extremely lax in letting sick kids remain, creating an exposure risk to otherwise healthy kids? Parents should also find out what care options exist when a child care provider becomes ill. Some facilities offer a break if a child has an extended illness, and others offer a certain number of days as credit to be used toward vacation, illness or other types of absence....

Soda and Drink Guidelines in School and at Home The USDA Smart Snacks in School beverage guidelines limit soda and other high-calorie drinks sold in schools. Some experts think that the guidelines may not go far enough. For example, although the guidelines allow juice with no added sweeteners, these drinks still have a lot of calories. Diet sodas allowed in high schools have few calories, but they also lack nutrition. If they were banned, teens might be encouraged to drink low-fat milk....

Sometimes rewards won’t be necessary once a child is able to see the task as a manageable one. However, avoid the reverse: don’t say things like, “If you worked harder, you would do better.” Another creative approach to homework is to link it to interest. For example, a dull math worksheet can be the decoding assignment of an astronaut’s space mission to Mars. Unless the work is done correctly, the mission will fail....

From names that mean love to monikers inspired by hearts and romance, these baby girl names and baby boy names are sweet (and a little sappy). If you’re looking for a popular or unique name for your littlest loved one, there is a lot of inspiration to be found in Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day-Inspired Baby Girl Names Valentine’s Day-Inspired Baby Boy Names Valentine’s Day-Inspired Gender Neutral Baby Names Are you searching for other baby boy names or baby girl names?...

No matter the culture, the Christmas spirit infuses our thoughts and motives during the holidays. Even if you’re a humbug, the magic is contagious. In whatever way you choose to celebrate Christmas, having at least one tradition, like an advent calendar or opening pajamas on Christmas Eve, is an important part of building heartfelt memories for your family. More:5 Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas for Big Families Heather Wallace, FamilyEducation’s positive parenting expert and facilitator of Empowered Parenting, agrees, “Adding traditions to your family culture can be an invaluable experience that can lead to a greater connection....

What’s more, the idea of a BFF has morphed into a fantasy—one where they never fight, they are super close, and they are always happy. And, the more BFFs they have, the cooler they are. Consequently, many girls succumb to the pressure to find a BFF and fall into the trap of trying to be liked by everyone and to please others. Not only is this unhealthy, but it also opens the door to cliques and peer pressure....

Traditions can provide families with a sense of identity and belonging. They can inspire positive feelings and memories that family members can share. Family traditions also provide a sense of continuity across generations. They are a way of transferring the family’s values, history, and culture from one generation to the next. Family Traditions to Try This Year Here are a few family traditions that you can adapt for your family or use as fodder for developing your own unique ideas....

This constant motion can create an exhausting tension that brings on feelings of frustration, sadness, and yup…familiar feels of mom burnout. All of this tension seeps into how we communicate with our loved ones and can cause an unintentional negative experience. When finding a calm place from which to parent feels as insurmountable as your seventeen-million piles of dirty laundry, it might be time to check out tools that can help move your family to a space where loving connection is everything....

1. Minion Does your little one love Minions? What kid doesn’t? For this costume, get a pair of overalls and a yellow sweatshirt. Then, pick up a pair of goggles and black gloves. You can find them at your local home improvement store, or even at the dollar store. Finally, grab some black yarn for hair. Put the sweatshirt on underneath the overalls with the hood up. Glue a few short strands of black yarn to the hood for hair....