Archive for June, 2012
One out of three teenagers say they tan because it looks healthy, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, less than one-third of American youths practice effective sun protection. Exposure to the sun is dangerous behavior. New research shows that even a mild to moderate increase in sun exposure over an extended period, with […]
Spending time with our children during the summer is a rewarding experience. Spending time together doing something free – or close to it – adds a whole new level of enjoyment. Here are several suggestions for free or inexpensive activities we discovered throughout the Capital Region. Most of them are available wherever you live. Whatever […]
Pitch a tent, stoke a fire, and ditch the electronics. Camping as a family is a great way to disconnect with the world and reconnect as a family. Of course, with all that wilderness out there to be discovered, it’s important to heed some camping precautions, particularly related to food, fire and wildlife. On the […]
It’s too easy, unfortunately, for fathers to brush off this simple request; “Dad, how about a game of catch?” We’re all busy, aren’t we? And it’s too cold, too hot, too sunny, getting dark, something. It’s too easy to say no to our children’s simple request for some of our time. But passing up that […]
I asked my elementary-aged children if they remembered the books we used to read together before they learned to read on their own. That launched a fun conversation recalling characters and stories from their favorite books. We made a list of 10 favorites for moms and dads who may have first time readers of their […]
Some see it as a rite of passage. Others say it’s simply teens being teens. We’re talking, of course, about drinking alcohol. It’s a celebration-filled time of year that seems ripe for teen alcohol abuse – proms, graduations, pool parties, bonfires. The reality is that it’s illegal – both for the underage child and for […]
Whether we’re “spenders” or “savers” may be determined to a great extent by our temperament. But researchers are finding that parents have a greater influence on their children’s financial habits than we may have thought. In a recent interview with NPR, Joyce Serido, a researcher at the University of Arizona, Tucson, said her team has […]