A record number of American high school students took the Scholastic Aptitude Test last year, and the score averages reported today didn't show much change. Washington state students received, on average, the highest scores in the nation (of those states where 50% or more students took the SAT), while Oregon scored second.

Interestingly, last week we reported that Oregon and Washington were among the top states for breastfeeding rates. There have been many studies linking breastfeeding to smarts - could this be a direct correlation?

I'm sure this is one that we've all been on both sides of - on one hand, when we were teenagers, we found the "R" rating overly "restrict"ive. On the other hand, we've been to movies where we saw young kids in the audience and suddenly saw the violence/sex/language/adult content through new eyes.

Barry Koltnow from the Orange County Register has seen too many kids in horrifying movies, like the time a woman and her young son were mesmerized by "Exorcist: The Beginning" (presumably, in terror) or the time the boy asked his mom to take him out of "Bad Santa" - it was too scary. He wonders if these moms only have half a brain.

Of course, even if you possess only half a brain, there was the "R" rating. That's why they put "R" ratings on movies - so that stupid parents have a clue, and teens know which movie to sneak into that weekend.

He says that the MPAA is partly to blame, having relaxed its ratings guidelines in recent years, but parents should still pay attention to the ratings - they are there for a reason. He gives those of us parents (the ones with a brain, I suppose) a refresher on the ratings guidelines.

As for me? Even some of the "G" movies have themes that are a little shocking for my little one (like, in how many Disney movies is the mama character going to die? Hmmm??). However, I have been known to let him cuddle with me as I'm watching "Law and Order" (covering his eyes during the gory parts they occasionally have during the opening, of course). What are your rules? Are you consistent?

This weekend, I will attempt to sell the last of the "nursing" clothing I was given when I was pregnant with Everett. I wore all the stuff with panels and flaps and strangely positioned buttons about one time each. They just made no sense to me - I much preferred loose knit tops or button-down shirts, which were oh-so-much easier to access when an infant was crying.

So when the Motherwear catalog came in through the mail slot this morning, I was instantly charmed by the photos of happy breastfeeding mothers unhampered by complicated-looking flaps and closures. There are a few traditional nursing garments, but most of their offerings are comfortable crossover-style tops and pullovers.

I especially liked the sleepwear - the sassy swiss-dot gown pictured here is $35 - and their print tops, like the "Bohemian" top with embroidered-look detail for $35 and the Asian top for $32.

September is "Baby Safety Month," and according to the authors of The Baby Rules, the five most dangerous areas of your house are:

1. The Dishwasher: Full of sharp spikes, an empty dishwasher is not a safe place to play

2. Older Children's Toys: When siblings are playing together, monitor their activities so babies don't get toys for children over three.

3. Plastic spoons: Disposably spoons can break, causing choking hazards or other injuries.

4. Antique furniture: Old high chairs and toys don't meet safety standards and could have lead-based paint.

5. Baby Oil: If the baby drinks oil, it could be fatal.

The press release highlights five more dangers. Keep your baby safe this September - and all the time.

Yesterday Everett and I stopped at a bookstore to browse and play while my husband ran an errand. I thought I was just wasting time, until I started opening new books with amazing and intriguing covers.

The most precious treasure I unearthed was The Mighty Asparagus by Vladimir Radunsky. It is the tale of a king, a queen, a princess, their subjects and advisors, and of course, the king's mom. A gigantic asparagus grows up in the king's backyard and he decides, with consult from his advisors, that he must remove it. "I hate that stinky asparagus!" he cries.

Illustrated with Renaissance-inspired figures, charming quips and asides clearly directed at the parent, and dialogue to keep even the wiggliest child entertained, this one is a winner.

When you're helping kids with homework, sometimes you have to do some studying, too. You wish there was a fun web site where you could just point them in the right direction and set them loose. If it's history, maybe you can with American Experience's "WayBack" web site for kids from eight to 12 years old.

Whether the topic is civil rights, with a great interview with Melba Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine; or the history of flight, with rhyming trivia on high-flying luminaries from Edward Rickenbacker to the Tuskegee Airman; or even the future, where kids can share their own predictions with the "crystal ball," WayBack covers it all. 

Coming in September:  two new Wayback sites, "It's Not Fair!" which explores the topic of fairness in society, and "Presidents: The Secret History."  Timed to coincide with the upcoming presidential election, the "Presidents" site exposes the surprising and often humorous secrets of American presidents, takes a close-up look at historic campaign memorabilia, and asks kids to offer advice for the president.

It's a way to get your kids involved with their educational process, and give you a bit of a break.

Didn't we just find out that Kelsey Grammar and his wife were expecting? Anyhoo, their surrogate mother bore them a healthy baby boy this weekend. Jude Gordon Grammer, born at 4:11 a.m. August 28 in a Sacramento hospital, weighed 7 lbs and 11 oz.

Mom, Dad and infant are "healthy and happy." And that's all we know.

Greg at Daddy Types has noticed it too…all the parents who get fed up with the options for baby gear and start making their own.

You know the drill. "I wanted [check all that apply] clothes/furniture/toys/advice book/blanket/something to help me do _____, but everything I found was bland/crap/homogenous/cutesy/over-sentimenalized/outdated stereotype-reinforcing/shoddy/mass-produced/environmentally destructive/aesthetically offensive, so I decided to do it myself."

So much so that he has added a new category to his excellent daddy-focused blog. Maybe it will one day feature your invention…or mine.

It's not easy to let your kids go off to camp for several weeks without the benefit of your watchful eye and the comforts of home. Will they come home changed and confident, or will they come home mini criminals?

According to the Chicago Tribune, either option is a possibility. While some parents praise camps for teaching their sports-shy kids to water ski and shoot a bow and arrow, other parents complained of "drinking, strip poker, and rampant sexuality." With nine million kids going to camp each year, it's likely all parents will deal with this particular form of separation anxiety at some time.

While some stories are certainly scary, though, it seems that most parents are pleased that their children come home more responsible and relaxed due to the peer-pressure free atmosphere of camp.

"In our everyday lives, all kids want to be grown-ups - but with only the fun things, not the responsibilities," said Dayna Hardin, owner of Lake of the Woods Camp for Girls and Greenwoods Camp for Boys in Decatur, Mich. "Here, kids get to decide what to wear, what activities to do, what they are or are not going to eat … In the process, they actually do grow up."

For better or worse, your baby may be coming home from summer camp all grown up.

Yamile Jackson's son Zachary was born three months premature, and spent several weeks in the hospital's NICU. She wished that she could spend all of her time with him, but couldn't take that much time off work. She saw the healthful affects of the simple pressure of an adult's hand, and wondered if there was something she could do to solve the problem.

Soon after bringing Zachary home, Yamile invented a giant, beanbag-like hand and arm called the "Zaky Glove." The Zaky simulates an adult hand, applying constant pressure to the newborn baby (it's even been used with baby animals). The Zaky is meant to make you feel as if you are leaving a part of yourself with your baby - with the added benefit of security, support and comfort that the baby receives. The Zaky can be ordered from Zakeez.com for $35.

The Zaky can be used with premature and full-term infants, for healthy babies and those with medical problems for that constant comfort you wish you could give.

Any mama who's ever had the theme song to Arthur stuck in her head knows how ridiculously popular the PBS show has become. Now Arthur's friend Buster is basking in the glow with his own spin-off. It starts October 11 on a PBS station near you.

Postcards from Buster "explores cultural diversity and blends animation with live-action footage of Buster's travel adventures throughout the United States, with forays into Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico."

Sounds like fun…this mama now has one more reason not to need cable!

As a mama who struggled with shortness of breath from the moment I got a positive pregnancy test, I know it can be hard to get moving even during your first trimester. But according to new research from the University of Washington, keeping active during early pregnancy will not only keep your weight down, but will your cholesterol, too.

Investigators evaluated 925 pregnant women at the end of their first trimester and found that levels of total cholesterol and blood fats declined as exercise levels increased.

It is normal for a woman's cholesterol and triglycerides to go up during pregnancy, lead study author Carole L. Butler told Reuters Health, but particularly large increases have been linked to the pregnancy complications gestational diabetes and preeclampsia — a potential dangerous condition marked by high blood pressure, fluid retention and protein in the urine.

This could be more evidence that exercise will help prevent gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, certainly an excellent reason to fight that desire for lethargy.

I know several women whose baby's daddies broke up with them during their pregnancy, but none who were jilted during labor. The WB Network will go where none of the deadbeats I know have gone, with a show "True," a comedy about a young women whose boyfriend breaks up with her while she is in labor with their baby.

The show, contingent on casting, should start sometime mid-season.

The action follows the twenty-something woman as she moves back with her parents. While the man doesn't leave her life completely, the ordeal is a wake-up call for the new mother, who has been procrastinating her entire life, staying in school for as long as possible to delay stepping into the real world.

Maybe this is the perfect project for Alicia Silverstone, she's great at playing a jilted not-quite-grownup.

The trouble with carry-on luggage is that it is, by and large, geared toward the business traveller, with plenty of pockets for pens and cell phones but precious little space for dirty diapers. And your hip mama's diaper bag with the pretty floral print? Not exactly the sort of thing you want being kicked underseat on a dirty airplane floor.

Try the Baby Sherpa on for size. At $89, it's on the spendy side but still less than most business-style carry-on luggage. Features include:

• Deep inside compartment with zippered pocket

• Soft sided cooler uniquely integrated into the backpack to store bottles, snacks, beverages, medication

• Modular insulated pocket holds large-size brand name bottles, mesh water bottle holder

• Padded pocket to hold a video camera or breast pump

• Secure, interior parent zip pouch for wallet and a key clasp

• "Tough as nails" zippers with easy pulls

From "passy saver" to its ergonomic design, it's obvious that this backpack was well-tested by actual parents. Kudos to the Baby Sherpa team for such an innovative product.

• Oversized diaper change pad

• and lots more, including "lifetime warranty"

We in the States know all about fanatic daddies naming their babies strange things - hello out there, ESPN! (yeah, both of you)

So we're not that surprised to hear that a British soccer fan named his baby "McCarthy," after Mike McCarthy, manager of the Sunderland Association Football Club, a.k.a. the Black Cats.

Jock Campbell hoped to gives his son three names so his initials would be "SAFC" but his wife stepped in and suggested the less objectionable name.