Best Of The Web: April 4-10

Contributors: Meghan
Gearino and Elizabeth Raymond

Here’s a weekly roundup of parenting articles that piqued
our interest. Enjoy! —

Looking to avoid the post-Easter cavity fest? Here are 10 non-candy
ideas for your kiddos’ Easter baskets. (Lil
Sugar)

One hopefully high school-bound student is an encyclopedia
of sports knowledge, but he’s been benched
during the first round of school admissions. But family and friends are
confident that Omri Shefet will be picked up by the right school, reminding the
boy of experiences like Jeremy Lin and Victor Cruz. (New York Times)

Ever heard of “nature deficit
disorder”? A recent report says that children in the UK
are shown to experience suffering levels of health and education because less
time is being spent outdoors. (BBC)

Do the fate
of an autistic child and race intersect? Find out what the new study in
Pediatrics says about this social injustice problem. (The Huffington Post)

Forget Tiger Moms. Helicopter
Moms are now the new micromanaging-parenting queens, advising their
daughters on how to dress for dates and even writing their college essays! (ABC News)

Schools are now banning too-sexy prom dresses in hopes of
stalling the disturbing trend. Many of the banned gowns imitate red carpet
dresses. See for yourself and check
out the photos. (The Huffington
Post)

One of America’s
favorite fast food chains is getting healthier for you and your family! Check
out what new
items Burger King will begin offering on their menu. (The Washington Post)

Hilary Duff shares baby photos! Well, just the feet. Take a
peek at Luca’s
little toesies. (Babyrazzi)

Be careful about how you talk to your children about race. A
new Anderson Cooper investigation explores whether black
or white children are more optimistic about race issues than their peers—and
indicates that optimism or pessimism starts in the home. (CNN)

A clothes-less household: See one mommy blogger’s explanation
as to why she thinks nudity at home is no problem. (New York Times)

Just about the most casually chic maternity clothes we could
imagine. HATCH
has just launched their awesome spring collection. (A Cup of Jo)