4+ hour, 43+ min ago (1033+ words) It's a lesson that many parents will be able to relate to. I tucked my shoes into a cubbyhole and, with my son on my hip, approached Miss Bea with a loaf of bread wrapped in a brown butcher paper. We'd stopped by the local bakery that morning, and I thought I'd offer a small gesture of thanks'it was the least I could do; she was teaching my toddler's music and art classes. I live in a big city, and when I told my 76-year-old dad about the endless "mommy-and-me" options he shook his head and said, "Only in the big city." He's right; none of this existed when he, or even I, was a child." Miss Bea's, though, had a reputation. It was the spot for first-time millennial parents, and the space was every modern parent's dream. Faux clouds…...

6+ hour, 43+ min ago (1015+ words) Recognising and nurturing otrovert children'a term for those kids that don't necessarily fit neatly into the introvert or extrovert box'requires flexibility and a willingness to think beyond the labels that typically try to categorize kids. Otroverts aren't easy to pin down, afterall'they might be the life of the party one minute and then the next, they'll need to disappear for some quiet time. Lorain Moorehead, licensed psychotherapist, PMH-C, EMDR-C, makes an important distinction before diving into her definition of an introvert: While ambivert is the combination of an introvert and extrovert, an otrovert is a bit different." "An ambivert gains energy doing solo activities and recharges their batteries alone much of the time but can also gain energy from being among a small group in a deep conversation," she explains. "But even a more robust friend group or social setting…...

7+ hour, 43+ min ago (658+ words) Beano Brain released its "Coolest Brands 2025" report and here's what is shows about Gen Alpha's interests. Seven-year-old Killian Todd sits cross-legged on his bedroom floor, surrounded by stacks of Pok'mon cards. Pikachu is his favorite. Killian believes he's discovered a cool game that his classmates taught him, but for his dad, Sean Todd, it's a core memory of his own childhood." Cyber Monday Deals: As a Mom of 5, I Know Toys'My Top 100 Toy Deals Include Lego, Squishmallow, & More From $5 "Card collecting was really important to me growing up. The thrill of opening a pack and getting a set or finding something valuable," says Sean. "I've leaned into that with Killian and encouraged him to do the same." So, why is Gen Alpha loving these nostalgic brands? Experts say their parents may be a reason but a lot of it comes…...

1+ day, 3+ hour ago (1293+ words) Sarah Cox Dedrick, a mother of two who lives in Fishers, Indiana, remembers when she noticed something was off with her newborn, Connor. "He was clearly favoring one side," she says. "He was sleeping on one side of his head more, he was developing a flat spot, and didn't seem to want to turn to the left at all." She took Connor to a chiropractor. The new mom was thrilled, she swears by infant chiropractic and now takes both of her young sons for adjustments. She's not alone. There are countless videos online of parents taking their newborn babies to a chiropractor'a range of issues can bring them there, from an excessively fussy baby, one who has a limited range of motion, or who is suffering from constipation. In these videos, crying babies calm down in the chiropractor's hands, and…...

1+ day, 6+ hour ago (997+ words) One mom shares how perimenopause impacted her parenting and her road to a diagnosis. After two back-to-back pregnancies and breastfeeding for three years, I decided to stop in November 2022 because I was ready to get my body back. But I wasn't ready for what was about to happen: Within weeks, my mental and physical health went downhill, and nobody could help me. I started to get anxiety and panic attacks out of the blue'something I never struggled with before. I suffered from insomnia, waking up at 2 a.m., every night. I went to the ER twice because I had heart palpitations so strong, I was convinced I would have a heart attack, which, of course, fed into my anxiety even more." I also noticed changes in my parenting, too. I couldn't hold it together. I was irritated by everything. Every noise, every…...

1+ day, 15+ hour ago (501+ words) My sister-in-law moved out of her tiny home, but this Amazon tiny house might just pull her family back in. It features three bedrooms, a modern bathroom, and more, starting at less than $55,000. My Sister-in-Law Gave Up Tiny Living but Says This 3-Bedroom Amazon Home Would Pull Her Family Back In Plus, layouts start at less than $55,000. During the pandemic, my sister-in-law and her husband attempted to work from their tiny house, but after living in it for two years, they realized it simply wasn't feasible. With meetings overlapping and no real space to spread out, they made the tough choice to move into a bigger home where they could actually focus and start building a family. Recently, I came across tiny homes on Amazon, featuring modern designs, multiple bedrooms, and affordable price tags, which made me wonder if my…...

1+ day, 23+ hour ago (467+ words) It's so important to really talk to our kids and get down at their level." Dr. Roots says, [to say] "Hey, we're going to go meet Santa. Santa is a helper there, and we're going to go say hi, and we can take a picture, or you can say hello or say what you want from Santa. I'm going to be right there with you. And if you don't feel comfortable, I want you to tell me." Often parents don't have these conversations with their children, which can then throw them into situations they aren't prepared to handle. I have definitely been guilty of this'scheduling certain activities or proactively sharing holiday traditions with my own child without discussing them with her first." But Dr. Roots reminded me that just because we enjoyed or didn't enjoy an activity or tradition growing…...

2+ day, 4+ hour ago (1161+ words) Like many other parents, this mom is turning to AI for holiday shopping. Here's how it can help make the season less stressful. In between gifts, decorating, and general parent-led magic, there's a lot to shop for during the holiday season. But this season, Santa's little helper has gone digital for many parents, including myself. Already this season, I've used chatbots, like ChatGPT, to research Christmas decor trends, festive recipes, and seasonal children's activities. The best part: I am also using it to make my holiday gift shopping much easier. AI is helping to curate bespoke gift lists, secure a bargain, and can even call nearby stores on my behalf." As it turns out, other parents have the same idea. Lilian Rincon, vice president of consumer shopping product at Google, says 42% of U.S. holiday shoppers are expecting to rely more on…...

2+ day, 6+ hour ago (384+ words) The countdown to Christmas has begun at JJ's house. We know there is a lot of content on YouTube, and it can be hard to tell which is appropriate for your child. So, Parents' editors are picking some of the best videos every week that you can feel good about watching or listening to. Of course, getting the whole family'ourselves included'into the holiday spirit is a project all on its own. That's where CoComelon can help. To encourage you and your little ones to embrace this festive time of year, all you have to do is turn to the CoComelon YouTube Channel. Every week, CoComelon drops new videos on YouTube that parents and kids can watch together'and it just so happens that this week the new releases are Christmas-themed. That's right, if your little one is waking up every morning…...

2+ day, 6+ hour ago (861+ words) Moms share how they juggle working from home and child care. And of course, it's not easy. If my husband and I waited to have a baby until we'd hashed out every logistical detail, we never would have had a child. We did our best: we got a car, we found a two-bedroom apartment, and we put up wallpaper with giraffes on it in the nursery. So far, it's worked'sort of. We have a nanny who comes 12 hours per week, and I wake up at 4 a.m. to get most of my concentration-heavy work out of the way before my 8-month-old daughter is up. So, I wouldn't say it's easy, per se." On top of that, the cost of child care is on the rise: one report found that prices rose 29% between 2020 and 2024, which outpaced overall inflation. Suffice it to say, many…...