When there are children involved, parents may feel like they can’t simply sign divorce papers and part ways forever. A crucial part of the divorce proceedings will be determining the best method for parenting their children going forward. For some, that method may be parallel parenting. “Parallel parenting allows the parents to each spend time with and care for their children independently,” explains Joleena Louis, Esq., an attorney in New York City focused on family law matters including divorce, child custody, and child support....

Many women choose to have an epidural while giving birth. In fact, studies show that 60% to 70% of women in the United States get epidurals for pain relief in labor. Uses for an Epidural While labor and delivery is a natural process, it is extremely painful for most pregnant women. Many laboring women want pain medication to help them cope with this discomfort. Epidurals can be delivered at any time during childbirth but are most often administered after the cervix has opened several centimeters and before full dilation....

First, it may reduce your responsibility to try and teach your child how to do their work. Trying to take over as the homework monitor/teacher can be stressful. Hiring a tutor may reduce the arguing and the frustration everyone feels. A good tutor will know how to help your child connect the dots—so the material will make sense. They’ll help your child gain confidence in their skills and help them become more independent....

Does this mean you have to say goodbye to everything you love when your pregnancy test comes up positive? No, but you will have to make some changes. Here’s a comprehensive guide to everything you should avoid during pregnancy (and things you can do instead, too). Food and Drink Your baby basically eats what you eat, so it’s important to maintain a well-balanced diet during pregnancy to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need to grow....

So, how can you multitask and spend this precious time? Well, here are 10 things you can do while you’re breastfeeding. Interact With Your Baby It may seem like a no-brainer, but spend some time staring at your baby. Talk to them. Sing to them. Before you know it, they are going to be pulling off the breast and looking up at you, giving a quick smile, and going back to nursing....

You’re most likely to conceive just before or during ovulation, but you can get pregnant at any time during your menstrual cycle, even if you are having your period. This is one of the reasons that birth control methods like the “rhythm method” are not reliable in preventing pregnancy. Helpful facts to know include that while unprotected sex doesn’t lead to pregnancy every time, you can become pregnant if you have sex just one time if the timing is right....

Car seat safety becomes a top priority the second your baby exits those hospital doors. Rear-facing is a given for infants, but when it comes to toddlers, you might be wondering if you can switch them to a forward-facing seat. The answer depends on different factors, including the child’s height and weight. Here, we’ll take a look at when it is considered safe for your baby to face forward in the car seat, why it’s important not to make the switch too soon, and any safety precautions you should keep in mind....

Here’s everything you need to know about when to give a lovey to your child, if they are safe, how to clean them, and more. What Is a Comfort Item or Lovey? They may go by several different names, such as loveys or stuffed animals, but essentially all beloved childhood security items serve the same purpose—to comfort your child. That can be at night, or specifically after an incident or tantrum....

There are good reasons for parents to want to know what their child’s personality will be. Parenting an introvert may involve different skill sets and techniques than parenting an extrovert, and children with different personality traits will respond better to different motivations and discipline strategies. These personality traits start to emerge in elementary school. Here’s how you can tell when your child’s personality is emerging, and what that personality may mean....

It’s always upsetting to see your child behave like a bad sport. But you can turn these incidents into conversations about good sportsmanship. Give your child some time to cool off and then approach the subject in a neutral way. The Words You Need By talking with our kids, listening to their experiences, and setting positive examples, we can help them develop the lifelong skills they need to work and play with others....

Crawling changes everything because once your baby learns it, they are mobile. Suddenly you have to keep a tight watch on them and make sure that your living space is baby-proof. What Age Do Babies Crawl? According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, babies generally crawl for the first time somewhere around the age of 8 to 12 months old. All babies learn at their own pace, so some babies will crawl sooner than this, and some may take longer....

Most brands contain higher levels of vitamin B9 (folate/folic acid), iron, calcium, iodine, and DHA than traditional daily vitamins. This is because these ingredients, in particular, help both the parent and the fetus stay healthy and can help to prevent certain birth defects. It’s important to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you find out you are pregnant, but ideally well before you conceive, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

If a baby born prematurely needs extra medical care and attention, they will most likely be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. Stays in the NICU will vary depending on the baby’s condition and health needs, but one thing is for certain: Babies in the NICU need all the help and medical care they can get. And unfortunately, data has revealed that not all babies in the NICU have equitable care....

Reading fluency isn’t all that different from being fluent in a foreign language. Both rely on knowing the language well enough to comprehend and communicate without difficulty. In the case of reading fluency, it’s written language. Defining Reading Fluency For the most part, reading fluency can be defined as the ability to read text easily, quickly and expressively without making much effort and with little difficulty comprehending the meaning of the text....

You are coping with the demands of carrying a baby whilst simultaneously caring for the child (or children) you might already have. You will probably find yourself asking if it was always this hard. By the time the dreaded first-trimester fatigue sets in, you can almost guarantee all you will want to do is put your feet up and rest, even if there seems to be no time for that....

However, the current evidence does not find that sex brings on labor. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t try. In fact, sex during pregnancy can bring other benefits, such as stress relief, bonding with your partner, and of course, pleasure. Learn more about using sex to induce labor—and why it might not hasten childbirth but can still be worthwhile. Theories on Using Sex to Induce Labor There are many theories on the possible benefits of using sex to induce labor....

You’ve heard of finger painting, but what about window painting? Welcome winter by painting a snowy scene on your home’s windows. Don’t worry: The paint is easy to remove, and if you have a camera handy, you can capture your child’s “stained glass” in photographs. Materials needed:· 2 tablespoons powdered tempera paint· 1 tablespoon warm water· 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid · Equal solution of vinegar and water· Old towel or rag· Mixing bowl· Mixing spoon· Newspaper (to cover the floor)· Paintbrush· Windows!...

The work began before the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, when the research team created the ABC Science Collaborative to help school districts follow science-based measures throughout the course of the pandemic. Later, the team looked closely at 11 of the districts that kept schools open at partial capacity for at least nine weeks, following a hybrid model that included twice-weekly in-person classes. In North Carolina, schools must adhere to COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including face coverings for children age 5 and older, social distancing, regular hand-washing, and daily temperature checks and symptom monitoring....