LilSugar

Would You Have Your Son Get the HPV Vaccine?

LilSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Lots of mothers have given permission for their daughters to get the Gardasil vaccine, but it may soon be available for their sons. The human papillomavirus (HPV) has become so widespread that many pediatricians are administering the preventative shots (given in three doses within six months) to their patients. According to one report:

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted Wednesday to recommend that the vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV.

The vaccine protects against four types of HPV, and two of those are believed to be responsible for 70 percent of cervical and anal cancers, and HPV-associated penile and throat-and-neck cancers. The other two cause 90 percent of genital warts cases, researchers say.

Would get your son vaccinated?

Parent/Child Contracts Put It All Down in Writing

LilSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Sign on the dotted line please. We sign contracts for our homes, our jobs, and even for our child care providers, but will signing one with our children help keep them in line?

Some parents use parent/child contracts to keep the communication path more open, while others see it as a way to keep order in their household. The contract can serve as a visible way to ensure that kids are aware of the house rules and the consequences of disobeying them. They also help children understand what their parents' roles are in helping them achieve their goals.

For families looking to put things in writing, this pad of contracts ($10) will help get the process started with 30 fill-in-the-blank sheets that outline the terms of the agreement and penalties for breaking them.

What's your opinion of drafting contracts with your kids?

Vanessa Williams Gives Beauty Tips to Her Daughters

LilSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:00:03 -0700

Last week our girl Bella interviewed Ugly Betty beauty, Vanessa Williams. They had a chance to chat about how the singer and actress maintains the good looks Mother Nature gave her and what beauty tips she doles out to her older daughters. When asked how she encourages a good self-image in her youngest child, the mother of four - Melanie, Jillian, Devin and Sasha - said:

The youngest one is eating right. She’s an athlete, she dances, she swims, she does basketball, softball. So my big push is eating the proper food that will fuel her body. You know, it’s a struggle because kids love gummy bears and fruit roll ups and yogurt with sugar in it - the quick snack foods. Trying to force them to eat vegetables and be conscious of eating living food like a piece of fruit as opposed to going for a bag of chips. I’m currently trying to focus her on making sure that she fuels her body with delicious, healthy food. And also staying active which she has no problem doing.

Tweens Can Rock Disney Duds As They Head Back to School

LilSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:35:24 -0700

If you have school aged children, especially tweens, the Mouse has probably taken over your television set and CD player. Now, prepare for The Jonas Brothers and The Wizards of Waverly Place to take over your kiddo's closet. Yesterday, Disney debuted it's back to school line of Ivy League and Boho Chic duds inspired by the popular shows. There are also school supplies and accessories to fill up your youngster's desk or locker. The reasonably priced items hit shelves this month at JC Penney, Kmart, Sears, Walmart, Target and DisneyStore.com.

To check out more shots from the runway show and the full line of apparel, read more.

View 28 Photos ›

Do You Encourage Your Child's Own Sense of Style?

LilSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0800

In a recent episode of Brothers & Sisters, tweener Paige went shopping with grandma Nora and the two came home with what Sarah (Paige's mom) thought was a doozy of an outfit - a sparkly red mini. After much ado, Sarah compromised by buying her daughter a pair of leggings and matching jacket to tone down the dress. Do you censor what your children wear or let them express themselves?

Courtesy of ABC

Fashionology LA For Wee Designers

babysugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:19 -0700

A child of the 70s, Esprit, Guess, Polo, Keds, and Kappas were about the only "cool" trends that hit my elementary school. These days, kids are inundated with loads of fabulous options. From designer jeans to Little Marc by Marc Jacobs, parents and tots are paying much more attention to their youngster's apparel. Savvy Los Angeles moms Elizabeth Wiatt and Jamie Tisch are banking on it.

Creators and owners of the kiddie fashion house, Fashionology LA, the two businesswomen opened their doors to lil ladies who fancy themselves designers. Tweens choose their canvas of T–shirts or tanks and then customize it with bells and whistles making it a unique creation of their own. Parents can rent the space for private parties. Rates are between $60 - $300 a tot! This is just the kind of place I can see Leni Klum making her own. Mini Project Runway anyone?

Would you take your wee one to such a place?

Seven, Eight and Nine-Year-Old Criminals?

LilSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:07:34 -0700

I fret over the small things, like my son getting restless at restaurants or my daughter elbowing her brother in the backseat of the car, but parents in Daytona are dealing with more drastic issues when it comes to child rearing: felonies. According to an MSNBC report, police officers have attributed some of the Florida city's rise in crime to minors. The city known for racecar driving has a crime rate that is double that of the state. Police Chief Mike Chitwood is trying to curtail those statistics. The article said:

The crimes were happening under the noon sun - and not far from the city's schools. Initially, Chitwood ordered truancy sweeps. Then he had his officers fingerprint kids caught skipping school. After running the prints through the FBI's national database he saw his suspicions confirmed: Kids were behind the spike.

It didn't take long for the police to link rings of teens to burglaries, car thefts, carjackings and even armed robberies. "We even had kids taking stolen cars out of stolen-car lots," Chitwood says."

To learn about prevention attempts, read more. And the crimes aren't all being committed by tweens and teens; children as young as seven were responsible for serious offenses. Police Chief Mike Chitwood said:

"I've got 8-, 9-, 10-, 11-year-olds committing burglary and stealing cars now. What are they going to be doing when they're 21?" he says. "Hey, either you pay when they go to state or federal prison, or you're going to clean the crap up now. But somewhere along the line you are going to pay."

Unfortunately, programs to keep youth off of the streets are few and far between with limited funding and enrollment. One such example is the Palmetto facility, which provides services for 166 children with a staff of two.

How do you think Daytona should curb their child crime?
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Middle Schoolers Engage in Oral Sex During Math Class

LilSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:00:51 -0700

A substitute math teacher in Connecticut didn't put two and two together. Under her supervision in math class, two eighth grade students at Pulaski Middle School in New Britain engaged in an oral sex act. As classmates watched, one supposedly taped the act on a camera phone. The footage is now rumored to be on YouTube. While the students' conduct was wildly inappropriate, the teacher must have had blinders on. Who do you think is to blame?

Does Pampering Send the Wrong Message?

babysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:00:05 -0700

I remember getting my first manicure before my eighth grade dance. It was a big deal and I appreciated how special the gift was from my mother. I didn't notice my eyebrows were bushes to be reckoned with until my first year of college. Thankfully, while growing up I never felt the need to excessively beautify myself as I had confidence. For kids these days, it's a different story.

To see what the latest underage beauty treatment is, read more.

Now, lil ladies as young as five are lined up for manicures and pedicures at spas. The owner of hair salon Ouidad in NYC told ABC:

I have children as young as six and seven come into the salon. They do a chemical treatment.

It is definitely becoming a trend to tend to oneself at a younger age. Some resorts like the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio cater to the crowd with a youth spa called the "SPAhhhT." Since girls wax their bikini lines in 6th grade and get nail treatments in elementary school, the worry is that they will put too much emphasis on their looks and lose their self esteem.

Stressed Out Girls author Roni Cohen-Sandler says:

The earlier that girls begin to see themselves as objects that are appealing to the opposite sex and worry about how they look - that is harming them psychologically. They're not able to feel good about themselves.

When my daughter is old enough, I will gladly spoil her with a mani–pedi for a momentous event. As for the waxing and chemical peels, she can pay for those herself.

Would you allow your child to start such beauty regiments at such a tender age?

Texting Tweens Medication Reminders

LilSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:09 -0700

Use your tween's texting obsession to your advantage. Parents who wish their kids independence, but need to remind them to take their meds can quit the nagging and turn to technology. When children are preoccupied with school, friends, dating and Hannah Montana, they tend to forget to take the pills and injections that regulate their asthma, diabetes and other ailments.

A recent CNN article on the experiment said:

Of necessity, parents start turning over more health responsibilities to their children at this age. It's also an age of angst, sometimes rebellion, and when youths may most hate feeling different from their friends because of medication, special diets or other therapy.

To see the specifics, read more.

Statistics show that a good number of tweens and teens are not adhering to treatment whether it be for social reasons or forgetfulness. So Ohio doctors are experimenting with text reminders. It said:

Participants say what time they want the reminder, and a clinic volunteer types out the messages -- words spelled out, no mimicking of kids' text lingo.

What do you think of this idea?

Source