Now that Omalu’s conclusions have become impossible to deny (and his story has been dramatized, with mixed results, in the Will Smith movie Concussion), Omalu is asking parents to reconsider letting their kids play America’s favorite game. The dangers, he says, are not just real at the NFL level. Little kids taking little-kid hits can still walk away with brain injuries. This is way an increasing number of high school and grade school coaches have gone low-contact with practices and also why parents have pulled their kids out of Pop Warner....

As the kids would say, “weird flex.” But that’s the problem. Right now, I do flex weird. I’m fully in the throws of “dad bod” — that cutesy, semi-sexist, colloquial term for any Dad with a kid and a gut. And I feel shame. Not body shame, regular shame. Because I did this to myself. When I became a Dude Turned Dad, I stopped exercising and started stress eating. For eight months there was no time to work out, but there was time to eat a full pizza and wash it down with a pint of ice cream....

And there’s no better way to escape than by playing Dungeons & Dragons — yes, the roleplaying game where players go on adventures together using dice, some rule sets and their imaginations — especially if you’re enduring yet another week of sheltering in place. In addition to being a fun way to kill a few goblins and a few hours, D&D provides screen-free fun, reinforces math skills, hones problem-solving abilities, and can make you a better dad — if only because it’ll make your kids better human beings....

For me, the Beaba Babycook ticked all the requisite marks: It was techy, compact, and affordable at $100. What really sold me though was how easy it was to use. At its core, it’s a 2-in-1 steamer and food processor. Fill the water reservoir, add fresh chopped veggies to the basket, turn the knob to ‘steam.’ When the 10-minute cycle finishes, empty the basket into the carafe and turn the knob to ‘blend....

If you’re looking for more adult functionality from cardboard toys, you’re also in luck: Edo Blocks are reportedly sturdy enough to be used as a nightstand, bookshelf (for your collection of board books), or as the legs of a coffee table (surface sold separately). The Kickstarter debuts this week and you can pre-order Edo Bricks in packs of 25, 100, 500 blocks, or by theme like animals, snowy castle, or college move-in day....

I get it. We love our acronyms. Have you noticed? SEL, ELA, ELD, ELL, IEP, SST. It often reminds me of friends I know in the military. And even when we’re using words we all understand well, sometimes there’s a subtext that can be hard to pin down, and it can be difficult to know how to turn the parent-teacher conference into a true dialogue. I can’t help you make sense of all the things your teacher says about your child, but if you want to get the most out of your next conference, I’ve got some insider input to share....

Elf on the Shelf Holiday Hula Every hardworking elf deserves a tropical vacation, and the flowery vest, grass skirt, and yellow lei in this set will make it look at home on a Hawaiian beach. Buy Now $11 Elf on the Shelf Flurry Flight Jacket Even creepy elves look cooler in “leather” jackets like this one, which comes complete with aviation-inspired patches and goggles. Buy Now $10 Elf on the Shelf Merry Movie Night The Elf on the Shelf spends his time watching movies about himself, sitting in his peppermint- and snowflake-patterned chair while munching on popcorn....

Dr. Sanam Hafeez is a New York-based psychologist who specializes on working with kids and their families. She’s heard about the panic that usually ensues when the Play-Doh hits the fan, so she came up with some rock-solid advice on what kids can do in a crisis. Hopefully, there won’t be a “what’s the number for 911?” moment if there’s a real emergency. RELATED: A Pitiful Portion of America’s Disaster Budget Goes to Children...

Many of the bills targeting trans youth make gender-affirming healthcare inaccessible, if not illegal. Alabama, for example, recently approved a bill that would make it a felony for doctors to give trans youth puberty-blockers, which delay the onset of puberty, essentially forcing trans kids to go through bodily changes that conflict with their gender identity. The bill also prohibits doctors from giving trans kids gender-affirming hormones or surgery, which they typically may receive in their late teenage years....

But as an adult, it can be easy to forget that while these movies are undeniably a blast for viewers, they also can be a bit too much for kids. After all, between the hilarious quotes and kickass adventures, there is a whole lot of death, betrayal, and boring intergalactic politics. As a parent, it begs the question, which movies are the most and least appropriate to show to your little padawan?...

Dedenne: The only non-cute Pikachu relative. Sorry, Dedenne but you are the least of the Pikas. Togedemaru: Not outright ugly like Dedenne but sadly this girthy guy simply isn’t very cute. He looks too much like a beach ball and is apparently a terrible fighter, meaning he would be more useful getting bounced around the crowd at a Grateful Dead concert than actually fighting. Plusle: What exactly is this little guy’s deal?...

His soon-to-be ex-wife demanded full custody, allowing only that Ian be permitted to see his son every other weekend. READ MORE: The Fatherly Guide to Stay-At-Home Parenting Ian fought. So did she. Ian lost and felt unheard. “The overwhelming impression I had from the court system was pure disinterest,” he says. “The judge initially gave my ex everything she asked for, no questions asked, pending the outcome of the custody evaluation....

“Sexual fantasies exist in a private world of one’s own making, where they are habitually used for increasing sexual arousal and gratification,” study authors write. “These fantasies are not isolated in the bubble of the mind, though. Rather, they are an integral part of relationship dynamics.” Although the quality of real-life romantic relationships can inform what kind of fantasies people experience privately, whether or not fantasies are a response to something missing in a relationship is a matter of scientific debate....

In 2020, many families opted to do their celebrations at home because of the pandemic. Instead of the typical door-to-door treat hunt in costumes, families had more low-key Halloweens. Kids rocked their outfits in their house, attended virtual costume parties, and binged the Halloween movie classics. But thankfully, this year, we can return to a closer normal Halloween, aka trick-or-treating is back! Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, gave parents and their kids a bright ray of hope this year....

“As a result of this packaging error, where a patient does not take a tablet due to a missing tablet or that a patient takes a placebo instead of an active tablet, loss of efficacy is possible due to variation in the dosage consumed,” the FDA wrote in its statement. The agency added that there have not yet been any reported pregnancies or adverse reactions due to the mistake. The recall applies to the estrogen/progestin oral contraceptive that’s sold in a packet of 28 tablets, with 21 yellow pills followed by seven white placebo pills....

Shanti Hodges is the founder of Hike It Baby, an organization dedicated to getting families out in nature, and knows all about what can go wrong (and right) while hiking with small children. She’s also the author of Hike It Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures with Babies and Toddlers, which is why Fatherly asked Hodges for a few tips and some fun games to play with kids while on the trail....

Unlike the one and done Hatchimals of the past, this new one is the first one kids can re-hatch. How? You just put her back in the egg and she’ll greet the world with one of her 10 moods. When she’s ready to emerge, in about five minutes or less, the Hatchimal Wow will stretch out her neck and push the egg top off. Ah, the neck. Like E.T. (remember him), this toy has a neck that extends and then shrinks again....

The big news in the newest trailer is that we get a lot more about what the movie will seemingly, actually be about: A full-on team-up between two Thors, Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, and of course, Chris Hemsworth’s incumbent God of Thunder. Early on in the trailer, it seems like Thor is going to get back his old hammer (previously smashed by Cate Blanchett), but it’s snatched away by Jane at the last second....

Don’t worry—you don’t need any fancy kitchen equipment or your grandma’s recipe box to pull this off. Here are three homemade hot chocolate recipes that are simple (enough) and beyond delicious, whether you’re lactose intolerant, a firm traditionalist, or one of those people who likes flavored hot cocoa. Prepare to be the post-playtime hero all winter if you make any of these sweet treats for your family after an afternoon spent in the snow....