The riots in Baltimore are still being processed by viewers who watched as gangster thugs and criminals, along with some very misguided young people, took to the streets in anger over the questionable death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray from a spinal and voice box injury while in Baltimore police custody. (more…)

When none of the girls in 10-year-old Mackenzie Moretter‘s class wanted to attend her party last Saturday, April 18th, about 400 kind-hearted strangers on Facebook did so. And the mayor of Shakopee, Minnesota, where Mackenzie lives, even declared April 18th “Mackenzie Moretter Day” to celebrate the girl, who was born with a genetic disorder, Sotos syndrome, which causes developmental delays in speech and learning.

To date, Mackenzie has received an outpouring of support and birthday wishes via comments on her Facebook page, from as far away as Sri Lanka and India. Anyone wanting to support Mackenzie and help stop bullying can use the hashtag #BeKindAndCourageous. Not every child who is left out or bullied at school, though, is lucky enough to experience such an outpouring of support. And if your son or daughter is feeling social rejection as a kid or teen, it may put him or her at risk for other issues later. (more…)

In the latest teaser for Diane Sawyer’s exclusive, two-hour interview with Bruce Jenner, he says that the highly anticipated chat is going to be “an emotional roller-coaster.”

“It’s going to be an emotional roller-coaster, but somehow I’m going to get through it,” the gender transitioning ex-Olympian says in the promo clip.

He adds: “I wanna know how this story ends, you know? How does my story end?”

The 65-year-old is right that many ups and down await him in this unique journey. Coming clean publicly is just one aspect, but there are many more emotional issues that will present themselves along the way. (more…)

Your preschooler has the energy to run circles around you — children need to hop, skip and jump daily. Believe it or not, sometimes using her body helps your preschooler learn with her mind! Play helps kids develop muscles and shake out their sillies.

“Through learning games for preschoolers, your child learns about rules and how to follow them,” says child development expert Dr. Gail Gross, who has a two doctorates, in education and psychology. “She learns about instructions, teamwork, camaraderie, collaboration, competition and motivation as she pushes past her effort to win. With outdoor play, your preschooler also develops cognitively, by getting out and trying things, rather than simply hearing about them.”
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If you want your children to embrace learning, make learning more fun! Kids know sitting in a chair staring at flash cards doesn’t really fit the “fun” bill, but a game that combines a little learning with a lot of fun will get their attention. Educational games for kids make learning fun, so it’s easier to pay attention to the lesson.

For even more fun, invite other children to play along. According to Dr. Gail Gross, a nationally recognized psychologist, family-child behavioral specialist, author and educator, “Games are important because children, as social animals, will be culturalized — not only by the family but also through peer-group socialization. It also helps to develop a child’s psychomotor capacity and strengthen the muscles and bones.”
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