Author Archives: Jen Thorpe

About Jen Thorpe

I have a B.S. in Education and am a former teacher and day care worker. I started working as a freelance writer in 2010 and have written for many topics here at Families.com.

Social Security Lists Top Baby Names 2022

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The U.S. Social Security Administration provided a list of the top baby names for a given year. The list is separated into “Male Name” and “Female Name”. The list of the most popular baby names for 2022 has been released!  Top 2022 Male Names were: Liam, Noah, Oliver, James, Elijah, William, Henry, Lucas, Benjamin, Theodore Top 2022 Female Names were: Olivia, Emma, Charlotte, Amelia, Sophia, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Evelyn, Luna KTLA posted a news article titled: “These were California’s most popular baby names in 2022” From the news article: Twenty years ago, the most common names given to babies born … Continue reading →

Study: Parents Can Significantly Influence Child’s Mental Health

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Parenting styles that included physical discipline and overcontrolling behavior, referred to as “hostile” parenting, were found to nearly double the risk for their children to develop mental health symptoms, according to a new study, ABC News  reported. The study was published in the medical journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, followed over 7,500 children in Ireland from 9 months old until they were up to 9 years old.  Children who were exposed to hostile parenting at age 3 were 1 1/2 times more likely to have high-risk mental health symptoms and 1.6 times more likely to have mild-risk mental health symptoms … Continue reading →

$600,000 Worth Of Minion Beanie Babies Sent to LAUSD

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What would you do if your kids came home from school with Beanie Babies that were themed after the Despicable Me franchise? Several parents may be wondering who sent nearly 75,000 of them to the Los Angeles Unified School District, Insider reported. The donation came from a nonprofit that typically serves homeless shelters and food banks. According to Insider, the mysterious arrival of the stuffed animals was three years in the making, beginning when 11 semi-trucks-worth of the toys arrived at a warehouse for the nonprofit, Shelter Partnership. Over that time, the donor’s identity has remained a secret. And the … Continue reading →

Beware Of Peeps Made With Red Dye 3

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Families that celebrate Easter tend to obtain pastel colored baskets and plenty of Easter candy for their children to find on Easter morning. One thing parents need to be aware of is the type of dye that is included some of the most iconic Easter candies. Consumer Reports posted a news release titled: “Popular Peeps Easter candy is made with cancer-causing Red Dye 3”. From the press release: Consumer Reports is alerting consumers that the purple and pink Peeps candies popular this time of the year for Easter are made with Red Dye No. 3, a known carcinogen. Earlier this … Continue reading →

Some Kids Are Not Attending School

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Some parents have noticed that their child, pre-teen or teenager have been avoiding going back to school. NPR posted an article titled: “3 years since the pandemic wrecked attendance, kids still aren’t showing up to school”. In other words, there are many parents out there who have kids that are unable to attend school.  According to NPR, Hedy Chang, the executive director of Attendance Works, says she hasn’t seen the kind of recovery she’d hoped for. “I think people had been a little bit under the false impression that when COVID became more endemic, that that would result in a … Continue reading →

Hershey Canada Releases Limited Edition HER for SHE Bars

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In celebration of International Woman’s Day, Hershey Canada has partnered with Girl Up to launch five limited-edition HER for SHE chocolate bars. Now available across Canada, each bar highlights a young Canadian woman taking action to build a more positive future. This is part of a global initiative from The Hershey Company, which has been ranked as the World’s Top Female Friendly Company, to shine a light on the voices of more women making an impact in their communities. To further this commitment to a more equitable future, Hershey’s Canada has also pledged $40,000 to Girl Up, an organization providing … Continue reading →

FDA Plans To Reduce Contaminants In Baby Food

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced Closer to Zero. It is the FDA’s goal to reduce dietary exposure to contaminants to as low as possible, while maintaining access to nutritious foods. The agency’s work to date has resulted in significant progress in reducing exposure to environmental contaminants from foods and Closer to Zero builds on this progress. The FDA has prioritized foods commonly eaten by babies and young children because their smaller body sizes and metabolism make them more vulnerable to the harmful affects of these contaminants. To meet the goals of Closer to Zero, they have focused … Continue reading →

Why Schools Stopped Having Valentine’s Day Parties

There are many reasons why the school your child, preteen, or teenager attends does not celebrate Valentine’s Day. This may come as a relief for young people who are uncomfortable with the idea of choosing a card to send to everyone in their class, or attending a school dance. Parents may be happy that they don’t have to spend money on cards or baked goods for a school party.  Of course, there will be some students who want to experience a classroom Valentine’s Day party or to have fun at a school dance. Some parents may want their child’s school … Continue reading →

HHS and OASH Provide The Basics Of Eating Healthy

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OASH) provided ways for people to eat healthy. Eating healthy means following a healthy eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods and drinks. It also means getting the number of calories that’s right for you (not eating too much or too little). Choose a mix of healthy foods There are lots of healthy choices in each food group! Choose a variety of foods you enjoy, including: Whole fruits – like apples, berries, oranges, mango and bananas Veggies – like broccoli, sweet … Continue reading →

USDA and SSA Collaborate To Improve Nutrition Security Through SNAP

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a strengthened partnership to help comment Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. USDA and SSA’s new joint agreement, or memorandum of understanding, will improve efficiency, helping to advance food and nutrition security and reduce the hurdles families face to obtain the government assistance they need. SSA continues its commitment to help people access SNAP benefits in two critical ways. SSA employees notify SSI applicants and recipients of their eligibility for SNAP. And, when everyone in a household is … Continue reading →