Scientists at the University of York in the UK have shown that the way we speak to our canine friends is important in relationship-building between pet and owner, similar to the way that “baby talk” is to bonding between a baby and an adult. The research paper was published in March 2018 in the journal… Continue reading Who’s a Good Boy? Why “Dog-Speak” Is Important for Bonding with Your Pet
Category: Family
Battling Youthful Bullying
Researchers are examining school bullying based on stigma – where a victim is attacked based on a characteristic like race, sexual orientation or gender – and the method that can be used to prevent this kind of bullying. “I became interested in this because we’re realizing that being bullied due to a stigmatized characteristic or… Continue reading Battling Youthful Bullying
Should You Cosign a Student Loan for Your Grandchild?
As a grandparent, you want to do everything you can to help your grandchild succeed. That’s the reason your grandchildren might turn to you for financial help when it comes to paying for college. If you don’t have the funds outright to contribute to their education, you could be asked to cosign a private student… Continue reading Should You Cosign a Student Loan for Your Grandchild?
Cats and Dogs Are Consuming Toxic Parabens In Their Pet Food
According to a release from the American Chemical Society, scientists examined how pets could be exposed to toxic parabens in their food. The report was published in February 12018 in ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology. The release explains that parabens are preservatives commonly found in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, and their use in human… Continue reading Cats and Dogs Are Consuming Toxic Parabens In Their Pet Food
Common Questions Kids Ask About School Shootings and How to Answer
In the wake of the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida, attention once again turns to what can be done to ensure the safety of children in school. Given kids are exposed to the news and overhear the concerns of their parents as they speak with other adults, it’s expected for children to feel incredibly… Continue reading Common Questions Kids Ask About School Shootings and How to Answer
Most Parents Don’t Believe Their Child’s BMI Report Card
A whopping 53% of parents who receive their child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) report card do not believe that it accurately categorizes their child as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, according to research published February 14th 2018 in Health Promotion Practice, a SAGE Publishing journal. A release from Sage explains that researchers Jones et… Continue reading Most Parents Don’t Believe Their Child’s BMI Report Card
How to Help When Your Friend Has Cancer
I wanted to do something when Kathleen, my younger single mom friend, was diagnosed with Stage 3A lung cancer. It turned out the irritating cough she had that progressed to alarming non-stop coughing was a symptom of adenocarcinomas. She had never taken a sick day off work, never smoked. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I… Continue reading How to Help When Your Friend Has Cancer
3 Signs It’s Time to Seek Alternative Treatments for Overly Medicated Kids
Parents of children suffering from ADD, ADHD or other brain-based disorders can grow frustrated and even desperate as they seek to stem the difficulties they and their children face daily. Often, medicating the children becomes not just a last resort, but a first resort. Parents will try whatever they can to help their child, and… Continue reading 3 Signs It’s Time to Seek Alternative Treatments for Overly Medicated Kids
Expert Tips for Helping the School-Aged Athlete Avoid Burnout and Injury
According to Stanford Children’s Health, there are over 3.5 million children who sustain sports-related injuries every year. Add to that the notion that around 70% of kids who play organized youth sports quit by the time they turn 13, and it’s clear to see the red flags. Those who have a school-aged athlete can help… Continue reading Expert Tips for Helping the School-Aged Athlete Avoid Burnout and Injury
Helping Veterinarians Navigate Complex Care Situations
Advances in veterinary technology provide pet owners with an ever-increasing array of treatment options for their pets. However, more options can lead to complex situations and difficult questions about care goals and quality of life that must be navigated by veterinary caregivers and pet owners. Clinicians and researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke… Continue reading Helping Veterinarians Navigate Complex Care Situations
Family Ties: Our Most Toxic Relationships
When it comes to putting up with obnoxious or toxic people, blood really is thicker than water, researchers say. Most of us endure whiners, naggers, control freaks and other annoying people in our lives for good reason – we’re related to them. Investigators at the University of California, Berkeley, and Bar-Ilan University in Israel sought… Continue reading Family Ties: Our Most Toxic Relationships
Some Nursing Homes Are Gaming the System to Improve Their Medicare Star Ratings
For families faced with the difficult decision of placing a loved one in a nursing home, a government rating system is often the only source of information to determine which facilities are the best. However, a January 2018 study of nursing homes in California, the nation’s largest system, by faculty at Florida Atlantic University and… Continue reading Some Nursing Homes Are Gaming the System to Improve Their Medicare Star Ratings
Are Couples Who Choose to Live Apart Tested When Partners Require Caregiving?
Previous research has shown that unmarried adults are choosing long-distance or cross-residential relationships as a way to have companionship and independence later in life. Jacquelyn Benson, an expert of older adult relationships from the University of Missouri, has found that such couples safeguard personal autonomy to maintain partnerships and relationship satisfaction. While autonomy is paramount… Continue reading Are Couples Who Choose to Live Apart Tested When Partners Require Caregiving?
4 Ways Parents, Teachers and Students Can Reduce Standardized-Test Stress
Standardized testing has drawn its share of criticism from teachers, students and parents. One of the most common complaints is the stress that all three groups feel – from preparation through performance. From a young age, students take these timed tests that measure academic competency and, ultimately, whether they’re college material. Countless articles on standardized… Continue reading 4 Ways Parents, Teachers and Students Can Reduce Standardized-Test Stress
Expecting Your Kids To Take Care Of You? Think Again
The statistics are sobering. At some point, about 70 percent of Americans over 65 will need some type of long-term care, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For those whose retirements are upended by serious health problems, questions quickly arise. What kind of care will they need? How will they pay… Continue reading Expecting Your Kids To Take Care Of You? Think Again
Long-Distance Caregiving: Dealing with Frustration and Guilt
Caregiving, especially from a distance, is likely to bring out many different emotions. Feeling frustrated and angry with everyone, from the care recipient to the doctors, is a common experience. Anger could be a sign that you are overwhelmed or that you are trying to do too much. Although they may not feel as physically… Continue reading Long-Distance Caregiving: Dealing with Frustration and Guilt
Knowing About “Drunkorexia” Can Save Your Child’s Life
I learned about “drunkorexia” the hard way the other night when a “very close family member” called me, asking for a ride home after he was arrested for driving under the influence. He was heading home after a night out with friends and was “pulled over” by the police. He is normally a responsible, level-headed… Continue reading Knowing About “Drunkorexia” Can Save Your Child’s Life
How to Care for a Child with Chickenpox
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) offers tips and strategies for caring for children with chickenpox: Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. Although the incidence of chickenpox has declined significantly since the development of the chickenpox vaccine, there are still children who develop chickenpox every year, say dermatologists from the AAD.… Continue reading How to Care for a Child with Chickenpox