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Many gifted kids love reading biographies, but there’s no reason they can’t write one of their own! If your child is one of those who loves biographies and also loves writing, then encourage them to write their own biography. Sometimes a child has a good idea of who they’d like to write about and sometimes they don’t. Getting ideas on who to write about and gathering information on that person and the time in which they lived would be the first steps to writing a biography....

Toddlers’ sleep needs vary, but those who get the recommended amount of sleep have better mental, emotional, and physical health. Most toddlers should get between 11 and 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Few topics consume a parent’s attention more than toddler sleep. If you ask around, you’re likely to get wildly divergent answers, especially if you compare notes with other parents. It can be disheartening to hear about the sleep champs who happily tuck in 14-plus hours of combined napping and nighttime slumber, especially if your child is a less robust or cooperative sleeper....

That feeling of liking and caring, called affection, is important in romantic and familial relationships. People demonstrate their affection in various ways. While some people have a difficult time showing affection, it’s an important skill to develop so that you can show your loved ones that you care for them. This article defines affection, explains why it’s important in relationships, what affectionate behavior looks like, and how showing affection can mitigate relationship conflict....

Spending time together is one of the greatest gifts families can give to one another. Not only does sharing quality time strengthen and build family bonds, but it also provides a sense of belonging and security for everyone in the family. Research has shown that when families enjoy activities together, children not only learn important social skills but also have higher self-esteem. Strong family bonds also encourage better behavior in children, improve academic performance, strengthen parent-child communication, and teach your child how to be a good friend....

Mental health is a tough topic to tackle, no matter how old you are. For our youth, mental health can be even harder to talk about. Raging hormones, a developing brain, plenty of stigma, and lots of misinformation add up to make the conversation of mental health a tough equation to crack. Don’t let the challenges discourage you from talking about mental health with your kids. This conversation is needed now more than ever....

Executive functioning is a term psychologists use to describe the many tasks our brains perform that are necessary to think, act, and solve problems. Executive functioning includes tasks that help us learn new information, keep new or recent information in our minds, and use this information to solve problems of everyday life. A person’s executive functioning skills make it possible for them to live, work, and learn with an appropriate level of independence and competence for their age....

Insemination refers to the placement of sperm in a woman’s reproductive tract, with the aim to cause pregnancy. Insemination needs to take place during the woman’s most fertile time, about 24 to 48 hours before ovulation is expected. Usually, when people talk about artificial insemination, they are referring to IUI or intrauterine insemination. IUI is a fertility treatment that involves taking specially washed semen, and transferring the semen into the woman’s uterus using a special syringe....

The name Josiah is traditionally used as a boy’s name. It is of Hebrew origin and it means: “God supports and heals.” The name Josias is a Latin variation. It too is of Hebrew origins. Josiah is derived from the Hebrew name Yoshiyahu, which incorporates the components yoshi, meaning “support,” and Yahu, which refers to the Hebrew god.As you may have guessed, Josiah is a biblical name and it has some old-fashioned charm....

If your child has recently been diagnosed with ADHD, you will likely be devoting a lot of time educating yourself about ADHD. It is equally important for your child to understand what the diagnosis means. Even if they are very young, there are ways to help a child grasp what ADHD is so that there is not a cloud of mystery hanging over the diagnosis. Overview Certainly, as a parent, you will want to sit with the child, explain ADHD in a way that they can comprehend, and answer as many questions as possible so that your child doesn’t feel either bad or abnormal....

What Is Machismo? Stemming from the Spanish word “macho,” Machismo is a social construction of masculinity across Latin American and Spanish culture that maps out how men should engage with their gender based on virility, courage, strength, and power. Machismo In LatinX culture, the term ‘Machismo’ describes a strong or exaggerated sense of manliness; an assumptive attitude that virility, courage, strength, and entitlement to dominate are attributes or concomitants of masculinity....

Hypomania and mania are conditions that cause sudden and extreme changes in a person’s mood. They could also be symptoms of other conditions, most commonly, bipolar disorder. It’s important to note the distinction between hypomania and mania. While sudden and severe mood swings characterize both, hypomania is less severe than mania. Hypomania typically lasts for at least four days. Its symptoms can disrupt daily functioning in some instances, though this disruption is typically mild....

You wouldn’t traditionally associate rap music with the topic of mental health, but many contemporary hip-hop artists are using their songs to share personal struggles and advance the conversation surrounding the destigmatization of mental illness. The messages in hip-hop songs are shifting to address mental health concerns.Many popular rap artists are incorporating their experiences with anxiety, depression, and PTSD into their lyrics.Black culture experts believe that these messages will help to remove the stigma from mental health and encourage more people to seek help for their disorders....

Do you feel like you need help and don’t know where to turn? If you’ve hit the point of wanting to ask for help or the thought “Please help me” keeps running through your mind, it’s likely that you’ve hit some sort of a crisis point in your life and don’t know how to deal with your situation. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor....

What Is Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome? As the American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes, over 50 years of research points to the fact that there is no evidence mental health issues like PTSD increase after abortions. On the contrary, being denied access to abortions increases mental health issues, harms physical health, and has negative socioeconomic effects. Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS) Post-abortion stress syndrome (PASS) is a constellation of symptoms similar to PTSD that are rumored to happen after a person has an abortion....

Most parents know that children should eat a wide variety of vegetables for good health and development. However, achieving this goal often proves harder than it sounds. Key Takeaways New research found that repeated exposure improves children’s vegetable intake.Exposure to vegetable flavors can start as early as in-utero.Exposure to vegetables is more than simply feeding veggies to your kids. Recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains that getting kids to eat their veggies really comes down to repetition....

Questions about any medical test or procedure are important for you to get the best care possible for you and your baby. It shows your doctor or midwife that you are interested in being a partner in your health and helps you gain the knowledge you need to make a decision. This is often called informed consent. It should be automatic, but oftentimes women say yes to something and they aren’t sure of why it’s being done or any other information....

You probably know Shawn Johnson East as the pint-sized gymnast who stole our hearts in the 2008 Olympics. It was that year when she won the gold medal on the balance beam, and three additional silver medals. Parents don’t work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—we work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., from the moment our kids wake up until they go to sleep. This is an unfiltered look at a few days in the life of Shawn Johnson East, Olympic gold medalist gymnast, wife, and mom of two....

Getting a note or a phone call from a teacher about your child’s behavior can be hard for parents. You might feel confused, upset, or embarrassed—all of which are natural reactions. If your child gets into a fight at recess or says something unkind to another student or the teacher, don’t panic. The first step is to work with school administrators and teachers to determine the underlying cause of your child’s behavior....

It’s often said that humans are creatures of habit. We develop routines and repeat behaviors whether they’re healthy for us or not. While they can help us get through the day, habits can also be destructive, and once they’re formed, they’re incredibly difficult to break. Key Takeaways Research suggests that forming habits was evolutionarily beneficial for humans.A new study suggests that the strength of habit in influencing our behavior is often overlooked....

Since her creation of Elvie, Tania Boler, PhD, has become an internationally recognized women’s health expert. But even before that, she held leadership positions in the United Nations and worked with various charity organizations across Africa and Asia, specializing in sexual health and AIDS prevention. She even authored a book on sexual health (“The Politics of Prevention: A Global Crisis in AIDS and Education”), and yet, even she struggled to find helpful products during her first pregnancy....