By Lisa Flam
There’s meal prep, laundry, cleaning, and  trying to put all of those toys and games away faster than they're being taken out.Bad weather can keep you in PJs an entire day, and there’s always the question of when exactly to grab that shower.

Is it any wonder that a Gallup survey of 60,000 women released today found that stay-at-home moms are more likely to have felt depression, sadness, anger and worry than working mothers?

“I didn’t find it shocking at all,” says Today.com contributor Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist. “There have been studies that suggest the happiest women are women who have kids and can work part time and have a bit more flexibility over their schedule.”

While having a job forces a mom to get dressed for the outside world and interact with other adults, the isolation that can come with staying home can lead to more negative feelings, Ludwig says.

“Isolation is a killer,” she says. “We as human beings are not meant to be alone. The more we’re alone, the more we more look at all the things we feel are not right with our lives. It contributes to people getting into a negative, self-attacking mentality.”

When it comes to stay-at-home moms, those with a child under 18 at home, the survey found that 41 percent felt worry, 26 percent felt sadness, 50 percent felt stress, 19 percent felt anger and 28 percent had been diagnosed with depression. For the working mothers, those who work part- or full-time with a child under 18 at home, the study found that 34 percent felt worry, 16 percent felt sadness, 48 percent felt stress, 14 percent felt anger and 17 percent were diagnosed with depression.

The survey results were based on telephone interviews conducted between Jan. 1 and April 30 of 60,799 women ages 18 to 64 living in the U.S. as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey. 

Working mothers were more likely to report that they were thriving, experiencing enjoyment and happiness, learning something interesting and yes, even smiling.

Even if a woman doesn’t love her job, just putting in a day's work and earning a paycheck can provide the sense of accomplishment that gives self worth, Ludwig says. On the other hand, facing all of the Groundhog Day moments that come with staying home (not another dirty diaper!), it’s hard to feel fulfilled when the job never ends.

“For some (stay-at-home) moms, they can feel like they’re in no-man’s land,” Ludwig says. “It’s hard to feel accomplished. It’s hard to define themselves because they’re overloaded with the have-to-dos of the home. It’s a job that’s never complete. There’s always something that needs to be done. They can feel like an indentured servant.”

Whether you work or stay home, mothers need to connect with their peers and find their purpose in life, Ludwig says. Even for the wealthiest mothers, shopping, lunching and working out is not enough, she says. Join a book club, a mother’s group or volunteer in the school system - something that makes you feel like you’re growing, she advises.

“The challenge for stay-at-home moms is it’s hard to feel like they’re growing,” Ludwig says. “If, for a period of time it’s not in the cards to have a job, find a purpose.”

“Find a way so your world is not just about unmade beds and making breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Ludwig says.

And as the mommy wars seem never to die down completely, those are words to live by. 

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Working moms get real about the guilt and glory

The mom-judging Olympics: A competition nobody meant to enter

What's your biggest mom secret? 26,000 moms confess in our survey

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Courtesy of Sarah Maizes

Sarah Maizes demonstrates "detachment parenting."

By Sarah Maizes

“Attachment Parenting” is so last week.

All that bonding, baby-wearing and breastfeeding? Done. Over. So passe.

I am developing a new parenting style of my own – one I am confident will yield a future world leader, a captain of industry, or at least a fairly enthusiastic therapy candidate.  I call it “Detachment Parenting,” and it’s the wave of the future. 

As the mother of three children under the age of 12 who have yet to be charged with any major crime - or spend significant time in the Principal’s office - I feel I am qualified to pimp my own unique parenting technique.   After all, if it works for my children, won’t it work for everyone else’s?

It’s not a complicated philosophy.  Like “Attachment Parenting” (AP) it’s actually quite intuitive.  Dr. Sears suggests that AP is what we would practice if we lived alone on an island.  Which is great.  If you do live alone on an island.  But I don’t.  And with three children, PTA obligations, gymnastics, basketball practice, art classes, tennis lessons, tutors, and more pets than people in my home - I’m far from alone.  Mama’s got stuff to do.  Like buy groceries.  And nap.

And while the recent Time magazine cover shows a hot young mom with a toddler dangling from her boob like a tassel on a stripper, wearing a defiant stare that dares me to be “Mom Enough,” I imagine my own magazine cover – a 40-something year old me with a quizzical “how the h-ll did this happen?” stare, holding a child at arms length by his forehead while his outstretched, pudding-covered fingers try to get at me.   

Related story: Time's breast-feeding toddler spurs shock, talk

Detachment Parenting is actually very cutting edge in its natural rubric.  After all, what parent hasn’t heard their child shriek and responded internally with an instinctive, “Oy.”   

Let’s say your child wakes every night crying for you.  Do you really want to roll out of bed and run to their side swiftly before any tears hit the pillow?   In DP, you simply roll over and turn off the monitor.

Need to accomplish a task without interruption?  An AP mom would never dare to attempt this.  But a DP mom can accomplish any single task with minimal interruption using only some Legos and a pack of gum.

And balance?  Well, AP parents can rub each other’s heads gently while their little imp snores between them.  DP can parents lock the door and get it on.

It’s so simple. 

Of course, like Dr. Sears, I can only offer “Tools.  Not rules.” And each family is so different.  But what’s great about DP is you can adjust the levels of benign neglect to suit your own family’s needs. 

Of course, I’m still honing my philosophy, figuring out the specifics.  But I’m very optimistic. 

I can’t be entirely off course because my kids still love me.  At least that’s what they tell me when I put them in bed at night.  They kiss me and hug me happily and I enjoy every morsel of their love.  Then I close the door to their room, content that that is where they will stay, and go to my room to watch “Family Guy.” 

Of course, the minute they leave for college (God willing!) I’ll be filled with regret.  I’ll miss them, and wish I had taken more time to stop and smell the roses – or at least let them wipe those pudding covered fingers all over me.  

But for now this works for me.  And for them too.  Just as long as I keep a huge stock of Legos and gum.

Sarah Maizes is a writer, speaker, comedian and founder of  MommyLITEonline.com, a parenting humor site.  She is the author of  “Got Milf? The Modern Mom’s Guide to Feeling Fabulous, Looking Great and Rocking a Minivan” , and her new children’s picture book “On My Way to the Bath” will be out on May 22^nd.  In her spare time she…wait…she has no spare time.

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Chaperones, just because you want kids to keep it clean on the dance floor, doesn't mean you should spray them with Lysol. We know the disinfectant spray claims to kill 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria, but we're pretty sure dirty dancing at the prom is that .1 percent of dirty it doesn't get. As the Smoking Gun reports, two prom chaperones in Colorado allegedly sprayed Lysol on kids who were "dirty dancing" and even called some of the girls "sluts" and "whores" for making it look like "they were advertising butt sex," according to the police. The spray is reported to have gotten in the kids' mouths and eyes, making them cough. The chaperones, who are said to have attended the formal dance wearing combat boots and military fatigues (perhaps because of the dance's "Lost in Pandora" theme), have been charged with harassment.

More would-be grandparents hear their daughters' biological clocks ticking
When are you going to get married and have babies? When are you going to give me grandkids? According to an article in the New York Times, an increasing number of prospective grandparents are skipping the age-old nag and opening up their wallets instead -- to have their daughters' eggs frozen. Apparently, fertility clinics around the country have noticed an increase in adult women showing up for an egg-freezing session with mom and dad in tow. The treatment's expensive, often costing between $8,000 and $18,000, and more and more potential grandparents are offering to foot part, if not all, of the bill. One fertility clinic has even started offering a gift package, called the “Gift of Hope,” which includes a gift certificate and a silver charm bracelet. Unsurprisingly, encouraging your 30-something daughter to freeze her eggs can be a touchy subject and many families have struggled with how to broach the topic.

Teens sign no-tan prom pledge
We know that the healthy golden glow of a tan isn't really healthy at all. But, when we're getting all dressed up for a big night out, it can sometimes be hard to pass up. For teens, a tan for prom is a common ritual, more recent than the corsage, but no less important to many. Luckily, more teens are just saying no to pre-prom fake and bake sessions. As ABC News reports, more teens are signing no-tanning pledges for prom. At one high school in Massachusetts, 209 of the school's 283 seniors signed such a pledge. Parents and health advocates everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief.

C'mon, c'mon get happy! Chase all your cares away.
As parents, we pursue happiness, not just for ourselves, but for our kids as well. One of the most common things parents wish for their children is that they're happy. But realistically, we know they can't be happy every moment of every day. Some worry that our dogged pursuit of happiness subliminally tells kids that it's not okay to be angry or sad. So often, when our kids are upset about something, we try to help them fix it. After all, it's agonizing seeing your child hurting inside. Writing at the Huffington Post, one child development specialist argues that we need to step back and let kids feel all of their emotions more, not just the good ones. Throughout life, people experience loneliness, frustration and all sorts emotions, beyond pure joy. If kids don't learn to deal with those feelings along the way, they won't know how to handle them when they're grown-ups, dealing with grown-up emotions. Aside from fixing it for them, there are a number of things we, as parents can do to help them through the rough patches. Even just helping them understand and identify the various emotions they're experiencing can help them is one way to help. Teaching them resilience, reminding them that it will get better in time, is another.

Awesome Beastie Boys tribute -- starring cute kids
Beastie Boys fans everywhere were saddened recently at the passing of Adam "MCA" Yauch. Now, a Sabotage tribute video starring three, ridiculously adorable kids is going viral. These three cutie patooties re-enact the iconic video, which High Definite shared, in a way that is all kinds of awesome if you like either the Beastie Boys or cute kids. If you like both, you're really in luck.

Tips for being a financially-sound parent.
Maybe you own the outlet malls. Perhaps you're a gem when it comes to buying generics. But, when it comes to life's bigger financial decisions, how do you do? Some experts warn that even those of us who are careful with money and pay attention to the smaller purchases, sometimes make mistakes when it really counts. Parenting magazine talks about some of the financial mistakes parents often make -- and how to fix them. You might feel like you're being a good parent by putting money away for your kids' college, but if you're not saving enough for your own retirement first, you're not doing anyone any favors. They also say that your kids should be trust fund babies, even if you're one of the 99 percent. That way, should something happen to you, you'll have a say over how your money is used taking care of your kids. You know those big, fixed items in your budget? The mortgage, car payments, etc.? They may not be so fixed after all. They share tips for lowering some of those bigger, monthly bills.

Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com.

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Uploaded By Evans.shena / ivillage.com

Like father, like son... ridiculously adorable.

Do you know a hot dad?

There are just a few days left to enter him in iVillage's Hot Dads Contest and to vote on your favorites. Yours truly, TODAY Moms editor Rebecca Dube, is a judge. Yeah, sometimes I really, really love my job.

Related: How much work does dad really do around the house? Take the father's day survey

Being named the hottest dad isn't just an awesome honor; the winner also gets a week-long cruise for four from Royal Caribbean, and winning your category gets you a $300 Target gift certificate. Pssst, insider tip: Some categories have fewer entries, and thus better odds of winning, than others. So if you know a hot teacher dad or hot blogger dad, you should definitely enter him.

The winner will be announced on TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda in June.

Here are a few of my favorites so far. (You're welcome.) Think you can do better? Game on, sister. Head over to iVillage, post a photo of your favorite dad hottie, and vote for the ones you like.

While you're thinking about dads, please check out our Father's Day survey — and get the man in your life to take it as well. We want to know what moms and dads really think about modern fatherhood.

Uploaded By Kristindgeorge / ivillage.com

Why hello there. I was just being strong, yet nurturing. Wanna cuddle and talk about hair bows?

Uploaded By Lbio / ivillage.com

Now, now, son. It's not polite to point at women just because they're drooling at my hotness.

Melimarin1 / ivillage.com

I love how the baby is all, "I know I'm cute, but c'mon, give it up for this guy."

Kgannon0628 / ivillage.com

The surf is definitely up for you, my friend.

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helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com

Beyonce with daughter Blue Ivy Carter

Baby names. When did it all get so cutthroat and complicated?  In the good old days, you just sat down with a piece of paper, and possibly a baby book, and made a list of choices. Nobody worried about a friend stealing their baby name or how to lay claim to it on the Internet.

Welcome to 2012, where naming baby in the digital age isn’t quite so cut and dry. These days, a savvy parent gets online as soon as they’ve narrowed down their options. The first step: Do a simple Google search to make sure you aren’t setting your unborn child up for a lifetime of confusion -- with a porn star or a criminal.

After all, we all know our kid is going to have plenty of people doing the exact same thing -- searching for him or her online, for the rest of their lives -- and no one wants to make their kid’s teenage years any more awkward than they need to be. Or worse, potentially hurt their chances of getting a job one day because their name brings up a list of felonies.

Kate Flewelling, an attorney in Chicago, turned to Google to help her and her husband pick the right spelling for their son’s name. They wanted to know exactly what they were signing on for before they filled out that birth certificate.

“We were trying to decide between Myles and Miles, with a y or an i,” she explains. “So we Googled stuff like ‘is Myles a hipster or jock name?’ And I admit, I almost Facebooked the one guy I found who does share the name Myles Flewelling to see what he was actually like.”

Fast forward to after a baby is born, and it’s becoming more and more popular to reserve a child’s email, domain name and maybe even Twitter handle, so they don’t have to be something like, “Sophie Miller 582” or “Oscar Sheppard 4”” when they grow up and want their own Internet identity. 

“When our son was a month old, we got him a Gmail account,” says Joanna Goldstein, a first time mother in New York City.  “For now, I send emails out to our family every week, attaching pictures and sharing his latest triumphs. I hope somebody it will be nice for him to have this journal of his early adventures in his email.”

And then, there’s Jay Z and Beyonce, who took the whole laying claim to a baby name to the next level. They made headlines last winter when they filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect their daughter’s name -- Blue Ivy Carter . 

Some parents found the whole thing downright crazy. Trademarking a baby name -- only in tinsel town, right? But other people were left wondering whether, in fact, you can register your child’s name so nobody else can steal it in real life or online.

Brett Frischmann is an expert in intellectual property and internet law at Cardozo School of Law. He says that “99.9 percent of the time, it doesn’t make sense for parents to trademark their baby’s name.”

As he explains, a trademark serves a very particular function in commerce, creating a connection between the name of a company and the goods or services it sells. For instance, you can’t open up another fast food-type restaurant named McDonald's. That could create confusion for customers.

But you also just can’t just lock up a word (or group of words) from the English language -- much less a name for your kids. Professor Frischmann points outs, “You could always name your child Delta and the airline couldn’t sue you.”

So what exactly do Beyonce and Jay Z have up their sleeve? Most likely, they’re trying to reserve it for a future line of baby clothing or kiddie items with the label Blue Ivy Carter on it. The trademark puts a lock on anyone trying to sell products using their daughter’s name.

The bad news: You can’t capitalize on their kid’s fame and open up your own Blue Ivy boutique. The good news: You can absolutely name your next kid Blue Ivy if you’d like -- even if your last name is Carter.

Jacoba Urist is a lawyer, writer, and mom in Manhattan. She has a JD and LLM in Taxation from NYU School of Law. Her writing has appeared on MSN Money and The Atlantic. Follow her on twitter: @Thehappiestpare

More stories about baby names from TODAY Moms:

The list is out for top baby names of 2011

Moms' picks for best and worst celebrity baby names

What do you do if someone steals your baby name?

Flashback: Top baby names of 2010 announced

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Updated May 18, 2012

Parents of teenagers in Menlo Park are breathing a sigh of relief this weekend--and probably feel a whole lot better if they're hosting a high school graduation party in the coming weeks.

San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Al Serrato announced yesterday that a six-month investigation of parents Bill and Cynthia Burnett has come to end, and all charges are being dropped against the Stanford University faculty member and his wife, according to a story in The Almanac. The DA’s office concluded that there was insufficient evidence that either committed a crime when the couple hosted their son's end-of-season football party last fall.

In December, the Burnetts made national headlines for being arrested for underage drinking in their home. The Burnetts were adamant  they were clear with guests that no drinking was allowed on their property, and patrolled the party the whole time. But several teens slipped booze into the house anyway. The police received an anonymous call that teens might be drinking, broke up the party, and arrested the Burnetts. (The Burnetts appeared on TODAY, claiming their innocence.)

This week, TODAY Moms quoted the Burnetts in this story about “social host liability” laws which can, in some states, hold parents responsible for underage drinking-- even when they aren't aware that kids are doing it in the first place.

While Assistant District Attoney Serrato didn't address the policy behind California's social host laws, he did conclude that the Burnetts had not furnished alcohol to the teens, or contributed to the delinquency of minors. Under California law, the Burnetts were not criminally negligent, The Almanac reported. And at the end of the day, none of the kids had committed any crimes or injured anyone else. The Burnetts did not return calls from TODAY Moms for a comment.

While the ruling was a victory for the Burnetts, parents should still proceed with caution this summer. The law varies from state-to-sate, and you just never know what you're getting into when you decide to host a party.

Getty Images stock

Party? Hardly. If a teen drinks at your house -- even if you're totally clueless -- you could end up in the slammer.

For teens, end-of-the-school-year festivities such as prom, graduation, and the start of summer vacation usually translate into one thing: Party! But for parents, especially those who host or chaperone, the parties translate into a whole other thing: Beware!

When it comes to kids and alcohol, a parent can take every safety precaution they can possibly think of it and still be held responsible  for almost anything that happens as a result of underage drinking on their property. As a lawyer and mom myself, I think all parents should proceed with extreme caution if you’re going to have a large group of teenagers in your home.

Just ask Stanford professor Bill Burnett. He made headlines last winter when Menlo Park, Calif. police arrested him after hosting a party for his son’s team to celebrate the end of their football season.  Burnett told TODAY he and his wife did their best to chaperone, from baking cookies to patrolling the party periodically for booze. But teens will be teens, and a few of them somehow managed to sneak some drinks by him anyway.

Five months later, the District Attorney hasn’t brought charges against the Burnetts (the office has up to a year to follow through). Either way, Burnett says, the way that laws against teen drinking are being enforced is making the town less safe for teenagers. “They’re sending a perverse message,” he explains, “that parents shouldn’t supervise parties.”

In fact, you don’t necessarily have to be anywhere near the party or even know that kids are at your house to be arrested for a crime. States have different “social host laws” and under some of them, a parent can face criminal charges and hefty fines if an accident occurs as a result of any underage drinking at your home. Even if, say, you’re away on vacation and have no idea that anything is going down in the first place.

David White, a Massachusetts lawyer and an expert in social host liability, warns parents that law enforcement is going to get especially aggressive from now until Labor Day.  

“The police tend to patrol more during the next few months and put up more road blocks around prom time through the summer holidays,” he cautions. “And they will try to trace the underage drinking back to the source.”  

Related link: Are parents responsible for teen drinking, even if they don't know about it?

So what’s a parent to do -- never host a celebration for your teen? Well, you can, but the more your kids know about the dangers of underage drinking, the safer everyone will be.

Marcie Seidel is Executive Director of Drug Free Action Alliance, an organization that develops alcohol awareness programs like their “Parents Who Host, Lose The Most” campaign, which educates parents about the dangers of social host liability.

She believes the best way to protect yourself is to teach kids that drinking is an adult behavior long before they know what a keg looks like. Seidel tells parents to resist bibs and little kiddie clothes with any kind of cute, drinking related slogan, and to draw a hard line on any alcohol related activity from the get-go. “Don’t include a young child in your drinking routine, such as sending them to the fridge for your beer,” she says.

Obviously, parents of teens who have already been exposed to drinking are in a different predicament. Here are some Mom-to-Mom safety suggestions if you find yourself hosting this party season.

For starters, get as many other parents to help chaperone as you can: The more eyes, the better!

Shift parties to the daytime, since there tends to be less drinking than at night.

Avoid joint graduation parties with older siblings who may already be able to drink legally, and remember— if you catch one kid with alcohol, assume everyone at the party has been drinking too, and don’t let anyone get in the car to drive home.

At the end of the day though, many of us are left scratching our heads. If law enforcement is cracking down on parents for hosting teenagers, aren’t we just pushing kids to party somewhere else, where an adult couldn’t easily help them if they needed it?

Bill Burnett certainly thinks so. “All of this is going backwards in terms of safety,” he says. “Parents and the police should be people our kids feel safe turning to for help when they’ve made a poor decision.”

Jacoba Urist is a lawyer and writer in Manhattan. Thankfully, this party season, she’s the mom of a toddler, not a teenager. She’s dealing with a different kind of “bottle problem” entirely.

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There’s no “better parent” competition in my household. My wife and I have been in agreement to keep quiet on that topic for the greater good.

Lately, though, something happened. And this thing has happened enough times that I’m declaring it a full-blown trend.

My wife went on an overnight business trip, and 2-year-old NJ and I had a delightful time. The kid was better-behaved than usual – i.e. when both mom and dad are around. And it was the umpteenth time this phenomenon had occurred.

Bob Trott

The better parent? Or is she just going easy on him? Bob Trott and daughter NJ.

Now, I certainly don’t understand every little thing behind this trend, the bottom line is clear: I’m the better parent.

Me. I’m a better parent than my wife. ME! ME! ME! I. Am. The. Better. Parent.

When my wife returned from her trip, she figured she’d see NJ in the tub. The child was already in bed, though, having sent me out of the room to find her favorite doll before she could close her eyes. My wife was jaw-droppingly amazed. (And went in to see NJ, who was delighted her mom was home. That led to NJ getting out of bed and my wife reading three more stories to her. I considered my work done and had a celebratory cup of yogurt. I got that child to bed in a timely fashion, and I had a witness. My work was done.)

It’s undeniable proof, right? I’m the better parent. ME – the one who taught NJ to slurp spaghetti. The one who considers it a parenting milestone if NJ recognizes Bruce Springsteen on the television.

This mystery needs more evidence. Here are some facts and observations that my wife and I agree on:

• I think NJ prefers Mommy to Daddy, generally.
• My wife handles the baths and bedtime readings on a regular basis.
• Like many her age, NJ is a master at delaying unpleasant things like baths and bedtimes. She can stretch out the pajamas-and-toothbrush phase of the evening a looooooong time.
• This often leads to time outs and tears.
• I’m not too strict, and my wife isn’t too lenient, but it’s safe to say I’m generally more strict with NJ than my wife is.
• I have something of a phobia about running late.

Normal dinner/bath/bedtime usually lasts a couple of hours. There’s often a crying jag in there – controversy over whether it’s time to get out of the bath, how many books will be read, etc. On bad evenings, my wife emerges from NJ’s bedroom a good two hours later, looking frustrated and exhausted.

But when it’s just me and NJ, things go much smoother.

The kid is a dream while I make dinner, thumbing through her Curious George books in the kitchen with me. Dinner is easy -- bacon and eggs when my wife was out of town.

Similarly, NJ forgoes her usual bath time shenanigans – mostly the invoking of her latest fave catch-phrase, “Two more minutes!” – when it’s me sitting there on the floor between tub and toilet. Post-bath potty, no problem. Straight to bed after bath, with no TV time in between. I read three stories (well, two stories – had to read one twice), then I get a big kiss and a hug and NJ’s off to bed.

I’m not saying it’s all laughter and balloons when NJ and I are alone. The first day, NJ was pretty bummed it was not her mom waking her in the morning. There were tears, and she had to be reminded that Mommy was working away from home and Daddy was in full command. That cleared up quickly, though, and soon she was all smiles. And we were out the door to preschool much earlier than usual.

So there’s the situation. My rudimentary theory is that because of my oh-so-slightly more strict approach, NJ doesn’t feel like she can work me like she can work her mom (she’s probably wrong about that, but please don’t tell her). Or maybe she’s cutting me a break because she sees I don’t have myself together nearly as well as her mother does. (Deep down, I know that’s probably it. I know. I know, OK?)

Can anyone come up with a better theory? Theories that back my assertion that I AM THE BETTER PARENT, in particular, are most welcome. But not expected.

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Being a mom's not easy and it's not for the faint of heart. Sometimes, during a particularly trying day or time, it's easy to forget all of the small, wonderful things to love about being a mom. Sometimes, even the things that kind of annoy us (like getting up to refill a milk cup for the third time during dinner), have a sweetness to them, because we know those things won't last forever. Writing over at The Stir, one mom shares some of her favorite parts of motherhood. From brushing her daughter's hair, while she's still young enough to need and want help, to seeing her kids' grins when she picks them up at the bus stop, this mom reminds us of so many of the small joys kids bring us. What are some of the small, everyday moments of motherhood that you cherish the most?

Are balance bikes pure genius or pure gimmick?
It's just like riding a bike... once you learn, you'll never forget. But, that learning part can be pretty, darn tricky for kids. For generations, the answer to learning to ride a bike was simple: training wheels. Today though, training wheels have some competition in the balance bike. Balance bikes have been around for a while now, and while they're commonplace in some parts of the country, they're still a bit of a rarity elsewhere. Balance bikes don't have pedals and kids "walk" them along, learning how to balance first, before learning to pedal on a traditional bike later on. As Slate reports, many parents and bike enthusiasts have embraced the balance bike, saying kids learn how to ride faster with them. However, many remain skeptical about buying a bike that will need to be replaced rather quickly for one with pedals. After all, training wheels often come with small bikes and can then simply be removed, leaving the regular bike intact and ready to ride. Do you think balance bikes are a great invention and learning tool or are they just a gimmicky way to get parents to drop more money unnecessarily?

I have coloring at 2:00, block-building at 2:30 and a massage at 3:00
Everyone's worried about money, jobs and the recessions --and a little R&R at the spa can do wonders for easing those stresses away. Not for you, for your kindergartener. One kindergarten in Germany is now catering to the stressed-out five-and-under set, offering kids as young as three some blissful sounding services. While treatments like massages and foot baths sound posh, others like walking through wet grass barefoot sound like typical child's play to many. Before you roll your eyes and scoff though, it's worth noting that the Mail on Sunday reports that kids enrolled in the program have increased their cold-catching resistance by 60 percent in just a few weeks. Advocates of the program say that today's kids have hectic schedules and are absorbing their parents' grown-up stresses, which they largely don't understand, but that this program helps them learn how to cope and stay healthy as a result.

Foul balls! Some say school displayed unsportsmanlike behavior for refusing to play against a girl
Girls may be allowed to play on the boys' team. They may even start on the boys' team, but that doesn't mean an opposing team will agree to play against them, because of their gender. Just ask Paige Sultzbach, the starting second-base player on her school's baseball team. A star player throughout the season, Paige helped her team secure an undefeated record and led them straight to the state championships. They won the championship, for the first time ever -- by forfeit. The opposing team refused to play against a girl and so Paige's team won by default. Paige wanted to win the state championship, but not because the other team forfeited the game. Paige joined the baseball team because her school doesn't offer a girls' softball team. Her teammates and coaches have been incredibly supportive of her. When the issue over her gender came up, her coach wouldn't play the game without her, since she'd helped get them to the big game in the first place. As AZfamily.com reports, the opposing school released a statement in explanation, which read, "As a Catholic school we promote the ideal of forming and educating boys and girls separately during the adolescent years especially in physical education.”

When it comes to baby names, will mid-century be modern once again?
The popularity of baby names comes and goes. One day, the only Sophia you've heard of is Sophia Loren. Then, within a month, you've gotten six birth announcements for little Sophia's. Ava's, Olivia's and Isabelle's suddenly abound. Names that were popular in our grandmothers' generation are, once again, all the rage. But what about the names that were popular when our own moms were girls? Why aren't people naming their daughters Judy, Carol or Barbara anymore? It seems that boy names don't change in popularity quite as much as girl names, a few newcomers, like Jayden pop up here and there, and some nicknames, like Dick, have fallen by the wayside, but the classics have generally stuck around. Babble looks at some of the names that were so popular mid-century and wonders if they're ready for a comeback. Do you think that Joan and Nancy will become popular any time soon? Or, will we have to wait for our own daughters to become mothers, naming their little girls after their own grandmas, just as we've done?

Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers. Once properly caffeinated, she also blogs at www.18years2life.com.

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James Cheng / msnbc.com

The top baby names of the year were released Monday and with them, a powder keg of a question has been raised: How do you feel about people baby-name poaching? 

One expectant mom named Meghan experienced this first-hand. Meghan let slip at her office that she intended to give her baby a family name, Benjamin, she wrote to NY Times etiquette columnist Philip Galanes, who published her conundrum Sunday. Shortly after, Meghan's assistant, also pregnant, announced that she was also naming her baby Benjamin, because she'd dug the sound of it. Meghan asked Philip if she could call out the assistant for criminal copycatting.

Kathie Lee and Hoda were split on the issue. KLG thought Benjamin is too common a name to steal: "I think if it was Brently or Briella, that would be one thing," she argued. But Hoda suspected that the assistant may have taken the name purely for the sake of copycatting.

Facebook commenters had tons to say when we asked at KLGH and at TODAY Moms about Grand Theft Benjamin:

Michael Huffines said: "Happened to my sister. A cousin took her daughter's name before either was born. I'm sorta glad because it was a redneck name."

Heather 'Hill' Booker said: "When I told our first child's name after we found out we were having a girl, I had a lady tell me that it was the same thing she named her cat."

Jessica Wilkinson-Manfre said: "My ex husband and I agreed if we had a girl, we would name her "Megan Elizabeth", after my grandmother. We did not have a girl, but two beautiful boys. After our divorce, my ex husband's girlfriend became pregnant. She had a girl. My ex husband picked out her name... Megan Elizabeth. A stab in my heart. Downside: it was cruel. Upside: my sons have a sister named after my beloved grandmother."

One thing is for sure: Hoda's mom probably didn't have to deal that problem. KLG joked that "Hoda" probably didn't crack the top 100.

"Or the top 100,000," said Hoda.

What do you think? Is it stealing to take someone else's baby name? 

Julieanne Smolinski is a TODAY.com contributor. She spells her name all crazy so nobody takes it.

More: The list is out! Top baby names of 2011 are ...
When's your best sex time? Survey says Saturday night

It's official -- we're all keeping up with the Kardashians now. Even when it comes to baby names.

The Social Security Administration released its top 1,000 baby name list for 2011 on Monday morning. This is the mother of all baby-name lists, eagerly awaited by name nerds and anxious parents (most of whom are praying that their kids' names don't see a sudden jump in popularity).

Jackson Lee / Splash News

Mommy's little trend-setter: Kourtney Kardashian's son, Mason, is inspiring lots of baby namers.

Mason is the big story of 2011, jumping to No. 2 and bumping Anthony from the top 10 -- it's the only new name to crack the top 10 for either boys or girls. The name has been in the top 100 for a while, but experts credit its sudden surge in popularity to Kourtney Kardashian, who named her son Mason in 2009 (and she's currently expecting baby No. 2).

Related: What do you do if someone "steals" your baby name?

The top ten names in 2011 (click here to search a name and see the full list of 1,000 on the Social Security Administration website):

BOYS

1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. William
4. Jayden
5. Noah
6. Michael
7. Ethan
8. Alexander
9. Aiden
10. Daniel

GIRLS

1. Sophia
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Madison
9. Mia
10. Chloe

So do people just idolize those Kardashians? Not necessarily.

While a few expectant parents may have named a baby Mason in homage to the reality-TV stars, the vast majority probably just heard the name thanks to the Kardashian clan's ubiquity, and thought it sounded nice. Mason boasts the -N ending that seems to resonate with today's parents of boys -- four of the top 10 names on the boy's list end with an N. (Parents of girls seem to favor the -A ending, with six of the top 10 names ending that way.)

Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Name Wizard book and blog, does a great job breaking down the allure of the -N ending in this post here.

On her blog, Wattenberg notes that Mason may owe its popularity to an even earlier pop-culture inspiration: 

Yes, having a little Mason on tabloid covers in every supermarket in the country makes a difference. But the critical spur to Mason's rise happened 25 years earlier, when the name first appeared in the soap opera "Santa Barbara." The national Mason rate rose ten-fold during the soap's run, and it's been climbing ever since.

This is the thirteenth year in a row that Jacob has topped the boy's list. Sophia swapped places with Isabella this year to take the No. 1 spot.

The real fun in the baby names list, though, is in the trending list -- those names that are moving fastest up the popular list. Could Aria and Archer be the next Aiden or Ava? How about Nylah and Nico for a trendy sibling set? Here is the social security administration's list of top trenders:

BOYS

1. Brantley
2. Iker
3. Maximiliano
4. Zaiden
5. Kamden
6. Barrett
7. Archer
8. Declan
9. Atticus
10. Nico

GIRLS

1. Briella
2. Angelique
3. Aria
4. Mila
5. Elsie
6. Nylah
7. Raelynn
8. Brynlee
9. Olive
10. June

What do you think of the most popular names in 2011? And how did your favorite names fare in popularity? Tell us on our Facebook page.

More great stories from TODAY Moms:

Moms' picks for best and worst celebrity baby names

Mom Hero: Sometimes the bravest thing a mom can do is get help

Shock or 'awwww': Time's breast-feeding cover sparks reaction

Pronounced dead, revived by mom's hug: Miracle baby turns 2

Flashback: Top baby names of 2010 announced

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Rosemary Ruiz

Mom Hero Jennie stayed by her daughter Shennie's side every time she was hospitalized, always pushing to improve her care.

In honor of Mother's Day, TODAY Moms is celebrating Mom Heroes, those everyday wonder women who quietly change the world. More than 700 readers submitted essays for our Mom Hero contest, and we wish we could give everyone a prize. Ultimately, the winners told us beautiful stories about mothers who are unsung heroes. Check back every day this week for a new winner.

Do you know a mom hero who deserves thanks? Send her a TODAY.com e-card or print out your own Mom Hero certificate.

By Rosemary Ruiz

My sister, Jennie Pascual, is my mom hero. Jennie was pregnant with her first child when our mom started having serious heart conditions due to diabetes. Because she was not working, my sister dedicated herself to taking care of mom at home and every single time she was hospitalized during that year. (My mom would spend 2 to 3 weeks at home and returned to the hospital for a lengthy stay.)

My mom passed away in 2005 from complications due to diabetes and heart surgery. Just five days before, Jennie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl she named Shennie. Shennie was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome a few months later. She was attached to a feeding tube and on a ventilator until her life ended just one month shy of her second birthday.

During the time Shennie was sick, my sister became a super mom. She educated herself on medical terminology, CPR and everything she could find that would help her take care of her daughter. It was because of research that my sister had done that the doctors were able to correctly diagnose my niece with Aicardi Syndrome.

My sister spent weeks on end without going home. She was at Shennie's side every single time she was hospitalized. When Shennie was home, my sister took care of her, maintaining a very strict medicine regimen, suctioning her, feeding her through the tube, cleaning her tube and so much more.

The loss of her daughter and her dedication to her care inspired her to become a pediatric nurse. My sister now has two boys. They are the most beautiful, happy babies that I have ever seen. All this, thanks to my sister's care. Because she is so dedicated to her boys, she hardly has any time for herself. She has gone through a period of tremendous weight loss, and I am sure she would love to have time to get pampered and go shopping.

My sister deserves the best. They used to tell me that I needed to be a good example for my sister because she looks up to me. In my case, I look up to her. She is my source when I need advice or just someone to talk to, laugh with, or cry with. She is the best mom in the world.

All bundled up: Jennie and son Ean.

(Editor's note: Winner announced subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with Official Rules. This essay has been edited for length and clarity.)

Each winner of the Mom Hero contest will receive a free Xbox. But wait, there's more! Anyone with an Xbox can be a big winner this Mother's Day -- download the TODAY app on your Xbox and use it to watch TODAY videos, and you could win a trip for two to a Beaches resort. Click here for details.

For Mother's Day gift guides, video and more, check out our special section here.

More stories about inspiring moms and amazing kids:

Pronounced dead, revived by mom's hug

After the storm: Don't take a moment for granted

Tornado mom on the comeback trail

Your cute kids are... super-heroes!

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