Olive started third grade last week, and she’s in school from 9am-3:30pm, whereas it was only 1-4pm in second grade. I was used to the all day schedule when we lived in New York, but since I’ve been with my kids so much the past four years, a 6.5 hour school day feels way too long! I miss our slow mornings and more easy going days. Getting to and from school really is a daily grind!

66151580_2287627974667585_5575093534207246336_o
Our El Nido sunset

Lots of parenting links this week!

H E A L T H

A drowning investigator’s plea to parents about water safety goes viral via Motherly

What the Measles Epidemic Really Says About America via The Atlantic

How a vaccinated woman’s death exposes the threat of anti-vaxxers via The Guardian

You Should Always Buy These 12 Fruits and Veggies Frozen — Even in the Summer via Apartment Therapy

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns via NPR

Why So Many Mothers Die in America via Medium

We Need More Research About the Psychological Effects of Miscarriage via Medium

A mother gave birth to other couples’ babies because of an IVF mix-up, lawsuit states via CNN

Some baby care books are giving advice that goes against safe infant care guidelines via The Conversation

Why Are Pregnant Women So Sweaty? via New York Times

10 Ways to Lower the Cancer Risk of Grilling via New York Times

E D U C A T I O N

Why students shouldn’t be forced to spend so much time sitting at desks in class via Washington Post

Do Children Soak Up Language Like Sponges? via New York Times

Why Diverse Classroom Libraries Matter via Edutopia

New Jersey Law Would Increase Fines for Parents of Bullies via Fatherly

The Absurd Structure of High School via Medium

‘Major distraction’: school dumps iPads, returns to paper textbooks via Sydney Herald

Raising Kids Who Want To Read — Even During The Summer via KQED

What Rereading Childhood Books Teaches Adults About Themselves via The Atlantic

Elon Musk admits to “Unschooling” his Children via anonhq

Kids’ Author Mo Willems Has A New Creative Challenge (And So Should You) via NPR

F A M I L Y

Mr. Rogers Had a Simple Set of Rules for Talking to Children via The Atlantic

I Am Tired Of Being The One Who Remembers All The Things via Scary Mommy

Motherhood helped me learn who my real friends are via Motherly

The simple reason why men do less housework, on average, than women via Fast Company

The Joys of Raising First-Generation Americans via New York Times

The Exceptional Cruelty of a No-Hugging Policy via The Atlantic

P A R E N T I N G

The Helicopter Bunny via McSweeney’s

Mothers Are Teaching Their Daughters Bad Lessons About Beauty via The Atlantic

Kindness Vs. Cruelty: Helping Kids Hear The Better Angels Of Their Nature via KQED

How to tell your child is realizing her human potential—year-by-year via Motherly

Want happier, calmer kids? Simplify their world. via Green Child Magazine

Is your child being bad, or does he just feel unsafe? via Aleteia

The Benefits Of Unsupervised Play Will Make You Want To Back Off Your Kids’ Activities In A Big Way via Romper

Help! My Child Won’t Sit Still for Story Time via Raising Readers

A New Parent’s Guide to Social Media via Common Sense Media

Science Suggests Parents Are Taking Parenting Too Far via Fatherly

Kids Don’t Say ‘Yes, Ma’am’ Anymore, but Politeness Is Still in Fashion via New York Times

A New Theory of the Progression of Pretend Play Development via Psychology Today

Children who don’t have a regular bedtime behave worse & develop slower via Your Modern Family

Avoid playgrounds and eat the last biscuit: how to keep your sense of self as a parent via The Guardian

To the mom who loves motherhood—but misses her freedom, too via Motherly

At Your Wits’ End With A Screen-Obsessed Kid? Read This via NPR