Healthy Habits - When Parenting Panic Strikes After Hours, Clarity Matters More Than Clicks

 All parents know that when things happen with their children, it’s not always during pediatrician office hours. It’s common for little ones to have fever spikes, tummy aches, breathing sounds change, and more, later in the evening or on the weekend. As parents scramble for answers, they often find themselves in panic mode and don’t know where to turn. The good is that this is changing with a new texting platform by Avocado Health.

 

“Too often, parents are Googling for health answers for what their child is experiencing, and we know how frightening those responses can be,” said Cristina Bernardo, who co-founded Avocado Health with her husband. “We know first-hand how scary it can be when you need answers, and we wanted to do something to help parents everywhere.”

 

Bernardo, along with her husband Hans Kulberg, who have five children, founded the platform after experiencing their own parenting-related trauma. They lived through a painful experience of having their daughter, Aviva, be born full-term and healthy, only to end up experiencing multiple unexplained hospitalizations during her first year of life. She then passed away due to unknown causes before reaching her first birthday.

 

The isolation and powerlessness they felt during that time led them to want to ensure other parents had access to answers beyond Google searches. Their Avocado Health platform is based on empathy and the belief that when parents feel more confident, they can make better decisions for their children. Today, they have a popular system called Avocado Health Parenting Club. Parents who join it can send text messages 24/7 and receive immediate responses to their questions. This brings a sense of relief that can’t be achieved through an online search or an AI tool.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, parents consistently report experiencing high levels of stress, with children’s health ranking as one of the top reasons contributing to it. The stress parents feel when they have questions about their children’s health after hours or on the weekends only adds to the issue. Searching online for answers may increase the stress and leave them with even more questions. Many parents turn to AI and social media looking for answers, only to get misinformation.

Here are the things Avocado Health wants people to keep in mind when dealing with a health-related issue and their child:

• Start by asking one question. Is it something that can wait, or does it need immediate care? Receiving a quick evaluation regarding the urgency of the matter can help prevent unnecessary emergency room visits and ensure quicker care when it actually matters.
• Exercise caution when looking for answers. When stress is high, it is important to be cautious when using social media and Google to find information. The search engine results can put parents in a panic and amplify the fear, rather than provide clarity.
• Seek clinically vetted pediatric sources for advice. For parents to make informed decisions rather than reactive ones, they need information from evidence-based sources.
• Don’t replace the pediatrician. Even Avocado Health’s resource shouldn’t be a replacement for the pediatrician. It’s a tool to bridge the gap between the pediatrician’s office hours and getting some clarity. Getting some calm validation helps parents think clearly under stress.
• Be aware of milestones. Knowing what’s typical at each developmental stage can help parents recognize when extra support or early intervention may be worth discussing sooner.
• Keep it simple. Avoid getting advice and information from multiple sources, as this can add to confusion and misinformation. The goal is to keep it simple, sticking to fewer steps and platforms, so that it makes a real difference.

“Parenting questions don’t stop once the pediatrician’s office closes,” said Kulberg. “Our goal is to bridge the gap and help parents get reliable and trusted information, no matter what time or day it may be. It brings a sense of relief that we wish we’d had.”

 

Avocado Health helps to close the gap in care and helps ensure parents don’t feel isolated. It provides everyone with access to high quality pediatric health advice within minutes, and it has been designed to be accessible for everyone. The information provided helps parents feel more confident, less overwhelmed, and helps improve the child’s overall well-being. It also helps to reduce healthcare costs and normalizes asking for help.

 

Those who join Avocado Health can text their questions anytime and receive immediate 24/7 responses. The responses are tailored to answer their questions using evidence-based pediatric and child development resources. The information has been clinically vetted and is continuously reviewed by a team of pediatric specialists. This ensures that parents are receiving current recommendations and advice that their pediatrician would likely be giving them if it were during office hours. The club offers a free trial period for parents. To get more information, visit the site at: https://avocadohealth.ai/

About Avocado Health

Avocado Health is a 24/7 SMS-based parenting support platform that combines human expertise with trusted, clinically vetted AI to deliver instant, personalized guidance when parents need it most. Built entirely through text messaging, Avocado Health offers a parent-coach-in-your-pocket experience without apps or technical barriers and is designed to support families with empathy, clarity, and confidence while reinforcing clinical care. Learn more at www.avocadohealth.ai.

Source:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Parenting Mental Health & Well-Being.February 2025. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/parents/index.html

Money Matters - NEFE Financial Survey

 The National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) has collected new data through its nationwide opinion polling to assess the financial well-being of U.S. adults at the start of 2026. Overall, respondents ended 2025 reporting a negative perception and outlook for their finances, with 88% feeling some form of financial stress as they begin the new year and 77% saying they experienced a financial setback in 2025. Both results are among the highest percentages seen throughout polling NEFE has conducted on financial well-being over the past several years.

 

“For nearly a decade, NEFE’s nationwide polling has explored the financial well-being of Americans by asking how people are managing financial situations and outcomes,” says Billy Hensley, Ph.D., president and CEO of NEFE. “As we enter 2026, Americans are facing ongoing challenges and reporting some of the highest levels of financial concern we’ve seen in quite some time.”

 

NEFE, in conjunction with Verasight, polled U.S. adults on their overall financial well-being at the end of 2025 and their expectations for 2026. The questions asked are based on similar questions NEFE has polled in previous years across different economic, social and political landscapes. Highlights from the latest poll results include:

• The most chosen financial New Year’s resolutions for 2026 are “paying down any type of debt” (42%), “setting and following a budget” (39%) and “checking and improving credit score” (36%).

• The largest anticipated expenses in 2026, excluding mortgage and rent, are “paying down debt” (40%), “home-related expenses” (36%) and “transportation expenses” (32%).

• The major expenses or unexpected financial setbacks faced by households in 2025 include “unexpected transportation expenses” (25%), “unexpected home repairs or maintenance” (24%), “falling behind on bill payments/debt obligations” (22%), “medical expenses due to injury or illness” (21%) and “job loss or significant reduction in income” (20%).

• When asked about their confidence in handling an unexpected $2,000 expense, 36% are “certain they could,” 19% “probably could,” 13% “probably could not” and 26% are “certain they could not.”

• If faced with an unexpected expense, most respondents would use some combination of “credit cards” (35%), “emergency savings” (25%) or “cash” (24%), followed by “borrowing money from family or friends” (20%), “selling something they own” (18%) and “using a ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ offer to free up funds” (17%).

• Respondents were most likely to view the quality of their current financial life as “about what they expected” (41%), followed by “worse than they expected” (38%) and then “better than they expected” (16%).

• Respondents said the frequency they had a month-end surplus of money is “every month” (20%), “most months” (19%), “only some months” (22%), "rarely” (24%) and “never” (14%).

 

Additional questions related to financial well-being, as well as a breakdown of responses based on age, gender, socioeconomic status and other segmentations are available here.

 

“While these findings are startling, there is growing momentum to address these challenges through youth financial education graduation requirements,” Hensley continues. “Many of the issues highlighted in this poll are already among the core topics states are considering for their curricula. Financial topics and the choices surrounding them shouldn’t be a mystery. By normalizing conversations about money and strengthening young people’s confidence, we increase the likelihood that they can align their financial lives with their personal values and decisions. Although financial education is only part of the solution, it is proven to increase knowledge, build confidence and support informed decision making.”

 

Four state legislatures—Kentucky, Colorado, Texas and Delaware—passed financial education graduation requirement bills in 2025, bringing the total number of states that either require, or are in the process of implementing, at least a semester-long course for graduation to 30. While not a standalone course requirement, the Hawaii Department of Education has moved to formalize a policy, bringing the total number of states with a full or partial financial education graduation requirement to 38.

 

For more on this poll, visit the NEFE website.

 

Verasight Methodology

Verasight collected data for this survey from December 18-23, 2025. The sample consists of 1,200 U.S. adults (aged 18+) and passing all data quality assurance checks. The data are weighted to match the September 2025 Current Population Survey on age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region and metropolitan status, as well as to a running three-year average of partisanship distributions from the Pew Research Center NPORS benchmarking surveys and population benchmarks of 2024 vote. The margin of sampling error, which accounts for the design effect and is calculated using the classical random sampling formula, is +/- 2.9%. To ensure data quality, a number of post-data collection quality assurance procedures are implemented, including confirming that all responses correspond with U.S. IP addresses, confirming no duplicate respondents, verifying the absence of non-human responses and removing any respondents who failed in-survey attention, speeding and/or straight-lining checks. Respondents who completed the survey in less than 30% of the median completion time were also removed. Unmeasured error in this or any other survey may exist. Numbers in tables that do not add to 100% are due to rounding.

 

About NEFE

The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) is the independent, centralizing voice providing leadership, research and collaboration to champion effective financial education and advance financial well-being. NEFE has received national recognition for strengthening action-oriented research agendas, mobilizing intermediaries, and creating better solutions for researchers, educators, practitioners and policymakers. For more information, visit www.nefe.org.

Travel Tidbits - Pokémon Rooms in Japan

 MIMARU, Japan’s leading apartment-style hotel brand for families and groups, operated by Cosmos Hotel Management Co., Ltd., has announced the renovation and expansion of its beloved Pokémon Rooms,.

Featuring 100 Pokémon integrated throughout the space, these updated rooms offer an even more magical and family-friendly immersion into the Pokémon world, delighting guests from around the globe. MIMARU is now accepting reservations through the end of November 2026.

Originally launched in 2019, the Pokémon Rooms have been a standout favorite for families, Pokémon enthusiasts and travelers seeking unique accommodations. The latest renovation emphasizes two core themes: "more Pokémon" and "more fun for the whole family," transforming each room into a vibrant space where Pokémon feel like they’ve leaped from their Poké Balls to join guests in daily life.

Now available at 10 MIMARU properties across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, including new additions such as MIMARU TOKYO HATCHOBORI and MIMARU TOKYO IKEBUKURO, these apartment-style rooms provide spacious layouts with fully equipped kitchens, separate sleeping areas, and dining spaces, ideal for multigenerational families or groups.

Key highlights of the renovated Pokémon Rooms include:
- Over 100 Pokémon adorning the interiors: From walls and ceilings to furniture, kitchens and bathrooms, creating a fully immersive environment.
- Themed zones: The bathroom features tranquil Water-type Pokémon, while the kitchen showcases food-loving characters, perfect for meal preparation.
- Iconic giant Snorlax plushie: A photogenic centerpiece lounging on the bed, beloved by guests of all ages.
- Poké Ball-inspired details: Custom dining tables, tableware (plates and mugs), and bed linens ensure the theme extends to every moment, including meals.
- Interactive discovery: Hidden Pokémon encourage exploration for children, while nostalgic elements from classic and newer generations appeal to adult fans.

MIMARU’s Pokémon Rooms cater especially to international visitors with comfortable, home-like amenities rarely found in traditional Japanese hotels, allowing guests to cook their own meals and relax in generous spaces.

As an exclusive perk, every stay includes special-edition MIMARU-original merchandise, such as themed fabric bags and collectible items, serving as cherished souvenirs.

Conveniently located near major tourist attractions, shopping districts and transportation hubs, MIMARU properties make it easy for guests to explore Japan by day and return to their Pokémon-filled sanctuary at night.

Guest feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with increased bookings from families, young couples, and longtime Pokémon fans alike. Many describe the experience as "living in the Pokémon world," creating lasting memories beyond a typical hotel stay.

For more information or to book a stay, visit the official MIMARU Pokémon Room page at https://mimaruhotels.com/news/stay-pokemonroom

Healthy Habits - How Diet and Movement Work Together for a Healthier Heart (and Ways to Make Improvements in Yours)

 February is American Heart Month, making it a great time for everyone to evaluate their heart health. While some people are focusing on getting exercise, others are focusing more on their diet. Meanwhile, the best way to have a healthier heart is to consider both diet and movement and how they work together to keep hearts healthier and reduce cardiovascular disease risks.

 

"We all get busy with our routines, but heart health is not something we can keep putting on the back burner," said Jennifer Scherer, registered dietitian nutritionist, medical exercise specialist, certified personal trainer, master-level Pilates instructor and owner of Fredericksburg Fitness Studio. "We need to make it a priority because of how serious it is and how the issues with it tend to creep up if you are not paying attention.”

 

The facts surrounding heart disease in the country are alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the leading cause of death for men and women, with someone dying from it every 34 seconds. Each year, in the U.S., there are over 900,000 people who die from cardiovascular disease, accounting for approximately one in every three deaths. These are grim statistics, but the good news is that there are many things people can do to help minimize those risks.

 

Watching what we eat and getting moving are two major ways people can influence their cardiovascular health. The two things are crucial to heart health because what we eat influences the factors that can make our heart healthier, and movement strengthens the heart, which is a muscle. When we get enough movement, it also helps reduce the risk of other issues, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of type II diabetes.

 

Working on only diet or only exercise would be like ensuring that a car is nicely washed and waxed, but filling it up with stale gas. It doesn’t matter how much is in the tank; the motor isn’t likely to run as well. We can’t outrun a poor diet, making it crucial to keep both issues in focus. When we eat a healthier diet and pair that with getting movement, we build a healthier heart and cardiovascular system.

 

Here are some ways to help improve diet and movement to work toward a healthier heart:

• Work with a trainer. Make a commitment to be more physically active. One easy way to help make this a habit is to work with a personal trainer. According to the National Institutes of Health, physical activity strengthens your heart and improves lung function. Done regularly, exercise helps lower your risk of coronary heart disease. More movement helps to keep the heart working better. Find movement that is enjoyable so that it will be easy to continue. Try things like Pilates, yoga, power walking, or pickleball.
• Don’t overlook blood pressure. Often referred to as the silent killer, high blood pressure directly affects how hard the heart is working, and often presents with no symptoms. It’s crucial that people keep an eye on their blood pressure and take steps to improve it if it is elevated, such as reducing sodium intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, improving their diet, and managing weight. Some people may also need to speak to their doctor regarding blood pressure medication options.
• Make dietary changes. According to Penn State University, diet is the key to heart health, and it’s never too late to make positive changes. Commit to the idea of improving the diet by upping the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins eaten on a regular basis. Snacking is a problem for many people, so be sure to choose heart-healthy snacks, such as nuts, fruit, and seeds. Start by automating one meal per day with healthy choices. For example, choose what breakfast will be daily during the week, such as eggs with sautéed greens, or oatmeal with nuts and fruit. Keeping it simple and automating it helps to ensure that it will be followed and healthy goals will be met.
• Start small. Many people shy away from making the heart healthy changes they aspire to, simply because they find it overwhelming to do so much at once. Instead of making lots of changes all at the same time, start small. Choose one thing each week or month to focus on. Small changes over time add up to big results.
• Manage stress. It’s important to have ways to manage and reduce stress so that it doesn’t damage heart health. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure, as well as lead people to make unhealthy choices. Find healthy ways to address stress, such as exercising, meditating, or practicing breathing exercises.
• Be patient. It takes time to create a routine, new habits, and feel results. A study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, found that it takes 66 days on average for habits to become automatic. In the study, some habit formation took over 200 days, showing how important it is to stick with health goals and give it time to become a habit. Don’t give up if a day or two goes by where the goals were not kept.

“Sometimes people simply need a road map to get started on the journey," added Scherer. "We have done that for a lot of people and have seen the difference it makes in their lives. We ensure people have the right tools and plan in place so they can make a real difference in their heart and overall health.”

 

At Fredericksburg Fitness Studio, clients work with a registered dietitian nutritionist and experienced movement professionals to develop personalized, realistic plans. Services are offered both in person and virtually and include comprehensive assessments of medical history, nutrition habits, movement patterns, and lifestyle factors. They provide virtual nutrition therapy, medical nutrition therapy, and tailored meal planning through EatLove Pro—delivering scalable support with built-in accountability at every level.

 

The boutique studio also offers semi-private and private training focused on Pilates, strength training, mobility, fall prevention, and medical exercise. With two Fredericksburg locations, the studio provides a highly personalized environment, luxury amenities, and expert instruction across reformer, chair, tower, CoreAlign, and master-level Pilates equipment. Fredericksburg Fitness Studio is proud to be a Medicare provider.

 

In addition, Jennifer Scherer and her husband, Jeff Smith, co-host the Fitness & Finance Radio podcast, which explores the intersection of physical wellness and financial planning for retirement, highlighting how long-term health impacts long-term financial security.To learn more about Fredericksburg Fitness Studio, visit https://www.fburgfitness.com. To listen to Fitness & Finance Radio, visit https://fitnessfinancepro.com.

 

About Fredericksburg Fitness Studio

Founded in 2008, Fredericksburg Fitness Studio offers private, customized health and fitness programs designed to meet each client’s unique needs. By appointment only, the studio provides medical exercise, personal training, Pilates, nutrition coaching with a registered dietitian, and recovery services including acupressure, massage, and assisted stretching. With an integrated, client-centered approach, Fredericksburg Fitness Studio helps individuals improve strength, balance, mobility, and overall well-being at every stage of life. The studio proudly accepts Medicare. Learn more at www.fburgfitness.com.

 

 

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease in the United States. October 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

 

National Institutes of Health. Physical Activity and Your Heart. March 2022. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/physical-activity/benefits

 

Penn State University. Diet is key to heart health. February 2023. https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/diet-is-key-to-heart-health

 

American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine. December 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6378489/

Travel Tidbits - Chile

 

Chile is full of surprises. It's kind of like that treasure chest you were allowed to pick from when you were a little kid...full of wonder that awaited you and here, what awaits is an uncrowded, flexible, experiential and exclusive array of fantastical adventures that Vivaterra DMC can create ike: Sleep Under the Clearest Skies on Earth- Luxury lodges are built around private astronomical experiences for stargazing, galactical photography and crisp nights paired with Chilean wines The Atacama All To Yourself- Private dinners surrounded by salt flats and volcanoes complete with chef, sommelier and candlelight under the stars Easter Island Beyond the Moai- Indulge in private storytelling sessions with elders, traditional carving workshops and visits to rare archaeological sites Ride with Chilean Cowboys - From the vineyards to the Andean foothills, spend the day riding high and ending with an open fire asado paired with folk music. Heli-Hike Patagonia- Skip the crowds and fly by helicopter to remote trails...think private landings, untouched landscapes, and picnic lunches with glacier views. Harvest & Blend Your Own Wine- Pick grapes, work with winemakers and create your own blend with a custom label. Ice-Hike on a Glacier Then Sleep in Luxury- Trek across ancient ice fields and return to luxury with hot tubs, crackling fireplaces and gourmet dining.

Healthy Habits - Huckleberry

 Huckleberry, the leader in data-driven parenting support, launched Berry, a specialized, context-aware AI designed to lighten the mental load for families. Moving beyond generic chatbots, Berry bridges the 'context gap' by integrating each child's logged data with deep pediatric expertise. This launch brings Huckleberry's long-standing approach of responsibly shaping technology into family-first AI that parents can trust.

Why Context Matters

Parents don't need more information; they need the right information. While families have logged 5 billion data points with Huckleberry across sleep, feeding, and more, the ones that matter are the individual logs a parent tracked that week which give their guidance context.

When asked about a challenge like short naps, Berry considers that child's real-time patterns alongside vetted expertise to deliver tailored, actionable advice. Justin M., a parent who tested Berry, noted, "It almost felt like we were talking to a pediatrician because you didn't have to give Berry any context about your baby or their age."

Experts in the Loop

At the heart of Berry's development process is Amber LoRe, Huckleberry's Director of Pediatric Expertise, and her team of specialists across disciplines from sleep to lactation to occupational therapy. LoRe utilizes her unique dual backgrounds in structured logic systems and pediatric expertise to guide and test Berry with each update.

"My focus is on ensuring Berry is safe, realistic, and parent-centered," shares LoRe. "I want it to follow the same reasoning our experts use when looking at a family's data to provide advice." This approach provides assurance generic models lack, which was echoed in more of Huckleberry's testing feedback. "It feels so much more trustworthy than googling or using AI that isn't specific to children," adds Marissa R., a mother of a 6-month old.

Families at the Center

Huckleberry has always placed families' needs at the heart of every decision. "Understanding each child's day, patterns, and development to give better guidance has been core to features like SweetSpot® since Huckleberry started," explains Jessica Toh, CEO and co-founder.

"We prioritize what matters to parents, like privacy, which is why we don't use individual data to train public models. We also intentionally designed Berry to help parents get at the root of what they're observing to strengthen their intuition, never to replace it."

Berry is available now with a Huckleberry Premium subscription on iOS and Android.  

About Huckleberry

Huckleberry is on a mission to build life-changing products and experiences that help all families unlock everyday magic. By teaming up pediatric experts with human-centered technology, the Huckleberry app provides over 5 million families with the trusted support they need to find clarity and confidence. Founded by Jessica Toh and Seng Oon Toh, Huckleberry has been recognized globally for its impact on family wellbeing.

Money Matters - Valentine's Day Inflation

 Researchers from InvestorsObserver compared the most popular gifts and their costs in 2016 and 2026, and found that champagne dropped off the list, while a full celebration now costs $774.39, up 51% from $512 in 2016.

Key findings:

• In 2026, the most popular Valentine’s gifts are a greeting card, a box of chocolates, diamond earrings, a dozen roses, and dinner for two, totaling $774.39 for the full package – $262.36 more than the top gifts of 2016.

• In 2016, the most popular Valentine’s gifts were a box of chocolates, diamond earrings, a dozen roses, dinner for two, and a bottle of champagne, totaling $512.03 for the full package.

• In the gift lineup, a bottle of champagne (priced at $51.54 in 2016) has been swapped out for a greeting card (averaging $7.19 in 2026).

• A box of chocolates has the biggest price jump – more than tripling from $15.11 to $50.70. 

• The second biggest price jump: dinner for two more than doubled, rising from $80.46 to $209.

Read the full research report here.

InvestorsObserver is a trusted source of independent financial analysis, market insights, and investment research for individuals and institutions. Founded to empower retail investors with actionable intelligence, InvestorsObserver delivers timely commentary, data-driven studies, and accessible financial tools designed to simplify complex market trends. Its research and insights have been featured by various media outlets, including Yahoo, The Guardian, Morning Star, Nasdaq, and more.