Useful Tips For Easing Kids Through Divorce

Consider this advice to stay connected after the split

The Chicago Tribune offers these timely bits of wisdom for the growing number of parents who've decided to part ways but still want their children to know they're loved no matter what.
The gist of the story boils down to three principals: Patience, planning and participation.
Do these strategies work for you (if, unfortunately, the situation applies)?

Parents' Spats Cause Kids Long-Term Harm

Twenty-year study cites bickering for bad relationships
By A. Scott Walton
Simmer down, mom and dad.
Any disagreements between you two that boil over into raging disputes can marinate in your kids' psyches for decades.
By now you've probably heard about the University of Minnesota study suggesting that persistent conflicts between parents are the reason why children have difficulty maintaining solid relationships once they reach adulthood.
But if you haven't, give the notion some thought.
Maybe you'll earn the right to spoil grandkids some day if you learn to squash the drama now.

Disney Wants To Snuggle With Your Newborn

Global brand delivers free outfits to nation's nurseries
By A. Scott Walton
Normally, parents instinctively shudder at the thought of anything invading the guarded space around their babies.
But defense mechanisms are apparently melting now that the brand that Mickey Mouse built has begun a nationwide drive to captivate the cradle crowd.
The Disney company's latest venture, a Baby collection, is actively reaching out to new consumers by providing free sets of swaddling clothes stamped - of course - with images of its best-selling franchise films.
By summer, DisneyBay apparel will have prominent retail placement online (for reasonable prices) as well as at select (Target, Nordstrom) stores.
Given that the U.S./Canada market for baby products runs in the estimated range of $36 billion, one wonders what took Disney so long to stake a claim.
Is this gambit Goofey to you? Or just smart business?
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Child Obesity Linked To 'Force-Fed' Solid Food

Parents urged to keep baby's diet milk-based for four months

By A. Scott Walton
Rumor has it that some of Hollywood's leading ladies have found a secret to staying slim and sexy: eating a diet consisting of baby food.
But scientists are now asserting that the opposite holds true for children. Too much baby food too soon, according to new studies, increases a child's potential of being obese by age three.
A clinical study cited by ABC News, among others, says that tots are more than six times more likely to be overweight than those infants who were breast-fed for at least the first four months.
But this raises a valid and frustrating question: What are those mothers who can't breast feed left with as healthy alternatives. Any ideas?
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Trouble Conceiving? Try Yoga!

Stress relief, support may boost fertility
By A. Scott Walton
By now, the physical and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy are well-established?
But who knew that women struggling with infertility might have more success conceiving if they, too, struck a pose now and then?
According to a New York Times report, yoga helps ease the frustrations associated with failed attempts to get pregnant. The story suggests that specialized yoga classes for women receiving fertility treatments can alleviate some of the stress that comes with the process and decrease the sense of isolation.
While the medical community hasn't fully concluded that yoga effectively increases the chances of conception, the theory hasn't been totally been debunked either.
Relaxation techniques are no panacea. Still, a little 'downward facing dog' in your life can't hurt much, can it?

Survival Guide for Single Parents

ADVICE FOR GUARDIANS WHO NEED TO GET A LIFE...
By A. SCOTT WALTON


This item might be of interest if you're convinced it takes a village to successfully raise a child single-handedly, or with varying degrees of assistance.
Who doesn't love a list? And this ABC news affiliate report on single parenting has a good one.
Key points: Get to know who you and the kid(s) depend upon as much as possible before committing to shared responsibility; and always keep open lines ofcommunication when entering romantic relationships.