JUST LISTEN: (Reference: Time Magazine, Daniel S. Levy; May 31, 1999; page 103;) http://www.time.com 

"The State of Washington's Children study reports that children are far less likely to engage in risky behavior like getting pregnant, dropping out of school or selling drugs if they feel they have the opportunity to share their views with a trusted adult. One way many savvy parents bond with their kids is by turning off the radio (while driving) and drawing them into conversation during those long drives from school to sports practice or to a piano recital. A study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project shows that the typical mom spends more than an hour a day chauffeuring kids."

HOW TO SPOT A DEPRESSED CHILD: (Reference: Time Magazine, Howard Chua-Eoan; May 31, 1999; page 47;) http://www.time.com 

"The key thing to watch for is drastic change in teen behavior. Other red flags to consider:

1. Difficulty Maintaining Relationships: May become antisocial, reject friends or refuse to take part in school and family events.
2. Reduced Physical Activity: May suffer from lethargy or appear to drag self around.
3. Morbid or Suicidal Thoughts: May seek out games, music, art or books with death-related themes.
4. Low self-esteem: May feel that they are worthless and that their peers, teachers and family disapprove of them.
5. Self-destructive Behavior: May harm their body by, for example, biting fingernails to the point of bleeding.
6. Problems at School: Grades may drop or classroom troublemaking rise.
7. Changes in Sleep Patterns: May either have restless nights or sleep away the day. 

Preschoolers

Frequent unexplained stomachaches, headaches or fatigue. Overactivity or excessive restlessness. A sad appearance. Low tolerance for frustration. Irritability. Loss of pleasure in activities.  Tendency to portray the world as bleak."

BABY GOT BACH (Reference: Time Magazine, Daniel S. Levy; May 24, 1999; page 96;) http://www.time.com

"Many of those diaper bags that new mothers get when they leave the hospital now contain a Smart Symphonies CD, including works by Bach, Beethoven and other greats. It's a promotion sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Foundation and the maker of Enfamil baby formula. Why symphonies? Studies show that classical music can stimulate brain development in babies, helping them appreciate relationships of sequence and time that will prove useful later when they study math and science."

SAFE SLEEPING (Reference: Time Magazine, Michaelle Slatalla; June 5, 2000;) http://www.time.com

"Though toddlers spend 7 million nights in hotels each year, studies have shown that 80% of cribs provided by hotels were unsafe. Some used adult sheets and pillows, which can suffocate children. Others were just poorly maintained: the wear and tear of constant use can make even the sturdiest cribs dangerous. If you're traveling with babies this summer, be wary. The National Safe Kids Campaign (www.safekids.org) provides a hotel safety checklist.

THE 'V' CHIP ARRIVES (Reference: Time Magazine, Amy Dickinson; July 12, 1999; page 80) http://www.time.com

"The V chip is a well-meaning but deeply flawed attempt to help families screen the offerings of a medium run amuck. But there is a low-tech way to do the same thing. Granted, it doesn't have the TV makers or politicians behind it. But I'm thinking that we parents might screen our children's TV viewing by occasionally sitting with them, watching what they watch and making judgments about violence, sexual content, bad language and even gross behavior we'd prefer not to see imitated. When we're not home, we can instruct the sitter to let the kids watch only programs we've approved. If we have to have a V chip in our homes, it might as well be us."

OH, BEHAVE! (Reference: Time Magazine; July 12, 1999; page 80) http://www.time.com

"Can't control your kids? A slew of new state laws took effect last week that might make it easier. Louisiana is mandating politeness by requiring students to address teachers as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am.' Utah teens are barred from driving between midnight 5 a.m. To stop South Dakota children from smoking, the police can now fine them. And parents in Indiana and Tennessee must preapprove all body piercing."

MAKE NICE (Reference: Time Magazine; September 27, 1999; page 112) http://www.time.com

"School violence is a concern of all parents, yet a major study released last week by the National Center for Children in Poverty confirms that there might be a possible solution to at least part of the problem. Students in Grades 2 through 6 who took part in a violence-resolution program - and learned to solve disagreements with words instead of fists - ended up being less hostile. This channeling of anger had one additional benefit. Those who took the classes often did better academically than those who did not."

BRAT PACK (Reference: Time Magazine; October 4, 1999; page 115) http://www.time.com

"Hang in there, parents. That naughty child of yours may turn into an angel - eventually. A study of more than 1,000 inner-city boys concludes that there's a nearly 90% chance that young boys who bully or engage in other aggressive behavior will grow out of it by late adolescence. Moreover, contrary to the worries of many Ritalin-weary moms and dads, boys who are hyperactive but not particularly aggressive aren't likely to become violent later in life." 

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO (Reference: Time Magazine; October 4, 1999; page 116) http://www.time.com

"According to a new study by researchers at Iowa State University at Ames, when parents smoke, drink too much alcohol, eat too much junk food and otherwise neglect their health, their kids often do the same. By the same token, kids whose moms and dads exercise and watch their diet tend to follow that example. In two-parent households, children seem to follow parents closely along gender lines, with boys mimicking Dad's life-style and girls copying Mom's."

KIDS IN THE BED (Reference: Time Magazine; Amy Dickinson; October 11, 1999; page 99) http://www.time.com

"Last week the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) announced that parents shouldn't allow infants to sleep with them in bed, owing to the risk of suffocation, strangulation or death by 'overlying' - when a sleeping parent mistakenly rolls onto an infant. This announcement was based on data collected from 1990 to 1997 showing that on average, 64 American babies die each year while 'co-sleeping' with their parents in adult beds.

The CPSC presented this warning to parents in absolute terms, saying that babies should never be allowed to sleep on adult beds, daybeds or waterbeds; that doing so exposes the child to a 'potentially fatal hazard." (Entire article not shown here)

LOOK! SOME DON'T AGREE...

A web-reader's comment:

"Cosleeping is inherent in a child's growth and eventually his self-esteem and connection with others. In fact, I highly recommend that you provide a link to the website that supports parents trying to do things the 'natural way.'

Here is the website for you to view for an opposing viewpoint: http://www.mothering.com

NOT SUFFERING IN SILENCE (Reference: Time Magazine; Michele Orecklin; October 11, 1999; page 104) http://www.time.com

"No regular child prodigy, Marshall Ball has had to overcome much to share his gift. The 13-year-old from Austin, Texas, whose recently published book has already gone to No. 4 on Amazon.com's best-seller list, is unable to speak and barely able to move, having been born with a still undiagnosed illness. He composed the poems and thoughts in Kiss of God: The Wisdom of a Silent Child by tapping on a primitive letter board. Ball's tenaciously loving parents read him literature and played him music from the time he was still an infant; by age 9, he was testing at a 12th-grade reading level. Particularly partial to Tolstoy. Ball offers musings that are often similarly elliptical: 'I hope to gather thinkers / To give them my thoughts about Love / Love to clean their ideas / That cleaning might loosen the love in their hearts."

WALK BY (Reference: Time Magazine; October 25, 1999; page 136) http://www.time.com

"Attention parents: Baby walkers - those wheeled contraptions used to prop up infants - may hinder your child's development. Data on 109 babies suggest that tots who scoot around in them are slower to sit upright, crawl and walk - and score lower on mental tests. Why? The walkers' large trays prevent infants from seeing their legs move, depriving them of feedback about how their bodies operate. They also keep them from grabbing - and learning about things around them. That's the theory, anyway."

ROSEBUD SAFETY TIPS (Reference: Time Magazine; December 27, 1999) http://www.time.com

"For many kids, the best part of winter is a good sled ride down a snowy slope. To keep the them safe, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons is urging parents to supervise the fun - and to put helmets on children under 12. Each year about 7,000 kids suffer head injuries in sledding crashes. Younger children are especially vulnerable because they have proportionally larger heads, higher centers of gravity and less developed coordination. For a brochure on how to sled safely, call 800-824-2663"

MATH-TEXT WOES (Reference: Time Magazine; May 22, 2000) http://www.time.com

"If you've ever tried to help your kid with algebra homework and marveled at the poor quality of her textbook, you're in good company. The American Association for the Advancement of Science evaluated the dozen texts used most widely in U.S. schools and found only seven to be even 'adequate.' It found that five other texts 'lacked potential for student learning.' These texts failed to engage students, develop math concepts or encourage students' thinking skills. See the Associate's site at [www.project2061.org] for a summary and list of the texts evaluated."

LOCATION, LOCATION (Reference: Time Magazine; January 31, 2000; page 77) http://www.time.com

"Where is the best place for children to do their homework? According to the latest thinking, it's not in the quietest part of the home but rather where the family computer should already be: in a shared area like a family or dining room. Kids won't feel exiled or isolated in such a place, and parents will be able to keep a casual eye on both homework and computer use. Some of the old homework rules sill hold: the area should be one that is reasonably quiet, well lighted, stocked with supplies and TV free."

COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES (Reference: Time Magazine; July 17, 2000; page 81) http://www.time.com

"Parents who spend a lot of time encouraging their children while they are playing could be unwittingly doing more harm than good. Researchers at Baldwin-Wallace College expected to find that parents who interacted the most with their kids had the most creative offspring, but the opposite was true. If parents are very involved, the child often feels he is being valued and judged and that stifles his creativity and originality. So let children create on their own, and save the enthusiasm for the results."

NO BINKKIES (Reference: Time Magazine; September 18, 2000; page 96) http://www.time.com

"Researchers have found that heavy pacifier use by infants older than six months increases the risk of ear infections - the most common reason for childhood visits to the doctor. The constant sucking can cause harm to the Eustachian tube, making it more difficult for the middle ear to drain. Nurses involved in the study suggest parents take pacifiers away during playtime and allow toddlers to use them only when falling asleep."