ML Interest Tag: predict

Better Learn How to Spell “Alohamora” because Harry Potter Is Coming to Scrabble

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Brush up on your magical creature and potion names, because a new Harry Potter Scrabble game has arrived—and we predict a magical family game night in your future.

USAopoly will release Scrabble: World of Harry Potter and soon, you won’t be able to spell family fun without Hogwarts. In addition to all of the official Scrabble Dictionary entries, this new version of the classic game gives players a chance to create words from the world of Harry Potter to earn magical word bonuses.

photo: Courtesy of USAopoly

Everything from places like Hogwarts and Dragon Alley, to spells like expelliarmus and wingardium leviosa, are all playable words. And yes—even proper character names like Hermione and Hagrid are fair game, too! (Just make sure you say “Hermione” right when you go for that triple word score.)

The new game will hit store shelves at retailers including Barnes and Noble in spring 2019.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

RELATED STORIES:

10 Harry Potter Gifts on Amazon Perfect for Any Age

Is Harry Potter Getting a Reboot? Daniel Radcliffe Seems to Think So & WHAT?!?

This Williams Sonoma Harry Potter Home Collection Is Right Up Our Diagon Alley

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

If Your Child Has Asthma, They Were Probably Born During This Month, Study Finds

by Shahrzad Warkentin

When your baby is born can have an impact on many things, like size, personality and even rates of academic success. Now you can add allergies and asthma to that list. A new study shows that babies are more likely to develop asthma when they are born during a very specific time of year.

New research has found that babies born during grass pollen season have a higher risk of developing asthma later on, however, babies who spend an entire hay fever season in the womb may be protected against the risk.

The grass pollen season in the U.S. typically runs from May to August, but it can begin earlier or end later depending on which region you live in. The study found that babies born during those months had elevated levels of antibodies in the blood known as immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies help protect the body from viruses, bacteria and allergens. They can also help predict the onset of allergic diseases, like asthma, later in life.

While many previous studies have already shown that babies with high levels of IgE in cord blood are at greater risk of developing allergies later on, what was different and important about this particular study is that it looked at the effects of pollen exposure during pregnancy as well. The findings showed that babies who were in utero for an entire grass pollen season had lower IgE levels.

“This was a significant finding and indicates the possible development of a sensitisation barrier. However, more research needs to be done and currently we are working on studies to identify the specific risk time periods of pollen exposure during pregnancy on asthma and allergies in children,” explained Associate Professor Bircan Erbas from La Trobe University’s School of Psychology and Public Health in Melbourne.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that being born from May to August automatically means your baby will develop allergies and asthma. “The study provides new insight that could help us predict and manage diseases like asthma – which are a significant public health burden,” said Erbas. “However, it’s important to remember there are a number of factors that can determine who gets asthma or allergies. This is one piece of the puzzle.”

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Nita via Pexels

 

RELATED STORIES:

Exposure to Pollution During Pregnancy Can Affect Your Kids, New Study Finds

Do Baby Wipes Cause Food Allergies in Kids? New Study Has a Surprising Answer

Are BPA-Free Products Really Safe? A New Study Raises Concerns

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Chip & Joanna Share Pics of Baby Crew (& What the Name Means to Them)

by Shahrzad Warkentin

The Gaines family’s newest member made a swift and early debut into the world this weekend. While fans are fawning over the adorable Instagram pics many are also asking why did Chip and Joanna Gaines name their baby Crew?

Crew Gaines is the fifth baby for the couple, who already have two boys named Drake and Duke and two girls named Ella Rose and Emmie Kay. When Chip and Joanna revealed that they were, in fact, having a boy, many fans (including us!) assumed that they would stay in line with their naming tradition and give their youngest son a name starting with the letter “D”. Much to the world’s surprise, however, the couple went with an entirely different naming scheme.

While Crew might be outside the box for the family, considering that the addition gives them a full team of pint-sized demo assistants, it’s a pretty perfect fit. Even proud papa, Chip, made a nod to the team-building aspect of the name when he made the birth announcement tweeting, “the Gaines crew is now one stronger.”

Of course, nicknames often take over and baby Crew has already earned an adorable one from his mom, who shared the latest pic of her little “cuddle bug” on Instagram.

While Crew certainly has a classic ring to it, according to Nameberry it’s actually a fairly new entry into the baby name game. It first broke the top 1,000 boy names in the US in 2010 and has been steadily climbing ever since. We predict it will soon be as popular as farmhouse sinks and shiplap.

 

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Joanna Gaines via Instagram

RELATED STORIES:

The Newest Trend in Baby Names Could Be the Most Original Yet

This “Game of Thrones” Character Is the New Baby Name Hotness (Sorry, Khaleesi)

The Royal Baby Name Is Full of Meaning as the World Welcomes Prince Louis

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

When the Little Moments Outshine the Big Ones

By Andrew Knott

Emotions are hard to predict. In the days and weeks leading up to my oldest child’s first day of kindergarten, I was certain that my emotions would get the better of me. But, when the big day finally came, everything felt surprisingly routine. We woke up early, rushed around to get ready, and took our first day pictures in the front yard before driving to school. We arrived, successfully navigated the hectic crush of cars and people, parked, and all piled out of our car to walk Jacob up to the school’s front door.

And that was pretty much it. His teacher, who we had met the day before, happened to arrive at the office door to collect her students just as we entered. We said our goodbyes and he walked away down the hall, his oversized Ninja Turtles backpack resting comfortably on his narrow shoulders. We then walked back to our car and carried on with our day. There were still two other children in the house to care for, so there was plenty to do.

I certainly expected that first drop-off to be more dramatic and emotional. So, after the first day was successfully in the books, I figured we were out of the woods. I was wrong. One day the next week, I dropped Jacob off in the car line for the first time because he asked to do it that way. Leading up to this day, I had always parked and walked him up to the door like we did on day one. We pulled into the school parking lot and inched forward in the line of cars as we creeped along the snaking drive that winds its way to a covered walkway in front of the school. I was a bit nervous as our turn to unload approached. I was worried both about Jacob being able to get himself out of the car in a reasonable amount of time and what he would do when he got out. Did he even know where to go?

When it came time to stop and unload, everything went perfectly. A teacher opened Jacob’s door and he hopped out. He slid the straps of his backpack on, said goodbye, and stepped up onto the sidewalk. Then he hurried along in the direction of the school, racing to catch up as we rolled away so he could wave one last time. If there is one thing you can count on, it’s that my kids never miss an opportunity to wave. But, once the waving was done, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw him bopping along toward the school building. He seemed so grown up. And that’s when it hit me.

In the muddle that is the early years of parenting it can be easy to forget obvious things. Like that your kids aren’t appendages of yourself; they are their own individual persons. In those first years, you get so used to having your children with you all the time, reliant on you for everything, often attached to your very person, that it’s easy to forget the separateness of your existence. But when they are suddenly out of your sight and away from your touch for seven hours a day, five days per week, this obvious truth becomes very apparent.

So, it was at this moment, this unexpectedly poignant moment, that I finally realized this mundane reality: my children are very much becoming their own people. Sure, they still need me, but little by little, day by day, the need recedes or shifts.

It’s funny how much we build up the big moments—the first days of school, the first words, the first steps—when it’s often the little moments that sneak up on us and leave us surreptitiously wiping our eyes in the car.

Featured Photo Courtesy: Michelle C Photography

Andrew is a writer from Orlando, Florida and father of three. He is a regular contributor to numerous publiations including McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Huff Post, The Funny Times, TODAY Parents, and Parent.co. His website is Explorations of Ambiguity. His first book, Fatherhood: Dispatches From the Early Years, is available now. 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Want “Successful” Children? Check Out These 13 Traits YOU Should Have, According to Science

by Red Tricycle

Photo: Harsha K R via Flickr

We all want the best for your little ones; there’s no denying that. And while there isn’t a set recipe for raising do-good children, researchers found common factors that predict success. Not shockingly, they noticed much of it was influenced by the parents (hey, no pressure, right?!).

According to the researchers, here’s what parents of successful kids have in common:

1. They make their kids do chores.

2. They teach their kids social skills.

3. They hold high expectations.

4. Both parents share a healthy relationship with each other, even through a divorce.

5. The parents attained higher educational levels.

6. They teach their kids math early on.

7. They develop a healthy relationship with their kids (aka “sensitive caregiving“)

8. They’re less stressed.

9. They value effort over avoiding failure.

10. The moms work.

11. They have a higher socioeconomic status.

12. They are “authoritative” rather than “authoritarian” or “permissive.”

13. They teach “grit.”

To read why each of these traits are influential, click here.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below!

H/T: Business Insider

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Just Launched in LA: Momstamp.com

by Jennifer O'Brien

When it comes to getting recommendations  for everything from doctors to tutors and more, a mom’s best resource is often a fellow mom. In February, three forward thinking LA moms ran with this idea and launched Momstamp.com—a new platform that lets parents connect with friends (and friends of friends) to find outstanding local service providers. Basically, imagine Facebook, Angie’s List and Yelp somehow had a genius baby.

photo credit: momstamp.com

Co-founders Julie Hermelin, Paulette Light and Staci Miller quickly realized as their kids (they have ten between them) were getting older, they no longer had their mommy and me groups to turn to for advice on everything from German tutors for tots to pediatric dentists that specialize in squirmy worms to that ever elusive “dependable contractor.” Knowing how valuable this information is to busy parents, the ladies created Momstamp.com, where users can search for word of mouth recommendations from other trusted parents they know (or know by proxy) instead of opinionated strangers, like every other review site.

photo credit: momstamp.com

Parents can search categories like kid doctors, child therapy, childcare, pregnancy/new baby, beauty, pets, and home improvement helpers, to name a few. So whether you’re looking for a personal referral for a great new nanny, a speech therapist for your little one, a pediatric eye doctor, lactation consultant, a music teacher who makes house calls, a dog trainer for the family Fido or even a caregiver for aging grandparents, Momstamp.com provides a forum for parents who already know each other to exchange invaluable recommendations. The site also allows users to organize and save the names of providers they find.

photo credit: Christiaan Triebert via Creative Commons

Additionally, Momstamp lets parents collaborate online; if someone has questions about a particular provider or needs further clarification, they can easily ask their Momstamp friends before wasting time with someone who may not be the best fit. This social site is all about making parents’ lives easier through support of their personal community. Our only question is: how did no one think of this before now?

Because LA and Angeleno parents are always on the cutting edge of everything cool, Momstamp.com launched their site here first. As the site grows (and we predict it will by leaps and bounds), the founders plan to launch a mobile app that will allow parents to quickly access recommendations on the go, and expand to other (less cutting edge) cities.

Online: Momstamp.com

What new sites or apps make your day-to-day lives as parents easier? We’d love to know in the comments below!

–Jennifer O’Brien

 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Fail-Proof Secrets to Capturing Baby’s First Steps

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

It’s one of the most anticipated milestones—baby’s first steps. It’s also one of the most difficult to capture with your own two eyes…let alone on film to show off to friends and family. Most bambinos make that march between nine and 15 months, which is a wide and hard-to-predict window of opportunity. Up your chances of catching the heart warming wobbly stroll at the precise moment it happens with these tips.

#1 Enlist a helper.
Whether it’s a grandparent, a sitter, or your BFF, having one person to help start Junior’s journey, and another to lure him (with plenty of smiles and “hoorays”) to the finish line.

#2 Skip the zoom lens. 
Instead of zooming in and out when trying to photograph or videotape your new walker, physically move in closer to your babe. Keep still with your elbows tight against your sides (even if your little one is all over the place).

Photo: Princess Consuela via Flickr

#3 Give your wee-one a push toy…that doesn’t offer much support.
A push toy (like the Fisher Price Corn Popper) is perfect for getting older pre walkers on their feet. It’s fun and colorful, but—beknownst to bebe—it doesn’t offer much support, so when they think they’re playing, they’re really thisclose to walking. #sneaky

#4 Study their cadence.
If you managed to witness their first steps, but now you’re trying to preserve it on film for friends and fam, try this: Recognize their (shaky) walking pattern. Newbies don’t really bend their knees, so steps are forceful and there is no break in momentum. When they are ready to stop they fall. Your job is to film as many steps before the fall as possible.

Photo: Johnath via Flickr

#5 Let baby go barefoot.
When a baby’s feet have direct contact with the floor, they are able to grip and practice balance more efficiently. With that being said, reserve barefoot walking practice for indoors—when outdoors slip their tootsies into a pair of flexible-soled shoes.

#6 Snap the perfect pic at the perfect angle.
To capture kiddo’s first steps in print, photograph or video tape them from the front as they walk towards you with their hands outstretched. Too cute! If you try to snap them from the side, you risk them squirming, falling, or crawling over to you short of their target.

What did you do to make sure you caught your little one’s first steps? Dish in the Comments section below. 

—Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

20 Reasons to Be Thankful You’re a Seattle Parent

by Allison Rasmussen

It’s hard not to take pride in our city and even harder not to love being a parent here. The weather is never too cold or too hot and we get to take impromptu snow days when Mother Nature decides to “dump” a couple inches on us. We’re home to the best summers, green grass year-round (see, all that rain pays off!), and enough family activities to guarantee we’re never bored. In the spirit of being thankful, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what else makes our city the best place to live for both kids and parents.

photo: Allison Rasmussen

1. We can always find plenty of convenient drive-thru coffee stands to nurse our sleep deprived morning hangovers.

2. It’s easy to take five and enjoy an adult beverage sans babysitter at the many kid-friendly wineries, breweries and tasting rooms.

3. With oodles of indoor play spaces to choose from, we never have to sing the rainy day blues.

4. An island getaway is only a ferry ride away. And so is a daycation!

5. We can find an awesome park on nearly every street corner.

photo: Allison Rasmussen

6. We’re just ‘bout that action boss and home to the Super Bowl Champions. Being the 12th man never felt so good!

7. We don’t fear wasting money on our kids’ hard to predict appetites thanks to restaurants that offer free kid’s meals.

8. We can shop ‘til we drop at a plethora of locally owned boutiques and gift shops.

9. We have the best of all things outdoors and with a quick drive can easily hike in the mountains, play at the beach, or boat on the lake. Becoming one with nature is a cake walk.

10. Speaking of cake, when your sweet tooth comes a callin’, there’s no shortage of places to get cupcakes, cookies or candy.

photo: Dahlia Bakery

11. Fresh food is at our fingertips with year-round farmer’s markets, including the iconic Pike Place Market.

12. We’re proud to be one of the fittest cities in America and know how to get our workout on.

13. We have some of the best views hands down. A city with views? Yes please!

14. We can (and do) engulf ourselves and our mini-mes in culture. Between the Seattle Symphony, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Seattle Children’s Theater, and museums, we’ve got the arts covered.

15. We’ve mastered the art of walking and doing it with strollers, toddlers, and diaper bags in tow.

photo: Allison Rasmussen

16. We get to play tourist for the day without ever boarding a plane.

17. We get the best of all four seasons. Spring blossoms, summer sunshine, fall leaves, and even winter snow.

18. We aren’t alone on this crazy journey we call parenthood. A pal and confidant can be found at any one of the ah-mazing mom’s groups around town.

19. Our hip indie artist music scene. It’s no coincidence that many musical greats originated here like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Jimi Hendrix.

20. We can dress our mini-mes to the nines without breaking the bank thanks to some totally awesome consignment shops.

photo: My Three Little Birds

Why are you thankful to be a Seattle parent? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments below.

—Allison Rasmussen

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Look Mom, No Cars! An Insider’s Guide to CicLAvia

by kim orchen cooper

Environmentally conscious 21st century Angelenos rejoice! You and your family can experience a carless LA. Grab a stroller, bike, blades, scooter or skateboard:  it’s time for the pedestrian-friendly, car-free, wheel-y fun celebration that is CicLAvia, taking place this fall on October 5 in downtown Los Angeles.

Cycle-what?
As their website touts, CicLAvia “temporarily removes cars from LA streets…and fills them with smiles.” Originally started 30 years ago in Colombia as ciclovia, it launched in 2011 in our fair city, growing to multiple events in 2014 with more planned for future years that branch out beyond the city center.

Where do we go?
The upcoming October 5th event is called the “Heart of LA” tour and takes place downtown.  It’s not the same downtown route that CicLAvia has traveled in the past – this fall it will branch out into new areas like Echo Park, the Historic Broadway Theater District,  Boyle Heights all the way to East Los Angeles.   Riders (and walkers) of all ages can join in anywhere along the route, though it’s easiest to start near an endpoint.  A wheel-free walking-only zone is located this year in the Broadway Theater Districs at Broadway and 9th St., if your little one isn’t quite up to biking or triking with the crowds.  There will also be a kids zone at the East LA Civic Center and you can stop in at the Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture, which is being held in Grand Park.  A complete map is available online at ciclavia.org.


And how do we get there?
Getting there can be half the fun, if you live close enough to take an early morning bike ride.   Load up the minivan – or if you’re nearby, board Metro to transport you to the route.  Both buses and subways allow bikes at no extra charge – be sure to study the guidelines before embarking on your journey:  get the 411 at metro.net/bikes.

Remeber, CicLAvia is for everyone, but peewee peddle-pushers just learning to ride may need extra help, and this isn’t the best place to practice balancing.  That’s where tandem attachments and bike trailers are magic.  Pedestrians are welcome as well, as are strollers (hey, they’ve got wheels!).  The organizers of CicLAvie just ask that if you’re going slow, stay to the right, for safety’s sake.

Helmet, check. Air pump, check. Water, check. Sunscreen, check.
Safety first.  There are lots of happy helpers along the route, many passing out water or offering to top off tires in need of air (or just give encouragement).  To minimize stress and max-out fun, here are our tried-and-true tips to ensure a memorable experience you’ll soon want to repeat:

  • Fill tires beforehand: Flats are no fun.  Pop-up repair spots are hard to predict, though über-friendly organizers are strategically sprinkled along the course, ready to aid in a pinch.
  • Dress comfortably & for conversation:  A brightly colored easy-to-see graphic tees makes friends & meets new neighbors.  Or dress your baby biker dude in a vintage concert souvenir.
  • BYO water (& lip balm): Many spectators graciously offer refreshing bottles along the way, but there’s no guarantee.
  • Prep your phone for pix (sync, download & clear memory): Besides photo ops of tykes on trikes in the middle of 6 lanes of seemingly deserted urban thoroughfare, there’s lots of local color to soak up.
  • Pick a portion to ride:  The course is 10 miles in total, too long for most little legs, with designated crossing points for cars.  Try a segment with few (or no) traffic breaks for constant wind in your hair, tangles be damned.
  • Get a late start: The event goes from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  No need to be crowded in with the masses.  Eat a healthy breakfast (mmmm, pancakes for fall?) and hit the road a little later.

The CicLAvia site is chock full of detailed guidelines, from parking sites and rules of the road (helmets for everyone!) to a handy dandy downloadable printable map.   Click ‘Join’ on the homepage to get newsy email updates about the route, entertainment and food – and upcoming events.  Because we’re pretty sure that when you’ve  experienced CicLAvia, you’ll be counting the days till the next event. (That would be the South LA route on December 7, or you can wait for the Iconic Wilshire Blvd. ride in spring of 2015.)
What: CicLAvia “Heart of LA” is October 5, 2014 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Online: ciclavia.org

– Kim Orchen Cooper

Have you participated in CicLAvia before?  Got any additional tips?  Share them in the comments below. 

Photos courtesy of the author.

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Hot Ticket

by Jacqui Boland

Hot Ticket

Even if you’re the die-hard-fan type who’s camped out on sidewalks to score tickets to a rock show, you probably haven’t had any luck securing seats for the über-popular family concerts starring Lisa Allison and Linda Sebenius, better known as Let Your Music Shine with Lisa and Linda. The good news? You can catch the musical duo as they kick off the Bellevue Philharmonic’s brand new Little Maestro Series, a collection of performances that introduce little ones to music through interactive concerts.

The Philharmonic plans to keep the Little Maestro Series singing with a selection of fine performers at a variety of Eastside venues throughout the summer and into the fall. All shows include a live orchestra, storytelling, and audience participation (think sing-a-longs and hide and seek set to music). The short musical excerpts are designed for children newborn through six years old.

Series tickets are now available for the Fall performances, and limited single ticket sales can be had for all performances, including the May 10th Catch Me If You Can! show, which includes free family admission to the Bellevue Art Museum (can you say, “great Mother’s Day gift”?) and the July Singin’ Safari performance.

We predict popularity for this symphonic series ; don’t be left in the cold!

Psst! Got older kids? Be sure to check out the Young Maestro series for kiddos six years old and up.

Bellevue Philharmonic Little Maestro Series
www.bellevuephil.org
Tickets available at online or at Brown Paper Tickets 800-838-3006
Series Pass: $45 (five performances) Individual Tickets: $10

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement