Image by OneInstant via Flickr

While a parent will love their children no matter when they were born (or in what order they were born, for that matter) scientists looking into birth order and what that may mean for children have come across some interesting insights.

It does seem that birth order does play a part in personality in children, and adults. If your child is the middle, the youngest, or even the oldest it can lay a part in how their personality forms and grows.

While the recent developments do make sense, science is quick to point out that there are reasons behind them. While a firstborn may receive more attention at first, there are many factors that do have a hand in both personality and birth order.

Positives: Only-borns are the mega-movers of the world. They are task-orientated; tend to be extremely well organised, highly conscientious and dependable. They are keen on facts, ideas and details and feel extremely comfortable with responsibility.

Negatives: The negative characteristics of only-borns can be tough to handle. They are often unforgiving, very demanding, hate to admit they’re wrong and usually don’t accept criticism well. To others, they seem very sensitive and indeed, their feelings are easily hurt.

Read more: How your birth order shapes your personality

While it does seem more like something that should be more at home next to the astrology readings than a scientific study, there does seem to be legitimate reasons behind birth order and personality.

The study covers everything from only-children (quoted above) to twins, and while it does make sense, what do you think? Does it follow your children, and you expectations? Is your lastborn a comedian, and your first to serious on themselves? Sound off in the comments!

Image via Wikipedia

There are a lot of pressures on parents, on top of the more understandable issues when someone has a child (nutrition, health, and safety), many parents who work are finding themselves wondering if they have failed their children because they cannot always be there. While it used to be one parent could stay home while the other worked, those days are long gone and aren’t coming back. While yes, many still count themselves lucky to even be employed right now and have the ability to put food on the table, and get their kids what they need- there is still a lot of guilt when a parent (or both) have to work and put their kids in daycare, or under someone else’s supervision.

It is a tough decision, and worrying about it is normal. With so many choices out there, it’s natural to worry about if you have made the right one or not. Worrying in general can easily make things seem worse, and as a parent you obviously want what is best for your children and your family.

Putting food on the table is important, and for those who are worried that their care choices may harm their child- don’t. Many studies are showing that kids in daycare come out fine,and the experience itself can help children to reach important social milestones sooner than peers who may not have has as much contact with those in the same age range as themselves. It can be hard, but it won’t ‘damage’ your child. Kids can be a lot more resilient than many realize, and daycare won’t harm your child.

Michelle Obama is looking to help push a fix for the child obesity epidemic that has raised much concern in the recent years.  The initiative looks to help encourage parents to choose healthy choices for their children and set their kids up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

In a story in USA Today the First Lady says:

She told the mayors that as much as she has read and talked about the problem, "the statistics never fail to take my breath away."

The facts are astounding, to say the least.  It’s understandably why she would have that reaction.  The story continues with these stunning statistics: 

About 32% of children and adolescents are obese or overweight, government statistics show. Almost 20% of children ages 6 to 11 and 18% of those ages 12 to 19 are obese. Such children are at a greater risk for weight-related health problems such as high cholesterol and diabetes, and they have an increased chance of becoming obese adults.

(Source)

Obama would like there to be more exercise for America’s children and healthier foods both at schools and at home.  The administration is looking for brainstorming ways and ideas to encourage and help families to help each other make the healthier choices.

The obesity rate in general has been skyrocketing over the recent years, and unfortunately no one so far has been able to come up with a workable solution.  Experts are however hopeful that Michelle will be able to use her own influence to push this issue.

Even if the entire administration does come up with a workable solution, experts warn that the childhood obesity epidemic won’t be solved overnight.  No matter what, it will involve hard work and time.

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Some people will do anything for fame, and some of those stunts can land you in jail.  Balloon Boy’s parents now, while facing down a steep fine, and with his father spending a 90 days in jail, hopefully understand why creating a hoax to be famous isn’t the best idea.

The whole stunt that had many glued to their screen and then outraged at finding out about the scam was just to be famous.  While they did technically get their wish, the stunt cost them a show and now some money and freedom.

Another part of the same sentence?  They aren’t allowed to exploit the story, or their children (at least, for four years).

Richard Heene was sentenced to 90 days in jail, Mayumi 20 days. Furthermore, according to the report, the couple were "given strict probation conditions that forbid them from earning any money from the spectacle for four years."

(Source)

While many are understandably still thinking that the penalty isn’t stiff enough, and that they may not have actually learned any lessons. Hopefully this will prevent others from staging their own hoaxes when chasing fame pointlessly.

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It seems that regardless of the advances society makes socially, people still become shocked when a mom does something, or acts in a way that doesn’t fit many people idea of the norm.  It’s a strange state, but it one of the reason that the ‘bad momma’ obsession is what it is.   A mom ‘confesses’ to something that simply isn’t  a big deal, and many people act incredulous.

Today’s face of motherhood still has many similarities to the ‘days of ole’ and there are also many differences.  Today’s moms are more likely for instance to hold down the breadwinner position in addition to ‘family CEO’ than they were in the past.

Maybe it’s hard to separate some moms with the image many hold of their own moms, or even the television’s version of perfection.  When a woman becomes a mother, she doesn’t just up and change into someone else.

She’s still herself, still likes the same things- just now she’s adding another title to the mixture.

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