Search Results for: blog bad breath

Pregnancy: The Good and The Bad

Isn’t the beginning of pregnancy funny? You feel like your stomach is growing right away. It certainly feels different. Regardless, you know that everyone else sees a typical figure; and unless you’re a celebrity, they’ll suspect bloat or a big lunch before they ever suspect a baby. It’s hard to look halfway: to be too big for your normal clothes and not quite big enough for your maternity wardrobe. I was seventeen weeks along before the mailman who delivered to my office each morning finally felt comfortable extending his congratulations. Apparently he had congratulated a new mom on her pregnancy … Continue reading →

Not So Bad Dad

With guys like Jon Gosselin, Alec Baldwin, Mel Gibson and the jerk who poisoned his kids for cash, still living and breathing, it’s easy to see why dads get dissed a lot in the media. But, not all dads are bad. In fact, some are down right nice. Just ask Joe Girardi’s daughters. New York Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi is the father of three children, and knows the importance of keeping the bond between child and parent strong. Girardi made headlines recently when he modified rules that put restrictions on players’ kids having access to their dads in the clubhouse. … Continue reading →

What Can You Do on Bad Air Quality Days?

I was driving around Portland last week when one of those traffic message boards nearly stopped me in my tracks: HIGH SMOG TODAY. It went on to suggest that I limit my driving (hard to do when one is already in the car and on the road). I didn’t think the Pacific Northwest was a major smog area, but I guess the traffic message flashers don’t lie. Air quality depends on a lot of things, including what’s in the air (it may be particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, even pollen and mold). Urban areas tend to have more problems with … Continue reading →

What to Do When Another Parent Behaves Badly

We’ve all been there. The time when you are confronted with misbehavior from your child and have yelled or said something that you regret later. In the middle of the grocery store, I once told my eldest son that if he didn’t stop riding the grocery cart at full speed then I was going to sell him to the gypsies. But what do you do if you spot a situation between another parent and child that escalates into an area that may be abusive or even just uncomfortable? Celebrity Liv Tyler was recently in the news for telling a mother … Continue reading →

How to Talk to a Person with Bad B.O.

This may be a recurring nightmare among folks in management positions: a star employee has a problem with body odor… and it’s up to you to talk to them. What do you say? How do you approach the subject tactfully? It’s not an easy one. Even for the people we hold closest — family and friends — it’s not always easy to point out a flaw like body odor. I feel horrible suggesting that a friend needs a breath mint… yet I’d definitely want to know if I was the stinky one. The approach is even more delicate when you … Continue reading →

Are You Afraid of the Big, Bad Dentist?

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If you get a little anxious thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Dental phobia keeps a lot of people from getting the care they need for their pearly whites. There are a lot of different facets to dental phobia. Some of the most common fears involving the dentist’s office include: Embarassment — “I haven’t been to the dentist’s office in years, and my teeth are going to be horrible. The dentist is going to lecture me about what a failure I am.” Pain — “It’s going to hurt when they clean my teeth. I’ll have cavities that … Continue reading →

Common Causes for Bad Breath

Would you believe that there are ninety million people in the United States alone suffering from chronic bad breath? That’s a lot of halitosis! What causes all that bad breath? These are the top culprits: The food you eat. Some things are just stinkier than others — like garlic or onions. Food can also contribute to problems with bacteria in the mouth (see number 3 for the explanation). Tobacco and alcohol. They can leave your mouth stinky! Bacteria that lives in the mouth. When bacteria in the mouth interact with food particles, they can give off stinky by-products. Bacteria can … Continue reading →

Ask a Baby Blogger: Chores for Two Year Olds?

Question: I want to teach my child responsibility and feel its important that she has chores and allowance. She will be turning 2 in a month. Do you have any suggestions? Whoa nelly! Take a deep breath and repeat this sentence: She will be turning 2 in a month. She is still, technically, 1. I have written in forums before how we start our children quite young on doing chores. Yes, my twins who are about 32 months, have to help clean up. Certainly teaching your child to help and be responsible with his things is never a bad idea … Continue reading →

You May Have to Tolerate a Bad Attitude

How many times have you wished you could control or manipulate your child’s mood or attitude? I know that as my children reached the pre-teen years, I really wasn’t ready for the snarkiness and bad attitudes that came along. It wasn’t enough for me that they actually did what I asked them to, I wanted them to do it with a smile and glee. The reality was, if I waited for them do both mind and obey, AND be happy about it–I would probably be waiting forever! I learned that it is perfectly normal to expect and tolerate some grumbling … Continue reading →

The Good, the Bad, and the UGH-ly

THE GOOD In a rare (and what will likely be brief) appearance under the “good” headline, singer Britney Spears is lending a hand to help those in need. The mother of two just announced that she is planning to aid the underprivileged children of the world by donating money to UNICEF. Spears is teaming up with photo agency X17 to raise money for the relief organization by auctioning an autographed copy of her latest CD, Blackout, on eBay. “I think it’s important to give back and with the release of Blackout, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give the … Continue reading →