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Imagine you're just chillin' out, getting some video of a soaring golden eagle over Mount Royal Park in Montreal. Then the eagle swoops down for its prey -a toddler at the park! The videographer then sprang into action, so you'll have to watch the slo-mo replay to see what happened. The child appears to be okay, possibly bruised from the fall, but if he hadn't been wearing a bulky coat, his injuries could have been serious -or even fatal. -via Metafilter

Update: Neetzan Zimmerman explains this video is a hoax. Link

Update 2: The actual credits. Link

Before these bad girls grew up to spread chaos and corruption across Gotham City they were really cute little toddlers playing hard and exploring the natural world, according to this illustration by Cynthia "Thea" Rodgers entitled 'Lil Gotham City Sirens.

Showing little Harley ready to hammer a robin is a nice touch, as is the addition of her little Joker doll.

Link  --via GeekTyrant 

Playing Princess Bride is easy when you've got a ship shaped sled sitting around and a young giant named Fezzik ready to pull you and your crew through the snow! Illustrator Patrick Ballesteros captured this imaginative scene in honor of snow days and one of the greatest movies ever made. INCONCEIVABLE!

Link  --via Nerd Approved

There's also the sixth toe. The one that stays in the attic all of the time and never comes out. Andy Herald understands the darker subtexts of popular, classic nursery rhymes. You can view the rest of his chart on the subject at the link.

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Jared Diamond contrasts our modern methods of raising children with those used in more traditional societies, such as the villagers of New Guinea.

We are struck by the precocious development of social skills in their children. These are qualities that most of us admire, and would like to see in our own children, but we discourage development of those qualities by ranking and grading our children and constantly ­telling them what to do. The adolescent identity crises that plague American teenagers aren’t an issue for hunter-gatherer children. The Westerners who have lived with hunter-gatherers and other small-scale societies speculate that these admirable qualities develop because of the way in which their children are brought up: namely, with constant security and stimulation, as a result of the long nursing period, sleeping near parents for ­several years, far more social models available to children through ­allo-parenting, far more social stimulation through constant physical contact and proximity of caretakers, instant caretaker responses to a child’s crying, and the minimal amount of physical punishment.

But that's just the beginning. Children in traditional societies have more freedom to roam, multiple caregivers, and access to adult experiences that we consider not quite safe. Of course, not all those practices are transferable to a more modern society -after all, we have automobiles, which is the most dangerous thing for a child. But a generous excerpt from Diamond's book The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies? is very much worth a read. Link

(Image credit: Flickr user Focx Photography)

Spending a few minutes with Santa at a mall or a Christmas party is a great joy for young children. But for children with autism, a busy setting with bright lights and loud noises isn't fun. That's why there's an opportunity in Madison, Wisconsin to meet Santa in a quieter environment:

For kids like William, the stimulation of lights and crowds and noise – three aspects inherent of just about every shopping mall, especially at holiday time – is simply too much.

"For them to not be able to have that," said Dena, "they're just missing out."

But this year, the Sekels' holiday wish has already come true.

"We were like, we have to go to this, this is our one chance to actually go," said Dena.

That chance came when they heard of an event in Madison that offered a quieter visit with Santa, particularly for kids with special needs.

That quieter visit was with a Santa Helper named Jim Sheldon, one of many helpers that take requests at malls while the real Santa is busy at the North Pole.

"Mall Santas and kids with sensory issues? That's a mess," said Sheldon.

Link -via Althouse | Image: Channel 3000

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Rochester Christian Church Ministries (RCCM) Daycare put on a Christmas show. During this performance of "The Twelve days of Christmas" a few years ago, children do what they do, and are all the more adorable for it. -via Daily Picks and Flicks

Earlier last week I posted an article featuring some really great nerdy nursery themes, in the comments, LisaL mentioned that she had a Star Wars Muppets nursery, so I begged her to send pictures. She kindly obliged and here is the amazing mural on the wall (complete with glow in the dark stars), along with some great light saber lights.

In addition to the mural, the nursery also features Star Wars artwork by James Hance and Brandon Peat, as well as amigurumis made by the little babe's grandmother based on these cute Etsy designs and other adorable details.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't get enough great geek nurseries -especially when they're in the homes of our Neatorama readers! Thanks LisaL!

Parents know that their kids will want to share whatever their eating, or currently chewing on, with them on a regular basis, and kids don't understand how germs are shared much to your immune system's dismay. So before you agree to share a cookie with your kid make sure you've got some sick days saved up!

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Get a hankie ready. This video with Dr. Alex Levy from the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children was posted at reddit, just as a bunch of medical students on the forum needed some encouragement. Link

This instructional diagram from How To Be A Dad brings back memories. I was a little disappointed this year when my teenagers put up the tree and only used the "pretty" ornaments, while leaving all their old homemade ones in the decoration boxes. Now I miss all those years when they decorated as high as they could reach, a little higher every year, and I gradually filled out fewer of the top branches. But they still eat all the candy canes! Link -via Tastefully Offensive

Buzzfeed has an impressive collection of geek-themed nurseries, all with fantastic details. I'm particularly big on the knitted Daleks in the Doctor Who room and the Nightmare Before Christmas mobile.

Link Via The Mary Sue

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Being a baby must be hard work, because they're always falling asleep in the middle of whatever they're doing. 

Whether they're eating, playing or engaging in other baby oriented activities sleep is just around the corner, and try as they might they're soon out like a light!

--via Tastefully Offensive

Give your baby all the luxuries found in a hamster cage with the Crib Dribbler, from the makers of Baby Bounce-Up-High.

Just fill up the bottle with your baby's favorite liquid, strap the bottle to the side of the crib and kiss those thirsty cries goodbye! Baby sawdust bedding and chew toys sold separately. 

Link  --via Geekosystem

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Monsters are scary, unless they're too busy teaching kids their ABCs to keep up with their scaring duties!

My Beastly ABCs is an awesome animated iPhone app which is made for wee little ones, but the art and stories are so good that adults can get their kicks too, and may learn a thing or two about different types of monsters.

Link  --via BoingBoing