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If you’re lucky enough to have your child’s grandparents living nearby, chances are they’ve already stepped in to provide child care at some point. Babysitting can offer a wonderful opportunity for your children and your parents to strengthen their relationship. At the same time, you gain peace of mind knowing that your kids are being loved and well cared-for. Whether grandparents babysit occasionally or supply full-time care, here are things to consider when having grandparents watch your children....

The SUDs Rating Scale, or Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDs) as it is officially known, is used to measure the intensity of distress or nervousness in people with social anxiety. The SUDs is a self-assessment tool rated on a scale from 0 to 100. The SUDs can be a subjective tool used by your therapist or healthcare provider to evaluate your progress and the success of your current treatment plan....

Whether ​​you’re a long-time Peloton fan or just received your brand-new bike, you’ll be spending a lot of time in the saddle. A Peloton bike is a helpful home workout tool, and whether you’re just doing cycling programs or taking advantage of yoga classes, resistance band workouts, and boot camps, accessories beyond just the bike can level up your home workouts. While a pair of cycling shoes may be an obvious accessory choice, you can elevate your Peloton experience with all types of accessories....

Listening to your favorite song, audiobook, or podcast can be a huge motivator when you’re running. But if you don’t have the right headphones, runs can feel annoying and stressful as you fidget with your device to get the right fit and sound. The best running headphones are comfortable, durable, and will fit within your budget. Other important considerations when searching for the perfect running headphones are sound quality and battery life....

Entomophobia, sometimes known as insectophobia, is the fear of insects. The fear is relatively common in the US, particularly in urban areas where coming into contact with bugs is relatively infrequent because of the lack of interaction with nature. Urban dwellers’ fears of insects often serve as fodder for situation comedies and reality shows that depict their sudden transition to rural or island life. Many people who have never been exposed to country life can struggle because of the prevalence and pervasiveness of insects in living areas and public spaces....

Many people have strong opinions about what toddlers should wear during potty training. In the end, though, it’s a very personal decision and you should use whichever option (or a combination of the two) that works best for the individual child and you. The pros and cons of using Pull-Ups (and other brand name disposable training pants like Easy Ups by Pampers) will depend on your child’s age and personality as well as the situation (Are they in daycare?...

Around halfway through my pregnancy, my husband and I made plans for a dinner out to celebrate our anniversary. Prior to this, I wasn’t getting around much due to my pelvic pain, which was caused by symphysis pubis disorder (SPD). SPD is a painful condition that can occur at any point during pregnancy, where too much of the hormone relaxin can cause pelvic instability. I was working part-time at a fitness studio, and often at home resting as needed....

If you are planning to have kids, it’s natural to have concerns. You may wonder if you will make a good parent, whether you will be able to afford to support a family, and how you will balance work and parenting. You may also be asking yourself the question: “What if I regret having kids?” This is a common concern, but one that is rarely talked about. Let’s take a look at why people may ask this question, what typically causes these concerns, how to decide whether having kids is right for you, and what to do if you end up feeling regrets after becoming a parent....

Unlike overly rigid or lax parenting styles, gentle parenting has very few drawbacks and rarely has a negative impact on children’s mental health. Instead, the compassionate, understanding elements of gentle parenting foster positive traits that help kids develop socially while also establishing appropriate guidelines to encourage positive behavior. Here is a closer look at gentle parenting including its benefits and what sets it apart. What Is Gentle Parenting? Gentle parenting is an evidence-based approach to raising happy, confident children....

Of the many, many physical changes that occur during pregnancy, sleep is one of them. You may need to adjust the position you sleep in or use a pregnancy pillow to get comfortable. You may find yourself waking frequently to use the bathroom. And yes, you may also need to buy some earplugs for your partner so they aren’t woken up in the night by your snoring. “It is definitely not uncommon for women to start snoring when becoming pregnant,” says Salome Masghati, MD, FACOG, an OB/GYN based in Maryland....

As COVID-19 vaccines become available for younger kids, many parents may be wondering: Is there another way for my child to be protected without having to receive an injection? Key Takeaways A shot is currently the only way to get a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.Oral and nasal vaccines are in testing phases and could be available by 2022 or 2023.Providing comfort and support to your child can help get them through a shot....

Having a child is often thought of as an important milestone in an adult’s life. Many adults assume this as the natural progression, and those who have children of their own often look at child-free individuals as if they’re missing out. Key Takeaways Fewer people are having children either by choice or due to circumstance.A recent study found that life satisfaction of people who choose not to have children is no different from parents or people who are childless for other reasons....

Is your child ready to move into a booster seat? Are they ready to move out of a booster seat and into regular seat belts? Are you sure? Belt-Positioning Booster Seats Booster seats boost your child up, providing a higher sitting height, which allows the adult lap and shoulder belt to fit properly. Booster seats are used forward facing only and are used without harness straps. Other things to know about booster seats:...

If you have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), it’s common to be frightened and worried about how it may impact your life, especially in terms of your career. While BPD symptoms can make things more complicated, many people with BPD go on to have very successful careers. In this article, find out how BPD can affect your work performance and how to navigate the symptoms that interfere with your career goals and ability to cope with job-related stress....

If you are having a scheduled C-section, you will want to pack a hospital bag before the big day. There are a few differences in necessities for people having a planned cesarean birth versus a vaginal birth. Some people prefer to pack two bags—one that contains the items they need for the birth and the other for things they want to have on-hand postpartum. It may be helpful to have your partner or a family member bring your postpartum bag to you later so, you won’t have so many things to sort through early in your hospital stay....

Mindfulness meditation, massage, yoga, lavender oil, magnesium supplements… these are just some of the natural remedies people use to try to improve their sleep. Now, it seems we can add tai chi to the list, following a randomized clinical trial that found the ancient Chinese martial art was associated with modest sleep improvements in people over 60. Key Takeaways Many older adults experience insomnia, which may be due to changes in circadian rhythms with aging....

While it hasn’t yet been approved by the FDA, ketamine is considered a paradigm shift for depression research and treatment as the first fast-acting antidepressant to effectively treat symptoms of treatment-resistant mood disorders. Key Takeaways Ketamine is an anesthetic drug used medically during surgery or for pain control, as well as illegally as a street drug. But research has revealed the drug’s potential to treat severe depression.A new study shows suicidal ideation decreased significantly within 24 hours of receiving treatment....

While some kids turn into bullies during preschool, others don’t start bullying until the teen years. Learning about the common characteristics of a teenage bully can help you identify kids who may be at risk of becoming a bully. It can also help you better understand why some kids turn into bullies and others don’t. While one teenage bully may primarily attack people online, others may bully their peers at school....

Whether you’ve been dumped by your date or you’ve had a rough day at the office, having healthy coping skills can be key to getting through tough times. Coping skills help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life. But not all coping skills are created equal. Sometimes, it’s tempting to engage in strategies that will give quick relief but might create bigger problems for you down the road....

Cyclothymia, sometimes called cyclothymic disorder, is known as a mild form of bipolar disorder. (Cyclothymia is also sometimes referred to as bipolar III, but this isn’t its official diagnostic name.) It is a long-term condition in which moods cycle between hypomania and depression—but the moods are not incapacitating or suicidal. Hypomania is a “high” that can be mild to fairly severe, but it does not include delusions, hallucinations or other psychotic features....