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92-Year-Old War Veteran Saved From Eviction by Incredible Strangers (VIDEO)

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

WW II veteran John PotterA World War II veteran who came perilously close to losing the home he'd lived in for 56 years doesn't have to worry about eviction ever again. John Potter is 92, and when his own daughter tried to evict him earlier this year, the veteran turned to his granddaughter for help to save his home. Her answer? She videotaped her grandpa telling old war stories, and hoped everyday Americans would be inspired enough to help a true hero out.

Getting a little weepy? It gets better! It worked! America came through!

Thanks to the donations of strangers who were moved by the elderly veteran's stories, Potter's granddaughter, 35-year-old Jaclyn Fraley, has saved grandpa from eviction. She not only raised enough money to buy back the house from Potter's daughter (and evil landlord), Janice Cottrill, who had gotten power of attorney from her parents back in 2004 and used it to transfer dear old dad's house into her name, but she raised enough to help pay for this war hero's care!

Happy dance!

This is the America I love, the America where people step up to help one another, the America where we recognize that guys like John Potter did something valuable for our country, and they shouldn't be put in situations like this.

All too often we see it though, don't we? Maybe not this exact situation -- thank goodness there aren't that many daughters out there just itching to evict their 92-year-old fathers -- but veterans whose service is long past, who have run into trouble and who have nowhere to turn.

When people step in to help guys like John Potter, it reaffirms my faith in an America where people who say they are patriots aren't just giving lip service to our country. It's not enough, quite frankly, to fly a flag in your front yard and say you're a proud American. You have to live it, and part of that is remembering those who have done so much for us so that we can live as we do.

It means when you hear of a plight like John Potter's, you remember the good turn he gave our country and give one back. You let these guys know we haven't forgotten them.

And by the way: John Potter recognizes what people are doing for him. Here's one of his videos made as the contributions were pouring in:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Do you know an aging veteran? What have you done to make sure they know their service is appreciated even today?

 

Image via GoFundMe


Baby Caught 'Drinking' Beer at Baseball Game

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

beerMoms, it should go without saying that when you're celebrating your favorite baseball team's big win, you should keep the alcohol to the adults. But based on the kerfuffle over a beer-drinking baby caught celebrating the Oakland A's division title win, apparently it needs to be said. To the mom who was spotted on TV, seemingly serving up a Bud Light to her baby, a word?

You're just asking for trouble.

The beer-drinking baby, or at least the baby with a beer bottle to his lips, was caught on-screen behind a Comcast sports reporter doing an interview. The mom's face is turned away from the camera, but you can clearly see she's holding the baby, and an arm wearing the same color shirt as mom and awfully close to her body is holding the unmistakable blue beer bottle to the baby's lips.

Do we know that there is beer in there?

Of course not. It could easily have been water. Or nothing at all. In the midst of celebrating, people do silly ... and often stupid things.

I don't see any reason to crucify this mom without proof that she was putting her baby in actual harm.

But ....

A HUGE BUT for you.

Usually when these sort of "OMG, can you believe she let her baby drink that?" stories come out in the news, it's because a parent was dumb enough to make their silly antics public. A photo shows up on Facebook or a mom stands in a crowded room directly in front of a television camera ... and let's baby suck on a beer bottle.

Whether it's empty or not is (almost) besides the point. The point is, she's allowing the world to think that she serves her baby alcohol.

That's the part that bugs me. She's not ashamed to be thought of as the mom who lets her baby drink! At least the rest of us have the good sense to only do pranks like that in private (kidding, kidding ... or am I?)!

The point is -- maybe there was booze. Maybe there wasn't. But mom did this out in public. She opened herself up to criticism. And, well, it was stupid. Stupid if there was beer in there because, duh, babies should not be drinking beer! Stupid if there wasn't beer in there because, duh, you just made everyone watch the A's post-game celebration wonder if your baby is an alchie.

Do you think this is an example of bad motherhood or just stupidity? Would YOU do it?

 

Image via Valentin Janiaut/Flickr

Disney Changes Rules for Disabled Kids After Families Abuse Special Accommodations

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Alex Bettencourt at DisneyIt's supposed to be the happiest place on earth, but Disney World and Disneyland are anything but for members of the special needs community at the moment thanks to rumors spreading round the Internet. The theme parks are changing the "guest assistance cards" that parents of children with special needs have come to count on to make vacations with their kids possible. The GAC or GAP program (as its known) has long provided accommodations for children and teens with physical as well as cognitive, developmental, or behavioral challenges.

But rumors that the GAC had been stopped entirely, coupled with a huge petition to get the program back, has parents scared ... and their kids upset.

How would you explain to a child that their favorite vacation spot doesn't want them?

If you've got a neuro-typical kid, you probably haven't thought about it. I'll admit I didn't, even with a future Disney trip on my schedule. It wasn't until I stumbled on a post from one of my favorite bloggers, Shannon Rosa of Squidalicious, that I even knew parents worried that Disney was penalizing kids with special needs because of folks who have been abusing this privilege.

Maybe you heard about the rich jerks who were hiring disabled "family members" to come on vacation so they could get special perks at the parks? There was an expose on the practice a few months back, and then, suddenly, came the rumor that Disney had ended it all.

And parents freaked. For them this isn't a minor inconvenience. It's a full-blown problem. As Rosa, whose son Leo is on the autism spectrum, said on her blog:

You have to understand: our love of the GAC is not because we get to skip lines and blow raspberries at all the chumps who don't. Skipping lines is not a convenience but a necessary accommodation for our boy. Because he is autistic. Because of his specific disability.

Leo can wait in lines, but not always. Not lines of Disneyland length. Not without melting down due to the crowds, the noise, the expectation based on previous experience that he will not have to wait in lines longer than 20 or so minutes. Without the GAC, Disneyland is effectively barred to my son.

And it's not just kids with autism who are affected, here folks. Moriah Bettencourt's son, Alex (the cutie pictured above), has CHARGE Syndrome and he's considered to be deaf/blind as he has serious deficiencies in both areas. Alex, his mom says, "lives for Disneyland."

The family goes to the California amusement park two to three times a year, and they've found GAC isn't just helpful for them -- it helps the other folks in the park have a pleasurable experience BECAUSE Alex's needs are being met. As Moriah told The Stir:

When Alex was about 7 he was finally tall enough to ride some of the larger rides. At that point my husband was uncomfortable with the special needs pass and thought that we should try to stand in line to see if Alex could do it. About 10 minutes into our waiting in the Splash Mountain line Geoff was horrified when Alex suddenly grabbed two handfuls of the hair of the little girl in front of us. He didn't want to hurt her he just was fascinated by her hair that she kept swinging around but as you can imagine when a stranger suddenly grabs the hair of another stranger things get tense really quickly. 

We made our profuse apologies & promptly stepped out of line, since then the GAP has been a necessity for us. Alex is unable to be that close to strangers without wanting to touch them, it's a serious issue.

Needless to say, the Bettencourts, like the Rosas, were swearing off Disney for awhile. As are hundreds of thousands of families who have been cut off. They're among the nearly 20,000 that have signed a MoveOn petition to get Disney to roll back the changes.

But they may not have to.

The good news? The Stir reached out to Disney, and they say the rumors aren't true. They ARE changing the GAC process ... but it's still in place for now, and they're working with disability groups, including Autism Speaks, to make sure the new program will truly meet families' needs.

According to Michele Himmelber, a PR director for Disneyland Resort:

We have an unwavering commitment to making our parks accessible to all Guests. Given the increasing volume of requests we receive for special access to our attractions, we are changing our process to create a more consistent experience for all our guests while providing accommodations for guests with disabilities. We engaged disability groups, such as Autism Speaks, to develop this new process, which is in line with the rest of our industry.

The new program starts on October 9, and you can be sure parents will be watching, hoping that they make the right choice for their kids. As Shannon Rosa said:

In a fair and just society, you don't take away (or complicate) accommodations for people with disabilities just because non-disabled people are taking advantage of them and making other non-disabled people mad.

Do you use the special accommodations at theme parks? Are you concerned about the changes?

 

Image via Moriah Bettencourt

'Teen Mom 3' Recap: Briana's Mom Shows You Don't Mess With Her Baby Girl

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Teen Mom Briana DeJesusIt can't be easy to be the parent of a Teen Mom (or a teen mom, for that matter). But if there was ever a mother who was tailor made for the gig, Briana DeJesus' mom Roxanne is it. She has her daughter's back, front, side ... you name it. And as we saw on tonight's Teen Mom 3, when you mess with the cub, you better be prepared for mama bear.

Briana was tangling with -- who else -- her daughter's father, Devoin Austin tonight. And despite only showing up to see his little girl when it suits him, Devoin still seems to think Briana owes him something. He was acting like a class A jerk and then he really went for the jugular.

Devoin taunted Briana about having grown up without a father. 

Technically, he's only half right. Briana's dad was around until she was about 8, when Roxanne told him to hit the road because she said he wasn't pulling his weight as a father or husband. Regardless, the cruel taunt was enough to bring Roxanne straight into the living room to defend her daughter ... and kick Devoin's sorry behind out of the house.

More From The Stir: Kailyn Lowry's Wedding Details Revealed

Things got a little heated when Roxanne threw a plant off her front porch as Devoin walked away, but she cooled off and made a point to apologize for her behavior, even telling little Nova that this is not how grandma is supposed to act.

We've seen a wide range of parents on the various Teen Mom shows over the years, but Roxanne may be one of the strongest and most involved yet. Her daughter may have made a teenage mistake, but it hasn't stopped her from loving her, or more importantly from being there for her. 

The kind of mother she had shows in Briana -- she is utterly devoted to Nova and to doing right by her daughter, even if that means throwing the girl's father out of her life. Tonight she finally had that order of protection filed against Devoin, and of course Roxanne was right there with her.

The family backgrounds of some of the other girls on the show are becoming bigger issues for the other girls too. It turns out Katie Yeager's dad spent time in jail for drugs ... and now she worries boyfriend Joey Maes is going to follow the same path. And like Devoin did to Briana, Joey uses Katie's dad against her, taunting her about her father's mistakes.

As for Alex Sekella, it's her daughter's father, Matt McCann, who is the one dealing with a drug issues. Tonight we saw he failed a drug test, despite telling his counselor that he's been clean.

Mackenzie Douthit seems to be the only one without some sort of daddy drama at the moment, unless you count her dad screwing up the directions for a drive to Josh McKee's big rodeo. They got there too late to see Josh ride, but it didn't matter much -- he got disqualified. Doesn't look like it's going to be easy for him to make a living as a cowboy. He's going to have to find a better way to support his family.

What did you think of Roxanne's freak-out at Devoin? Was she being a good mom or was it too much?

 

Image via MTV

Brave 4-Year-Old Shames Kenyan Mall Killers Into Letting His Family Go

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

kenyaThe seizure of Nairobi's Westgate Mall by armed terrorists has been hard to ignore, even across the ocean. Now more details are out about the terrorists involved in the Kenyan shopping mall attack -- and what it takes to stop them. Apparently shame works, especially when it comes in the form of a small child telling them, "You're a very bad man."

When faced with a man with a gun, that's what one 4-year-old boy reportedly announced. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Thank goodness for that frank little fella. It saved his family.

According to CNN, 4-year-old Elliott Prior was with his mother -- who'd already been shot in the leg -- and 6-year-old sister Amelie when another gunman approached. The little boy shouted, "You’re a bad man, let us leave.” And the gunman relented, giving the child some candy and allowing the whole family to escape the shopping center.

He allegedly asked for forgiveness, telling the boy he was "not a monster."

It's not going to win the guy humanitarian of the year, but it's something.

It's enough to make you think of this group of armed terrorists not as one behemoth but as individuals, all with different agendas. It's enough to make you wonder: did everyone who walked into that mall intend the atrocities we've been hearing? Can we hold them all responsible for the 62 deaths reported so far, for the pregnant women?

In instances like this, we tend to group all the folks together as one giant monster, like a Hydra with its many heads but one body. The reality is often much more complicated. Think about any team; there are leaders and there are followers. Among the latter, there are usually varying degrees of complicity.

Of course, those followers are wrong for going along with the cause -- at least in this case -- but the question is whether they carry the same culpability for what happens. Can we put a man who gives a little boy candy and lets his family go on the same level as the others? Is there some sympathy for a man who still has some human compassion in there?

Maybe not. He went along with it. This mall attack has been truly disgusting, and the perpetrators (those left alive anyway) should pay.

But it's worth asking ourselves, worth looking at our own way of putting a value on the humanity left in people like this.

It isn't easy, is it?

Does this little boy's story affect the way you've looked at this horror in Kenya? Why do you think the man let him go?

 

Image via Rich Bowen/Flickr

Britney Spears Breaks #1 Rule of Co-Parenting

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Britney Spears sonBritney Spears has a new Vegas show, and she had been telling folks that her 8-year-old son, Sean Preston, would likely be making appearances onstage. Only it seems Britney never checked in with ex-husband Kevin Federline on that one.

Eek! Doesn't Britney know this is one of the cardinal rules of co-parenting? When a kid is going to go out in public, especially THAT public, the two parents have to agree.

K-Fed, who shares joint custody of the couple's two sons, has apparently put his foot down on Sean Preston making appearances during Britney's show. And you know what folks? That's his right to do as a dad.

I'd even venture out and call K-Fed a good dad for sticking up for his kid. Never thought you'd see that day, did you?

It's not that I'm calling Britney a bad mom here, but I do think people need to be aware of what goes on when your kids go public. As a blogger, I think about it every day, and my husband and I have had numerous conversations about what I'll share and what I won't.

We both weigh in, and we both have a say. If he tells me he isn't comfortable with something, I back off. When Good Morning America said they were coming to my house last week for an interview with my daughter and me, if my husband had said "no," I would have called them up and canceled (he didn't, and my daughter proudly went to school on Monday bragging that she was on TV over the weekend).

When your kid goes out into an uber public arena, there are risks, especially in our digital world where people have on compunction about jumping on the Internet to spout off -- often cruelly -- about kids. The Federline children already have enough to deal with as the children of an incredibly famous woman. Keeping them off that stage may be the only way K-Fed sees to keep his kids' childhoods intact. For that, I can't blame him. 

What would you do in Britney's position? Would you take the dad's feelings into account or can one parent make a decision like this alone?

 

Image via Pacific Coast News

Army's New Tattoo Policy Could Cost Soldiers Big Time

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

tattoosAmerica!1 We have a problem. The Army is getting awfully close to enacting a ban on tattoos for soldiers. Considering the longstanding tradition of military ink, the policy Secretary of the Army John McHugh has reportedly approved (but not yet signed) is sure to raise a ruckus.

But it's not the fact that some tattoos will be banned that presents the real problem for our servicemen and women. It's what will happen to the soldiers who are already inked.

The Army could force them to get those tattoos lasered off ... on their dime!

According to Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler, who has to sign off on the policy before it can go into effect, new Army recruits will not be allowed to have tattoos that show below the elbows and knees or above the neckline. OK, sounds fair enough -- they've been warned.

But what about everyone who is already on duty?

Turns out some of them may be grandfathered in ... but Chandler has been quoted saying soldiers will be required to "pay for the removal of any tattoo" that violates the policy.

Say what?

Granted, there are some soldiers whose tattoos violate already existing policies -- any tattoos that are racist, sexist, or extremist are already banned. Those folks may have been flying under the radar all along, but they had to know they were wrong when they got inked, and that's on them, as the bill should be.

But any ink that doesn't fall under the existing rules SHOULD be grandfathered under the new ones. Period.

You can't just expect people to anticipate your rule change. And you certainly shouldn't require them to have body altering laser removal because they didn't read your minds. That seems awfully punitive to people who weren't doing anything wrong in the first place.

Not to mention, if the Army is putting this rule in place, shouldn't the onus be on them to pay for making it work? Our men and women are already putting their lives on the line for this country ... and the salaries they get as thanks are notoriously low. Now the Army is going to take a chunk out of that pay because they didn't make this tattoo change years ago?

Sounds like the Army is taking that "Army of one" thing a bit too seriously. Aren't they supposed to have these folks' backs?

Do you think the Army should pay for tattoo removal if their soldiers violate the policy?

 

Image via Star Wars/Flickr

Military Mom Almost Ruins Plans for Surprise Reunion With Daughter and We Totally Get It (VIDEO)

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Capt. JR LundI love a good military homecoming video. Who doesn't (no, really, who?)? But I've always wondered how it is that these moms and dads manage to keep themselves from blowing the surprise. If it were me just home from war, I don't know that I could contain myself. That's what I really love about the latest military mom surprising her kid at a football game.

Capt. JR Lund came home early from Afghanistan. She didn't tell her 13-year-old daughter ... so she could manage to surprise her at Saturday's Wisconsin vs. Purdue game. But from the looks of it, Mom almost didn't make it to the game!

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Aww! Did you catch the part about how Mom just wanted to go run over and grab her daughter ... but she was trying her darndest to rein it in so she could make the surprise even more meaningful? She almost ruined her own surprise! Maybe it's because she's an Army Reservist that JR Lund is so much stronger than the rest of us?

Or at least stronger than me?

I don't know that I could do it. If I'm away from my kid just for a few days for a business trip, I come home and it's all I can do not to smother the poor thing with love and attention!

Not that JR Lund's daughter isn't getting plenty of that -- did you see the look on mother's and daughter's faces when they finally DID see each other?

Would you be able to hold out to surprise your kid or would you ruin your own surprise?

 

Image via Wisconsin Badgers/YouTube


'Teen Mom' Kailyn Lowry Sells Out for Her Family's Sake

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Kailyn Lowry Javi MarroquinSo, it happened. Kailyn Lowry is now married. OK, re-married ... or whatever you call it when you throw a big shindig a year after your courthouse ceremony. The Teen Mom 2 star and Javi Marroquin had their under the sea wedding over the weekend, and she stands to make a mint on it.

In Touch and Life & Style are both running spreads on the Lowry and Marroquin nuptials this week. That's right, Kail sold out to the tabloids! Can you blame her?

It seems some of her fans are not too happy -- or should I say critics? Kail got blasted on Twitter for cashing in when she often makes a big deal about protecting her privacy. She makes a good point ... but let's just think about this for a second.

When you're a celebrity, how do you keep the paparazzi from ruining your wedding? Especially after you've leaked the date to the entire Internet, practically inviting them to show? You lay down some ground rules with the photographers ... by granting them access.

More From The Stir:Crazy 'Teen Mom' Star Shares Phone Number With Thousands of Fans

We don't know how much Kailyn and Javi might have made off of the deal here, but if they did make something, I'm still saying good for them. This is for the good of their family.

The Teen Mom gravy train isn't going to last forever -- season 5 seems like a go, but even that was so uncertain that a sixth season is highly unlikely. The more money they can sock away now, the better off they'll be in the long run ... especially with baby number two on the way.

Do you think Kailyn was smart to cash in or was this hypocritical?

 

Image via Instagram

9 Ways Pregnancy Rumors Get Started

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

we are not pregnant

So much changes when you have a baby. SO MUCH. But here's one you probably didn't expect: you have one baby, and all of a sudden, everything you say makes people think you're pregnant again.

Have you noticed this? It's as if having a baby has awakened the world to your fertile nature, and now they expect you to be popping out babies every time they turn around. I'm one of those one and done moms (hey, to each her own), so the truth of it is, I will never be pregnant again. But no matter how many times I've said this to my friends and family, no one believes me.

In fact, I've found there are sayings I have to avoid entirely because when you're a woman of a certain age, especially a woman of a certain age who already has a kid, saying ANY of them will start the rumor mill churning with news of your impending pregnancy:

1. My pants are getting tight. So it's a food baby after eating out at your favorite restaurant with your girlfriends, but everyone on Facebook is already suggesting names.

2. Ugh, I threw up this morning. You think it was bad Mexican; they think it's morning sickness. 

3. My hair hasn't been this full since I was pregnant! Never use the words "since I was pregnant," because you're just begging people to ask if you are again.

4. I cried when I dropped a book on my toe this morning. What? You have actual emotions? There must be a bun in that oven. Rein it in darling. Rein it in.

5. I love this photo because my boobs look good. It could be the bra, but all the girls are gabbing about the real reason behind the swell in your girls.

6. No wine for me tonight. You can say it's because you're driving, but no one really believes you.

7. I'm sooooo tired. It couldn't be because you're running after a toddler, could it? It MUST mean your body is building a babe.

8. OMG, I am CRAVING those Halloween Oreos and a Diet Pepsi. Ladies, you don't say words like "craving" during your childbearing years without expecting someone to go there, m'kay?

9. Why is it so flipping hot in here? You're too young for menopause, so it must be ... a baby!!!

Does this happen to you? What makes the pregnancy rumors start?

 

Image via SunJ/Flickr

Missing 16-Year-Old Suspected of Murdering Mom and 9-Year-Old Brother

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Adrian Navarro-CanalesOne of the two children thought to have been killed in a brutal stabbing spree that also claimed the life of their mother is alive. But it's not exactly good news. Cops now say missing 16-year-old Adrian Navarro-Canales -- who just turned 16 the day before his mother and little brother were killed -- is a teenage murderer

When cops first found his mom, Elvira Canales-Gomez, and his 9-year-old brother, Cesar Navarro, dead in their Nevada home, the teenager was missing and thought to be hurt himself. An investigation revealed him instead to be a suspect. An international manhunt is now on to find Adrian and bring him to justice. When (if?) he's found, the teen is expected to face charges as an adult. 

A 16-year-old. A freshly turned 16-year-old at that.

This is the world we're living in folks.

We should be celebrating that a child thought dead is actually alive. Instead we're on pins and needles, hoping the cops nail him.

Because that's what you're thinking, right? That having a suspected killer on the loose isn't good for anyone? That a 16-year-old who allegedly stabbed his own mother and little brother, then lived with their bodies, possibly for a few days, needs to be in metal handcuffs, like, now? For the sake of everyone else?

How quickly childhood disappears.

I don't want to believe that a child could be capable of something so heinous, but the fact is, a 16-year-old can be charged as an adult. A 16-year-old well could do something this disgusting. And in Nevada, it seems a 16-year-old might well have done it.

The teen's father, Adrian Navarro Soto-Mayor, has put out a plea for his son to give himself up to police. Hopefully there's at least a piece of child left in this boy ... a piece that will listen to his father.

Do you consider 16 to be a child or an adult? Does this change it for you?

 

Image via police

The Biggest Baby Sleep Mistake You're Probably Making Right Now

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

baby cribIf there was one question I hated hearing after my daughter was born, it was this: "Is she sleeping through the night yet?" Every time I said, "no," it was with a sense of shame. Was I doing something wrong here? Why wasn't my baby meeting everyone's expectations? Were the expectations too high?

Baby sleep is one of the most confusing things for parents. Are they getting enough? Are they getting too much? And why won't the baby just stop crying and sleep already?

I've been there, done that, but frankly it's all such a haze of sleepless nights that I have no real advice to give. Which is why I turned to Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician and safe sleep expert, and author of the new book, SLEEP: What Every Parent Needs to Know, published this month by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I wanted to know: why is baby sleep so hard on parents and what the heck are we doing wrong?

Here's what Dr. Moon had to say about baby sleep mistakes ... and how to get some real shut eye:

What is the biggest mistake parents make at bedtime with baby?

The most common thing that I see is that parents rock or hold the baby until s/he is asleep, then move the baby to the crib. The baby then becomes used to falling asleep while being held or rocked, and does not learn to fall asleep on his/her own. When the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, the baby will need to be rocked/held again in order to go back to sleep.

How do we correct this?

To correct this, you need to place your baby in the crib when s/he is drowsy, but still slightly awake.

Parents are always concerned about "sleeping through the night," but what does that really mean? For a baby, how many hours of sleep is "sleeping through the night"?

Sleeping through the night really means five to six hours at a time without waking an adult up.

Is there a point when parents shouldn't expect babies to sleep through?

No 2-week-old should sleep through the night. A 2-week-old needs to wake every two to three hours to feed.

Is there a point by which every baby/toddler SHOULD be able to sleep through?

Most babies will be able to sleep five to six hours at a time by 6 months of age, and some will be able to sleep for longer stretches.

What are your best tips for encouraging babies to sleep soundly or longer?

First of all, parents have to have realistic expectations. You don't want a young baby to sleep for long periods of time without waking. If they're sleeping too soundly, that may not be healthy. You want tiny awakenings periodically through the night, but the baby should be able to go back to sleep.

Different things work for different babies. For some babies, white noise or some motion helps. For others, a pacifier will help.

Should babies have a bedtime or should it be fluid?

I think that a routine is good for everyone. But you don't want to be rigid; if you need to change the time occasionally, that's fine. But in general, a routine is good.

What's a good "routine" for getting baby to sleep?

Again, it depends on the child. You want a progression that will help the child wind down. So definitely no TV or video games for at least one hour before bedtime. I like snack, bath, put on pajamas, teeth brushing, stories, and then bed.

You talk about not waking a sleeping baby. How long should parents allow a baby to sleep before they get worried? Will a baby wake up if they're hungry?

It depends on the baby and the age. In the first month, the baby should probably wake up every two to four hours. Most babies will wake up when they're hungry, but some do not. If you have a baby in the first month of life that is sleeping for more than five to six hours at a time, you should ask your pediatrician about it. This may be a problem.

'Fess up -- are you making baby sleep "mistakes"?

 

Image via Associated Fabrication/Flickr

Coach Suspends Entire High School Team -- Give This Man a Medal!

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

footballAnyone who has ever had a kid in sports knows coaching draws all kinds. There are the coaches who are there for the kids, the coaches who are there for the paycheck, the coaches who care about nothing more than winning, and the coach who would suspend an entire football team to teach them a lesson.

That last one? He's real. And he's a keeper.

Know how many kids are on an entire football team? At Union High School in Roosevelt, Utah that's 80 kids. EIGHTY KIDS! Who were all suspended by their coach this week to learn a lesson on "character."

Anyone wishing they could convince Coach Matt Labrum to ditch his job in Roosevelt and come coach in their neck of the woods? Me too.

We need more coaches like him in America, coaches who understand that their job in a high school is so much more than getting points on a scoreboard. It's about molding young men and women. It's about teaching them to be good sports ... and in turn, good people.

Apparently Labrum had gotten complaints of some of his players bullying kids at school. It wasn't the first complaint about his players -- there have been issues ranging from skipping classes to being disrespectful to teachers -- but it was the tipping point. His coaching staff collected every last jersey from all 80 kids and told them they have to earn the privilege of playing again. As Labrum said in a speech to his team released to the Desert News:

The lack of character we are showing off the field is outshining what we are achieving on the field. We want student-athletes that are humble to learn and grow through adversity and success on and off the field. We want a team that others want to associate themselves with and support; winning isn't the most important criteria for that to happen.

It's that last sentence that really exemplifies what kind of coach we want for our kids. More specifically the last clause.

I know there are parents out there who want to see that "W" because they want that big college scholarship for their little athlete. But the chances of that being your kid are ridiculously low. According to Scholarship Stats, a student who plays high-school sports has a 6 percent chance of playing any college varsity sport. The number drops to 3.7 percent for Division I schools.

So that means 94 percent of kids on high school sports teams have to get something out of that experience other than a ticket to college.

Something being a love of the game and exercise. Something being discipline and a work ethic. Something being teamwork and sportsmanship.

But while anyone who likes sports can sign up to be a coach (really, at some schools ANYONE), not just anyone can teach kids these things. These are the people we need to see with our kids, the ones schools need to be hiring.

Heck, I hate to wade into genetics issues, but if cloning humans ever becomes possible, can I suggest Matt Labrum be the first test subject?

What do you think of this gutsy move by the coach?

 

Image via Anderson Mancini/Flickr

Missing Ayla Reynolds' Mom Had No Choice But to Share Horrifying Details of Daughter's Case

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Ayla ReynoldsFor a month now, the mother of missing Maine toddler Ayla Reynolds has been threatening to release disturbing details from the scene of her daughter's disappearance. Now the time has come. This week Trista Reynolds shared never-before-heard details about her ex-boyfriend Justin DiPietro's home and what police found when they were first searching for her missing baby girl. And from the sounds of it, there should be a series of arrests being made ... immediately.

Because 21 months ago, cops found a little girl's blood. Everywhere.

Literally. Everywhere.

According to the information Trista said she got straight from the cops back in January, Ayla's blood was found on a fan cord in her father's (DiPietro) basement. A "fist size" stain of her blood was allegedly found on Justin's mattress. There was allegedly blood in her carseat, on a doll, on the sofa, in Justin's sneakers, on a plastic tote in the basement, on a sheet, on the floor and walls, on a wood pallet in the basement, even on her pink princess slippers.

Is it any wonder Trista Reynolds is demanding her ex-boyfriend's head on a platter? Along with the folks who were there the last night her daughter was scene, way back in December 2011?

Something horrible happened. And someone knows about it.

That much blood, folks, isn't likely to have come from some little cut. Even head wounds -- which every parent knows bleed in often scary amounts -- aren't likely to spread that much blood to that many places.

So why hasn't anyone been arrested?

Why is this case still sitting out there?

In case you doubt the veracity of Trista Reynolds' claims, the cops aren't denying the details of Ayla's case. They aren't confirming it, but a spokesman also said specifically that they aren't "refuting" this horrifying evidence.

I feel for the cops; I really do. You can't take a case to court until it's rock solid. You don't want to risk losing a chance to prosecute because you don't make your case.

But 21 months have gone by, this woman hasn't seen her child, and she's got to live with these horrors they've shared with her every day ... while she doesn't see any action. Releasing this information may make it harder on the cops, but they aren't giving her much choice in the matter. She wants justice for her child!

Right now she's becoming the squeaky wheel hoping to get some grease, and they need to do something. Make an arrest, if they can. And if they can't, then explain to her WHY NOT. Give her something!

Because she's not going away, and from the sounds of it, I can't blame her.

What do you think of Trista's decision to release this information? Are the cops being fair to her?

 

Image via United 4 Ayla

School Has No Business Banning Candy From My Kid's Lunch

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

candyMy daughter got off the bus the other day as mad as a wet hen. I'd packed her lunch -- as I always do -- and I'd included a small treat, a lollipop, as one of her two snacks. I thought I was doing something nice for my hard-studying kiddo, but it turns out I'd just cheated her out of one of her snacks for the day. She told me she's not allowed to have candy at lunch time.

Coming from a school that sells ice cream and cookies in the cafeteria, I'm not sure it could get much more hypocritical.

To be honest, I've had this happen before. Every year, usually around Halloween, when I'm trying to break up that huge bag of trick or treating booty into small "everything in moderation" portions, the kid comes home in tears because I forgot the "rules" (rules that aren't in the school handbook -- yes, I checked). I slip in a treat, and she comes home upset that a lunch monitor decided to pass judgment on my parenting.

"You have to send something healthy, Mom!" she'll tell me. Huh. I thought the (antibiotic-free, humanely raised) turkey on whole wheat and the string cheese met that criteria. Not to mention the (BPA- and phthalate-free) bottle of water.

More From The Stir: Schools Are Sneaking Pink Slime Back Into Kids' Lunch

We pack healthy lunches in our house. We have a healthy kid. So I have a hard time with the sugar police stopping her from the occasional lollipop or Hershey's kiss, even if it is on school property.

I understand that not every parent takes the care that I do to pack something healthy. But is it really anyone's business what we want our kids to eat at lunchtime? Is it up to the school to decide what is healthy and "appropriate," or is it the parents?

I might be less inclined to complain if it weren't for the aforementioned ice cream and cookies that are readily available for our kids to gobble up (at a price, naturally). Nutrition-wise, who's making the wiser choice here? One Dum Dum lollipop (which is what I sent in her bag last week) has 26 calories, no fat, and about 3 grams of sugar. It's not healthy per se, but we're talking about one small lollipop. A Fudgsicle bar has 100 calories (18 from fat), 2 grams of fat, and 14 grams of sugar.

Come on, folks. It's a school; I'd hope SOMEONE can do the math there. I think I'm making the smarter choice.

Heck, I make a lot of smart choices for my kid, day in and day out, from bedtime to what she wears to what sports she plays and on and on and on. The government trusts me to make hundreds of decisions for her every day. But they can't trust me to know whether it's OK for her to have one lollipop with her meal?

Give me a break!

Do you send candy in your kids' lunch? Is it a problem for the school?

 

Image via chris.vandyck/Flickr


Teacher Who Raped Child Walks Free After 'Skating on Justice'

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Stacey RamboldThings were supposed to change for Auliea Hanlon. The teacher who raped her 14-year-old daughter was sentenced to just 30 days in jail by a judge who had the audacity to pin some of the blame on the child for her assault. But a public outcry was supposed to help. It hasn't. Stacey Rambold walks out of jail today a free man ... he's only been in there for 30 days.

It's been six years since the 2007 rape of Cherice Moralez. The child is dead -- she committed suicide in 2010, a victim of bullying after the details of her sexual assault became public. And after six years, Auliea Hanlon feels like nothing is going to change.

She says Stacey Rambold is "skating justice."

Can you blame her?

District Judge G. Todd Baugh handed down this ridiculous sentence back in August, and since then there's been a formal complaint against him lodged with the state of Montana's Judicial Standards Commission.

But that will take time. Too much time.

There's also an appeal of Rambold's sentence, but even that could take six to 18 months to work its way through the Montana Supreme Court.

That's too much time. Too much when you consider it's already been six years since this little girl was hurt, six years of waiting for justice and getting ... 30 days?

Meanwhile, a rapist, a man convicted of raping a 14-year-old child, a TEACHER who should have had the best interests of children at heart, walks free today.

The wheels of justice grind slowly -- at least that's how the saying goes. But at what point does all this time make justice almost moot? What's just about a mom waiting to hear if maybe, possibly, the man who raped her child will finally get more than a slap on the wrist?

Can you believe they let Stacey Rambold out of prison? How long should he be in there?

 

Image via Billings Police Department

Popular Baby and Kids' Natural Sunscreen Recalled for Contamination

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

recalled Badger sunscreensA sunscreen popular with parents as a natural alternative for their babies and kids is being pulled off shelves. W.S. Badger Company has joined forces with the FDA to recall thousands of bottles of Badger Baby Sunscreen and Badger Kids' Sunscreen after identifying microbial contamination to the lotion parents use to keep their babies safe from the sun.

Are you using the organic sunscreen on your kids? Here's what you need to know.

1. The recall applies to all lots of Badger's 4-ounce SPF 30 Baby Sunscreen Lotion and one lot of its 4-ounce SPF 30 Kids' Sunscreen Lotion.

2. Tests reveal the recalled sunscreens were contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida parapsilosis, and Acremonium fungi, bacteria tied to a number of diseases and infections.

3. No adverse reactions have been reported; however, parents are being asked to stop using the sunscreen immediately. If they have noticed any reactions, parents are asked to report them immediately to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.

4. The affected sunscreens include SPF 30 Baby Sunscreen Lotion 4oz (UPC: 634084490091 & 634084490114) Lot #’s 3024A, 3057B, 3063A, 3063B, 3132A, 3133A, and SPF 30 Kids' Sunscreen Lotion (UPC: 634084490145 & 634084490169) Lot # 3164A. The UPC and lot codes can be found on the top front of the tube crimp.

5. Recalled sunscreens can be returned to the retailer for a refund, or parents should call the Badger company, 1-800-603-6100, between the hours of 8:30 to 4:30 ET, Monday through Friday, or email them at recalls@badgerbalm.com.

Are you using this sunscreen on your babies?

 

Image via FDA

Missing Toddler Ayla Reynolds' Mom Puts Dad in Uncomfortable Position

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Justin DiPietroThe father of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds got his day in court this week. Justin DiPietro was sentenced on Wednesday to four days in jail for violating conditions of his release related to an assault charge that was dismissed. Meanwhile he walked out of court a free man, and right into the crosshairs of the missing toddler's mom, Trista Reynolds.

Trista confronted Justin while a crowd screamed "where's Ayla" and called the father of her daughter, the last person to see the little girl alive before she disappeared in December 2011, a murderer. She wants answers.

But what about dad?

He apparently walked away from Trista and the crowd without a word.

We haven't heard much more from Justin.

Trista Reynolds has spearheaded the campaign to find out what happened to her little girl back when she was in rehab, and her ex-boyfriend was supposed to be caring for the child? This week released horrifying information about blood found pretty much everywhere in DiPietro's home.

She wants him arrested, and I can't blame her.

DiPietro, upstanding citizen that he is, says he's innocent. Of course.

And maybe he is. It's not fair to convict in the court of public opinion.

But does anyone else find it odd that he hasn't done a thing to help his own reputation? That mom is all alone out here? She's doing all the heavy lifting to try to force the cops to get cracking on her daughter's case and dad is ... what? Getting himself into legal trouble?

How about getting out on the streets with Trista? Demanding justice for his little girl?

Unless he wants us to think that Trista is right ... Justin better do something to show that his little girl means something to him.

What do you think of the way Ayla's mom is attacking her dad? Is it fair?

 

Image via Cumberland County Jail

'Duck Dynasty' T-Shirt Causes Big Problems for High Schooler

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

Duck Dynasty shirtHold on to your hats, parents, we've got another "kid in trouble for a t-shirt" story. Only the Virginia teenager who was told his Duck Dynasty shirt was inappropriate for school may surprise you. His reaction to the school putting its foot down on his Uncle Si tee is one for the record books.

Fans of the A&E reality show know Si Robertson as the older bearded man (as opposed to all the other bearded gents) prone to malapropisms. Hence the saying on teen Hunter Spain's shirt that ruffled feathers at Dinwiddie High School: "I will hurt you physically and metaphysically."

School officials said the threat of violence was inappropriate and told Spain to turn it inside out. So what did he do?

He took the offending shirt off and put on a new one. As Hunter said:

I'm not going to look stupid in front of all of these young ladies in the school. So, I decided to get a different T-shirt.

Wait a second. A kid who actually just ... follows the rules?

Go ahead, talk amongst yourself. I do believe I'm a bit verklempt.

Ahhh, where was I? Oh, right, a kid who saw the reason in some reasonable rules and followed through. I like this kid. And I love how he referred to the girls in his school as "young ladies." What a nice Southern gentleman (kind of reminds me of my husband, who was raised about an hour from Dinwiddie).

I'm not actually sure how this even became news -- it seems perhaps the kid's mother brought it to the media's attention? But the fact is, she should be proud of her kid! He did the right thing here, and that's the "real" story.

Just because a school tells a kid to turn a shirt inside out does not mean the kid is being wrong. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.

And it behooves us as parents to teach our kids the difference, and to teach them how to respond. Not everything is reason to throw a hissy and try to get your way.

My faith in the future is dependent on kids like Hunter Spain, kids who understand that the world does not actually center around them.

So here's my thanks to him, a bright spot in a crazy world! May he wear that t-shirt with pride ... at home!

What would you have done if that was your kid? Would you have been angry with the school?


Image via My Tee Spot

My Third Grader's Homework Is Too Hard for Me

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Post by Jeanne Sager.

third grade homeworkPsst! Come here! C'mon, a little closer. I've got a confession, and I don't need the mommy police hearing. Can you hear me now? OK, well, here's the deal: I hate helping my third grader with her homework.

I know, I know, what kind of mom am I, and blah, blah, blah. But have you looked at a third grader's homework lately? The solution to the Middle East peace crisis seems easier.

I'm not an idiot. At least ... I don't think I am. 

I graduated near the top of my high school class (at age 16, I might add!) and was accepted by one of the nation's top private universities. I was your typical smarty pants know-it-all pain in the tuchas. And third grade math makes me do things I'm not proud of. Like "accidentally" forget that my 8-year-old handed me her worksheets until, "Oh, would you look at the time? I have to go make dinner! Honeeeeeeeeey, your daughter needs you!"

Yes, I drop the third grade homework in my husband's lap. And, come to think of it, I'm not actually as ashamed as I probably should be. Last week, I was completely confused by the value of the number in the thousandths place. There was a 0 there, but the number was 90,000, so there has to be some value, right? Is it 90? Is it 0?

It made my head hurt trying to remember way back to when I was in third grade. I'm a writer. I don't use math every day!

My husband, to his credit, answered her in seconds.

But then ... Monday night he had to call me over to figure out the answer to a problem because, guess what: he doesn't always get it either!

We both thought there were two right answers, and I wrote a note to the teacher to that effect. The kid came home Tuesday with a big "X" and the (one) correct answer circled. Oops.

I should mention my husband is also fairly intelligent. He has a college degree and a pretty responsible job. But he's not smarter than a third grader.

If this story hasn't already made you feel hopeless about the future, get this. The National Center for Family Literacy commissioned a recent survey of parents of kids in grades 1 through 12. They found that 49.1 percent -- almost half -- of all parents have trouble helping their kids with homework. Of that number about 21 percent were just too busy, another 31 percent said their kids didn't want help, and, gulp, 46.5 percent said they didn't "understand" the subject matter.

Check out this infographic they came up with:

 American homework statistics

And we wonder why our kids suddenly reach a stage where they think we're idiots?

News flash: we kind of are.

Do you struggle with your kids' homework?

 

Images via Jeanne Sager; National Center for Family Literacy

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