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Enrichment activities give your tween the opportunity to make new friends, learn something new, develop new skills or hone existing skills, and perhaps even foster a passion for a hobby or a field of study. Enrichment activities can take place during or after school, during the summer months, or over winter break. And they can be experienced in a group setting or individually. If you’re deciding on possible enrichment activities for your child, be sure to ask for your tween’s input and opinions, and try to avoid taking on too many activities at one time....

As fires rage across the western U.S. and Canada, the resulting smoke may pose a risk to our mental health, along with our physical health. The fires have spread smoke and soot across the United States, causing a reduction in air quality as the gray clouds settle on cities and towns. Key Takeaways The fires in the western U.S. and Canada are causing smoke and small debris to disperse across the U....

When you understand infertility acronyms and abbreviations, it can make you feel like you’re “in the know.” You share a language that only other TTCers can understand. (TTC stands for trying-to-conceive.) But when you’re new to this language of fertility, they can make you feel like an outsider. Here’s how to understand it all. Use this guide, with links to definitions when available, to help you get started with IF/TTC forum and social media speak....

There are many risk factors for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A risk factor is something that increases a person’s chance of eventually developing a given illness. No one knows what causes OCD, but these are the risk factors, below. Remember, just because you might have a higher risk for developing OCD does not mean that you will. Conversely, people can develop OCD without having any or many risk factors. Risk Factors for OCD That You May Be Born With There are a number of factors that you are born with that may increase your risk of developing obsessive-compulsive disorder....

Spotting when you’re trying to conceive can strike fear in your heart. Is this bad? Could it be good? Is this implantation spotting, an early sign of pregnancy? Or just the start of my period? If you’re going through fertility treatments—especially IUI or IVF—your odds of experiencing spotting are higher. There are many possible reasons for abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting. Keep reading to learn more about implantation spotting, spotting and early miscarriage, and spotting that has nothing to do with early pregnancy....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30% of women between the ages of 40 and 44 experience infertility. Your chances of conceiving in any given month also become lower as you get older. Each month, the average 30-year-old woman has about a 20% chance of getting pregnant. A 40-year-old only has a 5% chance of getting pregnant each month. Infertility rates in women between the ages of 15 and 34 are 7% to 9%....

What Is Bereavement Therapy? Bereavement therapy, also known as grief counseling, refers to therapy offered to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one and are going through the grieving process. The process of grieving can involve a host of different emotions including sadness, anger, guilt, and regret, and it can be helpful to have a professional there with you through the stages of this process. A bereavement therapist can help with things like adapting to life without your loved one, working through guilt about things you wish had gone differently, and sharing feelings that you otherwise might not have anyone with whom to share....

Hookah smoking is often mistaken as a healthier alternative to cigarette smoking, primarily due to its sweet smell and taste and the fact that people typically smoke hookah only occasionally. As of Dec. 20, 2019, the legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U.S. But there’s no such thing as a healthy smoking option. Hookah is not healthier than cigarettes, and it carries risks similar to those of cigarette smoking including cancer, heart disease, and lung disease....

If your teen appears to be depressed, you may have suggested that is time to get help. What can you do if they refuse to get help? Unfortunately, this is more common than many parents would like to believe. A depressed teen usually doesn’t realize that depression is the reason for changes in how they are feeling or acting. Part of the disorder is not thinking clearly enough to see what’s really going on and feeling too lousy to deal with it even if you do....

The COVID-19 pandemic created a massive upheaval in our lives, and many people are still dealing with its effects. For single people, lockdowns and safety guidelines totally changed the way we date and pursue romantic relationships. While dating was not altogether put on hold, COVID restrictions meant an increased reliance on online dating and alternative methods of getting to know someone new. As more Americans are vaccinated and restrictions are loosened or lifted entirely, people are starting to meet up again for in-person dates....

Cesarean sections, also known as C-sections, have traditionally been an emergency intervention when the health of a pregnant person or their baby is at risk. However, in recent years, more people are opting for C-sections instead of vaginal delivery—a growing trend that some, but not all, doctors support. Additionally, there are stigmas surrounding elective C-sections, along with a slightly higher rate of potential complications, as there are risks to any surgery....

Third grade is a year of great academic growth. Children who were previously very concrete thinkers are steadily becoming more open to the abstract. Though curriculum may vary from state to state there are some commonly taught skills and topics to give you an idea of what your child will learn in third grade. Math In second grade, the focus was on learning to subtract two-and three-digit numbers, regrouping, and measurement....

Dramatic play is a term that refers to the everyday make-believe games kids naturally enjoy. From dress up to dolls to playing superheroes, dramatic play involves different types of games and activities at different ages. Depending on their age or interests, your child might incorporate elaborate props and join with friends in assuming complex roles in a story; or they might quietly imagine simple scenarios that require no dolls, toys, costumes, or other people at all....

As your baby turns 7 months old, you can expect them to be building on what they were doing at 6 months. For instance, they are likely becoming a champ at sitting up, reaching for and grabbing toys they want, and maybe even making those first moves toward crawling. For you, life has suddenly gotten a whole lot busier. Not only are you likely on high alert with your baby’s new mobility and ability to bring things to their mouth, but you also are probably deeply entrenched in the process of introducing solid foods—a process that can be both fun and messy!...

Depression may be treated in a variety of ways. According to a study published in EClinical Medicine, a person’s health history can assist with the process of finding the most effective anti-depressant for them. Key Takeaways Research indicates that a person’s medical background may impact which antidepressant will fit their needs best. The best antidepressant had an average remission rate that was 1.5 times higher than the average antidepressant, and 20 times higher than the worst antidepressant for that subgroup....

At 29 weeks pregnant, you are in your seventh month and you have sixty to seventy days left before your baby arrives. Your baby is continuing to gain weight with added fat and muscle, and they’re also busily strengthening their little bones. Meanwhile, you may be feeling extra tired, and your provider may advise you to increase your iron and calcium intake. Your Baby’s Development at 29 Weeks At 29 weeks, a baby is almost 10 1/2 inches (26....

A fair amount of your toddler’s nutrition and calories will come from milk. Still, if you’re not careful, your toddler can also get too many calories from milk. It may be helpful to measure the amount of milk you give your child and compare it to a typical serving of milk for a toddler. How Much Milk to Give a Toddler Your toddler needs two cups of dairy per day. One cup is equivalent to:...

For some families, it’s important to have names that coordinate. Perhaps they all fall into a seasonal theme, perhaps the kids are named after the parents’ favorite fictional characters. One popular way parents coordinate their kids’ names is by having them all start with the same letter—especially if the parents happen to have names that also start with that letter. Or maybe you just really want a name with a certain letter!...

Albert Bandura is an influential social cognitive psychologist who is perhaps best known for his social learning theory, the concept of self-efficacy, and his famous Bobo doll experiments. He is a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and is widely regarded as one of the greatest living psychologists. One 2002 survey ranked him as the fourth most influential psychologist of the twentieth century, behind only B.F. Skinner, Sigmund Freud, and Jean Piaget....

Swings are a must-have item on most baby registries. Not only do swings provide a change of pace for your baby—they’re also great for freeing up your hands on a busy day. The motion of the swing will often lull infants to sleep. Babies may look peaceful resting in a swing, but allowing them to stay asleep in this position has been deemed risky by safe sleep experts. While baby swings are a perfect tool for keeping your little one entertained, misusing them can be hazardous....