Dinner Table Topics

Set the table! It's time for another Dinner Table Topics, a set of interesting news items that can inspire a lively discussion at dinner.

NEWS FLASH: Children who play sports are healthier and get more exercise! Well, duh. However, the chances of injury are greater in young children. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Growing bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons are more susceptible to injury than those of adults.
2. Growth plates leave weak areas exposed that can cause long-term damage.
3. Children in the same age group may vary greatly in size and ability, which can lead to injuries in contact sports.
4. Competitive children may try to push themselves to play longer and harder than their bodies can physically handle.

On another note, a recent study found that a child's fear of new foods may be hereditary. Dr. Lucy J. Cooke of University College London and her colleagues found that nearly 80 percent of children's tendency to avoid unfamiliar foods was inherited. However, the more frequently children are offered a particular food, the more likely they are to come to like it. So get over your hang-ups and food fears, or it could rub off on your kids.


Lastly, it looks like the new baby shower gift could be a personalized website. It seems that as parents are leaving the hospital with their baby and their birth certificate, they are also insuring their new arrival has his or her very own domain name. "One of the criteria was, if we liked the name, the domain had to be available," one parent said. As if the selection of your child's name isn't difficult enough. (I'll have to see if volcano.com or monkey.org are available.)

Now... talk amongst yourselves!