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Cypress mom allegedly left 2-year-old unattended to go to a bar, court documents reveal
Read full article: Cypress mom allegedly left 2-year-old unattended to go to a bar, court documents revealAshley Ann Dixon, of Cypress, has been charged with abandoning her child after allegedly leaving her 2-year-old home alone for over two hours to visit a wine bar.
Learn how to ‘power’ through stress and find a work-life balance
Read full article: Learn how to ‘power’ through stress and find a work-life balanceDr. Shana D. Lewis, a licensed professional counselor and wellness coach, wants busy parents to know it’s ok to take a break and focus on yourself for a change. She recently shared some tips to help anyone power through stress on “Houston Life.”
Cy-Fair ISD Parent invites KPRC 2 on ride along to show how challenging her daughter’s walk to school is
Read full article: Cy-Fair ISD Parent invites KPRC 2 on ride along to show how challenging her daughter’s walk to school isSchool bus cuts at Cy-Fair ISD are turning the morning and afternoon rush into a major headache for parents. From the mad dash to drop-off, to the scramble at pick-up, you have been sharing your frustrations with KPRC 2.
Houston ISD parents concerned as A/C problems persist during week of intense heat
Read full article: Houston ISD parents concerned as A/C problems persist during week of intense heatParents, does your child’s school currently have functioning A/C? If not, please share the name of the school and the current classroom temperatures you're aware of.
How can parents make their voices heard in Austin when it comes to school funding issues?
Read full article: How can parents make their voices heard in Austin when it comes to school funding issues?If you want to ensure your voice is heard in Austin, here’s a simple guide to contacting your legislators.
More mental health services needed for Texas children, what experts are seeing more of
Read full article: More mental health services needed for Texas children, what experts are seeing more ofAs we go back to school a lot of focus turns to children’s wellbeing and mental health. According to the CDC, anxiety and depression affect almost 10% of kids 3 to 17 years old.
Affordable healthcare options for Houston children heading back to school
Read full article: Affordable healthcare options for Houston children heading back to schoolA big concern for many families in the Houston area is how to find affordable healthcare. Back-to-school time is often a busy time for parents looking for affordable care. KPRC 2′s Bill Spencer is looking for ways to help families save money on everything from dental visits to regular check-ups.
3 simple (new) ways Houston parents can save big on back-to-school shopping 🎒📚
Read full article: 3 simple (new) ways Houston parents can save big on back-to-school shopping 🎒📚Experts say this year, just like everything else, it’s going to cost you more money to buy all that back-to-school gear. KPRC 2′s Bill Spencer is looking for brand new ways you can save money.
Houston surrogacy escrow company misappropriated millions to fund owner Dominique Side’s rap career, new records allege
Read full article: Houston surrogacy escrow company misappropriated millions to fund owner Dominique Side’s rap career, new records allegeSurrogacy Escrow Account Management LLC or SEAM, and owner Dominique Side, has gone dark since mid-June when the company appears to have abruptly shut down and told clients legal actions forced operations to be placed on hold.
‘Incredibly evil’: Lawsuit alleges Houston company stole money from intended parents meant for surrogates
Read full article: ‘Incredibly evil’: Lawsuit alleges Houston company stole money from intended parents meant for surrogatesA surrogacy scheme is affecting people desperate to be parents across the United States and it’s all tied to Houston-based Surrogacy Escrow Account Management, LLC, or SEAM, which a Harris County lawsuit accuses of stealing more than $10 million.
‘I have not seen much success’: Fleming Middle School grapples with low parental engagement, community involvement
Read full article: ‘I have not seen much success’: Fleming Middle School grapples with low parental engagement, community involvement📣 Fleming Middle School needs your involvement! Strong community support leads to student success, according to research. Drop a comment and let us know how you've been involved in your children's schools this year.🏫🎉 #FlemingMiddleSchool #CommunityEngagement #StudentSuccess #EducationMatters
YMCA of Houston takes action to combat childcare deserts
Read full article: YMCA of Houston takes action to combat childcare desertsStruggling to find affordable childcare in Houston? The YMCA is here to help! They're taking action to combat childcare deserts in the area, offering programs for kids of all ages. From early childcare centers to summer camps, they've got you covered. Learn more and get involved: #ChildcareDeserts #CommunitySupport #YMCAHouston
What is causing the childcare desert crisis in Houston? Here’s what we know
Read full article: What is causing the childcare desert crisis in Houston? Here’s what we know📢 Check out this eye-opening article on the childcare desert crisis in Houston. 🏢👶 It sheds light on the limited availability of quality childcare services in many areas, leaving parents with few options. 😢 Let's work together to address this pressing issue and ensure every child gets the care they deserve! 💪💙 [link] #ChildcareDeserts #Houston #Parenting #CommunityAction
For the kids: Make your own ‘fake snow’ or ‘sugar cube castle’ at home this winter
Read full article: For the kids: Make your own ‘fake snow’ or ‘sugar cube castle’ at home this winterLooking for activities to keep the kids busy indoors? Get them started on a fun DIY project for wintertime. It’s perfect for those chilly days when you can’t go outside and play.
What is a ‘frontover’ crash? Here are some tips for parents to prevent accidentally hitting small, unnoticeable children
Read full article: What is a ‘frontover’ crash? Here are some tips for parents to prevent accidentally hitting small, unnoticeable childrenFrontover deaths of children have grown significantly over the past decade as vehicle designs have changed and large trucks and SUVs have grown in popularity, according to one organization.
What you should or shouldn’t do if your child swallowed something hazardous
Read full article: What you should or shouldn’t do if your child swallowed something hazardousThere’s no such thing as perfect parenting but there are safety measures parents can take after their little ones ingest a hazardous object.
Kids and social media: What parents should consider before saying no to screen time
Read full article: Kids and social media: What parents should consider before saying no to screen timeAre you tired of your kids spending too much time on social media? A Houston area psychiatrist is handing out some healthy tips and explaining how the use of social media could be beneficial to some kids.
Kindergarten teachers accused of drugging at least 8 children in Taiwan, investigation launched
Read full article: Kindergarten teachers accused of drugging at least 8 children in Taiwan, investigation launchedKindergarten teachers in Taiwan have been accused of drugging their students, raising alarm among parents on the island.
More parents turn to homeschooling amid school safety concerns
Read full article: More parents turn to homeschooling amid school safety concernsWhen tragedies such as school shootings happen, many parents begin to evaluate their own children’s safety at school, and some parents are now considering home-schooling.
TEA Takeover: Tensions rise at first community meeting as congresswoman addresses crowd, questions go unanswered
Read full article: TEA Takeover: Tensions rise at first community meeting as congresswoman addresses crowd, questions go unansweredThe Texas Education Agency is hosting its first of four community meetings Tuesday night, nearly a week after the state announced it would move forward with a takeover of its largest school district.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Sneaky devices your kids could be using to hide drugs
Read full article: KPRC 2 Investigates: Sneaky devices your kids could be using to hide drugsYou already know what illegal drugs like cocaine, opioids and marijuana look like, but have you seen the sneaky, new devices kids are using to hide drugs from their parents?
Mother of middle school student who committed suicide says Barbers Hill ISD wouldn’t address bullying during board meeting
Read full article: Mother of middle school student who committed suicide says Barbers Hill ISD wouldn’t address bullying during board meetingDisappointment, frustration, and desperation are all emotions some parents who attended a Barbers Hill ISD school board meeting expressed Monday night after being told they couldn’t speak about bullying.
Indoor playground in The Woodlands shuts down to make repairs after parents complain about safety concerns
Read full article: Indoor playground in The Woodlands shuts down to make repairs after parents complain about safety concernsIndoor playgrounds are popular for children, and of course, parents. They are convenient places for kids to have fun, burn some energy, and spend some time with other children.
Mental, physical health support top list of needs for HISD students and parents
Read full article: Mental, physical health support top list of needs for HISD students and parentsMental and physical health support tops the list of Houston Independent School District student and parent needs, according to a new survey from Rice University Kinder Institute’s Houston Education Research Consortium.
Parents, students upset after Pearland High School limits capacity for homecoming dance
Read full article: Parents, students upset after Pearland High School limits capacity for homecoming danceParents are expressing their frustration with Pearland High School for limiting the capacity of this year’s homecoming dance, which they said leaves a large part of the student population feeling excluded.
This is how much parents are expected to spend to raise a child, according to this report
Read full article: This is how much parents are expected to spend to raise a child, according to this reportA report states that the price of raising children has increased significantly, and it is affecting parents’ decisions.
Head of embattled Texas child abuse investigations resigns after less than a year
Read full article: Head of embattled Texas child abuse investigations resigns after less than a yearDuring Robert “Rich” Richman’s short tenure, he oversaw the investigation of parents who provide gender-affirming care to their transgender children and the mishandling of allegations of sex abuse at a foster care facility.
Humble ISD parents voice concerns about student’s access to certain books in campus libraries
Read full article: Humble ISD parents voice concerns about student’s access to certain books in campus librariesHumble ISD parents voiced concern about access to certain books in the district’s libraries and took their concerns to public comment in Tuesday’s board meeting.
Harris County PCT. 4 partners with 6 Houston area school districts to ensure school safety
Read full article: Harris County PCT. 4 partners with 6 Houston area school districts to ensure school safetyHarris County Precinct Four Constable’s Office in north Harris County is teaming up with six local districts to make sure students are safe this school year.
LIST: Here are the vaccinations required for Texas students for the 2022-‘23 school year
Read full article: LIST: Here are the vaccinations required for Texas students for the 2022-‘23 school yearParents, as you gear up to send your children back to school, it’s important to make sure they’re up to date with the current list of vaccinations mandated by the state of Texas.
School districts no longer offer free meals to all students due to federal waiver expiration
Read full article: School districts no longer offer free meals to all students due to federal waiver expirationStudents getting ready to head back to school for the 2022-2023 school year will have to fill out an application – as families did before the pandemic – to qualify for free, reduced, or paid meals.
Lawsuit: Texas investigating parents of transgender youth
Read full article: Lawsuit: Texas investigating parents of transgender youthThe parents of a transgender teenager in Texas say in a lawsuit that the state is investigating them after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered officials to look into reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse.
Houston-based Mushie & Co. recalls over 300K pacifiers due to choking hazard, report says
Read full article: Houston-based Mushie & Co. recalls over 300K pacifiers due to choking hazard, report saysA Houston-based company has recalled two types of pacifiers after they presented a choking hazard to babies.
‘How was your day?’: Here is how to get your kids to become more ‘open’ with you
Read full article: ‘How was your day?’: Here is how to get your kids to become more ‘open’ with youAttention, parents: You know what it’s like to ask your child, “How was your day?” For some, the response sometimes can be, “Fine.” Of course, many of you ask, “What did you do?” Their reply may be, “Nothing.”
Toy safety: This is what parents need to look out for when shopping for Christmas gifts this year
Read full article: Toy safety: This is what parents need to look out for when shopping for Christmas gifts this yearHouston parents are starting to feel the struggle when it comes to buying their kids’ favorite toys this holiday season, and one report says many counterfeit or recalled toys have already made it to their shopping carts.
Banned books back on shelves in Katy ISD after parents claimed author was teaching ‘critical race theory’
Read full article: Banned books back on shelves in Katy ISD after parents claimed author was teaching ‘critical race theory’Katy Independent School District said they reinstated an award-winning children’s author books more than a week after parents claimed the subject matter promoted “critical race theory.”
Katy ISD pulls books, cancels author’s visit after parents petition claiming subject matter teaches ‘critical race theory’
Read full article: Katy ISD pulls books, cancels author’s visit after parents petition claiming subject matter teaches ‘critical race theory’Katy Independent School District said they have “temporarily” removed books by an award-winning children’s author from their library shelves after an outcry from parents claiming the subject matter promotes critical race theory.
‘This was terrifying’: Parents, students reunite after shooting at YES Prep
Read full article: ‘This was terrifying’: Parents, students reunite after shooting at YES PrepParents, siblings, and friends were emotional as they waited at a staging area at West Fuqua and Hiram Clarke to be reunited with students.
Homeowners say some potential homebuyers are duping sellers to get their kids into certain school districts
Read full article: Homeowners say some potential homebuyers are duping sellers to get their kids into certain school districts“We’ve seen a number of these happen here in Houston, especially in the areas that are thought of as a better school district,” said the vice-president of a consulting group in Houston.
‘We must do more’: Conroe ISD moves to ‘Alert Level 4′ with hundreds of new COVID-19 cases daily
Read full article: ‘We must do more’: Conroe ISD moves to ‘Alert Level 4′ with hundreds of new COVID-19 cases dailyWith COVID-19 spreading throughout Conroe ISD so quickly, the district moved to Alert Level 4, which is the second-highest level and one level away from considering shutting down campuses and even the entire district.
HISD to offer virtual learning option for students too young to get COVID vaccine who have a compromised immune system
Read full article: HISD to offer virtual learning option for students too young to get COVID vaccine who have a compromised immune systemHouston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas, announced Thursday that it will now offer a virtual learning option for students who are too young to be vaccinated or immunocompromised.
Volunteers needed to help provide Justice for Children
Read full article: Volunteers needed to help provide Justice for ChildrenLocal non-profit, Justice for Children (JFC), announces the release of a Child Abuse Safety Planning Video, a long-needed primer for protective parents and caregivers on reporting abuse and what to do in the aftermath.
‘It doesn’t make a difference’: Parents express their thoughts about mask mandates in schools this upcoming year
Read full article: ‘It doesn’t make a difference’: Parents express their thoughts about mask mandates in schools this upcoming yearSchool starts in a few days and COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise. KPRC 2 spoke to parents about students about the possibility of having to wear masks at school.
‘We are concerned’: FBISD parents worried about school reopening amid COVID-19 spike
Read full article: ‘We are concerned’: FBISD parents worried about school reopening amid COVID-19 spikeThe first Houston area school districts to welcome students back this fall will not offer virtual learning, blaming the legislature for not providing funding during the special session.
How Houston-area parents can receive free help to enroll children into area schools
Read full article: How Houston-area parents can receive free help to enroll children into area schoolsHouston-area parents are looking forward to send their children back to school in-person, and help is coming for those who need a boost.
Local nonprofit holds ‘Holly Jolly Toy Store’ to empower struggling parents
Read full article: Local nonprofit holds ‘Holly Jolly Toy Store’ to empower struggling parentsHOUSTON – A local nonprofit hoped to empower local parents who may be struggling this holiday season. The Forge for Families hosted the Holly Jolly Toy Store to offer a chance for parents to shop for new discounted gifts for their families with the focus of giving parents dignity, honor and respect. Their gym was filled with hundreds of new toys and gift cards from churches and people all over the country. “[The gifts] have all been significantly discounted so what might normally cost them $100 at the store would only cost them $25 tonight,” Thomas said. “I already know when my son sees PJ Masks, he’s going to be super excited,” Warren said with a smile.
5 of the most popular pet costumes for Halloween this year
Read full article: 5 of the most popular pet costumes for Halloween this yearHOUSTON – Halloween is not only a holiday for parents to dress up their kids, it’s also a chance for them to dress up their fur babies too! And we know that our pooches may not be thrilled with the idea of getting into costume, but who can resist a good CAT BAT, pup skeleton or Freddy Krueger? If you’re still deciding on what your pet should be for Halloween, just know that you’re among the estimated 29 million people planning to dress up their pets this year. That’s why we’ve put together 5 of the most popular costume choices according to Google searches. Star Wars Ewok1.
’Just evil’: Burning mattress leads authorities to captive child
Read full article: ’Just evil’: Burning mattress leads authorities to captive childPASCO COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida couple is facing child abuse charges after one of their children set a mattress on fire to escape the “deplorable” conditions of their bedroom. The sheriff’s office initially responded to the home Monday morning after reports of an arson in progress. When deputies arrived, they discovered one of the couple’s children had set fire to their mattress in order to escape their bedroom. “What these individuals did was just evil,” said Sheriff Nocco. “Pictures will never give justice to what this child went through, you don’t see the bugs and you’ll never feel the emotional neglect he felt,” said Sheriff Nocco.
Doctors using baby monitors in fight against COVID-19
Read full article: Doctors using baby monitors in fight against COVID-19HOUSTON – A tool for new parents is now being used by doctors in the fight against the coronavirus. Baby monitors can be a comfort or added stress to new parents. There’s a variety of baby monitors for parents to choose from, such as a monitor that goes on the baby, often the foot, and connect to the wireless cameras and monitors, which will alert the parents if a baby’s breathing is irregular. The hope is that such baby monitors will help parents monitor their children in their sleep and help eliminate Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It’s another tool that’s been tough to come by during the pandemic but they’re starting to come back.
Five health experts on the states coronavirus data backlog and what to expect as schools reopen
Read full article: Five health experts on the states coronavirus data backlog and what to expect as schools reopenThe agency has fast-tracked the onboarding of more than 300 labs to provide testing data as quickly as possible, Anton said. Question: Whats the effect of the backlog and the later data dump from a public health standpoint? However, there are relatively few positive TB tests, and there's no expectation that you report negative tests, only the positive ones. Second factor: the poor analysts at the state, they're getting data feeds from I think 600 different laboratories across the state. So I think we're going to see a surge, I think we'll see a surge of positive cases in the next 10 days to two weeks.
HISD will start school year Sept. 8 with all-virtual learning
Read full article: HISD will start school year Sept. 8 with all-virtual learningHOUSTON – The Houston Independent School District will start the 2020-2021 school year on Sept. 8 with all students learning in a virtual classroom. Parents will have the option to choose online-only classes through the end of January or through the end of the school year. Parents will receive a phone call from the district on Aug. 24 to choose whether they would like either on-campus or virtual learning for their students. Once in-person learning begins, all employees and students will be screened each day before entering any HISD building. When fans are allowed back, they will be encouraged to purchase tickets online and will undergo screenings at the venue.
What you need to know about HISD’s parent survey for the 2020-2021 school year
Read full article: What you need to know about HISD’s parent survey for the 2020-2021 school yearHOUSTON – HISD is asking for parent feedback as they prepare for the 2020-2021 school year. The survey was first announced last Thursday, which allows parents and teachers a chance to provide feedback on distance learning and possible reopening scenarios once school begins in August. Possible reopening scenarios include face-to-face classes with reduced seating, continuing with distance learning, or hybrid learning. The survey asks questions about each child’s learning experience with distance learning during the school closure in the spring. To learn more about the 2020-2021 school year plan, click here.
Children arent born racist. Heres how parents can stop them from becoming racist
Read full article: Children arent born racist. Heres how parents can stop them from becoming racistI asked Halim and Gaither how children form racist attitudes and what parents can do to keep them from becoming racist. And everyone belongs to some groups -- race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, occupation, college affiliation, religion, neighborhood, even your favorite sports team. What you can deconstruct are those automatic, implicit, instantaneous and often negative associations with racial groups that are different than our own. Gaither: Parents need to have friends of different races and ethnicities. Halim: I think it's also important to remember that other racial groups can have biases as well.
Big turn out for Houston Zoo on first day of reopening
Read full article: Big turn out for Houston Zoo on first day of reopeningHOUSTON – Parents have been struggling for months to keep their children entertained at home. So Wednesday’s reopening of the Houston Zoo provided a welcome distraction for many families. It was a big turnout on the zoo’s first day back open. KPRC 2 reporter Taisha Walker got an inside look at the zoo. Houston Zoo says it could have reopened weeks ago but chose to wait and make sure all the right safety precautions were in place.