LilSugar

Wee Are the World: I Believe in Zero, Do You?

LilSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

As a mom, I take tucking my two safe and healthy kids into bed for granted. In the time it takes for us to go to work, to school, to the playground and run errands, laugh, eat, and make memories, 25,000 children around the world die of preventable causes. It's unfathomable - the pain their mothers endure and that this is happening in 2009. That's why I believe in zero. Join Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of US Fund for UNICEF and mother of three in the movement to make that number zero. To find out how you can get involved, read more.

Getting involved is easy. Advocate on behalf of the children by signing a Presidential Initiative to make child survival policy a priority, donate whatever you can, or recruit your family members and friends to get involved. Teach your children that they can make a difference.

The Custody of Michael Jackson's Kids in Question

LilSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:44:22 -0700

The death of American icon Michael Jackson has rocked the world. The man known for his single glove, moonwalk, and videos was a musical legend. While fans and famous friends of the musician mourn, those most affected by the 50-year-old's passing are his children - Prince Michael Jr., 12, daughter Paris Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7. The kids have spent their lives sheltered from the public often out sporting veils, masks, and blankets to shield their identities. Now in the wake of their father's death, who will care for the youngsters?

Prince Michael and Paris Katherine's mother, Debbie Rowe, was once married to Jackson and petitioned for custody, but the children have always lived with their dad. The surrogate mom of Prince Michael II was never made public. One report said that the singer's wish was to have his longtime confident and the children's nanny, Grace Rwaramba, raise them if something were to happen. Meanwhile it is said that Jackson's parents, Joe and Katherine, have also expressed interest in adopting their grandchildren. But, given the late king of pop was very public about his tumultuous relationship with his father, this may be unlikely. Hopefully, all involved will put the children's interests first and help them through this tragedy.

Do You Discuss Death With Your Children?

LilSugar — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:00:20 -0800

By the time my daughter was two she had attended three family funerals. In the years since, more people have passed including her great-grandfather and a preschool classmate. She notices when the phone rings with bad news or someone disappears so I've always told her the truth - that people eventually die. How do you handle death with your children?
Source

Cars-N-Kids Car Seat Monitor: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:00:02 -0700

Every year we hear horrifying stories of children who die after being left in cars by their parents, about half of the youngsters are left unintentionally by relatives who forgot to remove them from the vehicle.

The Cars-N-Kids Car Seat Monitor ($40) is designed to prevent such tragedies. Using a monitor placed under a car seat, the device turns on when a child is placed in his seat. When the car stops for more than four seconds, a lullaby plays to remind parents about the lil one in the back seat. The device also beeps if a creative kid climbs out of their chair while the car is in motion.

Would you invest in this product?

Jenny McCarthy Talks Autism, Instincts, and Jim Carrey

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Jenny McCarthy is one candid cover girl. We'd expect nothing less from the passionate mother and autism advocate who posed with her son Evan, 7, for the September cover of Cookie. Check out a few of the highlights from the interview.

On how she felt when Evan had a seven-hour seizure and went into cardiac arrest in 2004: I ran out of my house and into my driveway and screamed at the top of my lungs to God to just take him away, because I loved him so much and he was in so much pain.

On Amanda Peet calling parents who don't vaccinate their children "parasites": I think vaccines are one of the greatest things ever invented. I used to be [Peet] before I had a kid with autism.

On the position of Generation Rescue: "Vaccinations are safe - dot, dot, dot - for some kids. Vaccinations are not safe - dot, dot, dot - for other kids. Let’s protect the ones who are weak. We are pro–safe vaccine. Vaccines are just not one size fits all. If you gave everyone in the world penicillin, there would be some adverse effects for some people, and possibly deaths."

On parental instincts: "We’re the generation of parents who are saying, ‘Listen to us. We are the bosses of our children.’ I want parents to realize that, and not get pushed around by doctors who say, ‘Oh, that’s 100 percent safe.’"

On her most humbling mom moment: "Watching Evan pee on a fake tree in a waiting room."

On her relationship with Jim Carrey: "It’s wacky-weird that not only does [Carrey] not want to get married, which I love, but he also doesn’t want to have more kids, which I love."

Parents to Be Prosecuted For Accidental Co-Sleeping Deaths?

LilSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:32:32 -0700

Lawmakers discuss a wake-up call for co-sleeping parents. Prosecutors around the country are weighing the possibility of charging parents who accidentally "roll-over" their tots while drunk or high with child-neglect. According to the Wall Street Journal, an Oregon district attorney "has drawn a fairly hard line on bed-sharing death cases: He will prosecute them when they involve alcohol or drugs."

An Indiana father was charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and faces up to 50 years in jail after smothering his son when the man fell sleep on a sofa after using methamphetamine and smoking marijuana. Fifty-four percent of lilsugar readers said that though studies showed a marked increase in infant suffocation tied to bed sharing, it didn't change their minds about the practice. Do you think there should be legal consequences for moms and dads who accidentally injure their children while co-sleeping under the influence?

What's the Craziest Thing You Have Done Since Baby?

babysugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

When a woman is baby free, she can do most anything her heart and wallet desires. Some gals like schnappycat take off to London on a whim for a fabulous weekend of shows and sightseeing. Others like isabelle315 defy death by military static line jumps, skydiving, or heli skiing.

Just because a lady becomes a mama doesn't mean she has to give up all her wild hairs. Some mums claim their children make them more adventurous. So tell mommy, what's the craziest thing you've done since having a baby.

Debbie Rowe's Comments on Children: Honest or Insensitive?

LilSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:28:42 -0700

Are there times when a mother should hold her tongue? Regardless of their true feelings, many birth and adoptive mamas consider their children's feelings and futures before they speak. This isn't necessarily the case with Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of Michael Jackson's two oldest children - Prince, 12, and Paris, 11 - who recently revealed facts about her marriage and child bearing years with the King of Pop. She said:

"I was no good. I don't want these children in my life. My children are my animals now."

The late musician's ex-wife also said that she was artificially inseminated with anonymous donor sperm to conceive. It is likely that the children and their younger brother, Prince Michael II, 7, who are currently in the temporary custody of their grandmother, Katherine, are mourning the death of their father. What do you think of Rowe's comments?

Test Your Pediatric Cancer Knowledge

LilSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:00:50 -0700

I can't think of anything worse than seeing a child in pain. Pediatric cancer affects 46 US children and adolescents every day and while cure rates have improved drastically in recent decades, there is no denying the nightmare families go through when faced with a diagnosis.

There are many different kinds of cancer out there, so take this quiz to see just how much you know about the number one cause of death in children after accidents.

Source

Take the quiz

Six Tips For Identifying a Childhood Head Injury

LilSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:00:43 -0700

The tragic death of mother and actress Natasha Richardson, from what appeared to be a minor skiing accident, has raised our awareness of head injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among children up to the age of 15, traumatic brain injury causes about 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 435,000 emergency room visits each year. It's never easy to determine which types of head injuries require a visit to the doctor and which simply need an ice pack, so we have put together 6 tips for helping you make that decision. Source

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