Remember when note passing was the communication method of choice for distracted students? Does anyone even know what a “cheat sheet” looks like anymore? Text messaging has not only changed our personal lives, but it’s also found its way into the classroom and has all but replaced older forms of silent communication. As the school year approaches, parents and teachers everywhere are looking for new ways to get kids to text responsibly and hopefully learn a thing or two this year.

Below are a few back to school texting tips for parents to help their kid’s text responsibly, courtesy of Predicto Mobile (www.predicto.com), the leading online and text message based survey company:

• Check the school’s cell phone policies. Speak with their teachers about what they are doing to limit text use and find ways you can work together to combat the issue if it becomes a serious problem
• Talk to your kids about the dangers of sexting. Find out who they are chatting with and look at the cell phone bill to see what time of day they are texting the most
• Encourage good academic behavior. Find out when their exams are, offer help with studying, etc.
• Make them work for it. If texting during school gets out of control and you see a spike in your bill, ask your child to get a part time job to cover their text message cell phone plan
• Don’t text them when they are in class. Occassionally you may need to get in touch with your child during school hours, find out when your child has breaks in between classes or what time they take lunch and use that time to send texts
• Petition your cell phone provider to limit cell phone text message service during school hours

“Kids have pioneered text usage and it’s become somewhat invasive in a classroom setting,” says Eyal Yechazkell, CEO of Predicto Mobile. “Many schools have already banned cell phones, and we’ve all heard horror stories about kids sexting in school or using the service as a way to cheat. Parents need to take a tougher stance and talk with their kids about texting in the classroom to make sure it doesn’t interfere with the learning process.” 

NBC rejected this Super Bowl ad. Wouldn’t it be cool if we used our websites to spread this message anyway? The message would still become known, we would show that it’s important, and it wouldn’t cost the sponsors millions of dollars.

Check out this must-see video from actor and producer Eduardo Verastegui.  How this procedure is still legal is beyond me!!!

I walked into my 2-year-old’s room today.  He was sitting on the floor looking at a Lego magazine.  He was especially interested in pictures of children holding the things that they had made with their Legos.  Right in front of him was his own creation made of his Spiderman blocks.  He had the street laid out with the connecting building and such.  He looked so serious and really into what he was doing.  It was like looking at a 6-year-old.  :sigh:  They grow up so fast!

Welcome to the 18th Healthy & Fit Family Blog Carnival!  Thanks to Kate for allowing me to host this month.  Kate and I have enjoyed working together for b5 for over a year now. 

For those of you just visiting, I’ll hope you’ll lurk around the site some.  This site is basically about anything to make your life better and less stressful.  Now on to the carnival!

Friday nights are a lot more exciting and healthy at Kate’s house.  She tells us of her family’s new Friday night activities.  Perhaps, instead of renting movies with your family you could consider going bowling, swimming, or skating.

Getting enough fruits and vegetables is something I struggle with daily.  I’m also trying to teach my children good eating habits.  Most days that’s difficult too.  I’ve been thinking of some ways to increase our intake of nutritious fruits and vegetables.  Here are 50 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables.

That Childlike State and Love says some heartfelt things about the time we spend with children and how it helps everyone.  Matthew reminds us that there is so much we can learn from children.

Tracee at Blog Fabulous is talking about how the internet can inspire a huge weight loss.  She tells us about Nancy Maskin who was interviewed on Oprah for losing 530 pounds!

Tree Hugging Family has one of the most important resources for parents and children you will ever read about. This source will help to keep your family healthy.

The ramblings of a Fat Man are from a painful time when his daughter was at school.  He tells his story of going from a nearly 300 pound starch and sugar eating man to a struggling semi-vegetarian with the neverending urge to eat fried chicken and homemade mac and cheese.

Many times when vacationing, you might find it easy to binge on the all you eat buffets and lounge by the pool sipping tropical drinks.  What do you do about all those extra colories?  Susan Johnston gives us 3 Tips for Staying Fit During a Trip to Orlando.

Years ago, when children got home from school they would go outside to play until supper was ready.  Now children busy themselves with video games, television shows, cell phones, the internet, and more.  Helene Zemel encourages us to keep our families healthy by remaining active. 

Char at Raising a Healthy Family gives us 20 Healthy Fall Fruits & Vegetables.  Char also tells us how each fruit and vegetable on her list helps our bodies.  While we know that we should eat our daily allowance, I find it helpful to know how each one helps us.

Most restaurants have a least a few vegetarian options on their menu, but if you’re looking for a real meat-free night out, try this list by Christina Laun.  She give us the Top Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in the World.

The next Healthy & Fit Family will be hosted on January 8, 2008.  This will be a special invitation only edition.  To be among the invited bloggers, you need only leave a comment on this post.

Next week I will be hosting The 18th Healthy & Fit Family blog carnival.  If you’re interested in submitting an article, check out the submission site.  I’ll just warn you - only top notch articles are accepted.  Be sure and stop by back next week for ways to help maintain your healthy family.

Last night, I wrote some tips for helping friends who face infertility.  Imagine my surprise when I was driving this morning to take my daughter to school and heard that today’s Family Life was about infertility.  So, it seems I was meant to address this topic that brings so much pain to couples. 

You can listen to today’s Family Life segment, Facing Infertility Together.  This is part 1 of 2.  I assume part 2 will air tomorrow.

I remember the year we purchased our first home.  I decided that I should host Christmas dinner.  We had my parents and my husband’s parents over.  I didn’t realize all the work that would go into hosting the meal, opening presents, and family time.  Whew! 

I learned a lot that day and now I certainly don’t take it for granted when I visit someone else’s house.  When I go to someone else’s house for a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, I try to offer to make something such as sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, or whatever they request.

If you are hosting this year’s dinner, here are some tips to help you not to stress.  Plan ahead so that you can enjoy being with your family.

Two weeks prior to Thanksgiving:

• Plan your menu. 
• Decide if anything can be made ahead and frozen.
• Get a final count of who’s coming.
• Assign menu items to those who want to help.  Never turn down help from anyone who offers.  If you don’t know right then what they can do then say, “I would love for you to help.  I don’t know right now exactly what I need help with.  Can I call you back in a couple of days and left you know?”
• Make your shopping list.
• Make your to-do list.  Prioritize your list, schedule, and delegate.

One week prior to Thanksgiving:

• Gather any recipes that you need.
• Go over your shopping list again and compare it with your recipes to insure that you don’t forget anything.
• Shop early for groceries and avoid the rush.
• Get your children to help with decorations.  They can even make place mats with turkeys or turkeys from pinecones.  You can insert place cards in the pine cones.
• Cook and freeze any menu items that you can.
• Clean bathrooms, living and dining rooms.  Clean house of clutter.

A few days before Thanksgiving:

• Put your turkey in the refrigerator to thaw.  Most birds usually take a few days to thaw.  Make sure you put a dish under it to catch any drippings.
• Buy any last minute perishables you might need.

Day before Thanksgiving:

• If possible, set the table.
• Make whatever dishes you can.  I like to make my sweet potato casserole the day before and refrigerate it.  The day of the dinner I heat up the casserole and add the marshmallows during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 
• Straighten up the house.

Thanksgiving Day:

• Finish any last minute cooking:  turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc.
• Enjoy yourself.
• Be thankful!

Got kid clutter?  Does it seems like organization means you clean and they destroy?  Does your child struggle with organization both at home and school? 

Mother and son duo Debbie and David Williams can help you conquer the chaos.  In their book, Organized Kidz:  E-Z Solutions for Clutter-Free Living, the Williams team offers practical steps to jump-start your child’s organizational skills.  They suggest creative solutions for home and school, time management, and controlling paperwork.

This is a family-friendly, how-to, providing ste-by-step instructions and tips that will help eliminate stress and tidy up the spaces of your child’s life.

For more information or to order, check out Organized Times.