What is gentle parenting? And does it work?

TOP OF MIND

RSV spells misery
Last year, the U.S. was hit with a record-breaking season for respiratory syncytial virus, otherwise known as RSV. It was a miserable and frightening few months for parents, but over the summer, there was hope for this fall/winter, thanks to a once-per-season RSV vaccine being approved by the FDA.

Sadly, shipments of the vaccine have been delayed all over the country and shortages are impacting many states as RSV is once again on the rise in young children.

The important bits
In the last two weeks, the CDC has seen a sharp rise in cases, which makes sense because more people are gathering indoors as the temperatures outside drop and the family get togethers go up. Before the pandemic in 2020, RSV cases typically peaked in January or February, but in the last two years, it's been peaking in November and December.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC, told NBC News, "RSV is definitely here and affecting, particularly, our youngest children."

And sadly, it's extremely difficult to get a vaccine right now, especially in certain states like Maryland. Dr. Theresa Nguyen, chair of the department of pediatrics at Greater Baltimore Medical Center HealthCare, told local reporters, "It’s a huge problem right now. No one’s getting it in Maryland.”

The CDC released guidance last month acknowledging the shortage across the country, instructing providers on how to prioritize the few doses they have. And much of the focus is on children under the age of one, because they are most susceptible to severe RSV due to their lungs not being fully developed. They simply can't handle large volumes of mucus.

What's it all mean?
Well, if you have a baby who falls under the "high risk" category, it's worth checking with your local health centers to see if any vaccines are available in your area. Doctors say in a couple weeks, the low supply they do have may be completely depleted, if more shipments don't arrive.

And if you're around someone who falls under the high risk category, you should be taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of germs. You might consider wearing a mask while visiting young babies, and always make sure you're practicing proper hand washing techniques. 

But also, don't panic. RSV is very common and has been around for a long, long time. Most children in the U.S. get infected by the time they're 2-years-old, and the majority of them just have normal cold symptoms.

DID YOU HEAR

What is gentle parenting?
Fresh off Thanksgiving with extended family, chances are you heard at least one person over the age of 60 grumble about how "kids these days have no respect!" and they'll typically place the blame on young parents being too "gentle" with their parenting.

But gentle parenting isn't about letting your kids get away with everything, it's about understanding why they are acting out in the first place. Instead of making your kid face a wall for 30 minutes in time out, those in support of gentle parenting say you should instead address the issue causing them to misbehave. Basically, you're trying to correct the problem as opposed to temporarily managing the symptoms. You can read all about it here.

And if you find gentle parenting isn't working for you, read this.

There's a mysterious dog illness going around
This newsletter is obviously more focused on human babies, but we shouldn't forget about our fur babies! You've probably heard about the mysterious respiratory illness impacting dogs around the country. The illness has hit the west coast especially hard, but there could be some good news coming as researchers believe they have identified the "funky" bacteria causing the sickness.

Better ways to talk to your kids about Santa
We don't want to cause panic, but Christmas is just 28 days away! Santa's busiest season is here, but how do you talk to your children about Santa? Especially as they begin to develop doubts of his existence? It can be tricky to basically admit to your kid you've been lying to them for years, but this thoughtful article expertly guides you through the process.

New iPhone update could put your kids at risk
Police departments across the country are warning parents about the latest iOS 17 update for iPhones because of a new feature called NameDrop. The "feature" allows users to easily share their contact information with another iPhone or Apple Watch by holding the devices close together. The concern is that predators could sneakily use this feature to gain information on your kids. But in order for NameDrop to work, both phones need to be unlocked and you have to approve the sharing of information.

Still, officials are instructing parents to disable the feature completely. Here's how to do that.

This house isn't going to clean itself!
A woman in Spain just received $215,000 from her ex-husband for unpaid housework.

A DOSE OF GOOD

JUST FOR YOU

Bites: Picky eating is stressful, but it’s not permanent! There are a lot of things you can do to help your kids through their choosiness. Here’s tip #1: Use descriptive language to describe the foods your kids are tasting - including foods they love and those they are still learning to love. Setting expectations about what they can expect in terms of textures and flavors can help them draw connections and build confidence. Here are 100 terms you can use starting today!

Activities: How do you keep your kids entertained during winter? It can be a challenge, especially if you live in a particularly cold climate. But never fear, the internet is here! And it's full of helpful suggestions. You can start by checking out this list of budget-friendly wintertime activities, and then work your way over to this list containing over 100 winter activities, including a neat little site that helps you create in-home scavenger hunts.

Reads: 'tis the season... for gratitude! Holiday season is in full swing, and we all probably spent hours on the computer this past weekend shopping for the best deals. It's part of the fun. We all want to give our kids that special gift that makes them light up on Christmas morning, but perhaps the most important gift you can give your children is a lesson in gratitude. Here are over 20 books you can read with your kid to make sure they understand what's truly important this time of year.

PARENTING WIN/FAIL

This week, loyal reader Vanessa O. talks about seeing her "bad" qualities in her daughter

Vanessa, we are so thrilled you shared this with us. It can be jarring to see your kids pick up on the things you're trying to correct within yourself, but it sounds like you handled it with grace!

If you have a parenting win/fail you'd like to share, email us at [email protected] and your story might be featured in a future edition!

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week we asked you your favorite part of Thanksgiving and nearly 50% of you said "the good company" while 25% answered, "the food!"

RECALLS

LAOION AND PANDAEAR CUPS.

LAOION and PandaEar are mirroring Cupkin's recent recall. All three companies were forced to issue a recall after it was determined some of their products contained levels of lead that exceeded the federal lead content ban.

The difference with LAOION and PandaEar cups is that they were exclusively sold on Amazon. The striking design similarities among these cups suggest they might hail from a similar manufacturing source. This situation highlights the absolute importance of brands conducting independent safety tests. LAOION had about 200 units sold, PandaEar around 1,600, and Cupkin also faced their share of
recalls.

What should you do?
LAOION Cups: Seek a refund for these 200 units. Laoion can be contacted at: [email protected]

PandaEar Cups: Contact PandaEar for refunds on the 1,600 units. And a fun fact – no actual panda ears included! Email at: [email protected]

This cluster of recalls is a potent reminder that safety trumps all,
especially in seemingly similar products. Furthermore – when contact emails are some weird funky collection of numbers, you should probably take that as a sign the company is not worth entrusting our children's safety with.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE LEAD!
It's not just cups. Even more fruit pouches are being recalled after the number of kids suffering from lead poisoning grows to an unfortunate 52.

Read all about it here.