United States Family & Parenting

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  CYFD has new focus in efforts to stop child abuse

  New Mexico's child care center workers overseeing more than 50,000 kids are about to get more help when it comes to identifying and reporting child abuse. "We are advocates for these Children and we do want what's best for the Children," Coronado Children's Center Co-Director Rogelle Price stated. CYFD is sending packets this week to the state's 750 child care centers about its new "Pull Together" initiative, which includes information that tells them how to identify signs of abuse or neglect and report it by calling #SAFE (1-855-333-SAFE), which directs them to the CYFD's call center   Read More ...

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  Judge blocks Trump from cutting teen pregnancy prevention program

  SPOKANE, Wash. — A federal judge has issued a permanent injunction blocking the Trump administration from cutting grants to Planned Parenthood that pay for a teen pregnancy prevention program in numerous states. "The Court finds that HHS arbitrarily and capriciously terminated the (teen pregnancy prevention) Program," Rice wrote. "The Court determines that the public interest weighs in favor of (Planned Parenthood), as it would prevent harm to the community and prevent loss of data regarding the effectiveness of teen pregnancy prevention   Read More ...

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  My kid gave me a guilt trip for going back to work. Here’s why I stopped apologizing.

  My 9-year-old daughter has been engaging in psychological warfare since I returned to work. For eight years, I freelanced from home. I never missed a class holiday party, I volunteered at school functions and chaperoned her class trip to the zoo. But our family needed more financial stability, so when there was an opening with my former employer, I went back full-time   Read More ...

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  Why do kids kill their parents? A specialist offers insights

  The case of three teenagers who allegedly killed the mother of one of the suspects in Litchfield, Maine, falls into a rare category of slayings that can be driven by a number of different factors, specialists said Wednesday. Adolescent parent killers generally fall into one of three categories, according to Dr. Ziv Cohen, a past president of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry   Read More ...

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  Plymouth mother allegedly attacked 12-year-old son with knife before stabbing herself

  A woman in Plymouth allegedly stabbed her son on Wednesday morning before also stabbing herself. NECN reports that Plymouth police responded to a call from the boy around 7 a.m., reporting that his mother had attacked him and that he had been stabbed. When officers arrived at the family's home, they found the boy suffering from non life-threatening stab wounds to his neck and his 11-year-old sister unharmed, WCVB reported   Read More ...

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  Amazon’s Alexa will soon be teaching your child manners

  Amazon.com's Alexa has a little something to teach your Kids about manners. After receiving feedback from some parents concerned about how voice assistants are affecting their Kids attitudes, the company updated Alexa to reward children who asks for things nicely. Kids are some of the biggest fans of voice assistants, with some learning to talk to Alexa, Apple's Siri or Google's Assistant before they can form full sentences   Read More ...

• YouTube overhauls kids' app after complaints about content

  YouTube is overhauling its kid-focused video app to give parents the option of letting humans, not computer algorithms, select what shows their children can watch. The updates that begin rolling out Thursday are a response to complaints that the YouTube Kids app has repeatedly failed to filter out disturbing content. Google-owned YouTube launched the toddler-oriented app in 2015, describing it as a "safer" experience than the regular YouTube video-sharing service   Read More ...

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  Husband’s affair leads to murder-suicide involving mistress and wife in Pennsylvania home

  Jennair Gerardot sent a series of texts to her husband, Mark, on Monday in which she laid out how she planned to kill the woman with whom he was having an affair. Sometime before 7 p.m. Monday, Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, police said, Jennair Gerardot of Wilmington, Del., broke into the home of a former University of Delaware communications official and waited for her to come home, then shot her once before turning the gun on herself   Read More ...

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  Husband of woman killed on Southwest flight: 'I immediately thought of the kids'

  For Michael Riordan, it began with a phone call from the chaplain at a Philadelphia hospital. "(He) called and said, 'We need to speak with Mike Riordan who is married to Jennifer. Are you married to Jennifer Riordan?'" Michael "I said, 'Yes, but she wasn't going through Philadelphia. She was planning on going to Chicago so I don't think you --' just absolute denial   Read More ...

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  Dear Royal Baby: Being the Youngest Child Comes With Some Surprising Advantages

  I was going to buy you a gift, I really was, something that would be waiting for you whenever you arrive. But when your biggest gift on your first day on Earth is going to be your own share of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Other Realms and Territories beyond the Seas, it’s pretty hard to move the needle with a Tickle-Me Elmo doll   Read More ...

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  Single Moms Support Each Other With 'Single MOMtreal' Community

  Single mother Nadia Wiseman realized that her parenting needs were unique after she became a single mother when the father of her young son moved to England. Wiseman, who lives in Montreal, recognized that there were other single mothers like herself and created a Facebook group called Single MOMtreal in 2017, where single mothers could find community with one another and offer support to each other   Read More ...

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  Husband of woman killed on Southwest flight: 'I immediately thought of the kids'

  After an engine explosion on a Southwest Airlines flight, aviation experts are warning travelers of the importance of paying attention to safety demonstrations. USA TODAY. For Michael Riordan, it began with a phone call from the chaplain at a Philadelphia hospital. "(He) called and said, 'We need to speak with Mike Riordan who is married to Jennifer. Are you married to Jennifer Riordan?'" Michael "I said, 'Yes, but she wasn't going through Philadelphia   Read More ...

• Indiana Department of Child Services goes $284M over budget

  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana Department of Child Services has gone over budget by $284 million with two months left in this fiscal year. The Journal Gazette reports that the state Budget Committee heard about the issue Tuesday. State Budget Director Jason Dudich says the Family and Social Services Administration and Medicaid reserves have been providing most of the excess funds   Read More ...

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  Husband speaks out after wife dies on Southwest Flight 1380

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - A week after Albuquerque's Jennifer Riordan was killed when the Southwest airplane she was on blew an engine, her husband, Michael, is speaking out. "I have no idea how I can do this without her," he said. Their love story carried on for nearly 30 years, but that journey came to a sudden end last Tuesday. "There was a chaplain from the hospital that called and he said 'Well, I'm from Philadelphia,' I forgot the name of the hospital, and I said, 'Well, my wife was flying to Chicago today so you must be looking for somebody else," Riordan explained   Read More ...

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  GOP Senate candidate goes after McConnell, calls his father-in-law a ‘wealthy Chinaperson’

  A controversial Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in West Virginia accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) this week of having a potential conflict of interest related to his father-in-law, whom he called a “wealthy Chinaperson.” Don Blankenship, a former coal executive who has served a year in prison for conspiring to violate mine safety and health standards after a 2010 underground explosion killed 29 miners, brought up McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, in a local radio interview Monday   Read More ...

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  Child Kidnapping Ring? Alarming post is spreading fast but is it true?

  SAN MARCOS (NEWS 8) - The social media post is alarming and spreading fast. Parents are being warned about a child trafficking ring targeting young moms and girls in North County, but is it true? The post describes terrifying kidnapping attempts, particularly outside of a shopping center off Sycamore Avenue in Vista. News 8's Richard Allyn reports from Vista with what he is learning from law enforcement   Read More ...

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  Early childhood funding doubles over 7 years

  .... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright © 2018 Albuquerque Journal. SANTA FE – Over and over again, New Mexico lawmakers have rejected an ambitious proposal to tap into the state’s largest permanent fund and expand early childhood programs. But supporters of early childhood services are enjoying some success anyway, gaining traction with increased funding from other sources   Read More ...

• 2 children among 3 found dead in central California home

  MODESTO, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say three people including two children have been found dead inside a central California home. Police in Modesto said Sunday that it's still unclear how the three died, but there are no suspects outstanding. The bodies, including those of two boys ages 4 and 6, were discovered in a neighborhood on the south side of the city of about 200,000 residents   Read More ...

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  Principal on leave after alleged child abuse - | WBTV Charlotte

  PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WI (KCRG/CNN) - A Wisconsin school principal is charged with felony child abuse after he allegedly gave one of his students a chemical burn. Parents said this isn't the first time Aaron Amundson has been rough with students. "This is when he finally told us," said Melody Cox whose child was burned. Cox said the school’s principal scrubbed her son’s hand with a harsh cleaner and scrubbing pad   Read More ...

• A joyful reunion with birth parents leads to incest, murder - | WBTV Charlotte

  DOVER, N.Y. (AP) - The ex-wife of a man who police say killed three people and himself after an incestuous marriage to his biological daughter says he had an explosive temper, a history of abusive behavior and legally owned at least four guns. Alyssa Pladl told The Associated Press in an interview about her troubled marriage to Steven Pladl (PLAY'-dul). Police say that on April 12, 43-year-old Steven Pladl killed his biological daughter, 20-year-old Katie Pladl, and her adoptive father in New Milford, Connecticut, then killed himself in nearby Dover, New York   Read More ...

• Teen who yelled 'snatch her up' at child at bus stop charged - | WBTV Charlotte

  GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A 15-year-old South Carolina boy has been arrested after authorities say he yelled "snatch her up" at a young child getting off the school bus, causing the girl to run away. Greenville County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Flood said the teen yelled at someone he had just dropped off after seeing the girl get off the bus Tuesday   Read More ...

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  Barbara Bush visited our facility for children with HIV/AIDS. It was unforgettable.

  Debbie Tate is president of TERRIFIC, a D.C. nonprofit that provides housing and human services to families in crisis. Joan McCarley is executive director of TERRIFIC. They are co-founders of Grandma’s House, a residential care home for children with HIV/AIDS. People often ask whether the famous picture of Barbara Bush cuddling one of the babies at our care home for children with HIV/AIDS was staged by White House photographers or handlers   Read More ...

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  Thanks to Tammy Duckworth, being a parent and a senator is about to get a little easier

  Being the parent of an infant while also serving as a U.S. senator is about to get a tiny bit easier. When Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) announced that she was going to become the first sitting senator to give birth, her pregnancy highlighted the complexities Senate rules posed for new parents. If she took a formal maternity leave, Duckworth wouldn’t be allowed to introduce legislation or have her say on bills   Read More ...

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  Utah man will face jury for allegedly raping relative

  FREMONT COUNTY — A Utah man accused of drugging and raping a family member is preparing to head to a jury trial in May. Jacob Oberg, 26, appeared in court Monday for a pre-trial conference. He is charged with one count of rape after the alleged incident took place while on a camping trip in Island Park last June. Oberg pleaded not guilty to the charge in December   Read More ...

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  Senate votes to allow babies in chamber after Tammy Duckworth becomes first senator to give birth while in office

  The U.S. Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to let the babies of its members into the tradition-bound chamber just weeks after Sen. Tammy Duckworth became the first senator to give birth while in office.   Read More ...

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  Senate to allow babies on chamber floor during votes

  The Senate unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday allowing lawmakers to bring their babies onto the floor during votes — a move that will allow Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., to bring her newborn with her to work in Washington. Duckworth gave birth to a baby girl, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey, earlier this month — becoming the first senator to give birth while in office   Read More ...

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  Toddler shoots pregnant mom while playing with father's loaded gun

  INDIANAPOLIS — A toddler was playing with her father's handgun when she shot her pregnant mother Tuesday in a northwest Indiana parking lot, according to media reports. A 3-year-old girl in the back seat of a vehicle when she shot her pregnant mother outside a Plato's Closet in Merrillville at 3:52 p.m., WMAQ-TV Chicago reported. The girl's 1-year-old brother was also in the car   Read More ...

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  Mom drunk, kids drugged when SUV plunged off cliff, sheriff says

  WESTPORT, Calif. -- Three children remain missing and so many questions persist in the mystery of how the Hart family's SUV ended up at the bottom of a 100-foot Mendocino County, California, cliff. The few details that have emerged paint what appear to be dark months, and perhaps years, for Jennifer and Sarah Hart's six adopted children, who repeatedly accused their mothers of abuse, according to reports from neighbors and a social worker   Read More ...

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  Senate votes to allow babies on the floor following Sen. Duckworth’s delivery

  By PAUL KANE Washington Post The Senate passed without dissent Wednesday a new rule that will allow senators to be on the chamber floor with children under the age of 1 year old, a change that followed Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., giving birth to a baby girl this month. Duckworth, 50, became the first senator to give birth while serving in the Senate, sparking a debate about rules forbidding children from being on the floor while the chamber is in session   Read More ...

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  Toddler shoots pregnant mom while playing with father's loaded gun

  A toddler was playing with her father's handgun when she shot her pregnant mother Tuesday in a northwest Indiana parking lot, according to media reports. A 3-year-old girl in the back seat of a vehicle when she shot her pregnant mother outside a Plato's Closet in Merrillville at 3:52 p.m., WMAQ-TV Chicago reported. The girl's 1-year-old brother was also in the car   Read More ...

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  Foster children given the chance to experience horses

  Operation Open Arms teamed up with Stone Place Stables in Prospect to host the children on the farm Saturday morning. The non-profit organization helps serve children whose mothers are incarcerated. The kids spent the morning, riding, feeding, and petting the horses. For many, it was a once in a lifetime experience. The organization's Sharon Neville said the weeks before the Kentucky Derby are a perfect time to introduce the children to horses   Read More ...

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  Beyonce’s Coachella set includes Destiny’s Child reunion

  INDIO, Calif. (AP) — Beyonce has paid tribute Saturday to historically black colleges and universities and also reunited with Destiny’s Child during her headlining performance at Coachella, which was delayed for a year because of her pregnancy. Beyonce performed at two-hour set of her hits in Indio, California, where the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is held each year. The superstar was due to perform last year but had to postpone because she was pregnant with her twins, Sir and Rumi   Read More ...

• 2 men admit shooting home where Indianapolis child, 1, hit

  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Court documents say two men arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old Indianapolis girl and the wounding of her 19-year-old aunt have confessed to firing into the home where the two were struck. In a preliminary probable cause affidavit filed Thursday in Marion Superior Court, Indianapolis police Detective Jeremy Ingram wrote 29-year-old Brian Palmer and 27-year-old Darrin Banks said they were upset about an earlier fight in which Banks' pregnant sister was injured   Read More ...

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  Woman who drove SUV with family off cliff was drunk

  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A woman was drunk when she drove her large family off a Northern California cliff last month and her wife and several children had large amounts of a drug in their systems that can cause drowsiness, authorities said Friday. Police had previously said they believed the Hart family died in a suicide plunge from a scenic overlook   Read More ...

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  A Chinese couple died in a car crash. Four years later, their child was born.

  In March 2013, Shen Jie and Liu Xi were on the cusp of starting a family — a scheduled in vitro fertilization procedure was only days away — when the Chinese couple's car slammed into a tree in Jiangsu province. Liu was killed right away; Shen died five days later, reports said. At the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Liu's fertilized embryos sat in a tank of liquid nitrogen, preserved at minus-320 degrees Fahrenheit   Read More ...

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  Anchorage Assemblyman scraps child care subsidy proposal

  Anchorage Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar said Tuesday night that he was scrapping a proposal to create a child care subsidy for members of the city's Assembly department amid criticism that the proposal simply translated into a pay boost for sitting officials. In a statement on Facebook, Dunbar said he and his co-sponsor, Suzanne LaFrance, hoped the $5,000 subsidy would break down a barrier for single or young working parents when it comes to running for local office in Anchorage   Read More ...

• Khloe Kardashian has given birth to a girl

  NEW YORK (AP) - It appears Khloe Kardashian is finally a mother. Several outlets have reported that the 33-year-old reality star has given birth to a baby girl, but her representatives have not commented. TMZ was first to report details of the birth. Kardashian was expecting the baby with Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson. The birth comes amid a torrent of tabloid speculation about the couple after surveillance video showed the basketball star making out with other women   Read More ...

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  Khloe Kardashian gives birth to a baby girl in Cleveland

  Khloe Kardashian is officially a mom. The 33-year-old reality star gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, on Thursday, per E! News and Entertainment Tonight. Dad is Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Tristan Thompson, 27. Kardashian gave birth in Cleveland, TMZ first reported. The birth arrived at the same time a cloud descended over Kardashian's relationship with Thompson. The NBA star has been accused of cheating on her in recent days, sparking a massive social media backlash   Read More ...

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  Aunt shocked to learn adopted kids killed in California crash

  The aunt of three children killed along with their siblings and adoptive parents when their SUV plummeted off a cliff is struggling to make sense of the tragedy.   Read More ...

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  There Are 302 Colorado Kids Eligible For Adoption Right Now

  CBS4 is celebrating A Day for Wednesday's Child, which helps The Adoption Exchange. The group connects children waiting in foster care with families who adopt, and supports families through the Adoption process.   Read More ...