Jan
27
By Amy Bertrand, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
When attempts to get pregnant failed, Colleen Carlton and her husband, Rob, did something they had always wanted to do: adopt. Little did they know at the time that their decision would lead to two children, born just two months apart.
Question: Why did you and your husband decide to adopt?
Answer: Rob and I always knew we always wanted to adopt. Our original plan was to have a biological child of our own and then adopt. When our attempts to have a biological child through fertility treatments, IUI (intrauterine insemination) and finally IVF (in vitro fertilization), failed, we stopped beating ourselves up about treatments and went straight to adoption.
We first did research online, which just made me sad and...
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Jan
27
By Priscilla J. Dunstan, McClatchy-Tribune
Last week we looked at bad dreams and night time monsters, so this week I thought we would look at the common fear of creepy crawlies.
Mild phobias can start to slow at a very early age, and can grow into larger issues, if not dealt with effectively. The link between a child’s dominant sense and the child’s not only affects the way the child expresses the phobia, but also the way the fear is best addressed for that child.
As a first step to helping your child deal with their nervousness is to desensitize them to it. This does not mean by having them hold what they fear in their hands, but rather, by changing the focus, from something scary and unknown to something that is odd and funny...
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Jan
26
By MICHAEL HILL, Associated Press
SOUTH EDMESTON, N.Y. — Chobani is making Greek yogurt as fast as Americans are eating it.
Its plant in upstate New York farm country already pumps out 1.5 million cases of the thick yogurt every week, and pallets are stacked four stories high in the chilled warehouse.
But like other Greek yogurt makers, Chobani is expanding.
Greek yogurt now accounts for a quarter of the total yogurt market after a dizzying growth spurt that is especially apparent here in the heart of upstate New York. The nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 Greek yogurt brands — Chobani and Fage, respectively — are both expanding plants within 60 miles of each other, and another company is building a plant in western New York. The expansions come...
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Jan
26
nameberry.com
Are there really any good unusual boys’ names left in the Bible? Old Testament names for boys have been fashionable for going on half a century now, from the 1960s Adam to the present day Asher. Could there possibly be any obscure-yet-usable choices left?
Hundreds of them, in fact. The Bible is so full of unusual boys’ names that the choices seem nearly infinite, and as a new generation moves from hoary to hottie, others that once seemed to strange to consider start to feel possible.
Here, a dozen unusual Biblical names for boys you might want to consider.
Addar, “mighty one.” The name of a son of Bela (a Biblical king, not the Twilight heroine), Addar might make a good substitute for Aidan or Asher.
Ara, “lion.” Ara...
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Jan
25
MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The first major nutritional overhaul of school meals in more than 15 years means most offerings, including popular pizza, will come with less sodium and more whole grains, with a wider selection of fruits and vegetables on the side, first lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced during a visit Wednesday with elementary students.
Pizza won’t disappear from lunch lines, but will be made with healthier ingredients.
Mrs. Obama, also joined by celebrity chef Rachael Ray, said youngsters will learn better if they don’t have growling stomachs at school.
“We have a right to expect the food (our kids) get at school is the same kind of food we want to serve...
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Jan
25
By Cathy Kelly, Santa Cruz Sentinel
LIVE OAK, CALIF. — At the Santa Cruz Toddler Center, even the chairs for adults are small, as everything is geared to 1- and 2-year-olds.
And the tots have some carefully orchestrated freedom, so that they can learn to make their own age-appropriate choices.
They nap when they get tired, and their caregivers help them to recognize the signs of being tired, so that they soon begin announcing nap time on their own. They are not forced to share toys.
On a recent morning, several tots sat down to lunch in a remarkably organized way, certain of the expectations and the routine. The menu was a nutritional powerhouse, featuring organic, whole wheat pasta, kale chips, pistachios, chard and nutritional yeast, some grown...
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Jan
24
HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer
NEW YORK — This year’s winners of the top prizes in children’s literature were honored for stories of resilience over the most everyday troubles: a boy grounded by his parents, a dog that loses its favorite toy.
Jack Gantos’ “Dead End in Norvelt” won the John Newbery Medal for the best children’s book of 2011, and Chris Raschka’s “A Ball for Daisy” won the Randolph Caldecott award for best illustration. The prizes were announced Monday by the American Library Association during its midwinter meeting in Dallas.
No cash prizes are given, but the awards are watched closely by booksellers and librarians and often lead to increased sales and a lasting place on a school or...
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Jan
24
The Associated Press
TREMONTON, Utah — A 14-year-old Utah boy is dead after police say he accidentally shot himself with a miniature toy cannon.
Authorities say the boy was playing with the toy at about 7:30 a.m. Monday in his living room in Tremonton, about 75 miles north of Salt Lake City. Tremonton Police Chief David Nance says the boy was struck in the face after the cannon somehow went off.
The boy’s older brother was in the room at the time, and the boy’s father also was in the house. The boy, who hasn’t been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators are still trying to determine how a propellant got into the cannon, which is described as an 18th century replica with a six-inch metal barrel and a wooden...
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Jan
23
By June Naylor, McClatchy Newspapers
It’s never too soon to teach kids how to make comforting dishes like those found in Italian cuisine. And even picky eaters will enjoy many of the creations found in the new book “Top 100 Pasta Dishes: Easy Everyday Recipes That Children Will Love,” by Annabel Karmel (Atria Books, $18). Here’s one that will quickly become a favorite in your house.
Chicken cannelloni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (such as Italian)
- 8 ounces ground chicken
- 8-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ketchup
- Cheese...
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Jan
23
By Zach Mack, McClatchy-Tribune
Preparing for the birth of a child is one of the most exciting things that can happen to a couple. Even if it’s just testing paint swatches in the nursery, lots of time and energy is spent getting everything ready for the big day. And while the preparations themselves may seem hectic, they pale in comparison to the duties that come along with caring for a newborn infant.
This is why the trend of “babymooning” began to catch on in the mid-2000s. A quick, romantic trip is a great way for couples spend an intimate weekend together before the arrival of their child. Mothers and fathers-to-be treat themselves to pampering spa treatments, cozy rooms, and relaxation in a last hurrah before parenthood begins. Being the hotel...
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