For those moms who are pregnant and are chomping at the bit to know whether you’re having a boy or a girl, here’s a fun ancient Chinese Birth Calendar that determines the sex of the baby based on maternal age and the month of conception.

Supposedly, this chart can be used to predict the sex of your unborn child. It has been said to be 99% accurate. As the story goes, the chart was buried in a tomb near Beijing for 700 years and now can be viewed at the Institute of Science in Beijing. There’s a whole lot of Indiana Jones mojo in that story, regardless it is a fun predictor - just don’t expect to rush out and paint the nursery pink or blue based on the results!

(Via WebWomb.Com)

   

Munchin is one of those brands where you may not realize it but you probably have a few Munchkin items in your cupboard and you don’t even know it. They make everything you can think of from bath toys and training toilet seats to sippy cups and travel accessories.

But it seems this particular product, Munchkin Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmer with Pacifier Cleaning Basket 2-in-1 Design, has been found to be prone to overheating, several of which ignited, causing damage to countertops. No injuries have been recorded but please be sure to flip over the warmer and check the lot number.

The lot number is an alpha-numeric code on the bottom of the unti (i.e. TP-1487) Only warmers bearing lot number “TP-1487” are included in this recall.

For additional information, contact customer service toll-free at (866) 619-8673 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at Munchkin.Com

Sited Links:
CPSC Munchkin Product Recall Press Release
Munchkin Deluxe Bottle & Food Warmer with Pacifier Cleaning Basket [Product Page]

   

DIRECT DEPOSIT
Based on the last two digit of your Social Security Number, Payments will be transmitted no later than:
00 through 20 - May 2nd, 2008
21 through 75 - May 9th, 2008
76 through 99 - May 16th, 2008

Paper checks will also go out based on Social Security number. For Social Security numbers ending in 00 through 09, the paper checks will be mailed starting May 9 and will continue through May 16. A similar process will be repeated in the following weeks.

PAPER CHECK
Based on the last two digit of your Social Security Number,  Payments will be mailed no later than:
00 through 09 - May 16th, 2008
10 through 18 - May 23rd, 2008
19 through 25 - May 30th, 2008
26 through 38 - June 6th, 2008
39 through 51 - June 13th, 2008
52 through 63 - June 20th, 2008
64 through 75 - June 27th, 2008
76 through 87 - July 4th, 2008
88 through 99 - July 11th, 2008

Please follow the link below for more information regarding the conditions and terms of the Federally approved Stimulus Package. Call their toll free number (1-800-829-1040) for questions not answered on their website.

Sited Links;
IRS | Stimulus Payment Schedule for Tax Returns Processed by 04/15

   

When you book a flight to New York City and you are planning to have the kids in tow, consider how you are going to get the family and the whole “kit” (all that luggage and so forth) from the airport to your final destination whether it is family in Brooklyn or a hotel in Mid-town. Locals know to call ahead for a car service so they’ll be there waiting for you.

Sure you can hail a cab but the car services are a better solution when traveling with the kids. A lot of the area car services have a number of different kinds of vehicles in their fleet, so if you are used to a mini-van or require a passenger van, you can request one up front.

Yes, you may spend an extra buck or two, but my feeling is it will be well worth it. The key thing when traveling with the kids is to call ahead for the reservation so there is a smooth transition from leaving the plane, to gathering your luggage right to the car - at least that’s the goal. There are many car services to choose from whether you need one from Newark, JFK or LGA car service; dare I say hundreds to choose from. One company that springs to mind is Dial 7 they have a decent website with pictures of their fleet, rates and reservation page.

   

When talking about parenting I think it is important to point out that the idea of the conventional nuclear family is pretty blurry in this day and age, so for the sake of argument I would like to expand it’s classic definition of father to include either biological father, step-father, uncle, grandfather or any close and/or active male family member that provides constant and compassionate care to the child. This child is less likely to have behavioral or psychological problems and is more likely to thrive academically according to a review that looked at 24 papers published between 1987 and 2007, covering 22,300 individual sets of data from 16 studies.

…we found various studies that showed that children who had positively involved father figures were less likely to smoke and get into trouble with the police, achieved better levels of education and developed good friendships with children of both sexes.” ~ Dr Anna Sarkadi, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at Uppsala University, Sweden

The overriding message being sent by these studies is that positive fathering has a profound impact on society as a whole. Things like state sponsored paternal leaves and other influential legislation will only help promote active fathering in society which in turn has the potential of helping us all in producing more well-adjusted children and reducing major problems like crime and antisocial behavior. Not to say this is a golden bullet by any means, but with our national prisons bursting at the seams it may be prudent for us to consider all options. Interestingly enough, there are also studies that have concluded active fathering is a big influence on a child’s risk of becoming obese and less likely to smoke.

Another interesting point is that the studies determined it is not possible to tell whether this positive outcome is because the father figure is more involved or whether the mother is able to be a better parent if she has more support at home. The flip-side to this study is there is no conclusive framework or road map to follow or what type of engagement the father figure needs to provide to produce positive effects.

Sited Links:
Science Daily | Children Who Have An Active Father…
Science Daily | Fathers Have Great Impact On Their Children’s Lives…

   

I have had the special pleasure of talking briefly with Dr. Glade Curtis of the famed series, Your Pregnancy Week By Week. This being the penultimate primer for both first time Moms and Dads. Dr. Curtis and co-author Judith Schuler provide detailed information about the current development of your baby and describes in detail all the changes happening in mother right up until birth as well as important health issues (for both mother and baby) to be aware of during the course of the pregnancy.

meta-DAD: First I would love to find out how long this week-by-week book series has been going on? And what led you to create the first one?

Dr. Curtis: Your Pregnancy Week By Week was first published in 1989. Looking at pregnancy a week at a time makes sense to me, and it is the way I was taught as a medical resident and resident. As a practicing OB/GYN I found that my patients wanted to follow their progress through pregnancy this way as well. I came across a book with photographs of fetuses and developing babies beginning very early in pregnancy. I thought patients could benefit from understanding the changes taking place in their growing baby. The first edition came out my desire to share this information with pregnant couples.

mD: With technology and medical practices changing as quickly as they do, does it affect how you approach each new edition?

Dr. Curtis: People looking for medical information want it to be current and up to date. This has been important to me and is the reason that this is the “Sixth Edition” of Your Pregnancy Week By Week I am constantly looking at many resources for new developments and advancements in technology and information. I believe it is important to look carefully at advances making sure they are proven, safe and effective. This is an important responsibility that I take very seriously.

mD: Can you give me an example of one of these changes or advancements in the recent past?

Dr. Curtis: Until recently, the standard of care dictated that women age 35 or older at the time of delivery were offered ultrasound guided amniocentesis. This age was picked years ago because the risk of delivering a baby with Down syndrome at this age (1 in 350) was about the same as the risk of miscarrying as a complication of the (more…)

   

These cheap little lapel pins must have a lot of lead in them, that’s all I can say. “Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects,” is what it says in the recall press release. Well, sure I could have figured that out, but what are we talking about, a chunk of pure lead or just lead-coated? Are we talking about 600ppm (600 parts per million = 0.06% = 600 micrograms/gram = 600 milligrams/kilogram) or much higher?

The recalled lapel pins have images depicting 12 video game characters. The lapel pins vary in size, ranging from 1- to 2- inches in height. The characters Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Mario, Mario Kart, Pikachu, Princess Peach, Samus, Starfox, Waluigi and Wario were sold individually. Mario, Princess Peach and Samus were also sold as a set.

The top-line symptoms of lead poisoning are;

The symptoms of chronic lead poisoning include neurological problems, such as reduced cognitive abilities, or nausea, abdominal pain, irritability, insomnia, metal taste in oral cavity, excess lethargy or hyperactivity, headache and, in extreme cases, seizure and coma. There are also associated gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, poor appetite, weight loss, which are common in acute poisoning. Other associated effects are anemia, kidney problems, and reproductive problems.” ~ Wikipedia | Lead Poisoning

This is by no means a small recall with over 71,000 units in question. The pieces sold between $1.50 and $4 a piece. File this under, cheap toys made dangerously cheap.

Sited Links:
CPSC | Ninetendo Recalls Lapel Pins Due to Lead Risk
Wikipedia | Lead Poisoning

   

I try not to blog about blogging too much. It’s not really what I’m about nor this blog. I learn about the finer points of the technology on a need-to-know basis. But I am interested in maintaining (and renewing) to anybody who comes across this blog a sense of disclosure about any affiliations or advertising that goes into this site.

Recently, I have been included in a Beta-testing group of SocialSpark (SS) which is the new child of IZEA who seem to be in the process of letting go of PayPerPost (PPP), which is their first child. SocialSpark is a different format then PPP system. Sure you can get paid for posting articles about different products or services, but SocialSpark seems to be working more on building a social networking format that promotes healthy blogger networking and an intriguing cross-pollination between advertisers and bloggers. There are many “carrots” to be won on both sides of the fence.

Carrots meaning, props, positive or constructive comments and of course the ability to build endless “friends” (both sincere and bogus - think MySpace or MyBlogLog). Like eBay and Amazon, it promotes a positive feedback system from the rest of the SocialSpark community to maintain a sense of equilibrium and integrity amongst its members. Sure there will some “bad seeds” but they will probably rise to the top of the pile and get plucked (banned/benched), but I imagine the system will work. It’s clear this is their focus, based on their Code of Ethics;

• 100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure
• 100% Transparency
• 100% Real Opinions
• 100% Search Engine Friendly

And like all massive social networking sites everybody is in it for different reasons. There are those who sincerely want to meet like-minded people and there are those who merely want to make a quick buck. Where do I fit in, well I am alway wondering myself. Probably somewhere in the middle.

I do in fact want to make money on this site, but I don’t ever want it to get in the way of my mission with this blog. Although I have never formally written a mission for Meta-DAD, it would probably go something like this - “I want this blog to track my web travels to help me be a better father, a better husband and basically a better human being.”

If I can do that and earn a few pennies at the end of the day, I will put them in a piggy bank to help my boys when it’s time for them to go to college. Case in point, this post is earning me five and half bucks, just enough for my son to buy himself a Coke when he’s in college (which will be around 2021). And, if I’m still around to see him drink it, I will consider myself blessed. And if I make a few friends along the way, two thumbs up.

   

We all know that parents who give their kids fast food are going to hell in a hand-basket, right? Sometimes you just don’t feel like making them lunch - again. Maybe, you’re craving one of those $6 burgers, yourself. There are many reasons we use to convince ourselves that it’s okay to splurge every once and awhile and get your kids one of those little kid’s meals.

Fast food restaurants do a good job straddling the line when it comes to proper disclosure of nutritional information for their menu items, some don’t disclose the amount of trans-fats in their menu items, others don’t break-out the nutritional value of their beverages or condiments. Yes, condiments - check out the nutritional value of the condiments at Carl’s Jr. - mind-boggling numbers [House Dressing 320 calories, 34g fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 25g cholesterol, 480g sodium, 2g sugar].

Here’s a snapshot of what your kid is consuming when he or she gets a kid’s meal compared to the recommended daily allowance as dictated by the USDA. I will base this on a four year old boy (will call him “Timmy”), weighing thirty nine pounds and is forty two inches high and is expected to have an average of sixty minutes of exercise activity a day (follow the link below for a daily nutrition calculator based on age). Based on this profile, this kid should eat 1,400 calories a day - basically a bit more than half of what I eat (average adult male; between 2400-2700 calories/day). That means Timmy should have the following per day;

• 1,150mg sodium (about half a teaspoon)
• 150mg cholesterol (Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.)
• Kids this age should be eating 1.5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. This will account for proper amounts of natural fiber, carbohydrates and sugar (as well as important vitamins and minerals)

I could go on here with a daily nutritional breakdown but, this sets the stage for the whole kid’s meal breakdown. Here are the nutritional numbers for some of the more popular kid’s meals out there (numbers based on information attained from company websites);

• McDonald’s Happy Meal [Chicken McNuggets (4pc). Small French Fries, 1% Low Fat Chocolate Milk Jug (8 fl oz)] - 520 calories, 25g fat, 6g saturated fat, 4.5g trans-fat, 35g cholesterol, 720g sodium, 12g sugar
• McDonald’s Happy Meal [Cheeseburger, Small French Fries, 1% Low Fat White Milk Jug (8 fl oz)] - 710 calories, 28g fat, 10g saturated fat, 4g trans-fat, 50g cholesterol, 1050g sodium, 26g sugar
• Carl’s Jr. [3-piece Chicken Breast Strip, Kid's French Fries, (** does not list info for any beverages, approximation based on found standards)] - 780 calories, 37g fat, 6g saturated fat, 50g cholesterol, (no listing of trans-fat), 1360g sodium, 31g sugar
• Carl’s Jr. [Kid's Hamburger, Kid's French Fries, Small Coke (** does not list info for any beverages, approximation based on found standards)] - 820 calories, 29g. fat, 8.5 saurated fat, 60g. cholesterol, (no listing for trans-fat), 1210g. sodium, 43g sugar
• Burger King [Chicken Tenders (4pc), Small Fry, Small Coke) - 530 calories, 24g fat, 6g saturated fat, 4.5g trans-fat, 820g. sodium, 31g sugar
• El Pollo Loco [Popcorn Chicken, Small Fries, Small Coke (** does not list info for any beverages, approximation based on found standards)] - 551 calories, 23g fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans-fat, 1039g. sodium, 30g sugar

Lots of fat, lots of sodium and lots of sugar. I think in this post Fast-Food Nation age of enlightenment, this information comes as no surprise. But as a parent when you let these numbers soak in a bit, it’s kind of staggering. Much like their grown up counter-parts, these kid’s meals give our precious ones a full day’s supply of fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium all in one sitting. And if your a family on the go or the kind of family that does drive-through on a regular basis, you can start to see the impact these meals are making on your kids.

Play around with some of the nutritional calculators and see what it will take to reverse the calorie count on some of these kids meals. I found that with the calculator listed (below), Timmy would have to exercise a full two hours a day to reverse a mere 400 calories, but it doesn’t reverse the long-term impact of taking in all those trans-fats, sodium and so forth.

Something to think about the next time you’re waiting in line at the drive-thru.

Sited Links;
McDonalds | Nutritional Info for Happy Meals
Carl’s Jr. | Nutrition
Burger King | Nutritional Brochure
El Pollo Loco | Nutritional Guide

Related Links;
USDA | Dietary Guidelines For Americans
Baylor College of Medicine | Healthy Eating Calculator

   

My sister Cheryl is the best family baker, hands down. To this day I talk very excitedly about some of her specialties, her Whoopie Pies top the list. Like all old school deserts there is absolutely no redeeming nutritional value to them. They are made with buttermilk, chocolate, and lots of butter and sugar. Needless to say, they’re not low-calorie, high fiber or all-natural so if you’re looking for that perfect desert crammed with minced beets, flax seed or spinach - move on…

Unfortunately, I am not obliged to hand out family recipes (that would be blasphemy) but Jennifer Tolley at JustBaking.Com has served up a damn good recipe for these little handful of heaven. If you aren’t impressed or you happen to stumble upon another recipe, let me explain something - if it has a whip cream filling it is not a Whoopie Pie!

So to all the dads out there interested in building a little family tradition with the kids, grab a recipe you think you can handle and master it with the kids. Your building lasting memories for them and training an army to make your favorite desert - you win, they win.

(Photo Via JustBaking.Net)