“Nothing activates the brain so extensively as music,” said famed neurologist and musicphile Oliver Sacks, M.D. As an avid music fan with ADHD, I have lived this truth from a young age.
I grew up in a music-obsessed family. I was named after Roberto Carlos, the renowned Brazilian singer. (Another option was “Fernando,” after the ABBA song.) My father was a serious vinyl collector, and rarely was our home silent. My parents instilled in my siblings and me an appreciation for all music, teaching us never to dismiss any artist or song but rather to express, “This music doesn’t speak to me now.”
I’ll never forget the first time I heard “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s. The opening drum line, fast and strong, flipped a switch in my 10-year-old brain. I had never been instantly hooked like that by anything. Their album, Beauty and the Beat, was the first I ever bought, and it helped carve out my own musical identity. (All these decades later, the magic of this album endures.) From The Cure’s moody sounds and Sinéad O’Connor’s raw vocals to Tito Puente’s vibrant rhythms and Linda Ronstadt’s soulful voice, I listened to it all, and I still love discovering new music.
Fifth-grade me may have been a little dramatic when I wrote this in a school essay: “Music is my religion, my drug, my validation, and my salvation.” Theatrical, but not wrong. As a kid with undiagnosed ADHD, I innately understood that music was more than enjoyable; it was necessary. I gravitated toward it to manage symptoms I later recognized as ADHD.
I turned facts into songs for better recall. While studying, I drummed on random surfaces, and by test day, I “felt” the rhythm again to recall what I learned. My earliest attempts at writing were supercharged by music. I distinctly remember staring at a blank page, frozen, unable to start my assignment. Something compelled me to play Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” on my tape recorder. The iconic opening bassline unblocked my brain and lifted me out of paralysis. I am forever grateful to my dad, who could have shut off the music, but believed me when I said it was helping. Sure enough, the essay poured out in minutes. Today, I always have music — sometimes soft, but often loud and cacophonous — playing when I need to focus. In fact, I wrote my dissertation to bands like Green Day and Ministry.
Looking back, I admire how my parents used music creatively to support me. To keep me from lingering too long in the shower, my mom put a radio in the bathroom and said, “If you listen to more than four songs, then you’re in the shower too long.” My dad, who liked to listen to music in layers, replayed songs so I could focus on different instruments each time. He didn’t know that this way of appreciating music was a form of mindfulness – just what my ADHD brain needed.
Music has a special place in my life. I firmly believe in its power to connect, heal, and reveal the best in us. I’m passionate about sharing this truth, including with my patients. Whether creating playlists to validate feelings or dancing away social anxiety, I help others lean into music to improve their lives.
My ask: be an open-minded listener. Try a genre you’ve never explored or revisit a song you once dismissed — it might speak differently to you today. Here’s to discovering the next song that lights up your brain.
The Power of Music for ADHD: Resources
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The holiday season brings plenty of joy, yet it can be tough for many families in the Upstate. Kits for Kids GVL gives our community a way to help children and teens in foster care and families facing food insecurity. The project is fully volunteer-led, and Kidding Around Greenville is proud to help organize it again this year in partnership with Miracle Hill and Loaves & Fishes.
What Kits for Kids Supports
Kits for Kids GVL focuses on three high-need areas:
Food Kits for kids needing extra support
Gift Kits for tweens and teens in foster care
Urgent Need Kits for families facing immediate challenges.
Food Kits for Upstate Families
When school is out, food insecurity grows. These pantry-style kits give kids simple meals and snacks they can rely on during winter break.
Each kit includes:
Juice boxes
Granola or protein bars
Fruit cups
Mac and cheese cups that require no milk
Protein pouches or a jar of peanut butter and jelly
Bonus: a pack of instant coffee for a parent
Kits should be packed in a new, reusable grocery bag. Some families like to place each day’s snacks in brown paper bags with encouraging notes. Children enjoy helping with this part at home.
Gift Kits for Tweens and Teens
Tweens and teens in foster care appreciate gifts that offer both comfort and independence. A typical kit includes:
A backpack or duffel bag
A new pair of pajamas
Toiletry essentials
One or two fun gifts
These children often feel overlooked, and the kits can bring comfort during a season that can seem complicated or lonely. Miracle Hill can provide specific sizing information for the needed sizes for pajamas, along with ideas for things to pair with the gift kits that the kids will love.
Urgent Need Kits for Families with Infants
Families in crisis often need immediate support. Urgent items include:
Diapers in sizes 4-7. Size 4 is the most requested.
Baby formula. Powdered and all varieties welcome.
There are many ways to show your support. Every single action makes a difference!
Sponsor a kit
Choose one kit or several. You can mix and match gift kits, food kits, and urgent-need items.
Can’t get everything on your own? Form a group with coworkers, friends, neighbors, church groups, or clubs. Teams can sponsor several kits and make the shopping more fun.
Donate money or supplies
If you can’t assemble a full kit, you can donate pajamas, toiletries, diapers, formula, gift items, or reusable bags.
Financial gifts help fill gaps and make sure every request is met.
Volunteer your time
Join us on Saturday, December 20, for our drop-off and assembly day at Lee Road Baptist Church. Volunteers will help sort and prepare everything.
Kit Drop Off Details
Saturday, December 20, 2025, from 10 AM to 4 PM Lee Road Baptist Church 1503 E Lee Rd, Taylors, SC
Ready to make a difference? Join us and Kits for Kids!
If you’d like to take part, complete the interest form to get started. The Kits for Kids GVL team can help you pick a role that fits your schedule and budget.
The following is a personal essay that reflects the opinion of its author.
November 24, 2025
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has never attended medical school. He has no prior experience in formulating public health policy and no training in neurodevelopmental disorders. His opinions on the causes of autism have no basis in science and have drawn widespread criticism from medical and public health experts for their inaccuracies.
And Kennedy was wrong last week to order the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to change its website guidance on autism and vaccines. It now claims, without credible evidence, that “scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism,” an alarming reversal of the CDC’s longstanding position based on decades of research.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, along with 40 other medical, health, and patient advocate groups, responded immediately with a letter chastising the CDC for “promoting the outdated, disproven idea that vaccines cause autism.” For the last 25 years, dozens of rigorous, large-scale studies have found no evidence of an association between childhood vaccines and autism.1, 2,3 These include a large-scale Danish study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which involved more than 537,000 participants (all the children born in Denmark over a seven-year period)4 as well as a meta-analysis involving cohort and case-control studies and more than 1.2 million children.5
“There is no link between autism and vaccines,” wrote the Autism Science Foundation on its website last Thursday. “This is consistent across multiple studies, repeated in different countries around the world, with different individuals, at different ages including infancy, and using different model systems. In addition, we know that some biological features of autism can be found prenatally, before any vaccines are administered.”
We know that autism is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder. More than 100 genes have been associated with the condition, but experts agree that genetics and environmental factors likely both contribute. Controlling for a host of potentially confounding factors — including a high comorbidity rate with ADHD6, 7 — is critical in uncovering causes of autism, and it is difficult to accomplish.
Meanwhile, untrained and unqualified individuals continue to mistake association with causality when reviewing research studies on autism. For example, President Donald Trump recently claimed that a mother’s Tylenol use in pregnancy causes autism in her offspring, citing a study, co-authored by a Harvard epidemiologist, that found a small association between use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and risk of autism in children. This association, however, was not shown to be causal, a fact explicitly stated by the lead author of the review, Diddier Prada, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
“We show that acetaminophen is associated with a higher risk, but not causing it. Those are very different things,” Prada said in an interview with The Washington Post.
These false claims about autism, published on the CDC website and broadcast at White House press conferences, have an immediate and profoundly negative impact on autistic people and their loved ones. The damage being done is not theoretical. It is real, it is measurable, and our readers are telling us about it right now. Here are some of their stories.
“Both my kids, 14 and 16, are autistic. My daughter came home from school crying shortly after the absurd proclamation. She was insistent that I have all references to autism and ADHD stricken from her school and medical records. The more she cried and talked, the clearer the picture became. She was worried that the Trump administration was creating a list of kids with autism, like her and her brother, so they could be rounded up and put into concentration camps. It took a couple of normalizing hours of conversation for her to calm down. As a parent, when you need to hold your 16-year-old until they stop quaking because of something said by the leader of our country, I get closer to the decision that our family needs to leave the U.S. While I consoled my daughter, I went through the gamut of emotions with anger and fear the predominant ones.”
“We live in Ireland, and even here my autistic child was affected. He asked me, as his mother, ‘Did you do this to me? Did you take a drug that caused my autism?’ He was emotionally dysregulated for days, and very angry toward me as everyone in school was discussing it.”
“My 8-year-old autistic son was watching a news story about the Tylenol-autism claims. He looked at me and said, ‘Wait, I’m autistic. Do I have a disease?’ I affirmed him the same way I always do when he struggles with one of his diagnoses, telling him he is a gift from God to us.”
“My son did have questions, as he is 14, and we didn’t get the diagnosis until he was 13. I felt relieved that I didn’t take Tylenol with his pregnancy, and I did with my other two pregnancies. The other two children are not diagnosed with ASD. I don’t think that the statements made by Kennedy and Trump are sound, but that speaks to the fact that mother shaming still exists when children have disabilities. I am a school counselor and I know better, and it is disheartening to think this still goes on. My son was happy I didn’t take Tylenol, however, he was open to me explaining how studies and research works.”
“Our child is a voracious consumer of science and political videos, plus the autistic kids at her school have a loosely connected network for mutual support. They are smart kids. They just laughed at the stupidity of the pronouncement.”
“This is my AuDHD daughter’s course of study, so she understands the flawed conflation of causation and correlation. It has been more difficult to speak with relatives about it, especially those who are taking this information at face value. Mostly, I have given up trying to change their minds, but am more vocal with the younger relatives who may become pregnant or have a significant other who may become pregnant on the importance of treating high fever during pregnancy.”
“We’ve had very animated conversations about this. We are both outraged by this and find it difficult to fathom how someone running a country can say such wildly inaccurate things without any evidence.”
Anni Layne Rodgers is General Manager at ADDitude.
6Hours C, Recasens C, Baleyte JM. ASD and ADHD Comorbidity: What Are We Talking About? Front Psychiatry. 2022 Feb 28;13:837424. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.837424. PMID: 35295773; PMCID: PMC8918663.
7Ying Rong, Chang-Jiang Yang, Ye Jin, Yue Wang, Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2021 May 83: 101759. ISSN 1750-9467, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101759
Sexists, ageists, and only-child skeptics buy into negative myths and unsupported biases. In short, they are mostly stuck in the past and misinformed. The dated thinking around these issues is deeply embedded and fed by what a person believes and where they get their information.
Most of us cling to one stereotype or another. Unintentionally, we may hold on to stereotypes about race, firstborn or middle children, single women, childless women, gender, or older people. The teen years come with their own set of stereotypes. We expect adolescents to rebel and be irresponsible or difficult, for example.
Like only-child stereotypes, ageism is ingrained in our culture and based on falsehoods. The same could be said of gender stereotypes. Researchers Lin Bian et al. have found that girls as young as 6 associate a high level of intellectual ability, such as brilliance or genius, with men more than women.
The reality is that no person of any age, background, family makeup, or life stage neatly fits our preconceived stereotypes. Criticism cuts both ways. Today, for instance, larger families face the kind of censure or ridicule that was once reserved for only children and their parents. I was among those who questioned the Duggars, the family starring in the reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting.” When their 19th child was born. I asked, “When Will the Duggars Stop?”
The Duggars are an outlier, certainly, when it comes to family size, but having a conversation about family size and bringing attention to it takes great care. Parents and researchers alike who try to make definitive statements about the implications of being an only child or having siblings risk offending and reinforcing stereotypes.
Stereotype Whiplash
Changing how a culture thinks is difficult. Over time, however, it’s possible. China’s long-held preference for boys, once referred to as “little emperors,” spotlights how attitudes can shift. In a country that has long revered male offspring, researcher Shi Lihong found that the overwhelming pressure to have boys, or that having a girl is undesirable, has dissipated in parts of the country.
Similarly, the original culprit of demeaning messages about only children, psychologist G. Stanley Hall, conducted a study in 1896 that was flawed on many levels. His study of “peculiar and exceptional children” concluded that only children were bossy, lonely, and selfish and had more imaginary friends. As a result of his findings, he declared that being an only child was essentially “a disease in itself.”
Although Hall’s early followers adhered to his thinking and reinforced his research, other researchers have since chipped away at the flaws in Hall’s findings. By 1934, a study titled “The Personality Adjustments of Only Children,” reviewed many previous studies focused on the impact of being a singleton and concluded: “‘Onliness’ per se is not the environmental specter so widely assumed. Whatever role the mere presence or absence of siblings may play in the development of personality, its importance is certainly not crucial.”
Toni Falbo, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, concurs. Her groundbreaking research spanning decades has helped set the record straight on only children. “I think the belief in the ‘lonely-only,’ or the ‘maladjusted-only,’ persists because of the stereotypes,” Falbo clarifies when speaking to the Christian Science Monitor, “Stereotypes are something that seem to make sense in people’s thinking. They’ve been around for thousands of years, and there’s the benefit of thinking that all couples should have children, and that’s plural.”
Judith Blake, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, spent years investigating only children in America and found much of the bias about only children is mistaken. In the 1980s, she refuted prevailing beliefs that only children are “isolated, less successful and socially clumsy. The performance of only children belies the prejudice,” she wrote, making it clear that “only children have no obvious character or personality defects.”
What these studies and present research can’t find is a distinct difference or disadvantage for being an only child. In fact, most studies point to the reverse.
What Keeps Stereotypes Alive
The only-child syndrome, ageism, sexism, and other cultural stereotypes share these qualities:
They are buried deeply in our culture.
They are kept alive by misinformation.
They are stubbornly difficult to change.
They persist long after they have been debunked.
By understanding the facts instead of getting swept up by persistent stereotypes, we can change the climate around ageism and sexism as rural Chinese families did about their preference for boy babies and as more people recognize the fallacies in the only-child stigmas and express their preference for only children.
Tackling the extra work that comes with parenting a child with a disability can feel lonely. Last year we found an unexpected partner in AI.
It was time to update our daughter Syona’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), which is a school document that outlines her educational programs, accommodations and needs. It provides guidance so we’re all working together towards the same goals. But the thought of redoing it was daunting.
So we turned to AI to see if it could help.
We refined our prompts, removing identifying information about Syona, and added details about her learning profile, strengths and needs, the classes she was taking, and the IEP itself.
We started by asking it to develop an attainable number of learning expectations for each of her courses, given how busy and full her classroom was. We then asked for strategies, resources and support services to meet each goal. Once we were comfortable with both sets of information, we asked how we could assess whether Syona had learned the new skills.
Within seconds we had something that was much better than anything we could have created, or even what we expected from AI. It was clean, organized, easy to follow and it mapped out possible goals in a way that felt realistic and meaningful.
We read through it, clarified some details about Syona and asked AI to refine the document. The next version was even better. We then asked it to remove what wasn’t within the scope of the school or realistic for us to carry out, references outside the Canadian environment, like the Americans with Disabilities Act, and items that were similar or repetitive.
AI helped us translate our goals into plain language. Each one included what skill we wanted to build, where it would happen, what level of support she would need and how we would know she had reached it, along with connections to any bigger aims. There was space for questions and collaboration.
Then we did a lot of hands-on editing and landed on a document that was very easy to discuss with Syona’s teacher. She asked how we had done this, and we told her how we used AI and just how helpful it had been. I also think it helped the teacher to update Syona’s IEP efficiently.
In AI, we found a thought partner who saw Syona’s potential, was able to articulate it, and pushed us to see her with fresh eyes.
AI became Syona’s advocate. Obviously, AI doesn’t love Syona or know her the way we do. But it found language to help Syona and her team focus on the goals and strategies that will help her continue to grow.
It made the work feel doable instead of exhausting. It helped us advocate with clarity. And it made us feel like we were not carrying the weight alone.
Here are a few ways you might consider using AI if you are navigating something similar:
-Summarize long assessments into quick bullet points.
-Draft potential IEP goals so you can refine them with your team.
-Brainstorm ideas for strategies, tactics and evaluation in an IEP.
-Prepare for meetings by role playing questions or concerns.
-Turn scattered notes into a one-page summary you can share with staff.
-Help create and organize questions for medical appointments.
-Use it for household tasks, like meal planning, grocery lists and scheduling to help free up your time.
None of this replaces your instincts or the professionals who work with your child. Think of it as a helpful assistant that makes room for you to spend more quality time with your kid. Of course, it is important to protect yourself while using any digital tool. A few simple tips can help keep things safe, and I always encourage people to use it only to their comfort level:
-Remove names or identifying details before pasting text.
-Avoid including sensitive medical or location details.
-Treat AI suggestions as drafts not conclusions. They always need a discerning human eye.
-Remember that AI is a tool. It has a warm, supportive tone because it is built to try and please you. But always think about what it is telling you critically and apply your own judgment.
-Don’t treat AI as a source of information. Googling and using good, reputable sources and websites are still your best bet for information.
Parenting a child with a disability is full of moments where you feel alone and overwhelmed. While AI didn’t change that entirely, it did help to lessen the administrative mental load, while reminding us of the strengths and potential of this amazing daughter we are lucky to have.
An advent calendar might be the most fun way to countdown to the holidays. And today, advent calendars come in all shapes and sizes, with an endless array of surprises behind each door. Here are some fun ones for this holiday season.
Playmobil
Unlock a new adventure every day with the Playmobil advent calendar. It turns December into a month-long adventure kids look forward to every morning. Each calendar is packed with 24 surprise pieces that build into a complete themed scene, encouraging imaginative play, creative storytelling, and festive fun as the big day approaches. From charming Christmas markets to daring pirate quests and thrilling museum heists, Playmobil’s themed sets make the countdown feel like an unfolding story, with new characters, accessories, and details revealed each day.
Ravensburger
This Christmas season, open the doors to 24 days of exciting puzzle surprises. Each compartment reveals a fun puzzle gift. Your family will love working together to put each one together. In the end, you’ll have 24 beautiful pictures to display.
Hello Kitty and Friends
Unwrap daily surprises featuring 18 adorable two-inch characters, 18 accessories, and six decorations. This set includes beloved characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and more. Use the included Pop Off Card to create a holiday scene and enjoy the fun with your new friends. Don’t miss out on the magic – collect them all and make each day leading up to Christmas extra special.
Micromallows
The Micromallows holiday advent calendar celebrates the countdown to Christmas with 24 iconic holiday Micromallows in their smallest size yet, like Brooke the Polar Bear and Manny the Snowman. Which one will be your little’s favourite?
Pocket Pop! The Nightmare Before Christmas
Count down to your favourite frightful holiday with the Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 24 day countdown calendar. Open the tiny doors to reveal 24 unique Pocket POP! collectibles featuring Halloween Town residents like Santa Jack, Zero, Oogie Boogie, and Vampire Teddy. Expand your Disney lineup by making this 24 Day Countdown Calendar the next addition to your collection.
Pocket Pop! Pixar
Every day is exciting when you get to open each of these tiny doors to reveal 24 unique Funko Pocket Pops! They come in some of your favourite animated characters from the most popular Pixar movies. Who will be the next to join your Pixar collection?
Nee Doh
The Nee Doh advent calendar transforms the traditional holiday countdown into something far more playful (and a little bit squishier). Behind every numbered door lies a soft, colourful Nee Doh toy waiting to be discovered, creating a daily moment of joy throughout the month of December. It’s not just a calendar; it’s a month-long sensory experience filled with bright colours, satisfying textures, and simple happiness.
Want to visit the Grinch AND alpacas? Our friends at Serenity Alpacas have the perfect event!
The Alpacas Are Saving Christmas on December 6th, and it’s completely FREE! Head to Serenity Alpacas in Stoney Point, NC (about two hours and 15 minutes from Greenville) from 10 am to 4 pm for a festive day filled with Grinch meet-and-greets, adorable alpacas to pet and feed, and plenty of holiday cheer. Admission is free with a donation of a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots drive. Enjoy beer, mimosas, local food trucks, games, a stroll through Whoville, and shopping from local vendors—including cozy alpaca gifts perfect for the season.
Here are some quotes to draw you into the content:
-From the mother of a 4-year-old with Trisomy 13: The greatest challenge has been “parenting Bree in an ableist world… where there’s very explicit and implicit notions given to you that your child isn’t as valuable as a typical child.” (See A Family Like Mine)
-From BLOOM columnist Anchel Krishna: “Homework was never something I imagined celebrating. But here we are, 15 years in, treating it like a milestone. Because for daughter Syona, it is.” (See Parent Talk)
-From a pediatrician at Holland Bloorview working with complex-care patients: “I find talking to the team about challenging interactions or cases very helpful. I might seek out another physician or therapist or nurse or social worker… Over time I’ve learned to debrief more at work. I used to do a lot more talking it out at home, but I find that harder.” (See Staff Stories)
Don’t forget to scroll down to Shoutouts to read about a new interactive e-book called Am I Ableist? It’s for medical students, designed by Canadian medical residents.
Looking for a fun, nature-filled adventure the whole family will love?Trolls: A Field Study at the NC Arboretum brings 12 giant, whimsical troll sculptures to the forest trails of Asheville. Kidding Around contributor Liene took her kids to explore the exhibit and is sharing everything you need to know before you go—where to find the trolls, what to expect, and tips for making the most of your visit.
Thanks to Eve Brown for providing additional photography.
Quick Info: Trolls at the NC Arboretum
What:Trolls: A Field Study – outdoor troll sculpture exhibit
Where: NC Arboretum, 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC
When: November 15, 2025 – February 17, 2026
Hours: 8 am – 5 pm (last entry at 4 pm)
Cost: Free with parking ($20 per standard vehicle)
Bonus Fun: Kids’ snow-themed exhibit + nature play areas
The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are celebrating the arrival of Trolls: A Field Study, which made its North American debut on November 10, 2025 at the Arboretum. Produced by Imagine in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, twelve friendly troll sculptures are scattered throughout the Arboretum in a scavenger hunt of epic proportions!
A Troll Story
The story goes, that “On the night he was born, a little troll named Taks wandered into the human world. What he saw left him puzzled—strange machines, noisy boxes, people rushing around without stopping to talk to the trees. When he returned to the forest, he shared his discoveries with his eleven siblings – and so it started: Trolls: A Field Study!”
What to Expect on Your Visit: Trolls at the NC Arboretum
The sculptures range from seven to nine feet tall, and are crafted from wooden materials like fallen branches, pallets and twigs. They are created to be interactive, and my kids had so much fun crawling into nets for photo ops, taking up-close looks at the materials used, and learning each troll’s name and story!
When to Go & What to Know
Admission to Trolls: A Field Study is included in the standard Arboretum parking fee, and no advance tickets are required. However, be aware that on weekends you may encounter crowds and a longer wait to enter the Arboretum, and should plan accordingly.
The exhibit is at the NC Arboretum from November 15, 2025 through February 17, 2026. As Winter Lights is also currently running at the Arboretum, daily hours have been shortened to 8am to 5pm, with last admission at 4pm. After the holidays normal business hours will resume: 8am to 7pm starting January 5, 2026.
Even More to Explore at the Arboretum
While you’re at the Arboretum, make sure to check out the children’s exhibit Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact in the Baker Exhibit Hall, which runs through January 4, 2026. Visitors can peek inside the snowpack to find animals that make their homes in the snow, walk through a snowstorm, or even build a snowman!
The outdoor “Playing Woods” area is always a hit with our family; we plan for snack time and a rest there. The NC Arboretum is also a participant in the ecoEXPLORE citizen science program and the Kids in Parks TRACK Trail program, both of which make a visit even more immersive.
Mother of four young boys, Liene is constantly on the move since returning to Greenville in 2012. Whether she’s exploring the state parks and natural areas of the Carolinas or teaming up with other moms to organize activities for the kids, she’s always searching for the next adventure in the Upstate. For everything from hiking, travel, cooking and crafts to multicultural & global education posts, visit her blog, http://FemmeauFoyer2011.blogspot.com.
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Teen girls are pretty fun to buy for at Christmas time. (Shutterstock Monkey Business Images)
Looking for the best Christmas gifts for teen girls this year? We’ve gathered a curated list of top-rated and on-trend finds that teens can’t stop talking about. Whether she’s curating her space, exploring new hobbies, or perfecting her self-care routine, these thoughtful picks are designed to make her feel celebrated, understood, and a little extra cozy this holiday season.
BAGGU makes this cute bag in many different colors and patterns. These bags are made from recycled nylon and are machine washable, making them a stylish AND practical gift for your teen daughter.
Coach bags are more popular than ever and the Hobo Brooklyn bag is among the most requested by teen girls. This could be a very exciting Christmas gift for your fashion-forward daughter.
A second popular Coach bag is the Brook Flap Chain Bag. Available in many pretty colors. Coach is an expensive brand but a classic brand that may never go out of style.
Jellycat makes adorable plush bag charms with many different whimsical ones to choose from. How can she not smile when she glances at this cute sunshine charm?
Jellycat also makes plush bags that are pretty adorable. The hardest part will be choosing which of the cute designs would make your daughter the happiest. She can keep her phone, ID, keys, lip balm etc. safely in this zippered cross body. These are the #1 bestsellers on Amazon in the plush purses category.
Laneige is a very popular skin care line and this Christmas they are offering several holiday gift sets. This one has their famous Lip Mask, Water Bank, and Lip Glowy Balm. Find all the Laneige holiday gift sets here.
Does your daughter enjoy trying out different perfumes? Sol de Janeiro offers this set of four perfume mists. It is the #1 bestseller in women’s fragrance sets on Amazon.
Kendra Scott has a Holiday Shop where you can find lots of beautiful necklaces, bracelets and earrings at wide range of price points. This initial necklace is made of gold-plated brass and has a 19″ chain – this could be a lovely, very personal choice.
UGG endures as a popular brand for teens and this fuzzy slipper would be a great Christmas gift. UGGs may be expensive but they are durable and can be her go-to footwear of choice on a daily basis.
Apple Watches are a great choice for your teen daughter for Christmas. There are different Apple watch models to choose from; we like the SE for the 18 hour battery life, the fitness metrics, and the safety features including detection for a hard fall or severe car crash which can automatically connect your daughter with emergency services and notify emergency contacts. She can check In automatically with a loved one when she’s arrived at her destination. Lots of other great features with a variety of strap options, too.
Is your daughter a new driver or will she begin her driver’s education soon? This slender book was written by a mom who taught her three sons to drive. It is the #1 bestseller in the driver’s education category. Perfect for a stocking stuffer, too!
The very best safety device your teen daughter can have is a fully charged phone. Anker makes a lightweight and powerful charger she can keep in her backpack or purse so she never has to find a place to plug in her phone. For iPhone 17/16/15, iPad, MacBook, Galaxy, Google, and more.
This is a fun, portable way for teens to turn their favorite phone photos into cute instant prints. It connects easily through the Instax app, where they can add filters, frames, and creative edits before printing. Small enough to toss in a bag and fast enough to print in seconds, it’s the perfect gift for capturing memories in a way they can actually hold onto. BUNDLE INCLUDES : Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 Instant Smartphone Printer (Clay White), Instax Mini Twin Film (20 Exposures) + Protective Case, + 60 Sticker Frames + USB cable.
Our sources tell us that these digital cameras are all the rage among teens once again proving the adage that everything old is new again. A compact 16MP camera featuring a 5x optical zoom with a 28mm wide-angle lens, 1080p Full HD video for vlogging, a 2.7″ LCD screen, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery. Compatible with Class 10 SD cards up to 512GB. Save 7%
This high-tech flying disc features can create 16.7 million color variations with unique styles and effects. Smart brightness, timer, and color settings—plus motion sensors—allow the lights to turn on and off automatically to save battery. A 30-minute recharge provides up to 1,000 throws or a full 90-minute match. It’s perfect for outdoor game and makes a standout gift for holidays or special occasions. Save 15%
Car safety tools are so important for new drivers and this car mount for her phone will help her drive with less distraction. Compatible with iPhone, Samsung, Google, all smartphones.
This 24 oz insulated stainless-steel water bottle features a patented FreeSip spout for sipping through the built-in straw or swigging from the open spout. A push-button, lockable lid keeps the spout clean, and a carry loop adds convenience. Double-wall insulation keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and the wide opening makes cleaning and adding ice easy. This is the #1 bestseller on Amazon in Travel & To-Go Drinkware.
This 7-in-1 tween hygiene kit provides everything kids need for a simple, healthy self-care routine, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, face wipes, moisturizer, and deodorant. Gentle textures and subtle beachy scents make the routine enjoyable, with clean, natural ingredients like chamomile, calendula, jojoba, aloe, witch hazel, charcoal, and vitamin C. It’s easy and kid-friendly.
Crocs are super popular among teens. With that said, I’m more than positive your young giftee will adore a pair of the rubber clogs which come in lots of pretty colors.
This versatile, durable phone mount uses 24 strong suction cups to stick securely to mirrors, windows, and other smooth surfaces for hands-free video and selfies. Its non-slip silicone pad makes attaching it fast and easy, while its tough design keeps your phone safe during on-the-go shooting. Capture photos and videos for TikTok, Instagram, and more. Available in three sizes, it’s a practical tool for travel, home, or the gym.
The JBL Go 4 is an ultra-portable, compact speaker with powerful sound. You can pair two of these for stereo or connect multiple Auracast-enabled speakers for bigger audio. Seven hours of playtime plus two extra hours with Playtime Boost. This speaker is waterproof and dust-proof making it ready for anywhere environment. So many great colors.
Ugg’s Ultra Mini Classic Boots are all the rage, available in a range of vibrant colors. They are comfortable coziness made of a wool-rich blend with genuine sheepskin and shearling.
These rechargeable hand warmers have become very popular with Grown and Flown families. They are lightweight and compact and easy to have in pockets to keep hands toasty warm. Several pretty colors and floral patterns.
With soft wake-up light, customizable white noise sounds, and no screen distractions, it helps create a calming sleep routine and gently signals morning. Perfect for waking up refreshed on school days or winding down with soothing sounds in her room. Look for the $25 off coupon.
This detangling brush is for teens who want smooth, pain‑free hair care. Its patented two‑tier teeth gently glide through knots in wet or dry hair, minimizing breakage and tugging for a gentler brushing experience. Lightweight and ergonomic, it fits easily in her backpack for on-the-go touch-ups or styling after sports.
This heat‑activated mist transforms frizz-prone hair into a glossy, glass‑like finish by forming an invisible “raincoat” over each strand, locking out humidity for up to 72 hours. Lightweight and non-greasy, it gives a silky, polished texture without weighing hair down. Safe for color-treated or keratin-treated hair, and the smoothing effects last through 3–4 washes.
This delivers a natural, healthy flush that adapts to your skin’s tone. Its lightweight, buildable formula lets you go from a soft glow to a more defined look for everyday radiance or special occasions.
This hydrating lip tint delivers a sheer-but-buildable wash of crushed-berry color with a glossy, dewy finish. Infused with peptides, shea butter, cupuaçu, and babassu, it deeply nourishes and visibly plumps lips while locking in moisture. The fragrance-free formula melts on smoothly and keeps lips soft without any sticky residue, making it perfect for day or night.
Perfect for chilly nights, this is cozy, soft, and Instagram-worthy. With plush on one side and Sherpa on the other, it’s perfect for movie nights, studying, or curling up with a book. The adjustable heat settings let her stay toasty without overheating, and it’s machine-washable for easy care and a practical yet luxurious gift she’ll actually use. Available in many classic colors.
This chic, structured tote from JW PEI is made from soft vegan leather, a cruelty-free and trendy choice. It has a roomy interior that easily fits a tablet or daily essentials, plus an interior slip pocket to keep things organized. Many different color options to choose from.
This phone case features a dreamy water ripple design that looks like gentle waves, giving her phone a stylish, textured finish that’s totally on‑trend. Raised edges protect the screen and camera, while the lightweight, grippy material helps prevent drops. It’s dirt and scratch‑resistant and supports wireless charging, so it’s both cute and practical for everyday use. Four different colors.
These sleek, silicone-wrapped Bala Bangles bring wearable resistance to her workout — she can slip them on her wrists or ankles to tone while doing yoga, Pilates, walks, or even chores. Made with recycled steel inside, they offer a gentle but effective challenge, and the soft elastic band with velcro ensures a secure, adjustable fit.
These ceramic thermal rollers are a game-changer for getting big, bouncy volume without damaging the hair. The ceramic-coated core holds heat evenly, helping to set curls and waves that last longer, while the self-grip Velcro material keeps them in place with no clips or pins. With three roller sizes included, they work on almost any hair length or texture. Just pop them in almost-dry hair, blast with a blow-dryer, let cool, and reveal salon-worthy style.
This fun scrub mixes real sugar crystals with nourishing shea butter and a fruity, fizzy pink‑champagne scent to gently buff away dry, tired skin. Infused with a blend of natural oils, it leaves skin feeling super soft and smooth. Great for a stocking stuffer. #1 Bestseller in in Body Scrubs & Treatments on Amazon.
This medium-sized, versatile crossbody bag is designed for everyday use, with multiple carry options and smart storage including a front zip pocket and spacious main compartment. Offers an adjustable, removable strap and it’s durable and water-resistant. Designed to keep essentials organized without sacrificing style. Great for travel. Pick from 4 colors.
Why should you trust us?
We are three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on products lists for over 12 years now, making us experts. When selecting products we survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of over 300,000 parents of teens, tweens and young adults. We do opinion polls, surveys and ask open ended questions. We search for products that combine reasonable price with high quality and are recommended by our large following.
Give your kids a delicious dose of energy with these Almond Gum Ladoo Recipe – Healthy Energy Boosting Sweet for Kids, is a wholesome blend of almonds, edible gum, and natural sweeteners. Inspired by traditional Indian recipes, this treat combines taste and nutrition in every bite. Rich in proteins, calcium, and good fats, these ladoos help in building strength and keeping kids active throughout the day. Whether it’s for a quick snack, travel treat, or festive bite, these melt-in-the-mouth ladoos make healthy eating truly delightful!
Health Benefits of Almond Gum for Kids
Boosts Energy Naturally: Almond gum (badam gondh) is a natural energy booster that helps children stay active and alert throughout the day.
Supports Bone and Muscle Strength: Rich in calcium and protein, it strengthens growing bones and supports healthy muscle development.
Improves Digestion: Almond gum has cooling and digestive properties that soothe the stomach and aid smooth digestion.
Enhances Immunity: Packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients, it helps build strong immunity and protects kids from frequent illnesses.
Keeps the Body Hydrated: Especially beneficial during summer, almond gum helps maintain hydration and prevents fatigue.
Promotes Healthy Weight Gain: The natural healthy fats and nutrients in almond gum support steady and healthy growth in underweight children.
Almond Gum Ladoo Recipe
Ingredients
Edible almond gum (gond) – ½ cup
Ghee – ½ cup (add a little more if needed for binding)
Add edible gum and roast on low flame until it puffs up and turns crisp.
Remove from heat, let it cool, and crush coarsely.
In the same pan, roast the chopped nuts until golden and aromatic.
Remove the nuts and keep aside.
Roast poppy seeds and grated coconut for about a minute until fragrant.
In another pan, melt jaggery with 2 tbsp of water.
When it starts bubbling, check for soft ball consistency.
Turn off the flame and add the roasted nuts, puffed edible gum, coconut, poppy seeds, and cardamom powder.
Mix quickly and evenly so all ingredients blend well.
When the mixture is warm, grease your palms with ghee and roll into small ladoos.
Almond Gum Ladoo recipe is a wonderful way to offer kids a nutrient-dense, energy-boosting treat made with simple, natural ingredients. With the goodness of nuts, the cooling properties of badam pisin, and the mild sweetness of jaggery, it supports immunity, digestion, and steady energy, perfect for growing children. This wholesome ladoo is not just a sweet snack but a healthy choice parents can confidently include in their child’s diet, especially during festivals, winters, or as a mid-day energy booster.
Almond Gum Ladoo Recipe – Healthy Energy Boosting Sweet for Kid
These Almond Gum Ladoo Recipe – Healthy Energy Boosting Sweet for Kids, is a wholesome blend of almonds, edible gum, and natural sweeteners.
Ever wondered what it’s like to keep bees—without, you know, actually keeping bees? That’s exactly what we’re about to find out thanks to Happy Hive Bee Co.’s Adopt-a-Hive Program, and we’re bringing you along for the ride!
This year, we’re officially the proud owners of our very own hive at Happy Hive Bee Co. And over the coming months, we’ll be sharing what it’s like to follow the journey of our bees—from their first buzz to their sweet golden harvest.
Thanks to Happy Hive Bee Co. for giving us a hive this year so we could share this experience with our readers.
What Is the Adopt-a-Hive Program?
Happy Hive Bee Co. has a passion for education, bringing the experience of keeping bees and the wonder of the honeybee to others. Their Adopt-a-Hive Program gives families (like yours!) the chance to support local pollinators and experience beekeeping from the comfort of home.
Here’s how it works:
You sponsor a hive in the Happy Hive apiary.
You get monthly updates with photos, videos, and stories from your unique hive.
You receive honey from your very own bees at the end of the season.
You’re invited to a pollinator picnic and hive visit, where you can suit up and see your bees in action!
Yes, you can actually visit your hive in person—and there’s even lunch involved.
Why It Matters
Pollinators are in trouble. Bees play a huge role in our food system and environment, but their numbers are dropping. Adopting a hive is an easy (and super fun) way for families to get involved, without actually maintaining hives themselves.
Your sponsorship supports real, local pollinator care—and your kids get to learn about science, sustainability, and teamwork from the bees themselves.
Bonus fun fact: Beekeepers mark queen bees to help spot them quickly in a busy hive. This year’s queen color is blue.
See, we’re learning things already!
What You’ll Get When You Adopt-A-Hivbe
When you adopt a hive, here’s what’s included:
🌼 A full year of educational updates from your hive
📹 Monthly videos and photos to share with your kids or classroom
What’s happening at our hive? From the first days to our hands-on hive visit and honey harvest, we’re sharing it right here. Make sure you’re following us on social media to see our hive’s progress!
The Kidding Around Hive
First, we got a chance to paint the outside of our bees’ new home.
Second, we asked all of you to suggest a name for our Queen Bee. You all came up with some pretty good names, but one stuck: Queen BEEyonce.
Update #1: Our NEW Hive
Watch below to learn about how new hives are made AND see Kidding Around’s very own hive!
We’re so excited to watch our hive grow!
Update #2: Queen BEEYonce Gets Her Pretty Blue Dot
Hey, Hey, Hey! We’ve got another hive update from Happy Hive!
Our hive and Queen BEEyonce are doing great!
In this video:
BEEYonce gets her special blue queen dot
We learn about a honey bee parasite- mites!
We watch bees bringing pollen and packing cells
Update #3: Baby Bees and all about the hive
Wow, our bees are looking great. In this video update below:
Get a good look at the hive this month
See one of BEEYonce’s babies born
Learn about the parts of a beehive
📅 Stay tuned for:
What we learn about bees.
Pictures and videos about our hive
Photos from our hive visit this spring
And what it’s like to get that first taste of our hive’s honey!
I saw a post that said American disability activist Alice Wong had died on Friday and I thought it was a scam.
Because I will always associate Wong with this image of herself using her new ventilator after a 2022 medical crisis: “For now, every breath from my ventilator is a ferocious feline roar of defiance and joy.”
But I was wrong. Wong died in hospital in San Francisco, of an infection, at age 51. Her friend Sandy Ho confirmed it, sharing this post Wong had written in the event of her death.
Wong was born in 1974, the Year of the Tiger, to Chinese immigrants living in Indianapolis. In her memoir, she draws on the attributes of tigers and domestic cats as a model for living well.
The American advocate had a form of muscular dystrophy that made walking exhausting but didn’t know how to push back against pressure from parents and clinicians. “I wish my adult self could have said this to my parents and doctors: “I am so… tired, guys. Please, I tried my best to humour and please you all. This walking shit ain’t worth it.”
At age seven, she moved from a walker to a manual wheelchair to an electric chair.
“The clouds parted, the disabled angels sang, and I took my rightful place on my motorized throne,” she wrote. ”It was total liberation. I was in a comfortable position and, most important, in control… I could express myself through movement for the first time. It may seem ghastly to most nondisabled people to rejoice in the usage of a wheelchair, but I consider it part of my natural development as an autonomous human being.” She came to see it as an extension of her body, “a part of my personal space and sense of self.”
It’s hard to think of someone who has done more for disability culture, community and rights than Wong. I first heard about her through her Disability Visibility Podcast, where she interviewed disabled people on everything from politics to fashion and film. I loved her logo, an image of Wong with her trademark Bi-Pap mask, purple sunglasses and red headphones.
Wong rejected values that underlie capitalism and individualism. “Life is not binary: healthy or unhealthy. disabled or nondisabled, low or high quality,” she said in this interview with Teen Vogue. “We can and should embrace vulnerability and interdependence and not see them as weaknesses.”
And finally: “Productivity does not make a person inherently valuable.”
When I told Wong how much I adored her new memoir, she snail mailed me a beautiful, personal signed bookplate. She was that kind of person.
In this digital age equipped with technological devices, it is of great importance that children can spend time away from phones and tablets and engage in device-free children’s activities.
Screen-free activities not only foster children’s imagination but also support their development by increasing their social skills and physical activity. They also provide more quality time with family and prevent technology addiction.
Creative Activities
In case your children spend too much time sitting with smartphones in their hands, parents can install parental control apps like Parentaler on their children’s phones, block websites, and adjust screen time. Such software can also monitor snapchat on iPhone or Android, check Instagram activity, and much more. To fill the void, offer your children some screen-time activities to prevent boredom. There are many creative and fun activities to keep children away from screens. If you want to keep your child away from their phones and tablets, you can do different activities together.
Among the most fun screen-free activities for kids, DIY projects are easy ones you can do at home. Simple crafts, drawing, painting, and making handmade gifts are recommended. These activities not only keep your children entertained but also help develop their fine motor skills.
Additionally, creative activities such as writing stories and poems or creating their own comics are great options to develop your children’s imagination and have fun.
Device-free activities for children include building imaginative buildings with LEGO blocks and creating new designs from materials found around the house. These activities also help develop both your children’s imagination and problem-solving skills.
Games Played Outdoors
Some fun outdoor activities your children can do with you include:
Exploring Nature
Nature walk: While exploring nature, children get physical activity and learn about plants and animals.
Growing plants: They learn plant care and a sense of responsibility.
Treasure hunt: The task of seeking and finding hidden objects increases their attention and develops their mind.
Classic Outdoor Games
Hide and seek: This game, where one person is the midwife and the others hide, promotes social interaction.
Blind Man’s Buff: The game where everybody is trying to escape from the blindfolded player.
Hopscotch: It is a fun game that improves children’s balance and coordination.
Sports and Physical Activities
Cycling: You can travel with your children and support their balance and coordination.
Jumping rope: As a fun physical activity, it also supports social skills.
Obstacle game: You can have a good time with your children by setting up an obstacle course in the garden with the materials you have at home.
Social and Group Activities
Creative activities for children also include some social and group activities. Organizing playdates and playing games together with friends, siblings, or neighbors helps your children develop their social and communication skills.
Participating in age-appropriate volunteering programs can also be a fun and productive way for your children to spend their time. For example, visiting and supporting a nearby animal shelter will show your children the importance of contributing to society.
Fun family activities include kitchen activities. Cooking simple recipes, chosen according to your children’s ages, not only provides fun but also improves their motor skills. They may also become less dependent on their phones or tablets when they realize they can have fun away from screens.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it’s crucial to ensure children spend time away from devices and socialize in this digital age. There are many creative and fun activities they can do with you and your friends, whether at home or outdoors. Social activities strengthen family bonds, foster social skills, and help reduce children’s dependence on technology.
IMA ART Fertility Defines a New Standard of Discretion, Governance, and Emotional Intelligence in Luxury Surrogacy
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., November 15, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Before 2022, “boutique surrogacy agency” was not part of the fertility lexicon. The field focused on logistics and outcomes, not refined experience or emotional intelligence. That changed when IMA ART Fertility relocated from Asia to Beverly Hills, founding a model that merges white-glove service, privacy, and institutional rigor for the nation’s most discerning families.
At IMA ART Fertility, boutique means more than size. It represents a meticulously curated, deeply personal, and ethically structured approach to surrogacy. Families benefit from complete confidentiality, concierge-level coordination, and a proprietary governance framework drawn from the precision of private banking.
From Boutique to Luxury Fertility Maison™
To elevate the concept further, IMA ART Fertility created the Luxury Fertility Maison™ – an evolution that embodies exclusivity, craftsmanship, and legacy thinking. Each client journey is bespoke, guided by a philosophy that balances foresight, empathy, and accountability.
“Luxury in fertility isn’t about excess; it’s about elevated care,” said Michelle Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of IMA ART Fertility. “Our clients entrust us with one of life’s greatest milestones. We respond with structure, transparency, and emotional intelligence – the hallmarks of true luxury.”
Fertility Governance™ – Where Compliance Meets Compassion
With more than 15 years of experience in global compliance and governance, Tang introduced Fertility Governance™, a framework ensuring integrity and accountability in surrogacy. This system defines how IMA ART Fertility evaluates partners, designs bespoke programs, and protects every client’s personal, medical, and legal interests.
Fertility Governance™ establishes transparency and due diligence across every partnership, ensuring verified surrogate screening, data privacy aligned with U.S. and international standards, and separation between medical and concierge decision-making. It replaces assumptions with structure and trust.
Redefining Accountability in Luxury Fertility
IMA ART Fertility’s model demonstrates that luxury is accountability – not opulence. Each experience is designed to deliver clarity, confidence, and ethical precision. Families remain in control of their choices, supported by a governance system that safeguards both privacy and peace of mind.
A Beverly Hills Ethos of Excellence
Based in Beverly Hills, IMA ART Fertility collaborates with leading reproductive specialists, attorneys, and surrogates across the United States. The Maison’s mission is to elevate the surrogacy experience through structure, transparency, and compassion. Rooted in the precision of Swiss-inspired governance and the warmth of California care, IMA ART Fertility defines what boutique surrogacy truly means – a discipline grounded in integrity, discretion, and savoir faire.
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Here are dozens of Christmas gift ideas for your teen son. (Shutterstock Monkey Business Images)
Teen boys have interests that range the gamut from LEGOS to electronic gaming, from playing sports to following pro teams. Some care about trendy clothes while others are content to live in the same hoodie they wear almost every day. This Christmas Gift Guide for teen boys has something for everyone on your list. Shopping for an older, college-aged son or a young man out in the workforce? Here’s where you can find our Gift Guide for College Guys.
The F1 race car kits feature design details from the real-life cars they are modeled on. Each car comes with an F1 driver. This is the LEGO Speed Champions Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 Race Car buildable model. Look for other F1 cars including the McLaren F1 Team MCL38, the Mercedes-AMG F1 W15, others in this popular line of LEGO building sets.
This was one of the most popular gifts for teen guys last year. Available in three different materials and several different colors, the wallet holds an AirTag securely in place making it much easier to track down if your son ever misplaces it.
If your son could use help in tracking down backpacks, gym bags, his wallet… consider getting a 4 pack of the Apple AirTags. Seamlessly pairs with his Apple phone and he will never frantically wonder where he left any of these things behind. Now save 34%
The whimsical packaging and variety of scents have made this a popular gift idea for teen boys in the Grown and Flown community. There are several different scent trios to choose from.
This easy-to-read and very practical book could be a very helpful introduction to safe driving for your son. Maureen Stiles, writer and mom of three (now) young men, taught each son how to drive and understands how to explain both HOW to be a safe driver and WHY it is crucial to do so. #1 bestseller in drivers education on Amazon.
Hanes makes a super comfortable, well-priced sweatshirt. Choose from any options, including with and without a hood, and pull-over or zip-up styles. Lots of great colors. # 1 bestseller in Men’s Athletic Hoodies. Now save 52%
This has been a popular gift for teen boys for years! Remote control and touch control changes the colors of this illuminated globe. Your teen can enjoy a 3D effect of the moon’s surface based on astronomical data by NASA satellite. Includes a wooden base.
Water-resistant and spacious, your son will have a place to store all of his toiletries to stay organized at home or when he is on a trip, too. Now save 30%
Does your son find it challenging to keep his phone charged? This lightweight and compact charger will get his phone up and running quickly so he will never miss a call from you (again). iPhone 17/16/15 Series, Samsung S22/23 Series, iPad Pro/Air, AirPods, and more.
This flexible, hands-free LED neck light is a great gift for teen boys who love to read late at night. Its bendable arms let them direct the light exactly where they need it, while multiple brightness and color-temperature settings make it easy to switch from relaxed reading to focused tasks. With a long-lasting rechargeable battery and a comfortable, lightweight design, it’s a gadget they’ll actually use whether they’re studying, working on projects, or just hanging out in their room.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a standout gift for teen boys, offering upgraded graphics, faster performance, and the flexibility to play handheld or on the TV. Whether he’s into fast-paced action games or chill creative ones, this next-gen console delivers endless entertainment and is something he’ll use long after the holidays.
This car interior cleaning gel keeps their car looking sharp. It easily gets into vents, buttons, and hard-to-reach spots, lifting dust and crumbs with no mess. Affordable, satisfying to use, and perfect for any new or soon-to-be driver.
This beautifully illustrated bestseller blends simple, powerful messages about kindness, courage, and friendship. Its mix of expressive drawings and meaningful quotes makes it an easy, uplifting read for any teen boy. It’s the kind of gift he’ll flip through now and return to whenever he needs a little inspiration.
These USB-rechargeable Crocs headlights are a fun upgrade for any teen boy who loves gadgets. They’re tiny, super-bright, and attach easily to Crocs, sneakers, hats, or even bikes — for night walks, hanging out with friends, or outdoor adventures. Lightweight, waterproof, and long-lasting, they make a quirky gift he’ll actually use.
This compact 5-in-1 device functions as a Bluetooth speaker, alarm clock, MP3 player and touch-sensor LED lamp all in one. With 48 dynamic lighting modes (including color-changing music sync), a large rechargeable battery, and AUX/USB/TF card input, it offers both fun and function. Plug-and-play, modern, and tailored for a teen’s room, it hits the sweet spot between tech gadget and stylish décor. Look for a $5 off coupon.
This is a hybrid trimmer and shaver designed for beginner facial grooming. It trims, edges and shaves any length of hair with a specially designed blade that’s gentle on skin and reduces the risk of nicks and irritation.
Lightweight and comfortable, these Sony wireless headphones get great reviews for audio quality. (If you are looking for Sony Headphones at a lower price point, here are some for $98.
Adidas makes these slides in loads of colors but not all colors are available in every size. Soft and cushiony, this slide will be a popular gift for teen boys.
Why should you trust us?
We are three moms who have raised 8 young adults and have been working on product lists for over 12 years now, making us experts. When selecting products, we survey the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook group of nearly 300,000 parents of teens, tweens and young adults. We do opinion polls, surveys and ask open-ended questions. We search for products that combine reasonable prices with high quality and are recommended by our large following.
Juggling the demands of a family while trying to maintain a home that feels put-together is a familiar challenge. The dream of a beautiful living space often clashes with the reality of pet messes, spilled snacks, and the constant need to clean. If you’ve ever found yourself frantically searching for how to wash a pet blanket without ruining it or desperately looking up protective elements, you are not alone.
The Constant Challenge of Kid and Pet Messes
For families with kids and pets, messes are not a matter of “if” but “when.” From occasional spills and muddy paws to accidents and shedding, our furniture bears the brunt of our little ones’ lives. Many homeowners find themselves searching for solutions that could protect their home, only to find options that are lacking.
Traditional solutions often fall short. Throwing a cheap, thin blanket over the sofa might seem like a fix, but it frequently slides off, requires constant repositioning, and doesn’t provide a true waterproof barrier. Meanwhile, constantly worrying about every jump onto the couch or every time your pet curls up on your bed creates a low level of stress that diminishes your enjoyment of your own home. The goal is not to make kids and pets stay away from your beloved sofa, chair, or bed, but to live comfortably without sacrificing your style or your furniture.
The Waterproof Blanket: Your Secret Weapon for a Calm Home
The most effective tool for balancing style and practicality is a high-quality waterproof pet blanket. This is not the bulky, crinkly plastic sheet of the past. Modern versions are designed with both aesthetics and function in mind, acting as a soft, multipurpose layer of defense.
Why a Specialized Blanket Outperforms Basic Throws
A waterproof core is the defining feature. It acts as an impenetrable shield for any surface, blocking moisture from spills, accidents, drool, or wet fur from reaching the fabric underneath. This protection preserves your furniture’s integrity and prevents lingering odors.
Unlike flimsy, ordinary blankets, quality waterproof ones are crafted from durable materials that resist claws and wear. Some feature a non-slip backing that keeps them securely in place, eliminating the need for constant readjustment.
These blankets are available in a wide range of colors that complement your existing decor. They feel soft and look like elegant, intentional throws, not out-of-place coverings. You can drape one over your favorite reading chair or across your bed, and it simply looks like a stylish accent.
Integrating these blankets into your home is straightforward. Keep one folded on the sofa corner your pet favors, layer it over your bedspread during the day, or use it in the back seat of the car. They are versatile tools that provide protection exactly where you need it most
How to Clean a Waterproof Blanket
Caring for these blankets is designed to be straightforward: shake off loose fur outdoors, then machine wash on a gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent. It is best to avoid fabric softeners, which can reduce the blanket’s water-resistant properties, and to tumble dry on low heat or air dry. This easy maintenance routine ensures your protective solution is always fresh and ready for use.
Additional Protective Touches for a Resilient Home
While a waterproof blanket is a cornerstone, a few other strategic choices can further enhance your home’s functionality.
Designated Wipe Stations: Keep a small caddy or basket near entryways with a towel for wiping muddy paws and a container of pet-safe cleaning wipes for quick clean-ups. This simple habit prevents dirt from being tracked further into the house.
Strategic Rugs: Place a sturdy, low-pile rug or a washable mat in high-traffic zones, especially inside doorways. This captures dirt and debris before it reaches your carpets or floors.
Smart Storage: Use attractive, lidded baskets to store pet toys and kids’ clutter. This makes tidying up quick and maintains a visually calm environment, which is crucial for a relaxing atmosphere.
Reclaiming Your Peace of Mind and Your Home
Creating a home that works for your entire family does not require a surrender to chaos or a complete overhaul of your decor. It is about making smart, intentional choices that prioritize ease and protection.
By embracing core solutions like the waterproof blanket, you can finally stop worrying about the next mess and start truly enjoying the vibrant life that happens in your home. Your furniture will be protected, your cleaning routine will be simplified, and you will have more mental energy to spend on what matters most — time with your family.
The words “root canal” can sound intimidating to anyone, especially a parent whose child needs one. However, a pediatric root canal (often called a pulpotomy) is a common and highly successful procedure designed to save a baby tooth, relieve pain, and prevent further infection. The goal is to make your child comfortable and ensure their long-term oral health.
Proper preparation helps create a positive experience. Using positive language and setting the right expectations can help turn a potentially scary appointment into a manageable one for your child. Ease your child’s nerves and ensure a positive experience with this step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Have an Open and Positive Conversation
The first step is all about communication. How you talk about the procedure sets the tone for your child’s entire experience.
Use simple, positive language
Avoid scary words like “drill,” “needle,” or “pain.” Instead, use terms the dentist might use. Explain that the dentist is going to “clean out the germs” inside the tooth to make the “toothache go away.” You can say the dentist will put the tooth to sleep with “sleepy juice” and then “give the tooth a special medicine.”
Be honest but reassuring
Don’t lie and say it won’t feel like anything. Instead, reassure them that the dentist’s job is to keep them comfortable. You can say, “You might feel a little push or wiggle, but if you feel anything that bothers you, you can raise your hand and the dentist will stop.”
Choose your resources wisely
For younger children, consider a picture book about visiting the dentist. For older kids, a quick online search for a child-friendly dental clinic video can demystify the process. It’s crucial to work with trusted root canal specialists in pediatric dentistry who are trained to explain procedures in a non-threatening way and manage children’s anxiety effectively.
Step 2: Prepare Yourself as the Parent
Your calm presence is the best comfort for your child. So, it’s crucial to prepare and take good care of yourself. Before the appointment, discuss any concerns with the general dentist or pediatric endodontist.
Understand the endodontic treatment, why it’s needed (whether due to extensive tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or an infected tooth), and the sedation options (like local anesthesia). Ask about the steps, from placing the dental dam for isolation to the use of advanced technology during the procedure.
Knowing the difference between a temporary filling and a permanent filling, as well as what the recovery will be like, will help you feel calmer. Remember that these specialists have extensive training in these specific dental procedures for children. Ensure you have a clear schedule to avoid rushing.
Step 3: What to Do on the Day of the Appointment
Maintain your child’s normal morning routine, including their normal oral hygiene, as much as possible. If the dental team has provided pre-procedure instructions, adhere to them meticulously, as this is crucial for your child’s safety during the dental treatment.
When it’s time to head to the clinic, bring a favorite blanket or toy to comfort your child. This comfort item can be a powerful source of security in an unfamiliar environment.
Step 4: Be Supportive During the Procedure
Once the root canal therapy begins, your primary role is to remain calm and supportive. The dentist or endodontist will guide you, as they are experts in managing these dental visits and the interactions with children.
Your nonverbal support is powerful. A warm smile, a reassuring wink, or a gentle hand on the shoulder can communicate more safety and encouragement than words. Be ready with quiet praise, acknowledging their bravery for every small step.
Step 5: Post-Treatment Care and Recovery
Your child’s lip and cheek will feel “funny,” “puffy,” or “asleep” for a few hours due to the local anesthesia. Reassure your child that this is a normal reaction. Remind them not to chew, bite, or scratch the numb area to prevent accidental injury to the tooth with its new temporary filling.
Once you’re home, focus on comfort and recovery. Follow the dentist’s instructions closely when administering any pain reliever to your child. Serve a soft food diet for the rest of the day to protect the treated tooth. Yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, and smoothies are all perfect choices.
The Bottom Line
Root canal therapy on your child’s tooth is a proactive step to eliminate pain from an infected tooth, save the tooth, and protect their future smile. Your attitude and preparation are the most powerful tools you have to ensure the experience is as positive and stress-free as possible. Following the steps above can help you guide your child through this dental procedure with confidence, setting them up for a lifetime of good dental health.
As a relatively new driver, I didn’t have much experience with car accidents. I had one car accident using a rental car that ended up being a total loss when the steering wheel stopped working properly, but since it was a rental, I didn’t have to deal with the beaurocracy involved. I was involved in a few other fender benders because, hey, I am a new driver, but those were simple to take care of and just involved my paying money either privately or through my insurance.
But I always assumed that if you had insurance and you had an accident and it wasn’t your fault, then it wasn’t such a big deal, insurance would take care of the situation, and all would be good.
Ah, how naive I was.
About a month ago I was involved in a car accident and it was entirely not my fault. I was stopped in traffic and a car came behind me, hit my car, and pushed me into the car in front of me. His car was totalled and my car… well, you can see what happened to it, at least partially.
Locally, there are three types of insurance you can have. There is basic required insurance. Then there’s (optional) third party insurance to cover if you did something to another person’s car, which I have. And then there’s comprehensive that covers your own car, even if it was your fault. I was told that it isn’t worth having comprehensive insurance on a car as old as mine, as I’d be paying more than my car is worth on comprehensive insurance. On my old car I’d looked into getting it anyhow and was told it wasn’t possible, but I hadn’t looked into getting it on my newer car, my Kia Soul.
When my car was towed to the mechanic, my mechanic told me that fixing the car would cost me more than what the car was worth, so it wasn’t worth fixing it, and I should try to get as much money as possible for my car from the people who hit my car, who wanted to pay privately instead of going through the insurance.
But they only were willing to pay $2,900 for the car and then bargained up to $3,400 for the car, because they said it was 70% of what the book said my car was worth, and they wanted to take the car for parts. I wasn’t willing to take that little, because that meant I’d have to pay another $3000 minimum to get a car that is the equivalent of that, and there’s no reason I should have to be out of that much money if the accident was entirely his fault. I was willing to come down and take $3500-$4000 if they let me keep the car, because I’d just invested in a new engine, and then I could buy a cheaper car and put the new engine in that car, but they weren’t willing to budge, so I told them I wanted to go through the insurance.
I was really frustrated, to be honest, because why should I have to lose so much money when it wasn’t my fault and no one was claiming it was… but that’s how life is, unfortunately.
His insurance, fortunately, decided that they’d rather fix the car than pay me for the money for a new car, and said that in another few days the car will be ready, but it’s been a month that I’ve been without a car, and there have been so many expenses that have come up because of it.
First off, there’s the fact that I really can’t be taking public transportation. When I take public transportation I end up a) getting really exhausted and non functional, which means I can’t work, which ends up costing me money and b) I end up getting injured, which means I need to pay extra money for physical therapy. So there’s that expense, for when I traveled by public transportation.
For the most part, I rented a car on the days that I needed to leave the house. There is a car sharing company locally, where you rent a car either by the hour or by the day, and it is relatively inexpensive per hour or per day, but then you end up paying per kilometer you drive, which adds up quickly. (It at least includes gas.)
So I’ve ended up paying quite a lot of money for car rentals since my car has been in the shop, at least a few days a week I’ve had the car for at least a few hours. For example, right now I have an exam for university in about an hour, and I’m doing it at the library in the city for peace and quiet, and if I’d take the bus to the library I’d be exhausted for my test, so taking a bus wasn’t an option. But there goes money down the drain.
Other days I tried taking public transportation but saw that a bus wouldn’t get me there on time so ended up taking a taxi between appointments because otherwise I’d miss out on my appointment and be out the money I pay for the appointment, and the taxi is cheaper than the money I’d be losing on the appointment.
Then there’s the money on parking. I have a disabled parking placard for my car because of my disabilities, and in addition to allowing me to park in handicapped spots, I am also allowed to park on sidewalks and in non official parking spots, as long as I don’t block the flow of traffic (pedestrian or vehicular). And then there are many official public parking lots that I get free parking there because of my parking placard. Since I’ve been using the rental car, I haven’t been able to use my disabled parking placard, which means that most of the time I can’t find street parking, and I end up parking in paid parking lots, which adds up a lot.
The one time recently I thought I found a parking spot, it was a tight fit and the bumper of the car stuck out of the official parking zone (I tried my luck there), and I came back and got a ticket… which is another expense I wouldn’t have gotten had I had my own car and disabled parking placard.
It is really frustrating when, through no fault of your own, you end up with so many expenses. If the accident was at least partially my fault, I could at least understand it, but since it wasn’t, these extra costs are really bugging me.
Even if I had comprehensive insurance and they gave me a rental car as everything was being taken car of, I still would have the extra parking fees…
Anyhow, I just wanted to share my frustration with you and hopefully open up people’s eyes to what can happen even when you are completely not at fault in an accident.
Most people have switched to plastic-free straws, tried reusable bags, and purchased energy-saving bulbs. Yet the bathroom often stays overlooked. Traditional toilet paper relies on tree pulp and bleaching chemicals that harm forests and pollute waterways. Many brands now claim to be ‘green,’ but few offer true environmental value or transparency.
Bamboo toilet paper is changing that. Bamboo grows quickly, uses minimal water, and doesn’t require replanting. It’s soft, strong, and naturally antibacterial. This small shift in daily habits can help reduce deforestation without compromising comfort. A few companies are leading this change with products that prove sustainability and performance can coexist. Here are five brands showing why bamboo toilet paper really is the future.
1. SaveTrees
SaveTrees takes bamboo toilet paper beyond marketing slogans. Every roll comes from responsibly managed, FSC-certified bamboo farms. The process avoids chlorine and fragrances, using cleaner methods that protect the skin and the environment.
Formerly known as Cloud Paper, SaveTrees produces soft, strong, and toxin-free toilet paper made from 100% bamboo. Each three-ply roll contains about 300 sheets; choosing tree-free paper like this could help prevent millions of trees from being cut down each year. Also, the texture feels soft but holds together well, even for multi-ply use.
Each roll arrives in paper-based, 100% plastic-free packaging that can be recycled or composted. Shipping is carbon neutral, and the company publicly tracks its emissions and sourcing methods.
Pros
Verified supply chain and measurable carbon offsets
Compostable wrapping with no plastic
Durable yet gentle on skin
Con
Slightly higher cost than mass-market brands
SaveTrees doesn’t just sell eco-friendly rolls. It treats production as a regenerative system that raises sustainability standards for everyday goods.
2. Who Gives a Crap
Who Gives a Crap made eco-conscious toilet paper feel fun and accessible. The brand offers both bamboo and recycled lines, donating half of its profits to global sanitation projects.
Each roll is wrapped in colorful paper, making even basic household restocks feel cheerful. The bamboo option feels softer than recycled versions while still being biodegradable and strong.
Pros
Major funding for sanitation projects
Bright, recyclable packaging
Widely available and affordable
Cons
Some products still use recycled paper instead of bamboo
Less transparency on sourcing details
Who Gives a Crap brought sustainability into mainstream homes. Compared to other brands, it emphasizes social good and accessibility more than production transparency.
3. Reel Paper
Reel Paper approaches bamboo toilet paper through design simplicity. The brand favors muted tones and clean packaging that fit minimalist homes. Each roll is made from 100% bamboo fiber, with no added dyes or inks. The texture strikes a balance between softness and durability, making it a solid everyday option.
Reel Paper supports reforestation programs and ships products in a carbon-neutral manner.
Pros
Compostable, plastic-free packaging
Smooth, clean texture
Subtle design that suits modern interiors
Con
Slightly thinner rolls than some competitors
Reel Paper speaks to those who prefer quiet sustainability. Its clean design and mindful packaging fit seamlessly into a sustainable lifestyle. It doesn’t flaunt impact metrics, but its balanced quality makes it a steady choice for eco-conscious households.
4. Betterway
Betterway utilizes bamboo and embossing technology to produce softer, thicker toilet paper without the use of additives. Each roll dissolves quickly in water, making it safe for septic systems and low-flow toilets. The product’s comfort level stands out, even for those switching from premium tree-based brands.
The company reduces packaging waste, choosing recycled boxes and paper instead of plastic.
Pros
Micro-embossed texture feels luxuriously soft
Safe for plumbing and septic systems
Fully plastic-free packaging
Con
Slightly higher water use during manufacturing
Betterway focuses on comfort and shows that bamboo toilet paper can match top traditional brands. While other brands may lead in measurable sustainability, Betterway wins with tactile comfort.
5. Bim Bam Boo
Bim Bam Boo focuses on both personal health and environmental care. Its toilet paper uses pH-balanced bamboo pulp designed for sensitive skin. It’s dermatologist-tested, BPA-free, and free from chemicals like formaldehyde or dyes. Also, the company uses gentle materials, appealing to users who prefer cleaner ingredients near the skin.
The rolls come in soft pastel wrappers that can be recycled or composted.
Pros
Certified hypoallergenic and safe for daily use
Biodegradable and sustainable bamboo source
Thoughtful packaging that complements its purpose
Con
Smaller rolls and higher cost per unit
Bim Bam Boo proves that bamboo toilet paper isn’t just for the planet. It helps users with sensitivities find an option that feels soft and chemical-free.
To Conclude
Bamboo is transforming more than paper. Its fibers now support bioplastics, packaging, and fabric production, replacing materials that damage ecosystems. As traceability and carbon labeling become more common, buyers can see exactly where each roll comes from and what impact it helps avoid.
Choosing bamboo toilet paper reflects a change in values. It demonstrates that everyday comfort and environmental care can coexist. The five brands featured in this list lead this shift, helping a small, simple purchase stand for something much larger.
BEEYonce gets her special blue queen dot
