If you have a busy family schedule already, you may wonder whether extracurricular activities are worth the time and money. Indeed, there is plenty of evidence that enrichment programs outside the classroom boost children’s social and academic skills. Luckily, there are more choices than ever for kids to find a pursuit that may ignite a true passion. Benefits of Extracurricular Activities Depending on whether the program you’re considering for your child is physical, intellectual, or creative in nature, specific extracurricular activities can build skills in different developmental areas....

However, while a false positive pregnancy test result is uncommon, it can happen, for a variety of reasons. Learn more about the causes of false positive pregnancy tests. What Is a False Positive? A false positive on a pregnancy test means that the test result says you are pregnant but you actually aren’t. In most cases, this means the test detected the hormone hCG in your urine when there really was no hCG in your urine....

However, that freedom and lack of restraint come with a price—mostly for parents. Parents have to put a lot of time and effort into finding activities that keep kids’ minds (and bodies) occupied, keep them safe and secure, help them stay out of trouble, and throw a little fun into the mix. While the number of kids attending summer camp is sure to rise with the decrease in COVID-19 cases, many parents are looking for activities that don’t put a pinch on the wallet....

When you have your first ultrasound, your doctor may talk about the presence or absence of the gestational sac. What exactly is the gestational sac? When can it first be detected on ultrasound? What does it mean if it is (or is not) there? What does it mean if a gestational sac is seen, but appears to be empty? Here are the answers to these, and other, common questions you might have about the role of the gestational sac in your pregnancy....

The loving support of a partner is one of the most important factors in a woman’s decision to breastfeed. Research shows that when a mother has the support and encouragement of her partner, she’s more likely to be successful at breastfeeding and breastfeed for a longer duration of time. Having support makes it easier to stick it out even when she’s exhausted. Plus, support is invaluable for getting through difficult or painful breastfeeding problems should they arise....

The most successful disciplinary procedures are graduated in nature. In other words, as bullying increases in severity so should the disciplinary action. Zero-tolerance policies are usually not effective. If a school suspension is the only consequence for any type of bullying, students and teachers may fear it is too harsh and refrain from reporting less severe forms of bullying. The result is that more bullying will take place because fewer incidents are being reported....

Limiting screen time, however, gives kids a chance to stay engaged with others while helping them use their creativity and social skills. Simple hands-on activities and games also encourage kids to sharpen their communication and fine motor skills. Here are some holidays you can observe at home without relying on more screen time. Refer to this comprehensive list of simple activities for each major holiday in the year. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day New Year’s Eve celebrations take place all over the world on December 31....

It’s an understandable concern. After all, most of us spent our childhoods in more traditional educational settings, attending brick and mortar schools, surrounded by other kids daily, and where social interaction was an intrinsic part of our educational experience. How can this be replicated if we are teaching our children at home? Why? Well, it’s partly because homeschooling usually doesn’t take place exclusively at home, and homeschoolers actually interact frequently with others....

While all students’ experiences are unique, some may find comfort knowing that they are not alone in the stressors they have faced. Research done on college student mental health is shedding light on how young adults have been mentally impacted by COVID-19-laden school years. Studies Shows Students Are Stressed According to a Journal of Medical Internet Research study, just over 71% of the 195 interviewed college students from a Texas university indicated that they experienced increased stress and anxiety due to COVID-19....

Eventually this storm of hormones evens out and the intense emotions you may have experienced, like whiplash-inducing mood swings, pure elation, and sudden crying spells begin to even out, too. But if you think that means you’re done with the extreme highs and lows of breastfeeding, think again: you still have to wean your baby at some point, and that’s not without its hormonal challenges. What Changes With Weaning? Two things start dropping the minute you begin the weaning process: prolactin and oxytocin....

There are two types of drugs used for this purpose: GnRH agonists and GnRH antagonists. An agonist is a type of drug that stimulates a response; an antagonist is a type that blocks a response. While the mechanisms of action for the two drugs differ, they both work by suppressing the body’s production of various hormones that trigger egg development and ovulation. In this way, they down-regulate the physiological function of the ovaries....

Types of Manipulative Skills In the gross-motor area, these skills include: BouncingCatchingDribbling (moving a ball with the feet, as in soccer)Kicking or rolling (a ball)LiftingPushing and pulling (the object might be a wheeled toy)Striking (such as swinging a baseball bat or golf club to hit a ball)ThrowingVolleying (a ball back and forth to another person, either with the hands or a racquet) Activities like pencil tracing, stacking coins, and playing checkers, by contrast, require fine motor skills....

Early language intervention via speech and language therapy can make a life-changing difference. What Is Down Syndrome? Down syndrome, also called trisomy 21, occurs when a baby is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21. There are three types of Down syndrome: Complete trisomy 21Mosaic trisomy 21Translocation trisomy 21 Similar developmental differences exist at varying degrees between the three types. Neurotypical people are born with two copies of each of the 23 chromosomes, having received one copy from each parent....

Types of Consequences Appropriate consequences teach children that they’re in control of their own behavior—even when we’re not there to nag them. They’re also tailored to match each child’s developmental stage, so we’re never expecting more than kids are capable of. These kinds of effective consequences can be divided into two categories: natural and logical consequences. Natural consequences are things that happen on their own as a result of the child’s behavior....

“A second trimester loss can be devastating,” states Margaret Howard, PhD, professor of psychiatry and human behavior and medicine, and clinician educator at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. “What we mostly see is bereavement, which is a normal response to such a loss, and [is] characterized by intense longing, sadness, waves of sorrow, and feelings of emptiness." It’s important to allow yourself time to grieve after a second trimester miscarriage, and to find ways to process your emotional pain....

When this happens, you often find yourself faced with a cranky baby, a screaming toddler, or a grumpy preschooler. Learn how to determine when overstimulation is the culprit and what to do to address the situation. What Is Overstimulation? Overstimulation happens when children are swamped by more experiences, sensations, sounds, and activities than they can cope with. For instance, a newborn baby might start crying after a family gathering where they have been cuddled by lots of strange grownups....

It’s important to have testing done by someone who understands and has experience working with gifted children. How do you find such a person? Four basic ways are listed here — in order of ease and reliability. The first method is the easiest and most likely to get you a reliable tester. The last one requires more effort and more care. Find the Right Person A tester who understands and has worked with gifted children before is more likely to get the most accurate results from the testing....

If selective hearing in kids is something you’ve been struggling with in your family, here are a few reasons why it may be happening—and some tips on what you can do to break the pattern. Reasons For Selective Listening There are several different reasons why a child may not be listening to what you have to say. Here’s an overview of the most common reasons. You’re Saying Too Much Staying brief and sticking to one or two points is the best policy when it comes to communicating with kids....

Getting enough sleep and being well-rested is particularly crucial for school-age kids. Without enough sleep, they can experience trouble concentrating, paying attention, and learning. Lack of sleep can also affect kids’ moods, physical development, and even their ability to fight off illness and infections. Set a Bedtime Try to keep bedtime consistent, even on the weekends and during the summer. It can be hard to get kids to bed by 8 p....