For Your Family: Lawaway, teeth, pet meds, Dr. Kevin Leman's moms and sons book

October 8, 2012 (WLS) -- ABC7 is checking out some stories you need to know 'For Your Family.'

First, there are the layaways that a lot of big-box retailers are offering for this holiday season. Be careful of the fine print! While some of the stores are dropping the fee to put something on layaway, others are still charging as much as 5 percent of the total value of your layaway. You can also be charged for cancelling your item. So, read the fine print.

Next, October is national Dental Hygiene Month, and there are some surprising, hidden factors when it comes to kids and their teeth. According to pediatric dentists, anything of a gummy texture will stick on their teeth longer, which can promote cavities. Watch out for that especially with Halloween coming up. Also, snacking can be bad for the teeth! Apparently less saliva is produced when you eat a snack than a whole meal, and saliva naturally helps wash the foods from your mouth and lessens the effects of acids on your teeth. Good snack options for healthier teeth are cheese, yogurt and raw vegetables.

Also, most pet owners consider their furry, four-legged friends a huge part of the family, and now Chicago shoppers have a pharmacy inside a grocery store that carries prescriptions for every member of the family, including your pet! Mariano's, which just opened a Chicago location on Elston, is now offering medicine for your pet at their pharmacy. It's a one-stop shop for all your family's prescription needs.

Visiting the ABC7 State Street Studio Monday was Dr. Kevin Leman, author of What a Difference a Mom Makes

(PRESS RELEASE)
Think Father-Son Bonding Is the Only Thing that Matters? Think Again.

Dr. Kevin Leman, Award Winning, New York Times Bestselling Author, Tells Why A Mom's Relationship with Her Son Matters Uniquely- And How to Make It Stronger At Every Age

"You've always dreamed of having that precious little daughter - one who is a little replica of you. And then you show up at the doctor's office for your sonogram. "What's that?" you say pointing at a little something you can't quite place on the blurry black-and-white image. And the doc says, "That's a penis." You frown, not understanding. "My daughter's got a penis?" Then realization dawns. "A boy?" Inside you start to panic. What do I do with a boy? I don't know a thing about boys! Ah, but you will."

For some moms, sons are confusing right from that first diaper change on. But by the time a mom makes it through the treasures a boy brings home in his pockets during grade school, the extra dirt her boy seems to find every time he goes outside, and the changes that puberty and driving privileges bring, she's sure of only one thing- she does not understand boys!

But if any of that tempts a mom to leave the big stuff to Dad, she's missing out on an amazing opportunity, says Dr. Kevin Leman. "Of all the people in the world, you, Mom, make the biggest difference in your son's world." Leman says "He'll never reveal it to you straight out, so I'll say it plainly. Your boy wants to please you. And that driving need will stay with him for a lifetime."

By recognizing the deepest desire of her son, a mom can speak into her son's life in ways that help him develop good relationships with other women, understand his own sexuality, fight his own battles, and command respect.

And along the way, it is possible, Leman believes, to learn some key coping skills for parenting your son and keeping a sense of humor. True, moms may never understand why some things are funny to your son that are just disgusting to you, but you can still embrace the chance to leave an indelible imprint on your son's life with fun and grace.

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for your family, judy hsu

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