A new study conducted by the New England-based Concord Evaluation Group (CEG) has determined that children who watched episodes of the Curious George PBS KIDS television series or read books based on the Curious George PBS KIDS series were positively impacted in terms of their knowledge about the science and math concepts covered.

The study also found that Curious George TV tie-in books prompted children to use scientific habits of mind, such as making predictions, making observations, asking questions, and hypothesizing. It also indicated that parents who read or watched Curious George with their children reported feeling more confident about exploring science and math with their children and reported they were more motivated to do so.

"Science, math, and engineering sound scary, even to adults," said CEG Senior Researcher Christine Paulsen, PHD. "As preschoolers, it's a very different thing. They're learning how to explore, they're learning how to be curious. Across all platforms, Curious George is an educational winner for kids."

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A new study of 1,430 7^th-grade students released last month reveals that many 7^th-graders are dating and experiencing physical, psychological and electronic dating violence. More than one in three (37%) students surveyed report being a victim of psychological dating violence and nearly one in six (15%) report being a victim of physical dating violence.

The study also found that while some attitudes and behaviors associated with increased risk for teen dating violence are pervasive, nearly three-quarters of students surveyed report talking to their parents about dating and teen dating violence. Parent-child communication is considered a protective factor that reduces the risk for teen dating violence.

The study was conducted by RTI International (RTI) on behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Blue Shield of California Foundation as part of an independent evaluation of their Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships (Start Strong) initiative. The data released today is the baseline for this larger evaluation to access the overall impact of the program.  Start Strong is one of the largest initiatives ever funded that targets 11- to 14-year-olds to promote healthy relationships in order to prevent teen dating violence and abuse.

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Research has shown that life changes, such as the transitions to middle school, high school or college, can serve as triggers that may contribute to the development of an eating disorder. For this reason, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder, encourages parents of children and adolescents making these life transitions to be vigilant for early symptoms of eating disorders.

"Children and adolescents who are high-achieving, perfectionists and who have highly sensitive temperaments are generally at a higher risk than other children for developing an eating disorder," said Julie Holland, MHS, certified eating disorders specialist and chief marketing officer of Eating Recovery Center. "For these individuals, unhealthy coping mechanisms may be utilized to manage the stressors associated with significant life changes."

A 2012 study from the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that significant transitional events, as well as a lack of support following traumatic life events, could serve as eating disorder triggers. Researchers identified school transitions as one of the six main factors that triggered eating disorders among the individuals who participated in the study.

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Here's a newsflash: it costs a lot to have a baby!

A recent report from the USDA estimates the cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 is a staggering $287,000. This represents a 25-percent increase over the past decade, thanks to the rising cost of groceries and medical care. The kicker? This amount doesn't include the expenses associated with pregnancy and delivery.

Just to bring a baby home from the hospital requires a few must-have items for new parents. These are only the bare basics a mom will need to get out of the hospital with her new baby (based on average costs).

• Car seat - $100
• Clothing - $50
• Diapers - $72 (one-month supply)
• Wipes - $20 (one-month supply)
• Crib with mattress & sheets - $230
• Bottles (unless breastfeeding) - $60
• Formula (unless breastfeeding) - $105 (one-month supply)
• Hospital bill - $15,000 (uncomplicated vaginal delivery, no insurance)

TOTAL: $15,637

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One of the most important lessons a parent can teach their child is that of fiscal responsibility and how best to manage their money.  Even though Riley is still too young to fully understand what money is, Michael and I are already trying to teach her the concepts of saving what you earn and donating to others.

Honestly, saving my money was one of those lessons I didn't exactly learn at an early age and I suffered the consequences of my bad financial decisions for more years than I care to remember.  Before I married Michael, I was wracked with credit card debt and living paycheck to paycheck with absolutely no money in the bank.

Thankfully, my financial story turned out to have a happy ending and I learned my lesson well.  I want to make sure that Riley doesn't make the same mistakes I did and am grateful to learn of companies like PNC that are helping parents teach their children practical money management skills.  Keep reading to learn more!

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1. Go shopping in your own closets and drawers

• Have your child collect their left over schools supplies from the previous year, and together, decide what can be reused (items like pens, erasers, and highlighters are usually most recyclable).  Use this example to teach your children about the importance of recycling and how it helps to save money.

2. Compare prices

• Make a list of only the supplies you need and research different stores to see where you can find each product the cheapest.
• Depending on the age of your child, have them help you with this and let them know the budget you have set aside for the item. Turn it up a notch, if they help you save a nice chunk of change, offer an incentive that you will give them a portion of the money they save.