The article is correct, as long as we are using credit cards, what we purchase and where is totally traceable. In some cases, it is appreciated and it saves us time and money (if they send us coupons). In others, it is unsettling because you don’t know what is legitimate and what could be a scam – especially when it comes through via email or if it isn’t a major retailer or a familiar brand.

My mother used to always say, you are judged by the company you keep. Isn’t it amazing how old wisdom keeps current with what is going on in our world today?

In the event that a major retailer is reading my blog: Dear Mr. /Ms. Retailer, please send me coupons for the EXACT items I routinely purchase rather than their competitors. Forgive me for being brand loyal:)

Looking ahead to Monday’s President’s Day holiday, I investigated the idea of fatherless presidents. It turns out there are several of them. And other famous fatherless people? Plenty of those, too. This list is by no means comprehensive, but I wanted to share some names that I found very interesting. (Fatherless by means of father’s death, incarceration, non-shared custody, father abandonment or basic lack of parental involvement from biological father)

Famous Fatherless Presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland, Herbert Hoover, Gerald Ford, William Jefferson Clinton, Barack Obama

Famous Fatherless People – Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, George Washington Carver, Fredrick Douglas, Michael Phelps, Jackie Robinson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Booker T. Washington, Aristotle, Mother Theresa, Julies Caesar, Cleopatra, Confucius, Nicolas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Leonardo da Vinci, Maya Angelou, Lance Armstrong, Jane Austen, Johann Sebastian Bach, Michele Bachmann, Halle Berry, Pierce Brosnan, James Brown, Carol Burnett, Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplin, Cher, Agatha Christie, Eric Clapton, Patsy Cline, Bill Cosby, Tom Cruise, Rodney Dangerfield, James Dean, Ella Fitzgerald, Jodie Foster, Robert Frost, Whoopie Goldberg, Cuba Gooding, Gene Hackman, Audrey Hepburn, Julius Erving, Jesse Jackson, B.B. King, Larry King, Stephen King, George Lopez, Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Eddie Murphy, Jack Nicholson, Shaquille O’Neal, Al Pacino, Rosa Parks, Edgar Allen Poe, Wolfgang Puck, Rev. Al Sharpton, Gene Simmons, Jon Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Leo Tolstoy, Mr. T, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Mike Tyson, Hank Williams, and Malcolm X.

*source: “Fatherless America” list of famous fatherless children (25% of American presidents)

Historically, Americans relied on religious leaders to guide lifestyle choices and behavior. Some churches have recently reasserted themselves in the area of fatherhood, urging men to step up to fatherhood responsibilities. I saw an interesting YouTube video related to this trend. The video shows an interview with three people that came from homes with absent fathers. Each of the interviewees has made it their life’s goal to not allow this to happen to the children in their lives, whether they are biologically linked or not. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVbB93iVnVs

I find this series fascinating because these individuals have turned past hurt into a motivator to help others avoid the same hurt. These are stories of people striving for a better outcome.

*Posting this video or blog is not a reflection of support for any organization or individual; it is for informative purposes only.

It is always interesting to hear real stories of parents who thought they were doing everything right and then are “blindsided” when their teen informs them of a pregnancy. Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of a Dallas mega church, has shared his memories of the time that his 14-year old daughter came to him with the shocking news she was going to have a baby. What this story revealed to America was that it can happen to anyone, even when traditional values are preached every day. This story is an encouraging one for parents who are faced with this difficult situation. Bishop Jakes’ daughter defied the odds, raising her child as a single mother, graduating college and later marrying. When asked what she would tell her son about her story, she said that she would be honest and communicate the blessing he was to her life but also describe that having a child as a teenager definitely made life more difficult. She would also add that if he waited, he could have “everything in life at its right time”.

Bishop Jakes and his daughter evade the question of involvement by the biological father.

To watch the interview click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjaem4oqcDo

*Posting this video or blog is not a reflection of support for any organization or individual; it is for informative purposes only.

Can you think back to when you were a teenager? I think I would have been grouped into the “clueless club”. Do you also remember where you got your information about relationships, sex and STDs? I mostly remember it coming from school and my peers. If my parents mentioned it, I probably told them to stop or my embarrassment tuned them out!

I don’t think that tweens and teens today are much different than 20 years ago. If you have children in this age range, you have probably witnessed their embarrassment when you talk to them about these sensitive subjects. So who do they listen to if they aren’t comfortable hearing it from us? Peers, teachers, social media sites, TV or radio? I’m willing to say “ALL THE ABOVE”.

A day in the life of a tween or teen is spent mostly in a controlled classroom and then when the bell rings, the ITouches, MP3 players, and cell phones turn on! They sing in the car, text their friends, watch music videos on YouTube and follow their favorite artists on Facebook.

If you keep up with American Top 40, you know that Rihanna, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, LMFAO, and Flo Rida are the most popular this week. Do you feel these artists have a responsibility to think about the younger generation “learning” from their lyrics? There has been much Twitter talk about Jay-Z censoring his lyrics now that he has had a baby. The audience is split – some support the rumors that he will alter his lyrics and others don’t want his music to get “soft”. Recently, HBO actor and upcoming rapper, Tray Chaney released a song entitled “Fatherhood”. In the lyrics he says, “I’d rather die than be that guy”. He wants more young adults to understand the meaning of fatherhood and seriousness surrounding their paternity responsibilities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJfaDhrM4k4

Basically, the opening statistic should motivate us to keep conversations open, often and real with our youth. The library has many books on the human body, human sexuality and pregnancy and childbirth. The American Academy of Pediatrics is also a good place to start. Good luck to us all! Knowledge is power. http://www.healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/default.aspx

To get a little personal, I had only been married for about 2 years and was 24 years old when I became pregnant (not planned). I quickly embraced my little growing bundle of joy and I thought my husband was “jogging along” right beside me. After I delivered my sweet baby girl, my husband asked the nurse, “What is her blood type?” It was B and he knew mine was O. He then mused, “I wonder what mine is?” The nurse quickly replied, “Well you better hope it’s B”. At the time, I laughed at his innocence but now when I look back, I think of what an awkward moment that would have been if there was a reason to question paternity.

Doctors we have spoken with at professional conferences say that they frequently hear this question after delivery. They interpret it as “possible paternity doubt”. In our business, we know that paternity doubts are real and according to our last survey, 1 in 10 Americans question paternity.

Blood type is a very important thing to know for many reasons aside from paternity questions. Most importantly, donating blood saves lives. If you are lucky enough to be O-, you have a universal blood type and can donate to any other blood type. AB blood types are universal donors of plasma, which is often used in pediatric emergencies. You can find out more about donating blood at http://www.redcrossblood.org/

Also, here’s a simple genetic flowchart that illustrates possible blood types and combinations passed down from biological parents to their children. http://bloodbook.com/inherited.html

Now how in the world does this relate to DNA? Well, it might be because I work for Identigene and I have become obsessed with DNA! But the movie got me thinking about my dog’s life. I’ve never tested her DNA, but I know common health problems for her breed include hip dysplasia, tumors, thyroid problems and bloat. Knowing these facts helps me decide what food and veterinary care I give her. What if you were like Pfeiffer and didn’t know your pet’s true breed or combination of breeds? There is DNA testing for mixed breed animals that answers these questions for some of the same reasons people seek out DNA testing.

Ahhh, now we’re back to paternity testing. Health and wellness are important benefits of paternity testing. If a child knows both of their biological parents, he/she can be aware of the family health history. Heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer and many other conditions can be linked to heredity. Knowledge is empowering. If we know our family’s health history, we can take preventative measures or make lifestyle changes to improve health and wellness.

Check out WebMD’s slideshow of the top 25 dog breeds and their most common health problems. http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ss/slideshow-dog-breed-health-problems

This story is a hopeful one. There are many children in America that want more than anything to have a relationship with their father. Best case scenario, once paternity is proven, the father stands up like Steve Jobs and embraces his responsibility emotionally and financially. While most children won’t suddenly have a multi-millionaire for a father, we believe having someone to share special memories and provide financial and emotional support is a huge step in the right direction for the welfare of a child.

Many fathers are willing to pay child support, trusting the assertion that they are the father of a child. States in the U.S. do not require a DNA paternity test before determining child support payments. In fact, most states have laws in place that impose time limits on submitting DNA evidence that would overturn a child support ruling. These laws have been the source of much debate. Many fathers don’t begin questioning paternity until years after the court determines child support payments. Can you imagine regularly donating to a charity that you later find out is stealing your money and not using it for what it was intended? I imagine this is what some fathers feel when they find out they may have been deceived by a woman that has known all along there could be a chance he is not the biological father.

Fathers have formed communities and support groups. Many can be found online. With divorce rates increasing and so many fathers living in non-paternity situations, there is a growing demand for peer support. There are also legal firms that specialize in father’s rights and paternity issues.

If you find yourself in this situation help is available. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in “fathers support group”.