Blog Posts by Parents.com

Much of yesterday's baby wisdom has been proven untrue today. We checked in with Parents advisor Ari Brown, M.D., author of Baby 411, to get the scoop on why these old-school parenting facts have become fiction.

By Amanda First

Myth: Infants need to be bathed every day.
The truth: Babies don't get stinky from sweat the way adults do, so they only need a bath every two or three days (except following a major diaper explosion!). If it's part of your wind-down routine, a daily bath is perfectly okay too--just moisturize afterwards.

Myth: Babies sleep best in a room that's silent and dark.
The truth: While some children really are light sleepers, most do fine with background noise and a little light. Plus, if your little one gets used to some activity around him when he's sleeping, he'll be more willing to snooze in a variety of situations.

Myth: When infants are running a high temperature, rub them down with alcohol to lower their fever.
The truth: Rubbing your baby with alcohol won't

Parents magazine is turning 85! To celebrate, we're making wishes that will benefit children and families everywhere. Would you help make our wishes come true? Please advocate for one or more of our causes, and add a wish or two of your own. The best present for our 85th year: to have all these hopes and dreams for families come true by the time Parents turns 100!

By Karen Cicero

Our Wish: Babies stay in mama's belly for 40 weeks -- or at least 39! More than 12 percent of them make an early entrance now.

Help Make It Come True: Sign up for the March of Dimes Prematurity Registry

Our Wish: A safe playground is within walking distance of every child's home.

Help Make It Come True: See if KaBoom! is building or modernizing a playground near you with the help of volunteers.

Our Wish: Schools would make changes to the cafeteria to reduce the risk of obesity: out with soda, in with salad bars.

Help Make It Come True: Find out how get a salad-bar grant for your kid's school from Michelle

My plan was to end my kids' whining, hitting, and tantrums in seven days. But first I had to change my own actions.

By Jacqueline Burt

"Why does Julian have to be so annoying?" Usually, when my 9-year-old daughter, Charlotte, poses this question about her 4-year-old brother, my response is, "Don't call your brother annoying." But one rainy day, after spending hours listening to Julian's whining, I asked myself: "Why do kids have to be so annoying?"

Nothing drives me crazier than my son's high-pitched complaints, except Charlotte's tendency to pinch or smack her brother. Sometimes I wonder if my stress level is higher because I'm a single mom. Still, the married mothers I know say every child has a behavior that's like fingernails on a chalkboard. But we may be as much to blame as our kids. "If you focus on what a child is doing wrong, he'll naturally resist, which leads to arguments and worse conduct," explains Bernard Percy, a parenting consultant in Los Angeles.

Percy is right: My

Design a space that works well for schoolwork and keeps your kid on track all year.

By Taryn Mohrman

Create a Homework HQ
A special study space can make homework more fun and help motivate your child to get it done! Choose a space in your house that's least likely to distract your child, and use our tips to create a simple, organized, and kid-friendly homework HQ.

Plan Ahead
Teach your child to manage homework and project deadlines by hanging a personalized calendar above his desk. (calendar, $40; erincondren.com)

Clear Clutter
Make room on the desktop for the basics, which should include an adjustable lamp -- and get rid of everything else! A neat work area will help him be more efficient. Create an "in box" and "out-box" so important permission slips and notes aren't lost. Tidy up desktop dust-collectors in jars. (Lighten-Up Task Lamp, $39; pbteen.com/dorm)

Choose a Simple Setup
A desk and chair that are clean in design will grow with your child. Add a throw pillow or a cushion

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, parents will be wrestling with a number of questions about the best ways to discuss this landmark event with their children. Here are some suggestions to consider.

By Richard Rende

Start The Conversation: It's a good idea to open up the lines of communication sooner rather than later. It can be as simple as saying "You might be hearing about 9/11 on TV or at school (or on the computer). Let me know if you want to talk about it, okay?" There is no need to do more than that - the only goal here is to let a child know that they can (and should) come to you if they have questions or just want to talk. Some parents may want to wait for their kids to come to them. But as a rule of thumb, it's best to take the lead on any sensitive topic, simply to let a kid know that it's okay to talk about it. This is certainly true for kids older than 6 years of age, and given the coverage 9/11 will receive, you may want to think about starting the conversation

There are some situations that seem to set off your little one more than others. Don't avoid them -- instead, learn how to avoid a meltdown or defuse it before it gets out of hand.

By Linda DiProperzio

The Car Seat
No matter how hard your child fights you, this is one area where just you can't cave, for both legal and safety reasons. The good news is that most of the time the child is already strapped in when the tantrum starts, says Marni Axelrad, Ph.D., a child psychologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, TX. "If the tantrum doesn't involve aggression toward others, the best approach is to ignore it. Turn your music up, sing yourself a little song, and concentrate on the road." If you can't concentrate, pull over, but keep ignoring until the tantrum stops. The moment it does, find something to say about the positive behavior being displayed ("Look at you sitting in your car seat so nicely!"). You can also play some simple games with him in the car, such as "I Spy," so that

Parents.com blogger and mom, Jill Cordes, shares why she chose to take antidepressants while pregnant with her first child and why she's continuing taking them during her second pregnancy.

By Jill Cordes

Full disclosure:
I take antidepressants.

I will continue to take them through my pregnancy.

I took them while pregnant with Fia.

Internal conversation:
I can't believe what you just revealed. Hurry. Duck and run for cover!!

No. I'm not going to. It's time to get this conversation on the table.

You sure? You will be nailed to the cross on this one. Judged and deemed unfit for motherhood.

I don't believe that. I think women are terrified of talking about this. I think many will feel relief that I'm admitting my own dirty little secret. They may carry the same secret. And it's okay.

Do what you will but don't say I didn't warn you…..


Alright, it's out there. And I'm not shying away from it. It is my truth.

In my post about my dying mother, I mentioned her bipolar disorder. I breathe a

Send your child to the head of the class with these A+ book bags and lunch supplies.

By Kourtney Eidam

Awesome Attention-Grabber
Guaranteed to get your child noticed from across the playground, this spiky book bag is eye-catchingly wild. (2 years+, $46; madpax.com)

Lunch Playdate
Fold up some fun for your child's next meal! Origami Napkins have the instructions printed on them so you don't have to be a pro. ($8; perpetualkid.com)

Bold Statement
Made from recycled plastic bottles, the Little Peace Eco Pack is earth-friendly and durable. (2 to 5 years, $46; beatrixny.com)

Backpack Pal
Do the Robot with this futuristic friend. It has wheels and an extendable handle in case the bag gets too heavy. (2 years+, $35; stephenjosephgifts.com)

Finger Food Eating with your hands takes on a new meaning with these little spoons that fit on top of your child's finger. ($8; spoonsisters.com)

Book-lover's Bag
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Collection includes famous characters from author and