Parenting

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

The first time it happened, we giggled. But this weekend when yet another little girl tittered and asked my 8-year-old son Jonas if he was named after the Jonas Brothers, the only sound was my son's sigh. "Couldn't you have named me Bob?" For the record, we named our son after his dad and it also happens to be a Bible name-no boy bands were invoked in the birth of our baby. And while I still love his name, I can understand why he gets tired of the jokes. At this age the girls are mostly reverential but if Nick, Joe and That Other One I Can Never Remember stick around the scene, by high school my son might have a legitimate complaint.

Related: Easy Ways to Burn 100 Calories

It turns out we're not the only ones having second thoughts about a child's name. In a recent survey done by Gurgle.com, 54 percent of British parents had some regrets about their chosen moniker. Wondering if the same held true for my American friends, I did a

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Regan McMahon, COMMON SENSE MEDIA

When R&B singer Chris Brown was arrested for beating up his then-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009 and later pleaded guilty to an assault charge, parents were blindsided by the situation and presented with a teachable moment. We faced a choice: Either say nothing, and let our kids make sense of the news themselves, or talk to them about the difficult and complex issues of domestic violence and whether celebrities make good role models.

Three years later, the troubled couple has made news again, and it may be important to have another talk. This week, these two dubious role models revealed leaked (via Twitter) steamy remixes of two singles, his "Turn up the Music" and her "Birthday Cake," each featuring a vocal by the other.

What's troublesome is whether Brown -- who enjoyed a squeaky-clean image before what he has called his "big mistake" -- feels genuine remorse and has changed. Is Rihanna, who broke up with Brown af

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By Jen Mueller of SparkPeople.com
It's hard to explain to a 5- and 3-year old why it's important to coat their bodies in greasy sunscreen when we go outside. They can't quite understand the concept of cancer and skin damage, so sometimes it's a battle to get them covered. Especially when we're outside a lot in the summer, I use sunscreen as much as possible (although I do give them a little time without it just so they get their daily dose of Vitamin D). I also encourage them to wear hats because I don't think you can be too careful when it comes to the sun.

When my kids ask "Why do we always have to put that stuff on?!?!", I just tell them their beautiful skin won't be so nice anymore if they don't. I hoping that by establishing these habits now, as they get older it will be second-nature to protect themselves from the sun before going outside. There is so much talk in the news these days about the harmful effects of the sun; you'd think everyone (especially young people) would b

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We've been hearing a lot these days about a disorder called PANDAS. Maybe you've read about 15 teenagers in upstate New York who suddenly developed what was originally described as a tic disorder? It's now believed to be PANDAS.

PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections. Essentially it means that for some children, being exposed to a bacterial infection such as strep can trigger severe symptoms of OCD. How? The infection triggers the immune system to produce antibodies intended to attack the infection. But the antibodies attack the brain instead-specifically, the basal ganglia, which is the part that controls emotions, behaviors, and physical movements.

It's turned out to be a very controversial diagnosis. Some doctors say there just isn't enough evidence to prove that strep or a similar infection can lead to OCD. Or that the studies proving its existence are flawed. They'll say that the children who are "suddenly" act

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By Becky Hand, Licensed and Registered Dietitian, for SparkPeople

Exercise during pregnancy is important. It has many benefits for mom and baby.

Exercise can:

• Improve muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness

• Lead to a better appearance and posture

• Lessen some of the discomforts of pregnancy

• Strengthen the muscles needed for labor and delivery

• Make you feel good, too

The exercises you can do during pregnancy depend on your health and how active you were before you became pregnant. If you were not active before pregnancy, this is not the time to start an extremely strenuous exercise program. However, swimming, walking, or prenatal exercise classes are great places to get started. If you exercised before pregnancy, there is no reason you cannot continue, within reason.

Before you begin any exercise program, discuss it with your healthcare provider. The two of you together can plan an exercise program that is consistent with your

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