Blog Posts by Parenting.com

© Via liewcf, Flickr.com

By Jeana Lee Tahnk
This recent headline from NBC News, "Teens who use smartphones may engage in more sex," was certainly an eye-catcher. And it preys upon the fears of parents out there who are already worried about the millions of Facebooking, texting and smartphone-using teens out there whose behavior they can't monitor 24/7.

But is there any truth to this alarming statement?

Plus: Talking to Your Kids About Sex

The study that this is based on looked at responses from 1,800 high school students aged 12-18 in Los Angeles-based public school. Here is some of the data that was collected:

• One-third of the students owned smartphones, such as iPhones and Blackberries, that provide access to the Internet and software apps in addition to text-messaging and camera capabilities that are basic on many cell phones.
• Forty-seven percent of these students said they were sexually active, compared to 35 percent of those who didn't own smartphones.

© Cook County Clerk's Office

By: Caitlin Ultimo
Galicia Malone, 21-year-old mom-to-be, surely knows how to rock the vote. According to Illinois' Cook County Clerk David Orr, Malone's contractions were just five minutes apart when she arrived to the polls at 8:30 this morning.

The clerk's office told NBC Chicago that her water had already broken by the time she made it to her voting location at-get this-the New Life Celebration Church.

Plus: How Parents are Voting Today

"My hat goes off to Galicia for not letting anything get in the way of voting," said Orr. "What a terrific example she is showing for the next generation, especially to her new son or daughter."

Our hats certainly go off to her and we wish the best to both new mom and baby. (And we say: share this story with anyone who claims they are too busy to vote!)

More from Parenting.com:
Kids Weigh in on the 2012 Election
How to Talk to Kids about the Election

By Jeana Lee Tahnk
It's Election Day! Regardless of which side of the political platform you stand on, involve your kids in this historical day, take them to vote with you and help them understand what democracy means.

Plus: Top iPhone Apps for Kids

There are a handful of great online resources that can provide kids with everything they would want to know about this election, the candidates, the Electoral College process and much more:

Time for Kids - Election 2012

For elementary school-age kids, this mini site provides an in-depth overview of everything from the candidates to a chronology of major events leading up to today's election.

Plus: How Parents are Voting this Election

Kids Pick the President

Nickelodeon provides kids with background on Obama and Romney, their platforms and even lets them figure out what their best-suited government job through a fun quiz.

PBS KIDS' Democracy Project

Aimed for kids in grades 3-6,

© Andrew Rich/Getty ImagesBy Haley at Parenting.com
These days your kid's endless questions may well turn toward the election, what with all the TV ads and grown-ups arguing (er, debating). To bring the state of the union down to a level he'll get, we turned to Julian Wright, chairman of GenerationNation, a civics-education organization for kids.

Plus: How Parents are Voting in the 2012 Election

"Why do you vote?" "Because the person who wins gets to make important decisions for our family and everyone in the U.S. If someone else got to say what time you go to bed, or what you eat for snack, you would want to pick that person, right?"

"What does the President do?" "The President is in charge of our country, just like I'm in charge of our home."

Plus: The Most Important Voter of 2012

"Why do all those TV commercials sound so mean?" "You know how sometimes you feel like knocking down someone else's tower? Grown-ups get excited about which person will be the best president, so sometimes they

© iStockphotoby Elina at Parenting.com

Ah, the miracle of birth! Once upon a time, dads were kept away from it-corralled in the hospital's waiting room, smoking cigars while pacing nervously. Now, of course, hospitals encourage fathers to be there for the birth of their child. But one dad claims that this time, progress isn't a good thing. In fact, seeing his wife give birth put him off of sex for an entire year!

In an article in the Daily Mail, Martin Daubney describes how traumatic a three-day labor and emergency cesarean birth were...on him! "Witnessing the trauma of childbirth, coupled with the toll it takes on their partner's body, can have a devastating impact on a man and his approach to sex," Martin writes.

Plus: Dad's Guide to Sex After Pregnancy and Childbirth

The problem? There are changing expectations of fathers, Martin says. "Today's dads see it as an intrinsic part of their role to accompany their partner through every step of childbirth. To suggest otherwise is seen as a

© iStockphotoBy Elina at Parenting.com
We believe that all babies are beautiful-but one father from northern China definitely disagrees. In fact, he felt that his newborn baby girl was so ugly, it prompted him to divorce and sue his wife.

Plus: Parents Sue Over Adopted Special Needs Baby

Jian Feng married a woman he was reportedly very in love with. She became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. But instead of being happy that he had a healthy child, Feng thought the baby was incredibly ugly. So ugly that it horrified him. The baby did not resemble either the mother nor the father, so Feng assumed his wife had been unfaithful.

Plus: Parents of Child with Down Syndrome Win $2.9 Million in "Wrongful Birth" Suit

But it turns out that the wife did not cheat. Instead, she had spent $100,000 on plastic surgery that entirely changed the way she looked-something she did not mention to Feng when they met. When the wife admitted to this, Feng filed for divorce and took her to court,

By: Erin Zammett Ruddy
Sandy hit the east coast as hard as they predicted and though we were definitely spared the worst of it, our town and our house is completley without power. It's only been 48 hours so far but there is no sign of us getting electricity back any time soon. My kids have been great but I don't know how much longer I can count on that so I'm asking for some help!

PLUS: Is Your Family Prepared for a Weather Emergency?

We've been holed up together since Sunday and so far so good. We were super lucky to be spared--only a few trees down and no major damage--but we, like so many other families, are still feeling the effects. The biggest so far: No heat, no electricity, no hot water for showers--ick! I am not complaining and Nick and I are also lucky that we work from home (schools cancelled, can't reach babysitters), but working is near impossible when you have no power/cell service and kids up in your grill. We do have a generator which has helped in terms of

By: Sasha Emmons
If you're on the eastern seaboard, you might be dealing with some very disappointed kids today, as civic Halloween celebrations are canceled and postponed and leaders caution families to trick-or-treat at their own risk.

No, it won't be the same, but you can still save Halloween with some of these ideas for indoor fun. And hey, after what you've been through, you deserve to go hog-wild on the candy stash.

Halloween games: Keep them busy with Balloon Sweep, Mummy Wrap, and more

Games to play in the dark: Power still out? These games get a little spooky played by candlelight.

Halloween crafts from household items: Raid the recycling bin for the materials to make TP tube monsters or the milk carton haunted house

Halloween fun facts: Impress your kids with this spooky trivia

Happy Halloween, everyone!