CONNECT COMMUNITY BUYER BEWARE WHEN SHOPPING FOR CAR SEATS
Bargain hunting may be a full-contact sport in some stores, but online shopping can make finding deals so much easier. When it comes to car seats, shopping sight unseen may not be the best deal even if the price is low. The federal government regulates car seats to ensure safety standards, but sometimes seats sold by third-party sellers on sites such as eBay, Amazon or Walmart may be knockoff brands. A deal that seems too good to be true very well could be. Check the American Academy of Pediatrics website with its list of seats approved for use in the United States. To check that your current seat is genuine, simply call the manufacturer to verify authenticity.
BREC ZOO WELCOMES BABY GIRAFFE
Knock-kneed and wobbly, a male reticulated giraffe was welcomed at BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo. He was born December 26 to a six-year-old, first-time mother, Rosie, and a 13-yearold father, Rowan. The baby is the 20th giraffe ever born at the Baton Rouge Zoo and the first since 2001. Giraffes younger than six months are vulnerable, and their mortality rate is nearly 50 percent. “Our keeper, curator and veterinary staff are incredibly skilled and are monitoring the mother and calf closely,” says Phil Frost, Zoo Director. “This expert care and supervision will hopefully lead to good outcomes.” ■ brzoo.org
NEW LIBRARY PROGRAM AIMS TO GET KIDS READING
Photo Credit: Kleinpeter Photography 2018-19 Cover Kid. Antonio C.
Calling all elementary-aged bookworms! The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is offering a new incentive program called “1,000 Books Beyond Kindergarten: Reading Is Elementary,” building on the success of its “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program for younger readers. Students from Kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to sign up and get a reading log from the children’s room at any of theEast Baton Rouge Parish Library’s 14 branches. Then, they can track books they have read in any format–hard copy, audiobook, ebook or graphic novel. For every five books read up to 50, readers will receive a stamp and reading patch. After 50 books have been logged, for every five read, the student’s name is entered into a yearly drawing for a chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card. ■ ebrpl.com/kids/literacy.html
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE LINKED TO HIGHER GRADES
Academic success isn’t all about hitting the books and good study habits. A new study published by the American Psychological Association finds students with higher emotional intelligence tend to achieve higher grades and test scores. The data spanned 1998 to 2019 from more than 160 studies conducted across 27 countries with more than 42,000 students from elementary school to college. The researchers’ findings held true even when controlling for intelligence and personality factors. “It’s not enough to be smart and hardworking. Students must also be able to understand and manage their emotions to succeed at school,” says Carolyn MacCann, PhD, of the University of Sydney and lead author of the study. ■ apa.org 16
B R PA R EN T S .COM | FEB RUA RY 2020
NATIONAL IVF DRUG TRIAL HAPPENING LOCALLY
A new drug is being tested for use in in vitro fertilization, and Fertility Answers has been chosen to participate in its national clinical research trial. As one of 22 clinical sites in the United States, Fertility Answers will recruit 20-25 Louisiana couples to undergo in vitro using the new medication delivery system. Qualified patients will receive one IVF cycle with a fresh embryo transfer at no cost. “For young couples struggling to pay for infertility, our selection and participation in this national study is huge for them,” says Neil Chappell, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Fertility Answers. ■ fertilityanswers.com