For days now, my daughter has gotten in the car after preschool with a sneaky look on her face. They're busy every day doing work on the always special Mother's Day gift. For the next couple of months, moms and dads get the spotlight, and admit it, those cards with the messy little handprints on them are some of the best you've ever gotten!

In our May issue of Piedmont Parent we've included a great article on "What Triad Moms Really Want" for Mother's Day. Take a look online, and then be sure to visit our Mother's Day page, where we've got some great ideas and a photo contest as well.

And don't forget dad! Along with all the great new stuff from our May issue online, we have a brand new contest as well. Enter today for your chance to win dad a gift card to Outback Steakhouse.

Yes, we just blogged on swine flu Monday in this same space. But since then, the Guilford County and the Iredell/Statesville school systems have issued releases about the topic. Although both state they're following preventative measures just like any flu outbreak, the fact they responded to the topic means parents are worried. And Winston-Salem/Forsyth County has come on record as saying they're prepared to follow the health department's lead.

It's hard not to worry, especially with the news this morning that the first death from swine flu has been reported in Texas, a 23-month-old child. But take a deep breath and find some solace in these facts: there are no cases of swine flu in North Carolina; we're approaching the end of the flu season as we speak, which means the continued spread of any sort of flu will decline; and not only are we blessed to have drugs that can combat the symptoms (Tamiflu and Relenza), the government has stockpiles ready for emergencies.

Yes, it's all people are talking about. And it's got governments all over the world working to prevent the spread in their own countries and hopefully prevent anything as bad as what's happened in Mexico. But don't fall prey to the swine flu panic. Use your judgement when on Twitter, steer clear of fear mongers and check out the CDC's twitter. And for good old fashioned prevention tips, here's the CDC's fact page.

Every time I think the economy might have hit rock bottom and be on its way up, there seems to be more bad news. Yesterday both HanesBrands and PPG announced layoffs, two companies that will affect many parents here in the Triad.

Whether you happen to work for one of these places or not, the downturn in the economy is affecting families in all of our local communities. And when it comes to layoffs and kids, it turns out honesty might just be the best policy. Your instinct is to protect them from the harsh reality, but no matter how much of a happy face you put on your life, kids pick up on the underlying stress, and are often silent carriers of stress in the family.

It's important to help your kids understand that no one is at fault, and often in situations like we're going through in our economy, things are completely black and white either. For more help with talking to your kids, and what different age groups can handle, check out the tips from the Child Guidance Center.

The news this weekend, other than the fires at Myrtle Beach, has been about the swine flu. So far officials have only reported 8 cases in NY, but the CDC did issue a health advisory this weekend, which makes the whole thing seem very serious.

Apparently, swine flu has been around for a while, and it's not uncommon for flu viruses to spread between humans, birds and pigs. But the difference this time is that it's a strain that apparently we haven't built up immunities to. It's hit hard in Mexico, and the scary thing is that young people are dying, in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Should we worry? Probably not yet. This Q&A from MSNBC gives the facts, including that so far in the U.S. symptoms are mild. But flu season's not over yet, as this updated map shows, so precautions are probably still a good idea. 

Make sure your kids are washing their hands a lot. If they're sick, running a fever, take them to the doctor and keep them home from school. And of course, those Clorox Wipes are a great thing for doorknobs, phones and remote controls. For more precaution tips check out the CDC fact page. And here's a nice little reminder of flu symptoms.

Earth Day was Wednesday, but across the nation the celebration has been extended to Earth Week, to allow more time for celebration and events to raise awareness. And it's only fitting that Arbor Day falls on Friday, a good ending to an environmentally concious week.

So celebrate some more this weekend. Plant a tree with your kids to help offset your household's carbon footprint. You can even figure out just what yours is with this carbon footprint calculator.

Or head over to Greensboro's Natural Science Center for their Party for the Planet, where kids can explore the exhibits and make a recycled bird feeder.

Don't let the activism encouraged this week end on Monday. Keep it going with the inspiration from Kimberly Pinkson in "Eco Moms."