Local Author Hattie Bryant Says “I’ll Have It My Way”
In 1990, Hattie Bryant stumbled upon her life’s calling. Bryant’s mother had suffered a devastating stroke, and after five long weeks of watching and waiting, it became clear to Bryant that her mother wasn’t going to recover. “She didn’t know us. She couldn’t...
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What Every Parent Should Know About Saving for College
As a parent, it’s likely that one of your dreams for your child is that she will go to college. After all, as Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” According to the 2017 Fidelity Investments College Savings Indicator Report, 72...
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Awesome Austin: Find Family Thrills in Adventure Sports
If traditional pastimes seem too tame for your crew, not to worry: Central Texas has you covered. The Austin area is home to plenty of thrilling places that raise the pulse of pint-sized adventurers. Whether you get your kicks on land, in the air or on the water,...
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UV Exposure — Are You at Risk in Your Car?
You probably know it’s important to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays at the pool or beach. But did you know you’re at increased risk from ultraviolet (UV) radiation in your car? About 53 percent of skin cancers in the US occur on the left side of the...
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How Much Do You Know About Scoliosis?
Did you know that one out of 40 people in the US has scoliosis? The condition is a deformity of the spine — instead of being straight, it curves sideways and may look like an “s” or a “c.” June is National Scoliosis Awareness month. One goal of this campaign is to...
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Lotus Birth: A Trend That Doctors Say Has Serious Risks
You may or may not have heard of lotus birth. It’s the practice of not cutting a baby’s umbilical cord soon after birth, and instead leaving it and the placenta attached to the baby. For some people, the umbilical cord and attached placenta look like a lotus flower,...
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Your Child’s Gut Health: What You May Not Know
Your child’s body contains trillions of microscopic organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most of them live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or “gut.” The GI tract is a long, muscular tube about 30 feet long. This is where food and drink...
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Weird Science: Three Projects for Home Exploration
You can’t read a parenting magazine these days without coming across the acronym STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We all know it’s important to expose our children to these disciplines, but do you ever find yourself feeling a little intimidated...
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Educational Places to Take Kids This Summer
Summertime in Austin gets H-O-T. Usually around mid-July, I struggle to come up with things to do with my kids that don’t involve water or dark movie theaters. Determined to enter this summer with a plan that both shakes up our lackluster routine and sneaks in some...
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Your Game Plan for Moving Up to a New School
Transitioning from one level of school to the next can provoke mixed feelings in children. They’re excited about graduating to the next stage, yet the accomplishment brings with it uncertainty and fear of the unknown. Mix in a little parental pride and anxiety, and...
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How to Tell if Your Child Is Gifted
At one time or another, you might have wondered if your child is gifted. Maybe your son can identify all the birds in your neighborhood. Or maybe your daughter is already reading at age 4. How can you know for sure if your child is an exceptional learner? The truth...
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Little by Little, Work on Skills All Summer
Q. This summer, all my kids want to do is have fun. They ask to swim and play all day. They ask to eat junk food while skipping vegetables and fruit. I enjoy the summer break too, but when do I need to get them ready for the next school year? A. I’m all in for...
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Just Lively or Something Else: Do My Boys Have ADHD?
Q. My husband and I have two boys (3 and 6), and both their teachers tell me they can’t sit still. The younger one won’t stay on the rug during story time. His older brother is often in trouble for not staying in his seat. I know the teachers are frustrated, and I...
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Strategies for Solving the Selfish Child Problem
Q. My 9-year-old daughter is so selfish. We live with my sister and her kids (ages 5 and 2). My daughter won’t share or let them in her room. She’s disrespectful to me and my sister. I’m irritated with having to tell her the same thing over and over. How can I get my...
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Help Girls to Speak Up and Speak Out
Q. My friend just discovered that her teenaged daughter was sexually abused years ago but didn’t tell her. My husband and I have three girls (14, 11 and 7). If someone even tries to abuse one of them, I want her to tell me so I can stop it. Why don’t girls who’ve...
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Family Game Night Smackdown
I don’t believe it’s possible to truly judge a person’s character until you have seen them play a video game. Particularly, until you see them play against family members. It’s a good way to test your own moral fiber. If you’re relatively comfortable playing video...
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The Great Mosquito Escape
I may still be considered a “young” mom (beginning to hear teenagers call me “ma’am”), but I’m old enough to remember a time before technology solved everything. In swampy Texas summers, all we had to keep mosquitos away was cancer spray or weak candles that smelled...
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Mommy Milestone: Pee Seat
Every bed in my house wears a mattress pad. This protective layer is the only line of defense against bodily fluids destroying an overpriced mattress. They’re indispensable — the greatest invention of the modern world, right behind Spanx. All this is to say, I...
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Secrets to an Always-Healthy Kid
“Your kids never get sick – you’re so lucky!” I hate to brag, but I’ve heard this from more than one friend. And it’s true. My kids are incredibly healthy (knock on proverbial wood). For families in search of the key to wellness, let me tell you how we keep our...
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