Apparently hugging and kissing your children is important for more than just making them feel better after getting boo boos. New science is showing that being a nurturing parent could keep them from getting serious illnesses as adults.

A most incredible NOVA episode on PBS called Ghost in Your Genes gave a huge insight into how the environmental effects of our lives, including our prenatal experience and how nurturing our mother was, can actually affect our health and even the health of our grandchildren.

I can't describe half the things that it talked about because it was so dense and informative, but here are a couple of summary thoughts:

Take your babe baby to the movies.

You may not get out for date night too often any more, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the quiet darkness and a big bucket of popcorn at the movies. Landmark Sunshine Rattle and Reel

Throughout January I'm going to be posting New York's best indoor activities for babies, toddlers and kids...which will come in handy if it ever gets cold again...not that I'm one of those crazy people who believes in global warming or anything.

We've recently posted about Mommy and Me Swimming Classes and Five Great Indoor Activities for Kids in NYC. You can find all our similar posts in our Indoor Activity Guide.

This week is The New York Times Arts and Leisure Week. It's not technically a kid festival, but there's plenty to take advantage of for kids and some great discounts on indoor activities to take the baby, including kid shows and circuses and lots of children's and child-friendly museums.

How often do you fantasize about escaping the rat race, moving to the country and spending your days making fresh bread and jam from the berries in your garden?

Every time I start to dream about this I have to do the ol' reality check and make sure my fantasy accurately depicts the garden that I haven't weeded in weeks, the mice that I can't ever seem to get rid of, and the pile of stinking compost on the kitchen counter; because I know myself and, even in the country, I'd be so busy doing 20 million things that all that stuff I idealized about slowing down and doing just wouldn't get done.

There's a new breed of uber-moms - they're the ones who are working their hineys off to live and raise their family in most the ultra sustainable, non-materialistic, anti-consumer, locavore way. And it ain't no picnic, folks. It's a blood sport.

8 kids, 11 confetti poppers...we're going to be finding that stuff all year long.

Today is the official end of our first full year at Mommy Poppins. I'd like to thank all of our readers and our advertiser, College Nannies and Tutors.

Start the year off on the artsy side. Here are three off the beaten track ideas for activities to do with kids on New Year's Day in New York.

The fifth installment of our Top Posts of 2007 has menu planners, awesome lunch boxes and lunch box ideas, tips on getting kids to eat veggies, and snacks to help kids stay more focused in school.

Menu Planners: They're What's for Dinner

Laptop Lunches: A Better Lunchbox to Inspire Better Lunches