Anti-thumb-sucking polish: cruel or necessary?

By Landon Hall, The Orange County Register

A while back we mounted a campaign to get our 4-year-old daughter to stop sucking her thumb. Her dentist recommended this nail-polish-like product called Mavala STOP, which tastes like what you’d imagine regular nail polish would, only much more bitter.

It works in combination with gentle psychology (“Em, let’s suck our thumb only at bedtime.”). Sometimes she even askes to have her nail “polished,” because she’s old enough to to know that she needs to stop her habit, even if she doesn’t yet know the benefits to her teeth and jaw of stopping now.

But this week we spilled some from the little 10-milliliter container (which costs about $10), and I cleaned it up with a...

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Mom comes back from a series of health problems to become a marathoner

By Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press

DETROIT — If Annelise Woitulewicz doesn’t inspire you to get off the couch and get moving, who could?

The 43-year-old Taylor, Mich., mom competed in her first triathlon, the Trek Women’s Triathlon in Monroe. She swum half a mile in Lake Erie, biked 12 miles through Sterling State Park and then ran 3.6 miles.

Impressive enough. But what makes it incredible is that just six months ago, Woitulewicz was 90 pounds heavier and couldn’t run for five minutes on a treadmill.

And only nine years ago, she was fighting breast cancer, which was followed by a cascade of other medical problems including a suspicious mass on her ovaries that led to a full hysterectomy, and another along her cranial...

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Let your kids play with their food

McClatchy-Tribune

Got a kid who’s turning up his nose at everything except chicken nuggets and plain noodles? Well, those food, and lots more healthy items, will be played with and consumed when you serve lunch on the food face plate.

The plate from Worldwide Fred has a bald, plain, pink face on it. On it, noodles become hair, pickles are noses, and broccoli becomes a beard. It’s a great way to get your picky eater to enjoy his dinner. Whatever you’re eating, he can use it to make a funny (and appetizing!) face.

The plate is ceramic, so if you kid is very young (or training for the discus toss), you might want to hold off.

Only one per box, $9.99. Check it out at www.worldwidefred.com....

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Moms gear: Child restraint system makes it easy to fly with your little one

By Amanda Knowles, McClatchy-Tribune

Taking young children on an airplane flight can be a hassle, especially if you’re alone. Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) helps eliminate much of the hassle while making your child safe.

CARES is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for children over 1 year of age and 22-44 pounds.

It weighs only 1 pound and can easily fit into a bag.

The product straps behind the seat in the airplane and buckles the child into place so he or she does not slip or slide, especially during turbulence. The straps are made from the same material as a seatbelt.

Louise Stoll, who is the grandmother of 9 children, is the inventor of CARES. Along with being approved in the U.S., CARES is approved by...

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American Eagle apologizes for treatment of breast-feeding mom

The Associated Press

COLUMBUS — A clothing chain has apologized for store employees in Ohio who told a nursing mother to go to a dressing room to continue breast-feeding.

A 2005 Ohio law gives women legal protections to breast-feed in public.

Bonnie Morris says she was being discreet as she nursed her baby Tuesday while shopping at an American Eagle Outfitters store in Columbus.

She says two clerks suggested that she go to the changing room. Morris says one said in an urgent tone that the store recommended the move and ordered her to come along.

Spokeswoman Jani Strand with Pittsburgh-based American Eagle called Morris Wednesday to apologize. Strand says the workers were trying to offer Morris privacy but says the chain will give a...

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Summer sanity savers: Try these free, low-cost ways to entertain kids

By Krista Jahnke, Detroit Free Press

Are your kids bored yet? In other words, are they driving you crazy yet?

Summer vacation is nearing its halfway point. You’ve done the local park. You’ve done the blow-up pool. Bike riding, video game playing, it’s all getting old.

Here are a few low-cost ways to entertain kids in metro Detroit before school buses return to your block.

TOUR A FIRE STATION: Many municipalities will arrange for a free tour of a fire station. You don’t have to be part of an organization. Just round up a few other families with bored kids and submit a request in writing at least two weeks before your desired visit date. When you go, you’ll see a fire truck, of course, but also some of the other parts of the...

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Signs that your child is getting high on OTC meds

By Aisha Sultan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has a number of tips to help parents identify over-the-counter drug abuse in kids.

This form of drug abuse, also known as Robo tripping, has become a growing trend among tweens and teens ranging in age from nine to 17.

Many children are home from school over the summer and may have a lot of free time on their hands. According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, 1 in 11 teens has admitted to Robo tripping.

Robo tripping is the abuse of over-the-counter cough and cold medications containing dextromethorphan (DXM), including well-known brands such as Robitussin and Coricidin. DXM is popular because it is cheap and available for over-the-counter purchase and is an...

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Mom finds marbles make great rewards

By Malissa O’Brian, Disney FamilyFun magazine

I have five lovely children, ages 3 to 16. They keep me on my toes, juggling activities, scheduling playdates, cooking dinner. And then there’s the cleaning. My husband, Rob, and I have always made the kids responsible for keeping their bedrooms tidy, but somehow, over time, the rest of the house became my job.

With five kids constantly adding to the disarray, I often felt as if I were losing the battle against chaos.

I needed help — but I’ve always hated to nag. So instead, I tried to use positive reinforcement. I experimented with many different styles of chore charts, lists, and reward systems. I covered my refrigerator with colorful poster board, shiny magnets, and glitter pens. I signed...

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DIY: How to open a locked door without a key

By Barbara Kavovit, Hybrid Mom

Your three-year-old has accidentally locked himself in the bathroom. Don’t panic. You can have him out in five minutes without damaging your door.

Tools You’ll Need:

• precision kit
• 6-in-1 interchangeable screwdriver
• 7oz. hammer

Step 1: Make Like a Jewel Thief

You’ve seen probably seen this done in a movie: If the doorknob has a small hole in the center of the handle, simply a long, skinny object and push hard. When the object hits the inside, continue to push while turning the handle until the door opens. Be sure to UNLOCK the door once you have it open.

Step 2: Some Quick Carpentry

To get to the...

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More blacks learn to swim, but numbers are still lacking

By Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Eight-year-old Davion Chatman does a handstand in about three feet of water in the Fairground Pool in St. Louis, Mo., one recent afternoon. Nearby, his brother, Chris Chatman, 13, rolls himself into a ball and does somersaults.

“Hey, watch me,” calls DiMarco Martin, 13, who’s standing in chin-high water. He dives straight to the bottom and touches the pool floor.

At a glance, these kids look like they’re as comfortable in water as, say, Flipper, Shamu, maybe even Michael Phelps. But throw them in the other end of the pool, Joshua Beeks said, and who knows what would happen.

“They probably can’t — what we say — swim in deep water,” said Beeks, area...

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