She wanted doctors to give her a birth control device. Instead, Tessa Savicki of Springfield, Mass., says they sterilized her.

Savicki claims doctors performed a tubal ligation on her without her consent. Now, the 35-year-old mother of nine is suing Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, as well as three doctors and two nurses.

Savicki's nine children range in age from 3 to 21. She tells the Boston Herald she wanted doctors to implant an intrauterine device after the birth of her son, Manuel Flores, in 2006. She specifically wanted a device that would be removable in case she wanted more children, she tells the newspaper. Instead, according to papers filed in Hampden County Superior Court on Nov. 24, 2009, doctors performed the tubal ligation.

Maybe you got your child a cell phone because you wanted her to be armed in case of an emergency.

Or maybe you got it simply because you were tired of hearing her begging pleas. Whatever the reason, 27 percent of preteens (ages 9 to 12) and 75 percent of teens (ages 13 to 17) now have their own cell phones, says a report released last month by the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. (Download the report in PDF form here.)

And while many parents (41 percent, to be exact) are concerned with the amount of time their children spend texting, there's another topic of concern: Sexting. A mash-up of sex and texting, sexting is when sexually explicit material is shared through a text message or cell phone photo.

Among children with cell phones, 87 percent reported using the devices to send and receive text messages. (There's no stat about how many admit to sending sexts.)

Dear AdviceMama,

My husband and I (second marriage for both) have two teenage children that live with us, and we each have a daughter that lives with their other parent. The teenaged girls that don't live with us have not visited or communicated much since our marriage several months ago. The parents they live with discourage contact with us. Our lawyer has advised us to just keep the faith and when the girls want to, they will visit. It has been heartbreaking, as we were both very close to our girls and we miss them so much. I feel that we have no rights at all to see them. Is it right to just wait? We know it is much better for kids to have both parents. What should we do?

Signed, Missing Our Girls

Dear Missing,

Typically a court will dictate that noncustodial parents have reasonable access to their children since it is usually in the child's best interest, but it sounds like neither of you have any provision in your custody arrangement for this, so I will answer your question with the understanding that the decision to visit you is entirely up to your daughters.

76 Trombones by Dan Zanes and Friends

There are few true superstars in kids' music, but Zanes is one of them. And he attained that status with his trademark laid back, folky rock sound. He's the Dylan of children's music, not the Andrew Lloyd Weber, which is why a CD of Broadway show tunes seemed like a potentially risky departure for the Brooklyn troubadour. But he handles it beautifully, of course. He puts a very Zanes-y spin on classic from A Chorus Line, Annie, Peter Pan and more, transforming songs you're used to hearing as big and booming production numbers into very pure, roots-of-rock sounding fare.

The title track gets a little Dixieland sprinkled into it, while "Gary, Indiana," also from The Music Man, get a jazzy beat behind it. Peter Pan songs get rocked out, as the drum-driven "I Won't Grow Up" takes on an early Who sound and "I'm Flying" ends up feeling like it could be a Pixies track. The traditionally belted "Tomorrow" from Annie is given a much softer treatment here, as a bilingual Spanish-English ballad subtitled "Manana." Guest vocalists -- another Zanes trademark -- appropriately come from Broadway backgrounds, like Carol Channing on "Hello, Dolly," and Matthew Broderick on another Dolly tune, "Before the Parade Passes By." The best track on the whole disc, though, is possibly "I Am What I Am," from La Cage Aux Folles, which works wonderfully as an uplifting, believe-in-yourself number with just the right kind of message for kids. All in all, 76 Trombones makes a nice addition to the Dan Zanes canon.

Listen to "76 Trombones":

German scientists have found evidence of a link between exposure to tobacco smoke during early development and abnormal behavioral symptoms (including conduct problems, hyperactivity and problems in peer relationships) that surface by age 10.

"Adverse effects of prenatal and postnatal tobacco exposure have been reported to be associated with behavioral problems" in the past, the study explains. But "the magnitude of the association with tobacco exposure at specific periods" was unclear before this new analysis.

The study used data from the GINI-plus Prospective Birth Cohort Study to assess the relative risk of behavioral problems in children who had been exposed to tobacco smoke in utero and after birth. The results indicated that exposure to tobacco smoke was especially detrimental in utero, but even those exposed to it only after birth had a higher risk of abnormal behavior than kids who weren't exposed.

Kids can be hard on dinnerware, even after the throw-everything highchair stage, but sturdy melamine is up to the task. This new set of Portland dessert plates from Thomaspaul features adorable checked designs for a fun picnic style, and the size (nine-inch diameter) is perfect for pint-size appetites.

Available in a set of four for $28 at 2modern.com

Patty Jo Marsh and Jacob Bartels have tattoos. They decided that six of their children should have them as well. But tattooing children is illegal in Georgia, as is giving tattoos without a license, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The couple was arrested on December 28th and charged with tattooing and reckless conduct, both misdemeanors, and cruelty to children, which is a felony, according to the arrest report. They were released on December 29th on a $10,000 property bond.

According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the homemade tattoo machine Marsh and Bartels used is made from "electrical cord, spliced wiring and a guitar string for a needle." The Free Press reports that Marsh and Bartels used the machine on themselves the same day, all with the same needle/guitar string.

Here's a look at what's new in family entertainment as adapted from reviews and ratings by Common Sense Media. Click on the links to read the reviews in full.

New in Theaters: Sherlock Holmes
As much a buddy movie as a mystery, "Sherlock Holmes" follows the friendship of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they fight crime in late 1800s London. Despite the abundance of slow-motion violence, the film is entertaining and fun and perfectly set up for a sequel. Rated PG, 13, OK for Kids 14+

DVD: Tinker Bell
First brought to life in "Peter Pan," everyone's favorite fairy gets her own movie in Disney's "Tinker Bell." Unhappy with her role as a Tinker Fairy, Tinker Bell tries to prove she's meant for bigger things. A tale about accepting and appreciating the talents you are born with, the film is as wholesome as they come. Rated G, OK for Kids 4+

TV: One Big Happy Family
A reality show on TLC, "One Big Happy Family" documents the struggles of an overweight family as they try to change their eating habits and their lives. Mom, dad and their two teens face their problems with humor, love and a willingness to accept responsibility for their issues. As real as a reality show gets, it's ultimately a portrait of a loving family. Rated TV-PG, OK for Kids 10+