Playing favorites: Parents playing favorites among children is a problem for the entire family, including the favored child, a new study has found. Researchers followed 400 Canadian families and found that families with "differential parenting" showed more problems with attention and social relationships. Jillion Harris summarizes the research for ABC News and explains some of the factors that "stack the deck" against parents' ability to treat children fairly.
Daddy gear: Is your baby gear manly enough for the dad in your life? Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal looks at companies marketing baby gear to men. Think "diaper vests," diaper bags and pacifier pouches bearing Major League Baseball marks and mascots, and Jeep-branded all-terrain strollers. Sold?
Advertising: Dr. Perri Klass considers How Advertising Targets Our Children and finds that advertisers' messages find kids in unexpected places. Think reward Web sites, social media, mobile apps and "advergames" that children may not recognize as promotional material. The top products aimed at kids should come as no surprise: candy, fast foods, surgary drinks and sweetened cereals. All of that exposure puts more pressure on parents to teach their children to be savvy consumers, Klass writes.
Educator-speak glossary: Differentiated instruction. Play-based learning. Scaffolding. Positive behavioral interventions. You've heard the lingo at back-to-school nights, open houses and teacher conferences. In this tongue-in-cheek glossary, "What the heck is your kid's teacher talking about," Washington Post education reporter Emma Brown helps you decode the jargon.
Valentine's Day: We like to push deadline around here, so in our minds, it's not too late to think about Valentine's Day crafts. HuffingtonPost rounds up eight simple, warm and fuzzy projects to celebrate the day of hearts.