Our Favorite Parenting Stories Of The Week

Did you talk green with your kids this Earth Day? Here’s a primer on instilling respect for the environment in your children. (SheKnows)

See how kids have raised their crayons in solidarity for Martin Richard, the 8-year-old victim of the Boston marathon bombings, and peace on earth. (Babble)

When it comes to vaccinations for kids, social networks seem to play a huge role in parents’ decisions (Healthland)

Smoke no more! Some new proposed legislation would raise the legal age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21 in NYC. Is this a good idea to discourage puffing or a restriction on our freedoms? (New York Times)

Looking for a fixer-upper? The Upper East Side has the highest number of run-down properties in the city. (NY Press)

Celebrity kids are growing up fast it seems: Check out how Ava Phillippe, Brooklyn Beckham, and Maddox Jolie-Pitt are entering tweendom. (People)

How to address a bully…when the bully is your child. (Parent Society)

Parents need to pencil “me time” into their busy calendars. Here are 5 simple (and achievable) tips to help prioritize yourself. (Huffington Post)

Raising babies diaper-free is all the rage. Would you ever try to practice elimination communication like these New York parents? (New York Times)

One mother examines the distinctions between breadwinner and child-care provider and the idiosyncrasies of her own “seesaw marriage.” (Motherlode)

And just for fun: The Stir has a new slideshow that illustrates 25 things every kid should try before the age of ten. Start checking these off your child’s bucket list! (CafeMom)