Our Favorite Parenting Stories Of The Week

We’re hoping these will brighten everyone’s spirits: 15 uplifting photos of Newtown students returning to school. (BuzzFeed)

In the aftermath of the tragedy in Newtown, a thought provoking piece on how we should perhaps reconsider the “if we can save just one child” argument. (The Atlantic)

The Motherlode blog considers how you shouldn’t talk to your children about Newtown, and offers some suggestions on how you should. (New York Times)

Twenty years since their last episode on divorce, Sesame Street released a video segment on “Big Feelings” this week, featuring Abby, a fairy with not one, but two homes. TIME examines how Sesame Street is a tool that allows parents to tackle the topic of divorce in a manner that doesn’t overwhelm or frighten children. (TIME)

New moms and dads–you’re not alone!  One dad relays his experience on having a newborn, the five things he forgot, and a variety of misplaced memories about the wonders of being a parent. (Huffington Post)

Scientist Jared Diamond thinks that traditional hunter-gatherer methods for raising children are best, which means you hold them, share them, and then let them run around by themselves. (The Daily Beast)

Is it really more beneficial to purchase toys from an independent store than from a mass-market chain? Not necessarily, says this parenting blogger. (New York Times)

A new study explores the benefits of marginally-below-birth-weight babies taking iron supplements. While babies with slightly low birth weights are typically overlooked for supplement intake, research suggests that iron supplements may prevent behavioral issues down the road. (Yahoo News)

The best quotes from Mister Rogers through the years. Share them with your family. (Mental Floss)

Has your child’s wish list to Santa left you scratching your head? This piece comments on the sensitive matter of dealing with outlandish and difficult requests such as magical powers, expensive gifts, and reconciliation between divorced parents. (Huffington Post)

Here’s something to mitigate parents’ guilt about the man in red: Lying to your children about Santa may, in fact, be beneficial to their development. (LiveScience)

The ethics of iPads: Why being old-fashioned by waiting to introduce your child to the digital age—at least until after their toddler years—may be a good idea. (The Washington Post)

Be your child’s reading role model. Demonstrating good reading habits to children makes them more likely to achieve higher levels of literacy in school—but  a new study finds the number of children who never see Dad read is on the rise. (Daily Mail)