The Chatterbox

The Chatterbox

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June 26, 2012
Beyond the Tongue Ring... What Is Willow Smith Doing on Instagram?
It was the (fake?) tongue ring seen 'round the world. Yesterday, news of 11-year-old Willow Smith getting a tongue ring blew up on the Web. The "wild child" daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith had posted a pic of herself and a friend with fresh "piercings" (hers on her tongue and her friend's on her chin/lower lip) on Instagram... Side note: Parents, if you don't know what Instagram is, you probably should (photo-sharing social media platform connected to Facebook). It turns out -- according to singer/actress Willow anyway -- that the piercings...
Instagram, online safety, Parenting, parenting tweens, Social Media; Facebook; Twitter; Privacy, tweens
June 20, 2012
Parents, Watch Your Pills: Painkiller and Heroin Use Skyrocketing Among Suburban Teens
Do you leave your strong meds for your back pain in the medicine cabinet without a second thought? Hey, teens don't need childproofing, right? Here's a statistic that might change your thoughts on that: One in eight high school seniors admits they have used prescription painkillers they weren't prescribed, according to a recent national survey conducted by the University of Michigan. What's worse, teens who get (easily) hooked on $20-$60 pain meds are, in turn, turning to a cheaper and even harder-hitting drug to get their opioid fix: heroin. As NBC Nightly News...
drug addiction, Drugs, heroin, Oxycodone, OxyContin, painkillers, Teen Drug Use
June 15, 2012
Would Your Child's Dad Do What the Texas Dad Did?
With Father's Day weekend approaching, this week’s news of the Texas father who beat to death his 4-year-old daughter’s alleged molester has spread like wildfire. No names have been released, but as the story goes, the 23-year-old father learned from his young son that his daughter had been led away on their property by a family acquaintance. The dad heard the daughter’s screams and discovered her and a 47-year-old acquaintance both partially naked in or near a horse barn. The father repeatedly beat the man in the head, leading to his death. The father hasn...
child abuse, Crime, Dads, Father's Day, Fatherhood, Molestation
June 4, 2012
FDA Warns Against Baby Orajel and Teething Gels
Keep reaching for Sophie the giraffe or your baby's other favorite teether. The FDA has issued another warning against teething-relief gels, sprays, and liquids containing benzocaine, such as Baby Orajel. The FDA has been wary of benzocaine products for babies since 2006. Last year, the FDA issued a warning stating that benzocaine can cause methemoglobinemia, a serious and potentially deadly adverse effect that dangerously lowers blood-oxygen levels. They said that the products should not be used in kids under age 2 without consulting a pediatrician, and they...
Baby Orajel, baby products, baby safety, benzocaine, FDA, product safety, Teething