Best Of The Web: July 6-July 12

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

After years of anguish, the Casey Anthony verdict is finally decided. Whether you agree with the decision or not, here’s what you can do to help children in need. (NY Times)

Toddler not talking? No need to fret. A recent study from Australia
finds that late-talking tots are as behaviorally and emotionally healthy as
those who are communicative earlier. (MSNBC)

A study sponsored by the U.K.
government aims to achieve fetal programming—in which medication is used to
alter the in-utero environment of pregnant women to enhance the baby’s health.
The effects of this programming, such as those on metabolism, supposedly last
until later life. (Wall Street Journal)

Working mom Ann Curry shares some advice on how she balances
work at NBC’s Today and family life:
accept imperfection and divide and conquer! (USA
Today)

LZ Granderson sounds off on permissive parenting and
encourages moms and dads to realize the power of “the look” in nonverbal
discipline. (CNN)

The Archives of General Psychiatry published a study that
downplays the role of genetics in autism. While the report is being criticized
by many experts, it highlights the need for further investigation into the role
of environmental factors. (LA Times)

A follow-up on the recent Atlantic piece on over-parenting. The Post chats with Lori Gottlieb
about over-protecting and micro-managing. (Washington Post)

New statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau imply that
marriage is becoming obsolete for most Americans. For the first time ever, less
than half of all US
households contain married couples. (Huffington
Post)

The family tree has become more complex as adoption, use of
surrogates, divorce and same-sex households are all on the rise. Some families
grapple with tough questions, as their tree begins to “look more like a tangled
forest.” (NY Times)

The number of sites serving free school food this summer has
been reduced by nearly a quarter. The decrease is part of the city Education
Department’s $10.8 million food budget cutback. (Daily News)