Tag: texting

A Troubled Marriage and Depression Can Promote Obesity

Researchers from Ohio State University recruited 43 healthy couples, ages 24 to 61, who had been married at least three years and measured how their mood affected metabolism. In a two-day study the couples were given a questionnaire that asked a variety of things, including past mood disorders. The couples were then given high fat meals, which included eggs, turkey sausage, biscuits and gravy. The meals, which ran 930 calories and 60 grams of fat, mimicked that of common fast food meals.

As a mom, finding ways to stay connected with our daughters as they reach a legal age can be a challenge. They have so much going on in their lives, and it gets harder everyday to maintain ongoing family activities. When budget is a challenge it can be even more difficult to find ways to motivate young adult kids to hang out and truly enjoy each other's company—so, we took a trip together where we could balance activity with relaxation.

Distracted driving is at an all-time high and we are seeing more and more accidents from cell phone use among all age groups. For teen drivers though, inexperience and accessibility to smartphones has made for a lethal combination. The Governors Highway Safety Association reported in February that the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths increased 11 percent for the first six months of 2011. If the trend continued for the second half of 2011, it would have ended eight straight years of cumulative declines in teen-driving deaths. Final numbers are still being tallied.

Yes, Mom and Dad, the phenomenon of "sexting" is taking off (no pun intended). If you don’t know what sexting is, it involves people taking nude pictures of themselves and sending them via their cell phone to others. This action has resulted in some teens being charged with violations of child pornography laws. These laws can carry some serious penalties, the most serious being registration on the Sex Offenders databases for 10 years. With this in mind, what would happen if the offending material was found on your personal computer?

So, why is this happening and what do you need to be aware of to keep you and your kids safe?