A new study out of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark is suggesting a link between a high body mass index (BMI) in childhood and the risk for strokes in adulthood.
As widely known, the effects of being overweight as a child can influence a wide range of health issues later in life, such as type 2 diabetes.
Read the full article at healio.com
After the popularity of our post listing 21 Must Own Board Books we started to think about what books might be overlooked. After walking into a children’s book store and seeing the classic, “Everyone Poops” it dawned on us: Books about Awkward Subjects!
So after a lot of research and reading we curated a list that goes everywhere from farting to porn to dealing with divorce.
Please enjoy, Seven Picture Books about Awkward Subjects!
Everyone Poops
by Taro Gomi & Amanda Mayer Stinchecum
Everyone Poops is such a classic that it inspired this list. A great way to introduce potty training to your little one, it explains to your kids that everybody poops, from elephants to mice, and it explains where creatures do the deed, what it looks like and how it smells. This humorous book keeps children entertained and hopefully, ultimately, more relaxed about the whole idea of using the potty. Like many parents before us, when the time comes to potty train our little guy, this will be the first book we take off our library shelf.
It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends
by Robie H. Harris & Michael Emberley
It’s Not The Stork is a great book to assist in talking to your children about the inevitable Birds and the Bees. It has age appropriate information about anatomy, reproduction and even good and bad touching. It is very easy to navigate with bright, colorful illustrations that keep children engaged.
For many people this is a very taboo subject, but knowledge is power, and the more your children know the better decisions they can make later in life. This book will assist you with the uncomfortable conversations, and help you to discuss the importance of good versus bad touching, something that is so important to teach your children.
Starting these conversations early, before they can become taboo will helps make children feel more comfortable and able to discuss and ask questions as they get older.
Also check out It’s So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families for kids aged 7-10.
The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts
by Shinta Cho & Amanda Mayer Stinchecum
Obviously, this book is hilarious. I mean, what kid doesn’t love talking about farts. Beyond a genuinely hilarious text written in a frank and informal style, this book is actually informative and includes a diagram of the digestive system and other illustrations to explain the science behind digestion and… Well, farts. Want to know what foods make gas stink? How about the amount of gas you pass each day? I bet you do now; and, most likely your kids want to know too.
I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private
by Kimberly King, Zack King & Sue Rama
I Said No! is a kid friendly guide to understanding personal boundaries. This conversation is critically important and this book will help your child prepare for any circumstances he/she may encounter.
This book is told from a child’s perspective, and using child-friendly language it covers inappropriate touching, how to deal with inappropriate actions and/or threats, and when touching is appropriate and with whom. This book is written in a flexible nature allowing it be used with older kids.
One area we like is that this book gives prompts for you to discuss specific concepts with your own children on your own terms. For example, parents may be uncomfortable using the true anatomical terms vs. cutesy terms so the book provides a nice segue so that you can explain using your own terminology.
I would say this is a must have book for anyone looking to teach their child about the dangers of inappropriate touching.
Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids
by Kristen A. Jenson M.A., Debbie Fox and Gail A. Poyner Ph.D.
Yep. We found it. A book to help you talk to your kids about porn.
Written as comfortable, read-aloud story it tells the story of a mom and dad who are teaching their child what pornography is, why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it. While this might be a book you want to read in advance to make sure it aligns with your views on sex education these are conversations you should be having in this modern internet era.
The theme of this book is that your child will eventually be exposed to porn, most often by accident. As a result they need to know what it is so that they can handle the potentially shocking images without trauma.
The thrill a child receives from viewing forbidden content can lead to addictive behavior so this book also contains detailed sections on addiction. These self-awareness skills may prove helpful later in life when your child is confronted with drugs and alcohol.
Potty
by Leslie Patricell
Picking a traditional potty training book for this list was insanely difficult. We decided to focus on a good entry to the topic and Potty by Leslie Patricelli answered that call. With simple text it’s easily memorizable by your toddler, making it a great book that they can “read” while sitting on the potty themselves. But, the secret trick is that the sparse text is spread out over 28 pages making is a nice slow process where your child can look at the pictures, giving them (and you) the time to sit and wait for something to happen.
I essence the story focuses on a toddler who has to “go potty.” Scared the child investigates what the dog and and cat do for their own potty needs. Several pages later, and after some hesitation, the toddler tries the potty where they find success.
It would be nice if this book included more about “post potty” time like wiping and washing hands, but I think the intention here is to get kids used to the idea and concepts. Many parents report great success after reading this book at bed time for several nights before actually having their own child try the potty.
Standing on My Own Two Feet: A Child’s Affirmation of Love in the Midst of Divorce
by Tamara Schmitz
Standing on My Own Two Feet is a beautifully illustrated story about a little boy who’s parents are going through a divorce. If a book can put a positive spin on a painful topic, this one can – provided you are sharing custody. The story aims to teach your child that even though Mommy and Daddy can’t be together anymore, they both still love him and the divorce is NOT the child’s fault. It will teach your child that having two homes isn’t a bad thing and that your child can still be happy.
One of the hardest changes for us was finding time for simple things like breakfast. Each morning has become a tightly choreographed routine and most of the dance is focused on feeding the little one.
I found my wife, Steph, reverting back to college living and eating bowls of cereal every morning, and then again for lunch and again at night before bed. As you might guess, Steph is not into cooking. She can make amazing food if you give her a recipe. She’s got a great binder full of cookies, cupcakes, lasagna, chicken curry casseroles and more but those aren’t exactly quick bites she can throw together. …nor are they healthy. So, I set about looking for healthy and filling alernatives to cereal.
Today’s recipe is for super simple microwaved poached eggs. In the time it will take you to make toast you can have a delicious and healthy breakfast.
The recipe also has super simple clean up allowing us to get right back to chasing our Little Prince as he toddles around.
Step 1:
To make microwaved poached eggs you will need a coffee mug and an egg. You can also make this with two eggs in a larger mug. Cooking times will be tricker though (more on that below). To be honest I usually make one egg, remove it and then cook the second. Maybe this is easier, or maybe I’m lazy, but I still finish cooking the eggs before the toast is done.
Step 2:
Fill the mug halfway with water. Crack the egg open and add it to the water very carefully so that you do not break the yoke. Add a pinch of salt, if desired. I find doing so makes everything cook a bit more evenly.
This is also when I toss some bread into the toaster. I like my poached eggs with rye bread.
I can hear your concerns about clean up now. Don’t worry. When it comes to clean up you will be thrilled to know that when you dump this water there is almost zero residue left behind in the mug. A quick rinse, wipe of the inside and into the dishwasher it goes!
Step 3:
Place the mug into the microwave and cook on high. The general rule of thumb is to cook your egg somewhere between 1 minute and 1 minute 30 seconds. I find that 1:20 works great for my microwave.
This is where things can be a bit tricky.
If you don’t cook you egg long enough the whites will not have set. If you cook for too long the egg will “pop” shooting water and egg goodness all over the inside of your microwave oven. This is when the simple clean up stops being simple. Doh!
You may also try cooking for 2 min at 50 percent power.
This is really going to depend on a few factors such as the power of your microwave and the size of the eggs you buy. I also cook using the cold filtered water that we keep in our fridge.
The first time you do this recipe you should be prepared for a potential mess so you might want to take this on after the little ones have gone to bed so you can experiment freely. Once you know the cooking time for your set up, you will be able to replicate it time after time.
Step 4:
Using a slotted spoon or a large soup spoon carefully remove your egg from the water. Drain off any excess moisture and place on a plate or small bowl.
This is also when I dump the water, refill and crack a second egg into the coffee mug. Back into the microwave it goes!
If you are going to cook two batches make sure you dump the old water and pour fresh into the mug. Otherwise it will have a tendency to boil over due to the water already being hot.
Once the toast pops I cut it into strips and add to the bowl. Usually the toast pops right before my second egg finishes cooking.
Step 5:
Add salt and pepper to taste. EAT!
NUTRITION FACTS:
2 eggs with a slice of rye toast (no butter).
