A new Credit Karma survey finds 45% of parents plan to take on debt for back-to-school shopping this year, up from 34% in 2024. Here’s what four different 2026 surveys say about the cost, and a budget conversation that actually works.
CPSC says counterfeit squishy toys have failed safety standards on water beads, lead, and phthalates — and Consumer Reports found name-brand ones aren’t automatically safe either. Here’s how to check the toy bin tonight.
Stomachaches, clinginess, and bedtime resistance at the start of school are normal, say two pediatric psychologists this month — here’s how to tell that apart from anxiety that needs professional help.
Pediatricians say mid-August is the window to reset kids’ sleep before school — but the advice all targets ages 6–18. Here’s the 14-day version for toddlers and preschoolers, including the nap step nobody explains, plus the AASM sleep-hour ranges for ages 1–5.
A new 2026 LendingTree report puts the cost of raising a child through age 18 at $303,418, up 28% since 2023 — with childcare the single biggest driver. A fresh Connecticut survey shows the strain on the ground, plus a simple way to budget for baby’s first year before the bills start.
A new 2026 survey finds 57% of parents feel guilty about feeling relieved when school starts, and 40% put their own mental health on hold during back-to-school season. Here’s what the data shows and a 3-question self-check to use instead of pushing the feeling down.
Sam Altman suggested an AI-generated daily podcast for the school car ride; Alex Hirsch’s four-word reply — “What if you just talked to your children” — went viral instead. Here’s what the backlash reveals about 2026’s screen-time and connection trends, plus a screen-free car-ride routine to use tonight.
The CPSC flagged finger-light toys and a magnetic building set for button battery and magnet ingestion hazards in toddler and preschool products this summer — here’s what’s affected, plus two more toy recalls (a Target popping toy and toddler sandals) to check this week.
Heat health alerts are active across the UK and US this week — here’s exactly how hot is too hot for a baby, the warning signs from heat rash to heatstroke, and the car seat habit that closes the biggest safety gap.
Tin Can and its rivals (Ooma MyPhone, Pinwheel Home) are 2026’s viral screen-free ‘landlines’ for kids — here’s why toddlers and preschoolers aren’t the target age yet, and what to do instead.
