In the childcare realm, what is the next best thing to a live-in nanny? Many parents would say it's having an older child in the family who is readily available to help care for younger siblings.

But there can be pitfalls if family dynamics are not carefully considered. "Sibling sitting is really the hardest baby-sitting of all," says pediatrician Patricia Keener, MD, founder of Safe Sitter, a non-profit organization that teaches kids age 11-13 how to babysit.

Parents, when it comes to homework, you may need to back off. Those may be harsh words to hear, but the truth is that homework is your child's assignment, not yours.

This is not to suggest that parents can't help their child when needed, but far too many parents believe their child's performance is a direct reflection on them, for better or worse. In fact, how a child handles the responsibility is a more accurate reflection of parental success. Contact for complete article

Do early mornings at your house resemble a zoo? You scramble to find matching socks, and slap two slices of bread into a quasi-sandwich. While grabbing a pen to sign a permission slip for who-knows-what, you mentally flip through the afternoon's activities and wonder how to fit in a nutritious dinner - one that doesn't come in a box or bag.

Even if time management seems like a foreign concept, there are ways to make your days flow more smoothly. Consider these quick tips for everyday time saving... Contact for complete article

An extended visit to Grandma's can be a wonderful thing for a young child. Because my 4-year-old granddaughter lives four hours away with parents who work full-time, our opportunities for sharing a close relationship are limited. So coming to Grandma's house is special, a time when love provides a loosely comforting security blanket for a child usually bound by the limitations of day care. Contact for complete article

Iron deficiency affects nearly 10% of American babies, but a new blood test (CHr) will avoid additional pricks and pokes, since it can be done using the same amount of blood that's currently drawn for regular newborn screenings. Iron deficiency can impair mental or cognitive development, so early detection and subsequent treatment are important. Contact for complete article

Drowning claims almost 900 children's lives a year and is the second leading accident-related killer of kids up to age 14. Here's what you can do to prevent this tragedy. Contact for complete article

You're preparing for baby's homecoming. You've painted the nursery, purchased diapers and onesies, chosen the baby's name - even packed a bag for the trip to the hospital.

But have you remembered to prepare the "baby" you already have at home? If you have a dog or cat that has been a pampered part of your family, you can help him cope with the inevitable shift in your attention. Contact for complete article

It's mad dash time. Lazy days of summer vacation seem to end abruptly, no matter that you and the kids have been marking off days till school starts for weeks. Shelves at the local discount store may already be stripped clean of notebooks, pencils and backpacks. Amid the flurry of activity, it's easy to leave items off your back-to-school list - items even more important than school supplies and the latest fashion denims. Contact for complete article

Tiger Woods has it. So does tennis star Serena Williams. Long before them there was Louis Pasteur and Benjamin Franklin. What do these contemporary athletes and long-ago inventors have in common? All possess an extraordinary ability to focus on a specific task or goal. How can you teach this important skill to your children and help them be winners, too? Contact for complete article

Bicycling accidents land 800 children a day in emergency rooms - more than any other sport. And an overwhelming majority of these mishaps occur from April through October. Here's how to keep your budding Lance Armstrong from becoming a statistic:

SIZE IT RIGHT Resist the temptation to buy a bike your child can grow into: One that's properly sized is safer and easier to ride. To gauge fit, have your child sit with the seat at its lowest level; his toes should touch the ground.  Contact for complete article

last updated on: July 18, 2008 by Brandi Crouch