Barb's Daily Dose

Hearing Loss from Earbuds

What Did You Say?

Just when you think that your teen is ignoring you on purpose, it may be that they really can't hear you. Plugging into their portable music players, earbuds dangling and music blaring is causing a lot more hearing loss than we previously thought. Of the 10 million people in the US with hearing loss, about 12-15% are under 25!  That's only the kids who have hearing loss from excessive noise exposure.

Obesity Rates Lowering in Schools

Is it possible that obesity rates are really coming down like numbers on the scale? Well, at least in one study in New York City. The Centers for Disease control found that the rate of obesity for kids in elementary and middle school dropped by 5.5%. From 21.9% to 20.7%.  That's still 1 in 5 kids, but awareness increases and parents, educators and corporations take notice, I know that we can reduce it further.  

Scripts for Talking to Teens About Sex

Most parents would rather see the dentist than to even think about talking to their kids about sex. Many of us put off having “The conversation” so long that our kids are left to learn about their bodies from what they’re picking up from TV, movies, video games and their friends. This is not exactly the most accurate information and can lead to lots of confusion, questions and heartache.

Study: Nearly 1 in 8 Shy Teens Has Social Phobia

Featured Article Today From: Health.com

Study: Nearly 1 in 8 Shy Teens Has Social Phobia - Health News - Health.com.

Secrets to a Stress-Free, Happy, Healthy Family - Health.com

Secrets to a Stress-Free, Happy, Healthy Family - Health.com.

Inside the Minds of Teens

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is: 

Vanessa Van Petten, creator of RadicalParenting.com a parenting website written from the teen perspective to help parents understand them. She is also the author of the parenting book, “Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I’m Grounded?”

When I was 16 I thought it was my Dad’s goal in life to make me miserable.  I was convinced that he had a running list of all the ways he could embarrass me in front of my friends, trick me into doing more chores or make my curfew earlier.

Your Child's Bulging Belly

Worried About Your Child's Bulging Belly?

It’s estimated that more than half of all Americans are overweight, and one in five of us is obese. In the 70’s, only about 4% of children 6-11 were overweight, now its over 17%. I became more aware, and began  to make some changes.

• Whole milk is 97% Fat Free. Each 1% of fat on the label translates into 5 grams of fat. So a glass of whole milk has 15 grams of fat, 2% has 10 grams, 1% has 5.
• Lose the juice! There’s 90-120 calories in some of those juice boxes.  Most kids drink 2-4 each day!
• Switch from pre-packed snacks, to veggies, fruits and nuts.

Birth Control Pill Use Increased

"Hey Mom, can I take the car?  Do you have an extra $10 you can loan me?"  These are typical questions you might here from your teen, right?  What's not typical is for them to also ask, "Oh, and by the way, can I have sex tonight?"

The truth is that  teens are making their own decisions about when to have sex that are much less about what you think and more about what they think.  And we know from study after study, after study that  teens don't wait to have sex until after they start to use contraception.  They usually start having sex and then think about contraception. 

Introducing A Cup to Your Baby

You may have read about a recent study that found that children who are still drinking their milk from a bottle at age 2 have higher obesity rates.  I wonder what the association is with this finding, and if the bottle is more comforting than using a sippy cup?  No matter what the association is, there are few things to remember.

"Good Bands"!

Our Featured Guest Today is Mary Beth Miller, CEO of Goodbands.org

Are you stressed, suffering from an illness, or looking to feel better about yourself? I’ve found that many so-called solutions can be temporary, costly or ineffective. However, there’s one solution that is accessible to everyone.  No appointment is necessary.  There are no risks of nausea, internal bleeding, or any other awful side effects. Interested?

The answer is:  Simple acts of kindness. The prescription:  Start small. 

Try to complete one each day. Smile at someone.  Hold a door open for a stranger.  Ask how someone is and really listen to their answer.