Parenting Journals

There is nothing that adequately prepares us for the most important job there is—parenting. Children and teens do not come with an owner’s manual, and most of our training is on the job. With our own parents as our most prominent role models, we tend to repeat what we have learned about parenting from them. We do our best, learn as we go, and make our own mistakes along the way; but we don’t have to leave our parenting to chance. We can become more effective parents. We can parent with more confidence instead of frustration. Parenting can be enjoyable and rewarding instead of stressful.

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Over the past 30 years, childhood obesity has been steadily on the rise among children aged 6 to 19. In children between the ages of 2 and 5, about 14% of them are now classified as being overweight. Approximately 20% of kids aged 6 to 11 are overweight and 19% of kids between the ages of 12 and 19 are overweight. All of these figures are up significantly from statistics that were obtained in the early 1970s, with all of them more than doubling in a relatively short amount of time.

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By Jamell Andrews

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a very difficult disorder to diagnose in adults and teenagers. The primary symptom associated with chronic fatigue syndrome is extreme fatigue, which does not improve even with extended periods of rest. Though Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one that is now widely accepted by researchers and doctors as being a legitimate illness, the exact cause of it is still unknown.

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By Jessica Lawson

With divorce rates in America at an all-time high, it is practically inevitable that our children will be affected by broken marriages either directly or through friends. Difficulties, both emotional and physical (due to moving back and forth between residences), can threaten a child’s sense of home and blur the roles of parents.

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By Marc Courtiol

If you are a parent to a baby or toddler, you are undoubtedly used to your little one having several colds each year. In fact, it may even seem like as soon as your child has finally gotten over a cold, another one mysteriously appears not far behind. While your first instinct might be to reach for the nearest over the counter cold remedy for children, many doctors are now advising against it.

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For those of us who suffer from allergies, sometimes getting through the day can be a daunting task. Symptoms ranging from itchy, watery eyes to a constantly runny nose contribute to making our lives miserable when our bodies are assaulted by allergens that they simply cannot deal with.

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Many people have turned to soy alternatives in the belief that these foods and beverages are healthier for their children. However, consistent research over the past several years has indicated that soy products may ultimately cause more harm than good.

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First introduced in 1796, homeopathy is an alternative type of medical treatment that uses diluted formulas that are believed to create effects within patients that are very similar to the symptoms that are present in that individual. These non-traditional remedies are prepared by a process known as serial dilution, which involves a series of steps to dilute the substance of a particular solution, followed by forceful shaking. Homeopathic practitioners refer to the dilution process as potentization.

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by Andrew Van Vooren

When choosing a sunscreen for your kids, the greatest urge may be to simply grab something off the shelf of your local drug store. There are a variety of sunscreens that are specifically marketed for children, but in reality the formulations of these sunscreens are not really that much different than the ones you find in regular formulas that are marketed for adults.

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According to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, children between the ages of two and nine have diets that are less than desirable. This is an extremely important issue because poor eating habits that start early in life are likely to continue into adulthood, resulting in a host of health problems that might otherwise be avoided.

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