A car seat is one of the most important gear you purchase when you become a new parent. This is because it has the potential to actually save your child's life, and how else can you bring your baby back home from the hospital if not in a car seat?

However, you must ensure that the car seat you buy is rear-facing, not forward-facing. As per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should remain in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their seat. Previously, the guidelines were for children till the age 2, however, the latest recommendation removes any specific age milestone so parents would keep their child rear-facing longer, as long as their car seat weight and height allows them. This also ensures that the babies are put in front-facing car seats only when they know how to hold their heads up.

Why Front-face car seats could be lethal?

Children under the age of 2, or up until their height and weight allows must not be kept in the front-facing car seats, or if at all, it should only be for 2 hours, writes Dr Sermed Mezher, award-winning doctor and academic author in UK who makes health content on Instagram.

The reason is that extended time in a car seat can place strain on their developing spine and restrict their ability to move freely, which is important for their growth. Such a position could also "compress their chest and reduce oxygen levels, increasing the risk of breathing difficulties," he writes.

While car seats are designed for safety, they are not designed for prolonged use outside of car. To protect a child's health and development, parent should take breaks during long journeys, allowing the child to stretch, move, and change position.

How to get the right Car Seat for your baby?

There are two kinds of car seats for infants. They are the infant-only and convertible car seats.

The infant only car seat can be used when your baby weighs 20 to 22 pounds or their head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat. They are lighter in weight and are designed to be portable.

Many parents also prefer the convenience of an infant car seat because it can be removed from the car without having to unstrap and wake the baby when asleep. The base remains strapped into the vehicle and the carrier comes out of the base. Infant-only seats also click onto a stroller base.

Convertible are also an option, but they fit small newborns better. It is always best to opt for a rear-facing up until your child is big enough to hold their head high or at least 30 pounds and outgrows out of the rear-facing car seat.

What to do once you have bought the car seater?

Schedule an appointment with a certified child passenger safety technician who can safely install the car seat in your vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) maintains a directory of inspection stations to ensure that car seat is installed safely.

When fitting your baby in the car seat, ensure that harness straps fit on their body and use the lowest harness slot for a newborn infant. Ensure to keep the straps below your baby's shoulders for the rear-facing position.

Ensure your baby wears clothes that keep their leg free, and avoid any puffy, bulky or winter jackets when in car seat.

The first few months of a baby's development is a very important and stressful period of time for the parents. Having a newborn and tackling unfamiliar situations and problems while also worrying about the child’s well-being is a herculean task, too much to handle for a single person. That is why both mother and father must step up and support each other through this time and hence many parents take paternity leaves. These leaves allow parents to only focus on childcare and not work obligations.

Taking time off work when a baby arrives benefits both fathers and their newborns. However, a new study reveals that most dads still don't take much parental leave, often because they simply can't afford to. The research, published in Pediatrics, found that only 36% of new fathers took more than two weeks of leave, while a significant 64% took two weeks or less.

Financial Hurdles Prevent Longer Stays

This study, which tracked the health and behavior of fathers, surveyed 261 men in Georgia who had children in 2018 or 2019. Of the 240 employed fathers, roughly 73% took some parental leave. However, only about half of those had at least some paid time off, and 20% relied solely on unpaid leave. Nearly 43% of working fathers expressed a desire for more time off but couldn't take it, primarily due to financial concerns. Many cited the inability to afford unpaid leave, insufficient accrued time off, or the fear of losing their jobs.

Why Paternity Leave Matters

Experts agree that when fathers take time off after a baby is born, it's linked to better health for the infant and improved parenting skills for the dad. It's crucial for fathers to experience both the challenges and joys of being a parent. The best way for them to do this is to step away from work and spend time with their new baby without facing money worries or the stress of potentially losing their job. Supporting fathers in taking leave can have a significant positive impact on families.

Paternity Leaves Helps Father Adapt

According to Harvard Business Review, research confirms it helps fathers bond with their babies, aids in the baby's development, and strengthens the parents' relationship. But there's a powerful, lesser-known benefit emerging from new studies: it provides a unique form of brain training for fathers.

Paternal Brain Training

Parenting isn't simply an innate ability. While we've long known about the amazing changes a mother's brain undergoes to prepare her for caring for a newborn, new research shows that fathers' brains also transform. These changes happen even without the physical experiences of pregnancy and childbirth or the associated hormonal shifts. This "parental instinct brain training" is possible for all parents.

Over the past ten years, scientists have learned a lot about neuroplasticity, which is the brain's incredible ability to change its structure and how it works based on new experiences. Becoming a parent is a major time for the brain to adapt. Experts studying this shift emphasize that "fathers are made, not born," meaning spending time with infants is crucial for developing the fathering brain.

For dads, changes in their brains, triggered by their babies' cues, are directly linked to their connection with the infant. This suggests these brain changes actually prepare them for fatherhood. A key finding is that the most impactful brain changes come from active, engaged experience. No one is naturally perfect at being a parent from day one. It's the effort of fully engaging with the baby that drives these brain changes, giving dads the necessary tools to grow into their role over time.

Why Time with Baby Matters

Quality one-on-one time with your baby is crucial. More time spent alone with an infant leads to bigger brain changes, helping dads become better, more natural caregivers. A study comparing dads in California and Spain showed differences. Spanish dads, who often have more generous paternity leave, showed more brain changes related to focused attention. This suggests dedicated time acts like a "brain workout," preparing dads for parenting. Paternity leave essentially gives you a free brain-training program. The more you engage, the more your brain adapts, making you a more responsive parent over time.

Many people mistake picky eaters for kids who are just being difficult and do not wish to eat certain foods. While that could be the case, many kids who are picky eaters have sensory issues that cause them to physically dislike certain textures or tastes.

Many parents try to force their children to eat foods they do not like, thinking that by being strict they can ensure their child gets the proper nutrition they need. However, not only does this not work, but it can also discourage the kid from eating as they will quickly associate eating as an unpleasant experience. So, how does a parent ensure their kid gets the proper nutrition they need, while also making sure they feel safe?

There are many ways to help your child expand their food preferences, but one must know the causes and different ways you can encourage them to eat better.

What Causes Picky Eating In Kids?

According to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, picky eating is a very common challenge many parents face during their child's early years. There isn't one clear way to define or pinpoint it, and experts don't fully agree on the best method to identify a picky eater.

Early Feeding Problems

If a child experienced significant difficulties with feeding during their infancy, such as trouble latching or swallowing, it can sometimes set the stage for picky eating habits later in childhood. These early struggles can create negative associations with food.

Late Introduction of Lumpy Foods

Delaying the introduction of chunky or textured solid foods during the weaning period, when infants transition from milk to solids, can hinder their acceptance of different food consistencies. This might lead to a preference for smoother purees only.

Pressure to Eat

When parents try to force or excessively coax a child to eat, it often backfires. This pressure can make mealtime stressful and create resistance in the child, turning eating into a power struggle rather than an enjoyable experience.

Early Pickiness

If a child displays early signs of being particular about food choices, especially if their mother expresses worry or anxiety about these behaviors, it can sometimes escalate. Parental concern can inadvertently reinforce the picky eating.

What Can Help Prevent Picky Eating?

The study also gave some simple strategies can help in preventing or reducing picky eating behaviors:

Fresh Foods

Regularly offering a wide variety of fresh, wholesome foods exposes children to diverse tastes and textures from an early age. This consistent exposure helps them develop a broader palate and acceptance of different ingredients over time.

Family Meals

Eating the same meal as your child encourages them to try new foods by seeing you enjoy them. It creates a positive and shared mealtime experience, fostering a sense of belonging and making food exploration feel more natural and inviting.

Tips To Help Kids Overcome Their Picky Eating

Try it First

Children are great imitators! When you visibly enjoy a new food yourself, showing them how much you like it, your child is far more likely to feel curious and brave enough to give it a taste. Lead by example.

Make Food Fun

Transform mealtime into a playful experience by arranging fruits and vegetables into silly shapes or funny faces on their plate. This simple trick makes eating an engaging game, shifting focus from "having to eat" to enjoyable discovery.

Let Them Choose

Empower your child by offering a limited selection of healthy food options and letting them make the final decision. This sense of control often reduces resistance and increases their willingness to explore and try what they've picked.

Serve with Favorites

Always pair a new or less-preferred food with a comforting dish your child already adores. This familiar favorite acts as a safety net, making the new food seem less intimidating and more approachable when presented together.

Don't Waste Food

When you have small amounts of uneaten healthy food, instead of discarding them, freeze tiny portions. This clever strategy allows you to reintroduce the food later, reducing waste and providing more opportunities for exposure.

Be Patient

Remember that acceptance takes time; it's completely normal for a child to reject a new food multiple times before liking it, sometimes over ten attempts. Simply reintroduce it after a few days without pressure.

Nowadays, it is very common to see kids as young as 1st or 2nd graders having phones. While having phones on their person helps parents keep a closer eye on them, but is this much exposure to electronic devices, ok?

A survey reveals that many parents feel pushed to buy smartphones for their kids, even when they have doubts. Researchers studied 500 parents with children aged 8 to 13 found that almost half felt pressured into buying a phone. Another 44% worried their child would feel "left out" without one, showing how big this decision is for families.

Worries and Few Rules

Even though most parents (74%) had concerns at first, a quarter gave their child a smartphone without talking about if they were ready emotionally. The study also showed that a small number of parents (13%) put very few or no limits on phone use. Most of these parents felt their kids would just find ways around any rules anyway.

This study was requested by Motorola to highlight helpful online tools and advice from a UK children's charity. It aims to show the tough choices parents face when getting their child's first phone.

Is There a "Right" Age?

An expert noted that there's no "right" age to give a child their first phone. It really depends on each child and what that family needs. They stressed that parents should think about why their child needs a phone. If it's just for calls and texts, a simpler phone might be better than a smartphone. The expert also highlighted how important it is for parents and kids to talk openly about staying safe online.

Another survey, which included 500 children aged 8 to 13, found that 44% of kids were going online or using apps without their parents knowing. What's more concerning, during this unsupervised time, 31% saw things they felt were not appropriate for their age.

Why Smartphones Are Still Popular

Even with these concerns, most parents are still choosing smartphones over simpler devices for their kids. The main reasons are safety features and GPS tracking, with over half of parents (56%) seeing these as key benefits. A representative from the phone company said, "It's important to ensure children are equipped with the right guidance and boundaries when it comes to smartphone use and internet access." The company is actively working with charities to give parents the tools and information to make smart choices about their children's smartphone use.

Do Smartphones Affects Children’s Health

A 2022 study done by European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, states that more and more kids and teens are using cell phones and other wireless gadgets. The study found some evidence suggesting that a lot of general phone and device use might be linked to more outward behavior problems like being hyper or aggressive in younger kids and teens. However, the results were less clear for inward problems like anxiety or depression.

Another 2023 study published in the Journal of Therapies & Rehabilitation Sciences, detailed the physical as well as mental aspects of smartphone usage in kids.

Physical Health

Spending too much time looking down at smartphones is really impacting kids' bodies. This often leads to poor posture, where their necks are bent forward for long periods, causing stiffness and pain. It can also limit how much they can move their neck and put extra strain on their spine. Plus, this constant bent-neck position can even affect their breathing, making their lungs work less well and weakening the muscles they use to breathe. These problems are also connected to kids being less fit and sometimes gaining too much weight.

Mental Health and Well-being

Beyond just physical issues, using smartphones too much can also hurt kids' minds and feelings. It can make real-life friendships weaker, leading to kids feeling more lonely and shy around others. Emotionally, a lot of screen time might make them act immature, have unstable moods, struggle to pay attention, and have less self-control. Another big problem is that using phones a lot is linked to more sleep problems, meaning kids aren't getting the rest they need to be healthy and happy.