Myths about baby's sex

from www.having-a-baby.com

Curious about the sex of the tiny tenant who’s been subletting your uterus for
the past nine months? You’re not alone. Since the beginning of time, expectant
parents have tried to guess whether the baby they are carrying is a boy or a girl.
Here’s the scoop on seven of the most prevalent myths about predicting the sex
of your baby.
1. “A heartrate of less than 140 beats per minute means that you’re
having a boy while a heartrate of over 140 beats per minute
means that you’re having a girl.” Although this particular myth has been
kicking around for decades, there’s only one study on the books that
supports it: a 1993 study at the University of Kentucky that concluded that
the fetal heartbeat could be used to correctly predict the sex of 91% of male
fetuses and 74% of female fetuses. Every other study conducted before or
since has reached the exact opposite conclusion – that the fetal heartrate
can’t be used to predict the sex of your baby.
2. “If you’re carrying your baby high, it’s a girl. If you’re carrying your
baby low, it’s a boy.” If you’ve managed to get through nine months of
pregnancy without having someone predict the sex of your baby based on
the shape of your belly, count your blessings! Many people still lend credence
to a rather sexist bit of English folk wisdom that states that boys are carried
down low and out front because they need greater independence while girls
are carried up high and across their mother’s body because they need greater
protection – the origin of this particular sex prediction myth.
3. “If you are experiencing severe morning sickness, you’re having a
girl.” Theories such as this one have been tossed around for years, but a
recent study added more fuel to the fire. Swedish researchers discovered
that 56% of women hospitalized with severe morning sickness ended up
giving birth to baby girls. Even if there is something to this study – something
that’s led to more than a few heated arguments among obstetricians – the
findings aren’t exactly definitive. At best, you can conclude that you may
have a slightly higher-than-average chance of having a baby girl if you’re
feeling exceptionally crummy. It’s up to you whether you want to paint the
nursery pink on that basis!
Pregnancy Tips
4. “If the baby is very active, you’re having a boy.” Here’s yet another theory
based on some rather sexist assumptions: males are boisterous while females
are placid. What this theory fails to take into account, however, is the fact that
the amount of fetal activity that the mother feels is largely a matter of
perception. If she’s running around at breakneck speed all day, she may fail to
pick up on the movements of all but the most energetic of fetal kickboxers!
5. “If you’re craving sweets, you’re having a girl. If you’re craving salt,
you’re having a boy.” While it would be convenient if you could rely on your
craving for chocolate as proof positive that there’s a baby girl on the way, there’s
no hard evidence that cravings are linked to the sex of your baby. In fact, the jury’s
still out on whether cravings exist at all! So don’t count on your cravings – real
or imagined – to tell you whether to buy pink or blue.
6. “If a wedding ring or needle suspended over your belly moves in a
strong circular motion, you’re having a girl. If it moves to and fro like
a pendulum, you’re having a boy.” This particular method of predicting the
sex of your baby works much like a ouija board. Micro-muscle tremors over
which you have no control cause the ring to move in a particular direction – a
sensation that can be spooky to say the least, but that doesn’t tell you a thing
about the sex of your baby.
7. “The Chinese conception chart can tell you if you’re having a boy or a
girl.” The Chinese conception chart – the brainchild of a 13th century scientist –
claims to be able to help you to predict the sex of the baby by linking your age
and the month of conception to the sex of the baby. While it has a reputation
for being highly accurate in China, it simply hasn’t been able to stand up to the
same scrutiny here in North America.
So if these myths are consistently off the mark, why do we keep turning to them
again and again? According to the experts, there are two factors at work: the fact
that you’ve got a 50/50 chance of being right each time you predict your baby’s sex
and the fact that you’re more likely to remember your successes than your failures!

Myths about marriage

From marriage.about.com.

Myths Such as these Can Hurt Your Marriage
We think that many myths that surround marriage give couples unrealistic expectations. Disappointment is sure to come for people who are looking for the Cinderella-like happily-ever-after storybook marriage year after year.

If you watch late night TV, enjoy classic movies, listen to love songs, or read romantic novels, then you may have an image of marriage that never, ever was.

Do you remember or have you watched Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, Bewitched, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Donna Reed Show, Lassie, and Cinderella?

Think about the fact that nearly all of these households were the traditional family of mom, dad, and kids. They didn't seem to have any real problems either because there are no story lines about prior marriages, step-children, physical abuse, infidelities, drinking problems, drugs, dropping out of school, political discussions, civil disobedience, unemployment, severe economic problems, and threats or even thoughts of divorce.
The father was the breadwinner and the mother made the bread. Until All in the Family came along, plots seemed to focus on white lies, mischief, and misunderstandings.

These shows made us believe that life was wonderful, that all of our needs could be met by our spouse, children were the icing on the cake, marriage would solve all of our problems, and we would live happily ever after.

# MYTH: Loneliness Myth that marriage will end our loneliness.
REALITY: Many married people are still very lonely.

# MYTH: Fulfillment Fallacy which makes us believe that being married makes us complete human beings.
REALITY: A couple complements one another, not completes one another.

# MYTH: Marriage Is for Everyone.
REALITY: There are a lot of unmarried people who are extremely happy.

# MYTH: Monogamy Myth makes a couple believe that they are the only ones who are dealing with infidelity or that it only happens to bad or weak people.
REALITY: It is a societal issue that needs to be openly addressed so that monogamy becomes more attainable for more people.

# MYTH: Romance will always be alive in a good marriage.
REALITY: Nearly all relationships experience peaks and valleys. The everyday problems and challenges of married life can often cloud over romantic feelings. This is when making the decision to love is important.

# MYTH: Marriage makes people happy.
REALITY: We can't expect our spouse to be our one source of happiness. Our personal happiness must come from within ourselves. Marriage can complement our own individual happiness but it can't be the primary source.

# MYTH: We won't have major problems if we truly love one another.
REALITY: A good marriage doesn't just happen. It takes nurturing and work.

# MYTH: My spouse should know my needs without my saying anything.
REALITY: Just because we're married doesn't mean we can read minds. We have to tell our spouses what our needs are.

# MYTH: Conflict means a lack of love.
REALITY: Conflict happens in every marriage. Fighting fair and for the relationship, and not just to "win" is healthy in a marriage.

We believe a marriage needs love, support, tolerance, communication, realistic expectations, caring, nurturing, and a sense of humor to be successful. Many of the more recent television shows like Mad About You, Home Improvement, To Have and To Hold, The Cosby Show, Dharma & Greg, and Everybody Loves Raymond reflect these values and show that marriages can survive conflict, disappointment, and problems.

Myths about Children

from www.texaschildrenshospital.org

The dictionary defines a "myth" as an unfounded popular belief that has developed over the years about something or someone. They are usually passed on from generation to generation and persist until replaced by knowledge or facts. With this in mind, here are some common pediatric myths that continue to linger on in the folklore of parenting.

1. Feed a cold, starve a fever

When your child is sick, they need calories to help their body fight the infection. So let them eat if they are hungry. Always encourage liquids, since both colds and fever can cause dehydration.

2. Cold or wet weather causes colds

Only indirectly. Colds are infections of the upper respiratory tract caused by viruses. They are not caused by getting wet or cold. They are caused by coming in contact with the infected nasal secretions of other people who have colds. Getting wet or cold does not weaken the immune system to the point that it would cause a child to catch a cold. Colds are more frequent during cold or wet weather, simply because children stay indoors, in closer contact with each other, at these times of year. This creates a breeding ground for viruses to spread from child to child.

3. Thick yellow-green discharge from the nose during a cold is a bacterial infection and needs antibiotics.

This is not necessarily true. It can be the normal end stage of a cold running its course. Nasal discharge from a cold generally starts out clear and watery and can become more cloudy and thicker and finally turn green or yellow at the end of the cold. In an era of antibiotic overuse, it is important not to over treat a green runny nose. Treatment should be considered for a green runny nose that does not clear after seven to 10 days or the cold symptoms do not go away by 10-14 days.

4. Children get ear infections because they do not keep their ears covered.

Ear infections are not caused by not wearing a hat or getting water in your ear. Ear infections occur in a small area behind the eardrum called the middle ear cavity. This space is connected to the back of the throat by a small tube called the eustachian tube. When a child is congested, either because of a cold or allergy, the eustachian tube doesn't work properly, and fluid builds up in the middle ear space. This fluid acts as excellent culture medium for bacteria, which then multiply causing a middle ear infection.

5. High fever causes brain damage.

Fever itself is not likely to cause brain damage. This myth got started because one cause of fever, meningitis (an infection of the brain and spinal cord lining), often results in brain damage.

6. Sugar causes hyperactivity.

It certainly would be nice if this were true. We could then treat hyperactivity with special sugar reduced diets instead of medication. Repeated research published in medical journals, however, tends to disprove this theory. These studies find no discernible difference in behavior between children eating sugar and those who are not. This myth probably started as a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Parents believe that sugar affects behavior, so when their child becomes overly active, they blame the sugar. Children ingest higher amounts of sugar during exciting events such as holidays and parties and therefor it is common for adults to blame a child's behavior changes on the increased sugar intake. More than 100 research studies done on this subject all point to little if any effect of sugar on children. There is also no difference between the effect of sugar on ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactive disorder) children and non-ADHD children with regard to behavior. Furthermore, Sugar does not cause ADHD,

7. Standing will bow a baby's legs.

This myth originated years ago when children suffered from rickets, a Vitamin Deficiency that caused softening of the bones and bowing of the legs. Today, rickets has all but disappeared and there is no danger that standing will bow your baby's legs. The legs of most babies are already bowed at birth from being wrapped tightly around their bodies inside their mother's womb. It takes years for them to straighten out but allowing a baby to "stand" on their legs does not cause the bowing

8. Children must eat their vegetables.

Vitamin deficiencies are extremely rare, and it's unlikely that children will harm themselves by not eating vegetables. It is important to serve well-rounded meals, but you don't have to fight daily battles about eating all your vegetables. In fact, perhaps if parents did not make an issue of eating vegetables, kids would be more inclined to try them. They might find that broccoli is not so bad!

9. Mothers who are breast-feeding should not eat garlic, onions or chocolate.

It used to be believed that eating highly flavored foods while breast feeding made an infant more fussy and caused gas and upset stomach. Simply not true. In fact, a study that monitored the eating habits of nursing mothers showed babies seemed to prefer milk when their mothers ate garlic and they even nursed for longer periods of time and actually gained more weight!

10. Iron-fortified formulas cause constipation

No studies have ever found a difference in the number of stools per day, type of stool, the number of days without stools, the frequency of colic, spitting up or vomiting between infants fed either un-supplemented or iron-supplemented formula. Babies need iron fortified formulas and constipation is not a reason for switching to an un-supplemented type.

11. Going outside with wet hair can cause a cold

See Myth #2, Actually, viruses, not water, drafts, or cold weather, causes colds.

12. Feeding infants cereal at night makes them sleep longer

Research has consistently shown that giving solids before bedtime will not change when an infant will start sleeping through the night. Most babies will not develop a dependable sleep cycle until somewhere between 3 and 6 months of age. When a child sleeps through the night is more dependent on how they are put to sleep, where they are put to sleep, and how parents respond when they do wake up at night. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, cereal and other solids should not be started until 4 to 6 months of age in order to reduce the risk of allergies

13. Teething often causes a fever

Medical "experts" since Hippocrates have blamed fever, diarrhea, and colds on teething. Recent research has not shown a relationship between teething and the onset of such symptoms. If teething does cause a fever, it is never more than 101 degrees F

14. Acne is caused from not washing your face.

Acne is not related to dirt on the skin or greasy foods. It is caused by inflammation under the skin, not dirt on the skin's surface. Keeping the face clean is always good, but scrubbing could make acne worse.

15. Okay, if acne is not caused by dirt, then it is caused by chocolate and other foods in the adolescent's diet.

This is one of the oldest myths. Extensive scientific studies have not found a single connection between diet and acne. In other words, chocolate, french fries, pizza and other fast foods do not cause acne. It does make sense to limit fatty foods to prevent obesity and cardiovascular disease, however. Studies have shown that foods with a high iodine content (such as shellfish) may aggravate existing acne, but does not cause it.

16. Vitamins will provide children who have poor appetites extra energy.

Vitamins cannot supply extra energy since they contain no calories. Unless your child has a specific vitamin deficiency, their energy level will not change if you give them vitamin supplements.

17. When children crack their knuckles, it will cause arthritis.

There is no evidence that cracking joints will impair joint development or lead to arthritis.

That annoying popping sound is caused by the breaking of the vacuum in the joint and bubbles of nitrogen gas form in the joint fluid. The cracking noise happens when those bubbles collapse.

18. Children's aspirin is best for treating children's fevers

Taking aspirin is not recommended any more for children unless recommended by the youngster's doctor. Aspirin has been linked to serious medical problems, such as Reye's Syndrome.

19. Going barefoot causes flat feet

Going barefoot is probably best for kids. It allows their feet to develop naturally. There is no evidence that children's feet develop any differently with or without shoes. The only real reason kids should wear shoes is to protect their feet from injury and cuts.

20. A baby's eye color at two months is their adult eye color.

It has always been thought that no changes in a baby's eye color occur after 2-3 months of age. A recent study, however, disputes this widely held belief. The research found that eye color did not become stable until age 6 in 90% of children. Of the remaining 10%, half continued to show changes, either lighter in shade or darker). Therefore, it looks like parents will have to wait a little longer in order to find out their child's final eye color!

21. Don't give milk when a baby has a cold. It will increase mucus production

Many parents believe that drinking milk when a child has a cold will increase mucus production in the respiratory tract. A number of recent studies have concluded that there is no association between milk intake and the amount of respiratory tract mucus produced during a cold. Children need milk for both its protein and calcium and to withdraw such an important food item during a cold makes no sense. While some children prefer other fluids when they are sick (fruit juices, for example) parents can give milk if the child wants it without worrying about making their child worse. (Milk allergies, on the other hand, may produce a stuffy or runny nose.)

22. Rubbing the skin with alcohol will help bring down a child's fever.

This widely held belief could make the child sicker. Alcohol evaporates so quickly that it can bring on chills, which signal the body to raise its temperature even higher. Furthermore, there have been cases of alcohol intoxication if too much is applied and it is absorbed into the skin of a child. Remember that fever is a symptom, not a disease. In fact, fever may be helpful in fighting infections. If the fever is making your child not feel well, parents can make them feel better by giving (on the advice of their doctor) acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Tempra) or ibuprofen (such as Motrin or Advil).

23. Putting a baby to sleep on their back increases the chance that they will choke if they spit up at night.

Babies are now put to sleep on their backs instead of stomachs to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Many grandparents, who did just the opposite with their children, worry about their grandchildren spitting up and choking while sleeping on their backs. In all the research studies done on infant sleep position and SIDS (and there has been a ton of them), there have been no incidents of babies choking on "spit up" in their sleep since the "Back to Sleep" campaign was introduced in 1992, millions of babies have been put to sleep on their backs without choking in their sleep.

24. The brain is fully developed at birth.

The brain is the last organ to be fully developed in a human body. Most of the brain development happens in the first three years of life. 75% of the development is finalized by age seven.

25. The child should not be vaccinated if they have a fever, cold and cough.

There is no proof for that this widely held belief is true. Unfortunately, many parents still believe it and their child falls behind in their immunization schedule. In case of mild fever, cold, or cough a child can be safely vaccinated along with symptomatic treatment. Immunizations are only contraindicated when the illness causing the fever is severe. A mild illness (such as an ear infection) is not a reason to withhold a vaccine, even if the child has a fever.

26. Walkers will teach a baby to walk sooner.

This myth is not only false but dangerous. Many infants have been injured tipping over or falling down stairs. In addition, the infant can now reach things that are up higher than she could normally reach. Furthermore, walkers may actually delay walking since the muscles used in scooting around in a walker are different from the ones used in walking.

27. A baby is "constipated" if they do not have a bowel movement at least once per day.

No where is it written that a child has to have a bowel movement every day. As long as the bowel movement is soft, a baby can go every two or three days. Babies that are solely breast-fed sometimes have a bowel movement as infrequently as once a week! A baby is not constipated when they grunt, squirm, turn red, or cry while having a bowel movement. If the result of these gyrations is a soft stool, the baby is fine!

28. It is safe for young children to ride in the front seat of cars without air bags or the air bag turned off.

Compared to children seated in the front seat, the risk of a child dying while seated in the rear is 41 % less. If there were passenger seat airbags and children sat in the rear there were 46% less deaths, thus confirming previous studies. Rear seating was found to provide the best protection in front end collisions and rollovers. Even a child sitting in the front seat of a car without airbags but who is properly belted in is in more danger than a child sitting in the back seat with the same restraints.

29. Children must be made to eat what's good for them whether they want to or not.

Study after study has shown that very young children will eat what's good for them even when surrounded by unhealthy, rich foods, if they are left alone. It serves no purpose to force kids to eat things they dislike or to eat more than they want. Rather such practice cause food to become a tool used for resisting authority and sets kids up for eating disorders later on in life. Pressuring a child to eat has been implicated in causing anorexia, bulimia, or obesity later in life. While it is always appropriate to limit kids' consumption of junk foods, it is best to let the child's appetite be your guide. Children are the only humans that use food for the right reason: fuel. They eat more when they are growing and less when they are not in a growth phase. Don't make mealtime a battle ground.

Myths about children's health

From www.texaschildrenshospital.org.

Despite the overwhelming amounts of information available to parents today, it remains important to
separate fact from fiction when it comes to your child's health. Many myths about caring for children are
spread to new parents by well-meaning family members and friends. Most myths are not harmful but can make it more frustrating to figure out how to do the right thing for your child.

Myth #1 - Teething often causes a fever or diarrhea.
Teething may cause fussiness or sleep disturbances, but it doesn't cause a cold, fever or other symptoms of illness. These additional symptoms may be a clue that your baby has a cold or other virus.

Myth #2 - Treating an ADHD child with stimulants leads to drug abuse later in life.
Actually, studies have shown that proper treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder helps improve a child's self-esteem, school performance and social interactions. Feeling successful in life helps a
child or teen say no to drug experimentation and other self-destructive behaviors.

Myth #3 - Going outside with wet hair in winter or getting your feet wet while outdoors can cause a cold.
Viruses cause colds or influenza, not chilly, wet weather or drafts. However, children spend more time indoors together during cold weather and that creates an environment for the easy spread of the viruses that cause colds.

Myth #4 - You should force a picky eater to finish dinner.
Forcing a child to eat when he or she isnt hungry may lead to eating disorders later. Toddlers often go
through periods of refusing to eat certain foods or new foods as a show of independence. Allow experimentation, provide healthy choices, but if your child doesnt want to eat, dont cook something different for their dinner.
Offer a small portion of one or two new foods each week. Toddlers generally will try a new food after it has
been offered 10 or 15 times. Also, limit access to sugary foods and dont provide too much milk or juice so that your child is too full for solids. Finally, remember that its okay for a small childs diet to be
balanced over an entire week rather than every meal, every day.

Myth #5 - Children with a cold shouldn't be given milk or dairy products because it increases mucus production.
Not true. Their usual diet is okay while your child has a cold. If your child doesn't want to eat, try the BRAT diet which is easy on the digestive system. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

Myth #6 - Potty training should begin a XX age.
Most children are ready to begin potty training between 18 months and 3 years old. However, this depends on the child's physical and emotional development and all children are unique in how they grow. Signs of
being ready to potty train include staying dry for two hours at a time; asking to have a dirty diaper changed; asking to wear regular underwear; and asking to use a potty chair or toilet.

Myth #7 - Acne is caused by greasy foods and not washing your face.
Teen acne is caused by inflammation under the skin, generally triggered by fluctuating hormones, not dirt on the skin or diet. Of course, keeping skin clean and limiting intake of fatty foods is always good. Encourage your teen to clean their face with a gentle cleanser because scrubbing can make acne worse.

Myth #8 - Fresh fruit and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen or canned.
This myth was actually true until a few years ago. Today, however, frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen so quickly that few, if any, nutrients are lost. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows manufacturers to
advertise frozen fruit and vegetables as the nutritional equal of fresh foods. Fresh or frozen is more nutritious than canned.

Myth #9 - Watching television stunts a child's brain growth.
While no research supports this theory, parents should closely monitor the amount and quality of television that their children watch. Too much television contributes to lack of exercise, which can lead to weight
problems. Violent or disturbing content on television may cause behavior or sleep problems.

Myth #10 - Children need a daily multi-vitamin.
Most children with a normal diet do not need a multi-vitamin. The average child can get his or her nutritional needs by eating a reasonably balanced diet. However, children with a poor or restricted diet, liver
disease, or a chronic disease such as cystic fibrosis may benefit from taking a vitamin and mineral supplement.
Children who live in an area without fluoridated water may need a fluoride supplement. Consult your
pediatrician before giving your child any type of vitamin or dietary supplement.

Myths about pregnancy

From www.kidshealth.org.

Pregnancy myths may vary from generation to generation and from region to region. Myths your grandmother in Texas claims are true might be different from what your uncle in Alaska believes. Here are a few of the most common pregnancy myths:

Myth: Standing on your head after sex can increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
Truth: Although some experts say that lying down after sex for 20 to 30 minutes can boost your chances of conception because it keeps the sperm inside you, standing on your head has not been proven to aid in conception (and you might hurt your neck while trying to do it!).

Myth: The shape and height of your belly can indicate your baby's sex.
Truth: The popular belief that women carrying boys carry low and that women carrying girls carry high just isn't true. The shape and height of your belly is determined by your muscle tone, uterine tone, and the position the baby is in. That's why someone may think you're having a boy because you're carrying low, when actually the baby just dropped lower into the pelvis because you're closer to delivery. So, what's the most accurate way to determine your baby's sex? Talk to your doctor about getting an ultrasound.

Myth: Fetal heart rate can indicate your baby's sex.
Truth: A normal fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute (bpm), although some people think if it's faster (usually above the 140 bpm range) it's a girl and if it's slower it's a boy. But there have been no studies that conclusively show that heart rate is a predictor for a baby's gender. Your baby's heart rate will probably differ from prenatal visit to prenatal visit anyway - depending on the age of the fetus and activity level at the time of the visit.

Myth: The shape and fullness of your face during pregnancy can indicate your baby's sex.
Truth: Every woman gains weight differently during pregnancy, and every woman experiences different skin changes. If people tell you that because your face is round and rosy you're having a girl, they might be right - but it's just as likely that they're wrong!

Myth: If you experience heartburn during pregnancy, your baby will be born with lots of hair.
Truth: Because it's extremely common throughout pregnancy, heartburn isn't an accurate predictor of whether your baby will be born with lots of hair.

Seeking the Truth

As you go through your pregnancy, it can be fun to collect and record various people's tales. However, for medical advice pertaining to pregnancy, you should always consult your doctor first.

And keep in mind that every woman's pregnancy is different, which means that your doctor can provide you with information tailored toward your personal medical situation. That's information that friends, family, and strangers at the mall won't have when they tell you their pregnancy predictions.

So, enjoy the stories - but talk to your doctor before you do anything that could affect the health or well-being of you or your baby.

Myths about protecting child

From www.wander-wear.com

No doubt, parenting is tricky. Parenting information changes all the time plus everyone feels compelled to give their personal, often contradicting, opinions. Unfortunately, even some of the basic “rules” of parenting can’t be trusted. Here we discuss four such myths that can make life or death differences.

MYTH #1:

I am a careful, watchful parent and my kids are well behaved so they will never get lost.

It happens to virtually everyone: 7 out of 10 children will experience being lost at least once in their lives. 90% of families will be impacted and the traumatic memories of these incidents will forever remain in the minds of both the parent and child. We teach our children to be curious and independent but then we scold then for getting accidentally lost. Therefore, it is actually good parents that realize this is a common situation. They proactively teach their children that getting lost can be dangerous and they all know what to if it happens. While most incidents result in safe returns, both children and adults often retain traumatic memories for the rest of their lives.

MYTH #2:

Don’t talk to strangers.

When a child gets lost, he/she may be too scared, too young, or simply unable to communicate to assist an adult that is trying to help find the child’s caregiver. One of the best safety practices is to tell your child to find another mommy if he/she gets lost. There is an important difference in empowering your child to ask a stranger for help versus having a stranger approach your child unsolicited. Mommies are easy to identify and find in most family venues – plus mommies are usually eager to help (and least likely to harm) a distressed child.

MYTH #3:

Don’t put identification outside of your child’s clothing.

Safe identification includes a cell phone number that is visible and easily accessible on a child. If the child is lost, another person can quickly call to reunite the onsite caregiver. Do not hide the information in a shoe or in the child’s clothing. You do not want a stranger undressing your child to find such a clue. Even if your child knows their home phone number, you don’t want to continuously be dialling your home voicemail to see if there is any information about your lost child.

Many parents worry about having a child’s name visible. Even though most children will willingly give a stranger their name, there are dozens of other ways that a predator can lure your child away. However, putting the child’s address is actually very dangerous because in the wrong hands, your home can become a target. Whether going to a mall, to a ballgame, or to school, young children should always have safe identification visibly on them.

MYTH #4:

My entire family dresses in the same color when we go to a crowded place.

It may be cute but it is rather ineffective to put your family in the same colors unless they are very bright. A small child can be much more easily spotted if they are in bright green or bright yellow. Wearing such colors (hats, shirts, jackets, etc.) can make it easier for you to see them. If you need to get other people’s help to find a lost child, the bright colors make it easier for them too. It is more helpful to describe a child’s physical attributes (hair color, eye color, height, weight, etc.) when you can also note that they are wearing a unique color. Keep that clothing as a special outfit for when you do venture away from home. This will help you remember what the child is wearing should you need to recall that under stress.

These four parenting myths are just some of the unfortunate bad parenting advice that has been passed down for generations and not been updated given new technology and information. Realize that these myths can be very harmful to your child and be a smart parent by preparing yourself and your family. With less effort than it takes to put on a seatbelt, teach your children not to get lost and what to do in case it happens.