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These are unprecedented times. Never before have so many schools across the globe closed indefinitely. And without a clear date for return, many young people are floundering. Whether you’ve got a grade-schooler or a college student, there are some things you can do to support a student who is missing out on school-related activities this year. Validate Your Child’s Feelings You may think missing the school dance or a graduation ceremony is pretty minor....

Now that most universities have wisely combined semester final exams with winter break, many of us can look forward to four-week visits from our “independent” children. Welcome to the upside-down lifestyle of college students: sleeping ’til early afternoon and staying out late. While we can dangle curfew in front of high-schoolers, college kids are used to living without nagging parents and are unlikely to accept prohibitive rules without a fight....

Pink and red hearts cut from construction paper (various sizes)Scotch tapeElmer’s glueMarkersPaper heart doiliesSmall white paper platesValentine stickersGlitter

Get your holiday gifts ready for wrapping! Materials needed:· Tempera paint· Newspapers· Butcher Paper (brown packing paper will also work) · Sponges cut in star, tree, or other holiday shapes· Paintbrushes· Plastic bowls (for paint)What to do:Step One: Lay newspaper over your entire work area in case of spills.Step Two: Pour each color of paint into its own bowl. Step Three: Spread butcher paper out on the newspaper. Step Four: Dip a sponge in paint....

1 or 2 packs of playing cards This is a great activity for rainy days. You will need a flat surface that no one will disturb. The idea is to build a house of cards which uses up all the cards in the packs. You cannot bend, staple, roll or mutilate the cards in any way. Start with a simple structure of four cards in a box shape and add a roof....

Should I Give My Baby a Sponge Bath or a Tub Bath? There are a few things to consider as you’re deciding whether to give your baby a sponge bath or a tub bath. First, look at the umbilical cord. Is it still attached? Is there any oozing or bleeding from the site? If yes, then give a sponge bath. Next, is your baby circumcised? If the circumcision is still healing, then give a sponge bath....

How Much Will Families Get? At the moment, families can receive one $2,000 tax credit per child under 17, once a year. Under the new tax credit families can receive $3,600 per child under six and $3,000 for each child under 18. The IRS will distribute part of the amount in monthly sums of $250 or $300 between July and December. It will work as a guaranteed income for one year....

But sometimes, these changes in mood or behavior are indicators of a more serious concern like anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue. In these cases, you may find that a mental health professional is needed to help your child or teen cope with what they’re experiencing. If you’ve decided to get your child help and have selected a mental health professional, you may not know how to proceed. This can be especially confusing if you have little to no experience navigating a counseling environment....

While there is no specific set of rules to follow when it comes to Mother’s Day, allowing space for your natural feelings and placing boundaries where you need them is often a good place to start. If you find yourself dreading Mother’s Day, here are some ideas to help get you through the day. Intentional Avoidance Avoidance can be a helpful coping mechanism, whether it’s avoiding a family gathering or the day altogether....

While they can be embarrassing and downright frustrating, temper tantrums can be resolved with a little patience and persistence on your part. These discipline strategies can help your child see that no matter what happens to him, throwing a tantrum won’t help. Reasons for Temper Tantrums When kids struggle to get a grip on what’s going on for them emotionally, they often show their frustration through their behavior. A child who isn’t sure how to deal with uncomfortable emotions like anger, sadness, and disappointment, may throw a fit....

Determining your child’s love language can help you contribute to their emotional strength, while helping them feel more secure in your bond, and it’s easier than you may think to figure out what they speak best. More: The Natural Progression of Your Child’s Communication What Are The Five Love Languages? Out of the five love languages, each person has a primary love language which speaks to them on a deeper level than the other....

It isn’t always easy to differentiate between a cold and the flu, making it that much harder to determine whether any medication is needed. Giving your child cold or flu medicine may seem like the best option when your little one has the sniffles, but that isn’t always the case. Here, with the help of experts, we will take a look at everything you need to know about giving your child cold and flu medicine....

Type of Fireworks: Sparklers. Sparklers seem like they’re fun for all ages, but they can actually cause severe injuries. According to an article from ABC News, sparklers can reach an astonishing 2,000 degrees and account for 16 percent of all firework-related injuries. Firecrackers. The purpose of firecrackers is to explode and make loud noises. The dangers lie in exploding too early and causing injuries to hands and eyes. Fountains. Fountains are devices that sit on the ground and shoot off a shower of colorful sparks....

Keep in mind that you will be the caregiver for your child’s guests overnight. You will need to ensure their health and safety. Invite Your Guests Your party’s success starts with selecting the guests. Keep it small: Limit the guest number to half of the age of the child. At age 6, invite three guests. At age 10, invite five guests, and so on. To ensure a successful slumber party, think small—and then plan big so that you anticipate and meet every need....

Is Your Partner OK? If you are starting to wonder if something might be wrong with your partner, you may want to pick a quiet time to talk together. Ask them how they’re feeling and if something is bothering them. Keep in mind that it’s normal to have mild mood swings or feel a little blue after giving birth. However, if your partner is having frequent bouts of crying, seems overwhelmed or hopeless, expresses intense fears, worries about hurting the baby, or has lost all interest in caring for themself or the newborn, these may be signs of a more serious condition....

The exact amount of supplies you will need for a diaper cake depend upon how large you want the cake to be and how much money you want to spend on the project. Most diaper cakes use about 50 to 75 newborn or size 1 diapers. Here’s what you’ll need: A cake topper (a stuffed animal, ribbon, board book, etc.) A sheet of cardboard or a cake plate Clear stretch jewelry cord Diapers (disposable or cloth) Ribbon Rubber bands...

The trade-off of that convience, however, is that those packages can be harmful to the environment and contribute to landfill waste. It may sound counterintuitive, but making sustainable choices does not have to add to the stress of packing lunch! It starts with getting the right materials in place. Ahead are some simple changes parents can do to make packing a child’s lunch more sustainable. How Packed Lunches Can Be Unsustainable Packing lunch is a good way to make sure your kids are eating a healthy and balanced meal at school....

Breastfeeding provides you and your baby with many health benefits. It also costs less money than other feeding methods in addition to the health benefits. You can purchase fancy pillows to do the same job, but most moms find that anything that lifts their arms, saves on ​the strain. This makes the pillows made for nursing a luxury for most mothers. Older babies are more likely to move around while nursing....