Search Results for: blog parental dilemma braces or breakfast

Braces on Babies

Okay, not teeny-tiny infants, but when a dentist recommends putting braces on an eight-year-old, I unabashedly ask, “Braces? On a baby?” Thankfully, my daughter has been blessed with very straight baby teeth. At six years old she has yet to loose a single tooth… much to her chagrin. Still, as a braces veteran (I wore braces for five years straight), I know that anything can happen once the tooth fairy makes her last visit. Permanent teeth are a whole new world and they are often the impetus for costly orthodontic work. “Permanent teeth” being the operative words here. Given the … Continue reading →

Parental Dilemma: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service

Apparently the home of the Whopper has a thing against pigs… or at least little piggies. Just ask Jennifer Frederich. The young mother recently made a pit stop at a Burger King restaurant in Missouri with her 6-month-old daughter, but shortly after she ordered her meal the manager of the Sunset Hills restaurant threatened to kick her out of the eatery because her baby wasn’t wearing shoes. The manager noted that the fast-food restaurant has a strict “No Shoes, No Service” policy and demanded that Frederich find footwear for her child due to “health concerns.” According to local news reports, … Continue reading →

Parental Dilemma: Braces or Breakfast

I spent nearly five years wearing braces… twice. They say it’s rare to get chicken pox twice. The same goes for wearing braces, but some how lightning struck me four times. I’ve had chicken pox twice and after wearing braces (and headgear) for two years, I got them off and was retainer free for nearly a year before I was forced to go through orthodontic hell for another two years. Though, come to think of it, my physical pain was nothing compared to the financial suffering my parents endured paying for my repeated orthodontic work plus that of my two … Continue reading →

Kids Gain Even More When They Lose

Look at that million dollar grin. And by a million I mean nearly 50 bucks. The Tooth Fairy has been very, very generous to my daughter. Since this picture was taken, roughly three weeks ago, my 8-year-old has pocketed an additional $20 from the Fairy who pays for falling enamel. That’s way, way more than the average kid makes experiencing this normal rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, but that’s mainly because the Tooth Fairy’s generous grandparents also add in several dollars to sweeten the pot. Take the Fairy’s parents out of the mix, and most kids these days … Continue reading →

Right in the Kisser

How much would you pay to ensure that your child’s pearly whites are straight as an arrow when she flashes a winning smile? Depending on how crooked your kid’s teeth are to start, the cost of standard orthodontic care runs between $5,000 and $7,000 with most dental insurance plans covering only a fraction of the total. So, imagine how poor you’d be if your kid had to wear braces for 11 years. As in 11 years straight. Or, basically, your kid’s entire childhood. For the record, most kids wear braces for two to three years. I was forced to wear … Continue reading →

Better Late Than Never

(Scooting came easily, bike riding not so much.) My daughter was born nearly three weeks before her due date. We were all shocked and a bit ill-prepared. A few pieces of furniture hadn’t been built yet and I didn’t have a hospital bag picked out, let alone packed. Still, there’s no stopping a baby from coming out when she is ready… and it’s hard to shove her back in when you’re not. My daughter arrived kicking and screaming and we welcomed her with open arms. Interestingly, though, despite her early arrival, she hasn’t hit some critical milestones before her peers. … Continue reading →

Go for Broke

My sweet little baby wants nothing more than to not be my sweet little baby. According to my six going on 16-year-old daughter, she is the only one in her entire first grade class to have every single one of her baby teeth intact. Being a Recess Mom, I know that she is not exaggerating. She really is the only one in her class who has yet to loose a tooth. However, I am secretly thrilled she hasn’t. Personally, I think the gap-toothed look is hard to rock. Loosing pearly whites changes the entire landscape of one’s appearance and brings … Continue reading →

Help Build Your Kid’s Brain

Forget about preventing obesity and reducing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, getting your kids to exercise on a regular basis can actually make him smarter. According to a new study, exercise can make a child’s brain bigger. Translation: If you want a smarter kid, use your own brain and encourage him to get moving… and if you are really smart, you will run a few laps with him. This, according to researchers at the University of Illinois. The new study consisted of two parts: The first featured 9 and 10-year-olds, who were divided into two groups, one deemed … Continue reading →

Halloween Candy Your Kid Gets and You Throw Out

Two words: Laffy Taffy. Who willingly allows their kids to damage their teeth on that stuff? Seriously, the only one laughing about Laffy Taffy is the dentist who invented it. That guy is chuckling all the way to the bank. Okay, I’m not exactly sure who invented Laffy Taffy (it’s manufactured by Nestle and sold under their Willy Wonka Candy Company brand), but I know it wasn’t a mom. No way! All the moms I know actively seek out each and every piece of Laffy Taffy that lands in their kid’s trick-or-treat bag and tosses the stuff straight into the … Continue reading →

Spare Your Children—Stay Away From Licorice

Do your children struggle in school? Are you sick of teachers categorizing your son or daughter as “test challenged?” Yes? Blame licorice. No kidding. The next time your child complains about failing yet another exam, consider how much licorice you consumed while you were pregnant. A new study published in the Journal of Epedimiology found that women, who consumed about 100 grams of pure licorice a week during their pregnancy, have children who perform poorly on tests. So, pregnant women + licorice = dumb kids? Kind of. According to researchers, glycyrrhizic acid found in licorice root is about 50 times … Continue reading →