Latest news with #parenting
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
I survived cancer then my parents were both diagnosed with it too and my marriage fell apart. So at age 48 I did the unthinkable: KATIE NICHOLL
The fridge is always full. Baskets of folded laundry appear outside our bedrooms. The milk and newspapers are delivered daily. My two children have their shoes lovingly polished before school. And, best of all, the childcare is free and on tap. Moving back in with my parents earlier this year, at the age of 48, was never part of my master plan but, as I've learned, not everything in life goes to schedule.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
What screen time really does to children's brains
Zoe will be responding to reader comments about this article between 11am and 12pm (BST) today. Go to the comments section at the bottom of the page from 10am to share what you think about the impact of screen time on childrenThe other day, while I was doing some household chores, I handed my youngest child his dad's iPad to keep him entertained. But after a while I suddenly felt uneasy: I wasn't keeping a close eye on how long he had spent using it or what he was looking at. So I told him it was time to stop.A full-blown tantrum erupted. He kicked, he yelled, he clung to it and tried to push me away with the might of a furious under-five. Not my finest hour as a parent, admittedly, and his extreme reaction bothered older children are navigating social media, virtual reality and online gaming, and sometimes that concerns me too. I hear them tease each other about needing to "touch grass" – disconnect from the tech and get late Steve Jobs, who was CEO of Apple when the firm released the iPad, famously didn't let his own children have them. Bill Gates has said he restricted his children's access to tech too. Screen time has become synonymous with bad news, blamed for rises in depression in young people, behavioural problems and sleep deprivation. The renowned neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield went as far as to say that internet use and computer games can harm the adolescent brain. Back in 2013 she compared the negative effects of prolonged screen time to the early days of climate change: a significant shift that people weren't taking of people are taking it more seriously now. But warnings about the dark side might not tell the full editorial in the British Medical Journal argued that Baroness Greenfield's claims around the brain were "not based on a fair scientific appraisal of the evidence… and are misleading to parents and the public at large". Now, another group of UK scientists claim that concrete scientific evidence on the downsides of screens is lacking. So have we got it wrong when it comes to worrying about our children and curbing their access to tablets and smartphones? Is it really as bad as it seems? Pete Etchells, a psychology professor at Bath Spa University, is one of the academics in the group arguing that the evidence is lacking. He has analysed hundreds of studies about screen time and mental health, along with large amounts of data about young people and their screen habits. In his book Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time, he argues that the science behind the headline-grabbing conclusions is a mixed bag and, in many cases, flawed."Concrete scientific evidence to back up stories about the terrible outcomes of screen time simply isn't there," he writes. Research published by the American Psychology Association in 2021 told a similar story. The 14 authors, from various universities around the world, analysed 33 studies published between 2015 and 2019. Screen use including smartphones, social media and video games played "little role in mental health concerns", they while some studies have suggested blue light - such as that emitted by screens - makes it harder to drift off because it suppresses the hormone melatonin, a 2024 review of 11 studies from around the world found no overall evidence that screen light in the hour before bed makes it more difficult to sleep. Problems with the science One big problem is that most of the data on the subject of screen time relies heavily on "self-reporting", Prof Etchells points out. In other words, researchers simply ask young people how long they think they spent on their screens, and how they remember it making them also argues there are millions of possible ways to interpret these large amounts of data. "We have to be careful about looking at correlation," he says. He cites the example of a statistically significant rise in both ice cream sales and skin cancer symptoms during the summer. Both are related to warmer weather but not to each other: ice creams do not cause skin cancer. He also recalls a research project inspired by a GP who noticed two things: first, they were having more conversations with young people about depression and anxiety, and second, lots of young people were using phones in waiting rooms."So we worked with the doctor, and we said, OK, let's test this, we can use data to try and understand this relationship," he explains. While the two did correlate, there was a significant additional factor: how much time those who were depressed or anxious spent alone. Ultimately, it was loneliness that was driving their mental health struggles, the study suggested, rather than screen time by itself. Doomscrolling vs uplifting screen time Then there are the missing details about the nature of the screen time itself: the term is far too nebulous, argues Prof Etchells. Was it uplifting screen time? Was it useful? Informative? Or was it "doomscrolling"? Was the young person alone or were they interacting online with friends? Each factor generates a different experience. One study by US and UK researchers looked at 11,500 brain scans of children aged 9 to 12 alongside health assessments and their own reported screen time use. While patterns of screen use were linked to changes in how brain regions connect, the study found no evidence that screen time was linked to poor mental well-being or cognitive issues, even among those using screens for several hours of the study, which ran from 2016 to 2018, was supervised by Oxford University Professor Andrew Przybylski, who has studied the impact of video games and social media on mental health. His peer-reviewed studies indicate that both can, in fact, boost wellbeing rather than damage Etchells says: "If you think that screens do change brains for the worse, you would see that signal in a big data set like that. But you don't… so this idea that screens are changing brains in a consistently or enduringly bad way, that just doesn't seem to be the case." This view is echoed by Professor Chris Chambers, head of brain stimulation at Cardiff University, who is quoted in Prof Etchells' book as saying, "It would be obvious if there was a decline."It would be easy to look at the last, say, 15 years of research… If our cognitive system was so fragile to changes in the environment, we wouldn't be here. "We'd have been selected for extinction a very long time ago." 'Terrible formula for mental health' Neither Prof Przybylski nor Prof Etchells dispute the grave threat of certain online harms, such as grooming and exposure to explicit or harmful content. But both argue that the current debate around screen time is in danger of driving it further Przybylski is concerned about arguments for limiting devices or even banning them - and believes that the more rigidly screen time is policed, the more of a "forbidden fruit" it could become. Many disagree. The UK campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood says 150,000 people have so far signed its pact to ban smartphones for children below the age of 14, and delay social media access until the age of 16. When Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology from San Diego State University, began researching rising depression rates among US teenagers, she did not set out to prove that social media and smartphones were "terrible," she tells me. But she found it to be the only common she believes separating children and screens is a no-brainer, and is urging parents to keep children and smartphones apart for as long as possible."[Children's] brains are more developed and more mature at 16," she argues. "And the social environment at school and friend groups is much more stable at 16 than it is at 12." While she does agree that the data gathered on young people's screen use is largely self-reported, she argues that this does not dilute the Danish study published in 2024 involved 181 children from 89 families. For two weeks, half of them were limited to three hours of screen time per week and asked to hand in their tablets and smartphones. It concluded that reducing screen media "positively affected psychological symptoms of children and adolescents" and enhanced "prosocial behaviour", although added that further research was a UK study in which participants were asked to record time diaries of their screen time found that higher social media use aligned with higher reported feelings of depression in girls."You take that formula: More time online, usually alone with a screen; less time sleeping; less time with friends in person. That is a terrible formula for mental health," says Prof Twenge. "I have no idea why that's controversial." 'Judgment among parents' When Prof Etchells and I speak, it is via video chat. One of his children and his dog wander in and out. I ask whether screens are really re-wiring children's brains and he laughs, explaining that everything changes the brain: that's how humans learn. But he is also clearly sympathetic towards parental fears about the potential harms. It doesn't help parents that there is little clear guidance - and that the topic is fraught with bias and Radesky, a paediatrician at the University of Michigan, summed this up when she spoke at the philanthropic Dana Foundation. There is "an increasingly judgmental discourse among parents," she argued."So much of what people are talking about does more to induce parental guilt, it seems, than to break down what the research can tell us," she said. "And that's a real problem."The debate: Should smartphones be banned for under 16s?Mobile ban in schools not improving grades or behaviour, study suggestsSchool smartphone bans - are they effective? Looking back, my youngest child's tantrum over the iPad alarmed me at the time - but on reflection I've experienced similar performances over non-screen related activities: like when he was playing hide and seek with his brothers and didn't want to get ready for time comes up a lot in my conversations with other parents too. Some of us are stricter than official advice is currently inconsistent. Neither the US American Academy of Paediatrics nor the UK's Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health recommend any specific time limits for children. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, suggests no screen time at all for children below the age of one, and no more than one hour per day for under-fours (although when you read the policy this is aimed at prioritising physical activity).There is a bigger issue here in that there is simply not enough science to make a definitive recommendation, and this is dividing the scientific community - despite a strong societal push to limit children's without set guidelines, are we setting up an uneven playing field for children who are already tech-savvy by adulthood, and others who are not and are arguably more vulnerable as a result?Either way, the stakes are high. If screens really are damaging children, it might be years before the science catches up and proves it. Or if it eventually concludes that it isn't, we would have wasted energy and money and, in the process, tried to keep children away from something that can also be extremely all the while, with screens becoming glasses, social media regrouping around smaller communities, and people using AI chatbots to help with homework or even for therapy - the tech that's already in our lives is rapidly evolving, whether or not we let our children access it. Illustrator: Jodi Lai BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Health
- Forbes
We Tested 23 Diapers With Over A Dozen Babies—Here Are The Best Diapers
Choosing the right diaper for your baby can keep them comfortable, and it can save parents time (and frustration) from constantly cleaning up after leaks and blowouts due to a flimsy or poor fitting diaper. To find the best diapers, we enlisted a panel of parents who tried these diapers with over a dozen kids and babies, ranging in age from 2 weeks to 4 years old. The best options fit well to prevent leaks and blowouts and are soft and gentle on kids' skin. After extensive testing for over two years, our top pick for the best diaper is Huggies Little Snugglers (and Huggies Little Movers ). These diapers consistently fit better on more kids in our testing and were the best at preventing blowouts and leaks. We tested 23 diapers and landed on Huggies Little Snugglers and Huggies Little Movers as our top ... More pick. ALICIA BETZ FOR FORBES See all of our favorite diapers after an additional round of testing with more tots. Our Top Recommendations After testing, these brands and styles were our favorites and the biggest crowd-pleasers. That said, new parents might want to sample a few of these picks to see which works best for their child at their current age and stage. 'When parents ask me about choosing the right diaper, I always say: start with your values. Some families lean toward holistic, all-natural approaches,' says pediatrician Scott Svitek. If you're looking for a more eco-friendly option, Coterie The Diaper and the Honest Company Clean Conscious Diapers both performed well in our tests and were well-liked by parents. Babies can go through almost 3,000 diapers just in their first year, so finding the best option for your family can make those first few years easier. Amazon Huggies Little Snugglers Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Typical price: $0.28 per diaper (varies by size, type and retailer) | Materials: Wood pulp, sodium polyacrylate, polypropylene, polyethylene* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: High Pros: Really good fit for all sizes Very few leaks or blowouts More affordable than some No fragrance Cons: Not the most environmentally friendly option * Main active materials No matter how many diaper brands I've tried with my three kids, I always come back to Huggies, and they were a favorite among our testing panel as well, including another editor who relied on Huggies through three kids. The diapers fit really well, aren't prone to leaks and don't leave behind small particles like many other diapers do. We like the Little Snugglers for younger babies and Little Movers for older babies and toddlers. Both are fragrance free, too, reducing the risk of potential irritation on baby skin. In our tests, Huggies consistently performed well across all age groups, from newborns to toddlers. The diapers have a flexible waistband with thinner straps, which is likely part of what helps them fit little ones of all shapes and sizes. In our tests, they worked well for kids in the 90th percentile for weight and height as well as those in lower percentiles. Huggies diapers consistently fit all shapes and sizes well and rarely leak. ALICIA BETZ FOR FORBES Among all of our testing for over two years, we've only had the occasional blowout with Huggies, and they very rarely leak. In our at-home tests, Huggies held two cups of water before they started to leak. The brand uses ingredients like wood pulp and sodium polyacrylate to absorb liquid. In our real-world tests, some parents noticed that the diapers started to feel damp and that their kid's skin felt a bit moist but the diaper didn't actively leak. This could be an issue if you use the diapers overnight, but we didn't find this to be a problem when regularly changing diapers throughout the day. Like many baby diapers, there is a wetness indicator so you can tell if your child peed or not. No Fragrance, Parabens or Phthalates Parents appreciate that the diapers are fragrance-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, lotion-free and have no elemental chlorine bleach. Only one of my kids occasionally got a diaper rash while wearing Huggies, though this likely has more to do with the fact that he has sensitive skin and is prone to rashes than any other factor. Our other testers didn't have any issues with diaper rashes in Huggies. Healthybaby Healthybaby Diapers Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Typical price: $0.43 per diaper (varies by size and bundle option) | Materials: Polyethylene, polypropylene, sodium polyacrylate, wood pulp, cotton fiber* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: Medium Pros: Full transparency on ingredient list Free from many common irritants, including fragrance Plenty of third-party certifications Monthly subscription option Cons: No wetness indicator Our testers experienced some leaks and blowouts * Main active materials One of my kids has sensitive skin and is prone to rashes, so I know how important (and difficult) it is to find the right diaper. Healthybaby Diapers offers full ingredient transparency to parents, so they can avoid problematic additions in their child's diaper and also leaves out the biggest known offenders like fragrance. The diapers are also free from parabens, phthalates, fragrances, optical brighteners, chlorine, latex and lotions. The company publishes its full ingredient list, which most other diaper brands do not. If your child is sensitive to a specific material or ingredient, this makes it easy to determine whether this diaper will work for them. The Healthybaby diapers also carry a number of third-party certifications, some that are more relevant to the brand's focus on gentle ingredients like its Allergy Certified, Oeko-Tex and EWG Verified, and others that support its environmental-friendly ethos like its B-Corp status, Certified Plastic Neutral and the use of FSC-certified wood pulp in its diapers. Features That Make Life With Kids Easier Healthybaby diapers are available via a monthly subscription, which is helpful for busy families. Not needing to remember to order more diapers helps take something off your plate. The diapers are also super thin, which makes it easier to pack a good amount of them when you're out all day or going on a trip. Mixed Results With Leaks And Blowouts In our at-home lab tests, these diapers were a top performer when it came to absorbency, and they were middle-of-the-road for leaks. In our real-world testing, we experienced a few leaks, and they left skin feeling rather damp overnight. Our testers also experienced a few blowouts while their little one was riding in a car seat (not ideal but also rather common when the poop has nowhere else to go). None of our testers had a rash with these diapers. The diapers don't have a wetness indicator, which some families prefer. Without this indicator, make sure you're regularly checking for wet diapers, so you don't leave your child sitting too long in a wet diaper. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Typical price: $0.53 per diaper (varies by size and plan) | Materials: Sodium polyacrylate, chlorine-free wood pulp, polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: High Pros: High absorbency Cleaner ingredients than many other brands Umbilical cord notch for newborns Subscription option Cons: Not as good at containing mess in older babies and toddlers * Main active materials Soft Gentle For Delicate Newborn Skin Newborns tend to poop and pee quite a bit, so you really want a diaper that's up to the task. Add on the fact that newborns have very delicate skin, and finding the right option can be tough. We like The Diaper from Coterie specifically for newborns because they're really soft, and they're free from many common irritants like fragrance, chlorine bleaching, parabens, phthalates, lotion and VOCs. They're also made from 25% plant-based materials. 'These are the gold standard for comfort and absorbency. Clean ingredients, super soft and hold up incredibly well overnight,' says Haley DeSousa, the head of curriculum and instruction at Haven, a childcare, workspace and fitness club. Our testing panel also found that they have great absorbency, and in our lab test, they were the top performer at preventing leaks. Extra Features Make Newborn Life Easier If you've never opened the closet to realize you're completely out of diapers, then you have your life a bit more together than I do. Your brain can get foggy when you're sleep deprived, which is why I like that you can select auto-renew when you buy Coterie diapers. This not only takes something off your plate but also saves you 10% on each order. Coterie's diaper has a wetness indicator, and the newborn size has an umbilical cord notch, making this particular diaper particularly useful to parents of newborns. Some diapers that have cleaner ingredients go without the wetness indicator, but when you have a newborn who is peeing a lot and not verbal yet, it's nice to have that visual cue that it's time to change your baby's diaper. This can also be really useful in the very early days if you're watching to make sure your baby is peeing often enough, too. Not As Great For Older Babies And Toddlers Our testers found these diapers to be incredibly absorbent and didn't struggle with leaks when using them with newborns. This was not the case with our older baby and toddler testers. Parents with mobile babies in particular found this diaper more prone to leaking. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Typical price: $0.19 per diaper (varies by size) | Materials: Sodium polyacrylate, plant-based-SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified fluff, polypropylene* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: Medium-high Pros: Stretchy waistband provides a good fit Good absorbency Extremely affordable Cons: Costco membership needed to take full advantage of value price Not as soft as other brands * Main active materials Extra Stretchy Waistband For Comfy Fit Parents and caregivers looking for a quality diaper that's especially affordable can find a solid option in the Kirkland Signature Diapers. Our testers found that they fit really well on testers of all sizes, and some parents even noted that the waistband felt stretchier than Huggies. This allowed them to get a tighter, more secure fit. They also have strong tabs, which helps the diapers stay on, especially when they get a bit saggy. During testing, none of our testers experienced diaper rashes while using the Kirkland Signature Diapers. The absorbent fluff material comes from responsibly managed forestlands. The diapers are designed to be hypo-allergenic and are made without fragrance, parabens, phthalates, lotions, elemental chlorine, natural rubber latex and BPA. Good Containment The diapers contain poop and pee really well even the redesigned diaper. In our absorbency test, the Kirkland diapers stopped absorbing after about five minutes, and in our leak test, they leaked a bit sooner than the Huggies. Our testers found them to be absorbent and experienced very few leaks while testing. However, they did tend to get a bit more saggy and damp than our top pick, especially when using them overnight. You might find that you need to change these diapers a bit more often than you would with other brands. Mild Drawbacks To Consider We also noticed that while the diapers didn't cause any irritation, they're not quite as soft against the skin as our other top picks. While there isn't anything inherently bad about these diapers, most of our testers found them to be a good middle-of-the-road option that does the job. The diapers were previously made by Kimberly-Clark, the same company that makes Huggies diapers. In 2025, the manufacturer changed, which could explain why some parents don't find them to be as soft and absorbent as they used to be. We tested the new version and found it remains a solid value pick as Kirkland diapers remain extremely affordable and contain the mess. They're just not quite as soft as they once were. Amazon The Honest Company Clean Conscious Diapers Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Typical price: $0.38 per diaper (varies by size and retailer) | Materials: Wood pulp, sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene* | Fit: Small | Absorbency: Medium Pros: Made with cleaner ingredients than many other brands Adorable prints make them a great gifting option New redesign is more absorbent Cons: Some testers experienced leaks and blowouts * Main active materials So Many Fun Prints Whether it's because you want to get a cute picture of your baby in a diaper or your toddler is particularly picky about patterns and designs, the Honest Company Clean Conscious diapers are the cutest out there. Current prints include Big Trucks, Catching Rainbows, Donut Grow up and over 20 more options. Being able to customize your baby's look with an adorable diaper can make the chore of incessantly changing them a little more fun. Of course, we wouldn't have picked them if they weren't also good at containing leakes. Because parents like the adorable prints available in these diapers, they're a great option for gifting as well; we particularly like the pre-made diaper cake for a baby shower gift. Earth-Friendly Initiatives Even though disposable diapers aren't the most eco-friendly product, you can find options that are mildly eco-friendlier than others. The Honest Company Clean Conscious Diapers rely on FSC-certified wood pulp in their absorbing layer, meaning pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests. It also carries the PETA Animal-Test free label, so no animals were used in testing during the making of these diapers. Finally, the Honest Co. diapers are certified to be free of hundreds of specific chemicals by Oeko-Tex Standard 100. The diapers are also fragrance, latex, chlorine and paraben free. Simply put: It's a diaper you can feel good about buying if you're trying to avoid certain practices or ingredients. Softer And Fewer Leaks Than Older Version These particular diapers recently got a refresh, and we've been happy with the new design. Our tester found an improvement in terms of softness on the outside of the diaper, which was a chief complaint of the old version. While some of our testers found that these diapers fit true to size, others feel that the fit is a bit small. You might find yourself moving up to the next size sooner in these diapers than in other brands. The diapers fared well in our home lab tests, but our testers experienced a mix of leaks, blowouts and good performance with the older version of this diaper. Part of the leak issue may be because these diapers tend to fit smaller. If you're experiencing leaks, try sizing up. So far, the new version has tested well, and we haven't had any leaks or blowouts. Other Diapers We Tested We tested 23 different diapers, all of which went through our at-home lab tests for absorbency and leaks. Diapers that fared well in our initial tests went on to be tested in the trenches with babies and toddlers of varying genders, ages and sizes. Babyganics Triple Dry Diapers : These diapers did not pass our absorbency test. In fact, they were the least absorbent of any we tested. They also look like they run small, though these did not advance to our real-world testing. Bambo Nature Dream Diapers : Though the Bambo Nature Dream Diapers fared well in our lab tests, they did not hold their weight in the real world. Almost every tester—but especially boy parents—noted that they leaked a lot, and they failed to contain both poop and pee. Dyper Skin Happy Diapers : The Dyper diapers weren't terrible, but they failed pretty quickly in our absorbency test. They also consistently left kids damp even after a short period of time. Earth And Eden Sensitive Diapers : In our leak test, these diapers only held a very small amount of water before they started leaking, so they didn't advance to real-world testing. Eco By Naty Eco-Friendly Diapers : These diapers fit strangely; the bottom was wide and the tabs were narrow, which meant that it was difficult to put on and the tabs cut into our testers' sides. It also produced quite a few leaks. Hello Bello Premium Diapers : We like the cute designs on this diaper, but it didn't do great in our real-world testing nor our lab testing. Compared to our top picks, it didn't feel as soft, and it didn't contain leaks as well. Mama Bear Gentle Touch Diapers : This diaper failed our absorbency and leak tests, only holding eight tablespoons of water before it leaked. It did not advance to our real-world testing. Pampers Swaddlers and Pampers Cruisers : The Pampers diapers performed well overall but fell behind in some key areas. Our testers experienced quite a few leaks in Pampers, and the diapers also tended to leave a lot of fluff and particles behind. Pampers Pure : When it comes to a diaper that is 'clean,' Pampers Pure simply wasn't as free from as many irritating ingredients as our top pick. The diapers include lotion, which can be irritating, and they don't disclose their ingredients the way some of the other diaper brands do. Parasol Clear And Dry Natural Disposable Diapers : These diapers were difficult for our testers to get a good fit on their kids because the adhesive tabs are small. They also tend to leave behind fluff on babies' bottoms. Parent's Choice Dry And Gentle Diapers : In our real-world testing, these diapers produced a lot of leaks and blowouts, leading to a lot of frustration and outfit changes. Pura Diapers : Pura Diapers were mediocre when it came to our home lab tests. Ultimately, they did not perform well enough to advance to real-world testing. Rascals Premium Diapers : Our tester found it difficult to get a good fit with these diapers. They also didn't fare very well in our leak and absorbency tests, failing to absorb water well and leaking after only one cup of water. Terra Diapers : Our testers had trouble with fit and leaks with Terra Diapers. Even though the wetness indicator had shown no sign of peeing, the diaper leaked out the sides. Up & Up Diapers : We didn't find these affordable Target brand diapers to be very sturdy, and the material started to break down during our at home lab tests. One of our testers also found that the tabs didn't secure very well and her child was able to get out of the diaper. We also tested Seventh Generation Baby Diapers, which have since been discontinued. How We Tested The Best Diapers In addition to putting the diapers through real-world testing with our panel of testers and their little ones, we also conducted our own at-home lab tests to more accurately compare the diapers to each other. We tested a variety of diaper sizes to get an accurate picture of how each diaper performs across various ages. We first began testing diapers in 2023 with a panel of testers and have since added more diapers and more testers. Many of the diapers we recommend have gone through multiple rounds of testing with multiple families. To date, we've tested 23 diapers. Security And Fit We evaluated how securely each diaper fit, looking for gaps around the legs and back. We also paid attention to how well the tabs secured to the diaper, noting if they came off while our kids were wearing them. Absorbency To test absorbency, we immersed each diaper in water for 10 minutes, weighing the diaper before and after this test. This helped us determine how much liquid each diaper can hold. We also noted if the diaper started to break down or show any signs of deterioration during this test. We put all of the diapers through at-home leak and absorbency tests to determine how much liquid ... More they can hold before leaking. ALICIA BETZ FOR FORBES Leak Test To determine how long a diaper can hold out before it leaks, we laid each diaper out and poured one teaspoon of water on it at a time. We ranked the diapers in the order that they began to leak. Real-World Performance The ultimate test is how well each diaper held up on real babies and toddlers. We tested the diapers on children of varying ages, from newborns to preschoolers. Our kids wore the diapers at home, on outings, overnight and wherever they went. We watched for leaks, blowouts, rashes and other notable events. We also considered how comfortable each child felt in the diapers. What To Consider When Buying Diapers Ultimately, you want a diaper that works best for you and your family. 'Try a few brands, see what works for your baby, and don't feel like you need to commit to one solution forever,' says DeSousa. 'What works at 3 months might not at 13 months, and that's normal.' Fit And Comfort Fit is important because it helps prevent leaks and keep your baby or toddler comfortable. 'If it leaves marks around the waist or thighs, it's too tight. If you see gaps, it's too loose. It should sit low, below the belly button, snug but not constricting,' says Svitek. For newborns, a cutout for the umbilical cord can be helpful, too. Absorbency 'A good diaper keeps moisture away from the skin, reducing the chances of diaper rash,' says Svitek. Look for a diaper that has high absorbency, especially if you'll be using it overnight. Material 'Materials matter too; babies are in diapers 24/7 for a long time, so you want something breathable and free from things like fragrance or unnecessary chemicals,' says DeSousa. Most diapers use similar materials for absorbency, elasticity, leak protection and wetness detection. However, if your baby has sensitive skin or any allergies, choose a diaper that clearly labels every ingredient or that is certified to be free from irritating ingredients. Accessibility Some diaper brands are only available via a subscription service or are only available at select retailers. While this can be nice if you set up a reoccurring shipment, it can also be limiting if you run out and need new diapers now. Consider what you would prefer before making your diaper choice. Think about accessibility in terms of price, too. Because babies and toddlers go through so many diapers, the cost can add up. It can be helpful to do some budgeting and research to determine how much you are able to spend on diapers. Why Trust Forbes Vetted At Forbes Vetted, the baby and kids gear team puts copious amounts of time into researching and testing products. We know how important it is for parents to choose the right products for their babies, and we've tested everything from the best crib mattresses to the best toys for 6-month-olds. The author of this article, Alicia Betz , is an experienced product tester and parenting journalist. She's also a mom to three who has tested and used a wide variety of diapers, from Huggies, our top pick, to cloth diapers . , is an experienced product tester and parenting journalist. She's also a mom to three who has tested and used a wide variety of diapers, from Huggies, our top pick, to . The editor of this article, Rose Gordon Sala , has over 20 years of journalism experience and a dozen years of parenting experience. She was part of the panel test for this article, testing and providing insight on a variety of diapers. , has over 20 years of journalism experience and a dozen years of parenting experience. She was part of the panel test for this article, testing and providing insight on a variety of diapers. We interviewed three experts to learn more about how to find the right diaper for your child and how to tell if you're using the right diaper. These experts included Haley DeSousa, the head of curriculum and instruction at Haven , a childcare, workspace and fitness club; Dr. Scott Svitek , a pediatrician and board member of the Allied Foundation, Long Island's only diaper bank; and Heather Edwards , the executive director of the Allied Foundation. Which Brand Diapers Are Best For Babies? In our tests and our real-world experience, the best diapers for babies are Huggies. We've found that these diapers are the ideal mix between affordability and practicality. They fit babies and toddlers of all shapes and sizes really well, they are great at preventing leaks and blowouts and they're gentle on skin. Our top picks are Huggies Little Snugglers and Huggies Little Movers .
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Don't feel guilty about letting your kids game during the summer break
We're a week into the school summer holidays here in England, and I wonder how many parents who started out determined to keep their children completely away from screens are now beginning to feel the strain. When my sons were much younger, I often had these idyllic images in my head of day trips to the seaside, back garden treasure hunts, paddling in the river, visiting relatives … an endless series of character forming experiences which I imagined in grainy Kodachrome colours. Then I'd be faced with the reality of having a job, and also the, let's say, limited attention span of my sons. Those boys could rocket through a host of formative activities in a few hours leaving a trail of muddy boots, half-finished crafting projects and tired grandparents in their wake. Sheepishly, we'd end up allowing some Fortnite time to catch our breath. There is so much pressure and guilt around children and gaming, especially during long school breaks, and I think we need to seriously redress our outlook as a society. I harbour many lovely memories of gaming with my sons during hot August days; drowsily loafing about building ridiculous mansions in Minecraft or laughing ourselves stupid in Goat Simulator. We would always take the Switch on holiday with us, so that in the evenings, when we went out for meals, there would be an hour or so where my wife and I could linger over a glass of wine, while the boys silently played Super Mario together. We still managed to build sand castles, go swimming and explore unfamiliar towns, but games provided a way to wind down and enjoy something familiar. When they stayed with their grandparents during holidays, they took games along too. My mum had a Nintendo Wii, which she claimed was exclusively for entertaining her grandchildren when she got tired; it was nice to watch my sons sit and patiently explain Kirby's Epic Yarn to her. I expect it reminds her of when I was young, playing Commodore 64 games on our computer desk in the kitchen – trying to recruit my dad into sessions of footie game Kick Off or the golf sim Leaderboard while he was supposed to be cooking a chicken. It's good for children to be able to share their expertise and enthusiasm, whether that's about playing a guitar (which my kids did, after learning about the instrument via Rock Band and Guitar Hero) or capturing a Jigglypuff in Pokémon Go. It's a cliche to say 'all things in moderation', but it also happens to be true. There is too much talk of screen time as some sort of all-pervading, homogeneous evil, when really we should be thinking about the quality of that screen time. When children grow up playing video games and they're comfortable in that world, over the summer is a good time to think about what they're playing, what they get out of it and who they're playing with. Is it bad that they spend an hour or two every night in Fortnite? Or are they meeting friends, having a laugh and even building stuff in the Creative mode? Games are also wonderfully adaptable to different situations. You might not want them playing video games on the beach, but in those interstitial moments – a long journey, a rainy afternoon – they can be invaluable – and parents shouldn't feel bad about that. For a lot of gen Z and gen alpha, games are a part of the texture of their lives now – they fit in, like reading a comic or listening to an album on a Walkman did when I was their age. Earlier this week, I took one of my sons, now 17, to London. I met a friend while he went off and explored the city by himself. On the coach on the way home to Somerset, we were a bit too knackered to chat, but instead we played Mario Kart World together. We stood the console on the little seat tray in front of me, but it kept juddering and moving as the coach drove along, usually to my advantage. It was funny; we laughed and compared tactics and occasionally looked up as the evening sun made the fields outside glow. I think I will remember that hour and a half I spent with him on the bus longer than anything else I did that day. There may have been a screen between us, but we were together. Car battle games were wildly popular in the mid-1990s when titles such as Twisted Metal, Carmageddon and Destruction Derby encouraged players to smash their cars into other cars, repeatedly, often while also firing rocket launchers. Newcomer Fumes is looking to bring those heady days back – it's an open-world single-player vehicle blast-'em-up where you explore a vast Mad Max landscape in an upgradeable muscle car destroying enemies. The slightly retro visuals and wailing guitar music hark back to the original PlayStation era and the arcade-style handling is loose and reckless. It's in early access on Steam with a free demo available. Available on: PC Estimated playtime: 10 hours-plus As reported in IGN as well as other sources, Sony is suing the Chinese game publisher Tencent for copyright and trademark infringement. The allegation is that Tencent's forthcoming game Light of Motiram, in which a young girl battles giant robot dinosaurs in a vast open world, bears more than a passing resemblance to Sony's hugely successful Horizon series, in which a young girl battles giant robot dinosaurs in a vast open world. Tencent has not yet commented on the allegations. Variety has revealed that a Wolfenstein TV series is in development at Amazon MGM Studios. Patrick Somerville (known for Station Eleven and Maniac) is set to write, while Jerk Gustafsson from game developer MachineGames will be an executive producer. The Nazi-slaughtering shooter is the latest video game, following the likes of The Last of Us and Fallout, to catch the interest of streaming TV platforms and film studios, looking to capture the attention of younger audiences who are tired of superheroes. Developers at Falmouth University are working with local teenagers to create a video game that helps young people deal with adverse childhood experiences. Entitled Ace of Hearts, it deals with subjects such as bereavement and poverty, and is designed to get players to talk about their experiences. Read more on the BBC news site. Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gaming after newsletter promotion Why did thousands of adult titles just disappear from the biggest PC gaming marketplaces? Meet the new James Bond: how 007 First Light earned its licence to thrill Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game – too cosy for comfort | ★★★☆☆ An evergreen question from Andy via email: 'In Sir Gareth Southgate's Richard Dimbleby lecture, he said he fears that young men are spending too much time gaming, gambling and watching pornography. I feel he is oversimplifying gaming. Time spent on 'good gaming' can be a good thing. I think about this a lot, and I'm very interested in how you think gaming might actually be helping young people find and cultivate a healthy pride, identity and culture for themselves?' Although there are huge problems with toxic communities within gaming, thankfully there is also a multitude of positive examples. I've experienced a lot of kindness and acceptance in communities focused on particular games, especially space exploration sims Deep Rock Galactic and No Man's Sky, and in creative games such as Minecraft, where players praise each other's construction skills. Minecraft has also fostered strong accessibility communities – for example the wonderful Autcraft, which runs servers for neurodivergent players, allowing players to build friendships in a way that wouldn't otherwise have been possible. Plenty of Twitch and YouTube streamers such as Aimsey, SpringSims and xChocoBars also create communities that give fans a sense of identity and belonging. And I love that certain games foster communities in which creativity and inclusivity expand beyond the games themselves – whether it's League of Legends cosplay gatherings or Life Is Strange fan-fiction groups. Video games, like music and movies, provide channels though which fandoms are able to express themselves and explore their identities. For many young people, I genuinely think the modern world would be almost impossible to navigate without these spaces. If you've got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – hit reply or email us on pushingbuttons@
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Mom Asked Her Deceased 6-Year-Old Son For A Sign, And What Happened Was So Profound, It Has Completely Stunned The Entire Internet
A woman named Tara Stilwell has recently touched the hearts of millions of people with this viral story about her son, Wilder Brooks Stilwell. Wilder was 6 years old when he was unfortunately killed. "Do you guys want to hear a story about how I asked my 6-year-old deceased son for a sign that he could still hear me and how he responded? It's a pretty good story, if you want to hear it," Tara started in her TikTok as she rocked her baby. "I had just read that book called Signs. It's a pretty common book that people read directly after losing someone they love. In that book, it talks about being very specific in the sign that you ask for. And so I was thinking about what could be a symbol for my son that I felt like resonated with him, and he was only six when he died, so that means it would have to be something that kind of caters to a 6-year-old, and what do most 6-year-old boys love? Legos." Tara Stillwell, "So I asked him to let me see a Lego in a place where it didn't belong. So not in my house, not in a friend's house that had kids — a Lego in a place where it didn't belong, specifically a red Lego. I went about my day, and I kind of forgot about it," she continued. Tara Stillwell, Ivanastar / Getty Images "Later that day, I was at my daughter's ballet class. It was one o'clock, and I was in the viewing/waiting room. I was observing this family I had never seen before, and I was kind of watching the little boy because he was wearing a shirt that my son had owned, and I was already thinking about Wilder, and, you know, kind of watching my daughter's class and just keeping to myself. The mom and I struck up conversation, and I found out that they weren't normally there that day. They were doing a makeup class, and it was just by some off chance that we were in the same place at the same time." "This little boy was kind of just quietly playing cars on the floor, and he got up and he walked over to me. He looked me directly in my eyes, and he put one singular red Lego in my hands." "And even when I think about it, I get chills, because what are the chances of that? There's no such thing as a coincidence that big, right? And obviously, I immediately started to cry, because how could you not in a moment like that? But I choked it up as fast as I could, and I tried not to let him or his mom see, because how do you even begin to explain that to a stranger? But it was after that moment that I never doubted again that he could hear me, even if it's not in the way that I would prefer," Tara concluded. BuzzFeed spoke to Tara, who explained that she was gifted the book in the early days of his passing and was desperate for answers, looking to find a way to connect with Wilder. "Like most parents who've lost a child, you would give anything to find a way to feel close to them. In the book, it explains that our loved ones can hear us — that they can find ways to connect with us if we ask for specific signs. I sat with this idea, wondering if maybe, somehow, somewhere, my son's spirit was still connected to me." Tara decided to ask Wilder for a red Lego as a sign because he was such a high-energy boy, Legos were one of the only quiet and still activities that kept him engaged. "I spent a fortune on them, truthfully, but I loved watching how mindful he would be with building project to completion. I chose red because that was his favorite color." "When the little boy lifted his hand in the way that signaled to me that he wanted to hand me something, and looked me directly in the eyes, I wasn't sure what it was going to be. But once the Lego fell into the palm of my hands and his eye contact lingered, it felt like he was silently telling me the answer to the question I had been begging Wilder for: He could hear me. My entire body got warm, and my eyes welled with tears that I did my best to choke down." "People are disappointed that I didn't explain to the boy or his mother what that Lego meant to me, but I needed the feeling to be all mine in that moment. I needed to sit with knowing my son could hear me," she added. "I think Wilder is touching more lives than I ever could have imagined. I'm so beyond grateful and proud," Tara added. And since the story has impacted so many people, Tara said it is also giving people who are grieving a little piece of hope that they might be able to connect with their loved ones... In fact, thousands of people who have already had signs are sharing their own experiences with their deceased loved ones in the comments on Tara's TikTok video: Tara now asks Wilder for signs all the time, and he always follows through. She said, "I'm probably annoying him at this point. I have so many other stories that would make a believer even out of the biggest skeptic. Some of my most meaningful connections with Wilder are his visits in my dreams. They aren't dreams, it's us, together again somewhere in between. In the four years since he's passed, I'd say he's visited me about 10 times, and I can still remember every single detail of every one of those dreams." "Child loss goes against what feels to be the laws of nature. It's a loss that feels to be the hardest to swallow. I know Wilder is watching over me and his siblings. Protecting us from the other side," Tara ended. If you are grieving the loss of a child, you can find resources here.
