Work it, girl
A new study brings welcome news for working moms: Children who are younger than 3 when their moms go back to work are no more likely to have academic or behavioral problems than the kids of stay-at-home moms. Psychologists at the University of California say their review of 50 years of research on the subject finds that for some families, having a mom who works is actually better for children, because the extra money makes family life easier and less stressful. This is especially true for single-parent and low-income families. Read more about the story at parentmap.com/more.
Say it ain’t so!
But when the kids get sick, it’s no picnic for working moms, according to a new survey. More than 50 percent of full-time working moms surveyed say they have to take unpaid leave to stay home with sick kids; one-third say they feel they regularly send sick kids to school or daycare. And 33 percent say they’ve lied to their bosses so that they can stay home with sick little ones, saying they themselves are sick or have a death in the family.
Nuts to that
Taking meanness to new heights: Bullies are apparently targeting kids who have food allergies. About one in four children are bullied or harassed because of food allergies, according to a new survey. Some are bullied for being allergic; others for having to carry medication. Fifty-seven percent of those bullied say that their bullies actually touch them or chase them with the actual food allergen. The survey is published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Watered down
Chances are good your kids aren’t drinking enough water, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which finds that barely half of kids of all ages are downing enough. Inadequate hydration can result in fatigue, muscle weakness, headache and even impaired mental performance. Girls are more likely to be too dry than boys, and most kids get at least some of their water from sweetened beverages, according to the study. Kids should drink between four and eight glasses of water per day, depending on their weight — and more when they’re exercising.
Going Wiiiiii!
If you like your workouts Wii-style, you could be at risk of injury, according to research presented to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Turns out those interactive gaming devices are racking up a broad range of boo-boos, from mild cuts and bruises to shoulder, ankle and foot injuries. A total of 696 video-game-related injuries have been reported in the past five years, including many sustained by bystanders, who get smacked by flailing gamers.
Marriage Rx
Some startling new research into why marriages succeed or fail: Dr. John Gottman has created a mathematical approach — based on game theory — to measuring the amount of trust and betrayal in any given romantic relationship. Learn how to spot little everyday betrayals and build trust in your marriage at a special talk on Friday, Nov. 5 at Seattle’s Town Hall. For tickets, visit parentmap.com/meaningful-life-event. See you there!
—Kristen Russell