Tuesday, March 22, 2011

News: Childhood Illnesses Exact High Cost on the Entire Family, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

News: Childhood Illnesses Exact High Cost on the Entire Family, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

What should be apparent to all: childhood illness hurts financially, not just physically. Healthcare and family financial issues are intimately interrelated. Not only must the family absorb the costs of caring for the sick child, but there are increased health expenditures for all family members.

Taking care of people's healthcare needs is a big part of helping them manage family life. Not sure why it's taken us so long to figure that out.

As a reminder, the Kaiser Family Foundation has the easiest to follow explanation of the healthcare legislation that I've found. http://healthreform.kff.org/
You will also find thoughtful analysis of the healthcare legislation.

Monday, March 21, 2011

"Supplements" or Snake Oil?

It is important to be aware of the problem of unregulated, untested "supplements", which can make fairly outrageous (if not specific) claims. In some cases, these supplements are ineffective, have unwanted side effects, or are dangerous. Always consult your physician.
For more, go to the FDA website. Many supplements making health claims regarding weight loss, fitness, and sexual health are dangerous and have been pulled from the market.
FDA Warning -Beware of Fraudulent ‘Dietary Supplements’ http://ow.ly/4iL6G

Thursday, March 17, 2011

A Dressmaker's Journey: Clothing Construction and Fashion Design as a Means of Feminist Expression

How can learning traditional skills such as clothing communication empower women? Provide financial security in a threatening world?

This is why I love Diane Rehm's show so much. Where else would you hear this?
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-03-17/gayle-tzemach-lemmon-dressmaker-khair-khana

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Study: Diet May Help ADHD Kids More Than Drugs : NPR

Fascinating! This is the first time I've seen ADHD compared to eczema. It makes sense to eliminate possible environmental triggers, including foods. This has the potential to really reduce our reliance on medication, although I should add that we should proceed cautiously in terms of how this should translate to individual cases. I don't think the authors mean to imply that medication is never warranted.
Study: Diet May Help ADHD Kids More Than Drugs : NPR

The Future of Children - FOC in Blogosphere

The Brookings Institution's The Future of Children publication is a wonderful resource. It is free, and the information is always timely and relevant. I like to use it as a reference in some of the classes I teach, and I recommend it to students and colleagues.

I discovered that FOC is keeping track of mention its articles in the blogosphere. So, at the risk of turning this into an endless echo chamber, I decided to holler back.
The Future of Children - FOC in Blogosphere

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Working Family Resource Center: Online Parenting Discussions

NCFR member Dr. Marti Erickson will host online discussions on three different topics about parenting, April 15, May 20 and June 10. Topics are Helping Your Child Manage Emotions and Get Along with Others: The What, When and Why of Supporting Healthy Social-Emotional Development; From Baby's Babbles to Toddler's Tales: The Power of Language in Living, Loving and Learning; and Learn to Play and Play to Learn: Understanding the Central Role of Play in Your Child's Learning and Development. The discussions are free of charge, but space is limited so registration is required.
http://www.workingfamilyresourcecenter.org/wfrc/en/p2plive.asp

Women's Rights Eroded

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I realize this is controversial, but we have reached a point of complete madness when it comes to women's rights, including our right to choose--yes, our right to abortion. I am hearing things going on nationally that make my hair stand on end. What I don't want are more abortions. What I do want is an atmosphere in this country that's less hostile to women and their families: by far, in my opinion, the best way to reduce abortions. We should care about children after they're born as well as while they're gestating, and we must care about their parents as well. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy, and, in my opinion, misogyny. Without Roe V. Wade, we go back to unsafe, back alley abortions that will endanger women. Not acceptable. We cannot shrink from this conversation. Not now. It's a lot easier to protect rights you already have than it is to gain back rights you've lost.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Are the Rich Getting Richer? The Data Say Yes - DailyFinance

60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. This is either a catastrophe waiting to happen, or a catastrophe in the process of happening. Do we care about working families? Do we care about rising inequality? We should. It is time for Family and Consumer Scientists, and indeed all Americans, to stand firmly behind families and consumers. No?

Take a look and American wage growth adjusted for inflation:

Bottom 20%

• 1975 household income: $12,664
• 2001 household income: $14,021
• increase: $1,357
• percentage increase from 1975: 10.7%

Middle 20%(a.k.a. "the middle class")
• 1975 household income: $39,807
• 2001 household income: $51,538
• increase: $11,731
• percentage increase from 1975: 29.4%

Top 20%
• 1975 household income: $91,848
• 2001 household income: $159,644
• increase: $67,796
• percentage increase from 1975: 73.8%

Top 5%(a.k.a. "the wealthy")
• 1975: $134,735
• 2001: $280,312
• increase: $145,577
• percentage increase from 1975: 108%

Data from from DailyFinance:http://srph.it/acaXmS

Are the Rich Getting Richer? The Data Say Yes - DailyFinance

Saturday, March 5, 2011

It's Women's History Month. So how are we doing?

Here's the fact sheet on Women in America, which the Whitehouse publishes each March. No surprises: women are delaying marriage, delaying childbirth, and (like the general population) are aging. We are also more likely than men to be poor.
What I particularly like are the policy initiative (and proposed initiatives) to combat inequality and support women. Supporting women supports families (and vice vesa).
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/WomenInAmerica_FactSheet.pdf

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

Inequality of the sort we've been seeing in recent decades is downright unAmerican. How long will big money attack small money? How much is enough? Families are struggling. We need to stand behind them. We can't stand for this anymore.
It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

Authentic Parenting: Music As A Parenting Tool

We've known for a while that music has therapeutic value. Now we know it has value as a parenting tool. What a wonderful idea. Get attuned, get calm, celebrate, move together, unwind together...there's absolutely nothing that music can't facilitate. Forget the Mozart Effect--music has the ability to enrich our lives in innumerable ways, even if it won't magically turn us into geniuses.
Authentic Parenting: Music As A Parenting Tool