It’s gearing up to be one incredible summer for kids movies thanks to the highly anticipated sequel to Pixar’s hit film about a super-powered family. The new Incredibles 2 trailer has just debuted and it looks like the latest film will be highlighting the Parr super-family matriarch, voiced by Holly Hunter.
Unlike the first teaser, the hilarious new full-length trailer gives fans a pretty good idea of what that Incredibles 2 will be about, and even most non-superhero families can totally relate. While Helen Parr (a.k.a, Elastigirl) heads to “the office” for a new job, Mr. Incredible starts a new job of his own, as a stay-at-home dad and “Mr. Mom.”
As the trailer shows, while mom is busy battling evil, dad has his hands full at home juggling something even more challenging: three kids, including a baby who turns into a flaming demon and teen girl in the thick of her moody adolescence (honestly, not sure which is worse).
If the trailer is any indication, it’s sure to be the must-see family movie of the summer. The Incredibles 2 hits movies theaters Jun. 15.
What summer movie is your family most looking forward to? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Choosing a name for your baby is one of the most special parts of parenthood—and one of those most daunting. For starters, you are naming a human being. For life. You want something unique, but not too unique, a name that will suit baby from infancy through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. The pressure is on, but there are surefire ways to rock this baby-naming business. Read on for our best tips.
Look to Family Ties Begin your search by considering your own family tree. Choosing a family name has a number of benefits, from carrying on a legacy and honoring a loved one to imparting extra special significance to your little one’s name right from the start. Just be ready to navigate a common pitfall: Naming baby after a family member can create mixed feelings among others in the family. Tread lightly and use compassion, but remember, in the end, it’s your baby, your choice.
Seek Inspiration If finding the perfect name seems overwhelming, think of it like a treasure hunt instead. It’s an adventure, and the treasure could be anywhere! Try a quick Google search or browse a naming website like Nameberry. Or, thumb through your favorite book, look up historical figures, or consider personally significant people or places. One mom we know stalked the TV credits of her favorite shows. Another browsed the keychains at Walt Disney World.
Create Criteria Because you’ll be attuned to every name you hear, establishing a list of moniker must-haves will keep your list from getting too lengthy. Do you want a name that has a specific meaning, like “peace” or “strength”? Only want a name that starts with the letter J? A name with three syllables? Use your criteria both to find potential names and weed out others.
Consider the Classics A safe way to avoid trends and reach baby-naming success is to look to the top 100 list put out by the Social Security Administration. The names include the 100 most-popular names for boys and girls every year in the past 100 years and include classics like James, David and William for boys and Elizabeth, Emily and Grace for girls.
Play Favorites Once you and your partner have settled on potential names, ask yourself if you both absolutely adore each name. Not just like the name, but love the name. Once you have a set of faves, continue to narrow down the list the old-fashioned way: Write them down. (Or go high-tech and create an Excel spreadsheet.) Next, look up the meanings, say them each out loud (a name that sounds great on paper may not be as appealing when spoken), check out the initials and monogram, and try the first and middle names together to see how they sound.
Talk It Out In a perfect world, your child’s name would appear in the stars, and both parents-to-be would immediately agree it was The One. If only. Baby naming can be a hot topic between parents-to-be that can leave both parties feeling a little tense. Set ground rules at the start:
1) Be kind and open-minded.
2) Don’t belittle a partner’s choice.
3) Rules out names with any negative connotation for either partner (we’re looking at you, exes and 7th grade gym teachers!).
4) Enjoy the process!
Once you’ve agreed to the rules, create a list of favorites separately, and then compare. Don’t love any of the same ones? Compromise by having one choose the first name and the other choose the middle name. (Then, switch that order if there is ever a baby #2.) Or, choose baby’s name the very easiest way of all—by downloading an app! Babyname is the Tinder of the baby world. You both swipe right on names you like, left on names you don’t. When you have a match, it alerts you.
Celebrate Breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate. You just named a human.
What do you think if the best way to choose a baby name? Share your advice below!
Maybe it’s her newfound obsession with all things soccer-related or the fact that she watches far too many sports shows with her papa, but my daughter has found a new expression. Now, whenever anyone does something that’s not to her liking, she’ll furrow her brow, scrunch the rest of her face up into a grimace and point her finger, yelling “No! You are not in the game!”
She did this to me just this past week. She was dressed, on her tablet in the living room. We were late for school and it was freezing outside. I handed her the pink puffy jacket she’s been wearing all winter long and some cute gray boots that would match her kitty cat sweater perfectly.
She calmly put down the tablet and surveyed the accessories I’d chosen. Then, it happened. She threw the boots across the room and marched her jacket back over to the hook beside the door. “No, mama!” she exclaimed, “These are the wrong boots and I’m not wearing this jacket anymore. You are not in the game!”
She then proceeded to throw herself into a heap on the hardwood floor, sobbing over the unfairness of it all.
I sat down beside her and gathered her into my lap. Her hair was sticking to her cheeks from the tears and her once-angry face had turned into the saddest thing I’d seen all month. After several minutes of trying to translate her wails, I finally realized why she was so upset. She didn’t feel special in her gray boots and she wanted to wear her fancy red jacket so her teachers would think she “looked great.”
At 3 and a half, she’s already acutely aware of what other people think of her. On one hand, it’s an impressive demonstration of self-awareness at such a young age, but on the other, it’s a shame that she can’t just wear what’s comfortable without giving public perception a second thought. Wasn’t it just yesterday that she was rocking her baby mullet and poodle shirt through the store, not giving a second thought to the marker stains on her leggings?
I gave in and let her wear some other shoes and a different coat. When I picked her up from preschool the first thing she said to me was, “Mama! My teachers loved my red coat! Everyone gave me a big hug!”
I reminded her that her teachers loved her, not necessarily her coat and that she could be wearing a paper sack and we’d all feel the same way. I want so desperately to shield her from any negative feedback about her appearance, probably because I’ve been on the receiving end of such criticism myself and my mama tribe is full of other women still shouldering insecurities from their childhood.
One friend refuses to wear leggings because she’s afraid of exposing the shape of her thighs. Another struggled with crooked teeth her entire life and after researching the cost of clear aligners decided she couldn’t afford it and needed metal braces instead. Now, she rarely comes out with us anymore and likely won’t until they come off next year. One of my best girlfriends is so embarrassed by her freckles that she covers them in thick layers of foundation every morning before leaving the house and turned down a pool party invite a few years ago for fear of her makeup being washed off.
Then, there’s me. I was mocked severely in the sixth and eighth grades for my stutter. Both times, I was in the cafeteria around all of my friends when the incident occurred. It took me years of speech therapy and a pricey in-ear device to overcome my speech impediment, and I still won’t order through a drive-through or use a drive-up bank teller for fear of stammering in public.
Along the way, all of us encountered some form of opposition when it came to our looks. And while we love to tell ourselves (and teach our children) that “Sticks and stones might break my bones but words will never hurt me,” we know that to be incredibly untrue. Some of the most painful wounds I carry aren’t physical scars but emotional ones inflicted by immature peers, many of whom apologized to me years later after adolescence gave way to adulthood.
My daughter isn’t even 4 yet, and before she picks out her boots she’s wondering if her teachers and friends will think they’re pretty. As her mama, this reveals to me it’s time to tap into a very important aspect of parenthood: constructive confidence building.
This doesn’t mean that I’ll tell her she’s perfect or stunning all the time. I won’t coddle her into thinking that she can do no wrong and that everyone will always love her choice of haircut, her clothes, her hobbies or her interests. I can’t put her in a bubble and protect her from lunchroom bullies, broken hearts or words that spill out from a soul who feels unloved.
What I can do, as her mother and constant champion, is to remind her who she is and whose she is. I can hold her in my arms and whisper affirmations that speak to her spirit and her beautiful mind. I can remind her that her heart is the purest I know and that I’d walk a million miles across hot coals to look into her round, blue eyes.
I can do my part to build up within her a fortitude so strong that it can withstand all of life’s jests, letdowns and disappointments. It won’t happen overnight, and she’ll probably still second-guess her choice of footwear well into her 30s, but the really big stuff? Hopefully, I can help her figure that out long before then, so when the time comes to conjure up that certainty, she won’t have to think twice.
Hi, y'all! I'm Courtney. I'm a mama of two, married to my high-school sweetheart and making a life in the little town I grew up in. I'm a writer by trade, but a mama by heart. I love chocolate and I love family. Let's navigate this crazy, messy, blessed journey together!
It had been one of those days. One of my teens and I had gotten into a huge fight during which she loudly and rudely shouted, “Dad, you just don’t understand!” before retreating to her room in a huff.
Being an honest person, I don’t mind admitting this isn’t the first time I’ve been called clueless by one of my children. Furthermore, I’m sure I am not the only parent this has happened to.
I got to thinking about it and I realized that in a way, our teens are right. We assume that just because we also went through adolescence and were once teens, we know what current teenagers are dealing with. We feel that the knowledge and wisdom we’ve garnered along the way can and should be imparted to our offspring in hopes of positively influencing their future.
The truth is that our experiences are profoundly different from theirs. We need to acknowledge that each generation faces their own separate struggles that another might not understand.
Don’t believe me? Well, here are some five common teen situations parents usually don’t understand. Which ones do you relate to?
Teens’ internet and social media addiction. Thanks to technology, teens these days have something new to get addicted to. Parents find it hard to keep up with the numerous social media sites out there (and their odd names). We just don’t understand why there are so many of them and why teens feel the need to stay glued to their screens all day long.
Fear of missing out (FOMO). Driven by the constant connectivity afforded by social media, teens now suffer from FOMO. They feel that everyone is having more fun and living the good life while they are left out. We can’t completely understand the pressure they are under because our generation didn’t grow up with social media.
Their ability to exaggerate and dramatize. Teens’ minds are still developing and that coupled with hormonal surges makes them have a skewed perspective on things. Almost everything that happens has to be tinged with drama or a sense of urgency. Something as inconsequential (to parents) as an unanswered text or a comment from a friend can be taken quite seriously by your teen, plunging them to the depths of despair.
Their attachment to friends. Since time immemorial, parents have tried to understand why teens value their friends so much. They will go to great lengths to ensure they fit in and are accepted by their peers, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
Teens’ frustrating ability to tune out parents. You’re talking to your teen trying to tell them for the hundredth time that they should clean their room or take out the trash but their glassy-eyed stare tells you they tuned out long ago. This happens often enough that you’re convinced teens have an uncanny ability to not only tune out but also forget what they don’t want to hear.
From experience, I have learned that the secret to dealing with these teen situations is to employ tons of patience laced with a liberal dash of humor. Though I may not understand my teens, their habits or even what they say sometimes, I still love them dearly.
Tyler Jacobson is a happy husband, father of three, writer and outreach specialist with experience with organizations that help troubled teens and parents. His areas of focus include: parenting, social media, addiction, mental illness, and issues facing teenagers today.
Building a relationship of trust with your kids is tough. It’s a process years in the making, and the earlier you begin, the better. When your kids become teenagers, that trust will be even more important to maintain. But when your teen breeches that trust and makes you wonder how you can rebuild it, you might find yourself holding onto your anger and disappointment — and that can’t be good for your relationship.
When your teen makes a major mistake or defiantly disobeys a rule that — to you — is an issue of character or morality, you may feel compelled to make your disappointment known, and that’s okay. Perhaps you have set consequences already, or maybe you have a serious discussion. But sometimes it’s difficult to let go of your feelings and start the healing process.
Here are some helpful things to remember before, during, and after your teen makes a major mistake and betrays trust.
1. Learning From Mistakes — While you are hurt and disappointed, you also understand that no one is perfect. We all make mistakes, but hopefully we turn them into learning experiences. Your teen may feel down on themselves for disappointing you, and to an extent, this is normal and healthy. In our family, we talk things over to discover what we can learn, and how we can move on in a positive direction.
2. Tempering Expectations — Adolescence is a rocky time, where teens are trying to figure out who they are can become. Brains and bodies are still developing, and the transition to adulthood doesn’t go perfectly smooth for anyone. Most misbehavior is just part of learning and growing up. If those mistakes turn into a destructive overall pattern, there are ample resources available for guidance and counseling, if necessary.
3. Providing an Example — Most parents admit that they’ve made mistakes. We’ve all made blunders as parents, siblings, sons, and daughters. Example is a powerful thing and how you handle your mistakes will rub off on your teen. Parents who openly discuss their missteps with their teens and/or show resiliency in how they overcome them provide a powerful pattern to follow.
4. Show Unconditional Love — As a parent, you definitely understand that your love for your child never diminishes or disappears, no matter what they do. The fact that you love them and want to rebuild your trust could go a long way to setting the tone for healing. Even when kids are little, it can be hard to forgive quickly, offer support for every little thing, and accept them for who they are NOW. But these are all ways to show unconditional love.
5. Communicate — During turbulent times at home, we’ve always continued talking to our teens, even when they haven’t wanted to talk to us. This is how we keep communication open, even if it’s only one-way for a while. Eventually, our kids realized they can come to us, even if they’ve messed up. It’s also okay to talk to your teenager about your own struggles through the healing process.
Holding onto feelings of anger or betrayal, if perpetuated, may cross the line from discipline into a new pattern of mistrust. The above tips, combined with time well spent together should help you break that cycle, and start healing your relationship. If you need help rebuilding mutual trust and respect, don’t be afraid to talk to a qualified therapist who can guide you both through it.
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Tyler Jacobson is a happy husband, father of three, writer and outreach specialist with experience with organizations that help troubled teens and parents. His areas of focus include: parenting, social media, addiction, mental illness, and issues facing teenagers today.
The internet and television channels are competing with each other to provide a treasure trove of entertainment. There are shows and movies for all tastes and all ages. And even then, finding a show that caters to all tastes and all members of the family is not easy. No worries. I have rounded up a list of 10 TV shows that you can watch with your entire family. They are some of the best shows that provide hours of fun and entertainment.
1. The Brady Bunch
Cast: Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis
Mike Brady has three boys and Carol Martin has three girls. The program shows how they unite and come to live together in one big family along with their housekeeper Alice. Their union creates an iconic American family rooted in values such as love and acceptance.
Why I love it
Well, who doesn’t want to live in a big family full of love? Brady Bunch portrays the ups and downs of living in a big family and proves that big families can be full of fun and love.
2. Modern Family
Cast: Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Sofía Vergara
This popular show is in its 7th season. It is about the three branches of a big family and shows how they face the trials and tribulations of life in their unique ways.
Why I like it
It is hilarious and inclusive.
3. Gilmore Girls
Cast: Lauren Graham, Keiko Agena, Alexis Bledel
This is a girly series that follows a single mother and her brilliant daughter. The mother and the daughter banter better than anybody else and provide wholesome entertainment for the entire family
Why I love it
Gilmore girls provide that perfect Netflix time for mothers and daughters. If you live in a country where Netflix is restricted, you can use a VPN to access it.
4. The Addams Family
Cast: John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Ted Cassidy
They may be oddly macabre, but at the same time, they are extremely loving. The Addams Family has some of the most eccentric characters of the television.
Why I like it
We like it because it has surrealism and American family drama in the right doses.
5. Full House
Cast: Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, John Stamos, Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen
Full House is the story of Danny Tanner and his three daughters. He is a widower struggling to raise his children. He then seeks the help of his brother-in-law Jesse ad his friend Joey.
Why I like it
We like it for the issue resolutions at the end of each episode.
6. The Wonder Years
Cast: Fred Savage, Daniel Stern, Dan Lauria
Kevin Arnold reflects on his eventful journey from adolescence to adulthood. The flashbacks portray his life in the 60’s and 70’s. The show deals with the period of social turbulence in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Why I like it
It is all about growing up in the 70’s.
7. The Cosby Show
Cast: Bill Cosby, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Phylicia Rashad
Cast: Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neve Campbell
It is a story of five siblings who are forced to find their own path in life after the tragic death of their parents. Party of Five breaks from the mould of a typical family TV show.
Why I like it
It is all about loving your sisters and brothers.
9. Family Ties
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter
This is another classic show from the 80s. Steven and Elyse Keaton are ex-hippies and life partners. They have two sons and two daughters and the story follows their lives.
Why I like it
Michael J. Fox stars in the show as a teenager and that is a good reason to love it.
10. Doogie Howser, M.D.
Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Belinda Montgomery, Max Casella
Doogie Howser, a teenager, has to deal with the usual struggles of growing up. He wants to be a doctor; he has a girlfriend and he also enjoys spending time with his friends. How he handles the pressures and demands of his life forms the crux of this TV show.
Why I like it
Doogie is a social activist and a crusader for justice. He wants to tackle issues ranging from AIDS to sexism.
Watching TV with your spouse and kids is a great way to spend some quality time together. The list of shows given here will appeal to a wide range of viewers and have the right mix of humour and sentiments. Watch them on the weekend with your children.
Melinda Heffernan is a writer at Uphours.com. She likes to cover stories in careers and personal development. When not working, you can find her online chatting with her friends or reading parenting blogs.
Breaking news: Dad bod is now backed by science! According to the American Journal of Men’s Health, men who become fathers experience weight gain and an increase in body mass index. According to the study, men may gain averages of three or four pounds beginning in the first year of fatherhood.
Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine examined the body mass index measurements of more than 10,000 men over the course of 20 years. They obtained data throughout four periods of the participants’ lives, from early adolescence and to the early 30s.
Researchers discovered as long as he didn’t have kids, the average man lost weight over the same time period. The men who became fathers found the dad who lives with his child gained an average of 4.4 pounds, compared to 3.3 pound average for a dad who doesn’t live with his child.
“You have new responsibilities when you have your kids and may not have time to take care of yourself the way you once did in terms of exercise,” lead author Craig Garfield, a Northwestern associate professor, said in the release. “Your family becomes the priority.”
Do you or your spouse have the popular dad bod? Tell us in the comments below!
Think a billion images on a hard drive are enough to memorialize your kiddo’s precious baby face or unruly cowlick before it’s gone? Then you’ve never taken a gander at a beautifully rendered oil, pastel, or charcoal portrait. Not only does a commissioned work of art demand to be framed and hung in a place of prominence in your home (unlike those iPhone snapshots that are content to hang out on your computer), but a professionally done artist’s portrait can capture the exact thing you remember most about your little, before it disappears into the haze of adolescence. Like your own little precious one, these original portraits don’t come cheap, so read on to make sure you’re fully prepared for the process before your baby is all grown up.
What
Portraits are most often created using oil, pastels, watercolors, or charcoal, though a various assortment of mixed media may also be used. Oil paintings are not framed with glass, but all other mediums require it for protection. Additionally, portraits most often portray head and shoulders, three-quarter length, or full length images, though some artists offer a half-figure composition. Naturally, the price increases more of the figure on the canvas, and if you’re thinking of one portrait with all three kids in it (let them battle it out over who gets to keep it when you’re gone!), you’ll be paying for the figures, not just the canvas.
How
Choosing an artist is a very personal endeavor, and for the price, you want to be certain you’ve selected the right artist. Two routes exist for commissioning an artist, and the good news is that they cost exactly the same. You can do your research and find your artist by word of mouth or Google. Or, you have the option of working with a broker, who is paid by the artist to bring in work that he or she otherwise wouldn’t find. Again, pricing is the same; however, you get the benefit of a more comprehensive catalogue of artist’s work to review in addition to the industry experience of someone who has worked with the artists before and know a little about their consistency and prior client satisfaction. Additionally, brokers assist clients with deciding on medium, composition, timing, the portrait sitting, delivery, and framing, and they also act as an advocate for clients during the process. Don’t love the way your baby girl’s nose is turning out but not sure how to tell Michelangelo? Let the broker handle that conversation!
When
The most common age for children to have their portrait painted is between the ages of four and six, with the idea being that you want them to still have their childlike “sweetness” (ha, ha) but still resemble their future selves. Already missed your window of opportunity? No worries. Many artists can work from photographs.
Process
Once an artist is commissioned (either by you directly or through a broker), the artist comes to your home or the location of the portrait and puts your photo mania to shame (think rolls and rolls of film, when we used rolls). Since most work with a digital camera, you can select the reference photo on the same day as the photo shoot. After that, it’s off to the studio for the artist and back to being a non-celebrity for your kiddo. The time from sitting to delivery varies by artist, but the average delivery time is between six months and one year. Thinking of gifting a portrait to yourself or a loved one this holiday season? Most brokers offer gift certificates, and are just the right size for a stocking!
Pricing
Prices can vary drastically from artist to artist, but if you opt to work with a broker you have the ability to select your favorite artists from their directory and then compare prices. If none are in your price range, the broker might be able to recommend another artist with similar style that is closer to your price point. On average, portraits can range from $1,000 to well over $10,000, and since oil is the most difficult medium for an artist to work with, it is the most expensive. Charcoal is generally the least expensive, but one artist’s charcoal might be more expensive than another’s oil.
People
Like everything else in Atlanta, there are an abundance of talented portrait artists to be found by word-of-mouth or good ol’ Google. However, for a guided tour through the process of selecting an artist, commissioning a work, and reviewing the delivered portrait, look to the following artist brokers for help:
