Parenting | Women's Lifestyle - Yahoo! Shine

Better Together: 4 Reasons Why I'm Glad My Kids Share a Room

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:51:00 -0500

When I found out I was pregnant for the fourth time, it became a joke of sorts between my husband and I that we had everything that we needed, except for a bigger car and larger house.You know, just the minor things in life.We quickly rectified the automotive situation by taking the plunge and purchasing a minivan. Honestly, I never thought I'd be the kind of gal to actually admit to enjoying a minivan, but I love it and wouldn't trade it for the sexy sports cars in the world.But the house thing, well, that's proved to be a bit trickier. ...

Is Lisa Ling's Father a Pothead?

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:29:00 -0500

Lisa LIng, from "Our America" on OWN, talked with Jeff Probst about the issues she's been having with her own father, who's getting up there in years and occasionally has Lisa concerned. In this clip, Lisa reveals some of the behavior that's been so eye-opening, and shares what she thinks might be behind it: He's started smoking pot! Lisa's father has a legal medical marijuana prescription, but Lisa says the side effects are noticeable, and it could be a source of worry.After watching, head here to see Lisa talk about how her upcoming baby (she's 8 months pregnant!) will affect her career. ...

Nerding Out in Nature: One Smart Phone. Two Kids. Tons of Fun

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:07:00 -0500

My son would glue his eyeballs to my iPhone if I let him. He wants every second he can squeeze out of that shiny device, and we're constantly wrestling with the when and how of device time. So when I found a way for us to blend outdoor time and exercise with the allure of the iPhone, I knew I'd struck gold.

Lemon Laws: 7 Things "30 Rock" Taught Me About Parenting

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:36:27 -0500

Photo by: PacificCoastNews.com Enjoy Simple Pleasures With Your Kids A freshly-bathed baby, a child's drawing of a unicorn, an ice-cold McFlurry from a random McDonalds, ham-these are the simple pleasures in life that we often overlook when we get too busy. Liz Lemon is a veritable connoisseur of the good life and reminds us, "All everyone really wants in this life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich." Remember that. Also, say yes to staying in more! Related: The 7 dumbest things I thought before I had a kid

9-Year-Old Hero Saves Diabetic Mother

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:42:00 -0500

On a typical Friday evening in Frankfort, IL, Jennifer Sheridan and her daughter Aleksandra were on their way to McDonald's for dinner. Sheridan, who has type II diabetes, suddenly experienced a severe drop in her blood sugar and went into a diabetic shock, reports ABC News. She did not know what was happening and drove through a red light. The next thing she remembers is sitting in an ambulance.

Parenting Guru: When Resolutions Aren’t Enough

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:02:00 -0500

More family time. Less eating out. No over-scheduling. Fewer fights. Tighter hugs. A cleaner house. A shorter to-do list.

WTF? Girls aren't allowed to curse at this NJ school, but boys are?

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:29:06 -0500

A New Jersey Catholic school wanted to make kids quit cursing, so they asked girls to make a vocabulary purity pledge, vowing not to use foul language for the month of February. But the boys? They were told not to swear, but they didn't have to make any promises.

Favorite Indoor Activities at the Duggar Home

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 13:59:00 -0500

Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean there isn't plenty of fun to be had.

All in the Family: The 10 Most Famous Siblings in Sports

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:06:18 -0500

Photo by: Wikimedia Commons Jim and John Harbaugh While many are calling the 2013 Super Bowl the "Harbowl," Jim and John Harbaugh took very different paths to becoming Super Bowl-level NFL coaches. Both played at the collegiate level, but John went straight into coaching. Jim played for several different teams in the NFL from 1987 to 2001. Among his highlights? Jim holds the Chicago Bears' record for most completions with 1,023. Related: 10 adorable photos of puppies excited for the Super Bowl

8 Shocking Toys for Kids

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:42:16 -0500

Photo by: Amazon Erwin the Little Patient : It's a perfect gift for your little budding doctor (or the pushy parent who's gunning for med school). Erwin the Little Patient is a plushie in need of life-saving surgery. He comes dressed in a hospital gown that removes to reveal a gaping stomach wound, exposing his heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines. Yay!

How to Find a Great Babysitter (and What to Pay Them!)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:59:00 -0500

It's tough enough to find a sitter who's available when you want them to be, but to find someone whom you trust with baby's well-being and who's dependable? Well, that can feel practically impossible -- as can figuring out how much money it should cost you.By Leah Rocketto for TheBump.comWhere to startPersonal recommendationsArguably, the best place to start is with a personal recommendation, says Leah Clarkson, cofounder of NannyTrack. ...

High School Makes Drug Testing Mandatory so They Can "Help" Kids Who Are Using

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:13:00 -0500

Is it ok for schools to take over where they think parents are failing?

7 Ways to Protect Your Baby from Winter Weather

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:36:14 -0500

Photo by: Nadia Carriere Protect Their Cheeks It's hard to cover up cheeks. They get wind blown, chapped and dry unless you protect them before subjecting them to the weather. I like to rub in a thicker cream/balm on my baby's lips and cheeks beforehand as it prevents all of the above. Related: 8 winter coats that feature your kid's favorite characters

5 Simple Ways to Teach Your Kids to Give Back

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:49:00 -0500

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, I experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of everyday life in a developing country: constant power outages, lack of food and water, diseases that are almost unheard of in first-world countries, among many other things. But despite how little my family had, I have vivid memories of my grandmother encouraging us to help and take care of those around us, and always, always give. ...

The Power Puff Girls Get a Barbie Makeover. Latisse much?

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:29:00 -0500

We're very excited to hear that Cartoon Network has decided to bring back the beloved Power Puff Girls for a CG special that will air later this year, but we noticed that the crime-fighters have received a girly makeover for their return to the small screen.In an image from the new special, tomboy heroines Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are sporting longer eyelashes and prettier hairstyles. They look decidedly more Barbie. Let's keep in mind that in addition to being made of "sugar, spice, and everything nice," the power puffs were also made with "Chemical X," giving them "ultra super powers. ...

Pull Up a Chair: 6 Reasons Why We Bother with Family Dinner

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:48:00 -0500

It's 6pm in my house, and a little pigtailed girl is counting forks: One, two, three, four, five. Her older brothers fill glasses with water and milk, and bicker with each other about whose turn it is to feed the dogs. I'm wiping the sauce I spilled off the counters and placing opened cans of green beans in the recycling bin. It's dinner time at my house, and while it's definitely not a linen napkins and candlelight experience, it's my favorite part of the day. Like a lot of families, evenings are hectic in my house. ...

Snooki Joins Those Breaking the Last Taboo: Gives Birth Onscreen

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:52:17 -0500

Photo by: Twitter At first, uncharacteristically, Snooki decided she didn't want her birth televised, and kicked camera crews out of the delivery room. But she changed her mind, and lucky for the world, Jianni had captured it all on a camcorder. "I was in labor for 27 hours," she told Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, "but I didn't feel anything because I got the epidural."

The 7 Perks of Giving Your Kids an Early Bedtime

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:44:18 -0500

Photo by: Janssen Bradshaw A Pleasant Child The biggest benefit, of course, is that she is pretty happy most of the time, thanks to consistently getting a lot of sleep. Related: 8 things to include in your child's first baby book

10 Must-haves for Traveling with Kids

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:54:15 -0500

Photo by: Kristy Carlson Plastic baggies I believe you can never have enough zipper bags. You can use them as storage for toys with small pieces, as snack bags, as a toiletries bag, as garbage bags in a pinch and even as dirty clothes bags. When we are traveling we use Ziplocks on a daily basis to curb one kid emergency after another. Pack them generously, because they also take up very little space and weight. Related: 7 items your family needs for adventure travel

Teen Comes Out to Parents With Cake, World Cheers

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:34:18 -0500

This will put a pep in your step: Fifteen year-old Laurel was nervous about telling her parents she was gay so she decided to bake them a cake—or what she called, a "gayke"—for the occasion. But this wasn't just any old cake. It was a cake with her coming out speech written in green icing. The cake read:

15 Tips to Help Moms Survive Life in the Suburbs

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:13:00 -0500

Nearly a decade ago, I moved to the suburbs from NYC. In that time I've learned some pretty important things to ensure my survival, nay, my sanity. If my 'burb sent out a handbook it would look something like this. Feel free to use it as a mini-survival g

What Really Happens when Dad's in Charge

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:05:00 -0500

You've always wanted to know what dad gets up to when you're at work and he's watching the kids. Or, to put it this way, maybe you don't actually want to know but feel it's in your child's interest to find out.

Public Shaming is the New Spanking and It's Not OK

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:22:04 -0500

Another week, another parent shaming their kid on social media. This time, a photo posted to Reddit on Thursday depicted a smiling father standing next to his sullen teenage daughter who was wearing a T-shirt with his scowling face and the words "Try me!!" printed on it. The caption above the photo read, "What my friend made his daughter wear to school for a week as punishment for coming home past curfew. Parenting win?"

Check This List of Age Appropriate Chores to See How Your Kid Stacks Up

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:30:00 -0500

Use this list of age-appropriate chores to get your kid started early on household chores and you'll both benefit.

Good News for Parents: Daycare Isn’t Linked to Behavior Problems After All

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:30:00 -0500

Attention working parents! You may be able to cross one thing off the list of Things To Feel Guilty About! Contrary to the findings of a study published in 2007, daycare may not be a contributing factor in disruptive classroom behavior in older children.According to the old survey of 1,300 US children aged 4 and a half years through 6th grade, kids who spent one or more years in daycare were slightly more likely to be disruptive in class when they were older. ...

10 Things that Terrify Me Now that I’m a Mother

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:22:16 -0500

Photo by: iStock Flying Air travel used to be a fun adventure, a happy jaunt from the daily grind even if for work. Meh, I used to think, if something happens my parents will miss me, but no big loss to the world at large. Now, possibly because of the physical act of bundling little beings you love more than yourself onto a large tin pterodactyl 35,000 feet above ground, I start to get the sweats a good week in advance of checking in. Related: The most ridiculous kids toys ever made (what were they thinking?!)

Make it Pop: 7 Ways to Use Neon in Your Baby's Nursery

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:48:13 -0500

Photo by: mengseldesign "Hello, I Love You, Won't You Tell Me Your Name?" Wall Art This sweet neon silkscreen is printed by hand and adds a nice pop of neon without going overboard. This is a subtle yet classy way to decorate with this trend in mind. Get it at mengseldesign for $72 Related: 10 genius IKEA hacks you have to try

The Top 7 Pregnancy Trends for 2013

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:44:15 -0500

Photo by: Michelle Horton Royal Baby TheBump.com predicts a boom of "Steal Kate's Maternity Look" features and maternity clothes replications, as well as royal baby gear and decor. Because when it comes to pregnancy, 2013 is a royal pregnancy world and we're all just pregnant in it. Related: 10 ways to feel beautiful during pregnancy

The Happiest Classroom on Earth: What It's like to Be Homeschooled in Disney

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:24:14 -0500

Photo by: Ciaran Blumenfeld Health One of the first lessons for visitors to sunny Southern California visitors is that the sun is not your friend. Learning about the effects of sun exposure and how to protect against harmful rays is a Disney School essential! Related: The 10 greatest Disney movie moments of all time

How to Raise a Reader

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:44:12 -0500

Kids become lifelong readers for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes there's one key book that captures a kid's imagination and opens him or her up to the exciting world of fiction. Other times, a teacher who assigns great books in class sparks a hunger for more big ideas and fine writing. In some cases, parents influence kids' appreciation of books by sharing their own love of literature and modeling reader behavior -- always having a book to read, taking books on vacation, reading before bedtime, making regular trips to the library and bookstore, etc.

5 Tips for Families Who Love Watching Sports

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:49:00 -0500

Watching sports with your kids is one of life's great pleasures. If you're usually careful about how much TV they watch, then the big game can be an exciting occasion -- and something to savor instead of stressing over. But as we all know, there are plenty of interferences to enjoying sports as a family: age-inappropriate commercials, unsportsmanlike conduct on the field, and waaay overdoing the tube time.

“Cute-Aggression”: It’s a Thing

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:50:00 -0500

Ever want to totally squish something cute, like a kitten or a baby or a chick? You're not the only one, according to a new study, which showed that the urge is a common response to things super adorable."They seem to bring out a strong excitement, and that may manifest in what could be called 'aggressive' behaviors," study co-author Oriana Aragón told Yahoo! Shine. "Aggressive is an awful word, though, because it doesn't capture what we're talking about. There doesn't appear to be a word in English that describes this. ...

Derek Benson's Awesome Lunch Bag Drawings: Dad's Artwork FTW!

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:55:00 -0500

If we were Derek Benson's kids, we'd never buy lunch at school -- we love his hand-drawn lunch bags way too much to pass one up. The Atlanta-based dad started drawing on his kids' brown paper lunch bags in 2008, and they've become such a hit that his kids' friends and teachers have started collecting them (and he's gathered quite a following online). A video game developer with a background in graphic art, Benson finds inspiration in the TV shows and books he shares with his kids Dana, 12, Dylan, 8, and Liam, 6 -- lots of Japanese animation and other "geeky" stuff, he told Yahoo! Shine. Take a look. -- By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine .

Simple Kid-Friendly Valentine's Day Crafts

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:26:22 -0500

Photo by: Martha Stewart Living Hand Valentines Send a touching message with valentines traced from little hands. Just cut from construction paper, and then decorate. Your child can hand over sweets or a toy ring, or let someone know they're her hands-down favorite. Get the Full Hand Valentines How-To

Attention Coeds: Dorms Are Now Open to Children

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:48:00 -0500

I lived in a co-ed dorm building my freshman year of college and an off-campus apartment my sophomore to senior years. I went from two roommates (we all shared a big room with 3 twin beds), to one roommate (we had our own rooms -- thank goodness). We were in different majors, so it was nice not to be spending so much time together. Our classes and schedules weren't shared, and there were no fights over the shower. We bought our own food and split the rent and bills. We were cordial, not best friends, but friends enough. ...

10 Harmful Chemicals to Avoid in Your Home

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:21:00 -0500

Here's a look at some of the most dangerous chemicals lurking in your home -- and how you can reduce your child's exposure to them.

High-Tech Ways to Conceive

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:56:00 -0500

New innovations are changing the world of fertility treatments and procedures -- and getting more women pregnant.By Elena Donovan Mauer for TheBump.comWe probably all know someone who's turned to technology to help her conceive. And the good news is, some new developments in reproductive medicine may mean better pregnancy success rates for people struggling with infertility. "It's the most exciting time I've seen in reproductive medicine," says Mark P. Leondires, MD, medical director and lead infertility doctor with Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut. ...

A Teen Mom's Tragic Life Unfolds in Real Time. Why Do We Follow Jenelle Evans?

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:03:00 -0500

There are some trending search terms we've come to rely on: "asteroid" "antidepressants" and "Jenelle Evans." This week alone, Yahoo searches for Teen Mom 2 stars Jenelle Evans are up 26% with searches for her twitter account--her online journal of up-to-the-minute drama--spiking by 23%.You'll understand why if you follow the 20-year-old pregnant reality star's hourly updates. On Tuesday she tweeted: "I am getting a divorce, ASAP. YOU F--ING LEAVE OUT OF TOWN AND I MIGHT BE HAVING A MISCARRIGE?! F--- U. ...

20 Things Women Would Do for Their Besties (Mom Edition)

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:43:00 -0500

A list of things I would actually do (and in most cases already have) for my nearest and dearest. I think most women I know would, and that's why the fairer sex is kinda awesome!

5 Movies that Sum Up Life as a Single Parent

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:18:00 -0500

I couldn't sleep the other night. I flipped through the stations, and Jerry Maguire was on. It's one of my all-time favorite movies and not just because I'm a single mom -- I definitely like it more since becoming one, though. I laughed. I cried. I thought. I tweeted quotes. Tweepies RT'ed em. All alone in my bed. JD was sound asleep. It got me thinking about other movies with single parent themes and memorable quotes that get me in the gut. And heart. And head. Have a look at my 5 favorites, popcorn preferable. 1. ...