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Motherhood

Many Parents Are Calling Sexism On These Children's Toys

For as long as we can remember, pink has been associated with girls and blue with boys. But it’s time to break away from these sexist confines and let kids pick out whatever they want to play with. First, though, have a good laugh (and maybe a small scream) over these ridiculous children’s items.

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Many of us have long been frustrated with the idea that certain toys are for boys and others are for girls, and it’s an issue that persists. It has long been the tradition that anything made for girls comes in a range of pinks and purples, whereas clothes and toys for boys are made in shades of blue. But the sex segregation in children’s clothing and toys seem to have only gotten worse as time goes on.

There are some who might think that a toy can’t do much damage, but that’s really not true.

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And toys like these don’t help at all. Here are some of the most sexist toys and children’s items that people have found out in the real world.

These Onesies

Yes, what you’re looking at is a onesie that reads “I Hate My Thighs”…for a baby! We get that the message was probably intended to be humorous. It’s for a baby, babies are sometimes chunky, and they can’t read what the onesie says anyway, right? 


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— Let Toys Be Toys (@LetToysBeToys) April 3, 2015

Consider, though, that the onesie made for little boys right next to it has a far more fun design and a message that’s much more positive.

It’s also important to think about other children who might be able to read what that onesie says, who may have never thought about what their bodies looked like until they saw it.

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A recent survey shows that parents play one of the biggest roles when it comes to how children learn to see their bodies, and even as a joke, talking about chunky thighs or hating your body isn’t going to do them any favors in the long run.

These Dress-Up Suits

We may have been able to quell some of our rage over these play outfits if they had produced two doctor suits, one pink for girls and one blue for boys. At least that’d put them on equal footing in some way. Instead, the suit with the girl on the packaging happens to be a beautician’s outfit, while the packaging with the boy is for a doctor’s outfit.

Apparently, the creators of this toy think girls are better suited to sticking with hair and nails, while the boys should be left to the tougher job of figuring out the human body.

There’s nothing wrong with a girl who likes to do her nails or style her hair, but toys like this seem to be pushing girls toward those types of interests. If your little girl has aspirations of being a doctor, we say let your her perform as many check-ups as she wants.

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While you’re at it, let your little boy do your hair from time to time if that’s what he feels like doing.

These Cookbooks

We’re always happy to celebrate kids getting in the kitchen, but it’d be hard not to notice the dramatic differences between these two cookbooks.

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The cookbook for girls is clearly designed to impart a whimsical, dainty feeling, and the cupcakes on the front may even be implying that baking is what girls should be doing with their time in the kitchen. The cookbook for boys, on the other hand, pictures all kinds of delicious looking food on its cover, and it’s clearly the book that has the more fun vibe.

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If you ask us, getting kids to want to spend time in the kitchen is a great thing no matter what you’re making, and they should be encouraged to make whatever it is that they want. After all, boys like cupcakes just as much as girls do, and a little girl would happily chow down on that burger or pizza just like a boy would.

This Bible

Call us crazy, but we’d think that the lessons in the Bible were intended to be beneficial for anyone to learn, not some for certain people and some for others.

Yet again, we see another item marketed specifically for girls that comes in a shade of bright pink—this time complete with girl in a pink shirt, purple skirt, and a bow in her hair. Don’t you know that’s what all girls wear?

This Tape

Ah, yes, because girls can’t use tape unless it comes in comes in female-friendly packaging. Perhaps it’s easier to tear, you know, because of girls’ delicate fingers. 

What’s even worse is that this tape is probably just the same as the plainly decorated variety, and it likely costs much more, all because it comes inside of this useless packaging.

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Fortunately, it’s also giving us a good laugh, serving as a reminder of the hilarious fiasco surrounding the Bic Cristal “For Her” a few years ago.

These Magnets

Along with color-coding these magnets to go with each gender, the terms contained within these sets are completely sexist.

Are the manufacturers of these toys trying to tell us that boys don’t like ice cream, sunshine, and friends? Do they honestly think they’d prefer scary monsters, ghosts, and bones?

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On a side note, if your child prefers bones to actual friends, we fear you may be raising a serial killer.

These Coloring Books

Are children not allowed to just draw whatever pops in their head anymore? On the girls side, we have horses, flowers, faces, and other “cool stuff”—whatever that means—while the boys get aliens, robots, and warriors.

We’re obviously not saying that girls have to like any of the things in the boy coloring book or vice versa, but who decided that any of these things were inherently male or female?

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Honestly, though, we’d love to hear how “faces” were deemed as a girls-only interest.

These Guide Books

These books claim that their intent is to explain the things out there that are “inappropriate for young girls” in a way that is appropriate.

We could possibly be understanding of these books if they wanted to explain these scarier topics in a way that seemed more appropriate for all young children, but they seem to be implying that the subject matter isn’t interesting for boys, only for girls.

These Snacks

We get the need for cute, bear-shaped food that’s targeted toward children—sometimes you just need to do what you have to to get a kid to eat something, right? This just crosses the line, though.

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We’re not quite sure what the difference is between “wild paprika” and “sweet paprika” but, based on the photos on the bag, the flavors appear to be the same. In fact, everything about these products seems to be the same other than the color on the bag—why not just make them “for kids”?

This Slide

If you gave a massive eye roll the second you saw this labeled as a slide for boys, know that you’re not alone.

Do boys possess some quality that allows only them to use this oh-so-special slide? Are girls physically repelled by its blue and green colors, unable to get too close without melting?

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Unfortunately, we still see these types of color-coded toys on a daily basis, and they only serve to further reinforce gender stereotypes for young children. For girls, these seem to be toys that focus on appearance or taking care of others, whereas boys seem to get the toys that focus on fun, action, and bravery.

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Of course, kids should be allowed to pick out whichever toys they gravitate to, and if that sometimes happens with pink toys for a girl or blue toys for a boy, so be it. Sometimes they will legitimately like a toy or its color without any outside influence. The point here is to let kids be kids, and let their toys be toys for all of them.

Categories
Lifestyle

15 Things You Didn't Know Could Make You Sick

You might consider yourself a clean freak, but germs often lurk in the most unsuspecting places. Unfortunately, you could be exposing yourself to illness with almost everything you touch, and you probably didn’t realize it.

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For most of us, getting sick start with looking for someone to blame—the coworker who infected the whole office, your child who brought home a bug from daycare, your partner who refused to get a flu shot. However, besides the obvious culprits, there are a lot of other things that could be making sick, and you’ve probably never even thought of them.

Restaurant Menus

Sure, laminated restaurant menus probably get washed every now and then, but how often really? Unless they get sticky, it’s not likely that they get washed between customers, meaning that you’re picking up anything on the hands of the diner that came before you.

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On average, restaurant menus carry around 185,000 bacteria, and they can actually last longer on laminated menus than they do on paper versions—we’re potentially talking things like E. coli and salmonella, along with the more common cold and flu bugs, too.

Water Dispensers

The point of a water dispenser is to filter the bad stuff out of our water—how could it be making us sick? Think for a second about the last time you actually decided to clean or sanitize that dispenser, and you have your answer.

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The space can easily become home to mold and yeast, and even some nastier bacteria if it makes contact with a dirty glass. To clean it, just turn your ice maker off, wash the area with a mild soap and warm water, then rinse and dry it thoroughly.

Mascara

If you’ve ever shared your mascara with anyone, even a trusted friend, we have one question to ask you—do you want to get pink eye? Because that’s how you get pink eye.
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Fungi and bacteria can lurk around the eye without causing any symptoms whatsoever, but give them a tube of mascara to live in and they’ll thrive. Do yourself and your friends a favor and keep your products to yourself, and replace your tube of mascara every three months if you haven’t used up the whole thing.

New Clothes

You’d think you’d be safe buying brand-new clothes from the store, but that’s not always the case. For one thing, clothes that have never been washed can still contain traces of materials they may have picked up while being processed, including formaldehyde.

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These chemicals can cause skin irritations, or lead to an extreme allergic reaction in others. Not only that, but things like lice and scabies can remain on clothing after someone has tried them on, and you could be picking them up if you don’t kill them off with a wash.

Your Yoga Mat

Even if you bring your own mat to your favorite yoga class, you could still be putting your skin at risk if you don’t take care of it.

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Though standard yoga doesn’t often lead to heavy sweating, any little bit of sweat could be getting trapped in your mat where it can feed any lingering fungus or bacteria. Do yourself a favor and clean it regularly.

TV Remotes

We hate to break it to you, but your television remote may just be one of the most disgusting things you own. Just think for one second about how many germs you could potentially pick up on your hands, how often you touch your TV remote without washing your hands, and how often you actually wash the remote itself—we’re willing to bet it’s never.

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It’s actually been confirmed that the TV remote is the most germ-ridden part of any hotel room, especially when you consider that germs could survive for a few days on its surface.

Shower Heads

You might be wondering how something designed to help keep us clean could end up becoming so dirty, but the answer lies in how often you actually make time to clean it—like that TV remote of yours, our guess is that it’s not often.

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Unscrew your shower head and you’ll likely find a layer of slime referred to a biofilm, which can easily become a feeding ground for bacteria. In fact, your shower could be giving you a respiratory infection without you even knowing it.

Your Washing machine

Yes, washing machines help to clean our clothes, but those detergents we add into them aren’t actually designed to get rid of germs. Not only that, but most people don’t wash their everyday laundry with hot water, so there’s really nothing to get in there and clean the machine.

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If your washing machine has a setting that’s solely designed to clean itself out, give it a whirl from time or time, or just run the machine empty with hot water and bleach.

Toilets

Have you ever heard that flushing the toilet with the lid open sends tons of disgusting particles flying into the air? If you brushed it off, you shouldn’t because it’s real and it even has a name—toilet plume.

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If you’re someone who’s prone to bringing your phone into the bathroom, this is a habit you should probably rethink, as any particles that settle on your phone could end up on your face or, even worse, on your fingers that later end up in your mouth.

Produce

Most people know that washing produce before eating it is the right thing to do, but there are a lot of people who probably don’t follow this rule because it’s inconvenient. However, did you know that sometimes it’s washing your produce that could be contaminating it?

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For things that are pre-washed, it’s washing them in the sink that could be exposing them to any bacteria that could be lurking there. If you’re someone who likes to make sure your produce is extra clean, make sure you’re not exposing it to anything but water.

Kitchen Gadgets

When was the last time you cleaned off the blade on your can opener, the meat and produce drawers in your refrigerator, or the gasket of your blender? These items come into contact with food often, and they’re ones that most of us don’t even think to clean.

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It’s important to consider, though, as they could be introducing bacteria into our food with each use.

Handshakes

There are some who can’t stand a weak handshake, but did you know that a weak handshake actually transfers less germs than a strong one? In fact, a strong handshake is likely to transfer twice the amount of bacteria to the other person’s hand than a weak one is.

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Your best bets? When you can, go with a high-five or a fist bump, and just try not to give too firm of a handshake the rest of the time.

Waiting Room Magazines

It might not seem like a magazine would be home to too many germs, but consider how many people might touch them on any given day, along with the fact that they can’t be disinfected.

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If you’re looking at a magazine in a doctor’s office waiting room, you should also think about what the person who read the magazine before you might’ve been in the office for, and whether or not they could’ve left a piece of it behind.

Water Bottles

Yes, a reusable water bottle is excellent for the Earth, but it might not always be the best for your health if you don’t wash it often. Even if you don’t mean to, you could be adding bacteria from your mouth into you water with each drink you take, and it’ll only start to multiply as the water sits.

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How much bacteria, exactly? Research shows that any given water bottle may be home to “300,000 colony-forming units per square centimeter.

Escalators

Next time you head to the mall or airport, think twice before you grab onto the handrail of that escalator. Tests have shown that they commonly contain substances like blood, feces, urine, mucus, E. coli, and plain ol’ food.

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If you have to grab on for whatever reason, hunt for some hand sanitizer before you do anything else, and especially before you touch your face, phone, or especially your mouth.

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Nosh

8 Toxic Things You Didn't Know You Were Feeding Your Kids

We all know the basic diet no-nos for our kids: no corn syrup, less sugar, fewer chicken nuggets. You might be surprised to hear that there are a lot more of them out there, and you could be giving them to your kids every day.

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Every parent wants to give their child the best they can, and that’s especially true when it comes to food. Did you know, however, that even the most conscious of parents could be exposing their children to toxic substances each and every day? Here are some of the harmful materials you could be giving your children without even knowing it.

Arsenic

Most people probably hear about arsenic on some of their favorite crime shows, whether true or fictional, but it’s something you could actually be feeding to your own children. The inorganic, more toxic form of arsenic is present in rice in pretty high levels because it leaches from the soil into the water rice grows in. Large amounts can eventually begin to affect children’s learning abilities, which is important to be aware of when you consider how many foods made for young children are made from rice.

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The Solution?

Thankfully, the FDA has set limits for the amount of arsenic that can be present in rice-based products for children, such as rice cereal. For most parents, though, any amount of arsenic sounds like too much. Try feeding your children different types of grains or give them yogurt, avocados, cooked vegetables, or soft fruits in place of rice-based snacks.

Pesticides

We all know that pesticides are typically used for growing fresh produce, but many people probably believe that a quick rinse of water can get it off. However, many pesticides can actually penetrate the produce itself and make their way into your kids’ bellies no matter how much you wash them.

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One particularly toxic pesticide, chlorpyrifos, is present on many fruits that young children eat often. “The testing that’s been done for residue finds it on apples, berries, melon (even on the inside), oranges, bananas—the kinds of fruits that are on the table for children,” says National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) senior scientist Miriam Rotkin-Ellman.

The Solution?

Though organic produce isn’t necessarily pesticide-free, organic farmers are only authorized to use pesticides that are plant- or mineral-based, or those that will naturally break down quickly.

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For the safest produce, try to buy organic when you can and make you sure wash your produce thoroughly no matter what.

Antibiotics

Even though they’re only prescribed by doctors when absolutely necessary, many people are consuming antibiotics each and every day, maybe without even realizing it. Much of the meat we consume today contains antibiotics—growth hormones, too—given to animals as they grow to combat the growth of bacteria that can occur due to unsavory factory farming practices.

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For farmers, it’s a good deal—with antibiotics they can pack more animals into smaller spaces without worrying about the spread of disease, and they can produce larger animals in a much shorter span of time with growth hormones. However, these substances remain in our meat even after it has hit our tables and can cause many different issues such as antibiotic resistance, cancer, and early puberty.

The Solution?

It’s not something that’s always possible for everyone, but families should definitely try to buy organic meats when they can. Grass-fed beef and dairy products are great choices, too—studies show that grass-fed beef actually contains more calcium, vitamins, and minerals than grain-fed.

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If either of these options don’t fit into your budget, just look for labels that certify the meat is antibiotic- and growth hormone-free.

Processed Meats

Aside from the fact that processed meats are pretty much bound to contain antibiotic- and hormone-laced meats, they generally contain a slew of other things that are just plain bad for you.

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Among meat that might come from questionable parts of various animals, things like hot dogs can also contain nitrites or nitrates, corn syrup, and “flavor.” Unfortunately, kids are the ones who end up eating things like this most often, and they can suffer because of it, too.

A study by the World Health Organization actually shows that eating a little less than two ounces of processed meat a day can increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer by up to 18 percent.

The Solution?

The obvious answer is to give children quality meat that you’ve cooked in your own kitchen, but there are a lot of parents who need a quick fix every now and then.

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Don’t be afraid to reach for a hamburger or hotdog every now and then, but buy brands that use quality meat and minimal fillers.

Brominated Vegetable Oil

Did you ever think that you’d find oil in drinks? If your kids consume citrus-flavored sodas or sports drinks even occasionally, it’s something that they’re taking in more often than you think.

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Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is an ingredient that’s used to prevent the citrus flavor in these drinks from separating from the rest of the liquid. While that sounds innocent enough, give your kids too many sodas or sports drinks and they could end up with bromine toxicity, which can cause problems with the skin, memory, and nerves.

Consumption of products with BVO has actually been found to leave trace amounts of the substance in the fat within the brain and different organs. Fortunately, it is not used in too many products today.

The Solution?

That’s not to say that you won’t find it anywhere, though. It can still be found in the regular and diet versions of one particular neon-green soda—we’ll leave the guesswork up to you.

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If you consume any citrus-flavored drinks on the regular, make sure to check the labels and maybe opt for something with a little less sugar in general.

Phthalates

While phthalates aren’t something you’ll find in your food, you could be packing your child’s lunch in them every day.

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They’re a type of chemical often found in plastic that are considered to be endocrine-disrupting, meaning that they can disrupt your body’s normal hormone production, and children are especially susceptible. It’s common to find phthalates in higher-fat dairy products, as milk is often packaged in plastic, as well as transported in plastic tubing during processing and packaging.

The worst part is that even buying organic won’t help, because the standards that apply to organic products don’t necessarily apply to their packaging.

The Solution?

Because phthalates are often found in the fat within dairy products, you can always opt to buy lower-fat versions of your favorite products. This probably isn’t the best route, though, as low-fat products are usually more processed than their full-fat counterparts.

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Instead, try to buy products that are packaged in glass when you can find them.

BPA

If you’ve walked through a grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed that many of the cans and packages you see now boast that they are “BPA-free.”

BPA stands for bisphenol-A, which is a chemical that is often added to plastic and the lining of cans to make them stronger. Like phthalates, it is also known to disrupt hormone production and can leach into food pretty easily, especially canned foods.

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It was once so prevalent that it was even found in bottles, plastic baby food containers, and sippy cups, though the FDA no longer allows these items to be made with plastic that contains BPA. It’s probably because even low levels of BPA in young bodies have been linked to delayed brain development, reproductive system damage, behavioral issues, and cancer.

The Solution?

Thankfully, manufacturers have made it pretty easy to ensure that you’re buying something in a BPA-free package—they’re now proud to put the claim right on the label.

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For items packed in cans or plastic, make sure you can see that you’re buying a BPA-free product. When you can, try to buy products packed in glass.

Aspartame

Whether it’s for themselves or their children, most parents tend to think that an ar
tificial sweetener is better than a ton of real sugar. After all, you get the same sweet taste with none of the harmful side effects of sugar, right? Not so much.

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For one thing, even though aspartame isn’t real sugar, its sweet taste only helps to keep your sweet tooth alive, and it’ll keep your body craving sugar. Not only that, but tests performed on both humans and animals strongly suggest that aspartame may be linked to cancer development.

The Solution?

In general, it’s a good idea to try to cut down on all sweet treats, whether they’re sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners. When you or kids have the occasional treat, however, stick to things that are sweetened with real sugar.

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Even better? Look out for items that are sweetened with things like honey or maple syrup instead—in moderation still, of course.

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Motherhood

The 23 Weirdest Parenting Trends Seen In the Past 100 Years

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, it seems like everyone has their own opinion on how parents should raise their kids. If you think you’ve heard some weird suggestions before, wait until you hear what parents did in the past.

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Trends come, go, and stay for everything under the sun, and parenting strategies are no different. When you hear about some of these strange trends throughout history, you’ll be glad they were just fads.

No Cuddling

Most parents take any opportunity they can to snuggle with their baby, but it actually used to be frowned upon. In fact, in the 1910s, it was believed that you should touch your baby as little as possible because it was thought to make a child spoiled. This trend even continued into the ‘20s, encouraging parents to resist hugging or kissing their children.

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Avoiding “Soft” Names

It’s no secret that certain names have been more popular than others throughout the years, but experts used to encourage parents to avoid names that were too “soft.” It was thought that certain names “lacked backbone,” no matter the personality of the child.

Infant Potty Training

What, you mean to tell us that you don’t have time to go hold your infant over the toilet 20 times each day? Apparently it’s what was expected back in the ’30s, as parents were often advised to start potty training right after their babies were born. Surprisingly—or is it?— this was actually recommended by the American government.

Window Cages

Parents don’t even leave their babies on a table alone for one second, let alone anywhere near a window. Not in the ‘30s, though—parenting experts were so obsessed with babies getting fresh air daily that they actually invented a baby cage that essentially had children hanging on the outside of buildings.

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Even more surprising than the invention is that it seems no children ever got injured (or worse) while in one.

Yell all you want.

Today, there’s a product available to help parents baby-proof pretty much anything. Back in the ‘50s, however, it was believed that trying to making the house safer was the sign of a lazy parent.

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Instead, parents were encouraged to yell at their kids until they complied.

Cry-ercising

Sobbing baby? Don’t try to figure out what’s wrong—just walk away.

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In the ‘50s, it was believed that a good cry was essentially exercise for a baby, and parents should just leave them be to work it out themselves.

No Travel

There are certain pregnant women who spend the last few weeks or months of their pregnancies on bed rest, though most of them spend their time walking around right up to the point their water breaks. In 1935, however, it was recommended that all pregnant women avoid any type of travel whatsoever, even in a car.

The Tot Cot

Traveling is stressful enough as it is, and parents know it gets 10 times worse when there’s a baby along for the ride.

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British Airways Speedbird Heritage Centre

In 1958, someone came up with a gadget to make it a little easier by simply placing your baby among your luggage. Yeah—the Sky Cot was essentially a hanging crib that kept your baby out of your lap but close enough for “needed maternal attentions.”

Universal Weight Gain

Now, we all know that each woman’s body changes in its own way during pregnancy, but it wasn’t always that way.

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In the ’80s, doctors advised all women to gain between 25 to 30 pounds while pregnant, no matter their body type or weight before pregnancy.

Think happy thoughts.

Some people like to think that everyone is just one happy thought away from busting out of a funky mood, and this was apparently true in the 1910s as well. In fact, pregnant women were told that they shouldn’t think of ugly things if they could help it, as these thoughts could cause them to have an ugly baby.

Like, a Lot of Happy Thoughts

If you managed to give birth to a good-looking kid, don’t let the good thoughts stop there.

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N.P.G. Oranotype by Heinrich Traut

In 1916, it was actually suggested that mothers who breastfeed could give their babies colic if they fed them while angry.

Fat Bath

We all know that babies have extra sensitive skin, and every parent probably has about 20 bath products for them to prove it.

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In the early 1900s, however, it was thought that the best ingredient for baby’s bath could be found in the kitchen: lard.

Righties Only

Most people know at least person who writes with their left hand, and there are plenty of products out there made especially for the lefties of the world. Until the early ‘20s, however, it was frowned upon for children to be left-handed, so much so that teachers used special braces to train them to stop.

Stick to the schedule.

Babies tend to run on their own schedules, and each baby tends to sleep, eat, poop, and play at a slightly different times. Back in the ‘20s, though?

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Experts recommended that each and every baby follow the exact same schedule when it came to feeding—even if it meant waking your baby up in the wee hours of the morning.

They ate what?!

Nutrition is still a topic that often finds itself up for debate, and the ’40s were no different.

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Some of the advice pregnant were given wasn’t all that bad, but there were many suggestions that were questionable at best, like the suggestion that babies should be given liver soup at only a few months old.

It gets worse…

Among the many terrible suggestions for what babies should eat, one of the worst has to be tripe. Don’t know what that is? It’s the stomach lining from sheep or cows. Although we’re not sure what that would taste like, we can assure you it does look just as gross as it sounds.

Thumb Sucking No More

At what cost, though? Throughout time, parents have tried everything to get kids to stop sucking their thumbs, from lemon juice to physical guards.

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One of the worst ideas, however, was invented in 1942 and contained a gag-inducing combination of nail polish, acetone, and capsicum.

Postpartum Activities

Postpartum depression is no joke and it’s something that more and more women have begun to speak up about.
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In 1958, women weren’t necessarily advised not to talk about it, but experts recommended that they didn’t go to their psychiatrist or doctor. One magazine recommended that, instead of professional help, they strip furniture around their homes.

Starbucks run, anyone?

It’s pretty common knowledge nowadays that children shouldn’t be given caffeine, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1962, one doctor named Walter Sackett actually recommended that parents give their children black coffee starting when they were 6 months old. Oh, he also encouraged parents to feed their 6-week-old babies eggs and bacon.

Thumbs Up for Thumb Sucking

Remember when we said parents were encouraged to let their children eat nail polish to get them to stop their thumbs?

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Well, during the ‘60s, all that advice went straight out the window and parents were encouraged to let their kids suck their thumbs for as long as they wanted.

Snuggling does what?

The advice that parents shouldn’t touch their kids too often actually lasted a surprisingly long time, and actually got more ridiculous as time went on.

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In the early ‘60s, experts claimed it was because showing love to a baby would make them turn out to be a socialist.

The Dreaded Soccer Mom

If you don’t know one, we can bet you’ve at least see one. We’re talking about soccer moms, the parents who encourage their kids to sign up for every activity under the sun so that they can show up to each and every one and take them all WAY too seriously. What we often refer to as “helicopter parenting” took flight in the ’90s, and we hope it’s on its way out soon.

Skipping Bathtime

We’ve gone from bathing in pure fat to barely bathing at all.

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Sometime in the 1970s, parents were encouraged to bathe their children only twice each week—we can only imagine what kind of gunk got stuck in those baby rolls and double chins.

Categories
Lifestyle

15 Tragic Toys That Never Should Have Been On The Market

You’d probably be surprised to learn the number of toys throughout time that have left physical and emotional scars on kids everywhere. In fact, these toys probably should’ve never been made at all.

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Some children’s toys go down in the books as the must-have items of their time, while others end up doomed to spend the rest of their time un-bought on store shelves. We can all picture some of the winners—Tickle Me Elmo, the Furby, Barbies—but what about those that weren’t so successful? Here are some of history’s worst toys that really shouldn’t have ever seen the light of day.

Bebe Gloton

There are a lot of little girls who mimic their own mothers when it comes to taking care of their baby dolls, but this particular doll took it a little too far. It was called the Bebe Gloton: a doll that was designed to act like it was breastfeeding.

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The doll not only made the sounds of a breastfeeding baby, but also—get ready for this—came with nipple vest the child could strap on. Many parents would agree that there’s a time and place to teach their kids about breastfeeding, but it doesn’t seem like this doll should have a part in it. The toy was met with a lot of backlash and is now sold only in Spain.

Slumber Party Barbie

What could go wrong with a Barbie doll that’s just dressed up like she’s having an innocent slumber party with friends? For this doll, the danger is in the accessories. This doll in particular, which was released in 1965, came with a small book with the title “How to Lose Weight.”

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Bako Heat

On the back? The words “Don’t Eat!” As if that wasn’t bad enough, the doll also came with a toy scale that was set to 110 pounds which, with Barbie’s height of 5’9”, would have made her underweight by 20 pounds.

Lawn Darts

Adults know that darts can be incredibly dangerous when used carelessly, so we’d love to hear who thought giant, sharp darts made for kids to throw around were a good idea.

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Time Warp Toys

The toy was so dangerous that in 1988, it was actually discontinued after it was discovered that they were responsible for thousands of various injuries and even four deaths.

Aqua Dots

This toy was released in 2007 but only stayed on store shelves for a short six months. Why? Though fun to look at, the toy consisted of small beads that stuck together when mixed with water, and the beads themselves were pretty tempting for kids to put in their mouths.

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Not only that, but there was a chemical coating on the beads that actually ended up putting two children into comas temporarily. The ingested beads also led to many instances of vomiting, breathing issues, and even seizures.

Buckyballs

Hopefully after this, manufacturers will fully realize how bad of an idea small, bead-like toys are. Buckyballs were technically created as an “adult desk toy,” but any parent will know that putting something on a desk won’t stop their kids from trying to get their hands on it.

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Like the Aqua Dots, kids have been known to eat Buckyballs, and those who have suffered some serious injuries because of it. Because the balls are magnetic, they cling to one another even in the body, and we can all imagine how painful that would be.

“Crazy For You” Teddy

Alright, the joke here is obvious, but it’s not one that we would consider to be entirely funny. This teddy bear was released in 2005 around Valentine’s Day as a unique way to show your partner just how crazy you are about them.

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The bear was actually a hit at first, until it was suggested that the product was pretty insensitive to those with mental health issues. After the issue was brought up, the company stopped production of the toy shortly after.

Preemie Cabbage Patch Dolls

It’s not uncommon for babies to be born prematurely, and we’re guessing that’s why the makers of Cabbage Patch Dolls came up with a preemie version. When you think about it, though, it’s kind of pointless and more than a little wrong.

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Ruby Lane

First of all, delivering a premature baby is something that can be very scary and uncertain. Second, the children playing with a doll like this probably don’t know what a preemie is and wouldn’t really notice the difference between it and another doll—after all, dolls already come in all different sizes.

Fisher-Price Porsche Power Wheels

This type of toy is definitely still around today, and they were all the rage when they first came out—you’re lying to yourself if you say you didn’t want one for yourself as a kid.

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The toy itself wasn’t inherently dangerous, as they came with safety belts and could only go so fast. However, the Porsche model was voluntarily recalled in 1991 because of a battery issue that made the cars unable to stop. Not the best issue to have for anything, let alone a toy that children ride around in. They fixed the issue, thankfully, and the new version is available at stores everywhere.
But the question remains: who thought giving toddlers their own pint-sized rides would end well? Needless to say, there have been more than a few fender-benders since power wheels hit the toy stores.

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Harley Davidson

If there’s anything worse than giving a child their own tiny car, it’s giving them their own tiny motorcycle. Much like the original Power Wheels toy, the Harley Davidson version was pretty popular when it was first released. It didn’t take too long for the issues to roll in, though.

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The foot pedal that made the toy go started to get stuck while it was on, leading to a number of accidents because the kids riding the toy weren’t able to stop it. Fisher-Price recalled the affected models and sent kits to replace the foot pedals.

Hoverboards

The hoverboard is a fairly new invention, although people have been dreaming about its creation for decades. If you’ve ever ridden one, though, you’ll probably wish the idea of it had died in the past.

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Hoverboards are not only super difficult to get the hang of, but it’s incredibly easy to either run over the foot of someone close by or fall off while you’re riding it. Not only that, but there were also widespread issues with overheating batteries that led to approximately 100 burn-related incidents.

Metal Playgrounds

Most playgrounds these days are made of plastic but, back in the day, metal was the material of choice.

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Sure, you can fall off of a metal playground just the same as you could one made of plastic, but metal playgrounds had one distinct drawback—the fact that they felt like molten lava on a hot day.

Slap Bracelets

Slap bracelets were probably created with innocent intentions in mind—just as a bracelet that you can put on in a second with only a quick, gentle slap to your wrist.

The creators didn’t take into account the fact that kids are jerks, and would most definitely use the bracelets to torment all of their friends with unexpected, not-so-gentle smacks. When they were first released, the bracelets were actually banned from many different schools because of injuries caused by irresponsible kids.

Slingshots

We definitely get that slingshots were created for a very practical purpose, but we’re not so sure why someone decided it’d be a good idea to give them to children.

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As most of us know, kids love to push boundaries, and giving them something that’ll let them catapult objects at unsuspecting people is a recipe for pain and disaster.

Ker-Bangers

Ker-bangers, which were also called Clackers and Knockers, because super popular sometime during the ‘60s, and they remained popular well into the ‘80s. The toy was simple—just a thick string with a heavy acrylic ball attached the each end that you swung around to make a clacking noise.
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The toys began to lose popularity in the mid ‘80s because it wasn’t uncommon for the balls to break after being smashed together over and over again, sending small pieces of the material flying everywhere. If you were unlucky enough, you may have even gotten a hand or finger smashed between the balls, too.

The Inflatable Baby Boat

A pool toy that allows young children to sit in the water safely is something all parents can appreciate—well, as long as it works. The company Aqua-Leisure released a number of inflatable pool toys for babies and they were well-received at first.

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Eventually, though, it was found out that the material used for the seat portion of the boats was prone to tearing, making it terrifyingly easy for a baby to slip right through into the water. Thankfully the boats were recalled in 2009, although it was determined that the company knew about the defect for years.

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Wellbeing

Dear Parents: Please Stop Doing These 8 Things

Let’s face it—parenting is hard. Here are some of the small changes you can make today to make life easier for yourself and your children.

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Getty Images News / Brent Stirton

Each and every parent has their own ideas of what’s best for their children, even if they sometimes question whether or not their way really is best. Believe it or not, those feelings of doubt are actually a good thing, because it means that parents are thinking about how their actions now will affect the people their children become later in life. Here are the things all parents should reconsider when it comes to their kids, and why.

Being Their Problem Solver

No parent enjoys seeing their child struggling through something, and the natural inclination is to get involved and help them out. While there’s nothing wrong with lending a helping hand from time to time, do it too much and your child isn’t going to learn anything about problem solving because they never have to think about it.

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Getty Images News / Christopher Furlong

The Solution?

Most parents might even be surprised at what kids can work out for themselves if they’re just given the chance to do it. The next time they’re trying to peel an orange or pick up their own food on a fork, give them some time to give it a genuine shot before you step in.

Using Rewards

These days, it seems like every parent has their own reward system when it comes to their kids, whether it’s cash, stickers, toys, or something else.

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Getty Images News / Rob Stothard

Sure, it can be a great motivational tool for getting kids to do chores or behave while they’re in the store, but this system has one huge problem—it teaches kids that motivation should come when they’re offered something. As adults, we all know that praise doesn’t come after each and every thing we do, and we’re not offered treats just for using the toilet or keeping our homes clean.

The Solution?

To motivate your child without physical rewards, present tasks to them in a way that either makes them fun or sound like a challenge and you’ll likely find that their desire to complete them starts to come from within.

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Of course, you don’t have to do away with rewards for your child entirely—just try to make it a random thing as opposed to something that happens for each and every thing they do.

Pushing Emotions Down

Emotions aren’t always fun or convenient, whether they’re your child’s or yours. When it comes to kids, they often get upset about small things that truly aren’t a big deal, like only being allowed to pick out one type of cereal instead of five, and parents do their best to minimize these feelings when they pop up.

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The danger here, though, is that it can become habit for parents to dismiss their child’s feeling without actually listening to them, distracting them so that they can quickly move on from their latest “silly” outburst.

The Solution?

While it may seem silly to you, young children are still learning about their emotions and how to process them, and even small things can still feel pretty overwhelming to them—the best way for them to learn how to handle them is to acknowledge how they’re feeling.
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After you talk it out, you can also offer up different solutions so they might be better prepared to handle things next time.

Keeping Kids Busy

As a parent, it can be easy to feel like you should give your kids something to do at all times, not letting one moment go unwasted. The thing, though, is that this type of thinking is exhausting for both you and your child.
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Being a parent doesn’t have to mean making sure your child is occupied all day long until they go to sleep, and it’s actually important to make sure that they have the opportunity to decide how they want to spend their time and play independently. They’ll probably feel less bored because they’re doing something they actually want to, and leaving them to their own devices can help them develop many different skills on their own.

The Solution?

Seriously, just sit down with the beverage of your choice and enjoy a little bit of free time.
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Obviously, you’ll need to keep track of what they’re doing to avoid any bad ideas but, for the most part, just let your child call their own shots and see where it takes them.

Striving For Perfection

You are your family members are human beings just like the rest of us, and you are not perfect—you won’t convince us otherwise, not even if you take the most perfect Instagram photo of all time.
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Seriously, though, being a parent isn’t easy and every single parent out there will make a mistake from time to time.

The Solution?

It’s important to let your kids know that making mistakes is just a part of life and that everyone does it, even their mom and dad. If a child sees that you can make a mistake and then push forward afterwards, they’ll be much better prepared to face their own mistakes they will inevitably make in their lives.
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Parents should also make an effort to be present in their children’s lives, truly enjoying the moment with them instead of trying to capture the moment to review later—a well-staged Instagram photo means nothing if you don’t actually have a memory to go along with it.

Yelling

Raising your voice at your kids doesn’t work, and it’s likely that you already know this. Why, then, do so many parents still choose to do it? Of course, it’s because you’re probably aggravated at something your child is or isn’t doing, but shouting at them isn’t what’s going to change anything.

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When you yell, kids are more likely to pay attention to the fact that you’re speaking, but they probably won’t actually hear what you say. As we all know, being yelled at can be pretty intimidating and even scary, and all it’s good for is instilling fear.

The Solution?

The next time you feel tempted to yell at your kids, take a second and just breathe. Think about what specifically you would like them to do or stop doing, and calmly address their behavior.
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Keep your voice steady and stern, but try not to be sarcastic, blunt, or mean. Make sure you give your child specific instructions for what to do next, and follow through with any consequences you lay out for them.

Stressing Over Food

Mealtime can be a big source of stress for parents, as many kids can be picky eaters who demand what they want and expect it when they want it. It can be easy to feel like a full-time chef making meal after meal, snack after snack, only to have your child turn their nose up to the very food they just requested.

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Kidspot

They may also decide they’re not hungry after you’ve lovingly crafted their dinner, then decide they want to eat after you’ve just finished packing up leftovers.

The Solution?

Provide your child with plenty of healthy foods and leave the rest up to them. If they eat a few bites of food, those few bites were nourishing to them and, if they eat the entire plate, even better.
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If you have a picky eater, try having them help in the shopping process. By allowing them to pick out things that look good to them, it’s more likely that they’ll actually want to try those new foods.

Behaving Badly Yourself

Every parent does things they immediately regret, like yelling at their child, snapping at their kids or partner, or just generally being kind of mean to the people around them.

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We get it—parenting is a stressful gig and, like we said before, the pressure to be perfect is real. When these moments happen, though, it’s important to acknowledge that you’re not perfect and handle your own bad behavior in the right way.

The Solution?

Just like you would tell your child when they’ve done something wrong, you need to call attention to your own actions when they’re mean or inappropriate. Apologize to your child or partner for lashing out or raising your voice, and talk it out with them.

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Warped Speed 

You’ll not only feel better about the way you acted, but it’ll also help repair any damage done to your relationship in that moment. You may eventually notice your kids echoing your behavior, owning up to their mistakes on their own when they know they’ve done something wrong.

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Lifestyle

Parenting Hacks That Will Actually Make Life Easier

Parenting definitely isn’t easy, and each stage of your child’s life will come with its own individual challenges. Don’t let it get you down, though. There are plenty of hacks that’ll help you lead your children through some of life’s most difficult times.

Teething

No matter who you are, it’s a guarantee that your baby will begin to teethe at some point in time, and your chances for having an easy experience are slim. It’s not only a slow and painful process for them, but it can also be frustrating and heartbreaking to find something that’ll give your babe the relief they need. However, you can always try the following.

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Jozef Polc

Rub their gums. Putting pressure on a baby’s gums while teething might seem counterintuitive, but the light pressure can actually help with the discomfort. You can either do this using clean fingers, or a cotton or gauze pad that’s been soaked in water.

Try hard foods. Giving your baby something to gnaw on is a great idea if they’re at an age where they can eat solids. Try giving them a chunk of cucumber or carrot straight from the fridge, but make sure it’s big enough that they can’t attempt to swallow it whole. You could also try using frozen yogurt tubes, which will melt as they eat.

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Ditch the drool. Drooling is obviously just a natural part of the teething process, but did you know it can be super irritating for your baby’s skin? When drool sits on the skin long enough, it can actually irritate it, adding to your baby’s discomfort and pain. Make sure you wipe up any leaks as you see them happening, and try applying a moisturizer to their chin to act as a barrier.

Picky Eating

Most kids will inevitably go through a stage where they complain about at least one thing on their dinner plates, and they sometimes won’t eat anything other than a few select items. It can be a frustrating experience, but there are a few things that can help.

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Jozef Polc

Have fun. Your kids won’t want to try anything new if they’re picking up from you that it won’t be a good experience for them. To make it a little more exciting, try cutting foods into fun shapes, using foods that are brightly colored, and serving things with tasty dips or sauces.

Let them help. Obviously, you can’t let your kid do the grocery shopping for you—it’s likely that you’d just come back with cookies, cereal, and fruit snacks. What you can do, however, is let them help you pick things out. When you’re looking at veggies, try asking them what looks good that they might want to try.

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Get sneaky. When all else fails, why not sneak veggies into dishes where you kids probably won’t notice them? You can add chopped up spinach to spaghetti sauce, or put pureed fruit into their yogurt.

Check out a few of our favorite recipes chock full of hidden veggies:

Like these sneaky veggie pizza spirals.

And this creamy mac n’ cheese with vegetables in the sauce.

Potty Training

Potty training seems to be something that’s both anticipated and dreaded by parents everywhere, and for good reason. Don’t make it harder than it has to be, though.

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Danil Roudenko

Go naked. Yeah, it sounds weird, but one reason why kids have trouble with potty training is because it requires some coordination to get their clothes off. Encourage them to try using the potty both before and after their bath when they don’t have clothes on, as it might seem a little easier to them. Once they master that, then start trying it with clothes on.

Stick it to ‘em. Some parents use sticker rewards for good behavior—why not for potty training? Each time they go on the potty instead of in their pants, give them a sticker as a fun and cheap reward.

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Jiri Novak

Bribes help. If you’re at your wits’ end, throw your kid a nice bribe and see if that helps. Offer them a small piece of candy for going on the potty, two pieces of candy if they’ll wipe up themselves, and a cookie if they do everything on their own.

Pacifier Weaning

Taking away a child’s paci is something that tends to go either really well or completely terrible. Here’s what you can do to make the separation a little easier.

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Gable Denims

Don’t ask. No kid will want to give up their pacifier on their own, and asking them if they’re alright with it won’t make them change their mind. When it comes time to ditch it, tell them; don’t seek permission.

Ruin it for them. You know how parents use awful tasting but non-toxic substances to get kids to stop sucking their thumbs? Look into buying something similar for your child’s binky.

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Carlos Galeano

Recruit outside help. Kids always want to know the reasons behind things, so you might need to give them one. Take a note from other parents and tell them that someone like Santa or the Tooth Fairy collect binkies from kids who don’t need them so they can pass them along to kids who do.

Sleeping Alone

Lots of kids get used to sleeping in their parents bed, but the adults in this equation know it’s one that can’t go on forever. So, how do you get them back in their own beds permanently?

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Jozef Polc

Talk about fears. Young kids have real fears about sleeping in their own bed and room, and it’s important not to downplay them—take the time to really listen to them and reassure them. Do what you can to eliminate their fears with things like night lights or sound machines.

Plan ahead. If you try to kick your child out of your bed in the middle of the night, it won’t go over well. Make sure they know the change is coming so you can talk it out ahead of time.

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Give rewards. For every night your child sleeps in their own bed, you can give out something small like a sticker, and then give them something bigger like a new pair of pajamas after a certain number of days.

Listening

We all know that kids have a way of tuning out anything they don’t want to hear, but that can’t and shouldn’t fly. Did you know there are ways you can teach them to listen, even when they don’t want to?

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Gable Denims

Be consistent. If you tell your child that there is a consequence for ignoring you or acting a certain way, follow through. If you don’t, they won’t learn that your words are to be taken seriously.

Give choices. Kids often get upset when they don’t get their way, but that’s because it’s easy to just blurt out a “no” and go on our way. Next time, take the time to compromise—”we can’t go to the park now, but what about after lunch?”

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Gable Denims

Be specific. Instead of telling your child what not to do, tell them specifically what you’d like them to do. Instead of “stop running,” tell them, “please walk in the house.”

Sharing

Some kids take to sharing quickly, while others hold onto their toys like they’re the last toys on Earth. If your little one falls into the latter category, you may be able to make sharing a little less painful.

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Gable Denims

Don’t force it. When you make your kid share with others, they won’t truly learn anything because it wasn’t their decision. Start by talking to them about what they feel comfortable sharing, and then go from there.

Get a timer. If you have to, use a timer to prove to your kid that sharing doesn’t mean they lose a toy for good. Let each kid who’s playing have some time with the toy, and tell them there’s no arguing when their time is up.

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Ask them to help. If you have an older child who has trouble sharing, turn it around by asking them to help you teach their younger sibling about sharing. They’ll take pride in helping and won’t think as much about giving up a toy.

Chores

Most parents can’t wait for the day that their kids are old enough to start helping with chores—if only they’d be as eager to help. Give these tricks a try, and we bet they’ll be a little more willing.

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Play games. Adults don’t even like to do most chores, so you can’t really expect your kids to take to something so tedious and dull. Next time, try having fun with it— try pretending to be robots while you and your kids load the dishwasher or put clothes in the washer.

Make it challenging. Kids get bored with monotony, too, and a challenge here or there can help spice up their chore routine. See if they can do one particular chore faster, or add on another task that’s a little harder than what they normally do.

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Switch things up. If you have more than one child, make sure you switch up chores so each of them have the chance to do something they might enjoy. For example, let one child help plan dinner one week, and then switch to the other child the next.

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Motherhood

9 Weird Things Parents Have Seen On Their Nanny Cam

Thanks to Paranormal Activity and its sequels, there’s probably not a parent alive who’s fond of checking on their baby using a grainy, black-and-white camera. Unfortunately, our options are limited, and baby monitors are the best we’ve got.
Still, we had to ask: Why do they have to be so creepy? Why do night-vision color schemes look so strange? Do baby monitor manufacturers go out of their way to keep parents feeling horrified?
We decided to look into some of the more disturbing baby monitor stories making the rounds on the internet to determine whether they’re worth all the fright. In most cases, we found plausible explanations, but we also found some serious issues that will certainly change our baby-monitoring habits from this point forward.
For starters…

Strange images on baby monitors usually have a simple explanation.

Take a look at the picture below. At first, this doesn’t seem like a disturbing photo. There is, of course, a catch: The family only has one child.

via Boredom Therapy

Yes, we know, it’s terrifying. If you just shuddered and dropped your phone/ran away from your computer, we don’t blame you. However, this photo certainly isn’t proof of the paranormal.
Upon closer inspection, the second “baby” clearly doesn’t exist. He’s a combination of shadows and a slightly strange pattern on the bed sheets, but if you didn’t immediately notice that, don’t feel bad.
Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which people see patterns that don’t actually exist. Humans frequently mistake these patterns as faces, since our brains are wired to recognize other humans. Women are more susceptible to pareidolia than men, by the way, and while we couldn’t find any studies to prove that motherhood plays a role in this phenomenon, we’ve got a hunch.
Most weird baby monitor photos can be easily attributed to psychological phenomena like pareidolia. That also explains pictures like this, which appeared on Imgur with the following caption:
“My sister heard strange laughing from her son’s room, looked at the baby monitor, and saw this.”
via Imgur

The laughter likely came from the baby—or it never existed in the first place—and the “ghastly face” is a crumpled-up sheet. In any case, it makes for a great story (or urban legend).
We don’t blame parents who get a little freaked out when they see something weird. After all, baby monitors typically don’t broadcast high-quality images, so it’s easy to make a mistake. Remove some of the cues (like color) that would normally tell us “this isn’t a face,” add the stress and insomnia that accompany parenthood, and you’ve got a recipe for some late-night creepiness.
via Boredom Therapy

This article will probably disappoint ghost hunters, but parents, you can breathe a little easier. We’re happy to report that spirits still aren’t real, and the next Paranormal Activity won’t take place in your child’s bedroom.

Other strange baby monitor incidents don’t have any sort of supernatural twist.

via Boredom Therapy

Take this photo, which frequently appears on lists of creepy baby monitor shots.
Without a doubt, it’s creepy, but it’s not exactly mysterious; it’s simply a child standing in front of a camera. While the night vision makes it creepy, we’re not really freaked out (although we do wonder whether the parents improved their crib security after snapping this shot).
Likewise, we’ll admit that this next picture looks shocking, but as every parent knows, kids can be freakishly flexible.
via Boredom Therapy

Other strange baby monitor experiences are clear hoaxes or pranks. Those might be our favorites. This popular video shows YouTube user Rich Ferguson executing a simple, easy, and totally harmless prank on his wife.

Ferguson basically took a three-minute video and loaded it into his baby monitor. As the clip shows, it doesn’t take him long to make the changes.
Maybe that shouldn’t surprise use. After all, baby monitors are fairly simple technology; most simply consist of a video monitor, a transmitter, and a couple of microphones. Dedicated hobbyists can easily take advantage of security flaws to pull pranks on their loved ones.
With that said…

With baby monitors, there are a few real-world dangers to consider.

In April 2015, an anonymous couple relayed their real-life horror story to CBS News in New York.
The parents say that a strange voice came through their two-way monitor. The mother was within earshot during one of the occurrences.
“Wake up little boy,” the voice reportedly said, “Daddy’s looking for you.”
The 3-year-old child told CBS that he was terrified of the voice. Understandably, his parents echoed that sentiment.
“My wife walked in and I heard the exact words, ‘Look someone’s coming, or someone’s coming into view,'” the father told the channel. Someone was watching their child—and whoever it was, they’d been watching for a while.

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A mother in Lacey, Washington recounted a similar story to local news station KIRO 7.
“For months, my son was telling his family that the ‘telephone’ was telling him to stay in bed,” the woman told the station.
Initially, she wrote off the incidents, assuming that her child had an overactive imagination. One day, that changed abruptly. She was approaching the his room when she heard a strange woman’s voice coming through her baby monitor.
“Oh, watch this one, she’s coming in again,” the voice reportedly said.
Once again, there’s no supernatural explanation, but in this case, that’s not exactly comforting. We found a half-dozen cases in which hackers accessed baby monitors. Most were trying to play pranks on parents; some seemed intent on tormenting children.
“Hackers can easily target baby monitors,” Ben Carmitchel, president of Datarecovery.com, tells HealthyWay. Carmitchel is an IT security consultant and computer forensics expert.
“I wish I could say that these were isolated incidents, but there are hacking communities set up that enjoy ‘pranking’ families by accessing WiFi-capable monitors,” he says. “Most of the time, they’re just looking for cruel laughs, but obviously it’s a huge security concern for parents.”
A quick YouTube search brings up dozens of videos of hacked baby monitors (some of which are clearly fake, but hey, that’s YouTube). In one of the most popular videos, hackers wake up a child in the middle of the night by playing Smash Mouth’s “All Star.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZodXLiGLsAU&t=1s
At first, this “prank” seems harmless, but it’s a gross misunderstanding of boundaries, at the very least. At its worst, it’s downright sinister. Hackers are essentially telling parents that they have full access to their targets, and that’s a disturbing idea.
That has prompted the government to take action. In 2016, the Department of Consumer Affairs issued subpoenas to four baby monitor manufacturers as part of an investigation into the devices’ alleged security flaws.

Baby Acrobat

Sometimes baby monitors don’t catch the creepy, but the bizarre. Take this incredibly acrobatic child, for example. His monitor captured him crying during the middle of the night, but his parents must not have heard him, because they never came in to check on him.

chrisandkeelanchronicles/YouTube

At some point in time, he must’ve gotten fed up with waiting because he decided to start climbing the railing of his crib and eventually stood up on top of it. He balanced there for about 20 seconds before he fell back into his crib—thankfully not face-first onto the floor.

Paranormal Door-tivity

As a couple watched television while their child slept soundly upstairs, they kept an occasional eye on the baby monitor to make sure everything was as it should be.

“Paranomal Activity” (2007)/Paramount Pictures

Because they saw nothing out of the ordinary going on upstairs, they went on with their night without hearing a peep from their baby.
It’s surprising when you consider that they found all of their upstairs doors and windows open when they finally decided to head to bed. Since they were upstairs, they didn’t think it was likely that someone had broken in, especially just to open a bunch of windows and doors. The most likely explanation?
“Paranomal Activity” (2007)/Paramount Pictures

One of the parents explained that the home originally belonged to his uncle and has a long history of ghostly activity. Thankfully, their child was unharmed, but you can bet they had some pretty unsettling sleep that night, and probably for the next few after that.

If you’ve got a video baby monitor, you’re not defenseless.

Parents can take a few key steps to reduce their chances of this type of attack.
“If you’re buying an internet-connected baby monitor, change the default password and become familiar with the security settings,” Carmitchel says. “Choose a secure password, and don’t assume that hackers would have a single point of access.”
“You’ll also need to secure your home wireless network, email accounts associated with the baby monitor, and anything else that might provide hackers with an opportunity.”

“Nanny Cam” (2014)/MarVista Entertainment

Most people don’t change their default wifi router settings, which can present a serious security issue. For instance, on a typical Netgear router, the default username is “admin” and the default password is “password.”
“If a hacker can figure out your wifi settings, they can probably access any device on your network,” Carmitchel says. “That’s especially true for Internet-of-Things devices like baby monitors.”
You could opt for a more lo-fi monitor that doesn’t connect through your router, but surprisingly, that doesn’t guarantee protection.
“Even if a monitor doesn’t connect to your home wifi, it could be accessible,” Carmitchel says. “Learn about the security features and make sure you’re using them correctly. Read the manual. Every level of protection drastically decreases your chances of a successful attack, because most hackers are going to go after the easiest targets they can find.”
One beneficial feature is frequency hopping spread spectrum. This technology allows a baby monitor to rapidly switch frequencies, decreasing (but not eliminating) the chances of hacking.
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“Other than that, just pay attention to the small stuff,” Carmitchel says. “Turn monitors off when you’re not using them, and of course, make sure that kids can’t reach power cords.”
The good news: With a little bit of setup, you probably don’t have anything to worry about. Most security issues can be easily avoided, particularly if you’re willing to do some research before buying your baby monitor.
Unfortunately, we can’t give you any advice for avoiding the late-night willies. Seriously, if you see something like this at 3 a.m., you’re probably going to get a little freaked out. After all, at the end of the day, baby monitors are pretty creepy.

Categories
Wellbeing

15 Truths That First-Time Parents Never Knew Were A Thing

There are books, there are classes, there are magazines—all dedicated to the topic of parenthood. They’re meant to prepare you and later guide you as you go through what will ultimately be one of the greatest and hardest challenges of your life. Now, if only they actually told you every little thing you need to know…

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Getty Images News / Ian Waldie

Regardless of how prepared new parents try to be, there always seems to be something unexpected that no parenting book or class can teach them. From car seat expiration dates (yeah, that’s a thing) to diapers, baby food, and more, here are some unexpected truths most first time parents don’t know about.

You’re Now An Amateur

No matter what the topic is—whether it’s how your baby sleeps, eats, poops, plays, or even breathes—everyone else you know who has kids, and even those who don’t, will somehow believe they are now your saving grace when it comes to your own child.

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For each thing you believe about child care, there will be at least one person you know who believes the exact opposite and will stop at nothing to convince you their way is best. Whether you decide to grin and bear it or speak up, remember that no one knows your child like you do.

That Car Seat Expires

Most of us think of expiration dates for things like milk and deli meat, but would you have ever guessed that your child’s car seat comes with one, too? Now, it’s not that they “go bad” like our favorite food items would—it’s just that updates are released, new safety regulations come out, and your old car seat may not meet them anymore.

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Getty Images Entertainment / Araya Diaz

You should always consider buying new in the first place when it comes to things like car seats, but if you do want to go secondhand, make sure you know two things: 1) when it was manufactured, and 2) if it’s ever been in a collision. Any car seat that has been in a car during a collision should never be used again because the straps, belts, and plastic could have been weakened by something as small as a minor rear-ending. So don’t buy secondhand unless you trust the seller to tell you the truth.

Car Seats Can Malfunction

Recently an article circulated around the web about how a cheerio got lodged between a locking mechanism. Much to the mother’s horror, this made her car seat incredibly unstable. Fortunately, she discovered this while she was doing a deep cleaning and not during an accident. Just make sure that if you do let your kids eat in their seat that you clean it ALL up.

The Poop Talk Never Stops

Even those who aren’t parents know that newborns poop a lot, but most parents probably aren’t ready for how much they’re actually going to talk about it.

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Baby Center

Whether it’s how often your child goes, what it smelled like, what it looked like, or the number of horrendous blowouts they had that day, talking about it may just be one of the only ways to make it a little easier to deal with.

Babies Shouldn’t Nap In Their Car Seat

For parents who feel deprived of quiet moments, letting their infant take a nap in the car seat might seem like a godsend, but it’s not the best idea. Car seats are designed for safety during transportation, but they weren’t designed to be sleeping devices, and it can actually be a safety hazard to use them as one.

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Jon Barron

In fact, the Journal of Pediatrics reported that 47 deaths occurred between April 2004 and December 2008 due to improper use of carrying and sitting devices for babies—two-thirds of those deaths occurred in car seats.

The Questions Never End

Along with people thinking they know much more about being a parent than you do, they’ll also ask you endless questions about your baby’s daily life.

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Getty Images News / Philipp Guelland

The inquiries about how they sleep at night, how and what they eat, and the types of products you use with them will come rolling in. If you think it’s because people are genuinely curious, don’t kid yourself—whether a little or a lot, they’re judging your answers.

The Messes Won’t Stop

Giving birth is a messy process on its own, but life won’t automatically get nice and tidy just because it’s over. For one thing, babies can produce amounts of poop and vomit that you’d never think were even humanly possible, not to mention that your baby accidentally peeing on you isn’t something that movies just made up.

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Altricharm

Then there are the seemingly endless amounts of formula to mix, bottles to wash, and clothes to clean and fold, and those are things you’ll likely have to do each and every day. Don’t worry, though—it’ll be overwhelming at first, no doubt, but you’ll get the hang of it.

Things Won’t Go To Plan

There will be moments when you have it all figured out—the house is quiet, meaning that the baby will be sure to take a sound nap for at least an hour. You’re about to sit down to eat lunch and relax when you suddenly hear the baby cry, and you know that nap isn’t going to happen.

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Huffington Post

Other times, you’ll make the tiniest noise and the baby will cry for what seems like hours, whereas the next day something might make an earth-shattering noise as it falls and they still sleep soundly.

Bonding Isn’t Always Instant

We all hear stories about how parents immediately fall deeply in love with their child, and there’s no reason why you wouldn’t think that’s the norm. Think again, though, because there are many parents who don’t feel a strong bond with their children right away—and that’s totally normal!

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Getty Images News / Brent Stirton

No matter how prepared for parenthood you are, seeing the tiny alien creature you’ve just pushed out of your body can be pretty overwhelming, scary, and a little jolting. Plus, kids can also be really mean when they’re older—there will be times when you actually don’t like them.

“They Look Just Like You!”

This is a phrase you should just get used to hearing in some way. It’ll either be that the baby looks like you, looks like your partner, looks like the perfect mix of the two of you, or looks like neither of you.

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AFP / PETER PARKS

Prepare yourself for people telling you these things endlessly, as if you had never actually looked at your kid’s face.

The Worrying Is Constant

You can’t stay with your kids all 24 hours of the day, and your worry will be in full force right after a child is born. You’ll worry if one little cough is something much worse, if they’ve accidentally flipped over during the night, or if they’ve swallowed something they shouldn’t have.

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The Consumer Voice

It’ll get even worse when they’re old enough to be mobile and, no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to keep them out of things they shouldn’t be in.
Throughout the journey, you’ll also constantly wonder how good of a job you’re doing, hoping that they’ll turn out to be somewhat normal when they grow up.
All we have to say is that if your kids think Twilight is on par with the Harry Potter series, you’re definitely doing something wrong.
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Livestrong

Wearing A Nice Outfit?

Whether you’re finally wearing nice clothes for the first time in months or you’ve put your baby in a special outfit, be aware that it could be covered in puke or poop at any moment.

Your Relationship Changes

This one should be a no-brainer, but being a parent is a lot harder than all of your favorite Instagram pages make it look.
Yes, you’ll have a lot of great moments, but it’ll make you stressed, tired, worried, overwhelmed, frustrated, and angry at times, all of which can create strain between you and your partner.

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The Balance

You may start arguing more, choosing sleep over sex, and spending the time you have together zoning out on your phones because it’s the only second of free time you have. The only way to make the best of it is to remember that you’re a team and make sure your communication is on point.

You’ll Be Using Car Seats For A While

Car seats seem like something your kids should outgrow by the time they’re 6 or 7, but did you know kids are actually supposed to use car and booster seats until they’re around 12 years old? Of course, it’s dependent on height and weight too, but certain bones don’t form or fuse properly until a certain age.

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Getty Images Entertainment / Tommaso Boddi

Not only that, but they need to stay in the back seat of the car until they’re at least 13. Be prepared to hear lots of whining from them on this one—you’ve been warned, and you know you did it at their age, too.

Things Don’t Have To Be Perfect

After your baby is born, people will stream into your house wanting to pay you and your new addition a visit. Like most people, you’ll probably feel a little stressed about it, wanting to make sure everything is in its proper place before anyone steps foot in your house.

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Realtor

What you should remember, though, is that you just had a baby! No one is judging you if your house is a mess, you haven’t eaten a meal that didn’t come from a drive-through in days, or if you haven’t had time to take a shower that day. Don’t feel bad if people offer their help either—what you’re doing is hard, and their offers will usually be genuine.

There’s No Big Secret

People always wish there was one secret, one trick, that can make them a good parent, or help their child to grow up “right.”

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Getty Images News / Handout

The truth is that every person, every family is different and what works for someone else might not work for you. Just do your best and remember that everything will be alright.

Categories
Nosh

Here's How To Reduce A Kid's Risk For Developing A Peanut Allergy

We all know that peanut allergies are common—it’s evident from the food allergy warnings on virtually every food product we have. It’s easy to think that any food allergy just occurs naturally, but that might not actually be the case. Believe it or not, keeping kids away from peanuts when they’re young is the very thing that could be giving them a peanut allergy later on in life.

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With all of the peanut-allergy horror stories out there, many parents are hesitant to give their children peanut products even when they’re at the proper age. We’ve been told for decades to keep nuts of any kids away from kids less than a year old though many parents take the suggestion even further, some stashing away the peanut butter until their kids are 5 years old or more. Did you know, however, that keeping peanut products away from your kids is exactly what could make them develop an allergy?

A recent study done by the Immune Tolerance Network called Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) is now encouraging parents to begin introducing peanut products to kids before they turn a year old. Why?

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US News Health

Currently it is estimated that 2 percent of American children have a peanut allergy and, although that doesn’t sound like a huge number, it was only at 0.4 percent 20 years ago in 1997.

In fact, a peanut allergy is one of the most common allergies in the United States, and it can often be responsible for life-threatening reactions. It’s even become so common that some airlines will refuse to serve bags of peanuts as in-flight snacks if there is a passenger on board with a severe peanut allergy.

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Healthy Travel Blog

While it might seem like a slight inconvenience at first, you may want to consider that even contact with the dust from peanuts could send someone with an allergy into anaphylactic shock.

That’s right—someone who’s allergic wouldn’t even have to touch an actual peanut to have a reaction. They could be triggered by a food that came into contact with peanuts during processing, even if it doesn’t contain them, or just by walking by a bag of peanuts at a ballgame. 

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iScienceTimes.com

It’s not uncommon for those with peanut allergies to be allergic to tree nuts as well, including:

  • – Pecans

  • – Almonds

  • – Walnuts

  • – Pistachios

  • – Pine nuts

  • – Hazelnuts

  • – Macadamia nuts
  • When you compare the United States to other countries, it’s easy to see that we encourage parents to wait much longer before introducing their children to peanut products due to fear of an allergic reaction.

    HealthyWay

    It’s actually become such a serious issue that many schools have actually banned anyone from bringing anything that contains peanuts through their doors.

    In countries like Israel, however, the majority of kids start eating peanuts by the time they are a year old, most often in the form of Bamba, a cheese puff-esque snack made from crushed peanuts.

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    Sarah Anne Ward / The New York Times

    The LEAP study was done to see if there was any connection between keeping peanut products away from young kids and their risk of developing an allergy. The study involved more than 600 kids and went on until they were six years old.

    The result? Introducing peanuts into a child’s diet earlier on can reduce their risk for developing a peanut allergy by up to 80 percent.

    For any parents rushing to the pantry to get their kid a spoonful of peanut butter, there’s more to it than just giving a child some peanuts and hoping for the best. It’s important to note that how you introduce peanuts into your child’s diet is almost as important as when you do it.

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    Raw, whole peanuts should never be given to young children, as they pose a very strong choking hazard for kids without teeth or those who don’t chew well. Instead, start them out with a puffed peanut snack or toast with peanut butter.

    The recommendations out there for giving peanut products to kids are based on how likely a child is to develop allergies.

    HealthyWay

    Believe it or not, an egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies in kids that can indicate susceptibility to other food allergies or sensitivities. Asthma and eczema can also indicate that a child may be more likely to develop allergies.

    Before you give your child peanuts, consider which category they fall into:

  • – Kids with asthma, severe eczema, or egg allergies: This group of children is at the highest risk of developing a peanut allergy. Parents of children who fall into this category should consult an allergist or doctor before introducing their kids to peanut products so they can perform tests to see if there will be a reaction.
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  • – Kids with moderate eczema, but no asthma or allergies:
  • Children in this category will be less likely to develop a peanut allergy, but it is still recommended to wait until they are at least six months old to give them peanut products.

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    iStock

    – Kids with no asthma, no eczema, no food allergies, and no family history of food allergies: According to LEAP, children in the category can begin to consume peanut products at any age. If the child has a small reaction, keep nuts out of their diet for six months then try again.

    How can you tell if a reaction is mild or severe? In many cases, the symptoms can be the same, just much more pronounced for someone having a stronger reaction.

  • For someone with a mild peanut allergy, they might experience a runny nose, hives or skin redness, slight itching in the throat, and mild digestive issues upon consuming peanut products.
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    BabyCenter
  • Anyone with a severe peanut allergy may also experience the symptoms above in addition to a tight feeling in their throat, and wheezing or breathing difficulties.

  • Anaphylaxis is the most severe type of allergic reaction someone can have, and peanut allergies are the most common food-related cause of this life-threatening condition. Its symptoms include:

  • – Airway constriction
  • – Swelling in the throat that can prevent breathing
  • – Severe low blood pressure
  • – Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • – Losing consciousness
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    Joanne King 

    It’s important to seek emergency medical treatment for anyone experiencing anaphylaxis, regardless of if it’s caused by peanuts or not.

    You might be surprised to learn how many different products contain peanuts in some form another. Many of them are pretty common household items, including bakery items, cereal, granola, energy bars, and bread.

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    Little Bitty Bakes

    There are also a lot of items you might not expect to contain peanuts, like salad dressing, chocolate-based candy, almond butter or other nut butters, and even pet food.

    For anyone who’s allergic to both peanuts and other tree nuts, you might feel pretty hopeless when it comes to finding something that can come close to peanuts when it comes to either texture or flavor. Fear not, though, because there are plenty of alternatives out there to try out.

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  • – Sunflower butter is a popular option that has become easier and easier to find throughout the years. It’s got a similar flavor and texture to peanut butter, and you can usually them in the same aisle.
  • – Cookie butter might not be the healthiest alternative to peanut butter, but it’s delicious in its own right and definitely has the same smooth texture.
  • – If you like coconut, you’ll want to give coconut butter a try. It’s made from ground coconut and has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.
  • If you have a known peanut allergy, it’s important to take certain steps to make sure you don’t expose yourself to peanuts accidentally. The bright side is that it isn’t uncommon for people to grow out of peanut allergies, but don’t assume this will happen to you—always check with an allergist before you try to reintroduce peanuts into your diet.

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    Tom Fox / The Dallas Morning News

    If you find yourself stuck with your allergy, though, take these steps to avoid contact with peanuts:

  • If you’re unsure if something contains peanuts, always assume it does to stay safe. It may seem silly, but a teenaged boy once died after eating chili at a restaurant that had been thickened using peanut butter.

  • If a food label says that product was made in an environment where peanuts were also processed, don’t ignore it. It could contain only trace amounts of peanuts and still be enough to make you ill.
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    Jason Parker / WABE
  • Make sure you are always prepared in case you do have a reaction. Ask your doctor if you’re someone who should carry an EpiPen, and make sure anyone you’re with knows what to do in case you need it.