Real Life

Back-to-School Anxiety in Children: What to Watch Out For

Getting children out of their summer routine and back into a school schedule is already a daunting task. Add in another year of a pandemic, and children (and parents) are bound to be nervous about what the upcoming school year will bring....

Missourians are Dying from COVID-19 Misinformation

I run into too many people who are making the potentially deadly mistake of underestimating both the risk of COVID-19 infection and the benefit of the vaccine. Many people believe vaccine myths or fixate on the exceptions to the rule, essentially choosing to swim with the sharks rather than get in the lifeboat....

The Science Behind the “Mom Bod”: Permanent and Temporary Changes Caused by Pregnancy

It’s safe to say growing and birthing a baby does “some things” to the body. And while many of those changes are temporary, like strange skin conditions experienced during pregnancy, some may be more permanent, like altered DNA....

Fertility Is a Journey, and After Two and a Half Years, Here’s Mine

Each year, the last full week of April is recognized as National Infertility Awareness Week as a way to shed light on the challenges, misinformation, grief and hope surrounding infertility. It’s through personal stories and experiences that we’re able to learn and be inspired, and this year, we’re honored to share Lyndsay Kalista’s story in her own words....

15 Parenting Hacks from the Kid Experts Themselves, aka Pediatricians

After four years of med school, three years of residency and numerous interactions with infants, toddlers, tweens and teens, there’s no doubt pediatricians are the experts in all things kid. And while typical conversations with the doctors revolve around things like sleep patterns, growth spurts and rashes, we wanted to tap into their expertise to see which tricks of the trade are their favorites. Here’s what they had to say:...

Black History Month: The Anniversary Month of a Year-Long Effort

For Nikki McGruder, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at MU Health Care, Black History Month is a special time of the year — not just for her professional goals of creating a workspace that makes everyone feel welcomed and valued, but for her personal goals as well. As a Black woman raising Black children, Black History Month is the anniversary of a year-long effort she makes to show her daughters the importance of knowing and embracing their roots....

3 Ways to Honor Black History With Your Family

Inspired by Nikki McGruder’s reflection on the importance of Black history as a Black mother and the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at MU Health Care, we decided to pull together three simple ways you can honor Black History Month with your family....

100 Marathons and Counting

If all goes according to plan, Karen will have completed 100 marathons by the end of 2020. That’s right, 26.2 miles over and over, and over again. We sat down with Karen for a Q&A to learn more about her running tips, tricks and motivations. Here’s what she had to say:...

10 Days Left with the Girls: One Woman’s Countdown to a Double Mastectomy

Diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2020, Christina Holzhauser recalls her personal journey preparing for a double mastectomy....

Change in a Changing Autism World

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characteristically thrive on routine and struggle with the unexpected. They have a different way of reacting to things. Imagine then, the difficulties you’re having with COVID cancellations and changes, then magnify them. This is what people with ASD and their families are now facing....