Top of the Morning: Pope Francis Urges Fathers to be "More Present" in Kids' Lives

1. Pope urges fathers to be more involved

Photo from salon.com

Pope Francis urged fathers to be more present in their children’s lives, warning that many problems adolescents get into can be traced to absentee fathers. He said that kids need a paternal figure, and it’s not enough to be home with the kids; fathers should take time to actually be with their kids. (philstar.com)

Related: 11 Inspiring Messages for Families from Pope Francis


2. Soda linked to girls’ earlier menstruation
There’s one more reason to avoid drinking soda. New research shows that girls who drink lots of soda and other sugary drinks enter puberty earlier. Drinks with added sugar cause a boost in insulin, which creates higher concentrations of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone which are associated with earlier periods. Getting a woman’s period earlier than normal is a risk factor for depression during adolescence and breast cancer during adulthood. (yahoo.com)


3. Cobie Smulders gives birth to second child

The "How I Met Your Mother" alum and her husband "Saturday Night Live" star Taran Killam welcomed their second child three weeks ago. She revealed this at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, January 25, while promoting her film Unexpected. The two are already parents to daughter Shaelyn Cado, 5. Congratulations! (people.com)


4. Mom transforms girl doll into a boy for her son
When her son Nicholas, 6, asked mom Ivette Martinez-Matejko for a doll that resembled him, this mom turned a second-hand American Girl doll -- his sister's -- into an “American Boy” doll because there was none available off the shelf. Nicholas, who loves playing soccer and baseball, was so happy; he thinks the brand should make American Boy dolls, too. (today.com)


5. Probiotic helps combat peanut allergy
According to a new study from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, a daily combo of peanut protein and a certain probiotic helped 80 percent of children treat their peanut allergy. The probiotic used in the study was Lactobacillus rhamnosus, the dosage of which equals eating 20 kilograms of yogurt a day. Though some children still did have serious allergic reactions, it’s one step closer to developing a cure to peanut allergy. (time.com)