Understanding puberty in girls, including what to expect, is key to helping support your child. Learn about the stages of puberty as well as how to address any unique concerns that may come with it, like their first period, acne, and body image. Signs of Puberty Every female develops at their own rate. Typically, puberty begins as early as age 8, but some females may develop earlier and some may develop later....

To make matters worse, the pandemic has created even more stress for working parents than in the past. According to research by the Pew Research Institute, 52% of working parents with children younger than 12 say it has been difficult to balance work and child care responsibilities during the coronavirus outbreak. And, more than a third of parents say that trying to balance both work and family has become even more difficult in the midst of the pandemic....

While popular research dictates that ‘crying it out’ and letting the baby soothe themselves on their own is a viable method, a new study published on September 13, 2022, suggests another way to get your infant to stop crying. The study in the journal Current Biology introduces a method “to soothe and promote sleep” using what they call the transport response. It aims to help parents put their children back to bed in a more effective way....

Superfetation is the formation of a fetus while another fetus is already present in the uterus. Essentially, it describes a situation where someone becomes pregnant when they are already pregnant. It is believed that this is a very rare event. Causes Superfetation occurs when ova from two separate menstrual cycles are released, fertilized, and then implant in the uterus. Normally, once fertilization and implantation occur, physical and hormonal effects would make an additional conception impossible....

Supply chain issues have been happening since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, with toilet paper and cleaning products. The list of items in limited supply has continued to grow since that time, including everything from food items to household goods. Now, school lunch programs are facing the same product shortages. Some food items come in smaller quantities, if at all. Supplies, like disposable forks, spoons, and more, are lacking availability....

Here’s how to care for and protect your baby’s sensitive skin at home. Bathing Your Preemie Before you take your preemie home from the hospital, your child’s nurse will most likely give you a bath demonstration. You should also have the opportunity to return the demo to your nurse. After that, ask if you can bathe your baby when you’re visiting so that you can become comfortable with it. Once you’re home, you don’t have to give your child a bath every day....

For parents, the whole selfie phenomenon can be a bit perplexing. Why would you want to take 50 pictures of yourself standing in a bathroom and then choose the one that you think makes you look best and post it on your profile so people can give you feedback? Well, in some cases, it’s just harmless fun. But for other teens, selfies can actually be part of a much deeper rooted problem....

Depending on the age of your child and where you live, the best jacket for kids could be a parka for sledding and snowball fights or something as simple as a denim jacket. Baby buntings are best for infants, and toddlers might be better with something that grows with them since they’re developing so fast. We researched popular jackets with various seasons, sizes, and comfort in mind. Here are our picks for the best jackets for kids in every price range and style....

“Ensure your child is wearing the correct size and that the sack is not too small or large, which can lead to rising up to cover the face, or inhibiting full movement,” sleep consultant Aubrie DeBear, PsyD, tells Verywell Family of choosing the right sleep sack. “Check the age and weight specifications of the sleep sack to make sure it’s the right fit for your child.” In our experience, sleep sacks belong on the “must-have” list of baby supplies for all new parents because they keep babies warm while also following the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines, which advise against loose bedding near infants....

Before deciding what goes into your kiddo’s Easter basket, consider the type of gift you’d like to get, such as an Easter-themed gift or a gift that can be used in all seasons. Also, double check the age recommendation and size of the gift to ensure it is safe and can fit in the basket. We carefully considered age recommendations, size, design, ease of use, and value when reviewing products....

According to Allison Tsomos, Vice President of Operations at Celebree School, “STEM objectives include teaching skills to solve problems, learning to gather information, and developing deductive reasoning through evaluating evidence to make decisions. STEM is most often introduced to students through guided investigations and hands-on learning opportunities." STEM toys will incorporate learning science, technology, engineering, and math concepts into age-appropriate play. Creating fun ways for children to engage with STEM learning through play allows them to connect learned concepts to real-world applications....

According to Donna Whittaker, VP of Curriculum and Education at Big Blue Marble Academy, “social emotions skills are more important than ever” and are essential to success in all areas of life. SEL can be an impactful learning tool for kids of all ages, so consider what skills you’re hoping teach your child while ensuring they’re age appropriate and entertaining. We carefully considered design, value, ease of use, age recommendations, and toy safety when reviewing products....

While many babies enjoy tummy time, others dread laying on their belly. When purchasing tummy time toys, look for items with mirrors, musical sounds, and those with rattles and squeaky objects attached to make tummy time entertaining and exciting. If you’re looking for a toy that will last, some tummy toys can attach to a stroller, while others can convert to a seat for your growing baby. To find the best tummy time toys, we looked for fun toys that encourage babies to spend time on their bellies....

Depending on what you eat or drink, your breast milk may look as though it has a green, pink, or red tint. Sometimes, a little bit of blood may even make it’s way into breast milk giving it a brown or rust color. You may notice that the color of your breast milk changes over time. But, It can also change during the course of a day or even within the same feeding....

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (sometimes abbreviated as TCM). Acupuncture involves placing hair-thin needles into particular points on the body. These points, according to the Chinese tradition, run along lines of energy, or meridians. From the TCM perspective, the idea is that an imbalance of energy in the body can lead to illness, including infertility. Correcting the imbalance by stimulating particular points along the meridians is thought to improve health....

According to a new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine, there was a significant increase in the rate of type 2 diabetes among children during the COVID-19 pandemic. New cases increased in 2020 by 77% compared to 2018 through 2019. This new study looks at why there was such a vast increase in cases. As parents, you might be wondering what you need to know about your child potentially developing type 2 diabetes, and how you can prevent it....

While using birth control pills, ovulation is suppressed. When they’re discontinued, it’s thought that the ovaries may superovulate, releasing more than one egg in a cycle and increasing the opportunity to conceive dizygotic or fraternal twins. Twinning and Birth Control Pills This concept is primarily based on a 1977 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that showed women who got pregnant shortly after stopping oral contraceptives were twice as likely to have twins....

But friendships at this point in a child’s development can also be quite challenging. Below are tips to help you prepare your tween for the ups and downs of friendships in the middle school years. Knowing how friendships may change, come to an end or strengthen can help your tween through the friendship challenges they will eventually face. Benefits of Healthy Friendships It’s only natural for tweens to make their friends a priority and, at this point in their development, they may prefer the company of their friends over the company of their parents and other family members....