Healthy Highlights
What New Research Reveals About Social Media and Mental Health: Are Teens Over It?
A new report from the Pew Research Center, recently covered by CNN, reveals teens in the United States (U.S.) are becoming concerned about the effects of social media use on their mental health (Duffy, 2025). While platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok remain central to teen social life, the study shows a significant shift in…
Is Plant-Based Milk Enough for Toddlers? What Parents Need to Know
Today, families have more options regarding the different types of milk available for them to buy. Plant-based milk has grown in popularity as more people explore alternatives that align with various dietary needs, lifestyle choices, and environmental values. But, if you’re thinking about swapping out cow’s milk for a plant-based substitute in your toddler’s diet,…
More Veggies, Please! How to Encourage Your Child to Eat More Vegetables
Vegetables play an important role in supporting your child’s growth and long-term health. Eating a variety of vegetables early in life can help your child develop a healthy gut microbiome that supports digestion and can promote lifelong well-being. Since eating habits formed in childhood often continue into adulthood, encouraging vegetable consumption early can help your…
Spring into Action: Fresh Ideas for Keeping Children Moving at Every Age
The longer days and warmer weather of spring offer a natural opportunity for families to refresh their routines and build healthier habits. Staying active can feel challenging after months of cooler weather spent mostly indoors with, potentially, limited movement. However, making deliberate but small, everyday choices during this time of year can set the tone…
How Childhood Habits Shape Teen Mental Health
A new study published in JAMA Network Open highlights that early lifestyle habits can be powerful in shaping healthy adolescent mental health outcomes. Researchers followed children ages 6 to 9 for 8 years and tracked their eating habits, physical activity, and overall well-being (Haapala et al., 2025). Researchers found that children who consistently practiced healthy…
National Foster Care Month: How to Show Your Support This May (and Beyond)
National Foster Care Month can be a time to raise awareness about the children and families who are affected by foster care and highlight ways individuals can offer support. Throughout the month of May, many organizations recognize the vital role professionals, caregivers, and community members across the child welfare system play in supporting children, youth,…
Nourish to Flourish: Building Lifelong Healthy Eating Habits
As parents, we want the best for our children. However, when we think about healthy eating, and what that really means, we might feel overwhelmed because conflicting advice, picky eaters, busy schedules, and easy access to convenience foods are abundant. The good news? You and your family can develop and maintain healthy eating habits, and…
Navigating AI as a Parent: How to Support Your Child’s Digital Well-being
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used ubiquitously today—from helping children complete their homework, to curating social media feeds, to suggesting what individuals should watch next on television. While AI can be a useful tool, have you ever wondered how it might influence your thoughts or feelings? More importantly, have you considered how being exposed to and…
Finding Credible Information
Parents make multiple daily decisions that impact themselves and their family members. As a parent, you will likely want to use sound judgment and consider relevant and up-to-date information as you make positive and meaningful decisions for your family. However, the amount of information that is available through websites and digital media platforms – on…
The Benefits of Positive Sleep Behaviors
Getting a suitable amount of sleep is an important part of everyone’s health. When you ensure your child is getting enough sleep, you are helping them to potentially better regulate their behaviors and emotions (Dadzie et al., 2024). Sleep-related behaviors, or actions and activities involved around sleep, can promote or inhibit sleep health (Meltzer et…