Chiropractors, pediatricians and orthopedic surgeons alike agree that backpacks are a problem for your child’s spine. While they may not cause major problems, overloading and improper carrying of a backpack can lead to neck and shoulder pain as well as lower back pain.

"You'll poke your eye out!" Remember that saying just when the fun was about to begin?

Well, it turns out that's pretty good advice. Preventable trauma is the leading cause of blindness in teenagers and older children. Dr. Richard Akers of Atlantic Ophthalmology in Beaufort offers some rules of the road:

Do you have everything you need for the first day of school Aug. 16? Here is a suggested school supply list from the Beaufort County School District. Art-infused schools may require other specific needs.

Experts say separation anxiety sets in before babies are a year old. Those experts clearly haven’t been at a bus stop with a kindergartner and her parents on the first day of school.

Starting school can elicit excitement and anxiety for both parent and child. Here are a few things you can do to make sure everyone survives the first-day jitters.

There are tons of prepackaged snacks out there for kids (just turn on the TV in the mid-afternoon and you’re sure to be inundated with commercials for them), but rarely are they actually nutritious.

There's one room in the house that consistently mystifies and amazes small children. The kitchen. To these knee-high toddlers, there are drawers and cabinets that open and shut, shiny bowls and utensils, running water and sometimes steam emanating from the stove-top. It's also a place where toddlers can have the most ... fun (you thought I'd say 'dangerous,' didn't you?). Here are some easy activities from “The Toddler's Busy Book” by Trish Kuffner that can calm a crazed child using items you probably already have:

Finding ways to beat the heat and keep your kids entertained can be tough. Lowcountry Child staffers compiled this list of story times, reading and other educational programs to help!

There are tons of ideas out there for summertime “boredom busters” to keep kids entertained when they start complaining “There’s nothing to do!” While small craft projects and simple games are helpful ways to kill time, they are often just that — largely forgettable time killers.

Summertime is the perfect time for kids to try new things and dive into bigger projects, ones that will not only while away the hours but make lasting memories as well.

Here are five surefire ways to make the headline of your kid’s “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essay.

Walk into The Storybook Shoppe and walk into a different world. It's a world with talking bears looking for their honey, a pesky rabbit with a penchant for getting into trouble, a pair of hippopotami best friends and a brave, little French girl — to name a few colorful characters.

It's a world Nancy Beaupre, owner of The Storybook Shoppe, carefully created for moms, dads and children. The brightly colored book nook is neatly tucked into the up-and-coming Habersham Marketplace in Beaufort. Children can be seen meandering her aisles, thumbing through hundreds of books, where every page awaits an adventure.

For local playgroups, click here.

Being a new mom is a daunting job. During those first couple of months, you’re preoccupied with how to feed and how to get this little baby to sleep while trying to fit in shut-eye for yourself. But after a while, when you settle into the role of motherhood, you begin to crave the company of other moms.
Before having my son, Cole, I went to work and interacted with 10 to 20 people every day. Once I became a mom, all of that changed. I suddenly found myself cooped up in the house, just me and this little thing that cried and spit up all the time (and I mean all the time). After a while, I was desperately seeking some social interaction. But where do you turn?