good to know Massachusetts is the best state to have a baby, according to a new study. WalletHub ranked all 50 states based on 32
factors related to cost, health care quality and accessibility, and baby- and family-friendliness. The Bay State, which earned the highest score for its parental leave policy, topped the list, followed by Minnesota and Vermont.
63% of parents say their teens’ use of social media has increased during the pandemic. That’s according to a recent
Ann & Robert Children’s Hospital of Chicago, in which 45% of those parents were appreciative of social media during the crisis, while 43% are increasingly concerned about it. The most concerning platforms to parents? Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, respectively.
Parents are paying attention to race and discussing it with their children in ways that they haven’t in recent history. New findings
from the 2020 American Family Survey show that Americans of both party affiliations are talking about issues of race in higher rates. When asked “Since March have you discussed Black Lives Matter or police brutality with your family?” More than 75 percent of parents answered yes.
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What to know about Child ID Kits, and how to make your own No parent wants to think about their child in an emergency, but being prepared can save time. A child safety kit is a helpful tool for parents and law enforcement when the unexpected happens. Basically, it’s a packet to store all of your child’s identifying information in the event that you have to report your child missing, said Rick Musson, a law enforcement consultant for the life insurance site QuickQuote. com. “If your child is missing, it’s very stressful and it can be difficult to even answer the simplest questions. This completed kit contains information to help answer the investigating officer’s identifying questions and includes fingerprints and DNA that can be used if needed,” he said. “Most police departments offer these kits to parents for free, and each kit will come with directions for how to complete it properly.” To create your own, include: • Child’s name • Age • Hair color • Eye color
• Height • Weight • Address • Special medical needs or medications • Your child’s fingerprints (with the help of a washable ink pad) • Hair follicle for DNA purposes You can find free downloadable Child ID Kits from these resources: • Ready.gov • MissingKids.org • PollyKlaas.org Check with your local law enforcement office to see if it offers to take fingerprints for a child safety kit, said private investigator Angelica Brooks, founder of The Silent Voices Project, a nonprofit dedicated to research and education about human trafficking and investigating missing persons and cold cases for families with limited resources. Store your child safety kit somewhere safe and secure but easily accessible, such as in a home safe, Musson said. Update the photograph and information every 6 months. The Better Business Bureau
advises parents to be aware of a child safety kit con where scammers offer free kits as a way to get their hands on sensitive information that can be used to steal a child’s identity. Watch out for scammers who insist that to receive your kit you need to tell them sensitive personal information about your child, including their full name, address, birthdate and Social Security or Social Insurance number.
Children’s Museum ‘Milk Bottle’ gets a facelift The iconic Hood Milk Bottle that welcomes guests to the Boston Children’s Museum recently got a facelift. The 40-foot-tall bottle has a revamped facade, new windows, awnings, exterior lighting, and new HVAC system. Built in 1934 by Arthur Gagner of Taunton, Mass., to dispense the homemade ice cream he produced, the 15,000pound milk bottle was one of America’s first fastfood drive-in restaurants and an authentic example of the “Coney Island” style of architecture. It’s sat at the doors of the Children’s Museum since 1977, a destination landmark that delights millions of people from around the world and the city of Boston. If real, it could hold 58,620 gallons of milk.
