LilSugar

Let Them Eat Cake...And Candy Canes!

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:00:23 PST

I've never bought into the whole concept that candy makes kids hyperactive so I've never denied my children sweets when it came to holiday festivities. But, now there's reason for the moms who do attribute their tykes' energetic behavior to treats to relax. This Christmas, let your lil one have a candy cane. Guess what myth topped the list of holiday myths? To find out,

read more. On the subject of sugar making kids hyperactive, one report said:

The researchers cite 12 controlled studies that couldn’t detect any differences in behavior between children who had sugar and those who did not. Even when kids had a diagnosis of hyperactivity problems or were said to be more sensitive to sugar, they did not behave differently whether they ate sugar-laden or sugar-free diets. In fact, the biggest effect of sugar may be on parents. Parents rate their children as being more hyperactive if they are told the child has consumed sugar - even when the child hasn’t really had any sweets.

Slice of the Yule log, sweetie? Source

Adult ADD and ADHD: Know the Signs

DearSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:00:00 PDT

Adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are conditions that have to do with the way you think. Unfortunately, they can seriously affect adults when it comes to their job, relationships, and their finances. It's true that they have to do with not being able to concentrate, but there's a lot more to it. Some of the signs include:

"zoning out" during conversations, or daydreaming

not remembering being told something
being late or forgetting to show up when expected
speaking without thinking first or interrupting others when they talk
talking fast or excessively, and hopping from one topic to the next
getting easily frustrated or bored
procrastination or difficulty staying focused
not finishing what you start (projects, books)
low self-esteem or insecurity
impulsive behaviors, quick to get angry

There are also some really positive "gifts" if you have ADD and ADHD? Want to hear them, then

Adults with ADD or ADHD may also be able to maintain intense focus on something that they are greatly interested in. This is called hyper focus, where people can be engaged for hours with a lack of awareness for others or time. They can be super determined and have high energy and enthusiasm for something if it sparks their interest. Einstein and Da Vinci had this ability and look how successful they were!!
People with ADD or ADHD are also great at creative thinking, problem-solving, and brainstorming ideas. Scientists, inventors, artists, musicians, and doctors can benefit from this type of brain.
Intelligence, flexibility, and spontaneity are also character traits of someone with ADD or ADHD.

Dear's Advice:

Source

Lil Gift Guide: Great Gifts For 9-Year-Olds!

Rebecca M Gruber — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:53:04 PST

Nine-year-olds are quite the mature bunch! Gifts that let them try to exert their independence are a great bet for this age group.

The Logo Game ($19) is a must have for kids who pay attention to the ads on TV and the products in the grocery store! Fans of Dancing With the Stars or just those who like to dance in their rooms will love playing Just Dance 3 ($30). Consider Life of George ($30) Legos for the modern age. Kids build based on images they see and must snap a photo with an iPhone to see just how accurately they created it. Proving you're never too old to play with remote control cars, Air Hogs Hyperactives ($40) are made for adventurous kids. They may not be old enough for a cell phone yet, but kids will love having their music and games all in one place, and the iPod Touch ($190) does all of that!

Stranger Danger? Confront Animals With These 3 Motions

PetSugar — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:15:06 PDT

One big problem when spotting a dog off leash is trying to decide if the pup is welcoming or wary! While I'd never recommend simply approaching all animals you spy as if they are friendly and disease-free, it's better to be safe than sorry and know how to react. Just like advice goes in the wild, running away is not a good option! Citizen Canine is a great resource for advice on approaching a dog safely - Don't set yourself up as a moving target and brush up on these three tips that were news to me:

Blink and yawn. No, seriously. Both blinking your eyes slowly and yawning send calming signals to dogs. (Makes a mental note to test out on hyperactive pup.)
Be still sideways. Staring creates an automatic showdown between you and the animal. If he begins to approach, instead turn your head to look to the side and make no eye contact whatsoever.
Plan your escape. Slowly move backwards or sidestep away from the dog. Do not run or turn your back on the animal which leaves you looking vulnerable!

Color Ideas For Shared Boy/Girl Bedrooms

Julia Walsh — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:20:00 PDT

After reading Nate Berkus's resources for color inspiration, CasaSugar Community member cubamarsh wrote, "I have five-year-old boy/girl twins. They have to sleep in the same bedroom for the time being. Any suggestions how to decorate/PAINT especially for both?" I made some of my own suggestions with 10 ideas for gender neutral children's rooms, but I thought I'll poll all of you for your thoughts as well on Facebook. We got a great response with so many hues I'd never thought of, so I'm really excited to share these color ideas with you!

"A light metallic gray or white and orange." - Colette O.
"Definitely turquoise and white, but I guess it depends on the age." Katrín S.
"I have always thought navy blue and a lavender - on the boys side emphasize the navy and the girl the lavender." - Heidi W.
"Blue walls! Both my kids' rooms (5-year-old son, nursery for 19-mo-old daughter) are a pale blue color. They aren't exactly the same shade but they both work. As for décor, kelly green would be a good accent color that is good for both sexes. You could do more gender-specific coverlets on each bed made from cool fabrics, and then get one more coordinating gender-neutral one and tie it all together." - Eliza M.
"Sage green is a good gender-neutral color." - Julie K.
"Keep the walls neutral. Curtains, sheets, pillows and decorations with indigo and orange." - Evelyn S.
"Aqua blue!" - Marissa J.
"Navy and yellow, or nautical." - Kelly S

See more color palette ideas for a shared boy/girl bedroom . . .

Lil Links: Boy Saves Babysitter's Life With Heroic Call to 911

LilSugar — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:05:00 PDT

A heroic boy saved his babysitter's life - The Stir
Gavin and Kingston have a boys' day out - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Do food dyes really make kids hyperactive? – Health
Elisabeth Rohm discusses family nudity - Celebrity Baby Blog
Foods that fight pregnancy's most common symptoms - FitPregnancy
13 tips for monitoring your child's social media use - Parenting
Should I marry my baby's daddy? - The Bump
One mom's attempt to ban princesses from her daughters' lives - Momformation
New research about drinking during pregnancy – Babble
Adorable, non-baby-ish bibs for tots – Momfilter

A Rainbow of Issues Tied to Food Dyes; Test Your Knowledge

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:30:58 PDT

They make food fun and enticing to a lil one's eyes, but there's more to food dyes than many mamas might imagine. The same drops that are used to create rainbow foods have been linked to attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in tots and much more. This week an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration will meet to discuss the possibility of added warning labels to products containing synthetic food dyes. Take this quiz to see how much you know about these ever-present color makers in our favorite foods.

Source: Flickr User kckellner

Take the Quiz

Strawberries With a Side of ADHD?

FitSugar — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:12 PDT

Not too sure that organic produce is worth the extra dough? This may change your mind. It looks like scientists in the US and Canada may have found a connection between pesticide exposure and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Researchers tested 1,000 kids, ages eight to 15, and analyzed their urine for traces of pesticides. They found that 119 of the participants had signs of ADHD. And get this - the children with the highest concentrations of pesticides were twice as likely to be diagnosed with this condition as compared to the kids who had only traces of the chemical in their urine. That's a huge difference. The pesticides detected were ones commonly used in conventional produce such as frozen blueberries, strawberries, and celery.

ADHD affects about 4.5 million children in the US, and 2.5 million take medication to treat their condition. That means the findings of this study aren't something that should be ignored, as the connection between pesticides and ADHD is pretty strong. Certain pesticides will leave the body after about a week, but this study shows that some degree of pesticide residue will remain in the body, making exposure to these chemicals ongoing. Kids are especially at a greater risk since their young bodies are still developing.

Scientists aren't saying that eating conventional produce that's treated with pesticides will automatically lead to the development of ADHD, because many other factors may be involved, but this study may offer yet another reason to choose organic foods whenever possible.

Oh Man: Tokyo by Kenzo

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:15:39 PDT

Kenzo Parfums has a new spicy fragrance for guys called Tokyo by Kenzo. The inspiration behind it was the colorful neon lights in the hyperactive metropolis of Tokyo.

The ingredients in the fragrance are meant to resemble the colors in the night skies. For example, the black buildings are reflective of nutmeg, clove, gaiac wood and cedar, the red lights are bitter orange and pink pepper, the trees are green tea, mate and shiso and the yellow lamps are lemon, grapefruit and ginger.

The collection consists of two Eau de Toilette sprays; 3.4 oz ($65), and 1.7 oz ($50) as well as a deodorant ($18).

To see the 45 second Tokyo by Kenzo commercial,