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  • Winning the kid lottery: how adoption changed my life

    Our son Brandon, who is now 20 years old, came into our lives fifteen years ago. We met him about two months before he turned five. At the time, he was in foster care. His mother had problems with addiction and was not providing a stable home so he entered foster care about a month before he turned three. November is National Adoption Month and I thought it might be a good time to share our story.

  • Winning the kid lottery: how adoption changed my life... continued

    Our family continued to adjust and grow together. Brandon sometimes recognized gaps in his early years and we did our best to fill those in. One time when he was seven or eight, he asked me if we could read some fairy tales and said, “I never go to hear those when I was little.” So we read fairy tales.

  • To spank or not to spank?

    How you choose to discipline your child is an intensely personal decision. I wonder if there is any other choice that we’ll make for our children that has the potential for such deep and far-reaching effects. And yet, most of us are still figuring it out as we go, aren’t we?

  • A second chance at fulfilling a dream: Jillian’s story

    What started as a childhood dream is now becoming a reality for Jillian in her lifelong pursuit of becoming a gymnast. She began gymnastics at just 3 years old, and began competing at age 6. Fast forward a few years and Jillian is in high school, dreaming of taking her gymnastics career to the next level and becoming a collegiate athlete. She was having the time of her life- spending countless hours practicing and competing in a sport she loved, surrounded by encouraging friends and family. She was starting to be pursued by various colleges and felt more confident than ever, knowing nothing could get in the way of her dream of becoming a collegiate gymnast.

  • Why I gave up red meat

    I am a native of the South. I was born and raised in Central Florida with a family who enjoys its share of sweet tea, mashed potatoes and gravy, and holiday barbecues. My grandfather even used to dry his own beef jerky in the backyard. So you can imagine the quizzical looks and questions I received when I – abruptly – decided to stop eating red meat. Why would you do such a thing? Are you a vegan now? How long will you keep it up? It’s been two and a half years since my last taste of beef, and now I can look back with greater clarity to answer why I made such a snap decision.

  • Winning the pacifier war

    My daughter has had an intense, rapturous love affair with the pacifier for the past 2 and-a-half years. I’m certain that if the world were ending and she had the choice to keep for herself either Mommy or her bee-bees (her word for pacifier), she would choose the bee-bees any day of the week. I try not to take it personally.

  • A little bit of fabric equals a lot of love: a pillowcase makes the hospital feel like home

    Written by Nora Elkins, customer service specialist.

  • Baby’s teething products can be harmful

    There are some areas of parenting where everyone has an opinion. And, doesn’t it always happen that when you’re pushing your kid in the grocery cart, trying desperately to find the last item on your list so you can get the heck out of that store(!), that’s when someone stops you to share their little nuggets of parenting wisdom?

  • Cool apps for kids

    “There’s an app for that.” It seems like there is an app for our every need, even the need to keep kids entertained while parents browse the grocery store aisles, families wait to be seated at a restaurant, or driving in the car from point A to B. A recent article asked the question, “Are tablets the new Nanny?”. While this may sound ridiculous, there may be some truth behind this question. Studies show that in 2011, tablet usage among kids under the age of 12 increased by 10% within 6 months. Tablets, such as the iPad and Kindle, are kids’ new accessories, an accessory many parents are thankful for.

    Are apps really beneficial for my child?

    Great question! We do not know yet if the use of tablets and smartphones encourage healthy development among young kids. There is not enough scientific research to support this claim, as researchers are still studying the benefits of apps for kids. However, the technological trends of the world in which we live in are inevitable and growing at a rapid pace. Today, over 50% of kids now have access to a smartphone or tablet, creating a large market for apps designed specifically for kids.

  • Feeling the warmth of a furry friend

     A few times a week, a special (furry) friend visits Arnold Palmer Hospital to brighten the day of our children who are receiving care. Pets have been a healing part of our hospital for over 20 years, bringing hope, joy, and comfort to our patients. Thought of as the “softer” side of treatment, man’s (and kids’) best friend provides physical and emotional healing to sick children who are fighting to get better everyday.