Karen Alley, The Daily Post. As web editor, Karen blogs every day about news and events that are going on either in our area or on a national realm. Bringing together hot topics with local ties is what keeps her perspective on the news interesting.
Renee, Teen-dom Tales, provides a look into the life of a mom of a teen, a stage of life that brings with it a whole new realm of parenting challenges.
Stephanie, Mamma Said, writes witty and insightful posts chronicling the development of her two young boys, ages 5 and 3. As a Greensboro resident, they're out and about at locales around the Triad quite often, and she also brings in the working mom perspective at times, with her part time job.
Lisa, The Single Mom's Soliloquy, adds a different spin on parenting as she writes about the issues, challenges and joys of raising a teenage daughter as a single mom. Her look at life in the new world order of blended families and split families is refreshing and sometimes controversial.
Heather Maggs, of The Time Out Corner, presents a humorous blog on the roller coaster life of a stay-at-home mom of a toddler.
Myra Wright, familiar to you as our editor, also blogs inPiedmont Ponderings. It's a great outlet for her creative sense of humor, and she brings some great perspective to life in King as the mother of three kids.
Tomorrow a new law goes into effect in North Carolina that bans texting while driving. Seems like common sense, doesn't it? It's one thing to be talking on the phone and driving, but trying to text at the same time? Unfortunately, it's something that is done, with tragic consequences. This article from the Christian Science Monitor calls texting while driving the new drunk driving.
Driving while distracted is a terrible thing, and because of it many states have enacted new laws, limiting the use of mobile devices. Click here for a list of all the states and the laws they've already passed. Why tell the teens? Because I have a feeling that it's teenagers, and their dependence on texting, that are probably most at risk for trying to get by with texting and driving at the same time. Young drivers feel invincible, yet car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens.
Texting while driving isn't the only thing teen drivers need to be aware of. Distractions can occur just from having friends in the car. Here are a couple of sites with some great resources to help your teens be better drivers:
TeenDriving.com: Created by a teenager a few years ago, this is packed full of information and resources, including tips for parents on how to teach teens to drive.
Unless you woke up at the crack of dawn on Friday morning, you've probably missed the craziness of shopping on Black Friday, or are already home from it! But the shopping season has just begun. Did you know that Monday is Cyber Monday, the official kick off of the holiday shopping season? It was traditionally when people went back to work, where they had high-speed Internet, and started Web surfing. And there's even CyberMonday.net to help you take advantage of the deals. Whether you shop in the stores or online, you'll definitely be out and about more this month. Be sure to fortify yourself with some great recipes using that leftover turkey before you go out! And make sure to keep safety in mind.
It's time to start that turkey thawing and get ready for the big day. If you're hitting the road, check out our travel tips in this week's blog. But if you're like me and staying home, its a nice little break from the hectic daily routine to spend some time with your family. Take a walk around the neighborhood and collect some pretty leaves and maybe a few holly berries for a centerpiece for your big feast. Let the kids help make the pumpkin pie. Watch Macy's Thanksgiving Parade together. For more ideas on things to do, visit the Thanksgiving Hub. Looking for a movie to watch that's not about Christmas? We've got some Thanksgiving suggestions there. Looking for places to give food to help feed those who are hungry? We've got a list. Ready to try something different this year instead of plain old pumpkin pie? We've got links to some great recipes.
Enjoy the holidays, bask in the family time, and take some time to be thankful. Because we all know, the great holiday rush starts Friday!
Today is the last day of school for this week. And for many of us, that means packing up the car and getting ready to head out of town, to Grandma's house, an aunt or uncle or maybe just a friend. While holiday travel hit a big slump last year and airline travel is still down, AAA expects about 3 percent more people on highways this year, and over 2 percent more people will travel more than 50 miles. Luckily for us, gas prices in the Triad are averaging $2.50, though up from last year at this time, still lower than the state average of $2.59.
But gas prices are probably the least of your worries. How will you keep those kids entertained in the car?
* Pack snacks. Juice boxes and goldfish are a car staple for us. Pretzels and graham crackers are also good. Just remember to stay away from sticky stuff.
* Pack lots of books, and audio books too. The library is a great source for follow-along books for little kids.
* Take breaks. Even if you don't travel during a meal time, let everyone get out of the car and stretch their legs at a gas stop, it helps the attitudes immensely.
Results from a new report show that 89 percent of parents say technology has helped them communicate better with their child's teachers. The study also found that parents still sometimes feel they don't have a good relationship with their child's teachers and feel like they're an imposition.The findings came from a study by Becta, a British company working with technology and learning, but I'm sure the results would be similar here. Partly because as a parent, I love the fact that I get emailed updates from teachers and can get in touch with teachers through email whenever I want, without worrying that I'm bothering them at home or calling while they're busy grading papers.
Email has been a great communication tool between parents and teachers, which was made obvious to me over the weekend in a conversation with my own mom. She's been a teacher for more than 30 years, and admittedly was very hesitant about computers for years, and was one of the last people I know to get on email. But now she emails like a pro, and even talks about emailing updates to parents like it's something she's been doing all her career. But email shouldn't be the only way you communicate with your child's teacher. And having a good parent/teacher relationship is important for your child's success in school. It can help your child become more confident and helps you be more aware of ways to help your child succeed, no matter what grade they're in.
Building a good relationship with a teacher can be hard at first, and it's something that we have to work on every year. But the rewards are well worth the effort. Our article, "Classroom Connections," provides great tips on how to get to know your child's teacher and start out on the right foot. One big way is through those parent/teacher conferences we all get invited to. Make sure you attend, and when you do, come with questions. For more on what to expect, check out our "Ask the Teach."
Of course, volunteering in the classroom is another great way to get to know your child's teacher and get involved in the school. Teachers are always in need of someone to help with making copies, working with kids in small groups on reading and math skills or helping with special projects. Just ask where you can help. And don't be offended if they have to ask permission for a criminal background check. It's becoming a policy in more and more places where adults work directly with kids. I even had to sign for one at my church, just to teach preschoolers music!
So if you haven't already, join the PTA, give your kid's teacher your email, and be proactive in building that parent teacher relationship. Your child will thank you, maybe not now, but when he's all grown up!
