Who's Watching the Kids?

When my children were young, dealing with childcare was one of the most difficult tasks we faced. Making the decision of who would watch our children when we were at work was extraordinarily difficult. Even today, a scene from the 1980s movie, "Baby Boom" strikes close to home, as when Diane Keaton interviewed potential nannies. Those interviews can be an exercise in patience, frustration, humor, and hope. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to end up finding some wonderful women to watch our children, and they remain our friends today.

According to the U.S. Census, almost 13 million of the 18 million children under five years of age in the U.S. (2002) are in some form of regular childcare during a typical week. In a study of childcare arrangements published in 2005, the Census Bureau reported that 40% of preschoolers are cared for by a relative, 23% of whom are cared for by their grandparents, and 14% of whom are cared for by their father (when dad is not considered the primary or secondary caregiver). Siblings cared for 3%, and less than 1% (or 39,000) were found in self-care situations.

Almost one-quarter of children 5 and under are in non-relative care, including day care centers, nursery or preschools, and family day care.

Working parents are choosing from a variety of child care options. As my children reach the age now where they begin families of their own, I'm beginning to wonder if I'll be watching the kids….

Celestial Companions in the Cold Dark Morning

January mornings are dark times, and when the sky is clear it is certain to be chilly outside. So I find the sight of the old Moon reassuring, a warm light that fades a bit each successive morning and guides the way through bright stars and planets along the ecliptic to the soon-to-be-rising-Sun. You can see this spectacle at its finest the next few mornings as the Moon moves a bit further eastward each day and passes near to some distinct celestial companions.

The Moon is passing now through Scorpius and the grey-white of the Moon stands in stark contrast to the red-orange of the star at the heart of the Scorpion, Antares. Moving close to Antares on Friday morning, the Moon continues toward the brilliant planet Venus on Saturday morning, and then slowly fades into the glare of sunrise on Sunday morning. My kitchen window faces south-east so I see this changing landscape each morning and I look forward to the coming days with clear skies in the forecast. If you rise before sunrise, take a moment to look out toward the south-east and enjoy the calm of this morning celestial grouping of close companions in the heavens.

Childhood Stress

As a parent, perhaps you've heard, "You don't know what it's like to be a kid these days!" Unfortunately, they're probably right. Many children today face stressors and experience trauma that are different than those endured by their parents' generation. Today's children are pushed to make above-average grades and excel in extracurricular activities and athletics. Additionally, they endure exposure to their parents' stresses in the home, as well as school violence and terrorism.

Most theorists agree that the responses children have to stressful situations is an innate reaction; however, the susceptibility to stress-related behaviors in children can be linked to several factors, such as environment, genetics, modeling stressful behavior after anxious parents, or through rewards or punishments for displaying anxious behaviors.

How do you know if your child or teen is experiencing stress? Dr. Suzanna Smith from the University of Florida explains that the signs of stress may include children expressing that they feel afraid or scared, or their grades may drop suddenly. Perhaps they are extra-clingy or needy; they may go back to behaviors they've outgrown, such as bed-wetting or thumb sucking, and they may withdraw from others.

There are many actions parents can take to assist their children with managing stress. For example, spend time together. Follow daily family routines and work together. Children thrive on predictable patterns. You may find that helping children manage their stress can be good for the grown-ups too!

Social Roles and Women's Health

When my children were younger and I was working full-time all while juggling classes and volunteerism, I often had people tell me they just didn't know how I did it all. And, while "doing it all" was certainly challenging, according to a new study published in England, it may also result in better health. Researchers found that women who occupied multiple social roles over the long term generally reported better health and were less likely to be obese than mothers who were full-time homemakers.

Researchers from University College London found that of the 53- and 54-year-old women in their study, mothers who were married and working were significantly more likely to report better health than homemakers, single mothers, or women with no children. The researchers tracked the health of more than 2,000 women from age 26 to 54 and found that prior health, mental health, and childhood social class did not seem to make a difference in the increased likelihood of being obese at all.

Most important, where prior research couldn't determine whether work made women healthier or healthier women were able to work, the researchers suggest "good health is more likely to be the result, rather than the cause, of multiple role occupation" What they want to better understand now is "what it is about particular work and family roles that influences people's health" (McMunn et al., 2006, p. 488).

Toilet Training

When is a child ready to be potty trained? Most children are ready sometime between the ages of two and three, although all children are not ready at the same time. A child will be ready when she or he is developmentally ready—when her or his body has matured enough. Children who are ready show certain signs, including an interest in wearing underpants instead of diapers, the ability to stay dry for at least two hours at a time, an interest in being clean and dry, and the ability to undress and dress themselves, as well as a sense of independence. They may also show an interest in a potty if it's presented to them. Avoid pressuring your child into toilet training before he or she is ready. Child development experts offer several suggestions to make toilet training easier for you and your child. For example:

Let the child choose some of the needed equipment, such as underpants, a potty seat, and a book or video about toilet training.

Put the potty in a place your child can get to easily.

Be aware of times when your child may need to go and encourage him or her to try to use the potty.

You can expect toilet training to take several weeks for the child who is ready. If it is taking longer, your child may not be ready, so just try again in a few weeks.

KFOG Podcast - January 20, 2011

My monthly conversation with KFOG Morning Show's Irish Greg moved from the new Zodiac signs (such as Ophiuchus) to the Aurora Borealis to the big bold winter constellations such as Orion and bright stars such as Sirius. Click here to listen and get inspired to look up at the sky tonight!

Second-hand Smoke

Great amounts of media attention have been given to laws that ban smoking in public areas and the consistent warnings that second-hand tobacco smoke is especially harmful to children's health. Studies have consistently shown that environmental second-hand smoke is increasing the incidence of respiratory infection (such as bronchitis and pneumonia), middle ear diseases, and aggravation of asthma. However, a recent study found many parents still fail to limit children's exposure to tobacco smoke.

The study, published in Families, Systems and Health, involved more than 1,700 parents and guardians who were surveyed while waiting to meet with their child's pediatricians. Researchers from University of Missouri found that children are exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in 40% of homes and in more than 50% of family cars. Additionally, less than half of the parents or guardians choose to sit in non-smoking sections of restaurants or trains when available. Likewise, less than half ask others not to smoke in the presence of their children.

The research also concluded that, as expected, the higher the income and education, the more likely families were to have home smoking rules. Families with an annual household income of more than $41,000 were more likely to report having an entirely smoke-free home and to limit exposure outside the home

The researchers believe these results support the need for greater public health efforts to protect children from the effects of second-hand smoke.

Baby Sleep Safety

Making the announcement to friends and family that you've got a baby on the way is usually cause for celebration. Expectant parents can often become overwhelmed by the good-natured advice that friends and family are so willing to share. However, what was considered a good practice when our mothers were raising us, like putting a baby to bed face down, was really a very bad choice.

One of every parent's greatest nightmares is SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the leading cause of death for infants one month to one year old. With greater awareness of safe sleeping practice, SIDS has declined by more than 50% since 1994, yet continues to claim approximately 2,000 babies each year—90% of which occur before they're six months old.

According to The National SIDS/Infant Death Resource Center, there are a number of things parents can do to prevent SIDS, suffocation, or strangulation. For example, place your baby on his or her back and remove all soft bedding from the crib. Also, make certain the crib meets the safety standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Likewise, never allow your baby to sleep in an adult bed, as tempting as it may be to cuddle up in the middle of the night.

Cinema Gallery: 200 MORE Movie Images, Part 1 of 5

I am doing this only because (a) I enjoy it and (b) Movieman over at The Dancing Image let me know that I had a particular talent at this frame-grabbing business (he said that my previous 200 images in my Cinema Gallery were among his favorite movie blog posts ever, which is quite a compliment, coming from him). So, for 2010, I'm contributing 200 more entries towards my CINEMA GALLERY. I hope

Cinema Gallery: 200 MORE Movie Images, Part 1 of 5

I am doing this only because (a) I enjoy it and (b) Movieman over at The Dancing Image let me know that I had a particular talent at this frame-grabbing business (he said that my previous 200 images in my Cinema Gallery were among his favorite movie blog posts ever, which is quite a compliment, coming from him). So, for 2010, I'm contributing 200 more entries towards my CINEMA GALLERY. I hope

Three movies on the ball field, in one minute flat

I've been wanting to post these athletic film pieces for months now, and now that I have very little time to compose a preferably detailed new post on filmicability, it seems like a perfect opportunity to do so. Will Tribble has a blog here and these three movies I include here are among his many film outputs (which I have yet to delve into, in all honesty, even though he recommends on his You

Three movies on the ball field, in one minute flat

I've been wanting to post these athletic film pieces for months now, and now that I have very little time to compose a preferably detailed new post on filmicability, it seems like a perfect opportunity to do so. Will Tribble has a blog here and these three movies I include here are among his many film outputs (which I have yet to delve into, in all honesty, even though he recommends on his You

Long Distance Caregiving

Do you take care of an older family member at a distance? Long-distance caregivers are those who help older family members who live at least an hour away. Whether you care for a loved one who lives in another state or just an hour's drive away, you probably spend quite a bit of time in caregiving. Like other caregivers, you may find yourself thinking about the services the older person needs, making arrangements for their care or checking on the care they receive, or you may be planning for what you need to do when you see the family member next.

A recent survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving found that despite the distance, three-fourths of caregivers help with activities like transportation, shopping, managing finances or cooking. They spend, on the average, 22 hours a month on this. Most caregivers are able to visit their loved ones at least once a month, although budgeting for these trips may become difficult.

Long-distance caregiving can be complicated and demanding. Almost a quarter of the long-distance caregivers are the primary or only caregiver. Eighty percent of distance caregivers work full- or part-time.

This kind of workload affects both home and work life. A third of caregivers missed days of work to take care of these duties. About 44% changed their work schedules and 25% come in late or leave early. Both men and women caregivers were likely to re-arrange their work schedules, take an unpaid leave, or consider changing employers, although women are more likely to miss work or go from full time to part time work

How do long-distance caregivers manage? Usually with support from others, particularly a spouse, as well as other family members, friends, and neighbors. Support from employers is also very helpful. Not surprisingly, about half of long-distance caregivers are helping another family member who is providing daily care (National Alliance for Caregiving and Zogby International, 2004).

Adolescents and Weight Loss Diets

According to a nationwide study, 50 to 60% of girls ages 12 to 17 have tried a weight-loss diet. Although child obesity is on the rise and has become a concern to many, teens and their parents should know that weight gain is normal during adolescence. Boys tend to gain weight before a growth spurt, and girls often gain weight before the onset of menstruation. In fact, puberty is a process that requires a certain amount of body fat.

Most active young people between the ages of 11 and 18 need to consume at least 2200 calories per day. Weight-loss diets that restrict calorie intake to1200 calories per day or less can create large energy deficits in adolescents. This lack of adequate calories and nutrients may inhibit growth and cause delayed puberty. In addition, dieting can be the precursor to more severe eating behaviors or disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

If a child’s weight is a concern, the family as a whole can engage in healthier eating habits and more physical activity. This is a positive approach that does not single out the child. In extreme cases, it may be appropriate to place a child on a weight-loss diet. However, this should be discussed with a physician and a dietitian familiar with youth development and nutrient needs.

Reacting to Child's Swear Words

I will never forget the first time my pre-schooler said, “Damn it.” When I recovered from the shock, I almost started to giggle because it was kind of cute. However, this wasn’t something I wanted to hear her repeat, so I figured it was time to nip-it. What’s a parent to do?

First, remain calm. Don’t reward this talk with any kind of reaction – good or bad. Next, explain to your child that the word is not appropriate and that we don’t talk that way - in language he or she can understand. Recognize the reason why your child uses that word or words and teach him a better way to express himself. You might even want to come up with an alternative word he can use. Some parents use the word “sugar, “rats,” or “golly gee.” We made up a silly word that my girls were allowed to say instead. Make it something that sounds like fun for them to say.

Establish reasonable consequences, such as playing alone for ten minutes, a quarter in the “Bad Talk Jar,” or time out for a few minutes. Remember, giving them too much attention when they are “bad” may only encourage more of the same behavior. Some parents even find that the words stop when they don’t respond at all. You know your child best.

Teach your child more acceptable ways to express his or her emotions and that words can hurt or offend. Involve older children in making a list of acceptable behaviors and in setting the rules and consequences. Four-letter words provide a teachable moment for parents.

Four-letter Words

The first time you hear your child let loose with a whole string of unacceptable words can be quite a shock! While inappropriate language is more evident with school-age children, even pre-schoolers repeat objectionable words they may hear. Before becoming worried or frustrated, remember that children are constantly learning.

Four-letter words have a magical quality to most children. At a very early age, they learn that these words are different. They make adults react! Children become fascinated with this idea and may try it out in different settings to see what kind of reactions they get.

Parents who never or rarely swear themselves blame television, their children’s friends and other adults for influencing their child’s language. Even parents who often use profane language wish that their child would not follow their example.

This is a good time to check your own speech habits. We sometimes use four-letter words without even realizing it. Listen as you speak. You might be shocked to hear your toddler using your expressions and words in exactly the same way. Next, ask yourself why your child might be using inappropriate language. Some of the reasons include: To be accepted by their friends, because the words are used at home, to express negative emotions, to hurt someone’s feelings, to shock adults and get attention, or to simply find out what the words mean.

Tomorrow I will give you some ideas for how we can keep these four-letter words under control.

2010 Directors Guild Awards -- Predictions and nominees

I think I'll do this just like I'm doin' right now: hours before the announcement's made, I'll release my predictions. And then, afterwards, I'll dip in and include the eventual selections. Yep. This is what I'm doing for my predictions for 2010's Director's Guild Awards, to be announced later on today. These are, of course, the progenitors to the Oscar nominations. 'nuff said. My

2010 Directors Guild Awards -- Predictions and nominees

I think I'll do this just like I'm doin' right now: hours before the announcement's made, I'll release my predictions. And then, afterwards, I'll dip in and include the eventual selections. Yep. This is what I'm doing for my predictions for 2010's Director's Guild Awards, to be announced later on today. These are, of course, the progenitors to the Oscar nominations. 'nuff said. My

Films #139 and #140: Catalog (1961) AND per-mu-ta-tion (1966)

Catalog is exactly that. Animator John Whitney Sr., one of the fathers of modern computer animation, built a one-of-a-kind animation contraption in the late 50s after messing around with parts from a World War II anti-aircraft plane's gun director. After a bit of tweaking, the machine stood at twelve feet and could produce dazzling images, if operated correctly. According to Wikipedia, "Design

Films #139 and #140: Catalog (1961) AND per-mu-ta-tion (1966)

Catalog is exactly that. Animator John Whitney Sr., one of the fathers of modern computer animation, built a one-of-a-kind animation contraption in the late 50s after messing around with parts from a World War II anti-aircraft plane's gun director. After a bit of tweaking, the machine stood at twelve feet and could produce dazzling images, if operated correctly. According to Wikipedia, "Design

"Cardio Shock"

Everyone is seeking that goal of a nice toned and defined physique. One of ht major ingredients for this is your Cardiovascular Conditioning. Traditionally speaking, most head straight for the Treadmill, Stationary bike, Elliptical, Row Machine, etc. Thats a great start.

Some, after commandeering these machines, will go for anything from 30 minutes to an Hour, or more. OK, lets stop right there. There is a such thing as Plateauing and you body does just that. You will begin to get the body working, burns some calories, raise the heart rate, and begin to Perspire. Thats good. But after about 10 minutes, the body begins to settle down. Remember, your body is making adjustments from the moment you start to find a medium or a way to get itself settled. That basically means the body is adjusting to the circumstances. Once it has done so, the body levels out and begins to maintain and the intensity at which it was burning calories and working, starts to slow down. You are still burning calories, just not at the rate you were in the first 10 minutes. Once again...The Body Levels out.

Solution: Give Interval Training a shot.
Instead of that 30 minutes to 60 minute drive. Shoot for maybe 1/3rd of that time, increase and decreasing your intensity in a timely manor.

An example would be riding the Stationary Bike. Set your intensity level and and your starting speed (which will also be your recovery speed).  Begin. Once you are moving, cycle for the first 3 minutes to kinda warm the legs up. Once you hit the 3 minute mark, You are going to increase your speed from your recovery speed, say 80, to your sprint speed which will be somewhere around 115. You will hold that speed for 30 seconds, then return to your recover speed of 80 (or what ever you have chosen for it to be). Continue that pattern for the duration of your time. Basically back and fourth, back and fourth.

What this is doing is forcing your body to continuously exert energy and work your muscles. Your body does not get a chance to settle or plateau because just as it begins to calm down, you change up the pace. Your recovery time and sprinting time can vary depending on your level of training. This is a great way to help you get to your cardiovascular goal.

I call this "Cardio Shock"

Northern Lights from 35,000 Feet – The Aurora Borealis

I had the privilege of seeing the Aurora Borealis today while on a flight from San Francisco to Frankfurt, Germany. The Aurora, or Northern Lights, is a beautiful, eerie glow in the sky caused by the light pressure (Solar Wind) from the Sun hitting Earth’s upper atmosphere and causing molecules to glow where the Earth’s magnetic field is concentrated in a circle around the North Magentic Pole.

A bit of science: "Auroral Ovals" are regions on the Earth around the magnetic poles where Aurorae are most likely to occur, and because the Magnetic North Pole is in Northeastern Canada, the auroral oval extends to other reaches of Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia and the Arctic region. The website Spaceweather.com has a daily update on the size and location of the auroral ovals (scroll down and look on the left hand side of the homepage). Since I knew I was going to be on a flight to Europe that would take me far north and near to this region of the Earth, I made sure I had a seat on the left hand side of the plane and once on board, watched the flight map to follow our progress. Like most international flights that travel east, the flight moved quickly into darkness and at about the halfway point at which we were at the Arctic Circle, I started looking out my window. Not surprising at all, I began to see a faint glow on the distant northern horizon. Over the next 30 minutes, the glow became bigger and before long the plane was in the midst of what appeared to be clouds of light, glowing a faint green among the backdrop of circumpolar stars. Luckily there was no moonlight to distract from the view this night.

There is no way to easily describe the Northern Lights except as beautiful curtain-like clouds that glow of their own light, rather than being illuminated by sunlight. The shapes change continuously, and in the more dense regions the wing of the plane outside my window actually was illuminated by the glow. Moving along at high speed the view was always unfolding, always bringing new shapes into view. I watched for about two hours until the intensity began to wane.

If you are traveling a route that takes you far north (any West Coast to Europe flight will do) and it is in the late Fall and early Winter months, you should acquaint yourself with the auroral oval on Spaceweather.com and get a window that faces north (left hand side) when flying east. Be patient, darken your seating area, and look carefully, as you would for any item of astronomical interest. You’ll be rewarded with an unforgettable, magical show.

"Golden Arms"

Now you would think that Abdominals would be my first topic of discussion. But don’t worry, I will get to that. Arms aka Biceps, Triceps, and forearms are what I call the “Rod-n-Reel”. From a random survey given to woman, this combination ranked in the Top 5 Favorite body parts on a man. Woman love to have a nice strong arm to cling to on a Daily basis. Whether it is for comfort, security, status, or bragging rights (you would be surprised), a nicely shaped arm will grab the attention of any woman walking within eyes view of them. Whether they chose to look and keep it moving or stand and admire, they are definitely open targets. Some will be bold enough to approach you and compliment you. Be prepared.

Now fellas we all want to have attractive parts and draw then attention of out female audience. This can be the first step. With arms being the most visual and socially accepted to be shown in public, it would be a great area to focus on when looking to get the attention of a certain woman or woman in general. There are two ways to build great arms. The first is to recognize the muscle structure. A lot of guys focus on just the bicep thinking that is going to do the trick and give them the nice sized arms they desire. Now lets do the math on this. The Bicep is comprised of two muscles while the Tricep has three. So naturally most of your size will come from your Triceps. Building both Tricep and Bicep collectively will give you the size you want as appose to just doing curls and hoping that will do it. Now lets not neglect the forearms as well. They too need to be worked in conjunction with the upper part of the arm. Otherwise you will have huge biceps and triceps with scrawny forearms. Not sexy fellas.

Solution:

Once a week I like to dedicate a day to just arms. That means I am working all three area. It can be done in many ways. Personally, one of my favorites is what I call “Back and fourth”. That is when I do a bicep drill, followed by as Tricep drill. Then at the end I will focus on just forearms.

Examples:

1. Standing dumbbell bicep curl
2. Tricep Extensions
3. Elastic Band curls for 30 seconds
4. Dips of a bench for 30 seconds
5. Isolated Single Arm Curls
6. Isolated Single Arm Tricep Extension.
7. Underhand grip with dumbbells bringing the wrist towards and away from you for 30 seconds
8. Overhand grip with dumbbells bringing the wrist towards and away from you for 30 seconds

That just gives you a sample and these drills are done back to back for 3 sets. No rest in between. So #1 and #2 back to back for 3 rounds…then go to the next two drills.

Enjoy gentleman and good luck with producing “Golden Arms”

Is Your Child an Underachiever in School?

Some children simply don’t perform in school nearly as well as they could. Every child, family and school is different, but these young people often tell counselors the following; “My parents expect too much.” “I can’t achieve their standards.” “I won’t try.” “I won’t play your game.” How parents can help:

· Adopt an attitude of love, support, caring and understanding. Build your child’s self confidence.

· Schedule a conference with teachers, counselors, principal and your child – permit the principal to act as an advocate.

· Consider a written agreement with consequences and periodic progress reports.

· Cooperate at home by helping your child get organized and providing agreed-upon rewards.

· Let your child be responsible. Don’t nag.

· Expand your relationship with your child.

· Be patient. The extra effort will be worth it!

More answers for the Good Professor

I'm a little late on the uptake, but PROFESSOR HUBERT FARNSWORTH'S ONLY SLIGHTLY FUTURISTIC HOLIDAY MOVIE QUIZ went up over at Dennis Cozzulio's Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule on December 23rd. filmicability participated in this sort of stunt back at the beginning of fall in September 2010, and is excited to throw in again (and is even more excited to hear it's a turn-of-the-season

More answers for the Good Professor

I'm a little late on the uptake, but PROFESSOR HUBERT FARNSWORTH'S ONLY SLIGHTLY FUTURISTIC HOLIDAY MOVIE QUIZ went up over at Dennis Cozzulio's Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule on December 23rd. filmicability participated in this sort of stunt back at the beginning of fall in September 2010, and is excited to throw in again (and is even more excited to hear it's a turn-of-the-season

“The Wall Street Maniac”

This is for the average corporate worker whom only has an hour to leave work, get to the gym, change clothes, workout, shower and back to work. To maximize your workout efforts and time at the gym, focus on circuit training. Instead of working one muscle and then working your way to the next (Horizontal training), do multiple drills back-to-back that challenge cardio and muscle endurance. Examples would be…Explosive push-ups followed by split-lunge-jumps followed by an abdominal drill. This is just one method of maximizing your time. You will get your heart rate up, nice burn, and core work. Check back later for more.

Grandparent Distress

Today, more grandparents are raising their grandchildren than at any other time in U.S. history. These grandparents face challenges in almost every part of their lives, such as strained relations with the child’s parent, unexpectedly caring for a family on a limited income, and grandchildren’s emotional and behavioral problems from a history of abuse, neglect or abandonment. As a result, many grandparents experience poor health, and psychological and emotional distress.


A recent study conducted by sociologist Terry Mills and colleagues at the University of Florida and published in the Journal, Marriage and Family Review, found that younger grandmothers raising grandchildren were more likely to be depressed than their older counterparts. Using data from the National Survey of America’s Families, the researchers found that the younger the grandmothers were, the more likely they were to experience depression.

They reported that younger grandparents may be distressed because at middle age they are trying to balance suddenly functioning as a parent again along with work responsibilities and personal interests. They may also feel that they failed as a parent. However, when younger grandmothers received support such as social service help with child care and health care, they were no more likely to be distressed than older grandmothers.

The study’s authors point out that because grandparents raising grandchildren are at risk of depression and isolation, it’s important that they have access to psychological counseling. In addition, social services, child care, and easier access to health care are important in giving grandparents the support they need.

Happy New Year

Everyone here at Spotlight UK wish you a Happy New Year and hope 2011 is a year to remember for you.

Jaya Photoshoot

Jaya, the first British-Indian female to be signed to a major label in Universal Records came down to Spotlight UK studios for a photoshoot for INK Magazine. She was promoting her latest single and we filmed behind the scenes footage of her photoshoot as well as catching up with her for an exclusive interview.

2010 Writers and Producer's Guild award nominations--predictions and results

The real beginning of the Oscar season kicks off later today with the announcement of both the Producer's Guild and Writer's Guild nominations, which usually match up to the Academy's eventual wrap-up list. But, for the Writer's Guild, maybe the simiarities won't show this year. This is because so many titles-- The King's Speech, Toy Story 3, Another Year, Winter's Bone, Never Let Me Go, Scott

2010 Writers and Producer's Guild award nominations--predictions and results

The real beginning of the Oscar season kicks off later today with the announcement of both the Producer's Guild and Writer's Guild nominations, which usually match up to the Academy's eventual wrap-up list. But, for the Writer's Guild, maybe the simiarities won't show this year. This is because so many titles-- The King's Speech, Toy Story 3, Another Year, Winter's Bone, Never Let Me Go, Scott

Step Siblings and Academic Outcomes

Today’s children are growing up in any number of family structures including biological-, step-, and single-parent families. Even though there has been a lot of research on these diverse families, not much of it has focused on sibling relationships in non-traditional families.


However, research published recently in the Social Science Research journal analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to explore how living with step- and/or half-siblings impacted teenagers’ academic performance. A number of studies have shown that children in step families are at a greater disadvantage academically than even those children living with single parents.

Yet, step-parents are often only part of the new dynamic children must face when they become blended with a step family. So, what roles do siblings play in children’s academic lives?

This research found that youth who live with step- and/or half-siblings experience greater school-related behavior problems and lower GPA scores, and boys were more negatively affected than girls. The researchers suggest that siblings in these nontraditional families may expect less financial support for post-secondary education and may be less motivated to do well in school. Also, the ambiguity in their family relationships may motivate them to become independent earlier.

Living with step relationships can be difficult. Parents in non-traditional families may need to find ways to foster sibling involvement and emotional closeness to help create supportive family environments.