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Featured Articles
15 Ideas for Unique Birthday Gifts
Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary gift for a child’s birthday? This list of solid winners built around enduring childhood passions is sure to be a hit with the birthday boy or girl. As a bonus, you might just have a little fun putting these gift ideas together,...
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Birthday Parties for Busy Parents – Fun Party Places Your Kids Will Love
So your child's birthday is just around the corner, and you don’t have time to plan and prepare the perfect birthday party? Don’t despair. There are plenty of fun places to hold kids' parties that’ll save you time in planning, preparation and cleanup. Most...
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Student Leader Talks About Life with Autism
Thoughtful, eloquent and confident, Aaron Allen makes an impression in conversation. The senior at Del Valle High School has been through an experience that powerfully transformed his outlook and his self-image, and he’s happy to talk about it. Allen has autism, a...
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5 Reasons for Childhood Sunburn (and How to Prevent the Next One)
Uh oh – your child just showed signs of a sunburn. What can you do to treat it, and how can you prevent the next one? Unlike a burn from a hot stove, sunburn symptoms don’t appear right away. It could be up to 4 hours before you realize that your child has a sunburn....
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Are Supplements the Right Choice for Your Child?
Many websites and social media posts encourage the use of supplements for children — sometimes with claims for treating specific medical conditions. How can you know which supplements your child needs, if any? Dr. Reshma Shah, a pediatrician interested in nutrition...
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What to Know About Food Allergies in Children
More people have food allergies than ever before. The number of people with food allergies has increased by 50 percent over the past decade or so. According to FARE, a food allergy research and education advocacy group, one out of every 13 children has a food allergy...
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Strategies for Teaching Your Child to Swallow a Pill
The day will come when your child will need to swallow a pill. Some children have no problem swallowing pills; others flatly refuse or are terrified. Here are some strategies for helping your child master this important skill. Pills vs Liquid Medicine Medicines for...
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Reimagining a Bright Future for All Students
My oldest has never really fit the standard academic mold. She is a creative dreamer. She is gifted in art, and her singing voice has moved many people to tears, not just counting family. She’s obviously bright, inquisitive and finely tuned-in to people’s emotions....
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Play Breaks Give Students the Winning Edge
One look at a child, and you know she is meant to be a body in motion. Why then did schools begin reducing recess and physical education time? Many blame it on standardized testing, as the need to demonstrate good scores affected the prioritization of academics at the...
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Ask for Accommodations If Your Child Needs Help with STAAR Testing
We are coming up on STAAR test season once again. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, tests are administered to all Texas public school students in grades 3-12 in the spring of each year. State-developed curriculum standards guide educators...
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Montessori Practices You Can Put to Work at Home
Most parents have heard of Montessori schools and might have a basic understanding of how they operate. If you're like me, however, you haven't thought about incorporating Montessori practices into your home, especially if your child doesn’t attend a Montessori...
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Giving Up the Beloved Binky
Q. We’re expecting our first child, and I’m curious about pacifiers. My wife plans to breastfeed our baby. Will we still need or want to use a pacifier? And if we do, when is a good time to get the child to give up the pacifier? A. Sometimes when mothers breastfeed,...
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Parenting in Harmony Takes Work
Q. My daughter and I got into a heated argument the other day. My husband was there, and he took my daughter’s side. It’s been bothering me ever since, and my relationships with both my husband and daughter have been affected. How can I make things right? A. I think...
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Am I a “Lawnmower” Parent?
Q. When my middle school daughter cried because she wasn’t put in the same English class as her best friend, I called the principal to request she be moved. I told my sister about it, and she called me a “lawnmower” parent. She said I make excuses for my daughter and...
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How to Get Teens Out of Bed in the Morning
Q. We have two boys, ages 13 and 16. My husband leaves early for work, so it’s my job to get the boys up, ready for school and out to the car for the drive to school. I have to call them several times before they finally get up. By then I’m frantic, because we barely...
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Internet Challenges Quickly Captivate Young Brains
In the summer of 2011, I did a dumb thing. Fueled by bravado, ego and vacation mischief, I gobbled down a “Man vs. Food” hamburger challenge, piled high with ghost chiles. Ghosts are associated with death for a reason. I writhed in pain, twirling in bed for 24 hours...
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Upcoming Technology for Cutting-Edge Families
Just as 2019 hits full stride, the technology giants are plying their newest wares. Last month’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), as in every year, was an extravaganza of tech finery, providing a barometer for things to come. Not everything that happens in Vegas stays...
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Teens Have a Nuanced Relationship with Social Media
Stereotypes of young people are hard to shake. Every ensuing generation seems to pepper their juniors with breathy judgment. For the past decade, the youthful use of social media has invited shrill suspicion. Jabs against supposed social and personal corrosion have...
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Letters to Santa in the Digital Age
Recently, a friend of mine heard her kindergartener praying. She tip-toed to the door and eavesdropped. As she quietly listened in she realized, hilariously, that her daughter was praying to Santa. I smiled so hard it almost broke my face. Jelly Belly vs. Jesus for...
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