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

In Theaters Now: Disney's A Christmas Carol
A perfectly cast Jim Carrey stars as Ebeneezer Scrooge in "Disney's A Christmas Carol." This classic tale about the importance of doing right by others is a 3-D fright fest with intense special effects and some terrifying imagery. For children brave enough to take it, the film is an excellent remake of the Charles Dickens classic Christmas tale. Rated PG, OK for Kids 8+

DVD: Aliens in the Attic
Kids will recognize some of their favorite Disney and Nickelodeon stars in the silly adventure comedy "Aliens in the Attic." In the film, a family vacation is upended by the discovery of some extra-terrestrials set on world domination. While the kids battle the bad guys, there are a few comically scary scenes, lots of immature name-calling and some pretty heavy flirting. Rated PG, OK for Kids 8+

TV: Fanboy and Chum Chum
Two thrill-seeking friends imagine themselves superheros in "Fanboy and Chum Chum." While there is little educational value in this film, there is also little to worry parents. The main characters are goofy, the action scenes are comical and the language doesn't get any worse than the occasional "butt." Rated TV-Y, OK for Kids 7+

When I heard about the latest version of "A Christmas Carol," which opens today and stars Jim Carrey in multiple roles (he's Scrooge, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future), I went in with low expectations for this motion-capture-animated flick.

I'll admit this right up front: I'm not a huge fan of the motion-capture method of animation. If you're not familiar with that term, think "Polar Express." It was the first major movie created with motion-capture technology, and to me, it was a little creepy, and gave the characters a sort of soulless, dead-eyed look.

The next major film to use the technology was "Beowulf," starring Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn, John Malkovich and more big-name, respected actors. The creepiness factor didn't bother me so much with this one because it wasn't a movie that was meant to be a heartwarming holiday tale; it was a grown-up take on a literary classic -- a violent, monster-filled fable.

He grew up entertaining the children who tromped into an Iowa library for story hour, so it was only a matter of time before this furry friend, aptly named Dewey Readmore Books, starred in his own children's books.

In fact "Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library" is the follow up to Vicki Myron's best-selling memoir "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World," which is set to be made into a movie by New Line Cinema. Meryl Streep has signed on to play Myron, but the former librarian, who discovered Dewey as a kitten abandoned in the Spencer, Iowa library drop box on a chilly winter morning in the 1980s, isn't done telling this feline's tale.

Public birth records, including birth certificates, are required to be filed by the government in every state of the United States. It is your right to access these records. There are many public databases of public records that, for a small fee, will grant you access to these and other records. Birth Records Database and Family Birth Records are just two examples of these services.

If you want an official copy of your birth certificate, you must contact the vital records' office from the state in which you were born. You can find a list of every state's vital office information at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. If you have a photo identification -- like a driver's license or passport -- and pay a small fee, the state's vital records' office will give you a certified copy of your birth certificate, complete with the seal and signature of the state's registrar office.

You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate to obtain a marriage license, a passport and, in some states, a driver's license. You also need your child's birth certificates to register for school or youth sports. You will also need your child's birth certificate to obtain their Social Security cards.

Usually if you are an immediate family member, you are allowed access to others' birth certificates. If you are a personal or legal representative of a particular person and have a notarized letter of authorization from them, as well as their identification, you may request another person's birth record. For more details on your state's law, ask your state's vital records' office.

More Genealogy Terms defined from ParentDish:
Family Tree
Death Records
Marriage Records

A marriage record is generally a copy of your marriage license, if it is signed by you and your spouse and witnesses. This paper certifies that you and your spouse are legally married. There are several instances when you might need a copy of your marriage license, such as adding a spouse to your insurance policy, applying for government benefits, creating a marital life estate trust or other legal situations.

If you cannot locate a copy of your marriage license, it is easy to obtain another copy. You can visit or write to the county clerk's office in the county where you were married to request a copy. You can also check with the state's vital records' office in the state where you were married. The state determines the fee for the new copy. Another possibility is to go to an online records database, such as VitalRec or VitalChek, and request a copy.

Usually, you can obtain marriage records for your immediate family members. You may also receive a marriage record if you are a personal or legal representative of a particular person who has a notarized letter of authorization and the identification of said person. For more details on your state's law, ask your state's vital office.

More Genealogy Terms define at ParentDish
Birth Records
Death Records
Family Tree

A death record is an official report that lists important information, such as the time, date and cause of death, about an individual. This record also includes the person's date of birth, marital status and occupation. This document is signed by a doctor to confirm the circumstances of the death.

Laws vary from state to state on who can request death records. However, usually if you are an immediate family member, you are given a copy. Also, you may also receive a death record if you are a personal or legal representative of the deceased and have a notarized letter of authorization and the dead person's identification. For more details on your state's law, ask your state's vital records' office.

Obtaining death records can be a critical part of researching your genealogy through public records, confirming the death of a missing loved one or compiling statistics.

More Genealogy Terms defined from ParentDish:
Birth Records
Family Tree
Marriage Records

Starting a family tree can be a rewarding experience for you and your family, but where do you begin? The first step is to gather all possible information about your family from your relatives, including names, relationships, birth dates, death dates, marriage dates and places of residence.

Once you have gathered this information, you can begin charting it to clarify relationships. At this point, you may want to consult a book about genealogy, such as Gilbert Harry Doane's "Searching for Your Ancestors".

To fill in any gaps in your chart, you can consult the a particular state's vital records office for birth and death records. The National Center for Health Statistics provides a list of links to each state's vital records office contact information.

Once you have exhausted the vital records resources, it is time for you to begin historical research. You can study the historical and geographical background by looking at maps of the towns, counties and states where your relatives lived. Next, you can begin the last step of visiting libraries to research genealogical collections, historical societies and other archives.

More Genealogy Terms defined at ParentDish:
Birth Records
Death Records
Marriage Records

There are three main parenting styles that most psychologists recommend.

Authoritative parents who treat their children like mature adults. These parents give their kids choices and believe in letting them see the results of their decisions as a positive learning tool. Kids of authoritative parents tend to have high self esteem because they feel more in control.

Authoritarian parents are strict and generally want to control every aspect of their kids' lives. These parents focus on punishing bad behavior rather than encouraging good behavior, which can cause children to have low self-esteem and lack independence.

Permissive parents are the complete opposite of the authoritarian parents. They refuse to set behavioral boundaries and allow their children to do whatever they want. These parents strive to be friends with their children and fear that their kids will rebel if the parents inflict rules. Children of permissive parents can be impulsive and aggressive. As they age, they are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. They also have a low self esteem.

While parents may recognize their style from these descriptions, there are many online tools like the Active Parenting Quiz and Dr. Phil's Parenting Style Questionnaire that can help parents determine their most effective parenting style.

Parents have a tough job. At ParentDish, we've got the latest parenting news to keep you in the know.

Attachment parenting is a parenting style developed by William Sears, M.D., a pediatrician and father of eight who believes that children form a strong emotional bond with parents or caregivers during childhood with lifelong consequences.

Attachment Parenting International has developed eight principles of attachment parenting that stress forming an immediate bond with the child.

The principles include:

1. Preparing for pregnancy, birth and parenting.
2. Feeding with love and respect.
3. Responding with sensitivity.
4. Using a nurturing touch.
5. Ensuring safe sleep both physically and emotionally.
6. Providing consistent and loving care.
7. Practicing postive discipline.
8. Striving for balance in personal and family life.

To help parents achieve these principles, Dr. Sears has identified "The Baby B's," seven tools designed to improve the parent-child relationship.

They include:
1. Baby bonding
2. Breastfeeding
3. Babywearing
4. Bedding close to baby
5. Believing in the language value of your baby's cry
6. Being wary of baby trainers
7. Balancing

Naturally, attachment parenting has come with some controversy. Some mothers choose to formlua feed. Some feel babywearing spoils children. There are claims that co-sleeping can cause SIDS. Sharon Hays, sociologist and author of "The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood"," feels this parenting philosophy imposes unrealistic obligations on parents, particularly for working women.

Despite the criticisms, attachment parenting has grown in popularity, giving birth to a network of support groups across the country. Advocates claim that this parenting style encourages a secure view of the world.

Experts, including Dr. Sears, agree that parents must use these guidelines and tools to create a parenting style that works best for their family.

Have more tough questions? ParentDish can answer your childcare questions.

Permissive parenting, also called indulgent, lenient or non-directive parenting, is a parenting style in which parents have few controls over or demands on their children.

In these families, parents are very involved in their children's lives, but have few behavioral expectations for their kids. These parents are more concerned with being their children's friends and fear their kids may rebel against them if they are too hard on them. Permissive parents are usually the children of strict parents.

As children with permissive parents age, they are likely to be impulsive and underachieving. As teenagers, they also experiment with drugs and alcohol more frequently because they know they will not be punished if they get caught. Additionally, these children may have unrealistic self-esteems, blaming others for their mistakes.

However, children with permissive parents often learn good social skills.

Though permissive parents often feel that they are helping their children by letting them do whatever they want to do, they may be in for a shock when they realize their lack of boundaries has created insecure, demanding, selfish kids with no sense of personal responsibility.

Are you worried about your child's emotional or physical growth? ParentDish has development covered!

The term "safety first" means that being safe is the first priority when performing a task.

Freedom from danger, risk or injury is foremost in whatever activity is being executed. In order to insure "safety first," one must know basic safety rules.

Even preschoolers can understand the importance of keeping all windows and doors locked, not opening the door to strangers and how to dial 9-1-1.

"Safety first" can also be used for outdoor activities, school-aged children should always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or tricycle.

While remembering this philosophy is a very important thing to do as a parent, some safety gadgets can go overboard. Attachable GPS trackers can tell you every move your child makes. In most cases, your common sense will help your safety skills more than an expensive gadget will.

Turn to ParentDish for further Health and Safety questions and answers.

How can you be sure that your child is safe on the Internet? It can be easy if you set the following Internet safety guidelines with your kids.

Among our top ways to stay safe. Remind your kids to:

1. Be careful with strangers on the Internet. Never give out personal information, including your last name, address, phone number or password. If someone asks for any of this information, kids should not respond; they should log off and tell a trusted adult.

2. Never agree to meet anyone without you, the parents, in tow.

3. A child should tell her parents immediately if she ever feel uncomfortable in a chat room or other online situation.

4. Stick with "kid-friendly" websites.

As adults, parents can use software, like My Kids Browser, to insure your child will not be able to access any adult-only websites.

ParentDish has complete, up-to-date information on the latest Gadgets & Tech.

Choosing an adoption agency may be one of the most important decisions you and your spouse will make, but how do you know which one to choose? Here are a few suggestions to help during your search for the best agency for you. If you have friends who have adopted, ask them about the adoption agency they used. You can also ask the agency for referrals from parents who have adopted from them before. Find out what services are provided before and after the adoption, as well as the costs of the adoption. Research open versus closed adoption. Ask how long the average wait to adopt will be. Inquire how involved the birth parents will be with the agency.

The website for "Adoptive Families," a magazine and the leading source of adoption information for families, offers vast resources that will help you begin your search for the perfect adoption agency, including a list of questions to ask a potential agency.

Check out ParentDish for more Adoption information.

If your child loves shows like "Super Why!" and "WordWorld" from the PBS Kids TV line-up, he or she will love to play games with these characters on the PBS Kids web site.

PBS Kids was founded in 1993 by the Public Broadcasting Service as the brand for their non-commercial children's programming. Dedicated to education and the promotion of positive role models for kids, the site advocates strong educational values. PBS Kids offers free online computer games associated with the channel's programs to help children feel more familiar with the shows' characters.

Games on the PBS Kids games site include Oscar's Trash Collection, a sorting game from "Sesame Street", Super Why's Reading Power Bingo, Maze Mania from "WordGirl," Build Your Own Treehouse from "It's a Big, Big World" and many others.

Check out more other ways to keep your kids busy for hours at ParentDish's That's Entertainment.

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