READ MORE: The Fatherly Guide to Parenting in Other Countries Longing to share her Scandinavian upbringing with her children, not to mention return to a place where kids play outdoors even when the mercury dips, the freelance journalist moved back to Sweden for six months and wrote a book about the experience and the virtues of raising outdoorsy kids. It’s fittingly titled There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge)....

Kids’ lives these days are filled with crap. They get ‘gift bags’ filled with plastic from each and every birthday party. They get stickers at the grocery store. They get lollipops at the bank. They get treats walking down the street. It’s a constant stream of fattening, enamel-rotting, distracting crap. And when one of the crap tributaries is their school, it really sets me off. Schools should be a bastion of positive reinforcement....

Now the justices have agreed to an uncommonly rapid review of the law — which could impact more than just abortion rights, Politico reports. The new Texas law allows private citizens to sue any other private citizen who helps someone get an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. This is before most people know they’re pregnant — and it creates no exceptions for pregnancies resulting from instances of rape or incest, with rare medical exceptions, NPR reports....

I take some measures. I stretch and stand often. And sometimes, although not often enough, I foam roll. It all helps. But I still need something to really get in there and work out those troublesome knots. Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of recommended options, from massage rollers to cape-like massagers that draped over my shoulders and made me feel as though I was preparing for a dental X-ray, to a Wimbledon’s worth of tennis balls....

Here’s what researchers, scientists, and experts recommend doing to help your child socialize. READ MORE: The Fatherly Guide to Socializing Kids Socializing Kids Rule #1: Keep an Eye Out Supervise playdates so that bad habits aren’t accidentally reinforced.Play between a toddler and a parent can give the child some practice accepting new ideas as a natural consequence of social interaction.Encourage the toddler’s fighting spirit without encouraging obnoxious behaviors likely to do social damage down the line....

That parents held their kids back in pre-kindergarten during the pandemic school year of 2020-2021 is a totally rational and understandable choice, but it means that there might be a massive cohort of kids walking into kindergarten classrooms for the first time. And now, according to Hechinger Report, there may be another type of redshirting on the hands of teachers, parents, and the kids themselves. Some families are reportedly considering repeating kindergarten, making what will probably be a big class even bigger....

Look for books for 2-year-olds that have a lot of call-and-response (think, catchphrases), a wide range of performative emotions, and positive messages that pertain to their lives. Seem like a tall order? Don’t worry, we’ve put together the quintessential list of the best books for 2-year-olds. Whether they’re classics or contemporary gems, all of these books are rich and artful, hold up after multiple readings, make perfect gifts, and are guaranteed to become household favorites....

Scientists have demonstrated for decades that adults’ words exert tremendous power over a child’s developing mind. What a parent says to their kid has very real consequences and there are words that seem to have overwhelmingly negative consequences. None of this has to do with culture or background or “grit”; this has to do with the practical ramifications of the actions taken by adults. So, yes, there are words that should be removed from the vocabulary of adults, not in the interest of furthering a cultural or political agenda, but in the interest of helping kids become happy adults....

First, let’s start with some basic anatomy: The midsection is actually composed of multiple muscles. The rectus abdominis is probably the one you know best. Running down your centerline from your sternum to pubic bone, it’s the muscle people are typically talking about when they’re looking for a six- or eight-pack. Then there are the obliques, which are technically two sets of muscles. They run diagonally under the rectus abdominis, beginning at your lower ribs and ending at your hip bones....

“Because of that way that YouTube is built, the hosts are communicating in a way that is direct to their audience,” says Polly Conway of Common Sense Media.“That is something that our generation has never had. This is sort of new territory. There is a different bond built through these shows than your traditional television program because the interaction is so direct.” There are a few steps you should take before letting your little one loose on the Internet, like setting your parental controls and downloading a child-focused YouTube app for kids....

Dr. Anna Bender, a pediatric dermatologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, estimates that almost half of all babies develop diaper rash at some point. Diaper rash is most commonly caused by friction and moisture from wet or dirty diapers, when they rub against the skin. It’s more common in older babies who sleep through the night and wake up with fully-loaded diapers. Your child can also develop it when he or she starts solids and the poop changes consistency, or if your child is sick and has diarrhea....

The best face moisturizers with SPF not only protect you from the sun, which can give you serious wrinkles and sunspots, but keep your visage soft, smooth, and supple. A product with SPF 15 is the FDA’s minimum recommendation for protection against skin cancer and sunburn, but the American Academy of Dermatology suggests choosing one with SPF 30. Above 30, experts say any additional benefits are minimal. One word of caution: “For those with sensitive skin, try to avoid products with more than 10 ingredients,” says Dr....

If you’re not ready to get your children pricey iPhones that will send them down the social media rabbit hole, these basic kids’ phones are a solid stopgap solution. The phones on our list allow parents to communicate with their kids, set an approved list of contacts, and in many cases, see exactly where their kids are at any given time. Every product on Fatherly is independently selected by our editors, writers, and experts....

Modern men’s outwear vests blend technical materials and functionality with a nice dose of style. Often filled with down and usually featuring weather-fighting exterior fabrics like ripstop nylon or even waxed cotton, vests can be worn atop just about anything. A vest works in a pinch over a thermal base layer or a breathable, stylish sweater for day hikes and weekend coffee runs. The best men’s vests can also be paired with rugged style staples like a chambray shirt and henley for casual autumn brewery-hopping....

Emotions Belong in Teaching Fred Rogers took time and care to help kids understand that it was okay to feel angry, scared, or sad. He made emotional discourse normal and encouraged kids to express their feelings constructively and understand the feelings of others — a tactic that rang true to many educators. “By acknowledging [a child’s] feelings, by giving them a voice, by helping them begin to take another person’s perspective and see things from a different point of view from their own, which is very developmentally appropriate for young children — that process of learning is so important,” says Ann McKitrick, a veteran educator of 40 years who always watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood now works with Nurtured Noggins in Houston, Texas....

RELATED: Horrifically Photoshopped Family Photo Shoot Goes Viral Naturally, the next question is: what to buy? With so many different models with different capabilities at different price points, there’s no one right answer. We’ve assembled a variety of models that boast varying talents, from serious shooters for photo buffs to point-and-shoot models. All are packed with the pixel-grabbing power to put your smartphone to shame. Whether you’re a hobbyist looking to develop an artistic eye or you’re just trying to be a good dad capturing your family’s epic moments over the years, it’s worth it to invest in a camera on a device you don’t primarily use for Candy Crush and Twitter....

The ground rules are simple: Players fling sharp weapons at a 36-inch wide target and receive points based on where their throws sink into the target. It’s exciting. It’s challenging but not too challenging. It’s a throwback to a wilder time (the last pun, we swear). And, again, there’s usually beer on premises. “It’s a ton of fun and so much better than darts,” says Darren Sonnier the owner of Kick Axe Throwing which has locations in Brooklyn and Washington D....

The Nerf Super Soaker Barrage holds 84 fluid ounces of water, which, yes, is exactly 14 Capri Sun pouches worth of wet. That’s enough ammo to keep you from running to the faucet mid-battle. In addition to the massive reservoir tank, the Super Soaker Barrage is capable of drenching targets from up to 37 feet away and has an adjustable nozzle that changes its spray to effectively soak targets in a variety of oh-so-satisfying ways....

Here are a few dozen of the very best Halloween jokes for kids. These jokes are scary, for sure, but mostly because their dadness is truly horrific. You’ve been warned! General Halloween Jokes Q. What do you call a horse that only comes out after dark? A. A night mare. Q. What did the trick-or-treater get when he told a hilarious joke? A. Snickers. Q. If your happy kid dresses up as a cowboy, what candy should they get trick-or-treating?...

According to Jewish law, it’s an age-old custom to allow a boy’s hair to grow untouched until he’s 3-years-old. Lev is not yet 17 months, but his hair has become an issue. He looks like Justin Bieber or Joey Ramone with a dense tangle of bangs gangling down to his chin like a security gate. And while it’s cute to see him wake up and try to swipe away at the long curly locks obscuring his vision, I began to feel like the lack of grooming was cruel....