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A vacation FROM the kids
Vacationing with children can be joyous, great for bonding and creating memories, but it's never truly relaxing. It's exhausting. The week preceding an out-of-town trip is torture, trying to cram packing, rescheduling and extra work into your daily routine. The vacation itself centers around kid-friendly activities, some of which inevitably involve long lines and crankiness. You...read more...// //Giant insect show in Miami Beach
A behemoth spider, a hissing Venus flytrap and a millipede the size of a stretched limo will invade South Beach this month. But don't worry -- they were invited. The spectacular, roaming abominations to descend on the Miami Beach Convention Center beginning July 22 are part of Insects, a free show by the street-performing, Barcelona-based Sarruga Productions. "It's such a unique kind of theater,'' said...read more...// //Beware teen 'Gaga' eyes
Trendy teens have their eye on a contact lens fad that could earn them fashion points, but cost them their vision. The culprit: "circle lens" contacts, which enlarge the appearance of the eyes and create a childlike, doe-eyed look. Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance video, which features the pop star with computer-enlarged, cartoonish eyes, is being credited – or...read more...// //Julie Andrews' new princess
Shouldn’t having one incredible talent – like a voice so precociously mature you could support your family with your singing career while still a teenager – be enough? Not for Julie Andrews, whose four-octave range brought her stardom, but who is also an accomplished writer, and not just another celebrity trading on her fame. "I think I might have been the original celebrity writer," said...read more...// //Answers for adoptive parents
While parenting any child has its trials, parenting an adopted child comes with its own set of unique challenges. Some may come from your family – through relatives who treat your child differently or refuse to accept them. Others can come from the school – through classroom assignments about the family tree or classmates who tease. They can stem from the community – by nosy neighbors or friends who feel...read more...// //New danger: Digital drugs?
For decades, parents, doctors and school administrators have worried about the dangers of drugs. In the digital age, they've got a new arena for concern: Sound waves that, some say, affect the brain like a drug -- and cost only 99 cents on iTunes and Amazon.com. Many scientific experts say they're unfamiliar with "digital drugs'' -- sometimes sold under the brand name I-Dosers -- and doubt whether sound...read more...// //Dads feeling work-life squeeze
Peter Rega maneuvers through South Florida traffic like a man on a mission. It's nearing 5 p.m. and Rega, a divorced father, has wrapped up his sales calls and is on his way to pick up his son from after-school care. Cellphone to ear, Riga tells his customer he will call back in an hour, once he successfully shuttles his 12-year-old son, Peter, home for dinner and then to karate lessons. "I'm a top...read more...// //It's done! Our room makeover
Renovating the bedroom of a beautiful 17-year-old girl with a thing for cars was a challenge Ana Furniss took on with a practiced eye. In February, Furniss, owner of Kreativa For Kids and Teens in Coral Gables, was charged with the task after Cindy Quick of Davie won a $5,000 kids room makeover from MomsMiami.com. Quick’s daughter, Lisa Collins, a senior at Hollywood Hills High School, was the lucky...read more...// //Screen your sunscreen
Think your expensive sunscreen will protect your skin? Unlikely. Put on a hat and shirt and sit in the shade instead. That, basically, is the latest sunny advice from Environmental Working Group, a green health nonprofit that recently released its latest Sunscreen Guide . Store shelves may be crowded with numerous sunscreen brands boasting high SPF ratings, but most of those...read more...// //Modern manners for kids
Teaching your child to use the right fork or fold his or her napkin properly may seem like a nice after-thought in today’s world, but modern etiquette experts say proper social graces can affect your child’s future. These days, etiquette classes teach children not only impeccable table manners, but how to develop skills that will help them network, socialize and interact with others as they...read more...// //Summer Survival Guide '10
Summer's heeeeeeeere! And it will be gone before we know it. So here is MomsMiami's annual guide for making the most of the kids' long, long vacation from school. Even if you have them in camp for some of the time, there is still plenty to do when you don't. Visit Mother Nature in the early morning and late evening when the heat lets up. For those rainy or sweltering afternoons, there are...read more...// //Wizarding at Universal
Harry Potter is about to arrive in Florida - not via broomstick or Floo powder, but by a mystery technology that will sweep fans along on a life-and-death adventure in the realm of young wizards. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which officially opens next month, will be the newest themed zone - or ``island'' - at Islands of Adventure, one of Universal Resort's two Orlando parks. While the Wizarding World...read more...// //Bye-bye to drop-side cribs
Christina Corcorran was thrilled when she found a secondhand crib for her son who was born in October. She verified that all of the parts were intact and that the crib met safety standards. The drop-side, a style of crib on which one or both sides drop down to allow access to the infant inside, was perfect for the new mom who at 5 feet 2 inches tall had trouble reaching over the sides of most stationary...read more...// //Miami mom's Pedro Pan novel
There is a moment in Christina Diaz Gonzalez's debut novel, The Red Umbrella, (Knopf, $16.99, ages 10-up) that will strike some readers as too frightening to be plausible. The parents of two children, ages 7 and 14, announce that the kids are going to a foreign country -- alone -- to meet someone they don't know who they will live with for an undetermined amount of time. Implausible except that...read more...// //Camps take on bullying
At 16, Kayla Robbins will soon head off for her ninth summer at sleepaway camp, not far from home in Concord, N.H. This year, she'll spend much of her time as a junior staffer and is looking forward to helping little kids learn to swim. Camp, she said, has always been a welcome break. "It's like going on vacation from all the bad drama stuff at school.'' MORE ON CAMP Looking for a local...read more...// //A plan to fight obesity
First lady Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity received a boost Tuesday when the government issued its road map for tackling the problem, including encouraging more women to breast-feed. The report recommends 70 specific steps that all levels of government, the private sector, schools, parents and others can take. Mrs. Obama has said her goal is to solve the problem within a generation so...read more...// //Kids spur anti-germ start-ups
Nobody knows more about germs and body fluids than moms and dads. Vomit, spit, boogers, droopy diapers filled with, well, you get the unhygienic picture. So it makes sense that two parents and an aunt are behind the latest South Florida start-up companies to offer products and services aimed at consumers who want to stay healthy and germ-free. In an age where school supply lists now include hand sanitizers and...read more...// //Cheers to you, Moms!
Here's hoping that all our MomsMiami members are sleeping in this morning ... having a big breakfast made just for them ... and are resolving not to do a single chore all the livelong day. You deserve a day off! If you do find yourself online today, check out this story from The Miami Herald, where readers wrote in about their moms. And check in at the forums and let us know how your day went. ...read more...// //Modern mom on cyber patrol
I'm staring at my son's Facebook page, horrified. At 12, he has joined groups expressing an appreciation for chesty females and what it's like to be a guy who is well-endowed. What's my next move? Lecture? Shut down his page? Laugh? Cry? With Mother's Day around the corner, I am reminded of the challenges of being a mom in the year 2010. We moms must be fit and look young. We must contribute to or...read more...// //After-hours child care
It’s 9:15 p.m. and a single mother is picking up her 3-year-old from day care. Make that "night care." Sleepy, the little girl still wants to tell mom about her day, excitedly waving in mom’s face the arts and crafts project she put together with crayons and glue. For many working moms and dads, 9 to 5 is not the typical workday. Police officers, nail technicians, attorneys, flight attendants,...read more...// //Tips for choosing a pediatrician
Choosing a pediatrician can be tricky. But there's plenty of advice on the topic. Here's what some pediatricians and parents suggest you look for when on the doctor hunt: 1. Check a doctor's credentials and disciplinary actions at the Florida Medical Board website . The pediatrician should be board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. ...read more...// //Work-at-home tips
Being a work-at-home mother can be hectic and stressful, especially with multiple children under school age. But I find the rewards are sweet when I get to the end of the day and realize I met two major deadlines and got to spend the entire day with my amazing kids. I have found that the key to working from home with little ones is time management, prioritization and preparation. It is...read more...// //Keep kids safe around pools
Drowning is the leading cause of death among Florida preschoolers. Most of those deaths, about 70 percent, occur in home swimming pools. “When you move into a house, and it has a pool, you have to take responsibility,” said Kim Burgess, Drowning Prevention Coordinator for Broward County. “Parents will put their child in a car seat, wear a seat belt, and lock up their loaded guns, but they...read more...// //Convenience for hire
Not long ago, companies were rolling out all kinds of work/life benefits such as child care centers and elder care assistance. Then came the recession, and those benefits dropped to the bottom of most companies' priority lists. Fortunately, the private sector has stepped in. Seeing opportunity, businesses are discovering a huge market in work/life conveniences. From Web entrepreneurs to large drugstore chains,...read more...// //Lessons in extreme couponing
Brandie Mavrich loves to make cash registers go in reverse. On a recent trip to SuperTarget, her total topped $260. Then she pulled out her coupons and started working her markdown magic. Three dollars off. Five. Seven. Her total dropped to $200, then $150. The 34-year-old south Kansas City, Mo., woman was just...read more...// //Baby name trend: Back to basics
The biggest name trends for 2010? Anything decidedly nontrendy. The tireless search for the perfect baby name isn't always easy on any new mom and pop - even after scouring the web for advice, playing with naming tools, and sifting through mountains of baby-name books at the bookstore. (Sound familiar?) If you're still on a quest to name...read more...// //Meet 'If I Stay' author
Gayle Forman had published two novels, to little fanfare, when the e-mails about her third novel began arriving -- before If I Stay had even been released. "These were from people who had gotten an early copy, and a lot of the [e-mails] were very personal, about how the book had moved them because they'd sat in an ICU, with someone in a coma, hoping and believing the person could hear them,"...read more...// //Color, prints 'in' for prom
It's no accident that prom season comes each spring after a string of awards shows have given teenage girls plenty of ideas about how to dress for their spring formals. It's why girls this year might pick a print dress, like Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams wore to the Academy Awards ceremony. Or go sleek in a strapless mini, like Taylor Swift wore to the People's Choice Awards. PROM PHOTOS...read more...// //Easter Fun For the Family
Egg-cellent Easter events throughout the county won't have you sacrificing the ham or lamb or whatever your holiday fare is in order to entertain your brood. The following celebrations are free unless otherwise noted. BROWARD Cooper City• Annual Egg Hunt: For kids in fifth grade and under (Cooper City residents only). Toddlers must be able to walk. Bring baskets; 10 a.m. Saturday, Cooper City Sports Complex, 10050...read more...// //Online comfort for NICU parents
When Joshua Paharsingh was born 15 weeks too soon, at only 1 pound, 4 ounces, his parents were distressed and overwhelmed. "We didn't know anything about what to expect next," Peter Paharsingh said. That was Dec. 7, 2009. A few weeks later, Paharsingh and his wife MORE RESOURCES Read more about preemies on MomsMiami: Caring for your preemie Kangaroo care...read more...// //Spring cleaning with FlyLady
I've been waiting for spring since, oh, around New Year's Day. And naturally, my longing for spring turned to musings about spring cleaning, and noticing my dusty baseboards, I turned to the most practical cleaner I know for advice: the FlyLady. Perhaps you've never heard of the FlyLady, aka Marla Cilley of Brevard, N.C. Or maybe you're nodding your head in recognition on...read more...// //A cheaper ride at the fair
It's cheaper to take the family to the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo this year, with discounts on admission, rides and food. The biggest deal is the "5 before 5'' promotion, which drops the ticket price for $9 to $5 before 5 p.m. weekdays. You can get that deal with a coupon found on the fair's website , or running daily in The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, as well as some Pollo...read more...// //Balancing Act: Working at home
About a year ago, I left my office cubicle and joined the ranks of more than six million people who work from their homes most of the time. Having always enjoyed the camaraderie of the newsroom, sitting alone behind a desk in a home office sounded kind of lonely to me. Even more, home had always been a refuge, a place to escape from work. Some consider working from home a huge work-life perk. For me, it was a...read more...// //Does your kid need braces?
A mouth full of train tracks used to be just another awkward sign of puberty. But these days, it's more common to see elementary school kids sporting a grin full of tin, as some orthodontic treatments are beginning at an earlier age. With a price tag in the thousands, the need for braces is a pronouncement most parents dread, bringing to mind the geeky metal smiles and...read more...// //At the museum: Brain lessons
Want to know what's really on your mind? The 2010 Brain Fair is the place to find out. A day of free activities and lectures hosted by the Miami Science Museum will educate children and adults about how the brain works and how to keep it in great shape. Autism, Alzheimer's disease and general brain health will also be discussed. IF YOU GO The 2010 Brain Fair runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 20 at the Miami Science...read more...// //Finding a summer camp
Can it be that the school year seems to be racing to an end already? And registrations for summer day camp have begun? It's true. We are lucky to live in an area where opportunities abound to make the most out of summer break. Kids can learn new skills, discover an untapped talent, hone their sports agility, explore the local attractions or just have fun. Many city recreation departments and most museums and...read more...// //Frugal parties = sad clowns
Ooopsy the Clown threw in a bubble machine for the monkey-themed party marking Nicholas Castillo's first birthday. She usually charges extra, but what's a clown to do in a recession that has some parents throwing less extravagant celebrations for their kids? Ooopsy, aka Amy Tinoco, estimates the Pembroke Pines company she co-owns took in about $80,000 before taxes and expenses last year. That's...read more...// //Meet kids' author Mo Willems
Mo Willems is really tall. His is audience is very short. (Think knee-high or lower.) Willems is the guy who created the pigeon preschoolers love to deny ( Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, etc.), the genius behind the now-famous story of a lime-green stuffed rabbit left behind in a Brooklyn laundromat one day by a little girl named Trixie. He brings his act to Coral Gables on March 13. Willems is a busy guy, with...read more...// //Hot at the video store: Mom porn
Freud would have a field day in the video aisles at Pure Pleasure Adult Megacenters. Mommy issues are making it in a most unexpected way, and the proof is in the porn. There is a booming genre of videos devoted to eroticizing mothers. But why? What's driving the surging interest in yummy mummies (as they quaintly refer to them across the pond)? TALK ABOUT...read more...// //Too many toys!
Popular children's author and illustrator David Shannon put out a book last year that made kids laugh and their parents cry. The book, Too Many Toys, tells the story of a boy named Spencer who floats happily around his house on a cascading river of toys. But when his dad steps on a Lego piece in his bare feet (ouch!) and his mom trips over race cars while doing the laundry (youch!), they decide that Spencer has too...read more...// //At the zoo: giant insects
Five-year-old Israel Arroyo sat in front of a huge praying mantis with a clipboard and colored pencils and began to sketch. His mother brought him to the exhibit at Miami Metrozoo to expand his knowledge of the bug's anatomy. IF YOU GO The World of Giant Insects, an educational exhibit featuring robotic bugs enlarged 40 to 600 times their actual size, is on display at Dr. Wilde's World at Miami Metrozoo, 12400...read more...// //Rethink ‘scheduling' baby's birth
The rising trend of expectant mothers being involved in every aspect of planning their births has had an unintended consequence -- a rise in pre-term deliveries. "It never would have occurred to me or anyone I knew to think you had any kind of control over when the baby would come out," said Laura Crawford, who gave birth more than a decade ago....read more...// //You know you should: Make a will
It’s a parent’s worst nightmare – to die and leave their young children all alone in a big, bad world. And it is the fear of that horrid thought that leaves many parents powerless to do the very thing that would help their children the most – to make a plan that will determine who will care for the kids and how and when they will get family assets. Estate planning attorneys say parents are often lax...read more...// //Mom in Chief: Let's move
Dr. William Muiños is alarmed at how early in life obesity is making children sick. ``I see obese toddlers and preschool children with sleep apnea,'' said Muiños, who runs a weight-loss program for children at Miami Children's Hospital. ``I see obese kids 8 to 10 years old with fatty livers and high sugar levels.'' Muiños was among the South Florida...read more...// //Swim school's new home
After years of traveling to pools all over Miami-Dade County to give swimming lessons, a popular South Florida instructor has built her own school, with a heated indoor pool. Miren Oca's Ocaquatics Swim School has been around for 16 years, but it's been a traveling business. Oca taught in the pools at the University of Miami and Gulliver Academy in Pinecrest, and private back yards. IF YOU GO...read more...// //Are your kids' toys too loud?
Are children's toys getting louder? Parents who stroll through any large chain store might swear it's true: Computer games, designed for ever-younger kids, emit an assortment of beeps, blips, peals and shrieks. Try to find a tractor or a bulldozer that doesn't blast a realistic engine roar or other on-the-job sound. TOYS TESTED Here are the toys the UCI team tested, followed by the decibel level up close...read more...// //Museum opens 'Wizard of Oz'
There's no place like home. And now there's no place on the planet quite like the Miami Children's Museum, as it kicks off The Wizard of Oz Children's Educational Exhibition. Created by the museum in conjunction with Warner Bros., it's the first licensed traveling educational exhibit based on Oz in history and will hit the road in May to visit other cities including Boston, New York,...read more...// //How to get kids into modeling
Like most proud moms, you probably carry around adorable photos of your children. Strangers stop you on the street and tell you how cute your baby is. Friends and relatives keep saying, "You should really get your kids into modeling!'' Maybe you'd like to but don't know how to go about it. My twin daughters have been modeling since they were 6 months old. Now 6 years...read more...// //'Kangaroo care' helps preemies
I never imagined I'd spend my first weeks as a mother pretending to be a marsupial. But there I was, sitting in the neonatal intermediate care unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, hoping that a practice known as ``kangaroo care'' would help my preemie. Every morning I'd put my 4-pound, 6-ounce son under my pouch-like sweater so that we were skin to skin, chest to chest, my body replacing his incubator as a...read more...// //Q & A: 'Pink Brain, Blue Brain'
Neuroscientist Lise Eliot writes about what's nearest and dearest to her heart: Her children and their malleable brains. The result is a compelling perspective on parenting, one that challenges conventional notions of sex differences. Yes, little boys reach for trucks. And little girls carry dolls. But in her latest book Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps and What We Can do About It...read more...// //Should little girls wear high heels?
A pair of sparkly, peekaboo shoes with heels 2 inches high are favorites of 6-year-old Helena Bell ever since she got them for a wedding. "She's worn them to the point where the jewels have fallen off," says Helena's mother, Dana Bell. "It's not my preference, but I've stopped fighting it." The heels aren't allowed at school, but the first-grader from Woodland...read more...// //Meet 'Vampire Academy' author
Smart trend-watchers might look at the two biggest publishing phenomenon of the past decade -- the Harry Potter series and the Twilight books -- and conclude that the next can't-miss blockbuster would take place at a boarding school that trains vampires to use magic. Too late. Richelle Mead has already thought of that. Her Vampire Academy books detail life at St. Vladimir's, a Montana school...read more...// //Is your child gifted?
For some parents, getting a child into the gifted program is akin to winning a gold medal in the academic Olympics. It’s a label parents and some students crave as much for the prestige as the potential for higher learning. Educators say parents who clamor to get the inside track on gifted testing should consider whether it’s really right for their child. BY JULIE LANDRY LAVIOLETTE, MomsMiami.com Read...read more...// //New circus show adds illusion
For the first time in its 139 years of bringing the Greatest Show on Earth to the wondrous masses, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is incorporating the world of illusion in its latest creation, "Zing Zang Zoom," which kicks off its second-year tour at downtown Miami's American Airlines Arena on Jan. 8 The show combines the mystique of Cirque du Soleil colliding with classic, family-friendly circus acts,...read more...// //Online help for toys, games
Is your unscrupulous cousin bending the Monopoly rules? Are you afraid you threw the directions for your kids' new toys out with the wrapping paper? Don't fear, there are places you can turn to for help. Whether you're trying to assemble the vintage Lite Brite or would like to avoid a family argument over whether that three-letter French word will really score you double-word...read more...// //Don't switch baby's car seat yet
Anne Epperson thought little of it when she flipped her daughter's convertible car seat around so she could face forward after her first birthday. But if car seat advocates get their way, parents like Epperson will be delaying the switch, possibly for years. The American Academy of Pediatrics is revising recommendations that they hope will clear up confusion over how long children should spend riding...read more...// //Keys mom takes health challenge
Leigh Smith, a 240-pound mother of two, wanted to get healthy. But growing up on Southern fried food and routinely putting her family first, the 35-year-old admitted she didn't know how. Enter three Key West nutrition and fitness experts who spent November giving her a head-to-toe wellness makeover after choosing her from nearly 90 applicants for a "30 Days to Help Yourself...read more...// //Moms of the decade
In the past decade, there have been parents who have challenged our notion of parenthood, influenced how we define a family and sparked plenty of water cooler conversation. From the notorious to those with noble intentions, these are the mothers and fathers who shaped our national conversation about what it means to be a parent. 10. Military parents. In October of 2001, President Bush began the war in Afghanistan....read more...// //'101 Dalmatians' at Arsht
Onstage, children and dogs often turn out to be scene stealers. Just ask any adult actor who has appeared in a production of Annie. So it's fair to say that Rachel York, a beautiful Broadway veteran with a killer voice, has some formidable competition in The 101 Dalmatians Musical, the new show that will bring the star, eight kids and 15 real Dalmatians (plus assorted other adult performers) to the...read more...// //A stay-home New Year's Eve
After the hubbub of Christmas, slow it down for New Year's Eve and stay in with the family. Ringing in the new year doesn't mean you have to hit the bars and the bubbly. There are plenty of family-friendly ways to celebrate and keep it low-key. This could be the year you start a family tradition for New Year's Eve, and you may want to...read more...// //Santa's a text or Tweet away
Yes, Virginia, there is an @SantaClaus . Santa has always been a master at toy making, but he has now become quite the gadget guru. He's responding to boys and girls through text messages, tweets, e-mails and is even doing some video conferencing live from the North Pole. ``The reality is that times change, people change, so does the North Pole,'' said Scott Steinberg, publisher of DigitalTrends.com . ``Kids...read more...// //Study: Sugar 'high' a myth
Dread holiday parties because the goodies served set your child off like a rocket? Are you sure sugar is to blame for those meltdowns? Many parents believe sugary foods make children overactive or "hyper.'' But is there really such a condition as a sugar high? MORE ONLINE The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips on parenting healthy eaters. Discuss issues like this with...read more...// //Dear Santa: Bring Dad a job
The glittery and crayon-scrawled letters to Santa can seem so whimsical as they pile up in postal bins. Then, you read a letter like Michael'sû and reality hits. "His grandfather just lost his job,'' said Kelly Levy, a marketing secretary and the head elf of the Letters to Santa program in Pembroke Pines. "So he's asking Santa to find a job for him.'' ...read more...// //Deal hunter shares secrets
Melissa Cid estimates she gets about $500 in freebies every month – including items at the grocery store, restaurant meals and product samples. Cid, a mom from Miami Lakes who launched a website called Saving Mom's Money in July, said her passion for finding a good deal began when she was pregnant with her son, Manny, who is now about 1 1/2 years old. But it wasn’t until after Manny was born, when Cid...read more...// //Balancing Act: Ballet mom
Driving down the interstate midafternoon, you just might spot the Hernandez family whizzing by. In the back of their car, daughter Diana likely will be changing from her school uniform into ballet clothes and combing her hair into a meticulous bun. In cities across America, the scene plays out the same this time of year: Frenzied parents rushing across town to make sure their kids arrive to rehearse their...read more...// //New divorce rules, 'sharing' kids
When my parents divorced in the 1970s, my mom got custody of my two sisters and me. My father moved out of state and had visitation rights. He would show up irregularly for awkward visits. As a result, my father never did day-to-day parenting chores that are pure expressions of love. The consequences for me: feelings of powerlessness and confusion. "Custody'' is now a thing of the past as...read more...// //Help! My kid's a shopaholic
When my teenager announced that he was spending Black Friday at a mall with a friend, I wasn't happy. "Don't tell me you've bought into the shopping mentality!" I said (or maybe shrieked). "Buy, buy, buy. Spend, spend, spend!" I added (or maybe ranted). "That's all our culture wants you to do. You've been brainwashed!" I then reminded myself of my parenting pledge to...read more...// //Early autism treatment works
The first rigorous study of behavior treatment in autistic children as young as 18 months found two years of therapy can vastly improve symptoms, often resulting in a milder diagnosis. The study was small -- just 48 children evaluated at the University of Washington -- but the results were so encouraging it has been expanded to several other sites, said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the advocacy...read more...// //Holiday events are on!
Who says it doesn't feel like the holidays in Florida? Who needs snow to usher in the season? We've got boat parades, The Nutcracker , and even the Rockettes. We've got fabulous light displays, and every holiday production you can think of is being performed on one of South Florida's many stages. Holiday events are happening in virtually every community in Miami-Dade and...read more...// //Reforming ungrateful teens
Is there an ungrateful teenager living in your house? Lisa Butler feels your pain. She started a Facebook group called UTIMH (Ungrateful Teenager In My House). "Here's my Christmas list," is how Butler describes the typical teenager's response to the approach of the holidays. "They have such a sense of entitlement," added Butler, a social worker who lives in Hartford, Conn., with her...read more...// //Email spurs mom businesses
Whitney Zimet, a busy Miami mom, has figured out a way to build her small business during all hours. She mingles with other moms, hoping to cajole them into giving her their e-mail addresses. Then, she adds the coveted address to the distribution list for her e-newsletter, I am the Maven, filled with coupons from advertisers. Even with texting and social media making headlines, e-mail marketing is emerging as a powerful...read more...// //Moms helping soldiers
Flea collars and a prayer are tucked inside a brown shipping box bound for a remote region of Afghanistan. Karla Smiley, 44, stuffs another box with chocolate chip granola bars, a pair of white socks, eye drops and ChapStick -- essentials for a soldier trying to survive the elements of a foreign terrain. Two boxes down, more than 1,200 left to go. ``Every soldier deserves a mom,'' says Smiley, of Fort...read more...// //Shooting for perfect holiday photo
My husband and I are photographers for The Miami Herald, and have faced some difficult assignments. But by far, the most challenging job we have all year is the annual Christmas card photo. This year, our boys are 7 and 10 years old, and we want to include our chocolate Lab as well. Over the years, we've had the boys run through hot sand and cling to coconut trees. We've tied them up in Christmas...read more...// //Finally, a black Disney princess
Holly Price Alford is over the moon about Disney's first black princess. Her 8-year-old daughter is, too, but not because the princess is black. "She understands that this is a princess who is African American,'' said Alford, who is black and lives in Meadowbrook, Va. "But do I think it's a big deal to her? No.'' Princess Tiana debuts in The Princess and the Frog...read more...// //Book Fair kids: Schooled in comics
School’s in session Friday for parents, teachers, librarians, anybody interested in knowing more about comic books. That’s sure to make a kid Hulk green with envy, isn’t it? BY SUE CORBETT Sue will be making her own appearance at the Miami Book Fair International, reading from her latest book, The Last Newspaper Boy in America . Sue will appear at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Friday,...read more...// //Laid-off husbands help at home?
Lily Pabian and her husband, Jeff, learned to tag-team household tasks when he lost his job and she went from stay-at-home mom to part-time consultant. But the give-and-take turned into a juggling act when Jeff found work again three months later. Lily, a 37-year-old mother of three from Mapleton, Ga., kept working, but also kept most of the parenting responsibilities and housework. And experts say her...read more...// //Up all night texting
Between their crazy schedules and upside-down circadian rhythms, teens always have been somewhat sleep-deprived. Now technology is making it worse. Teens are not just texting, instant-messaging and surfing Facebook all day; they're sleeping with their cell phones or laptops, too. Or rather, not sleeping. And doctors and parents, many of them raised in an era when phones were attached...read more...// //Are our boys in crisis?
We've never had a female president, and most CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are still white men. But William Pollack says there's a ''boy crisis'' in America. As proof, he cites several measures: • In schools across the country, boys get the majority of Ds and Fs; girls get most of the As....read more...// //New firm: Moms for hire
As a mom, Dixie McDaniel Andrade wanted to work from home in a business that would give her flexibility to keep on eye on her kids, maybe even take them to the park midday. She found the ideal match as the new regional owner of Mom Corps Miami. From her home office, Andrade spends her days calling on companies, explaining how using a mom to fill a gap in their employment needs will benefit them. "It's low cost,...read more...// //Where to go for Halloween
There is so much scary fun to be had in South Florida this time of year, it's hard to choose which events to hit. Here is a rundown of some the big ones. See more posted by readers in our Local Events forum. And share your favorite trick-or-treat haunts in our Creative Holidays forum. For complete listings of adult fun, visit Miami.com . Deering Estate Ghost Tours The League of Paranormal...read more...// //Three moms & a business
Broward moms Sheryl Rosenthal and Rebecca Joseph are on the verge of taking their home business to a new level. Their company, Free to Be Studio, designs and sells T-shirts for special events. "We were friends who started thinking, 'What can we do together?' We didn't like sitting home, but we didn't want to work in an office,'' Rosenthal said. BY CINDY KRISCHER...read more...// //'Wild Things' film no cozy tale
Spike Jonze recalls how Maurice Sendak urged him to make the movie version of Where the Wild Things Are as dangerous as the book was when the children's classic came out in 1963. The question now is whether Jonze made it too dangerous. The film arrives in theaters Oct. 16, a year later than originally planned by distributor Warner Bros. The studio was queasy over the dark,...read more...// //Autism charter school opens
Susan Leon spent years trying to find the right school for her autistic son, Reno. The public schools didn't have the right tools to teach children with autism, she said. And the specialized private schools were too costly. So Leon, a paralegal from Kendall, convened a group of parents and experts to create the region's first charter school exclusively for autistic children. The...read more...// //WAHM success: Purse sales
Kelly Warfel had been scanning the booths at a business expo in April when she stumbled upon a product she knew could sell - a purse with interchangeable handles and materials. While she isn't making gobs of money yet, Warfel has managed to create a work-from-home business selling the unique purses. She has made back her initial investment and says she has laid the groundwork for earning a...read more...// //Meet 'Graceling' author
The heroine of Kristin Cashore's second novel, Fire , is named for the color of her hair -- a prismatic red that mixes shades of "sunrise, copper, poppy, fuchsia, and flame'' into a mane so dazzling she keeps it covered with a scarf to detract attention. That same word -- dazzling -- sums up Cashore's entry into publishing. BY SUE CORBETT For more on what the kids are reading -- or...read more...// //Avoid work-at-home scams
For a parent, it sounds like the best of both worlds: working from home so you can make money AND spend more time with your kids. The lure of work-at-home companies is especially enticing at a time when many moms can't afford not to work any more and some may even need a second source of income. BY JULIE LANDRY LAVIOLETTE. Read Julie's money-saving blog, Talk About Cheap, here . Follow...read more...// //DIY Halloween guide
Remember how easy it was to do Halloween when you were a kid? Throw an old white sheet over your head, call yourself a ghost and head out trick-or-treating. Well those do-it-yourself days are creeping back, as parents are just saying no to high-priced specialty store kids costumes and relying on their own ingenuity to outfit trick-or-treaters. Arlana Kemplin of Lighthouse Point said she and her husband, Jeff Manresa,...read more...// //Good sports: It starts with us
It's tough to be a good sport. Watch any youth sports game and you'll see the bad behaviors -- the yelling, the screaming, the blaming -- and that's just the coaches and parents. The bottom line is, if we want our kids to learn good sportsmanship, we have to set a better example. BY JULIE LANDRY LAVIOLETTE. Read Julie's money-saving blog, Talk About Cheap, here . Follow her on Twitter . ...read more...// //Drug-free effort: Family dinner
The simple act of sitting down to dinner with your kids may be one of the strongest tools you have to keep them off drugs. That's the idea behind Monday's "Family Day.'' Organizations all over South Florida are hosting free dinners, plus sharing information and giving parents tips on table talk that gets beyond "how was your day?'' MORE ONLINE Read more about local and...read more...// //Wassup? Txt ur teen
Teens and texting is a subject that's often discussed in pathological terms. They're texting in class! They're sexting! They're running up $5,000 bills! They need thumb therapy! But texting isn't always bad. In some families, it's become a primary form of communication between parents and children. In fact, one of my favorite texts from kids is the earth-shattering query...read more...// //Caring for your preemie
It happens from out of nowhere. You're chugging through your pregnancy -- months from your due date -- when suddenly you're told you're having the baby NOW. Terrifying, yes. But fortunately, South Florida is a good place to be if you have to go through this. In fact, mothers are sent to South Florida from all over the state, Latin America and the Caribbean to have their preemies because there are...read more...// //New moms' back-to-work guide
Is your maternity leave fading fast? Cut back on the back-to-work chaos with these helpful tips from experts to get you -- and your baby -- prepared. SET THE DATE If your return date is flexible, you might be tempted to put off the decision as long as possible. Resist! The delay is nothing but unnecessary stress. Take the reins and move toward a decision. "The worst thing you can do is feel powerless,"...read more...// //'Meatballs' & Miami childhood
As a kid in Coconut Grove, Phil Lord remembers that the picture book Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs appealed to his budding appreciation of oddball humor. As a second-grader, "I recognized it as Surreal before knowing what Surreal was," he recalls. His well-thumbed copy was among the prized possessions his parents held onto for him when he graduated from Ransom-Everglades in 1993. BY SUE CORBETT...read more...// //When to teach life skills
You walk into your bathroom, and the toilet paper roller is empty. On the back of the toilet sits a new roll, put there by a previous visitor who apparently never mastered the task of replacing a roll of toilet paper. Reloading the dispenser is just one of those things that kids should learn, things that will stay with them throughout adulthood. TALK ABOUT IT Should kids get paid for chores? Comment on Ana-Veciana...read more...// //No off-season for sports injuries
As a new season of school sports and youth leagues gets underway, medical professionals are gearing up for the sprained ankles, skinned knees, broken arms and other injuries that inevitably come with the games. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 80 percent of sports-related injuries in children result from playing football, basketball, baseball or soccer. Two-thirds of those...read more...// //Pregnant on the job hunt
Samantha Stone, 29, would like to have a baby soon. But with the job market tenuous, being pregnant in the workplace has become much more risky. Just look at the number of pregnant women who are blogging about job discrimination, filing lawsuits for unfair removal and turning to advocacy groups after being targeted in job cuts. BY CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN. Read Cindy's Balancing Act blog here . Claims of...read more...// //Feed the kid's brain
Kids who want to stay focused and alert in school need to eat the right foods. Not power drinks and potato chips, but foods rich in healthy fats, protein and slow-burning carbohydrates that provide energy throughout the day. "Fats build the brain, proteins unite the brain, and carbohydrates fuel the MORE LUNCH IDEAS Bento boxes are the new thing for packing lunch. What do you put in your kids' lunch...read more...// //Kids' work can make artful display
Think outside the icebox when it comes to kid art. Children's first finger paintings and their more elaborate elementary-school drawings once were restricted to refrigerator doors. But interior designers, some of whom are serious art collectors, are changing that old-school practice. "You're allowing your kids to express themselves, and displaying their work gives them...read more...// //Homework space made simple
Kathryn M. Ireland, the former music-video producer turned interior designer, has helped with a textbook's worth of schoolwork while raising her three boys with her Saturday Night Live filmmaker husband, Gary Weis. Yet the full extent of their homework headquarters consists of little more than a nook in the kitchen of their Spanish-style house in Santa Monica, Calif. "You just find a corner and put up shelves...read more...// //Big kudos for local park
Northgate Park in Lauderdale Lakes is more than just a park with basketball courts and slides -- it's 8-year-old Jordan James' ``secret spy'' training ground. It's where 12-year-old Ashley Ruid comes after school rather than going home to an empty house. It's the place Richie Dugazon, 25, credits with keeping him out of trouble and helping him turn around his life. ``Man, had it not been for the...read more...// //Standing up to YOUR mom
Like it or not, your mom has parenting experience and opinions, and odds are good that she's going to shove them down your throat, uh, we mean share them, with you every chance she gets. Not a problem for your fam? Smile and give grandma a hug for us. But if you have unsolicited advice coming out the wazoo, here are a few tips to help keep your cool. SEE THROUGH IT...read more...// //Easing school anxiety
Wendy K. Silverman, director of the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program at Florida International University, has been teaching children how to conquer their fears for more than 20 years. As a researcher and board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist, she sees youngsters whose extreme anxiety can keep them out of the classroom. With school starting, we talked to Silverman about her research and about what parents...read more...// //Lunch out of the box
Blogger Deborah Hamilton has a fresh idea for school-lunch packers: the bento box. She sends her son off every school day with her own version of the compartmentalized Japanese lunch container. "I would like to say I have a master plan and my evil genius of bento kung fu tells me what to do, but really it's whatever I have in the house,'' said Hamilton, who blogs at www.lunchinabox.net ....read more...// //Tips for the ER visit
We have had to rush our son to the hospital more than once, and each time was the scariest thing I have had to face. But looking back, it never turned out to be as bad as I imagined. And knowing what you should do -- and bring along -- makes the whole experience much safer and easier for the parent -- and the child. Emergency physicians suggest these tips in case you...read more...// //Back to school: Going green
What’s the newest green trend this back-to-school buying season? Think before you buy. It’s not that difficult these days to coordinate the three R’s of being planet friendly - reduce, reuse and recycle - with reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic. Greening the back-to-school experience means thinking about what you really need to get your kids back into the classroom. Before you head out, take an...read more...// //Raising kids to love food
Before she was a year old, Zoe LoSasso was introduced to the sharp, earthy taste of white truffle purée. Now 10, she doesn't remember that, but it hardly seems an accident that she loves yuca-crusted snapper with kimchee aioli, roasted broccoli with garlic and pizza topped with crushed red pepper. Like a growing number of American kids, the fifth-grader is being raised as an adventuresome eater. BY JODI...read more...// //Loosening up on teens
Technology allows parents the unprecedented ability to supervise their children. A teen's exact location can be determined by a GPS unit on their cell phone. Software permits children's every computer keystroke to be monitored. Phone records can be accessed to review calling patterns, and new technology now exists for parents to recover deleted text messages from cell phones. BY GREGORY RAMEY...read more...// //Skipping middle school
Who can forget their first day of middle school? Thousands of students can, as a growing number of urban school districts -- including Miami-Dade County's -- replace middle schools with K-8 centers. Students who live in Miami attendance zones for a K-8 center, or "elemiddle,'' can opt to stay in the same school from kindergarten through eighth grade, instead of moving to middle school....read more...// //Backpack shopping guide
The kids only care about the colors and the characters. But when it comes to backpack shopping, moms know that comfort and durability are the key factors. Choosing a quality backpack -- and packing it correctly -- helps prevent back, neck and shoulder pain, especially for kids entering middle school, MORE BACK-TO-SCHOOL Do you have gently used school gear or uniforms to sell, trade or giveaway? Post them in Swap...read more...// //How to buy a crib mattress
And you thought choosing a name was hard. Navigating the maze of crib mattresses involves more than noting your crib's measurements and heading to the nearest baby store -- especially if you're concerned about the chemical makeup of your child's bed. We turned to Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group , for pointers on choosing a mattress that lets you all...read more...// //Balancing Act: Mom cops
Move over Jon & Kate, let The Police Women of Broward County show you how real women raise kids -- and work. Smack in the middle of the debate about whether it is possible for women to have it all comes TLC's new series that sets out to capture the reality of women in law enforcement. It follows the lives of four ordinary women who alternately shuttle kids to school and, by the way, bust up drug...read more...// //Saying no to sleepovers
Forget the sleepover rituals of junk food, "truth or dare'' and late night gab sessions that have ushered tweens into teens for decades. A new generation of parents are sticking to strict no sleepover rules. They call them "sleep unders'', "half-overs'', "late nights'' and "breakfast bashes.'' Come in your jammies, bring junk food, play all the...read more...// //Miami girl on veg campaign
At age 8, Jasmine Messiah is an enthusiastic vegetarian, toting salads and fruit to school every day since she finds the alternative in the school cafeteria "not healthy.'' The Miami girl has tried to introduce her friends to the benefits of eating a healthy diet -- and now she's the real-life poster child of a campaign aimed at persuading Congress to require schools across the country to offer...read more...// //Beyond uniforms: Peace, neon
Peace, love and neon. For those middle- and high-schoolers who get to choose what they wear to school, these are the back-to-school buzzwords for a generation too young to remember those fashion themes the first time around, or even the second. This celebration of feel-good prints, including peace signs, flower power and butterflies, occurs against a backdrop of psychedelic colors and runs straight through...read more...// //Mom, can I have a guinea pig?
When kids saw 101 Dalmatians and Beverly Hills Chihuahua, they sat up and begged for a title character of their very own. And so it goes with the guinea pigs of G-Force, the Disney flick that scurried to the top of the box office last weekend with $31.7 million. Aww, fuzzy, adorable little guinea pigs -- great pets, right? WE LOVE PETS Show off...read more...// //Frugal moms ditch training pants
The recession is making life a little messier for some toddlers and their parents. Disposable training pants, long viewed as a staple in potty training children, are becoming dispensable as some parents choose value over convenience in the recession. These days, an accident here and there has become an acceptable tradeoff for saving some $30 to $100 a month. And many parents say that doing away...read more...// //Summer health myths
Remember that annoying long list of things you were told as a kid to do and not do when you were supposed to be out having summertime fun? Well, it's time to separate the facts from fiction so your kids can enjoy themselves while you are not needlessly worrying. A few myth busters, from Woman's Day magazine: MORE ON SUMMER HEALTH Kid-safe mosquito defense . How to avoid heat illnesses . Why your kids should...read more...// //Back-to-school checklist
The first day of school is rushing right at us. Have you been busy preparing, or too busy enjoying the kids' time off? "Parents enjoy the summer, too, and they don't want to think about school,'' said Stephanie Vozza, founder of Theorganizedparent.com and a mother of two school-age boys in Rochester, Mich. "Your head isn't there yet, but so many little things over...read more...// //Tips for a fun game night
Economic woes are challenging families to find inexpensive entertainment options. Others are looking to get away from electronic gizmos and reconnect. For many, an old-fashioned family game night is the answer. A recent survey commissioned by Hasbro found that 48 percent of Americans believe game nights are the best type of family bonding. FAVORITE GAMES Have you tried family game night at your house?...read more...// //Girls, puberty: What to say
The experts at KidsHealth offer this advice for talking to your daughters about puberty: 1. Start the talk early. By the time a girl is 8, she should know about the bodily changes associated with puberty. That may seem young, but consider this: 40 percent of 8-year-olds say they first heard about puberty from a source other than their moms or school. TALK ABOUT IT Share your tips and challenges on this issue in our...read more...// //Fun summer science tricks
Chances are, they're bored. The first few weeks that school was out, the pool was a lure for your kids and a non-school book seemed a treat. But now, the kids probably just stare at you with those accusing eyes that say: "What are you going to do about this?" To help, we've compiled a short list of fun science experiments designed to combat summer boredom or survive rainy days. The ideas come from three...read more...// //What's new at theme parks
Extreme rides, American Idol competitions and secret-agent missions are among the new thrills this summer at the Orlando theme parks. MANTA, SEAWORLD This roller coaster's preshow is a walk through a huge aquarium filled with real rays. Riders are then strapped facedown to the underside of the ORLANDO TRAVEL TIPS Get advice for saving money on Orlando excursions in Julie Laviolette's Talk About Cheap blog....read more...// //Travel: Utah dinosaur hunt
MOAB, UTAH -- A happy geological fluke has made Utah one of the world's best spots to hunt for dinosaurs. Throughout the rest of the United States, this fossil-rich layer of sedimentary rock is buried under prairies and forests. But in the badlands of Utah, the stratum rests near the surface, even along hiking trails. I consulted Utah's top paleontologists on the best way to make a four-day road trip to see the...read more...// //Take kids to see turtles
Fifty baby turtles hatched into stardom. Within hours of being born, they had dug themselves out of a five-foot hole on an empty beach and found themselves wriggling around in two sand-filled buckets, surrounded by young fans. Soon they would be released into the ocean, where they'd make their way to the Gulf Stream and live out the rest of their lives. But first, came the lesson. IF YOU GO...read more...// //Cool moms bake the cake
Kay Martin decided early on that she wanted special celebrations for her children's birthdays. For her, that meant homemade, hand-decorated cakes. "I bought a cake-decorating book before my first kid was even born,'' said Martin of Plain City, Ohio. She wowed guests at her daughter's first birthday with a three-dimensional cake shaped like alphabet blocks. "It got rave...read more...// //Tips for pumping at work
Returning to work after maternity leave can be a shock to the system, especially for women who breastfeed and need to pump milk while on the job. The intimate, unhurried nursing sessions that they shared with their babies are often replaced by the mechanical drone of a breast pump -- and a mad dash to squeeze in enough evenly spaced breaks throughout the workday to maintain their milk...read more...// //New ideas for sun protection
Some new products are out claiming to pair with sunscreen to combat burns and long-term sun damage. Some are innovative. Others are goofy. But beware: Some may not be all they’re cracked up to be. Take for instance Heliocare, the “sunscreen in a pill.” This European product promises to fight UV-rays from the inside out but is just a high dose of antioxidants and should never replace sunscreen. LEARN MORE...read more...// //Cheap water games for hot days
Kids whining that it's too hot to go outside? Here's a recipe for relief: Just add water. Jenny Rosenstrach, features editor of Cookie, a family lifestyle magazine, says parents can keep it simple and still make a splash when it comes to entertaining young kids. "I have a 7-year-old and a 5-year-old, and we don't have a...read more...// //Must 'date night' be a chore?
A "date'' is butterflies in the stomach. Pants that flatter the rear view. Surprise endings. Its very distant cousin, "date night," is an uninterrupted meal. The pants you wore to that wedding one time. A baby sitter. Yes, we married parents know we're supposed to go on date nights. HAVE A GREAT DATE Our Mommy & We blog offers great local Date...read more...// //'Character'-less kids rooms
Dora the Explorer can undergo all the makeovers she wants -- that Dora comforter is still getting chucked faster than last year's gym shoes when Hannah Montana comes calling. And therein lies the quandary for parents trying to decorate their kids' rooms in a way that's both whimsical and practical: Do you give in to the relentless onslaught of characters, themes and...read more...// //Kid-safe mosquito defense
Mosquitoes, those bloodthirsty spoilers of outdoor summer fun -- and their biting friends, black flies, gnats and no-see-ums -- are busily, buzzily feasting upon us. The standard defense against the hungry horde, DEET-based repellent, now has new company: armaments that are effective yet easier and generally safer to use, especially around children. And you'll never guess where this new muscle is...read more...// //Lessons for kids in lean times
Cooking dinner instead of going out to eat. Renting movies instead of trekking to the multiplex. Families have been making this kind of little trade-off for months since the economy tanked. If a parent has been laid off, tougher financial choices loom: Do we keep paying for piano lessons? Can we afford a family vacation? And what about those college funds? READ MORE The United Way has more information...read more...// //New camp: Island adventure
The rain was a gift. It came suddenly from the south, and we didn't have time to get off the island before the water started blowing in sideways, making it impossible to stay dry under our tent without sides. This didn't faze Guillermo Garcia Rodiles, one of the teachers at Miami's Eco Island Adventure Camp. He calmly adjusted the tent's bamboo pipes, down which the rain was flowing into a...read more...// //Tips for 'bringing the baby'
Just because you have a baby, it doesn't mean you have to cut out ALL your usual grown-up fun. "You can essentially do everything that was in your prebaby life,'' says TheBump.com parenting expert Tammy Gold, founder of Gold Parent Coaching. "You just have to prepare.'' Read on for some summer tips. ROAD TRIPS For long treks with...read more...// //Dad: Invisible next to Mom?
Father's Day has come and gone, and with it the annual flurry of dad-friendly gifts, heartwarming newscasts and the highest-ranking father in the land - President Barack Obama - taking time to urge his fellow fathers to step up when it comes to their kids. Fathers, Obama wrote in a letter to Parade magazine, need to "realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to...read more...// //Where to find the fireworks
Get out the star-spangled bathing suits; it's time to celebrate the Fourth of July. Gather up your beach towels, picnic blankets, lawn-chairs, and bug spray. And ponchos for whole family, because you KNOW it's going to rain at some point over this long weekend. Although a few cities -- including Coral Gables and West Miami -- have canceled the fireworks shows, there are plenty to choose...read more...// //Good times at the zoo
Zoos in South Florida and around the country are reporting higher attendance as consumers look for affordable entertainment closer to home. Nearly 60 percent of the 120-member Association of Zoos and Aquariums reported attendance increases year-over-year in an informal survey in April. SAVE AT METROZOO With the MomsMiami Summer Fun Pass , moms get into Metrozoo for free with two paid admissions. You can use it at...read more...// //Crowd safety: kid tats, GPS
Parents who fear getting separated from their children at amusement parks, beaches and other vacation spots are turning more often to new high- and low-tech safety devices. GPS tracking devices with wander alerts emit beeps or vibrations when a child strays too far. Digital watches and apparel have high-decibel alarms. And there's the SafetyTat , a waterproof tattoo created by a Baltimore-area mom who...read more...// //Cool water toys for hot days
Little gets on a parent's nerves more on a steamy summer day than a hot, irritable child complaining of boredom. With less money for mountain vacations or expensive camp programs this year, parents might want to invest in a few outdoor summer toys that will get the kids off the couch or out from behind video games. Here are some ideas ranging from the new and innovative to updates KEEPING...read more...// //So you think your kid's a prodigy
Ethan Bortnick of Hollywood was just shy of 4 when his parents, Gene and Hannah, noticed him playing tunes by ear on his Elmo keyboard. Soon he had memorized more than 200 songs and was composing his own music. Now, Ethan, a recognized child prodigy, has at the ripe old age of 8 shared a stage with the likes of Beyonce, Santana and Celine Dion. He has performed on Oprah, Good Morning America and The Tonight Show...read more...// //How to childproof furniture
The number of children injured when furniture falls on them has jumped 40 percent over the past 20 years. Putting up gates isn't enough. Here are tips from Dr. Jim Schmidt, co-founder of the Virginia Beach, Va.-based company Child Safety House Calls: Tether it. Secure any potentially unstable furniture to the wall. Rock each piece to test if a toddler's weight could topple...read more...// //Tips from the Coupon Queen
Susan Samtur was armed with so many coupons Thursday morning that the Publix cashier had to keep hitting a button to make sure she got credit for it all. To be exact, she racked up $143.66 in coupon savings. Samtur, dubbed the Coupon Queen more than 30 years ago, was touring South Florida to share her savings secrets. On Thursday COUPON SOURCES The Sunday newspapers. Samtur's...read more...// //What the kids are reading
Meet the new classics. Along with The Great Gatsby, Jane Eyre and To Kill a Mockingbird , newer books are popping up on high-school curricula and summer reading lists -- and they aren't exactly your grandmother's traditional picks. At Cypress Bay High School in Weston, soon-to-be 12th-graders taking rigorous Advanced Placement English may tackle Memoirs of a Geisha and The Bonesetter's Daughter over the...read more...// //PTA Dad: 'I was missing out'
Mike Ryan had a strategy when he presided over his first elementary school PTA meeting -- a group usually considered "moms turf." He let the mothers in the room give him direction, advice and input. And then, after he listened, he pushed his ideas, encouraging the moms to help brainstorm ways to get more dads involved. "I knew if I was going to get anywhere, I had to recognize first that there...read more...// //Going green in the nursery
Raising a baby and going green can be a pricey proposition -- or a cheap one -- depending on which eco-friendly avenue you choose. Pricey organic crib mattresses can cost hundreds -- sometimes even more than the crib, said Rebecca Carter of Miami, mom of Oliver, 1, and founder of http://www.greenermiami.com/ . While it was a splurge, Carter and her husband, Edmundo, have saved in BY JULIE LANDRY LAVIOLETTE. Read...read more...// //How to get kids into science
Children who enjoy science develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills ... skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. But how can parents help their children appreciate science and generate enthusiasm to discover the world around them? Andy Allan, director of curriculum development at Champions Science Adventures summer camps, recommends taking science education...read more...// //Tips for the job hunt
As the economy sours, many women who took time off to stay home with their children are reinventing themselves to re-enter the work force. Job recruiters say a resume gap doesn't have to be a liability, but you need to actively market yourself and your skills. Develop an Internet strategy that will help you and your experience stand out. Here are some tips to get you started from Heather...read more...// //Cold meds still confusing
A new study shows parents widely hold the mistaken belief that they should use over-the-counter cough and cold medicines on babies under age 2, despite doctors and federal health officials advising against it as far back as 2006. MEDICAL ADVICE The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association advise: • Do not give over-the-counter cough and cold syrups, nose drops or...read more...// //Get answers at childbirth class
Elementary education takes on new meaning at seven months pregnant. What does labor feel like? How can I prep for it? What's going to happen the first week back at home? Answer these questions and many more at a childbirth education class. Available in English and Spanish and in short and longer-form formats, local childbirth classes are a great way to prepare for the big day (and the following few weeks). MORE...read more...// //Stop the sass: Be cool
I walked into the dining room one night and asked a cheery and simple question of my seemingly well-rested 9-year-old as she sat at the table. "Whatcha reading?'' "A book,'' she sneered, not bothering to look up. Urgh. I rolled my eyes and walked away to avoid getting snippy MORE ONLINE Girls growing up too fast. Share your tween angst in our Tweens...read more...// //New Miley tour fights scalping
The last time Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus went on tour, kids were screaming for the Disney Channel star — and parents were screaming for the heads of ticket brokers, scalpers and secondary sellers who had gobbled up, then jacked up, seats for her sold-out 2007 shows. Such was the Mad Mommy fallout — a $60 ticket offered up for $4,000 online by tech-savvy money-grubbers! — the concert industry...read more...// //Get those kids some shades
How important is it for my child to wear sunglasses? The long-term effects of excessive sunlight aren't seen early in life -- they show up when people are 60 or 70 years old and experience macular degeneration or cataract issues, says Steven Schiff, a New York optometrist. Just as parents want to protect their children from skin cancer by putting sunscreen on them, parents...read more...// //Decorating to comfort kids
The comforts of home can have special meaning -- and increased importance -- for a child with special needs. For kids with autism, ADD or sensory and developmental issues, the colors, textures and shapes that surround them can make a difference in how they feel. "Our fast-paced world is a constant struggle for these children,'' said Aventura decorator Deborah DiMare, who specializes in...read more...// //School adds sensory room
At Hollywood Park Elementary School, a new sensory room is part classroom, part indoor playground -- a space teachers hope will help calm anxious kids and stimulate nonresponsive ones. In the freedom of the sensory room, the children "can come out of their shell,'' said teacher Maria Diaz. TIPS FOR HOME Read advice from a local decorator on how to incorporate colors and textures and...read more...// //New rules on pregnancy weight
WASHINGTON - Telling a pregnant woman to eat for two is bad advice, especially if the mother-to-be is overweight or obese, a blue-ribbon panel of health experts cautioned Thursday. The number of seriously overweight women of child-bearing age is increasing, panelists said, and excessive weight gain leads to an increased likelihood of cesarean sections and retaining the weight BY THE...read more...// //Under tumor, a baby's face
Eight days after Jordan Jamal Smith was born in March, his mother still couldn't see his face. The bulbous, 1.8-pound mound of liquid and tissue protruding from the newborn's mouth covered his eyes and nose, his cheeks and forehead. It had nearly killed him in the womb and threatened his life during his birth. But two University of Miami doctors executed a carefully crafted...read more...// //6 stress busters for moms
Psychiatrist Judith Orloff offers six tips for combating the stress, worry, fear and anxiety that come from being a supermom and caretaker. LIMIT EMOTIONAL VAMPIRES Emotional vampires are people who sap your energy and leave you feeling fatigued, agitated or craving comfort food. Emotional vampires come in all forms, from needy children and critical spouses, to unpleasant coworkers and nagging parents. When...read more...// //'09 Summer Survival Guide
Ah, summer in South Florida. The calendar marks the kids out of school for 10 or 11 weeks. The thermometer reads extreme heat and humidity. And the economic barometers point to little money to spend on camp and out-of-town vacations. But the water is fine, and cheap or free stuff to do all summer abounds. So MomsMiami has put together this handy list of boredom busters, newly updated and with links to all your...read more...// //Thalia: Just call me Mami
Mexican superstar Thalia loves her new role as mommy so much that she wrote a book about it. In Radiante! (Chronicle), the Mexican superstar, 37, celebrates the pregnancy and birth of her 19-month daughter Sabrina with husband music mogul Tommy Mottola. Cowritten by her ob/gyn, the book also gives tips about all aspects of a mother's life, from entertaining to exercising and eating well and getting along with...read more...// //Tips for teen parties
I don't know what teen parties are like where you live, but here's a sample of party horror stories from parents and kids I know: • A kid invites a few friends over while mom and dad are away. Dozens of strangers randomly show up and trash the block. • Kids smuggle booze into a bar mitzvah bash and adults (understandably) freak out. • The DJ arrives late to a Sweet 16, bored boys start brawling on...read more...// //'Hot mom' fitness book
Alison Fadoul, a 35-year-old mother of two in Miramar, is author of the newly published The Hot Mommy Next Door ($14.95, Morgan James), a diet and exercise book for women who want to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape (or improve on it). A certified spinning instructor, she holds a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a master's from Nova Southeastern University. Visit her website here . ...read more...// //Venetian Pool reopens
Just in time for the summer heat, one of the grandest public pools in the country, the Venetian Pool, has reopened in Coral Gables after a six-month restoration project. Among the renovations in the $730,000 project: upgrades to the bathrooms that make them accessible to disabled patrons; repairs to walkways, fountains, roof tiles and parts of the wrought-iron gate and cobblestone plazas that surround the pool; and...read more...// //Catch 'Mother Load' in Broward
If you've ever eaten Vienna sausages over the sink while you nuked chicken nuggets for the kids' dinner or pulled a class T-shirt from the dirty clothes for your child to wear on a field trip, you can probably relate to the comedy of Amy Wilson. The New York writer and actress, mother to kids ages 6, 4½ and 1½, BY JULIE LANDRY LAVIOLETTE. Read Julie's blog on saving money, Talk About...read more...// //Meet 'Olympian' author
Pity the poor fan of Rick Riordan's popular series for adults about Tres Navarre, a Texas private eye with a PhD in medieval literature and an enchilada-eating cat. Beginning with the first book, Big Red Tequila, in 1997, readers could reliably count on a new mystery almost every year. Then Riordan's sons persuaded him to write down the bedtime stories he had concocted for them with characters from...read more...// //Why we love age 4
Four is the perfect age. At least right now, for my daughter. Yes, it's silly to say that because every age has its wonders. But here's why I love 4. 1. Four delights in walks or bikes around the neighborhood. Four still loves to collect treasure (sticks, flowers, etc) on these little jaunts. Four still reports with great enthusiasm that she met a neighbor -- or a neighbor's cat on her walk. Four walks...read more...// //Saving money on prom
Prom season, that time of gowns and tuxedos, limousines and after-parties, arrives this year in the midst of economic crisis. But few teens -- or schools -- seem willing to make the party that caps off a student's high school experience a casualty of the recession. Many teens say they are cutting corners, searching for bargains and spending less cash in other parts of their lives. MORE ONLINE Read our money-saving...read more...// //Mom 3.0: Wired to juggle
What's for dinner tonight? Check your recipe iPhone app and your electronic shopping list. Free for a play date next week? Sync your kids' schedules on Google calendar. Looking for ideas on potty training? Sign onto a virtual community and see how other moms handle it. How did the last generation of moms live without smart phones? WELCOME TO THE MOM NET You can write your...read more...// //Fess up to mommy misdeeds
OK, moms, time to fess up. Sometimes, some days, you've had it up to here with your children. One more whine, one more fight, one more question, and you know you'll go off the deep end. That's OK. We've all been there, done that. You're human. So what if you occasionally resort to certain tricks to keep your sanity? Or to protect your waning parental power. Or to cover up a mistake. BY...read more...// //Mother's Day events
Every day is Mother's Day at MomsMiami, but everyone else is offering special events for you this weekend. Here is a rundown of some of them -- and a list of the places with brunch specials, because we know you are probably planning it yourself. :) EVENTS AND SPECIALS Free Florida Grand Opera Outdoor Concert: 5 p.m. Sunday performance. Come early and get free admission to the Bass Museum of Art from 3 to 5...read more...// //Are your kids' shoes too tight?
Chances are you've pushed, pulled or shoved your child's feet into too-tight shoes. Maybe your child had an overnight growth spurt. Maybe you bought the wrong size in the first place. Or maybe you're just trying to eke out a little more mileage. A study presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American IF THE SHOE FITS ... Tips on fitting from the American...read more...// //Balancing Act: Earning from home
Many moms are finding themselves in a new scenario: seeking work-at home arrangements driven not by flexibility -- think soccer practices and piano recitals -- but as the best option to supplement family income. With a surge in husbands out of work, mothers are selling jewelry out of their kitchens, running businesses out of their living rooms and seeking Internet opportunities to make up for...read more...// //Notes from 'free-range' mom
Writer Lenore Skenazy could have slinked off to mommyland, stripped of her self-esteem and parenting confidence after her public stoning for letting her 9-year-old son ride home alone on a New York City subway. Coulda, but didn't. Instead, Skenazy was buoyed by a healthy legion of supporters. She quickly followed up her revelation in he now-defunct New York Sun with numerous TV appearances,...read more...// //Kids today just can't WAIT
When my 5-year-old needs to use the bathroom right in the middle of a cartoon, she asks me to pause the television show. She's also asked me to fast-forward through the commercials. I had to explain to her that it was live TV. One mom told me her daughter wants her to fast-forward songs on the radio. WHAT DO YOU DO? How do you handle the 'gimmes'? Share advice and get tips in our...read more...// //Autism research breakthrough
Researchers say they have found the first piece of the genetic puzzle that someday may lead to a vaccine or better treatment for autism. A multi-university team, which included the University of Miami School of Medicine, has identified a gene associated with autism, according to a report published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal Nature. It may be only one of as many as 50 genes...read more...// //Top spots for family camping
Some of the best of nature's playgrounds are right in our Florida back yards. From fishing to hiking and snorkeling, campgrounds all over the state offer great amenities for family trips. Here's a rundown. (To reserve campsites at state parks, visit www.reserveamerica.com .) • FORT DE SOTO PARK, PINELLAS COUNTY County park with 238-site, full-service campground that seems to have been created with families...read more...// //The hypnobirth experience
I was in the bathroom just after midnight, wishing I'd skipped that extra piece of my husband's birthday cake. At nine months and a day, my pregnant body didn't have room for extra anything. A bit too slowly it dawned on me. This wasn't about cake. My heart began to beat as if it too, like the tiny person inside me, were ready to break free. Then I shivered. What had I gotten myself into?...read more...// //Good Earth books for kids
The save-the-planet buzz is all the rage among the kids. And a fresh crop of books breaks down eco-issues into bite size lessons, simple reuse and recycle projects and easy ways to get inspired. An Earth Day sampler: 101 Ways You Can Help Save the Planet Before You're 12! (Sterling, $14.95, ages 6-up) by Joanne O'Sullivan. GREENER PARENTING MomsMiami is full of green...read more...// //Keeping kids safe around pools
More children ages 1 to 4 die in South Florida every year by accidental drowning than by any other cause. The saddest part of that statistic is that it is preventable, said Anthoni Llau, an injury epidemiologist with the Miami-Dade County Health Department. THE SAD STATISTICS Most drownings occur in residential pools while children are unattended. For every child who drowns, four others are hospitalized for...read more...// //Grown-up stars hit kid shows
Before I was a mom, I had only a vague idea where Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel resided on my cable lineup. I had graduated from Scooby Doo, Inspector Gadget and The Smurfs in the 1980s and had never looked back -- no exceptions. Not even for intended-for-adult fare like The Simpsons , South Park ' or Beavis & Butt-Head . But motherhood changes, among other things,...read more...// //Kids make 'Fred' YouTube star
Every generation has its cultural touchstones -- those shared media moments on radio or TV that help define individuals as part of an age: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the "day that will live in infamy.'' The Beatles rocking The Ed Sullivan Show. The Brady Bunch....read more...// //New 'spa' targets tots
Yasmine Klein gets over to Le Petite to refresh her mani-pedi and get her hair styled when she can. "It's always fun,'' said Yasmine, who has been to Le Petite about five times since it opened in March, "because it's painting with all different colors for the nails.'' Forgive her syntax. Yasmine is 4 years old. That makes her a typical customer at Le...read more...// //Easy homemade baby food
You don't have be an exceptional cook -- or even have a lot of free time -- to make your own baby food. "Making your own baby food has no science,'' says registered dietician and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Ximena Jimenez. "It's very simple, and it's economical -- whatever you're preparing for lunch or dinner you can prepare for baby. You can control the texture...read more...// //A few 'good mom' tips
A few experts on psychology and stress management offer some professional advice on how to be a good parent: Your child wants authority from you. Children do not want to perceive you as a best friend. In order for them to feel safe, they want you to act as the parent figure. You need extended family in the picture. If you have no relatives living close by, adopt your friends as family. Extended family helps diffuse tension...read more...// //Where to find Easter fun
Easter egg hunts, photo ops with the Easter bunny and some uniquely South Florida events are on this weekend. Here's as rundown of the big ones -- and a most unusual underwater hunt: MIAMI METROZOO Continuous egg hunts for kids 12 and under, animal egg safaris, photos with Easter Bunny and games. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Miami Metrozoo, 12400 SW 152nd St., South Miami-Dade. Zoo...read more...// //Girls growing up too fast
NEW YORK -- My 9-year-old daughter looks older than she is. Always has. Kids and -- worse -- grown-ups who should know better comment on it all the time. "Look how big her feet are," they observe, right in front of her. It's all good, we tell her, humankind comes in many shapes and sizes. "Some kids just grow early." Usually she smiles and goes back to hula-hooping, her stuffed...read more...// //Kids & alcohol: Sobering facts
It's teen party season, with spring break on, and prom and graduation bashes not far behind. And for parents of teens come more worries about safety and the ever-present temptation for the kids to drink. Janet Mondshein, executive director of the Miami chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, offers some sobering facts in a chat with MomsMiami. The average age of a first drink...read more...// //Ready for sleep-away camp?
If summer camp is on your radar and your child has (sniff) outgrown those early, clingy years, you may be contemplating sleep-away camp. But how do you know whether your child is ready? We asked some camp experts. TALK ABOUT IT Join the discussion on this issue in our Fun in the Sun forum. "Typically children younger than 8 are not...read more...// //Spring break staycation
This week is spring break for most South Florida school kids. If you're not fleeing the area, there is still plenty to do, even outside day camp. For starters, come to the MomsMiami party at Metrozoo on Tuesday, April 7. Details here . Here are a few other ideas to get you through the week. WHERE TO CHILL Incredible Ice: The rink will be open for public skating from 1-3:30 p.m. Monday through April 12. It's...read more...// //'Momshells': Power or pressure?
CHICAGO -- There's no apron, no mom jeans or frump of any kind. These days, it's all about being a "momshell." You can find them just about anywhere, in Hollywood, in the White House -- probably in the house next door. And now a new reality TV show is on the hunt for the "Hottest Mom in America." "There's never been a hotter time to be a mom," says Jessica Denay. A...read more...// //Troubling tale could help teens
Laurie Halse Anderson's new book, Wintergirls (Viking, $17.99, ages 12-up) just may be the scariest book you will ever read as a parent. But for a teenage girl, Wintergirls could be a life-saver. "It's a painfully beautiful story that not everyone will be able to handle,'' said Lorena Lopez, 16, a junior at Kendall's School for Advanced Studies. But she recommends...read more...// //Happy Birthday to us!
MomsMiami turns 1 year old on Tuesday. (My, how we have grown!) And we're celebrating with a big party at Metrozoo . Grab the kids -- many of them are on Spring Break -- and join METROZOO COUPON Click here to print out the coupon to our Metrozoo birthday party. Check out our Giveaways page to enter to win other big contests to celebrate our first year. us. We'll have goody...read more...// //Review: New mom show a dud
It takes a village idiot to raise a child, if In the Motherhood is to be believed. One woman leaves her daughters with a nanny who teaches them whale language. BY GLENN GARVIN, Miami Herald TV critic Another is too busy faking a pregnancy to get free coffee at Starbucks to ever actually lay eyes on her kid. And the third is a June-Cleaver-gone-fascist who has raised her children to believe that sorting...read more...// //Miami-Dade fair is open
The Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition is up and running in South Miami-Dade with some new attractions and rides. Watch a video of opening day here . A new Tween Idol competition has local kids age 9 to 18 singing for a panel of judges -- including Syesha Mercado of Miami, a finalist on the seventh season of American Idol, and Grammy-winning singer Albita. The finalists chosen Saturday...read more...// //Find a summer camp!
It's time to start looking for summer day camp programs for the kids. Most camps are open for summer registration, and many of them will fill up quickly. FIND A CAMP Click here to search the MomsMiami Summer Camp Guide, or to submit a camp. We'll be adding new ones every day as camps finalize their schedules. SHARE YOUR FAVORITES Post comments on your favorite programs and share other...read more...// //Calling all momtrepreneurs
Think you're on the verge of the next great invention? Marla Brock had that feeling, too. Brock, a Miami mom and lawyer, founded a successful website for family travel. She now plans to share tips with other innovative moms and dads at a new program to support parent entrepreneurs called MOMentum. "The idea is to create a community for moms and dads to come together to network and brainstorm...read more...// //It's 'Twilight' on DVD
When Renai Cowan got her first taste of the Twilight series, it was all the rage among the sixth-graders at her school. A friend urged her to read it. When the movie came out before Thanksgiving, tween girls wouldn't stop screaming. By Christmas, she'd devoured all four books and seen the film. "It's very addicting,'' said Cowan. "When you read Twilight, you cannot...read more...// //2007: A baby boomlet
ATLANTA -- More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any year in the nation's history -- and a wedding ring made increasingly little difference in the matter. The 4,317,119 births, reported by federal researchers Wednesday, topped a record first set in 1957 at the height of the baby boom. Behind the number is both good and bad news. While it shows the U.S. population is more than...read more...// //Laid off? Stretching severance pay
When Carlos Pero learned his job would be eliminated, he took some comfort in learning he would receive three months' severance. But making that sum last has been more challenging than expected. Even with his wife working, the bills are coming due faster than the job interviews. "Now, it's all about trying to make and save money wherever we can,'' Pero says. As companies...read more...// //How to keep kids safe online
Parents who think putting the computer in the family room will keep their child safe online are in for a rude awakening, said Jaemi Levine of Coral Springs. It’s a lesson she learned the hard way. In 2004, Levine’s then 12-year-old daughter was lured to a face-to-face meeting with an Internet predator and sexually assaulted. Since then, Levine has created Mothers Against Predators to educate parents about...read more...// //A cure for peanut allergy?
WASHINGTON — Scientists have the first evidence that life-threatening peanut allergies may be cured one day. A few children now are allergy-free thanks to a scary treatment — tiny amounts of the very food that endangered them. Don't try this at home. Doctors monitored the youngsters closely in case the patients needed rescue, and there is no way to dice a peanut as small as the treatment doses required....read more...// //Family coaching for new moms
Like most first-time mothers, Gladys Sanchez worries about meeting her 2-year-old's needs. What should she do when he throws a temper tantrum? How much should he be eating? Is he speaking well enough for his age? "I want to do the best for Andys, but sometimes I'm not quite sure what that might be,'' says the Miami Gardens mother. "For example, he's very strong willed and...read more...// //What the doc is telling your teen
NEW YORK -- If you're the parent of a 'tween or teen, chances are you've been asked to leave the room during your child's visit to the doctor so they can have a private chat. Now of course I believe that teenagers should have a trusting relationship with their doctors. But while I'm sitting there alone in the waiting room, watching the younger mommies bounce babies on their knees, I can't help...read more...// //‘Miami Ink' baby clothes
Meet the latest targeted consumers of tattoo art: the pacifier set. Four artists from the Love Hate Tattoo studio who came to fame through TLC's Miami Ink reality series have launched Ruthless & Toothless, a fashion line for tots. The Love Hate guys have put fire-breathing dragons and peevish samurais on pint-size garments. But that's where they draw the line: Busty babes have no place on a onesie,...read more...// //How to curb the arguing
In many families, parents think the kids will grow up to be lawyers because they seem to love to argue. In Nancy Milton's family, the parents are attorneys, but they try to keep the arguing to a minimum. Milton's specialty is mediation. And she's found the technique works well in her family life, too. Here's how it works: A FAMILY MEETING...read more...// //Guide to free homework help
What was Abraham Lincoln's favorite food, anyway? If your child's homework is sending you on a fact-finding mission, if they're having trouble with algebra or don't know how to start a research paper, there's more help out there than Google. MomsMiami went on a fact-finding mission of our own, unearthing free Broward and Miami-Dade sources for tutoring, kid-friendly research materials and...read more...// //Big families feeling scorned
PHILADELPHIA -- John and Dawn McCormick have witnessed the raised eyebrows and heard the comments. Are they all yours? God bless you. And even the occasional rude reproach: Are you done yet? "People do judge us,'' said Dawn McCormick, 42, whose narrow...read more...// //Big baby expo this weekend
Despite the sour economy, consumers are still spending on kids. The American Baby & Family Expo this weekend (March 7-8) is counting on that continued interest. It will take place at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, with more than 100 exhibitors showcasing new products and child care information. GO, CRAWLERS, GO! Go to our Video page to watch a warm-up diaper derby held Friday at...read more...// //The case against a nip, tuck
She looked in the mirror one day and didn't like what was staring back at her. Christy Magnani, 38, was getting old. OK, older. To many, this college professor and mother of two from Folsom, Calif., remains in the bloom of youth. But to her, the mirror did not lie. "I noticed this wrinkle here," Magnani says, pointing to...read more...// //One couple's IVF journey
This is crazy . . . This is what I'm thinking as I get a crash course on how babies are created in a petri dish. I'm sitting with my wife, Jill, in a consultation room at IVF Florida, a Margate clinic that specializes in reproductive medicine, particularly in vitro fertilization, aka IVF. IVF is a medical procedure by which ripe eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, fertilized with...read more...// //Shop green, save green
Going green no longer means signing over your paycheck to a fancy specialty store. Saving the earth is coming at less of a price these days, particularly to families who want only eco-friendly items in their shopping carts. Here are some tips to keep those greenbacks in check while going green: TRY MASS RETAILERS While buying environmentally sound products used to mean blowing wads of cash at high-end shops, the times...read more...// //Who's paying nanny taxes?
NEW YORK -- It's a given among the stroller set that many of them share a secret powerful enough to bring down political careers: They don't pay taxes on their nannies. Leslie Rubin, a lawyer who has a 5-year-old and a 9-month-old, doesn't want to name names. But she's pretty sure most of the parents in her family-friendly Brooklyn neighborhood aren't following the law. "I am...read more...// //A poetic, but dark history
Last year, to her great surprise, Margarita Engle won the Pura Belpré Award, a prize for the best work for children by a Latino author, for her biography in verse about the so-called "Poet Slave'' of Cuba, a real figure from history named Juan Francisco Manzano. So even though her second book, The Surrender Tree (Henry Holt, $16.95, ages 12-up) was eligible for the award this year,...read more...// //Facebook = marriage killer?
A dear friend ran into big trouble at her 20-year high school reunion. She ran into an old flame, and the chance encounter reignited old sparks. The problem? They were both married. There was no happily ever after -- just lots of gut-wrenching drama and one painful divorce. Nowadays, no one has to buy a flattering dress and travel to a forgotten hometown to reconnect with a...read more...// //Raising a bilingual child
Ten-year-old Elle Futernick spends half her day at Key Biscayne Community School speaking Spanish in the classroom. Twice a week she practices her Mandarin Chinese, along with older brother Zander. At home her family speaks English. "I know how valuable language is in a global economy,'' says their MORE ONLINE Here are some websites with tips, programs and forums for bilingual/multilingual...read more...// //Bristol Palin on teen sex: Wait
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's 18-year-old daughter, an unwed mother, says teenagers should avoid having sex. However, Bristol Palin acknowledges that abstinence is "not realistic at all.'' She commented during a two-part interview recorded for Fox News Channel. Just days after the governor was named John McCain's running mate on the Republican presidential...read more...// //How much of an allowance?
President Barack Obama has taken some flak online for giving his daughters only $1 a week in allowance. Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, weighs in with some tips on how much kids should get. (By the way, she agrees in her blog that the Dad in Chief, should cough up more). HOW MUCH TO PAY Bodnar says Sasha and Malia should receive weekly allowances equal to half...read more...// //Getting kids to eat healthy
Parents play a key role in shaping young eating habits and attitudes about food, nutritionists say. But, too often, they're sending mixed signals. There's the mom who demands that her kids eat breakfast, then skips the meal herself. There's the dad who bans chips and candy, elevating the forbidden food to tempting levels. And there are parents everywhere resorting to rules and offhand...read more...// //How to find a preschool
Maybe it is time for Mommy to go back to work, or maybe your toddler needs a few hours of structured play time and socialization. Whatever your reasons, once you determine that it's time for preschool, it can be a big job to find the right one. You want to find a clean, loving and safe environment with experienced MORE ONLINE Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have searchable databases of preschool...read more...// //Kids' letters to Obama
NEW YORK -- End war, forever. Make the planet greener. Please help my dad find work. Make it rain candy! Thousands of kids detailed their hopes and expectations for President Barack Obama in letters and drawings as part of a worldwide project, with 150 chosen for a free e-book being released on Presidents Day. Most had tall orders for the new guy in the White House. Anthony Pape, 10,...read more...// //It's Grove arts fest weekend
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival, one of the country's most prestigious art events, returns this weekend for its 46th year, as strong as ever and not significantly affected by the recession. More than 150,000 people are expected to flood the streets of the Grove, strolling and perusing works by 336 artists from 36 states and three countries, hearing live music and watching cooking demonstations. MORE THINGS TO DO...read more...// //Taxpayers billed for octuplets
LOS ANGELES -- A big share of the cost of raising Nadya Suleman's 14 children could fall on the shoulders of California's taxpayers, compounding the public furor in a state already billions in the red. Even before the 33-year-old single, unemployed mother gave birth to octuplets last month, she had been caring for her six other children with the help of $490 a month in food stamps, plus Social...read more...// //Lead law could hurt kid stores
Claudia Cayne considers the hand-made, rhinestone embellished and silk-screened clothing produced by her Southwest Ranches company the antithesis of mass-produced, made-in-China apparel that fills the racks of Wal-Mart. But starting Tuesday, she believes she will have to discontinue the children's line that makes up 45 percent of the inventory at her company, I Believe K and C. That's...read more...// //Q&A: Relationship tune-up
What ever happened to that romantic man who indulged your every whim? Oh yeah, that's him, the one you married, eyes locked on the tube, remote in hand. You haven't held that hand in a long time, much less felt a real connection. Couples are so overwhelmed with the daily drudgery of work, kids and home life, they neglect the very thing at the core of it all: their relationship. This...read more...// //IVF ethics and octuplets
CHICAGO -- The thirtysomething patient knew what she wanted: seven frozen embryos transferred to her womb to maximize her chance of getting pregnant. But her doctor, Dr. David Cohen of the University of Chicago Medical Center, told her he wasn't comfortable doing that. "It's too dangerous,'' he recalls saying. It wasn't...read more...// //Octuplets' mom on 'Today'
WHITTIER, Calif. -- The mother of newborn octuplets says she had six embryos implanted in her fertility procedure -- far more than industry guidelines recommend under ordinary circumstances -- and was well aware that multiple births could result. "I wanted them all transferred,'' Nadya Suleman told NBC's Today show. "Those are my children, and that's what was available and I used...read more...// //Spend imagination, not money
A cash-strapped Valentine's Day can actually help couples rekindle the true meaning of love. Sheryl Kurland, author of Everlasting Matrimony: Pearls Of Wisdom From Couples Married 50 Years Or More , gathered some tips from successful couples. They say the best gifts are the ones bought with time and thought, not a trip to the jewelry store. Some of their gift ideas: *...read more...// //Mom is ultimate 'local' cook
A Coral Gables mom gives new meaning to home economics -- especially when it comes to cooking. Call her a frugalista or a hunter-gatherer (she blogs as the New Hunter Gatherer), Justine Raphael buys local food and uses every scrap. "I source the food others throw away -- the bones, the organ meats, the veggie trimmings. Whole meals can come from scraps," she said. MORE ONLINE Read...read more...// //Teen 'sexting' = porn?
CHICAGO -- Though youth is fleeting, images sent on a cell phone or posted online may not be, especially if they're naughty. Teenagers' habit of distributing nude self-portraits electronically -- often called "sexting'' if it's done by cell phone -- has parents and school administrators worried. Some prosecutors have begun charging teens who send and receive such images with child...read more...// //No freebies for octuplets
LOS ANGELES -- Where is the lifetime supply of diapers, formula and baby wipes? The free van? The brand-new house? Women who give birth to six, seven or eight babies are often showered with dazzling gifts from big corporations, local businesses and strangers. But that is not happening with the Southern California mother who delivered octuplets last week. The news that she is a single mother with...read more...// //When kids share a room
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With the economy and housing market in a slump, some growing families are making do with the space they've got instead of moving to a bigger home. That means their kids may start doing something that kids don't do much these days: share a room. But experts say some simple tricks can make shared bedrooms a happy place where children can express their individuality while fostering tight bonds...read more...// //PFCs may be linked to fertility
Chemicals found in everything from non-stick pans to skin creams may impact a woman's chances of getting pregnant, a new study has found. The compounds, called "perfluorinated" chemicals, or PFCs, are hard to avoid. They're found in many household items like food packaging, clothing, carpets, and personal care products. Researchers at UCLA looked at more than 1,200 Danish women and measured their...read more...// //14,528 texts in one month!
LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- OMG!!! This isn't exactly proud papa news: My daughter, Reina, who recently turned 13, just racked up 14,528 text messages in one month. Thank God she's too young to drive. Given that she's had a cell phone for less than six months, and she is supposed to share the phone with...read more...// //Sex after baby? Really?
The new parents to-do list: Diapers? Check. Car seat? Check. Sex? Uhhh . . . Sex therapist Ian Kerner and sex columnist Heidi Raykeil might be able to help overwhelmed parents bring sexy back with their new book, Love In The Time of Colic: The New Parents' Guide To Getting It On Again ($16.99, Collins Living). MEET THE AUTHOR Sex therapist Ian Kerner, co-author of Love In The Time of...read more...// //Q & A: Overweight kids
An overweight child often has more than excess pounds to bear - they're often taunted by peers and can suffer health problems, now and later. MomsMiami met with Dr. Doria Aguilar, a Miami Lakes pediatrician with Palmetto General Hospital, to get some advice on how to keep our kids from getting fat. Overweight kids can experience body aches, joint pain and have a greater risk of high blood...read more...// //Busy moms' guide to fitness
Many busy moms have a hard time working an exercise routine into their already jampacked days. But MomsMiami consulted some experts about simple ways to get a workout, even if you have no time for the gym. HOW TO GET STARTED * Exercise in short bursts. Do something active for 10 minutes at a time, said Carole Wood, group exercise director at Midtown Athletic Club in Weston. “Something is better...read more...// //New study on vaccine safety
CHICAGO -- A new study from Italy adds to a mountain of evidence that a mercury-based preservative once used in many vaccines doesn't hurt children, offering more reassurance to parents. In the early 1990s, thousands of healthy Italian babies in a study of whooping cough vaccines got two different amounts of the preservative thimerosal from all their routine shots. Ten years later, 1,403 of...read more...// //Alternatives to plastic
Chicago Tribune reporter Trine Tsouderos , a mother of two, tried to live without plastic for a week. MomsMiami is posting parts of her story every day this week. Today: Some reasonable alternatives. Click these topics for previous posts: Why do this? ; The trouble with food ; Shopping -- and cheating ; Conclusions One of the hardest but also one of the most interesting and at...read more...// //6 local Catholic schools closing
Conceding it can no longer support financially struggling schools, the Archdiocese of Miami on Thursday said six schools would close and signaled that some surviving institutions could become secular charter schools. The schools to be closed include St. Clement in Wilton Manors, Our Lady of Divine Providence in Sweetwater, Corpus Christi in Allapattah, Sacred Heart in Homestead, St. Francis Xavier in...read more...// //Surviving week without plastic
Chicago Tribune reporter Trine Tsouderos , a mother of two, tried to live without plastic for a week. MomsMiami is posting parts of her story every day this week. Today: Her conclusions. Click here to read Wednesday's post on shopping -- and a little cheating; click here to read Tuesday's post on the trouble with food; and here for Monday's post on what brought this on. Coming Friday:...read more...// //The no-gifts birthday party
First thing Big Guy wanted to know after he came home with a coveted party invitation in his backpack was what we were going to buy Birthday Girl. "It says not to bring presents,'' I told him. "Huh?'' TALK ABOUT IT What do you think of this idea? Have you tried it with your own kids' party? Have you been to a...read more...// //Meet author: '3 Cups of Tea' for kids
Could books be a better weapon against terrorists than bombs? Is the pencil mightier than the Tomahawk missile? Greg Mortenson thinks so. As chronicled in his bestseller, Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson has been waging a decade-long campaign to bring peace to Pakistan and Afghanistan by building schools to educate children, especially girls. "The vast majority of the Taliban's foot soldiers are...read more...// //No plastic, tough shopping
Chicago Tribune reporter Trine Tsouderos , a mother of two, tried to live without plastic for a week. MomsMiami is posting parts of her story every day this week. Today: Target Day. Disaster looms. Click here to read Tuesday's post on the trouble with food; and here for Monday's post on what brought this on. Coming Thursday: Conclusions. DAY THREE I wash three...read more...// //Plastic-free week = limited food
Chicago Tribune reporter Trine Tsouderos , a mother of two, tried to live without plastic for a week. MomsMiami will share parts of her story every day this week. Today: The trouble with food. Coming Wednesday: A trip to Target. Read Monday's stage setter here . DAY ONE I wash my hair with the shampoo bar, put my son in a paper diaper and talk up the new Hello Kitty stainless steel sippy cup...read more...// //Can a mom give up plastic for 1 week?
CHICAGO -- Amid a recent flurry of worrisome reports about plastic, a simple question came up: Could we live without it? Chicago Tribune reporter Trine Tsouderos , a mother of two, tried to live without plastic for a week. MomsMiami will share parts of her story every day this week. Today: Setting the stage. Tuesday: The trouble with food. Could my typical family -- a mom, a dad, a...read more...// //A better weekend with the stepkids
Step-parenting is a whole different ball game. I know -- I've been one now for almost 10 years. I've learned a few things in my tenure. Here's my list of things NOT do to with your stepkids on your weekend. (Now, my ideas may irritate custodial parents, but at my house we don't want to waste the few precious hours with the kids on things that aren't fortifying our...read more...// //Get the kids to clean
There's something about the new year that brings on a cleaning frenzy in my life. I'm a big fan of fresh starts, and what better time than now to start with a clean desk, clean house, clean closets ... OK, now I'm getting carried away! Most kid-inhabited houses are anything but sparkling clean; in fact, an impeccable house makes me a little suspicious, or jealous at least. But order, like everything,...read more...// //5 days of fitness: Motivation
Every day this week, MomsMiami is offering quick advise for getting into a fitness routine for the new year. Today: How to motivate yourself. FIND A BUDDY It helps keep you accountable, and keeps you from getting lazy. “When you choose someone to work out with, find someone with similar interests and motivation,” said Rebecca Kelly, a trainer at Midtown Athletic Club in Weston. MAKE IT A PRIORITY...read more...// //5 days of fitness: Include the kids
Every day this week, MomsMiami is offering quick advise for getting into a fitness routine for the new year. Today: How to make fitness a family affair. GET THE FAMILY ACTIVE Carole Wood, group exercise director at Midtown Athletic Club in Weston, dances with her kids. Rebecca Kelly, a trainer at the club, plays MORE ON FRIDAY Check back here Friday for advice on how to motivate yourself to exercise....read more...// //5 days of fitness: Quick tricks
Every day this week, MomsMiami is featuring quick tips for getting into a fitness routine. Today: Finding time to squeeze in some exercise, whether you spend the day at home or at work. AT WORK If you work outside the home, it adds to the challenge of squeezing in me-time, much less anything that will break a sweat. But there are a few ways to do it: * Take a walk . Lunch may only take 15 minutes to eat....read more...// //Broward rethinks homework
Danielle Jensen has had days when she couldn't go to dance class because she had so much homework. She wanted to join the volleyball team, but decided she couldn't juggle the practice with her studies. Sometimes she even brings her books to the dinner table. Danielle, 11, is in sixth grade. "It's sad to watch your 11-year-old kind of start acting like an 18-year-old,''...read more...// //5 days of fitness: Eating smart
MomsMiami knows most of us are too busy to figure out a fitness plan. So we've asked the experts for tips to make it easy to work diet and exercise into our everyday lives. We'll share new tips every day this week. Today: Eating smart. "Watch what you eat. “You can do all the exercise in the world, but if you’re sitting around eating chips and chocolate bars, it won’t do a thing,”...read more...// //Simple ways to be happier
In an effort to get my act together, I'm reading Coach Yourself to Success again. I find myself pulling it off the bookshelf every time my life spirals out of control. (So basically every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Oh and every other Sunday.) The book is full of easy tips to help you reach your personal goals. Here are five of my favorites for 2009:...read more...// //5 days of fitness: Getting started
Most busy moms don’t have time to read an article about getting fit, much less squeeze in a workout. So starting today, MomsMiami will offer five days of tips to help you kickstart your fitness routine for the new year. Today: Overall fitness EXERCISE IN SHORT BURSTS Do something active for 10 minutes at a time, said Carole Wood, group MORE THIS WEEK Check back here every day through Friday for more...read more...// //Meet 'Traveling Pants' author; new series
___________ EDITOR'S NOTE: Ann Brashares' Jan. 15 South Florida appearance has been postponed. The author is ill. __________ One pair of jeans mailed like a postcard among four best friends separating for the summer is more than just a neat idea for a young adult novel; it's a franchise. The first volume of Ann Brashares' The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants generated three sequels (eight million...read more...// //The circus is here!
At Over the Top, the 138th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus that kicked off Thursday in downtown Miami, it's ringmaster vs. clown. Who will win? "I'm the host,'' says ringmaster Chuck Wagner. "I get the best seat in the house.'' Yeah, right. That's what lead clown Tom Dougherty might say as he snatches away...read more...// //Take the kids berry picking
It's time for one of the many joys of winter in South Florida: The strawberries are in. What sweeter way to spend time with the kids than at one of the few pick-it-yourself strawberry fields that remain in South Miami-Dade. Broward's last remaining field, Batten's, closed last year. The strawberry season runs to about Mother's Day (or mid-April if the weather turns hot). Here's the info on this...read more...// //A real family circus
I always thought joining a circus sounded glamorous. It seemed a way to see the country, meet interesting people, be a part of something that aims to make kids happy. But I also envisioned it as a lifestyle that was in no way conducive to a family life. Until I met Mike Stuart. Stuart, 38, is the general manager of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & BALANCING ACT BY CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN. Read Cindy's...read more...// //How to cope with head lice
Talk about a head scratcher. Your child comes home with head lice and instantly your own scalp starts crawling with guilt and fear. What do you do? MomsMiami consulted the experts for the best advice on how to get rid of the pests and keep them from coming back. Three things to know right off the bat: 1. Accept that there is no shame in getting lice, said Shirley Gordon, director of the Head...read more...// //Hot in '09: yoga, puppy
Get a dog -- not just to keep up with the Obamas -- grab a guitar, and break out the gourmet baby food. Those are just some of the things you'll need to do in 2009 to keep your kids hip to the latest trends -- and what kind of parent would you be if you didn't? Like, so 2008. Here are some of the hot trends for kids for 2009, from Parents magazine: 1. Zen arrives at...read more...// //How to handle a mouthy kindergartner
By ANGIE WAGNER, Associated Press LAS VEGAS -- The other day my girls put on princess dresses and paraded around the house. "I look pretty,'' my 5-year-old told her younger sister. "And you look disgusting.'' I was so shocked at the comment that she immediately was sent into a time-out while I tried to figure out why she said those nasty words....read more...// //Starting dental care at birth
BY DEBBIE CAFAZZO, McClatchy News Service New mom Christine Chansley had read all about baby bottle tooth decay. Nearly every baby book on the market warns parents not to put children to bed with a bottle of milk, formula or juice. The practice can lead to tooth decay. But Chansley, of Tacoma, Wash., had no idea that...read more...// //Just one resolution ...
It's that time of year again ... you know, time to set those New Year's Resolutions. The promises we make to ourselves and then break the first week of the year and forget about by the end of January. What do you say we don't do that this year? Instead, choose just one area of your life, and answer the following question: "What would you like to...read more...// //Kids' book recalled; story was a lie
BY DIANA MOSKOVITZ, dmoskovitz@MiamiHerald.com Herman Rosenblat stood in a casual button-down shirt and slacks in his North Miami-Dade condominium Tuesday and said he never meant any harm. He had only meant to spread love, as his father once asked him to do. "Before he died of typhus, he called me to his bedside and said, 'Son, if you ever get out of this war, don't carry a...read more...// //Catch the Junior Orange Bowl Parade
BY XAVIER MARTINEZ, Special to the Miami Herald The Junior Orange Bowl Parade will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Tuesday in Coral Gables. The longtime Gables tradition will feature professionally built floats, local marching bands and representatives from dozens of community groups in South Florida. "The junior parade was started as an offshoot to the King Orange Bowl Parade in...read more...// //Undecking the halls
Admit it: After all that shopping, tree trimming and "Secret Santa'' skulking, you were almost over Christmas even before it arrived. Now that the holiday has come and gone, there is a sleigh-load of post-Christmas tasks to tackle -- and we're not talking about sharpening the elbows before diving into the post-Christmas sales. The answer is to map out plans for the post-holiday...read more...// //Ready for Santa
It's not easy being Santa Claus. Just ask Lloyd Chang. It takes Chang nearly an hour -- and two helpers -- to put on the red-and-white suit, chunky black belt, wig and beard. There's also the powder that he must dab on to prevent the jolly old fella's white locks from matting to his skin. But there's much more to the act than simply having the look. Patience, a hearty...read more...// //Fighting cavities amid the sugarplums
McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE Holidays mean sweets -- there's no getting around it. But with a little extra attention, you can help your kids keep their teeth clean and healthy, even after they've gorged on sweet treats. Here are some tips from the American Dental Association and Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt, author of You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? (Chronicle...read more...// //When every day is a no-school day
At the Bianco house in Hollywood, the kids sleep as late as they want, eat whenever they're hungry, and while away the hours doing whatever they feel like doing -- 365 days of the year. You might find Joseph, 13, Sierra, 12, and Alyssa, 7, playing video games, watching movies or teasing the cat. Or they may be researching a prehistoric fish, discussing a documentary or practicing...read more...// //Seven toys to hate
The most evil toymakers are obviously the ones who make toys that can hurt or kill children. But right behind them are those who make the toys that make parents want to stab their eyeballs out with the nearest Phillips screwdriver. The consumer watchdog organization, World Against Toys Causing Harm, publishes a top 10 dangerous toy list each year. It keeps an eye on the toys tainted with lead paint,...read more...// //Save the kids from iPod hearing loss
BY JODI MAILANDER FARRELL, jmailander@MiamiHerald.com They're called the iPod Generation -- all those kids wired to earbuds and MP3 players this holiday season as they hunker down to endure long road trips or relatives that visit even longer. But they're at risk of becoming the Huh? What? Generation. You've heard of BlackBerry Thumb? Now there's iPod Ear. With the...read more...// //New faces for kids' rooms
From diapers to bedtime routines, newborns are bundled with challenges. But Kisha Holt, a South Florida mother, encountered other obstacles nine years ago, when she tried to accessorize a baby room for the first of her four children. From bibs to growth charts, Holt discovered a racial void in the juvenile furniture, clothing and accessories markets. Black or brown faces were virtually...read more...// //Tips for the holiday cookie bake
Shortbread, Toll House, peanut butter and plain old sugar cookies. However you make them, people will eat them. But cookies also present a blank canvas for creative home bakers, especially at the holidays. Whatever your choice, make sure you start with quality ingredients, says Marc Haymon, who teaches baking and pastry at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Inferior butter with...read more...// //How to get that perfect baby photo
McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE If you've got a newborn in your house this holiday season, chances are you're planning to take a few photos. Or a few thousand. Photographer Me Ra Koh, who has created Refuse to Say Cheese: Capture the Story , a DVD of photography techniques, offers a few tips for getting great pictures of the infant in your life....read more...// //Green parenting: Eco-holidays
When artist and environmentalist Harmony Jones sees metal scraps, odd cuts of wood, even plastic bottle caps, she doesn't see trash. She sees a creative opportunity for her and her daughter, Skyler, 9, to fashion found objects into ornaments for their Christmas ‘‘enviro-tree." This holiday season, green-minded revelers are putting their creativity to use and turning recycled materials into cards,...read more...// //Fight is on for family leave
NEW YORK -- In some ways, conditions couldn't be better for those seeking to make family leave and paid sick days available to more American workers. In some ways, conditions could scarcely be worse. The work/family cause now has ardent champions in President-elect Barack Obama and self-described mom-in-chief Michelle Obama, who says it will be among her top priorities. The strengthened Democratic majority...read more...// //Tell the kids: Fewer gifts this year
CHICAGO -- For years, Roshelle Doty heaped video games, clothes, electronics, dolls and toys upon her children at Christmas. But like so many other parents navigating the rough economy, Doty recently sat her - 10- and 11-year old children down and explained that this year will be different. "I told them this Christmas they'll get two gifts...read more...// //Amazon comes to Metrozoo
Wototo and Kara, giant river otters, along with Palenque and Reina, magnificent jaguars, and a pair of harpy eagles have arrived in Miami, bringing the sleek and taloned majesty of the Neotropics to a corner of Miami's Metrozoo called Amazon and Beyond. The last resident, a 17-foot anaconda weighing 300 pounds, arrives Dec. 2, in time for Saturday's grand opening of the $50 million addition....read more...// //The new hot toys: Old toys
Nothing evokes simpler, sweeter times better than a toy remembered from childhood, when morning cartoons and a bowl of Count Chocula cereal were all that was needed to start the day right. Maybe that's why so many recession-weary parents are finding Story by JODI MAILANDER FARRELL, jmailander@miamiherald.com . themselves drawn to old-fashioned toys this holiday season. In hard times, retro toys...read more...// //Survey: Most kids are cheaters
BY DAVID CRARY, Associated Press NEW YORK -- In the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethics. Educators reacting to the findings questioned any suggestion that today's young people are less honest than previous generations, but...read more...// //A new clue in the autism puzzle
By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer CHICAGO -- Unique brain wave patterns, spotted for the first time in autistic children, may help explain why they have so much trouble communicating. Using an imaging helmet that resembles a big salon hair dryer, researchers discovered what they believe are "signatures of autism'' that MORE ON AUTISM MomsMiami blogger Renee McLeroy chronicles her...read more...// //Where to see 'The Nutcracker'
It may be billed as a Christmas ballet, but regardless of your religion (or lack thereof), The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for any and every one. Despite attempts to update and consumerize it, at its core The Nutcracker is still a celebration of children's imagination and fantasy life, WIN TICKETS MomsMiami is giving away tickets to the Miami City Ballet's performance of The...read more...// //Gay adoption ban ruled unconstitutional
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER, cmarbin@MiamiHerald.com A Miami child welfare judge Tuesday declared Florida's 31-year-old ban on adoption by gay people unconstitutional, rejecting the state's claim that the law promotes public morality and the best interests of foster children who may be harmed by same-sex parents. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge ûCindy Lederman approved the adoption of two...read more...// //'It's not fair!' -- How to respond
By HEIDI STEVENS, Chicago Tribune Trying to find a good rejoinder to "It's not fair!''-- your kid's favorite complaint of late? That's a toughie, especially if you want your answer to be rooted in patience and maybe even offer a little perspective (as opposed to the ever-popular, but really pretty cruel "Well, life's not...read more...// //Motrin ad angers moms
By LINDA A. JOHNSON, AP Business Writer TRENTON, N.J. -- Can a tongue-in-cheek ad for a popular pain reliever backfire and turn into a huge headache for one of the most respected health product marketers? You bet — if the ad appears to be making fun of new mothers and their babies. That's what happened this month with an edgy Johnson & Johnson video SEE THE VIDEO Watch the ad on YouTube . Watch...read more...// //Pines ranked best place to raise kids
BY KIRSTIN MAGUIRE, kmaguire@miamiherald.com It's official: Pembroke Pines is the best place in Florida to raise your kids. In BusinessWeek's second annual roundup of top child-rearing cities, Pembroke Pines, with a population of 165,000 and a median household income of $76,535, outshone the rest. Determining factors included good schools and safety, which BusinessWeek weighted most heavily in its survey. Other...read more...// //Obama girls to go to Chelsea's alma mater
By LISA TOLIN, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama and his wife have chosen a private school for their two daughters, opting for an institution that another White House child, Chelsea Clinton, attended a decade ago. Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, will be attending Sidwell Friends School, a private Quaker school with a campus in northwest Washington for grades 5-12 and another in suburban Bethesda,...read more...// //Holiday visitor survival guide
When the holiday season brings an onslaught of out-of-town visitors to your warm, sunny front door, how do you keep your sanity? MomsMiami.com consulted some seasoned hosts for some ideas. At one time, Stephanie and Doug Horton of Cooper City hosted overnight visitors so frequently they jokingly referred to their home as "Hotel Horton.'' SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS The...read more...// //Dining out in peace - with kids
Dining out with kids can be challenging. It requires manners, patience and self-control, all character traits that are under development for many kids. Young kids, in particular, may find it difficult to sit for long periods of time. Add to that the ambient noise of a restaurant, which can be distracting to little ears, and you've got a recipe for disaster. We've all witnessed the scene. Kids standing in booths,...read more...// //Making more time to play
NEW YORK -- In one classroom, a group of preschool teachers squatted on the floor, pretending to be cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers. Next door, another group ended a raucous musical game by placing their tambourines and drums atop their heads. Silly business, to be sure, but part of an agenda of utmost seriousness: To spread the word that America's children need more time for MORE ON FREE PLAY Read...read more...// //Balancing Act: When business is slow
Some women who own businesses are laying off staff. Others are turning away less profitable work. While yet another is taking only clients who pay in a timely fashion. Entrepreneurs, the backbone of our economy, realize that these tough economic times take strategy to survive. In the worst economy since the Great Depression, many female business owners are more vulnerable. Most of them self-fund their...read more...// //Child's plays for everyone
Already this season, families have journeyed to Oz together. This week and next, they'll watch a special car take wing to rescue an old man from some family-phobic villains. And soon they'll be able to see the return of a red-haired orphan, a collection of singing cats, athletic performers leading them on a jungle adventure. For sure, the touring Broadway season is bringing plenty of...read more...// //The return of layaway
Olga Valeriano has found an old solution to her new budget crunch this holiday season: shopping on layaway. The concept that went out of style with the rise of credit cards in the 1990s is making a resurgence this holiday season among shoppers like Valeriano. At Kmart, she can put 10 percent down and spread out biweekly MORE ON SHOPPING It's hip to be cheap: Mama Sass blogs on the new...read more...// //Dinosaurs roar back to life
Before there were even continents, small Liliensternus dinosaurs first appeared. The reptiles grew in considerable stature when Brachiosaurus stretched his massive neck to munch tree tops. Finally, as Tyrannosaurus rex, tyrant lizard, grew to become one of the largest carnivores ever, dinosaurs ruled the Earth, but were doomed to disappear 65 million years ago. For the last two years, however, they have been...read more...// //Meet 'Wimpy Kid' author
By SUE CORBETT, scorbett@MiamiHerald.com Jeff Kinney's latest entry in his phenomenally popular series about the struggles of middle school student Greg Heffley contains lots of fill-in-the-blank pages -- appropriate since Diary of a Wimpy Kid itself came into the MEET JEFF KINNEY The author will appear at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami as part of the Miami Book Fair International....read more...// //All hail the kid lit ambassador
BY SUE CORBETT, scorbett@MiamiHerald.com The power may have gone to Jon Scieszka's head. Halfway through his two-year term as the first-ever national ambassador for children's literature, he wonders why his car has no flags flying from the antennas. Where is his motorcade? "I want those flags they fly on limousines, and diplomatic plates,'' he MEET THE AUTHOR Jon Scieszka...read more...// //Mom of 18 adopting 2 more
There's no such thing as quiet in Lula Mae Walker's home. Loud, bouncy and boisterous are all permanent features of the modest, light blue house in Northwest Fort Lauderdale, the place where Walker has raised countless children: nine of whom she gave birth to, nine she adopted and countless foster children. As adults, few of them have strayed from the straight and narrow. Most HOW TO...read more...// //OMG, my MOM's on Facebook!
By JACKIE BURRELL, Contra Costa Times The angst was palpable on Facebook. "My mom tried to add me on Facebook today,'' read one online posting, "and I had to deny my own flesh and blood. You'd have done the same.'' Once upon a time, Facebook was a gathering place for college kids. No one had access to the social networking site started by Harvard...read more...// //Balancing Act: Outlook for working women
With the election behind us, now is an ideal time to look at whether working women are advancing and how they will fare as a new administration leads our country. Who better to discuss this topic than Carol Evans, founder of Working BALANCING ACT By CINDY GOODMAN . Read Cindy's MomsMiami blog here . Mother Media, who speaks Friday at The Women's Alliance National Conference in Miami about...read more...// //How to hire a nanny
So SuperNanny seems to be too busy to take your calls, and you need some in-home child care. Where to start? MomsMiami consulted several experts in the field to offer advice for finding a modern-day Mary Poppins or a suitable alternative. Their tips can also apply to your search for just the occasional baby sitter. The experts suggested breaking down the process into three...read more...// //Au pairs: A nanny alternative
By JENNIFER COHEN, Special to MomsMiami.com If you're looking for live-in help with the kids, you might consider an au pair. These college students from abroad can be like a big sister for the kids. Lori and Seth Wise of Davie have had au pairs for the past four years, most of them from Euraupair.com . Mother of a 2-year-old son with a second on the way, Lori Wise knew...read more...// //Dad's agony over son's addiction
BY CONNIE OGLE, cogle@MiamiHerald.com The sobering moment came early in Monday night's "Evening With...'' program, as it inevitably must when writer David Sheff is speaking. Sheff, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, and Fortune and Playboy magazines, asked the Miami Book Fair International audience how many of their families had been touched by addiction. ...read more...// //Take the kids to the Book Fair!
The Miami Book Fair International is going on all week in Miami. The street fair and Children's Alley open on Friday, Nov. 14. Click here for the Children's Alley schedule and more information. Admission to the street fair is free on Friday; $5 on Saturday and Sunday; students 18 and under get in free. KINNEY CHAT MiamiHerald.com hosted an online chat with Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney...read more...// //Tips for landing part-time job
With the economic downturn, many stay-at-home moms are re-entering the work force, at least part-time. Ilyse Shapiro, founder of the job search Web site MyPartTimePRO.com, offers tips for job seekers looking for part-time or flexible employment opportunities. 1. PERFORM INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC RESEARCH. Despite the current economic situation, many industries are still actively hiring part-time staff, including...read more...// //Miami's ultimate preschool
One of Miami-Dade County's most sought-after preschools has the potential to reshape the county's early education programs. At the United Way's Center for Excellence in Early Education, kids learn how to cook. They create art projects mimicking famous sculptures with recyclable materials. Children use the center's stage to learn about music and movement. "We've taken a...read more...// //Books have tips for calmer parenting
By ANA ACLE-MENENDEZ, Special to MomsMiami.com Two authors are in South Florida this week, promoting their books on parenting and offering some advice on raising kids in a complicated world. Linda Lantieri, who wrote Building Emotional Intelligence: Techniques to Cultivate Inner Strength in Children (Sounds True, $22.95), and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, author of Taking Back Childhood: Helping Your...read more...// //Nun keeps faith in class for 71 years
Sister Kathleen Donnelly, the longest serving school principal in the Archdiocese of Miami, started teaching in the middle of the Great Depression -- before television, before cellphones, before computers. She was 17 years old. "It was a great adventure, very exciting,'' she recalls. "I felt right at home.'' Seventy-one years later, Sister Kathleen is still right at home...read more...// //Holocaust kids' book has fairytale ending
______________________ Editor's Note: Angel Girl 's publisher recalled the book in December, after Herman Rosenblat admitted making up the story about the girl at the concentration camp. Read the story on that here . _______________________ Two years ago, Miami author Laurie Friedman read an item in The Miami Herald about Herman and Roma Rosenblat, a Miami-Dade couple with a unique how-they-met story....read more...// //Study links TV to teen pregnancy
BY LINDSEY TANNER, Associated Press CHICAGO -- Groundbreaking research suggests that pregnancy rates are much higher among teens who watch a lot of TV with sexual dialogue and behavior compared with those who have tamer viewing tastes. Sex and the City, anyone? That was one of the shows used in the research. The new study is the first to link those viewing habits with teen pregnancy,...read more...// //Green parenting: Unplug
Going green by conserving energy in the home doesn't mean you have to give up modern conveniences or move to a treehouse. "You don't have to be a wacko who lives in a tent without electricity and bicycles everywhere,'' said Terri Murru, a mom of two who's passionate about the environment. "You can make a significant impact in your own way.'' ...read more...// //Blue Man Group opens kids' exhibit
BY LARRY LEBOWITZ, llebowitz@MiamiHerald.com Isaac Budyszewick pounds on a Dr. Seussian contraption of PVC tubes with the reckless enthusiasm and abandon of a 4-year-old. Just like his three favorite new heroes -- nameless, blue-skinned, black-clad, earless mutes, the nearly ubiquitous Blue Man Group. "He's been so excited,'' Isaac's mother, Favila Budyszewick,...read more...// //MomsMiami Halloween Guide
Halloween is Friday night and if you're still looking for some ideas for celebrating, MomsMiami has got you covered. COSTUMES Still need costumes for the kids? Make your own. It's easy! Click here for some great ideas made from things you can find around the house. You don't even need to know how to sew. MAKE-UP Check out these tips for doing the kids' face painting. We even...read more...// //Women's vote hinges on family issues
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS AND BREANNE GILPATRICK, meklas@MiamiHerald.com TAMPA - As Sarah Palin traveled the crucial Interstate 4 beltway of Florida on Sunday, drawing thousands of supporters dressed in red, white, blue -- and pink -- she talked up the campaign's tax plan and energy policy, told supporters that she was hoping to come from behind like the Tampa Bay Rays, and lashed out at criticism of her...read more...// //RSVP - and bring your wallet
There is an army of women waiting to attack us with party invitations. Their invitations arrive innocently enough until you catch the product placement -- baby toys, sex toys, cooking supplies, scrapbooking supplies, home decor, jewelry. You name it, someone is hawking it in the guise of a social event. Quickly, you realize the pretty stationery is...read more...// //Cribs recalled; check yours
By NATASHA T. METZLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- A recall of nearly 1.6 million cribs, triggered by the suffocations of two 8-month-old infants, has prompted a government agency to urge parents to inspect older drop-side cribs for safety problems. Both of the suffocations involved infants who got stuck in a gap created TO LEARN MORE For details on the recall, visit...read more...// //Cheap food, fun for the kids
"Kids eat free.'' "Free admission.'' Music to a parent's ears. After digging deep to pay for child care, school photos, team sports, instruments, music classes, gift wrap fund-raisers, the list goes on and on . . . it's great to save a buck and still be able to do some fun things as a family. And who wants to cook -- and do dishes -- after coming home from work to...read more...// //How I got my kid to school on time
Two events the neighborhood's been able to rock-solid set watches by of late: 1. The school bus rumbling down the street, its brakes squeaking to a halt at the stop sign at 7:50 a.m. 2. Big Guy stumbling out the door 10 minutes later in tearful panic, shrieking "But I don't want to be late.'' ...read more...// //Dan Zanes rocks the family in Miami
In some ways, nothing has changed for Dan Zanes since he was leading roots rock band the Del Fuegos in the 1980s. He's still hitting the road with his group in a van, still playing shows where the audience fills up an enthusiastically bouncing mosh pit. Except that these days, the mosh pit is filled with pre-schoolers. The roots rock has been replaced by infectious new versions of American folk IF YOU GO Dan Zanes...read more...// //Halloween events are on!
The spooky fun has begun in South Florida with haunted houses, ghost tours and fright-filled festivals for adults and kids alike. Halloween night is the best bet for thrills and chills, but there is plenty to do beforehand. EARLY FRIGHTS ScareFest House of Horror takes over a portion of Miami's popular CocoWalk shopping center with 15 rooms on two floors; 20,000-square- HALLOWEEN TIPS Easy...read more...// //How to say no when $'s tight
Everybody's talking about money. Diminishing home values; mortgage foreclosures; climbing energy and food prices. Uncertainty over when things will take a turn for the better is making everyone tighten their belts. But how do parents explain this to their fashion-conscious middle-school kids? How about teens with dreams of out-of-state college or a new car? WHAT TO SAY...read more...// //Balancing Act: Affording college in a crisis
Lee Taylor, a college senior, had every intention of going to grad school. But the state of the economy has her rethinking that plan. "I don't know how I will pay for it,'' Taylor says. The country's financial crisis is causing Americans of all ages to reconsider major life decisions. Many of them are taking a deep breath BALANCING ACT Read Cindy Goodman's MomsMiami...read more...// //Young moms confront breast cancer
When Zunilda Guzman first felt the lump on her left breast earlier this year, she dismissed it as an annoying byproduct of her menstrual cycle. She had no family history of breast cancer and a mammogram had given her a clean bill of health. A month later, however, the biopsy told a different story. Since June, the Miami Lakes mother has endured a double TURN THE TOWN PINK Join The Miami Herald...read more...// //Talking to kids about politics
By SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS, McClatchy Newspapers We're in the midst of one of the most charged presidential elections in decades, and the children are watching. "Kids are more in tune to politics than most adults understand,'' said Val Weeks, director of Early Childhood Accelerated Program, a preschool for gifted children in Wichita,...read more...// //Halloween make-up tips
Whether you're putting on a ghoulish face this Halloween -- or a glittery fairy princess one -- it can be easy with some expert advice. And you don't have to spend a lot of money. You can even make your own. Christine Brown of Wild Orchid FX in Orlando, former makeup director MORE HALLOWEEN HELP Our guide to easy Halloween costumes you can make. Talk about what your kids are wearing in our Mom2Mom...read more...// //Good habits for great students
A new school year means a chance for a fresh start, a clean slate, a chance to Get Things Right. What we know: Good students, the ones who do Get It Right, have something in common. They do things that work, that help them stay on top. We talked to some experts who know the whys and the hows of success at school. What we learned: All those things you thought you already knew, about...read more...// //Balancing Act: Family issues on sidelines
BY CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN, cgoodman@MiamiHerald.com The other night, as the first and only vice presidential debate was starting, I was scrambling to get home from the football field where I had been sitting on the sidelines with other parents. The talk on the sidelines wasn't about Wall Street, or the stock market, Read Cindy's Balancing Act blog on MomsMiami. or foreign policy or even...read more...// //High-schoolers under pressure
Here's a multiple-choice question for the families of high school students facing yet another round of SATs and other standardized tests. Why has the college application process grown so stressful and all-consuming? A. It's supply and demand: There's a record number of graduating seniors heading off to college, just as some colleges and universities are capping or rolling back their...read more...// //Quick Pilates workout aimed at moms
BY HOWARD COHEN, hcohen@miamiherald.com Naomi Lowit had her first baby, Sophia, 18 months ago. "I know how hard it is to get back in shape.'' So Lowit designed a class for moms just like her -- and sympathetic dads like hubby William Weyrowski -- at her studio, Nomi Pilates in North Miami (there's a Fort Lauderdale branch, too). Lowit calls it Innie and Outie....read more...// //New Fords will let parents set speed limit
By TOM KRISHER, AP AUTO WRITER So you think junior is a little too lead-footed when he drives the family car? Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will give you the power to do something about it. The company will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key. Parents also have the option of programming the teen's key to limit the audio system's volume,...read more...// //Schools pump up PE
When the talk turns to physical education, several things probably come to mind: running, jumping jacks, team sports, sweat. But walking to and from lunch? No way, say state legislators and health experts, who were concerned that some schools were using the time it took to walk across campus to meet a state law that said elementary school kids need to have 150 minutes of physical education a week....read more...// //4,000 Florida families in study
By FRED TASKER, ftasker@MiamiHerald.com The University of Miami Medical School has been chosen by the National Institutes of Health as the Florida leader in a 25-year nationwide, pioneering study of children's health, following potential mothers from before they're pregnant to when their children reach 21. The $54.6 million project, which will track 100,000 children nationwide, including 4,000 in Florida, will...read more...// //Parents sending kids to the gym
NEW YORK -- Like many parents, Diana Ennen had trouble getting her daughter Amber to exercise. So two years ago, Ennen decided that Amber was coming to the health club. Now age 10, Amber is using the stair stepper, lifting hand weights and doing situps on a stability ball. "She's lost some weight," said Ennen of Margate. "Her clothes fit better. You can tell she's firmer."...read more...// //Teachers rewarded with supplies
BY HANNAH SAMPSON, hsampson@MiamiHerald.com Just this weekend, fifth-grade science teacher Nakitta Bryant went shopping for school supplies. Her wish list was long, but money was short. So the timing could not have been better on Wednesday when Bryant was one of 1,300 teachers nationwide -- and more than two dozen locally HOW YOU CAN HELP Click here to learn more about how you can help your...read more...// //13 booster seats get poor ratings
By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Several car booster seats do a poor job of positioning children to fit in their seat belts, according to a review by the insurance industry and researchers. The Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found Wednesday that 13 booster seats don't put children in the best...read more...// //Parenting an option for more gay men
BY DAVID CRARY, Associated Press Despite the high costs and legal complications, many gay men -- such as singer Clay Aiken, a single dad who came out last week -- are starting families. Adoption remains the most common way for gay men to become fathers -- unless they live in Florida. State law prohibits gay people from adopting, the only outright ban in the nation. In an exception, a Monroe...read more...A sportswriter's letter to her daughter
By MICHELLE KAUFMAN, mkaufman@MiamiHerald.com Dear Sophie, I am writing to tell you about a remarkable, brave woman whose biography you won't find on the third-grade bookshelves alongside the inspiring stories of Helen Keller, Clara Barton, Rosa Parks and Amelia Earhardt. Her name was Mary Garber, and she died last Sunday at age 92 in a nursing home in Winston-Salem, N.C. She wasn't as well-known as those other women,...read more...
