Nestlé recently released the results of the brand’s new Parenting Index—and the United States ranks fifth globally in the best places to raise children. The top countries to raise a child based on The Parenting Index are Sweden, Chile, Germany, and Mexico.
The beloved brand’s Index looked at parenting views from more than 8,000 moms and dads of children zero to 12-months in 16 different countries. After analyzing the responses, researchers were able to identify eight universal factors universally impacting parenting practices.
Pressure ranked as the top factor impacting U.S. parents. Not only did American moms and dads feel pressure for their kids to “have it all,” but they also reported high levels of pressure from others. Other issues U.S. parents reported were social shaming (46 percent of parents), loneliness (30 percent), the baby blues (45 percent) and the desire for greater sharing of parenting responsibilities (51 percent).
Dr. Ming Cui, Professor of Family and Child Sciences at Florida State University and M.S. in Statistics and Ph.D. in Sociology, Fulbright U.S. Scholar, reviewed The Parenting Index methodology and findings. Of the result, Dr. Cui said, in a press release, “Today’s parents are increasingly parenting in a state of anxiety, which can be reflected from findings in this report, such as the external/internal pressure, lack of confidence and financial demands they say they are experiencing.”
Cui added, “Influenced by popular media along with technology advances, many parents from different cultures and socio-economic classes feel pressured to do it all.”
Even though the findings may highlight some of the not-so-great parts of parenting, the results weren’t entirely negative. American parents did report feeling positive in general. They also felt they have access to the health and well-being resources they need.
To learn more about the study’s findings, view The Parenting Index here.
It’s been more than 30 years since we’ve seen new episodes of Punky Brewster, but the wait is finally over. Peacock, NBCUniversal’s steaming platform, just dropped the first full-length trailer for the rebooted show.
As seen in the trailer, Punky is all grown up and still close with her bestie Cherie. The show will follow her in her newly divorced life (with ex-husband Travis, played by Freddie Prince Jr.) and her three kids.
The mis-matched shoe-wearing mama will also be taking in a local foster child in the show, an homage to Punky’s early years. The 10-episode series will drop on Feb. 25 only on Peacock.
If you can’t wait until then to find your Punky Power, you can stream all the OG episodes of the 80’s classic on the streaming platform.
National Polka Dot Day was Jan. 22 and in honor of the annual day that is nearly synonymous withe Minnie Mouse, Disney and Create & Cultivate are bringing fans something special.
For the second year in a row, Positively Minnie: The Polka Dot Summit 2.0 – The Digital Edition will bring audiences together to showcase just what it means to be “Positively Minnie.” The global, virtual summit will happen on Sat., Feb. 13 at 9 a.m. PST.
The summit is a collaboration between Disney and Create & Cultivate, a modern media company for working womxn, by working womxn. Stephanie Young, President of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing states, “Minnie Mouse is a true global icon who has influenced both the fashion and lifestyle spaces since her debut in 1928. Her timelessness has allowed her to transcend generations and inspire joy and self-confidence in fans of all ages. She is the perfect inspiration for Create & Cultivate as they aim to inspire the next generation of creators, innovators, and trendsetters.”
So what can attendees expect? Fans will be able to participate in Minnie-inspired workshops, keynote conversation, styling sessions, shop Minnie Mouse merchandise and more. Oh, and admission is free!
To sign up, guests must register on the Create & Cultivate website at createcultivate.com/polka-dot-summit. Registration closes on February 12, are non-transferable, limited to one per attendee and guests must be 18 or older. For more information on The Polka Dot Summit 2.0, click here
It’s time to clean out your fridge. Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is recalling approximately 4,200 pounds of pork sausage product that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically thin blue rubber, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The raw, pork sausage item was produced on December 17, 2020. The recall involves 1-lb. chubs containing “Bob Evans Italian Sausage” with lot code 0352 and a “USE/FRZ BY” date of “JAN 31 21” represented on the label. The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 6785” printed directly above the “USE/FRZ BY” date. These items were shipped to retail locations in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The problem was discovered when Bob Evans notified FSIS that they received consumer complaints.
Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase..
Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Alison Emery, Director of Communications, Bob Evans Farms Inc. at 614-778-1886 or alison.emery@bobevansfoods.com.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture/Featured photo: Edwin Jaulani from Pexels
Black History Month is in full swing and if you’re looking for resources to help your child learn about Black History you’ll want to bookmark this post. Whether your school Black History curriculum is lacking or you have a kid who just can’t get enough, here is a list of vetted and reliable websites for lessons, activities, reading and videos for Black History Month.
18. Common Sense Media recommends several movies to spark conversations around Black History Month (parental discretion advised).
19. Teachervision offers links to resources for elementary students.
20. Education.com has activity, crafts and recipe suggestions for young students.
21. Education.com also has elementary level printables for coloring and crosswords.
22. Biography has information on famous African-American athletes.
23. The American Library Association recommends books that have won the Coretta Scott King Book award. (These awards are presented each year to notable African American authors and illustrators of children’s books and young adult books that show an appreciation of African-American culture.)
25. WEB Guides has digital materials on a variety of related topics.
26. The government site for African-American History Month has plenty of resources.
27. WEB Guides has digital materials on a variety of related topics.
28. This PBS Learning Media video shares the origin of Black History Month, including key events in history that led to today’s observance in February. PBS Kids also offers a lineup of inspiring books about African-American culture, and this video to share more about why Martin Luther King Jr.’s values and ideas are important to live by each day.
I’m Courtney! A 30-something-year-old travel, food, lifestyle and family blogger for The World In Four Days. In addition to being a jet-setter, I’m also a wound care nurse and mommy to the cutest little eight-year-old on earth.
Families living in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh are receiving critically needed early education resources. Sesame Workshop unveiled its first Rohingya Muppets as part of its Play to Learn Humanitarian Program. The new characters, Noor and Aziz, are 6-year-old twins that love to learn and play using their creativity and imagination.
The new Muppet characters will be featured in groundbreaking Rohingya-language educational media as part of the Play to Learn program in partnership with BRAC, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and New York University’s Global TIES for Children. Made possible by the LEGO Foundation this program aims to support children and families affected by the Rohingya Refugee crisis. The Cox Baxar refugee camp is home to more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees who fled conflict in neighboring Myanmar. More than half are children.
“Noor and Aziz are at the heart of our efforts to bring early education and learning through play to children and caregivers affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, who have been impacted tremendously by the dual crises of displacement and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sherrie Westin, President of Social Impact, Sesame Workshop. “These are two very special Sesame Muppets—for most Rohingya children, Noor and Aziz will be the very first characters in media who look and sound like them. Rooted in the rich Rohingya culture and informed by extensive research and input from Rohingya families, Noor and Aziz will bring the transformative power of playful learning to families at a time when it’s needed more than ever before.”
Noor Yasmin, known as Noor for short, is a 6-year-old Rohingya girl who loves to learn and play. She lives in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp with her twin brother, Aziz, and their family. Noor loves to make up fun and funny new rules for the games she plays with her friends and family. She is deeply curious about how the world works and uses play to help her understand her world. Her passion for asking questions and finding answers often inspires her and Aziz to try new ways of playing (and learning). She’s a confident girl who believes that there is no problem too big for her to try to solve.
Aziz, Noor’s brother, is a playful 6-year-old Rohingya boy. Aziz is a natural performer and storyteller; he loves to use his imagination to create and act out stories about kings, queens, and animals. His creativity sometimes distracts him from accomplishing a task, but Noor and friends help him focus. He enjoys assisting others with tasks like household chores and values the importance of helping his family and friends. He relies on his sister for support, laughter – and finding new ways to play.
The two new characters, along with familiar Sesame Street friends like Elmo and Elmo’s dad, Louie, will be featured in new video segments on social-emotional learning, math, science, and health and safety. In every segment, the duo will engage in a learning activity centered around the five characteristics of playful experiences that help children learn best—experiences that are joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, iterative, and socially interactive. In partnership with BRAC, video segments will be shared through BRAC’s Humanitarian Play Labs and additional direct services. Facilitator trainings, storybooks, and printed educational resources will accompany the new video segments and be integrated into BRAC and IRC’s direct services in the coming year.
“Investing in learning through play is even more crucial now, where thousands of children affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, now face the additional unforeseen challenges posed by the global pandemic. Noor and Aziz not only share similar experiences with many of the children who find themselves in this crisis, they will also help these young children to overcome trauma and stress, and build resilience, while engaging in fun play-based learning activities,” said Sarah Bouchie, Chief Impact Officer at the LEGO Foundation. “Learning through play also helps children to develop the holistic skills, including creativity and social-emotional skills, which are vital to survive and thrive in this rapidly changing world.”
In addition to supporting families affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, both in displaced and Bangladeshi host communities, Play to Learn is also reaching children affected by the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan and Lebanon as part of Sesame Workshop and the IRC’s Ahlan Simsim program. In both Bangladesh and the Middle East, Play to Learn combines educational media with direct services reaching families in their homes, community centers, and play spaces to infuse children’s daily lives with playful learning opportunities that are essential to their healthy development and empower them to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. By designing program approaches and educational content that can be adapted for different contexts around the world, Play to Learn is laying the foundation to transform how the world supports children in humanitarian crises, wherever they may be, for generations to come.
Common Sense Networks has announced a brand new project for 2021: the launch of Sensical. The free streaming platform will offer age-appropriate, short-form videos for kids 2-12 with thousands of options.
Sensical will be divided into three categories: Preschoolers (ages 2-4), Little kids (ages 5-7) and Big kids (ages 8-12), each with filters that will provide parents with peace of mind when it comes to providing content.
photo: Common Sense Media
The platform’s interface will give kids the opportunity to select from hundreds of topics, and parents have the option to select a specific age range on behalf of their children. Every frame of the videos found on Sensical have been “viewed, vetted and rated by individuals trained in child development and Sensical’s rubric” to ensure that all content meets the standards of Common Sense Media’s 15 years of research and advocacy.
Common Sense Networks CEO Eric Berger says “Sensical’s mission is to ignite kids’ passions, fuel curiosity, build bridges between children and their parents and make everyone part of the learning journey. As a free platform offering only age-appropriate fare, we remove every obstacle to accessing a comprehensive, trusted resource for entertaining short-form video from the best possible content creators. Every family can afford to add Sensical to their personal bundle and we couldn’t be more excited to create a distinctive alternative for parents and partner with them in their goal to raise good humans.”
Sensical is partnering with tons of brands and franchises to bring content to kids. Some of these include Cosmic Kids Yoga, ABC Commercial (The Wiggles), Awesome Forces (The Aquabats), Big Big Holdings LLC (It’s A Big Big World), CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution, 9 Story Distribution International (Ruby’s Studio, Zerby Derby), Sesame Workshop (Pinky Dinky Doo, Sesame Studios), Studio 100 (Maya the Bee, Small Potatoes), and more.
Parents will be able to access the Sensical Parent Zone, a dashboard tool that enables them to review and manage all viewing activity, in addition to reports on what and how long their kids watch as well as the unique social, emotional and cognitive skills they are learning from the videos they are viewing.
Sensical launches in early 2021 on an array of streaming devices, smart TVs and mobile devices (iOS and Android) as a free, branded ad-supported app and live-streaming channels on all major OTT (over the top) platforms.
Theater kids rejoice!. Today, Disney+ released the trailer for High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special, which premieres Fri., Dec. 11 on the streaming service. Later this week, on Fri., Nov. 20, the soundtrack from the special will be available on all streaming services.
The trailer includes a preview of “The Perfect Gift,” a new song from the highly anticipated second season of the series, written and performed by Joshua Bassett.
In addition to “The Perfect Gift,” the soundtrack and special will provide fans a sneak peek of “Something In The Air,” the first major musical number from the upcoming second season of the series.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special will also feature Bassett, Olivia Rodrigo, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders sharing their childhood holiday memories, best – and most embarrassing! – gifts, favorite traditions and family photos.
The track listing for the special and soundtrack is as follows:
“This Christmas (Hang All The Mistletoe)” – performed by Sofia Wylie
“The Perfect Gift” – written and performed by Joshua Bassett
“Feliz Navidad” – performed by Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Serafini
“The Hanukkah Medley” – performed by Julia Lester
“Last Christmas” – performed by Matt Cornett
“White Christmas” – performed by Larry Saperstein
“Little Saint Nick” – performed by Joshua Bassett and Matt Cornett
“Believe” – performed by Dara Reneé
“What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” – performed by Kate Reinders and Mark St. Cyr
“River” – performed by Olivia Rodrigo
“Something In The Air” – performed by the season two cast of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”
“That’s Christmas To Me” – performed by Frankie Rodriguez, Kate Reinders, Julia Lester and Joe Serafini
“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – performed by Dara Reneé
High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special is executive-produced by High School Musical: The Musical: The Series creator and executive producer Tim Federle (Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated Ferdinand) and Ashley Edens (Dancing With The Stars). The series has been “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes as measured by a consensus of reviews by top critics and audience members, and recently received the 2020 GLAAD Media Award for “Outstanding Kids & Family Programming.”
Fall is in the air. Celebrate the season with these fun at-home arts and crafts projects for kids, all courtesy of our favorite LA Instagrammers. Read on for all the DIY details.
Start getting in the Thanksgiving spirit with these beautiful corn creations from Arielle Goddard of Art Camp LA. You'll need black construction paper and Crayola Model Magic to get started. Goddard says its "an air dry clay that feels like light, fluffy marshmallows." Get the full DIY here.
This oh-so simple project is a fall favorite. Collect leaves with kids (Meri Cherry of Meri Cherry Art Studio says avocado leaves work great!). "The bigger the better," she adds in her post. Paint the back of leaves and let little ones bet creative.
Make a paper doll chain of trees for a fairy tale forest, inspired by this post from LA art teacher and paper cut artist Shelley Friedman. For the rest of the scene, Friedman (who teaches at Purple Twig) gave students textured paper that they painted themselves using handmade nature brushes.
For a project you can stretch out over a few days, introduce kids to mixed media paintings like these ones from LA kids art studio Purple Twig. Start with colorful bubble wrap prints on day one, and then layer on leaf prints in gold and black ink on day two. See the final results here.
Another one from the process art pros at Purple Twig, this project teaches kids how to create depth in their painting. Start with trees painted on using diluted sumi ink, then follow with black sumi ink trees on top.
Inclusivity can mean a number of different things. Usually, it refers to including and considering those who are often excluded or marginalized—this can involve sexuality, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, and varying levels of ability. Ensuring inclusive environments makes the world a better place for everyone on a personal, intellectual and even professional level by ensuring that everyone feels welcome. Often, inclusivity is discussed in workplaces, schools, organizations and other public spaces, but it’s also important to teach inclusivity within your family and your household.
Being a good citizen in the world begins with the lessons you learn at home, and while your home is a more comfortable and relaxed place—perhaps with a more homogeneous mix of people than the world at large—it’s still important to teach inclusivity in your family so you can fully embrace the differences within your own household and in your community at large.
You never know where your inclusivity could really make a difference—from your child who could be exploring their identity knowing that they’ll come out to an accepting and loving support system, to guests in your home, to the people you encounter every day in the world. People come from all different backgrounds and experiences, and while you don’t have to know all the answers, making an effort to inform and educate yourself and your family can go a long way. If you’re looking to encourage more inclusivity in your household, here are a few ways to do it.
1. Surround Your Family with Diverse People
While the idea of being “colorblind” or “not noticing disability” might be nice at first, it can actually do more harm than good. People are different, and that’s beautiful. Making an effort to engage in activities and participate in inclusive spaces can expose your family to all different experiences. Looking for schools, activities, and social circles with people of different backgrounds and experiences can normalize variation and diversity for your kids, and even for you.
2. Encourage Empathy
One of the key points of inclusivity is thinking and acting with empathy. While diversity is about the presence of people of different backgrounds and experiences, inclusivity involves making the effort to understand their experiences, and empathy is an integral part of that action. While it’s impossible to understand the exact feelings associated with someone else’s experiences, even encouraging your kids or family to think from the perspective of others can be a great exercise in empathizing with someone of different backgrounds from your own.
3. Allow for Questions
Inclusivity isn’t just about normalization and diversity, either. It’s also about understanding and treating people like human beings who deserve respect. As long as questions are posed in a respectful manner and you’re prepared to listen, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. Asking someone what their experience is like adjusting to life in a wheelchair, celebrating different holidays or growing up in another country isn’t rude.
While there is a boundary between asking questions to understand someone’s experience and expecting someone to take on the emotional labor of educating you, the key is often honesty and respect. If your kids have questions you know the answer to, you can always educate them, too.
4. Model Good Behavior
You can’t expect your family to walk the walk if all you do is talk the talk. One of the best ways to teach inclusivity and encourage it in your household is to live a more inclusive lifestyle yourself. Support organizations, policies, and even politics that encourage inclusivity throughout the world. Spend time with people of various backgrounds and experiences and let your kids and family see. Sometimes, the best way to encourage inclusivity is simply by living it.
5. Prioritize Representation in Media & Books
Another avenue in which diversity and inclusivity is highly important is the media your family consumes. The kinds of people we see represented in films, shows, and books often shape our opinions and experiences within the world, and it’s important to use them as tools towards being more informed people. Try to read more inclusive literature and consume media that features all kinds of people. You may learn a lot from it.
6. Go the Extra Mile to Make Accommodations
Inclusivity is often about making the accommodations people need in order to make them feel welcome and comfortable. Many systems are set up specifically to cater to those in more privileged positions without regard to the needs of others, and advocating for more inclusivity often involves advocating for the accommodations necessary for people of different experiences and ability levels.
If your child has a friend or classmate who has a different diet because of religious reasons, needs physical accommodations, or has any other requirements, advocating on their behalf in public spaces and making sure they’re comfortable in your home can be really meaningful. It can make their experience better and model that behavior for your family, too.
In order to create a more inclusive world, change needs to start at home. By encouraging inclusivity in your household, you’re encouraging inclusivity on a wider scale, too. Raising respectful, knowledgeable, and empathetic members of society begins with you, and by encouraging inclusivity at home, you’re doing your part in creating a better world for everyone.
Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, freelance writer, and blogger. She enjoys long naps on the couch, sneaking spoonfuls of peanut butter when her kid's not looking, and binge watching Doctor Who while her kid's asleep. She really does like her kid, though, she promises. Find her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.