Blog Posts by Parents.com

The E.R. can be a bewildering place with loud noises, bright lights, restless kids, and freaked-out parents. Our guide makes it less stressful.

By Michelle Crouch

The first time I ever went to the emergency room with one of my kids, I stopped and picked up food for us on the way. It was almost dinnertime, and who knew how long we'd be waiting? Bad move. It turns out that some E.R. physicians won't give a child any kind of sedation unless her stomach has been empty for at least four hours. For anesthesia, they may prefer to wait as long as eight. Although my 4-year-old daughter Stella's situation wasn't urgent -- she had pushed a plastic bead up her nose -- the doctor wanted to sedate her before removing it. Because we had just eaten, that was out of the question unless we wanted to hang around for hours. Luckily, the doctor agreed to try the procedure without sedation, and he was able to extract the bead. But what could have been a simple removal was difficult and more painful for

Are you a hover mom who needs to know where your child is at all times? We've found the apps (including ones with GPS tracking) that will give any parent more peace of mind.

By Brett Singer

To date, the Apple iTunes store boasts over 15 billion app downloads, and these apps have evolved far beyond games and productivity. Just as there are apps to help your children avoid being bullied, there are apps that can calm even the most paranoid parent. Many of these use GPS to track a child's location, so parents should read the license agreements more carefully than usual before downloading. There is a chance your kids may complain that you are "spying" on them -- just make sure to have a clear conversation about protecting them while respecting their privacy. Here are 10 apps that will help parents feel better about letting their children be more independent.

FBI Child ID
Created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, this app lets parents store their children's photos plus other

We've compiled a list of off-the-beaten-path foods. Try them with your kids in alphabetical order -- if dates don't go over well, just move on to eggplant, or choose another food from the list.

By Julie Knapp

We don't have to tell you that a steady diet of PB&J and fried potatoes can't provide the variety of nutrients kids need. But did you know it could also put your child on a path toward a lifetime of similar food choices? "It takes a long time to develop a palate," says Leanne Ely, a nutrition consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina. "To raise a healthy eater, you need a sense of adventure in your own kitchen."

A is for Arctic Char
The American Dietetic Association recommends eating approximately eight ounces of fish a week. Arctic char is an environmentally friendly alternative to farm-raised salmon. It has a milder flavor and is low in mercury. Plus, it's high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain development and may provide protection against disorders

Follow these tips for determining doneness in 17 popular (and often incorrectly cooked) foods.

By Katherine Barreira

Whether you're a seasoned chef executing an intricate holiday meal or a first-time cook trying your hand at eating in, knowing when a dish is done cooking is as important as using the proper ingredients. Use these no-fail doneness cues -- from precise internal temperatures to indications visible to the naked eye -- as signs that your dish is ready for the table. They'll help you achieve perfectly prepared food every time you cook.

Pancakes
Cook the first side until bubbles appear on the surface and pop. Flip and cook second side until pancake is springy to the touch.

Try our recipe for Perfect Pancakes

Poached Eggs
Let eggs gently simmer in water until the whites are set and the yolk feels like a water balloon.

Cupcakes and Muffins
Cupcakes and muffins are finished baking when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the surface is springy to the touch

Babies start off with a clean slate, so what you choose for your little one reveals more about your personality than theirs.

By Linda DiProperzio

Choosing your child's name is a big decision--after all, he'll be walking around with it for the rest of his life. And according to Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Name Wizard, when a child is born, the name reflects more on you than him. "The name doesn't belong to you--you're making the decision because your child can't do it for himself--but what you choose does say a lot about your personality."

But as your child gets older, the name will also reflect on him--especially when he's doing things like sending out job resumes. "People do draw conclusions based on someone's name," says Wattenberg. "It sends out such a strong signal before the person even walks into the room."

So how do you make sure you choose wisely? "When deciding on a name, you want to see it from the child's point of view and how she or he will have to live with it

The wait-and-see approach is fine for some kids' health problems. But not these.

By Kristyn Kusek Lewis

When you become a parent, you earn a medical merit badge of sorts. Whether you're sopping up a goopy nose or extracting a dangling-by-a-thread baby tooth, eventually few things faze you. But sometimes it's tough to tell what warrants a call to your doctor's office: Which temperature actually classifies as a "high fever"? What kind of tummy ache means your child has more than your average stomach bug? And when something truly frightening happens -- say, your child suddenly breaks out in hives -- should you call your pediatrician or head straight to the E.R.?

"Parents should always err on the side of caution and seek immediate medical care when they're worried about something," says Anita Chandra-Puri, M.D., a pediatrician at Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group, in Chicago, and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, to give you more specific guidelines to

Here, the stories that affected our lives and our kids' lives the most this year, from 'superior' Chinese mothers to tainted apple juice.

By Holly Lebowitz Rossi

Here's one thing most parents can agree on: there is no one right way to raise children. We are constantly tweaking, questioning, and adjusting to our growing, changing, challenging kids. What's more, we're adjusting to the constantly changing world -- the endless stream of warnings, recommendations, and philosophies put forth by so-called parenting experts. Read on to find out which big stories made our year-end list.

"Tiger Mother" Calls Parental Expectations into Question

What happened: Amy Chua, mother of two and author of "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," started a debate about how much pressure parents should put on their children to succeed. Her book, which was excerpted in January in the Wall Street Journal, attempt to explain why Chinese children are stereotypically such high achievers in math, music, and more.

I don't mind if you think my daughter is pretty -- but please don't tell her.

By Julia Landry

Well, here's an awkward topic for you.

My ex-mother-in-law always used to gush about how pretty Caroline was, to the point that it was almost uncomfortable. (I'm allowed to say this now because of the "ex" part. I think.) And I'm not just talking about the way your in-laws can annoy you no matter what they say. "You're so pretty, Caroline," she'd coo. "You're such a doll. A beautiful little doll. You are gorgeous. What a pretty girl." And so on, and so forth.

And I know this is horrible of me to think, and rude of me to say, but… I really don't care for it when people go on and on to my daughter about how pretty she is.

It's not that I don't think she is. I mean, she's my kid. I think she's beautiful. But must we zero in on little girls' appearances and ignore all the other great qualities about them?

What's wrong with "You're such a smart girl?" "You're so creative?" "You're so good at