It's a girl! So, when are you going to pierce her ears? Before you leave the hospital? At her three-month check-up? When she turns 13? Not so long as she's living under your roof? In a New York Times opinion piece, one Miami transplant talks about how her daughter, whose ears were pierced at six months, was one of the oldest babies on the block to get bedazzled earlobes. The mom, who grew up in Massachusetts, had been forced to wait until she was 10 before she could get her ears pierced. In her family, the practice was rather frowned upon. However, when she married a Nicaraguan man and moved to Miami, she faced a whole, new cultural norm. There she found most people pierced those little earlobes early on. She said that in Nicaraguan culture, it's common for people to give a baby girl earrings as a symbol of how adored she is. The issue was even addressed in her prenatal class, where a pediatrician recommended that parents wait until a baby is two months old before undergoing a piercing, to the dismay of many parents. One disappointed dad even said, “I guess we’ll have to take her little earrings out of the overnight bag.” This mama found out that her pediatrician even offered "beauty visits" where she would pierce the ears of a baby, so long as that baby was at least three months old. It was an offer she ultimately accepted.
Who's in your mathlete bracket?
It's time for March Madness. On campuses across the country, people are revising their brackets and trying to predict which team will emerge victorious. No, not basketball -- the mathletes. Star student athletes have long claimed fame and glory on the court, but now some are wondering what it would be like if we treated our star students in the same way. What if the kids who dominate the equations and are masters of the calculator got the same acclaim as the kids who can shoot hoops? Many economists say that America needs more graduates with math and science degrees. In a clever video, Brigham Young University shows a world where the mathletes reign supreme. From the cheering fans, to the press conferences where top high school prospects reveal which college they've selected, the video is a start to giving star students the same acclaim as star athletes.
Nap, on.
Man, I'm so tired I could sleep standing up, or lying on top of the dog, or right here on the deck, tucked behind the flower pot. Before we have kids, we imagine rosy-cheeked cherubs napping adorably in their beds while clutching their favorite, well-loved stuffed animal. After we have kids, many of us know that naps happen -- oftentimes in the strangest locales. One mom, whose sons tend to nap in the unlikeliest of positions and places began documenting some of their more unique sleeping arrangements. As she shares at the Huffington Post, she's not alone. Pretty soon, moms began sending her pictures of their own, creative nappers, most of which are hilarious. Besides, as most any mom will agree, who cares where they nap so long as they do nap?
Mmm, just like mom used to make.
You may fancy yourself quite the cook, but chances are, your husband prefers his mom's cooking to yours. According to The Daily Telegraph, more than half of British men think their mom's a better cook than their wife or girlfriend. Not only that, but 25 percent of the guys out there aren't above sneaking back to mum's house for a spot of home-cooked comfort food, without telling their ladies. A brave (or foolish) number of men even have the nerve to suggest that their wife take cooking lessons from their mom. Generally speaking, that little suggestion doesn't go over too well. While this news might not be so palatable now, just think, one day your son will think you're the world's best cook.
Many think "Most Beautiful Teenager" competition is an ugly idea.
A new website is getting a lot of worried parental attention. The site asks teens to send in pictures of themselves as part of a "beauty competition." It's not the first site of its kind, nor is it likely to be the last, but that hasn't stopped parents and authorities from fretting about it. According to CTVNews, authorities are trying to determine who is behind the site. Both boys and girls sent in pictures of themselves, often scantily clad, in hopes of being declared the fairest in all the land. Of course, internet trolls attacked and left hurtful comments on the site's Facebook page, eventually causing Facebook to shut it down. In addition to the cyber-bullying concerns, many parents are worrying about the online privacy aspects. Yet another reminder to parents to take measures to keep their kids safe on the internet.
Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com.