Boarding an airplane with kids and babies in tow can be a nerve-racking experience for many parents. One mom on a long international flight earned praise when she gave out earplugs to the entire plane—but was that really necessary?

A mom traveling with her four-month-old baby from Seoul, South Korea to San Francisco passed out 200 tiny care packages filled with ear plugs, candy and note that read, “Today, I am going to the U.S. with my mom and grandma to see my aunt,” the note read, as if it were from the baby. “I’m a little bit nervous and scary (sic) because it’s my first flight in my life, which means that I may cry or make too much noise. I will try to go quietly, though I can’t make any promises… Please excuse me.”

Facebook user Dave Corona, a fellow passenger on the flight, shared pictures of the package in a post which quickly went viral. The gesture was incredibly kind and thoughtful, gaining plenty of praise by commenters on the post. But at the same time, as many commenters also pointed out, the mom’s gesture was entirely unnecessary.

One Facebook user commented, “That was a nice gesture, but I think people need to be more understanding on flights and not make parents and their children feel so ‘unwelcome’ on flights. We were all babies at one point in life.”

It’s one thing to be aware of others, but babies and kids have to travel just like adults. Parents shouldn’t have to fear flying just because they have kids in tow—nor should they feel like they have to go above and beyond to make accommodations for other passengers.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Suhyeon Choi via Unsplash

 

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Parenthood can make you reassess your career path for many reasons, like finding a more flexible job, weighing your employment options after taking time off or figuring out how to reintegrate at work after maternity leave. If you’re on the hunt for a new job, you might want to check out some of the newest rapidly growing industries.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and projections from the Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), Yahoo! Finance mapped out the fastest growing jobs in the U.S. Construction, maintenance, repair services, mathematical and technology-based jobs are among the careers leading the pack.

photo: Rawpixel via Unsplash

The jobs on the rise vary by state, however, there are a few that are consistently gaining steam across the country. A solar panel installer, for example, is the fastest growing job in eight states including California, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota and New Jersey. Wind turbine technicians are also growing quickly in several states including Colorado, Texas, Nebraska and Iowa.

In other states, however, you’ll find some more eclectic careers trending, like animal trainers in Oregon and exhibit designers in Idaho. You can check out the full chart of jobs by state here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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The new LEGOLAND New York resort is on the hunt for a talented team of reporters—who also just so happen to be kids! We’ve got the scoop on how your junior journalists could win this chance of a lifetime.

While it’s a little over a year until the newest LEGOLAND resort is set to open, there’s sure to be a lot of activity as everything reaches completion over the next several months. The theme park is looking to cover those details with the best authority on theme parks: kids! Here’s the scoop on the LEGOLAND New York kid reporter search.

Starting Jan. 8, kids ages six to 12 who are located in a 100 mile radius of the future park in Goshen, New York are invited to post a one minute video to Facebook with the hashtag #LLNYKidReporter explaining what they’re most excited for when the park opens.

LEGOLAND will select up to five lucky kids for their team of Kid News Reporters, gaining exclusive access and first-to-ride experiences as they cover the events leading up to the park’s grand opening in the spring of 2020. Video entries will be accepted from now until Feb. 7, 2019 and you can check out the full Kid Reporter Search terms and conditions here.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Courtesy LEGOLAND New York Resort

 

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Celebs are just like us. Um, kind of. But when Drew Barrymore was asked by a fan if she’s pregnant, she did what we all wish we could — got totally honest, in a hilarious way. Barrymore may be a super-famous actress and a mogul in her own rite. She’s also a mama and a human being. And that what makes her response to a fan sooooooo laugh-worthy.

During a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, while promoting the new season of her show — Santa Clarita Diet, Barrymore got candid on the subject of diets. Yeah, yeah, actresses are supposed to eat next to nothing and stay picture-perfect size 0’s Right? Well, not Barrymore. On the subject of dieting, Barrymore told Corden, “I would much rather eat fettuccine alfredo all day long.”

Even though she lost weight (through exercise) while filming Season 1 of Santa Clarita Diet, Barrymore started gaining again before the next season was set to start. “I’m a foodie. I love food, I travel the world for food, and I got heavy between the show.”

Barrymore added that after going out to eat with a group of her mom friends and their kiddos a woman stopped her, commenting on how many children she has. The actress answered, “Not all of them are mine.” And the woman? She responded, “Well you’re expecting, obviously?” Hmm. Obviously?

Obviously, Barrymore wasn’t preggo. Instead of a lengthy explanation or a sheepish shrug-off, the celeb answered back, “No, I’m just fat right now.”

Has someone ever asked if you were pregnant when you weren’t? Share your story with us in the comments below.

—Erica Loop

 

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Photo: Animation Magazine

Hulu is giving parents another reason to choose its services over its competitors. In an everlasting battle with Netflix and Amazon Prime, Hulu has announced another multi-year deal with Disney. In this new agreement, Hulu is gaining exclusive rights to stream classic Disney films such as Mulan, Pocohantas, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

In total, over 50 titles will become available on Hulu in the months ahead. More titles include Hercules, Air Bud, Sister Act, Lilo & Stitch, Tarzan, The Mighty Ducks, The Princess and the Frog, and Muppet Treasure Island. 

Hulu and the Disney-ABC Television Group began began their partnership in early 2016, after agreeing to distribute 500 episodes and more than 20 original movies from The Disney-ABC Television Group’s suite of networks to the Hulu Kids library. It’s the largest kids programming deal made between the two companies to date.

H/T: USA Today

There goes the doctors favorite word to throw around while diagnosing babies, colic. Being a mother of two, I can definitely rule out different cries, I mean come on I’m an expert now basically. NOT.

I have two precious boys, and I became a mother at nineteen years young. Kaiden made me a mother, he’s now three years old and has taught me a lot about my life and about how to be a mother. When Kaiden was a baby, he was diagnosed with acid reflux. Nothing serious to the doctors since he was gaining weight. 

BUT, what about the pain my baby was going through? Sure, he’s gaining weight fine, I had no idea how when it seriously  looked like he was throwing up ounces at a time. Luckily, after changing formula six times, yes six times, and finding the right medication he grew out of his acid reflux at four months old.

Fast forward two years, and we are ready to have another baby. After trying and trying, we stopped trying and trusted God’s timing. Next thing you know, those two lines popped up on my pregnancy test. 39 weeks later I was induced to give birth to our second precious baby boy Kylan. All of the sudden, things took a turn for the worst.

As I was getting discharged the pediatric hospitalist came in and proceeded to tell me that I was being discharged, but Kylan was not. I was in shock. “Why, is he okay, he had been fine the first two nights at the hospital!” Kylan ended up having blood in his stool, and the doctors had no answers as to why. Finally after a numerous amount of doctor visits and formula changes, my sweet baby ended up having MSPI (Milk Soy Protein Intolerance).

That’s not all though. Kylan was screaming, throwing up, arching his back, and covering himself and me in vomit after every single bottle. My baby was in PAIN.

I made the first available appointment for that very next day. Here we go again… “Your baby is gaining weight just fine. He has colic, and it will pass eventually.” We left, tears streaming down my face, I knew my baby was in pain and he did not have colic. After more doctor visits, they finally put Kylan on acid reflux medication- Zantac, an H2 blocker that your baby grows up a tolerance towards.

So here we go, more pain. Sleepless nights, and a screaming baby that only wants to be held and cuddled. Medication was changed again to a PPI (Proton Pumps Inhibitors). With babies though, they need their PPI more than once a day and until they are on the right dosage, they will continue to be in pain and go through the dreaded a”acid battle.” 

Yes, the acid battle is real, and it’s total HELL. You don’t know what to do anymore, you feel useless, hopeless, and worst of all like you’re failing your baby as their mother. A mother who is supposed to protect them, and do their best to keep them out of harms way. I felt like I was going crazy. Until one day I found a support group on Facebook for infants with acid reflux, and other mothers going through the same exact things I was going through with Kylan. Dr. Jeffrey Phillips who was an administrator on the Facebook group had invented TCM (Tummy Care Max) which makes PPIS immediate release instead of having to wait 45 minutes after giving the baby their medicine to give your baby a bottle.

I also discovered Marci Kids Dosing, which goes by the age and weight of your baby to determine how many milligrams to give your baby and also how many times per day. This truly was a life saver. I researched and researched some more before taking the leap and getting Tummy Care Max, and the amazing thing is that it’s safe for MSPI babies like my sweet Kylan as well!

After starting new medication, and giving Kylan the right dosage backed by science, he became a totally different baby. Kylan smiles, laughs, holds his head up, and rolled over from front to back for the first time! My message to all moms and all parents out there is to follow your parenting instincts. Don’t ever feel crazy for thinking something is wrong with your baby when you have that gut wrenching feeling that something isn’t right. Colic is diagnosed daily by pediatricians when later on the true problem is acid reflux, and when not treated your baby can be in severe pain. Don’t ever settle with answers you don’t be feel comfortable with.

Fight for your babies. WE ARE THEIR VOICE. WE ARE THEIR NUMBER ONE FANS. WE ARE THEIR PARENTS AND THEY ARE OUR GIFTS FROM GOD. 

So they deserve to be well taken care of and not in pain. So sweet mama or daddy reading this, I hope you stand up and fight for your precious babies. I fought so extremely hard, and I wanted to give up at times, but guess what!?

 I WON, ME AND KYLAN DEFEATED THIS ACID BATTLE. Much love to all the parents going through health conditions with their precious babies, and even though I don’t know you, I’m praying for you. God Bless. 

I'm a stay at home mom to two beautiful boys. I enjoy the simple things in life, like taking a relaxing shower without my kids throwing my clothes in the toilet. I enjoy helping other moms with obstacles they're facing that I have already overcome.

Photo: AnneHathaway via Instagram

There are few Hollywood mothers we could relate to, and actress Anne Hathaway might be one of them. The new mom took to Instagram this week to talk about her post-baby bod.

Photo: AnneHathaway via Instagram

The actress, who welcomed a baby boy in April, posted an picture of her DIY’d shorts from a pair of old jeans to illustrate her empowering message:

There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever).
There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all).
There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer’s are just too dang short for this summer’s thighs.
Bodies change.
Bodies grow.
Bodies shrink.
It’s all love
(don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.)

Preach it, Girl!

What do you think of this? Tell us in the comments below!

Emma and Noah are now the top baby names in the country. The Social Security Administration just released their list of the top 100 girl names and top 100 boy names in the US for 2014. So if you’re in need of some baby naming inspiration, read on to see how our country is trending and what names are getting used the most right now.

Photo by Theodor Scott via Flickr

Noah is on the top of the list for boys for the second year in a row and Emma returns to the top for the first time since 2008. Both names are short, sweet and easy. Emma also may be in the number one spot due to the revival of Victorian-era names, a popular baby naming trend right now.

The Top Baby Names for Girls in 2014

Behind Emma, in the top ten for girls are the baby names Olivia, Sophia, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Emily, Abigail, Madison and Charlotte. We’re betting that Charlotte will skyrocket to the top (or close to it) over the next year or two since the royal princess baby just received that name.

Harper, Sofia, Avery, Elizabeth, Amelia, Evelyn, Ella, Chloe, Victoria and Aubrey rounded out the top 20 girl names of 2014.

Photo by Andrew Malone via Flickr 

The Top Baby Names for Boys in 2014

The top ten baby names for boys beyond Noah include Liam, Mason, Jacob, William, Ethan, Michael, Alexander, James and Daniel. James seems to be making a comeback. It hasn’t taken the number one spot since 1952, and it jumped from 13 to number 9 in the last year.

Elijah, Benjamin, Logan, Aiden, Jayden, Matthew, Jackson, David, Lucas and Joseph filled the spots from 11 to 20 for the top boys names.

Photo by Bethany King via Flickr

Fastest-Rising Baby Names

The Social Security Administration also tracks trending baby names that made big jumps in popularity from 2013 to 2014. While these names aren’t the most popular names, they are gaining momentum.

For girls, Aranza (the name of a popular Mexican singer) jumped 3,625 spots on the list over the last year. Montserrat, Maisie, Karter, Thea, Jessa, Freya and Henley are also making waves in girls names.

For boys, Bode (possibly giving a node to Olympic skier Bode Miller) moved up 645 spots on the list. Axl is also making a quick jump to the top, possibly thanks to Fergie and Josh Duhamel’s son Axl Jack born in 2013. Gannon, Royal, Ronin, Finnley, Dash, Langston and Rowan and also skyrocketing toward the top.

See the rest of the top baby names for 2014, and other years, on the Social Security Administration’s website

Would you pick a popular name for your baby or do you prefer something more unique. Tell us in a Comment

–Julie Seguss

Ask any experienced breast feeding mommy what’s the most frustrating part of getting started with her newborn, and most likely she will tell you it’s figuring out how much milk baby is actually drinking and how much she’s left for later. Not knowing can bring a world of agony and worry to a new mother, especially if baby doesn’t seem to be gaining enough weight or asking (ok, crying) to feed often enough.

If only there were a way to measure how much milk you’re starting with at each feeding and how much milk is left at the end…. Well, now there is, thanks to the MilkSense Breastfeeding Monitor, designed to serve as your very own personal milk monitor. Innovative, simple, and surprisingly accurate, it takes the guesswork out of nourishing your baby.

Simply place it on each breast for 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after each feeding, and voila, it determines exactly how much milk in milliliters baby drank. How does it work? The device uses electromagnetic signals to measure the volume of the breast alveoli—a component of the mammary gland—and based on this information, can determine the exact amount of milk in each breast. The best part: The information is stored so that mommy can monitor baby’s intake over time. Genius!

Available at amazon.com, $140

Would you use this device to keep track of your breast milk? Let us know in the Comments section below.

—Jamy Bond

Let’s face it — lots of kids are fascinated by cats. After all, cats can shimmy up walls, scamper atop high furniture, and are loving and playful. If your family is not quite ready for a cat of your own though, pay a visit to San Diego’s newly-opened Cat Café downtown. Kiddos can pet and play with the kitties, and you even have the option of adopting one (or more). Here’s your insider’s guide to The Cat Café.

The Cat Café Concept
Cat cafés originated in Taiwan, and eventually became popular in Japan, where many apartments forbid pet ownership. They are slowly gaining popularity within the United States and throughout the world. For kids wanting a kitty but can’t have one of their own -– whether due to allergies, household rules or otherwise — a trip to the Cat Café in San Diego is one way to let them get the kitty time they’re craving.

Photo Credit: Marissa Mullen

What’s Inside
When you enter The Cat Café, you’re greeted with the coffee shop area where you begin your journey. All that’s required to see the cats is to purchase a drink or food item. On the menu are a variety of different coffees, hot chocolate, tea, assorted sodas, and bottled water. If you want a treat to munch on, there are also tasty muffins, croissants, donuts, scones and other snacks. You can then move on to the enclosed play space, which houses the cats.

The number of cats running the joint varies at any given time, but there could potentially be as many as ten. Feel free to spread out on the comfy carpet and pet the kitty of your choice. The room is filled with feline comforts like soft beds, scratching posts, and climbing shelves. There are also feather toys, balls, and cat tunnels that kids can use to interact with the cats. Tables and chairs are set up, should you prefer to sit with your drink and simply watch the kitties in action. There’s even free Wi-Fi!

Want To Take A Kitty Home?
The Cat Café offers the unique experience of giving you a good look at the cats’ personalities through lots of hands-on playtime and cuddling. If you and the kids fall in love with a kitty (which is likely to happen), you have the option of adopting it! The Cat Café has a partnership with the San Diego Humane Society, which is where the kitties in the café come from. The cats have been spayed, neutered, and are up to date on their vaccinations. Simply pay the reasonable adoption fee of $65 for cats or $95 for kittens, and you can take one home on the same day. You’ll also get a box of freebies for your new kitty.

Know Before You Go
The Cat Café is open daily from 7 a.m – 3 p.m. If it’s busy, there will be a little bit of a wait before you can claw your way into the cat area. But it’s worth it! There’s also a 15-minute time limit to play with the kitties when there are a several people waiting. Remember to encourage your little ones to be gentle while petting the kitties!

472 Third Ave.
San Diego, Ca 92101
619-786-2289
Online: catcafesd.com

Have you visited The Cat Café? Tell us what you thought about it!

— Written and photographed by Marissa Mullen