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Kwanzaa is a relatively new winter holiday that honors African heritage. The holiday is celebrated by Black American families and in communities of African descent around the world. The week-long celebration, which was inspired by traditional African harvest festival customs, focuses on building family tradition, culture, and community. Kwanzaa, which is celebrated between December 26 and January 1, is a wonderful holiday to observe with your children, extended relatives, and friends....

Harm obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a specific type of OCD in which the person fears causing harm to themselves or others. There are many variations of harm OCD, including physical harm; aggression toward or killing oneself or another; and sexual harm, including harmful sexual behavior toward children. Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor....

Adults often know that they should avoid a lot of added salt in their diets, and in fact, are sometimes on salt restriction diets because of health problems, especially high blood pressure. Eating salt is often thought to be less of a problem for kids, though, as many parents assume that their kids don’t have a lot of salt in their diets. This is only true if you don’t add much salt to the foods that you cook....

“She’s brown?” A little girl’s eyes well up with tears as she smiles, watching Halle Bailey emerge from a dark cavern as Ariel in Disney’s teaser trailer for the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” Parents’ videos of their Black children seeing the new Ariel for the first time have gone viral, a testament to the joy children experience when they see themselves represented on their screens. Representation in children’s media has come a long way—but there is still a long way to go....

While there are many causes of back pain, common treatments such as physical therapy, targeted exercises, and medications can often reduce symptoms. Something as simple as wearing a pair of supportive, well-cushioned shoes can also make a difference in helping to alleviate the pain or keep it at bay. When selecting shoes for back pain, the most important factors to consider are the stiffness of the sole, excellent support and cushioning, and a proper fit, according to Omar Yaldo, MD, a foot and ankle surgeon with Hoag Orthopedic Institute....

A sports watch is a useful addition to your fitness routine, whether you’re a casual runner or a multisport athlete. Sports watches are designed to withstand the wear and tear of your favorite activities, and they’re often packed with features that make it easy to collect data on all your go-to workouts. Most sports watches can track basic metrics like distance, time, intervals, and steps, and some track heart rate, sleep quality, and more....

Whether you’re commuting around the city by bike or cycling for exercise, a road bike is the best option to glide over city streets and slick pavement. The best road bikes are lightweight and have the right height capacity and frame size to fit your body. When shopping for a road bike you should also consider its material, speed options, adjustability features, price, and whether or not you will need to complete the assembly once received....

Consuming fresh fruit and vegetable juice can be an easy way to increase your nutrient intake. While juicing does strip produce of its fiber, it retains the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Nathalie Rhone, MS, RD, CDN recommends juice made primarily from leafy greens: “Green juice is like a daily vitamin shot that delivers nutrients directly into your cells without the body having to break anything down.” Juicing at home has the benefit of giving you control of what is—and isn’t—in your juice....

It is a popular belief that a woman’s libido, or sex drive, will inherently increase during pregnancy, but often just the opposite is true. While increased blood flow to the breasts and genitals can result in greater sensitivity and the potential for arousal, other factors can seriously undermine a pregnant woman’s sex drive. There are a number of reasons why the changes a woman experiences during pregnancy can affect her physical and emotional state, and by extension, her libido....

Coming of age is a term used to describe the transition between childhood and adulthood. For some cultures, coming of age is determined when a child reaches a certain birthday and is no longer considered a minor; 13, 15, 16, 18, and 21 are commonly thought of as significant ages for young adults. Other cultures determine a child’s coming of age when they hit puberty. Many religions and cultural traditions have an official coming-of-age ceremony to observe the occasion....

Choosing a great name for your daughter is a big responsibility. While it’s certainly a fun experience, it can be stressful, too! After all, naming your baby girl is one of the first and most important decisions you will make as a new parent. If you’re like most parents on their search for a perfect girl name, you may be hoping to incorporate special meaning, honor a family or cultural tradition, or find a name that’s unique on its own....

A psychotic break occurs when a person loses touch with reality due to a decline in their mental well-being. It could either be a sign of an underlying medical condition or occur due to a stressful or traumatic event. It’s also referred to as psychosis or a psychotic episode. Some research shows that 3 in 100 people will experience a psychotic break at some point in their lives. This article looks at signs of a psychotic break, what to expect when it happens, and how best to cope....

What Is Mass Hysteria? Also known as epidemic hysteria, mass psychogenic illness, and mass sociogenic illness, mass hysteria is a social phenomenon that involves groups of symptoms that imply some type of organic illness. However, these symptoms do not have an identifiable source and stem from psychological causes. They are shared by two or more people who also share a common belief about what might be causing the illness. Despite the fact that mass hysteria originates in the mind, it can often produce real physiological symptoms and create severe psychological distress....

What Is Reaction Formation? In psychology, reaction formation is a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously replaces an unwanted or anxiety-provoking impulse with its opposite, often expressed in an exaggerated or showy way. A classic example is a young boy who bullies a young girl because, on a subconscious level, he’s attracted to her. Consciously, he can’t face the reality of his romantic feelings, so he expresses distaste toward her instead of appreciation....

If you’re about to become a mom or you’re the mom of a new baby, you’ve probably heard a lot about the magical, mystical bond of moms and babies. “There’s nothing like the love of a mother and child!” people proclaim, their eyes going all misty at the very thought of such a magical moment. And while the love of a mother is a beautiful thing, it’s most important to realize that not all mothers fall in instant love with their babies the second they are born—and that’s completely normal....

Being able to connect with other people is important for mental health and well-being. Creating such connections allows you to forge interpersonal relationships with others and helps prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness. Connecting with other people serves as a foundation for self-disclosure, bonding, attachment, closeness, intimacy, and love. So what does it mean if you feel like you can’t connect with people? There are a number of factors that might be at work, ranging from problems with social skills to poor past experiences with relationships....

Finding quality child care is one of the most important issues parents face. Deciding who will watch your child while you are at work, at a doctor’s appointment, or simply out for dinner can be a stressful and overwhelming decision. Child care comes in many forms and looks different for each family. When to Seek Child Care For many parents, the decision to seek child care is triggered by the end of parental leave....

Edward C. Tolman is best-known for cognitive behaviorism, his research on cognitive maps, the theory of latent learning and the concept of an intervening variable. Tolman was born on April 14, 1886, and died on November 19, 1959. What Is Cognitive Behaviorism? Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common type of talk therapy (psychotherapy). You work with a mental health counselor (psychotherapist or therapist) in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions....

If your cat scratches your child, it could lead to infection. The reason: Cats can transmit cat scratch fever, or cat scratch disease, a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 40% of cats have carried B. henselae at one time, though most have no symptoms. The disease is spread through contact with an infected cat. It can be spread by a bite or scratch or from contact with cat saliva on broken skin or mucosal surfaces like the nose, mouth, and eyes, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)....

From the moment babies are born, sensory experiences begin to play a role in their development. While early experiences are largely centered on such sensory information, the environment continues to exert a powerful influence on behavior throughout life. Genetics play an important role in development, but experiences are equally important. For example, genetics may influence how a child’s brain is wired from birth, but learning and experience that will literally shape how that child’s brain grows and develops....