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The ultimate gift guide for teens

Teens can be tough to shop for … socks aren’t going to cut it anymore and they don’t have a bunch of necessity items like babies. These gift ideas will inspire the teens in your life, foster their creativity, and let them have fun while they’re still kids. You can’t go wrong with this foolproof guide for teen gifts.

Big Life Journal

Each page of this journal for teens is illustrated in color with activities and prompts — no blank-lined paper here. This journal teaches strategies for growth, positivity, resilience, and gratitude and leads teens to figure out their goals, interest, and power of their own minds. The 160-page hardcover will make a meaningful time capsule once they’ve completed it.

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MYNT3D Professional Printing 3D Pen

Art for this generation has gone 3D and teens don’t have to draw on paper anymore … they can draw in the air. This 13-ounce stylus is held like a pen and lets out a string of plastic instead of a line of ink, allowing the wielder to create anything they imagine. Teens will love learning a new skill and creating endless options.

Wekapo Inflatable Lounger Air Sofa Hammock

This lounger is like a portable bean bag chair than can be broken down into a small 2-pound package when not in use. It’s filled with air but there’s no pump required — just run it through the air while open and it will fill up and stay inflated! Teens can lounge with comfy neck support in their room, gaming area, outdoors, or anywhere else with this unique and comfortable gift.

T-Core Portable Charger 10000mAh Power Bank

Teens use so many gadgets from phones to consoles to laptops to tablets and they all need to stay charged all day. Parents never want to hear that “my phone died” excuse for not getting a safety update, so make sure the teen in your life is prepared no matter how long they’re away from a charger and outlet with this portable charger that works with iPhones and others. It can support two USB charges at once and can charge a phone to 100% in 60 minutes. Unlike other portable chargers, this one is small and lightweight.

Exploding Kittens Card Game

This game takes just two minutes to learn, taking out a top barrier to getting started with a new game. Teens can play with their friends or family for addictive fun as you turn over each card in anticipation to find out if you found an exploding kitten. Each game takes just 15 minutes so you can play one round or all night. Laughs guaranteed!

JBL GO2 Waterproof Ultra Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Listen to music with friends or at home with this bluetooth speaker that comes in a variety of colors for any style. It’s small and waterproof, making it great for travel. The rechargeable battery can play tunes for five hours straight.

97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School

High school is about more than homework, but teens don’t always have the focus or guidance to figure out what their short-term and long-term goals are. This thoughtful gift will get them thinking about what they want to accomplish with these special years.

Adjustable Cell Phone Stand

Know a TikToker? Or a student who looks at their phone while at their desk in their room? This smartphone stand will make an excellent gift for any teen with a phone who records videos but doesn’t need a full-on tripod set-up. It rotates 260 degrees and can hold any style of phone with any kind of case.

Topics
Is the tooth fairy real? What to tell your kids about this magical tradition
Is it time to tell your child the truth about the tooth fairy?
Young girl smiling and showing her teeth

For many parents, one of the hardest parts of their children growing older is that they stop believing in those magical tales they've been told. They start to question if Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are real, leaving parents to think quickly on their feet! If your child has asked, "Is the tooth fairy real?" -- we have the backstory to give them. Whether you want to keep the fairy tale alive or give them the hard truth, we have your options covered.
If parents want to tell the truth

If your parenting style is to straight up tell the truth when a child asks you about something in the make-believe world, then drop this knowledge on your kiddo.
Short historical background
Around the 10th to possibly 12th century, the Norse people recorded the "tand-fe" tradition of adults paying children for their first lost tooth. For them, baby teeth held special powers that would protect them, especially if they wore a necklace of baby teeth on the battlefield.
When the tooth fairy was invented
The more traditional form of the tooth fairy we know today comes from a French fairy tale involving mice, called La Bonne Petite Souris (The Little Mouse). The story takes place in the 1800s and involves a mouse taking a child's tooth in exchange for a coin.
The first time the tooth fairy was mentioned in the U.S.
Here in the U.S., parents should thank Lillian Brown for being able to use the tooth fairy to get their kids to brush their teeth. Brown's article, published in the Chicago Tribune in 1908, first introduced the idea of a fairy that would gift your child 5 cents for each pulled baby tooth.
If parents want to keep the magic going

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What does implantation bleeding feel like? Here’s what you need to know
Implantation bleeding vs. period bleeding: Find out the difference
A menstrual pad being held on a pink background

When you're trying to get pregnant, it can be hard not to get excited about every twinge or cramp you start to experience. If you experience bleeding, you may get disappointed or even start to panic, but some bleeding is a typical response to implantation. If you have questions about the difference between implantation bleeding vs. period bleeding or other questions about implantation, we may be able to help, so that you can understand what this relatively uncommon phenomenon is like. Let's dive into what to know about heavy implantation bleeding.
What is implantation bleeding like?

Implantation bleeding is very light bleeding, similar to a period (in the sense that it comes out of the vaginal canal from the uterus) that happens earlier than a period would come and lasts less than two days. It can be light pink or rust-brown, but it's not usually the bright or dark red that period blood can be. Implantation doesn't have any clots and can be like spotting, a light flow, or just one or two smears of blood.
Implantation bleeding is just one possible symptom of implantation, so cramping, backaches, nausea, mood swings, sore breasts, bloating, fatigue, or headaches can accompany it.

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Video game addiction in teens: 6 signs to watch for
Signs your teen's video game playing is becoming a problem
Teens having fun playing video games

Parents have never been more concerned with screen time, and video games are a large part of that. If you have a teen who is constantly online, you may be worried about video game addiction. Gaming addiction is a difficult issue to address, and even more difficult to diagnose. Video games give kids an outlet to play with friends and make new ones, but it can become worrying when they don't seem to know when to put the controller down. Defining when loving video games crosses into a disorder is tricky, but there are criteria and gaming addiction symptoms to look for.

Screen time increased by nearly 500% during the pandemic, which means you may be naturally concerned about your own teenager's screen time. How much is too much and what are the concerning behaviors to watch out for besides the number of hours? We've looked at the diagnostic criteria and scientific studies so you can figure out what to worry about, what not to worry about, and what you can do if you think your teen has an addiction.
What is gaming addiction?

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