Do you go with your gut or follow the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) ratings system when it comes to movies you okay for your grade-schooler? I’m facing this interesting dilemma in my household as the hype builds for the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which is rated PG for some violence, language and mild sensuality.

My son turned 8 recently, and he has been immersed in the Harry Potter series. He’s now just started book 6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Many of his friends have already read all the books, and have also seen the movies. But I’ve held off on the films for two reasons: One, my child tends to get very upset when he sees violent or emotionally-wrenching scenes (I haven’t shown him Bambi yet because I don’t want to have to deal with the emotional fallout that I know would come once Bambi’s mother is shot). And two, I’ve always gone with mother’s intuition about what’s best for my child rather than follow what other parents were doing.

I don’t always go strictly by the MPAA rating. I nixed The Dark Knight (a movie many of my son’s friends have seen in the theaters or DVD), but I did let him see most of Iron Man (I skipped over the scarier scenes, such as when Tony Stark is held by terrorists or when a group of civilians, including kids, are threatened). I read helpful reviews for parents such as the ones from Carey Bryson, About.com’s guide to kids’ movies and TV. And then I make a decision on a movie-by-movie basis.

So while Sam’s 8-year-old peers are flocking to see the latest Transformers installment and are gearing up for the next Harry Potter movie, we are sticking to the movies like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. There will be plenty of years ahead when he sees violence and gore on the screen. I’m glad he’s sensitive, and I don’t see any reason to rush things for my young child.

If your kids usually spend a little more time in front of the TV in the summer, you may want to pay closer attention to the commercials they watch. A new study has found that watching food commercials can lead to increased snacking in children and adults.

In one experiment, researchers found that kids aged 7 to 11 who watched a cartoon interspersed with food commercials snacked 45 percent more than kids who watched the same cartoon with commercials that were not food-related. A similar study in adults also found a link between watching food commercials and increased eating.

If you pre-record programs, you can always skip over the ads. But if your kids get the munchies after watching food commercials on live TV, give them healthy choices such as fresh fruit or veggies with hummus. Better yet, get them outdoors for some fresh air and exercise!

Have you ever noticed that your kids get snack cravings when they watch TV? Have you experienced this yourself? What are your solutions to combat TV commercial munchies?

Aaargh. First the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recommendation last year against giving cold and cough medicines to children aged 2 and younger. And the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has said that these medicines don’t work and may cause dangerous side effects in kids aged 6 and under.

Recently, the FDA issued a warning to consumers about Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and similar products because they contain zinc, which they say may cause permanent damage to nerves in the nose that are important for the sense of smell.

Because these zinc nasal swabs and sprays were considered homeopathic, they were never required to undergo FDA approval before being sold to consumers. The FDA now says the makers of Zicam must now seek FDA approval in order to continue marketing the products. (The makers of Zicam argue that their product is safe but have agreed to pull the products from the market.)

One thing is clear: we parents need a better system. Years before the FDA and AAP cold medicine warnings came out, I gave my son cold medicine when he was a toddler and preschooler. I’ve also used Zicam kids’ nasal swabs on him when he had a cold -- again, when these products were on the market for years and there wasn’t a peep about potentially-dangerous side effects.

Today, when my now-8-year-old gets a cold, I administer chicken soup, tea with honey, lots of TLC, and nothing else. But in the meantime, I’m always wondering what warnings will be issued next about products we think are safe for our kids.

Do you ever feel our government could be doing more to ensure that the products marketed for kids could be safer? Have you ever used cold medicines and zinc sprays on your kids?

If you are planning to let your kids play with sparklers this holiday weekend, be sure to follow a few safety tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety. An estimated 16 percent of all sparkler injuries are due to sparklers burning hands and legs, and most of the injuries occur in young children. To make sure your kids stay safe, do not allow kids under 12 years of age to use sparklers without adult supervision and never hold a child while you are holding a lit sparkler. Other important safety tips:

• Teach your child to always stand while using sparklers.
• Never let your child hold more than one lit sparkler at a time.
• Be sure your child wears closed-toe shoes (no sandals); do not allow them to be barefooted.
• Make sure kids drop used sparklers into a bucket of water to ensure it has gone out completely.
• Do not hand a lit sparkler to another person. Give them the unlit sparkler and then light it afterwards.
• Teach kids to hold sparklers away from their body, at least an arm's length away.
• Teach kids to never wave or throw sparklers or run while holding one in their hands.
• Make sure everyone stands at least 6 feet away from each other while holding lit sparklers.

Have a wonderful, safe, and happy Fourth of July!