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Milestones you'd rather forget
When you have a baby or young child in the house, it's hard not to get excited about the milestones. First smile, first step, first words. As each milestone occurs, we rush to the baby book (or, for those with multiples or just many) the calendar, to mark the date for posterity. First haircut, first pair of shoes. Even when the little darlings get bigger, the milestones don't go away, they just get bigger too. First dance, first date, first day of high school, driver's license, first job.
But, there are some milestones we don't put in the baby book too. We don't need a baby book; some thing are burned into our brains forever. Here are some milestones we don't look forward to:
* At first, baby's diaper's didn't even stink! How sweet is that? But then came baby's first diaper blowout. Nevermind.
* Awwww! Baby found her nose! Eiwww, baby picks her nose.
* A little spit-up is no biggie; every baby has a wet burp now and then. But baby's first projectile vomit is in a whole new category of yuck. ... Read more
Some tips for when kids are in the hospital
Happy news: The Little Koala was released from the hospital after four days. It took her -- and the whole family -- somewhat longer to completely shake The Crud that was stalking us. But it is wonderful to all be under the same roof again.
Unfortunately for the Koala, this was not her first time in the hospital. Not by a long shot. In her first six months of life, she had four hospital stays. The first was two months long, the second was about three days, the third about ten days, and the fourth nearly a month (and over Christmas, alas). It is stressful and scary to have a little one in "the big house," as we called it. Getting information is crucial: It is much easier to be calm when you understand what's happening and why. And a calm and supportive family is crucial for the little one who's ailing.
Here are a few tips for communicating with the medical team caring for your child. They are all things my husband and I learned from experience. ... Read more
Synthetic marijuana sold at convenience stores
I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling like an out of touch old fogey today after reading this eye-opening story by my colleague Rodney Thrash that many convenience stores sell synthetic marijuana under the brand names Spice, K2 Red Magic, Red Dragon, Diesel, Serenity and Blueberry Meditation.
It's strong, as accessible as soda pop, and it's legal.
I've long thought we had a dysfunctional drug policy in this country and now it seems the laboratories that cook up pills and fake pot are the ones launching another front. It's no longer some shady drug dealer in the backwoods we have to keep our eyes out for.
There are laws being drafted now to outlaw the synthetic weed, but one of the stores that sells it offers another point of view: ... Read more
Protecting your student athlete's teeth -- for free!
If your child plays sports, then you know one of the things to do for them is protect them with the right safety equipment. And while pads and other equipment are important, it's also a good idea to find a mouth guard that works for them. There may be a one-fits-all version out there but the folks at Orthodontic Specialists of Florida want to help by fitting your middle or high school athlete with a free, custom-fitted mouth guard. Yes, that's right -- FREE! ... Read more
On the road doesn't just mean fast food
A road trip doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take an unhealthy detour with your family’s diet.
I love family road trips, but I do not particularly love the dining choices on the Interstate. Fast-food, drive-thrus, and gas station vending machines don’t always offer the most healthy choices, but with a little planning you don’t have to let good eating habits go on vacation, too.
1. The cooler is your best friend. I love a well-stocked cooler on a road trip -- it is my number one weapon against the siren call of the squawk box of a drive-thru. We keep healthy snacks -- pre-approved by kids taste buds -- and lots of cold water packed inside. Keep it in the car rather than the trunk for easy reaching. ... Read more
Healthy eating now considered a mental disorder
According to this report in The Guardian newspaper and echoed on several online sites recently, eating healthy is now considered a mental disorder among some psychologists.
Orthrexia nervosa, which is Latin for “nervous about correct eating,” is a term coined by a California doctor and used to describe individuals who "can be overweight or look normal. They are solely concerned with the quality of the food they put in their bodies, refining and restricting their diets according to their personal understanding of which foods are truly 'pure'." ... Read more
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THE AUTHORS
E-mail Sharon Kennedy Wynne:
wynne@tampabay.com
E-mail Kate Brassfield:
katedaphne17@gmail.com