Quick and healthy breakfasts
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When there's not much time, what do you grab to eat? Check out what our readers suggest, and post your own ideas.
Already, your child's backpack might be heaped with homework. Are you helping make sure it gets cleaned out regularly so it doesn't get too heavy? Here are more tips for making sure a backpack is a safe choice for your child. Full story.
Newspapers In Education offers resources for parents and teachers to help families use the newspaper to better understand current events. Activities, curriculum guides, a stock market game and more aim to help improve literacy and test scores for area kids. nie.dallasnews.com
On Saturday, make a collage and a suncatcher inspired by works at the Dallas Museum of Art during the Back to School Family Day. The event will also include yoga for kids, an interactive family guided tour, storytelling, music and games. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood. 214-922-1200. www.dallasmuseumofart.org. $10 adults, $7 ages 65 and older, $5 students, free for children 12 and younger.
For more family-friendly events, see our Family Calendar
And the winner is ... Andrew Hefter, 16, of Allen for his photo of the Grand Canyon. He took the top prize in this year's Gordon Parks Young Photographers Competition. He captured this shot while vacationing with a group of students this summer. He stopped when he saw the color of the sky and the outline of the tree. "I enjoy that type of photography," says the Allen High School junior. "I like scenic imagery and dramatic images with vibrant color." For more, see the story by Dallas Morning News staff writer Jean Nash Johnson in Kids Day.
A judge in Carrollton reports he is incorporating a column that ran in the Dallas Morning News Family section in July as part of his message to juveniles who appear in his court.
"I know when I am pontificating from the bench that mostly it is the parents who are listening," the judge wrote to us. "Just the same, I keep trying to reach the kids ... Hopefully, your words will speak to some young person who is assigned to read them as forcefully as they did to me."
Have we piqued your interest? Here's the column, by staff writer Michael Precker (right).
Haley Arrington, 14, of Irving captured this shot while vacationing at the LBJ Ranch near Austin. Pretty cool shot, huh? The judges of the Gordon Parks Young Photographers Competition thought so. She took second place. To see the winning shot, log back on the blog tomorrow or pick up a copy of the Family section in The Dallas Morning News.
Last summer, we celebrated my daughter’s 7th birthday at GattiTown in Frisco. The kids all had a blast. The setup is along the lines of Chucky Cheese, but times three. There's something for small kids as well as teenagers, which is pretty cool of you have siblings of different ages. The food is pretty good, and it’s buffet style. There’s even a dining room with a wide screen TV showing a movie.
Also, we recently went to a birthday sleepover at the Embassy Suites in North Dallas. Many hotels offers birthday sleepover packages (for 8 to 10) that include pizza, private pool access, an in-room movei and free breakfast the next morning. It’s especially popular with pre-adolescent girls who are still in to pillow fights and painting their nails.
Family blogger Martha Sheridan says her 12-year-old daughter has outgrown the big birthday bash. Instead, her circle usually opts for smaller parties with a few best buds. One girl had her friends join her at Surf & Swim last weekend, for example.
Where do you go for birthday parties? Post a comment!
My mom always tried to take our pictures on the first day of school. It's a great collection, ranging from cute-as-a-button kindergarten shots to oh-so-sullen pictures of my brother in high school. It's nice to have the milestones documented and see how my brother and I grew.
What is it about the first day of school now, or in the past, that will stick with you forever? Here's what staffer Bill Marvel had to say:
"It's the fresh supplies you started with on that first day. A box of Crayola's with pointy tips. A fresh Big Chief tablet. Yellow No. 2 pencils, not sharpened yet. A new ruler without any nicks. A three-ring binder with clean paper. Afterwards, the Crayolas got blunted and broken. The tablet ran out of paper. The pencils wore down to stubs, and the ruler got nicked and the three-ring binder no longer closed with a satisfying snap. But on the first day, all was alive with possibility."
What about you? Tell us your school memories, from last week or years ago.
Here's are excerpts from another reader's comment about The Telltale Signs of Motherhood, a column that first appeared in the Family section on Thursday.
I started things in a backwards fashion ... I read the author response written by Renee Kirchner, then the e-mail that caused the response and finally the dreaded and ummmmm apparently offensive article that made H. Johnson really hot under the collar, to use a parlance of his time, because this man sounds like he might come from an entirely different era then the one we, the rest of the world, are living in. Needless to say, I'm a mom, I work half days at the office so that I can drop off and pick up my son at school ... I choose to work to keep my brain alert and healthy. I feel this is the better option for me than to be home all the time (learned after staying home the first three years with him). I think that the women who choose to stay home with their children, and are happy doing it, are incredible, but no less dedicated than I am. Love is love, respect is respect, and as long as those two things are shown in the home, the child should and will say, "Thank you, Mom, for being just the way you were."
R. Rayburn
Dallas TX
Read the column and additional comments and author response on this blog.
The U.S. Census just released some interesting facts about work in advance of Labor Day. A sampling of the findings:
- Among the nation’s workers are 81.2 million men and 69.8 million women.
- Only 14 percent have access to employer assistance for child care.
- The 2004 annual median earnings for full-time workers:
men, $40,798; women, $31, 223.
- 28 percent of workers 16 or older put in more than 40 hours a week. Eight
percent work 60 or more hours a week.
- 5 million people work at home.
We love this idea from Discount Dame Karen Elizabeth Watts: Before any hot-weather get-together, make tea, lemonade or any other flavored drink, and freeze it in ice cubes. Use these drink cubes instead of plain ice cubes, to keep drinks from being watered down. Have fun by mixing and matching: Use lemonade cubes in tea, or let the kids choose Kool-Aid cubes to make their own custom blend. It's also a good way to recycle that last bit of coffee in the pot: Make coffee cubes to use in iced coffee later.
Now that school is in full swing, many children are spending their evenings on their homework. Is there a way to make it easier? Tell us your favorite homework helper Web sites, and see what others use.
Some advice gleaned from eight years of pool-themed birthday parties:
Use your city. We've found the staff at Richardson's city pools to be quite helpful, and the price is right. But start planning early -- the prime time slots can be snatched up in a hurry when they start taking reservations in the spring.
Have a backup. In our experience, the best cure for drought has been to plan an outdoor party for our daughter. One year we were caught off-guard and had to move the party to a mall. A few years later, when downpours canceled another party, we were ready with indoor games and crafts. It ended up being the driest swim party in history. But everyone had a lot of fun.
Hire a lifeguard. If you're having a party at your own pool, your job will be much less stressful if you hire a lifeguard. Your local rec center can provide a list. It's not expensive, and it lets you focus on providing fun while someone else worries about preventing drowning.
Be flexible. This August, we went to a surprise pool party for a fourth-grade friend. What really made it a surprise was that her birthday is in the winter. The look on her face (and her parents' faces) was priceless.
There's nothing like a park birthday party when the budget is tight. Reserve tables through your local parks and recreation center. You can organize activities such as soccer, flag football or a water balloon toss. Bring drinks and munchies, and don't forget the birthday cake. For sports where the kids take sides, consider T-shirts with different colors for the teams as party favors.
To get you started, here's the link for reserving a space at a Dallas park.
Nancy Churnin
...the Age of Steam Museum makes for a great party. Get details here.
Ashlee Martin, another family blog friend, says this:
"My dad's girlfriend just threw her 9-year-old daughter a Fear Factor birthday party. They had lots of crazy little challenges, and the winner of each one got a prize. They all had a blast.
They had a big jar with crickets in it, and the kids had to stick their hands in it and pull out 9 plastic bugs or spiders in so many seconds while crickets were jumping on their arms. (She said she wishes she could have had a video camera for that part because the kids were hilarious.)
They had to stand in big buckets of ice and water to see how long they could stand in there while barefoot.
They had a partner who was handcuffed (with toy handcuffs) to a chair. There was a bucket full of durt and worms, and the other kids (the ones who weren't handcuffed to chairs) had to dig through the dirt to find the key and unlock their partners.
They had clear jars full of cow hearts and kidneys, crushed pigs' feet, cow tongue and other things. The kids were told they had to eat the items in the jar. On a plate behind the gross jars were ground turkey and other actual edible foods that don't look as appetizing when they're messed up. The "cow tongue" they tasted was roast beef. (My dad's a butcher, so that helped for this part.)
There was an obstacle course that started with making a basket at the basketball goal, then ran through tires (like football players do in warm-ups). Then, they went through a maze made out of simple poles in the ground covered by dark tarps, and Jello was on the ground that they had to crawl through. They had to find their names on a flag in the maze. They had flashlights to find them. After the maze, they went through a slip-n-slide, then their partners went through.
Search the web for fear factor birthday party ideas, and you'll get loads of ideas!"
Does your child love the theater, or movies or ballgames? You can build a party around any of these. Many theaters, movie places and stadiums offer party packages with special areas for the kids to celebrate before or after the event and will reserve special seats for you. Other businesses may offer group rates. Even if they don't "do" parties, you can catch the movie, show or game and celebrate afterward in a nearby park or at home.
Nancy Churnin
The best birthday party I ever attended was a 30th party. I was living in another city at the time and we boys got together at a place very similar to the Speed Zone in Dallas and raced cars. It wasn't that expensive, and it was a heckuva lot of fun. My son's not quite old enough, but in a few years I think it'd be fun to have him celebrate a birthday at the local Speed Zone. Fun for me at least. As long as he realizes that it's not a "driver's ed" class.
Shown: Hannah Anderson, 5, Ally Anderson, 7, Nicholas Woodyard, 10, and Christine McAnally, holding Jake McAnally, 2, play a horse race game in the arcade area of GattiTown in Frisco
There are salons and spas designed for birthday parties, with packages depending on how pampered your child wants to be (and whether she wants karaoke in the mix). One salon offering packages is Sweet & Sassy in Southlake Town Square. Others do birthday parties in addition to their regular business.
Ask your hairstylist -- or your child -- what options they might offer.
Shown: Birthday girl Alexa Page (left) talks to Alex Wright, 7 before walking on the runway for a theme birthday party at Sweet & Sassy in Southlake
Nancy Churnin
The high school class of 2006 recorded the sharpest drop in SAT scores in 31 years, a decline that the exam’s owner, the College Board, says is partly due to some students taking the newly lengthened test only once instead of twice.
Fatigue wasn’t to blame, the College Board insists, even though this year’s class was the first to take a new version of the exam which added an essay. It now takes an average of three hours and 45 minutes to complete the test, not counting breaks.
The nonprofit College Board released figures today showing combined critical reading and math skills fell seven points on average to 1021. The average critical reading score fell from 508 to 503, while math dropped from 520 to 518. On the new SAT writing section, the class scored 497 on average, with girls scoring 11 points higher than boys.
Associated Press
This is the hot option for small sleepovers, says Lauren Charbonneau, a mother of two in Plano. For her daughter Claire's 11th birthday, she found a hotel in Frisco near Stonebriar Centre and rented a suite with a king-size bed and a pullout couch.
Claire invited her three best girlfriends. They swam at the hotel, had birthday cookie cake at the mall and ordered pizza while watching a movie at the hotel.
Keep watching this blog for more birthday party ideas. Or subscribe with the RSS feature at right and get great news and ideas for your family sent directly to your news reader.
Nancy Churnin
Check out our story, map, video and slideshow here.
Pictured: Motorman Charles Chambers changes poles on "Rosie" during a stop at the end of the line across Central Expressway from City Place. Photo by Guy Reynolds/DMN
Don't know what to feed the kids? When you have a party at a restaurant, you don't have to worry about it. You can pick a buffet place or your child's favorite fast-food spot. Some offer packages (complete with game cards or tokens). Need something extra to make a nonparty place special? Hire a magician or clown or balloon artist. Ask the management in advance for help with your group, even if it's just a chance for kids to decorate their own cupcakes or cookies or ice cream sundaes.
Also, don't feel compelled to choose a restaurant that's just for kids. If your family has a favorite restaurant, here's your chance to share the love with all your friends.
Nancy Churnin
As a parent, you have probably asked most of the right questions when it comes to your child care provider. But have you planned ahead and asked what will happen in case of a weather-related or disaster-related emergency? The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) suggests asking your child care provider these important questions ahead of time:
-- Does the child care provider have an emergency plan?
-- How will the child care provider safely evacuate my child? Is there a pre-determined location?
-- How will I be notified by the child care provider if a disaster occurs?
-- If I cannot get to my child during the disaster, what will happen?
For answers and additional resources, log on to naccrra.org for more information.
All afternoon, we're offering ideas for imaginative birthday parties. Tell us -- what's the best activity you've planned for your kids?
If you can identify what your child likes best - sports, beauty, movies, theater, crafts, video games - you may be just a phone call away from finding the perfect birthday party. You can go high end (theme parks and country clubs) or budget (chances are you're not far from a great park or public pool). But don't be afraid to think outside the box.
Throughout the day, we're offering a sampling of different approaches to making your child's birthday party one to remember.
Here's the first idea:
Build a party around your child's hobby. You can rent an ice rink for broomball or skating, bowling lanes, batting cages, pools or a jump-house party place. Chain craft stores, such as Michael's, and specialty shops, such as Paint 'n' Party in Plano, and local arts academies cater to young artists. Older kids may prefer spots that offer lots of games, such as arcades.
Pictured: Ethan Creuzot celebrated his 6th birthday with a broomball party at America's Ice Garden in the Plaza of the Americas in downtown Dallas.
Nancy Churnin
We have the winners of the Gordon Parks Young Photographers Competition this Thursday in Kids Day. Photo (right) is by Nick Jordan, 13, of Dallas. He won third place for his photo of this dragon sculpture in Colorado. Log back on the blog tomorrow to see the stunning second-place photo.
Worried about the Freshman 15? A college student offers advice in the Dorm Room Diet (Newmarket Press, $16.95). Daphne Oz offers ways to handle term paper stress and balancing starchy cafeteria food with a regimen of exercise. To learn more about the book, see Healthy Living.
It's not just tuition. The costs of room, board and other incidentals are rising at colleges. We asked experts and local students how they're handling it. Story.
A lot of people view the fall as the start of a new year more than they tend to think of Jan. 1 in that way. Make a resolution to get organized and relax. Here are some tips.
Pack your things, kids. Your favorite elephant, Babar, is taking his family on a round-the-world trip, and you're invited. Europe, India, Asia and Africa are on the itinerary in Babar's World Tour (Abrams, $16.95). So are South America, the American Southwest and even Antarctica. Along the way, you'll learn to say "hello" in Italian, "goodbye" in Russian and "no problem" in Thai. You'll climb the Inca Trail in the Andes, with the help of Laurent de Brunhoff's familiar illustrations. When you come home, you can remember your trip with Babar's family with the included 25-by-33-inch poster in full color.
Half of all Texas teenagers and young adults have experienced dating violence, either as the target or the abuser, according to a survey released by the Texas attorney general Monday. The study was conducted by the Texas Council on Family Violence and the attorney general's office in conjunction with the launch of a public awareness campaign to combat dating violence among young people.
According to the survey, two of five 16- to 24-year-olds have experienced verbal abuse. Twenty-five percent reported physical violence, and one of five reported sexual violence.
The awareness campaign, called Red Flags, will concentrate most on teaching youth to listen to their instincts and deal with the early warning signs of dating violence before they escalate, according to the council.
Log on to knowtheredflags.com for more info.
The Associated Press
A new study shows that "boys learn more from men and girls learn more from women," according to an Associated Press report. Thomas Dee (left), an associate professor at Swathmore College, says his study shows that students' learning can be hindered if they are taught by members of the opposite sex. The Associated Press article points out that 80 percent of U.S. public school teachers are women. Could this be the reason boys are falling behind in school? Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center, tells the AP that she finds the study to be "questionable and inconsistent." To see the full story, log on to the Associated Press.
Julie Rand of Dallas is the first to send in her kids' artwork to share with us. Here's a drawing from Samantha McPeak, 4, who said "This is our apartment...it's raining outside!"
It sure is, and we're so happy!
We can't publish everything we get, but we do hope to showcase the work of local children on this blog. E-mail me a high-res jpeg of your kids' artwork (one per child, please) plus a headshot, full name, age and the city you're from. Also, include a sentence or two from your child about the artwork they've made.
Remember that marker on paper reproduces best. Happy drawing!
Here is author Renee Kirchner's response:
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson,
I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy my guest column last Thursday. When I wrote
the piece, I intended for it to be enjoyed by both working mothers and
stay-at-home mothers. I specifically wrote different passages that would
pertain to both types of mothers.
I don't think it is fair to assume I am not a dedicated mother based on my
article when you don't even know me. I was a stay-at-home mother for eight
years before returning to work at an elementary school. I pick both of my
children up from school every day at 3:30 and spend the entire
afternoon/evening with them.
Thank you for taking the time to write to the editor because your e-mail
message helped me understand that different people will interpret my writing
differently. I like to write humorous, light pieces that hopefully give
parents a laugh before they start their day.
Thank you,
Renee Kirchner
Here is a reader's response to a column that ran in the Family section on Thursday. The comments have been edited.
My wife and I have the following comments regarding your article, The Telltale Signs of Motherhood. We found it humorous how little you actually know about the subject.
Perhaps you should have named your article The Telltale Signs of a Working "Parent." "Motherhood" is a term reserved for dedicated moms who stay at home with their children. They put their children first no matter what the cost, including financial and societal pressures. Playing with a radio every now and then doesn't make you a top-notch, licensed electrician. Dedicating your life to the trade and doing it full-time usually does.
When and if your child ever says, "Thanks for working 20/40/60 hours a week while you raised me Mom. I really appreciate it." Ask yourself if you really believe it.
I am a former day-care kid who married a woman who is a "dedicated Mom." And what an eye-opener it has been!
H. Johnson
Richardson, TX
Moms, you can clean up yourselves and leave your house without your children, but don’t be fooled: Everyone can still tell you’re a mom from a mile away.
Your actions speak louder than your fancy clothes, your earrings and your nice nail polish. You may look like a woman who has free time on her hands, but everyone will know better. You might be a mom if …
Log on to read the entire column by Renee Kirchner in the Family section.
If you're headed to a Labor Day party next weekend, consider this easy variation on Deviled Eggs from the Desperation Dinners team.
When a couple wondering about adopting from China asked to meet columnist Jeanne Marie Laskas and her adopted kids, it got her thinking about how her family is different, and how it's the same. Full story.
To help children maintain a healthy weight, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended breast-feeding infants, curbing juice and turning off the TV.
Its latest message to parents focuses on what to do if your child already is too heavy, the case with 25 percent of children ages 2 to 18, according to the physicians’ group.
A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Obesity, edited by Sandra G. Hassink (American Academy of Pediatrics, $15.95), offers advice on working together as a family to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Once a child’s weight problem is diagnosed — no sure thing, since parents may not recognize or admit a child has a problem, and doctors may be reluctant to raise the topic - the book offers advice on eating properly for childhood growth rather than placing a child on a diet more suitable for an adult.
Along with advice to make time as a family for physical activity and healthy eating, the book gives practical suggestions for situations that can sabotage the best intentions, like eating on the run.
Log on to aap.org for more details.
Cox News Service
If you're planning a plane trip soon, you know you have to have a plan for bringing food on the flight. One great solution: Snyders chese-and-pretzel sandwiches. More solutions.
The Dallas Morning News offers a number of resources to help families through the school year. Full story.
Here are some area activities for teens:
T-N-T at the Plano Library: Hook up for movies, book discussions and speakers on the first Tuesday of the month beginning Sept. 5 at the Schimelfenig branch, 5024 Custer Rd.; 972-769-4200; and the third Thursday of the month beginning Sept. 5 at the Harrington branch, 1501 18th St.; 972-941-7175; www.planolibrary.org.
Dallas Public Library: Three branches have teen centers offering book clubs, special events and occasional classes. Schedule for the Skyline, Hampton-Illinois and Martin Luther King, Jr., branches: www.dallaslibrary.org/teen.htm.
Rock Steady: An alcohol-free club for all ages, particularly geared toward teens. Showcases live music from local and independent bands seven days a week. Hours vary. Admission $8. 221 W. Parker Road, Suite 44 in Plano; 972-312-1201; www.rocksteadylive.com/home.html.
Know of any great activities for teens? Share your experience by clicking on "Comments" below.
School will take care of your family's educational needs, now it's time to start thinking of your fitness needs. Here are some spots to help:
YMCA: Enter zip code at www.ymca.net for the branch nearest you.
Recreation centers: Most area cities have a parks and recreation department offering opportunities for competitive and recreational sports. There are 47 rec centers in the city of Dallas alone. Search for yours online, or go to:
Dallas: www.dallasparks.org/Facilities/recreation.aspx
Plano: www.planoparks.org
Ft. Worth: www.fortworthgov.org/pacs/fwpacsd/index.asp
Richardson: www.cor.net/Parks/Homepage.html
Arlington: www.ci.arlington.tx.us/park
McKinney: www.mckinneytx.com/parks
SMU graduate student Francesca Placanica will teach music workshops for preschool and elementary-age children for four weeks in September at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 3204 Skillman St. at Monticello Avenue. Children will participate in singing, games, hands-on rhythmic and musical experiences and opera. The workshops are $15 each or $45 for all four weeks. To register, call 214 348-5768 by Friday. Visit www.standrews.presbychurch.org.
Here are some organizations geared to help seniors and grandchildren connect:
Grandparent Adventures: A monthly series of outings and events for seniors and their grandchildren. Organized by Medical Center of Plano, the group enjoys "quality time" with the grandkids while exploring Metroplex attractions. Most events are Sunday afternoons. Reservations and schedule, 972-519-1209.
Grandparent Information Center: Located in the Audelia branch of the Dallas Public Library, the center offers resource materials and support groups for seniors raising grandchildren. 10045 Audelia Road, Dallas; 214-670-1350.
Parents Resource Group: A support group for those who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren. Monthly meetings are at the Urban League of Greater Dallas. 4315 S. Lancaster Rd.; 214-915-4609.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coalition: Information, advocacy and support in Tarrant County. 817-258-8120.
If you have a print edition of the paper, look for the Family Time Crossword on Page 18 of Sunday Life.
Right next to it is the Kids' Books column. This week, it's great late-summer reads for girls.