Dad, Friends Grow Baby Beards for Preemie

Friends show their support through a crisis in all kinds of ways. Some bring casseroles, some send nice notes to cheer you up, and if you’re Jason Sucharski, some grow beards.

Jason Sucharski’s son, Chase, was born months early, weighing only one pound and 7 ounces when he arrived in July. While he was being treated in the NICU at Sisters Hospital in Buffalo, Continue reading »

They Say: Overweight Kids Eat More Together

Overweight kids eat more when they’re with familiar friends who are also overweight, says a new study out of the University of Buffalo.

Researchers recruited 65 kids between the ages of 9 and 15, then randomly paired them up.  Kids spent 45 minutes together in a room with various activities, as well as bowls of food — healthy snacks and not-so-healthy too.  What researchers discovered is that friend pairs ate more than children who didn’t know each other.  And overweight kids ate more than thin kids no matter who their partner was.  But overweight friends ate the most of all.

Continue reading »

Issues! 10 Friends Every Mom Needs

The August issue of Parenting: The Early Years rounds up the six friends every mom needs in her life. Sure, writer Patricia Curtis makes some good points. It’s nice to have friends you can relate to or who push you. But not ones that push your buttons, which I’m afraid the glam-mom recommendation does.

Also, she left a few people off the list whom I would be very unhappy to live without. So I added three more friends at the end. Share yours in comments.

The list: Continue reading »