Just like the slow food movement is a reaction to the fast food lifestyle, a new slow family movement is growing in reaction to the epidemic of over scheduling children’s time. The benefits of a slowed-down lifestyle can’t be argued with – experts say that families who spend more time together while their children are young will have a stronger family bond for decades. Yet many parents feel that provided as many structured enrichment activities as possible will give their children an advantage as adults.

Read more about the slow family movement in this USA Today article. You can also find out more about the movement on the Slow Family Living website.

This week a woman named Amber Mills completed the Chicago Marathon and felt contractions as she crossed the finish line.  She gave birth to a healthy baby girls a few hours later, having run 26.2 miles when she was 39 weeks pregnant.  Mill’s obstetrician had given her the OK to run a half marathon, but she felt good and finished the entire pregnant marathon in under 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Many experts say that if a woman is healthy and a runner before she gets pregnant, it’s safe to continue running during pregnancy.  However, pregnancy is not the time to begin an exercise or running program.  Experienced runners who continue to run during pregnancy should be closely monitored by their doctors.

Read more about the benefits and risks of exercise during pregnancy in this Washington Post article.

Parents who are plugged into their smartphones know how helpful apps can be.  Here are a few helpful apps for parents of babies.

Kid Care – This child health app was developed by St. Louis Children’s Hospital.  Type in your child’s symptoms for any minor illness or injury and receive information about what level of care is needed and how to provide symptom relief.

iRelax Melodies –  White noise ambiance inspired by the ocean, rain and other sounds of nature will soothe fussy babies and help them get to sleep.  Also may be used for exhausted parents!

Babyphone Deluxe – Turn any smartphone into a baby monitor.  This app will listen to the activity in a room and call a designated number when noise exceeds a specified level.

Read about more helpful parenting apps on the She Knows website.

The Art of Roughhousing is a new parenting guide that exhorts the value of old-fashioned horseplay between parents and children. The authors, physician Anthony T. DeBenedet, M.D., and psychologist Lawrence J. Cohen, Ph.D., are both fathers who believe that roughhousing is critical to a child’s physical development and self-esteem.

Their book comes complete with simple diagrams that explain rowdy but safe roughhousing moves to parents. The book is seen by child experts as part of the “take back childhood” movement that is a backlash to the pressures of school and organized activities that many children are subject to.

Read more about the art and science of roughhousing on the official Art of Roughhousing website. To get an ideas about what kind of roughhousing kids like, see this YouTube video.