Parenting never remains the same. Each year brings new questions, fresh research, and everyday moments that remind us how challenging and rewarding raising children can be.
Over the past year, Parent Herald has shared stories, tips, and insights designed to help families feel a little more confident and less alone. This year-in-review looks back at some of the most important parenting topics we covered in 202—the ones that sparked conversation, offered guidance, and reflected what really matters to parents today.
1. TikTok Mom Unplugs Baby's NICU Monitor So She Could Ask Nurses for a Sandwich
A TikTok video involving a new mother in a hospital NICU drew strong reactions this year after she was filmed unplugging her baby's medical monitor to get a nurse's attention for food. In the video, the mom dismissed the alarm as unimportant and asked for a sandwich, prompting widespread concern from viewers who questioned her judgment and awareness of her newborn's fragile condition.
The incident quickly went viral and sparked debate about hospital safety, social media boundaries, and parental responsibility during medical emergencies. Healthcare professionals later emphasized that NICU monitors are critical for tracking infants' vital signs and should never be turned off without medical guidance. After facing heavy backlash, the mom reportedly removed her TikTok account.
2. Wisconsin Teen Arrested After Parents Found Dead—Mom 'Blackened From Decomposition,' Dad With Head Wound
A Wisconsin teenager was arrested far from home after authorities say his mother and stepfather were found dead during a welfare check at their home in the Village of Waukesha. Police stopped the teen late at night in WaKeeney, Kansas, after a traffic violation, and investigators said he was a person of interest.
According to reports cited in the case, relatives and school officials grew worried after weeks of little contact and the teen's unexplained absence from classes, along with suspicious messages sent from the stepfather's phone. Prosecutors said the teen was found driving the stepfather's vehicle and was accused of taking a firearm.
3. QAnon Dad Matthew Coleman Who Murdered His Two Kids With a Speargun Remains Incomprehensible To Stand Trial
A California man accused of killing his two young children in 2021 remains unable to stand trial because he is still "incomprehensible," according to his attorneys, as the case nears another key court deadline. Court filings cited in the report say both sides have sought deadline extensions while treatment plans are reviewed, but the next hearing was set for Feb. 18, 2025, and the judge indicated there would be no further delays.
The report also says federal records describe repeated self-harm attempts while the defendant is in custody, and that he has been kept under constant observation and medicated against his will. Prosecutors allege he drove from Santa Barbara to Mexico with his two children — 2-year-old Kaleo and 10-month-old Roxy — and killed them at a ranch in Baja California because of a delusional belief they had "serpent DNA"; their bodies were later found by a farmer, and the children's mother reported them missing before he was arrested at the U.S. border.
4. Mother and 3 Kids Detained by ICE, Taken to Texas Detention Facility, Sparking Outrage
In Sackets Harbor, New York, a mother and her three children were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and later transferred to the Karnes County Detention Facility in Texas, according to the New York Immigration Coalition. The family was not publicly identified, but advocates said one of the children is a third-grade student, and local school leaders said the children are students in the district.
The detentions prompted public criticism from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and immigrant-rights advocates, while Sackets Harbor Central School District Superintendent Jennifer Gaffney called for the family's return. The New York Immigration Coalition said the family had been attending immigration court hearings, and school officials said agents were executing a warrant for someone else when the mother and children were taken into custody; ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and residents planned a local rally.
5. Pennsylvania Kids Warned Not to Speak Spanish on School Bus 'Out of Respect to English-Only Students'
A handwritten sign posted on a Pennsylvania school bus set off backlash and an official response this year after it told students, "Out of respect for English only students there will be NO speaking Spanish on this bus!" The message, attributed to "owner/management," circulated on social media and prompted the Juniata County School District to announce an investigation into what happened.
Superintendent Christie L. Holderman said the district took "immediate and appropriate action" and apologized, adding that officials are committed to a safe and respectful environment for students. The district's transportation management partner, Rohrer Bus, said it did not authorize the sign and called its language contrary to the company's values, saying the transportation provider involved was suspended while the incident is investigated.
6. Minnesota School District's Projected $700K Budget Shortfall Sparks Official Investigation
A projected $700,000 budget shortfall in the Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian (BOLD) school district in rural Minnesota has triggered an official investigation after district leaders said they uncovered potential financial irregularities. Superintendent Jim Menton told the school board the deficit was tied to rising costs, payroll discrepancies, and unpaid bills that surfaced as the district reviewed its finances.
District officials said some of the unpaid bills included a roughly $90,000 landscaping charge for work completed years earlier, and Olivia police confirmed they are investigating concerns raised by the district. A search warrant cited in reports described a "serious embezzlement/theft" allegation and listed about $11,528 in questionable purchases on a school-issued credit card, including spending at major retailers and restaurants.
7. Teenage Contraception in Rural, Regional Areas Needs Support To Reduce Early Pregnancy, Australian Study Says
Teenagers in rural and regional Australia may be missing out on reliable contraception advice and access, a new study suggests, as doctors point to cost, distance, and limited local services as barriers that can contribute to higher rates of unintended pregnancy. Researchers interviewed 18 regional GPs across seven Victorian local government areas with above-average teenage pregnancy rates, and many said teens often have limited knowledge of options and face extra hurdles getting long-acting methods such as implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs).
The findings also highlighted gaps inside general practice, including some doctors' uncertainty about whether IUDs are suitable for teenagers and the small number of GPs who routinely provide IUD insertion, prompting calls for better training and incentives—especially in high-need regions. Authors and medical groups said making clinics feel safe for teens, normalizing contraception conversations, and supporting informed choices could improve care, as Australia continues to grapple with unintended pregnancy (reported as affecting one in four women, with higher rates in rural and younger groups) and as a federal funding package of more than $500 million aims to expand access to long-acting contraception and reduce out-of-pocket costs.
8. An Alabama Bill Would Require Public Schools to Perform a Daily Pledge and Prayer. Schools That Refuse Could Lose Millions in Funding
Alabama lawmakers advanced a proposal that would require public K-12 schools to start each day with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer described as consistent with "Judeo-Christian" values, with supporters calling it a way to reinforce civic traditions and critics warning it crosses constitutional lines. The measure, House Bill 231, has moved through the House State Government Committee and was headed for debate in the full House, drawing renewed attention to how religion is handled in public schools.
Under the bill, school systems that do not comply could face a penalty of losing 25% of their state funding—an outcome opponents said could cost large districts tens of millions of dollars each year, including an estimated $40 million for Birmingham City Schools. The proposal does not require students to participate, but it would require schools to host the prayer; sponsor Rep. Reed Ingram said the intent is to build patriotism, while critics argued the funding threat is excessive and the plan is likely to face legal challenges under the First Amendment.
10. Ohio LGBTQ+ Teens Flood Crisis Hotline with Calls After Governor Signs Bill Requiring Teachers to Out Students to Parents
Calls to a national LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotline spiked in Ohio within hours of Gov. Mike DeWine signing House Bill 8 on Jan. 8, 2025, a law critics say could force schools to "out" students to their parents. The Rainbow Youth Project USA Foundation reported receiving 579 calls from Ohio that day, compared with a monthly state average of 284 calls, according to a report cited by Parent Herald.
Supporters describe H.B. 8 as a "Parents' Bill of Rights" that requires schools to notify parents before lessons involving "sexuality content" and to inform them about changes related to a student's mental, emotional, or physical health. Advocacy groups, including TransOhio and Equality Ohio, said the law could reduce safe spaces for vulnerable students, while DeWine and the Center for Christian Virtue defended it as keeping parents informed; the hotline also reported 82 calls from educators seeking guidance on how to comply. The law was expected to take effect in April.
