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Crib notes: 10-year-old lands hard time for pizza pistol

Kids and guns can be a deadly combination. Unless that gun is made of pizza, then it's usually more of a matter of, "don't play with your food, eat it." A 10-year-old boy in Tennessee was eating his pizza in the school cafeteria, when he chewed his slice into the shape of his gun. That pizza gun has landed him at the "silent table" for the rest of the semester -- a punishment that some say is too

Kids and guns can be a deadly combination. Unless that gun is made of pizza, then it's usually more of a matter of, "don't play with your food, eat it." A 10-year-old boy in Tennessee was eating his pizza in the school cafeteria, when he chewed his slice into the shape of his gun. That pizza gun has landed him at the "silent table" for the rest of the semester -- a punishment that some say is too strict for the culinary crime. The boy's mom has called the school's reaction "absolutely ridiculous," but the school's not ready to toss the punishment. They say that several students reported to a teacher that the boy was making threatening gestures with the slice and pretending to shoot other kids with the greasy gun. Do you think zero-tolerance policies are the right idea or should there be a little wiggle room in cases like this?

If Hugh Jackman could go back and offer his 16-year-old self some advice, it'd be not to worry, that those pimples would, eventually go away. Hunky Hugh joined 70 other celebrities in writing letters to their former 16-year-old selves, offering advice, given with the gift of time and perspective. J.K. Rowling would tell herself to “Avoid bass players. All of them,” while Alice Cooper offered the gem, “Trashy girls are exciting for about five minutes. Keep your eye out for a really good lookin’ church girl. Then you’ll have the best of both world.” What advice would you give your former, teenage self (or hope your current teen would listen to)?

Two years ago, 10-year-old Brandon Braun, who was battling brain cancer, visited a local children's hospital -- not for treatment, but to give presents to other kids. After fighting the disease for seven years (when he often spent birthdays and holidays in the hospital), the young boy passed away just a few months after asking Santa for his tumor to go away for good. This year, in memory of their friend, his classmates are carrying on his tradition and delivered more than 400 toys to the hospital in his honor. The gifts will be delivered to children who are too sick to leave the hospital for the holidays. Brandon's mother said she was proud of the kids and recalled times when her son was so sick, she couldn't even leave the hospital to buy him a present. We're awed, both by Brandon's generosity, and the thoughtfulness of his classmates, who are carrying on his tradition in his honor.

Her name's not Myrtle, but boy is she fertile. Despite her love of contraceptives (she's tried condoms, the pill, the coil, progesterone injections and an implant) one mom has gotten pregnant six times in just five years. The mother of three, who is now expecting her fourth child (she's also suffered from two miscarriages), is desperate for some truly effective birth control. She also feels awful for all of the women out there who struggle with infertility, while she battles over-fertility.

You know those annoyingly loud toys clogging up your child's toy chest? Turns out they're harmful to more than just your sanity. A new study shows those noisy toys can actually cause hearing loss in young kids (and explains why you often feel like you can't even hear yourself think). Some of them even tested at more than 100 decibels -- the equivalent of a subway train or chainsaw. Quick, while your kiddo's not looking, ditch the batteries, then pretend to be sad that the toy no longer works.

Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. She is currently developing an alarm clock that will start an IV coffee drip 10 minutes prior to wake-up time. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com