Dogs
Road salt, ice melt, and cold air are hard on paw pads. Here is how to protect your dog's paws before and after winter walks, choose a safer ice melt, and spot frostbite, based on ASPCA, AVMA, and AKC advice.
cats
Most families who have a cat do not think of it as "the pet." In an April 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 97% of US pet owners said their pets are part of the family, and 51% said they are as much a part of the family as
healthy
A family's health mostly comes down to a handful of healthy habits repeated every day. Below are five that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC and the USDA all point to, each with the number they use: how many hours of sleep a child needs, how much
Parents
Clocks fall back at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Here is a simple week-before plan for shifting kids' bedtimes and naps, your dog's meals and walks, and your cat's breakfast so the time change is easier on everyone.
Digital Safety
Parental control settings are only half of online safety. The other half is a kid who knows what a scam looks like and will tell you when something feels wrong. The FTC puts it in that order: set family rules and talk about them first, then use controls to back
halloween
Many good family costumes cost almost nothing. Think of a paper bag painted like a monster, a gray hoodie turned into a rain cloud, or a dog in a bandana that matches the kids. This guide has family Halloween costume ideas you can make from your closet, a craft drawer
Pets
A child asking for a pet is not the same as a child being ready for one. Kids picture the cuddling. Parents end up with the feeding, the cleanup, the vet visits and the daily walks. Before you start getting a pet, go through this checklist as a family and
Where Fur & Family Go Hand in Paw
Once one child brings flu home, it can move through a whole family in a week. The easiest time to prepare is in the fall, before anyone has a fever. This checklist covers what to do now, what to keep in the cabinet, and how to tell when a sick
Chocolate, sugar-free candy, raisins, wrappers and glow sticks: what to do in the first few minutes if your dog or cat gets into the Halloween candy, which symptoms matter, and the poison hotline numbers to save now.
The yearly checkup is rarely just a checkup. Add the exam, a few vaccines, a fecal test, a heartworm test and a box of flea and tick prevention, and the bill can land all at once. A pet wellness plan spreads that routine care over the year. You make monthly
When a dog or cat has an upset stomach, a lot of owners reach for a can of pumpkin. Vets do use it as a fiber source, and it is safe for most pets in small amounts. It just does less than the internet claims. Below: what it helps with,
Most kids will draw for an hour without being asked, and plenty of adults reach for a sketchbook or a coloring page after a long day. Art therapy is something different. It is a mental health profession in which a trained therapist uses art-making as part of treatment, much
Most kittens come home at around 8 weeks old, and the next three months set up a lot of what follows: the vaccine series, spay or neuter timing, litter habits and how comfortable your cat will be around people. This kitten care 101 guide walks through the first 90 days
A pet accident can look clean and still smell, and if your pet can smell it, they may go back to the same spot. To eliminate pet odor for good, you have to break down what is in the carpet or fabric, not cover it with a scent. This guide
You hear "recall" on the news, then wonder if the chicken in your freezer or the bag of dog food in the pantry is the one. New food recalls are posted most weeks in the US, for people food and pet food alike. Many are small, but some
A 15-year-old with a new debit card, $60 from a birthday and a phone full of tap-to-pay apps will spend that money in an afternoon unless someone has talked it through with them. This guide covers the money talks worth having before a teen has a
If a dog or cat is not right for your family yet, because of allergies, a small apartment or a busy schedule, there are other good first pets. Many small animals make great pets for families who plan ahead. This list covers 11 of them and what each one needs
Most of the skills a child needs as an adult are learned at home, a little at a time. A 4-year-old pours their own water. A 7-year-old packs a lunch. A 12-year-old cooks a simple dinner with a parent nearby, and a 14-year-
Toy aisles are full of boxes that promise to teach letters, numbers and coding. Pediatricians are more skeptical. In its clinical report "Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children in the Digital Era," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that the most useful toys for young children are