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I have three children and I must admit when I was pregnant with my first we picked out Pottery Barn bedding, a high-priced swing, crib, bassinet and more! I had no clue what a baby actually needed so anything in the baby section went on the registry. Well, three children later I realized that I made some mistakes. When baby #3 arrived all I really wanted was a few gift cards and diapers.

So what do you really need?

In 2007, St. Louis was introduced to Gunther von Hagens’ incredible Body Worlds 3 exhibition at the Saint Louis Science Center. Visitors were amazed, shocked and intrigued at the display of preserved transparent body slices, bones, organs and hundreds of bodies in various poses and positions. The show has since moved on, but von Hagens’ is back with a new installation of twisting, jumping and leaping bodies.

In honor of Summer Fun Week at St. Louis Kids Magazine's SmartParenting blog, I am going to overcome my fear of snakes and disgust of mosquitoes (I obviously need to stop watching Animal Planet) and start hiking with my family. Maybe I’ll ease into nature with a "Gentle Hike" at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.

Each second Saturday of June, July and August, a naturalist will take hikers on a flat, paved and short walk to a different part of the Conservation. June’s adventure will travel to the prairie demonstration area in front of the Visitor Center.

The weather seems to be having a tough time making up its mind just what season it should be, but we SmartParenting bloggers have no doubts: Next weekend is the start of summer!

This week we’re focusing most of our attention on ideas for summer – things to do, recipes to cook, books to read, and (my topic for today) ways to stay healthy.

When Jenny Wolkowitz’ youngest daughter went to a two-week sleepover camp for the first time, the girl decided she didn’t need her favorite stuffed animal and left it at home. Days later, Wolkowitz had to put the toy in a box and send it to her homesick daughter by overnight delivery.

It’s no surprise our kids aren’t as healthy as they should be.

Ah, the wonderfulness that is prom season is upon us. This is the time of year that the malls are filled with teen girls preparing for their big day buying gowns and accessories and getting their hair curled and primped. 

Mothers like me are also bustling around to make sure that each and every detail is taken care of for this monumental night of teenage-hood. But this is also a time of year for sadness for some of us as we notice that our children are growing up and will soon be adults. What is supposed to be a glorious time can be a melancholy event for parents who recognize that their children will soon be out of the family nest.
 
A few weeks ago when my son announced he was going to prom, I was quite cool. I went to prom both my junior and senior year in high school and considered it a big deal. But as the event creeps closer, it has been a time of reflection for me. This little boy who used to poop in diapers and follow me around like my shadow is now 17 years old, attending prom, and will be graduating next year and going off to college. How can this be?
 

Pull out your iridescent taffeta and matching dyed pumps from Payless. Prom season is in full effect!

This week marks the beginning of our country’s longest-running literacy program, Children’s Book Week. It is an annual celebration with a simple and powerful message: Books change lives, so let’s share them with our kids. Started in 1919 by the librarian of the Boy Scouts, who sought to improve the standards of children’s books, Children's Book Week is now administered by Every Child a Reader.