The thing about being a parent is that there is always something to worry about.

So this week we show you what’s new out there to help alleviate some of those worries that come with kids:

It begins with pregnancy

Once you find out you’re pregnant, the worrying really begins.

“I’m Pregnant! Now What Do I Eat” (DK Publishing, $16.95 paperback) by Dr. Hope Ricciotti and Vincent Connelly is a practical dietary guide and cookbook for mothers-to-be.

The book has more than 60 recipes, trimester-based nutrition guidelines, morning sickness tips and advice on what to eat after baby arrives.

Let ’em play with food

Bring on the broccoli! Pile on the peas! Anyway you spin it, healthy eating transforms into fun with Daydream Toy’s new “Play With Your Food” set ($15).

This kit makes a game out of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Parents serve a wholesome meal on the special four-section plate. Kids spin the accompanying spinner and follow the result: one bite of everything, choose your bite or take a bite from the matching character.

 The plate and accompanying mug are dishwasher safe. Kits are available in two styles: animals or transportation. Kit is sold at specialty toy stores and available online at www.Daydreamtoy.com .

Mommy rescue guides

Harried moms often feel like life is just one mini-crisis after another. Enter the Mommy Rescue Guides (Adams Media, $12.95 paperback, pocket-sized spiral-bound little books filled with quick tips and at-your-fingertips answers to the questions of new parenthood.

The series includes the following titles:

* “Getting Your Baby to Sleep” by Cynthia MacGregor offers dos, don’ts and how-tos.

 * “Potty Training” by Linda Sonna helps families make the switch from diapers to potty training with lots of advice along the way.

* “Toddler Meals” by Shana Priwer and Cynthia Phillips gives parents strategies for making mealtime fun, dealing with food allergies and recipes that will tempt every toddler.

* “Breastfeeding” by Suzanne Fredregill provides tips for getting baby to nurse, dos and don’ts of pumping and storage and how and when to wean.

The truth is in their hair

Do you lay awake at night wondering if your teen is making good decisions? Confirm Biosciences offers parents some definitive answers with HairConfirm, a new at-home kit that allows parents to take a hair sample from their kids and find out within 24-48 hours whether or not their kids are drug-free. HairConfirm ($65-$75) can detect drug use as well as usage frequency for up to 90 days. It also provides a detailed report on the amount of each chemical detected as well as results indicating the ranges typically found in recreational, daily/weekend and constant users. To learn more log on to www.hairconfirm.com.

‘Denial’ another route

If plucking your child’s hair seems a might too far to go at this stage, you might want to engage in a good game of “Denial” (Good4UKid.com, $31.46).

Geared toward 8- to 14-year-olds, the game was created by Barry Keane, Canada, with the single goal of educating teens and preteens on tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and other substances.

“Denial” consists of two decks of cards “Choices” and “Consequences.” The cards range from true/false, statement type or multiple choice format. Players are faced with questions, such as, “You are at a dance and a good-looking member of the opposite sex comes up to you and offers you a joint. What do you do?” Or you may have to make decisions such as, “Is it more important to be popular or keep your values?” or “Is alcohol a depressant or a stimulant?” or statements such as, “Kissing a smoker is like kissing an ashtray.”

DENIAL asks tough questions and empowers the players to make  good decisions. The right answers moves you around the board quickly while the wrong answers slow your progress. 

Currently, the game is available in English only, but will soon be offered in French and Spanish. The game is available online at www.Good4UKid.com or by calling  (613) 798-7339.