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Talking to your kids about sexting should be as common as talking to them about healthy eating and exercise. By the editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée.

Sexting—the sending of sexually explicit photos or videos—is increasing in prevalence, including among children. And children are sexting at a younger age, according to a review of 39 studies of 110,000+ participants (Madigan et al, 2018) that was published in JAMA Pediatrics. More specifically:

• The mean...

by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Ceramic mugs can be nontoxic as long as the mug doesn’t contain high levels of lead.

Conventional mugs are often made of ceramic or pottery, and they can contaminate your beverages with lead, primarily from the finish or glaze on the mug. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports that several manufacturers in Mexico labeled pottery as “lead-free,” but testing revealed high...

by editorial team

Do you or your child spend a lot of time playing games online? If the answer is “yes,” then we have online gaming safety tips for you.

Online gaming can help build social skills in adults and children. However, there are risks associated with letting your child play games online. Below are a few tips to keep them (and you) safe!

The Benefits and Risks of Online Gaming

Many online games involve multiplayer or teamwork elements,...

by editorial team

Children’s exposure to pornography is not harmless fun. In fact, it may not be harmless for adults either. Long gone are the titillating days of finding stashed Playboy’s under the recliner and sneaking peeks at naked women before being caught.

We want to raise kids to be sexually safe and healthy, and pornography, in general, does not promote these goals. Today’s culture is highly sexualized, and kids (and adults) are bombarded with sexual images...

by editorial team

What Is Online Grooming?

While rare, grooming can occur in real life or online. Grooming is when a predator reaches out to someone (including a child or adult) with the intention of preparing them for sexual abuse.

Online grooming happens on the internet and can be easier than grooming that occurs in real life. A child or adult can be groomed online by accepting a social media friend request from a stranger, or by talking to someone they don’t...

by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Are you looking for a glider chair—whether for a baby on the way, or for just a comfy chair to relax in? 

A glider chair can be a lovely addition to a nursery as parents and caregivers feed, read, and sing to the baby. Even if you're not expecting a baby, a glider chair can be an embraced presence in a family room or bedroom for watching TV or reading.

Regardless, when shopping for a glider chair, you should look for a ...

by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Dinner plates are often made of glass or ceramic. For children, however, these materials can be dangerous: One swipe of the arm, and their plate is on the floor, accompanied by a heap of food and a pile of broken glass or ceramic. That’s why children are often given plastic plates.

For children, durability and safety of dinner plates are important considerations. However, whether children's dinner plates may contaminate food...

 by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Lead is a toxic metal commonly found in rocks and soil. It cannot be seen, smelt or tasted. (1) While phased out of some products in the 1970’s, lead is still found in many homes today. Including in glazes on tubs.

Studies pursued by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board found lead glaze on 75% of tubs tested in homes built before 1978 (those enrolled in the lead hazard reduction program). Of those tubs, 40%...

by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Who would ever think that rugs designed for nurseries could pollute our indoor environment? I certainly didn't know to be thoughtful about how my nursery rug may affect my infant's indoor air quality. But it does.

Below is a summary from the book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures by Sophia Ruan Gushee. It can be used as guidelines for choosing a nontoxic nursery rug.

Can nursery rugs...

by editorial team and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Ceramic-coated versus Teflon cookware: Which one is healthier? Below are key pros and cons of ceramic-coated cookware versus Teflon-coated cookware.

Ceramic versus Teflon cookware

Teflon

Teflon has been made with chemicals in the perfluorochemicals (PFC) family. These chemicals may leach into food during cooking; and they may contribute to liver, pancreatic, testicular, and breast cancer, thyroid issues, birth defects, and...