Kansas.com: News2Use

Set your child up for school success

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:38 CST

Homework can be a daunting task for students and parents alike. Making schoolwork a priority in your home sends the signal that you care about your child and his or her future. Janeal Roberts, vice president for education at KLC School Partnerships, offers some quick tips to help ensure your child is set up for homework -- and academic -- success.

• Make a schedule. Make homework part of a schedule that includes other fun activities. If other enjoyable activities are part of their regular schedule, children will look forward to those activities and work toward them.

• Identify a location in your home conducive to learning. The environment where you child does their homework can have a significant impact. Look for a location in your home where there is good lighting, limited distractions and comfortable seating.

• Remove distractions. Limiting distractions will allow children to focus their attention on their homework assignments. Turn off the TV and have your child avoid using the telephone until homework assignments are completed. Ask other family members to participate in quiet activities while your child completes homework.

• Have appropriate supplies and resources available. Supplies such as pencils, paper, a dictionary and a calculator may be necessary for children to complete homework. Also, check your local library for books, information resources and computer Web sites that may be helpful for completing homework assignments.

Small tips for fitness success

LIZ DOUP, NICK SORTAL AND JOHN TANASYCHUK — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:38 CST

The problem with New Year's resolutions is that they're way too big.

Lose 30 pounds! Work out every day of the week! Quit eating sweets!

We've been there and we know, big resolutions lead to big disappointments when our resolve starts to soften.

So for 2009, here's a new tack: Start small. Very small.

With this in mind, here are some small tips to try.

How to drive on black ice

BRIAN MCDONALD — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:39 CST

What makes black ice so dangerous is that it's much harder to detect in advance than thicker, milky-looking ice sheets; black ice is moisture that has frozen clear. A thin layer of it doesn't produce obvious discoloration and may await you on a road that looks essentially dry.

Black ice thrives in areas where there isn't much direct sunlight, like tree-lined residential roads or tunnels. Bridges, overpasses and the roadway beneath overpasses are also notoriously treacherous. If pavement looks a little darker or more reflective than usual, you may be in for some black ice ahead.

If you encounter black ice on a roadway, resist that strong reflexive desire to act fast to regain control. The best general rule: do nothing. If you're currently braking when you hit the ice, stop braking; if you're accelerating, lift your foot completely; keep your steering wheel fixed in its current position.

Never brake or press the gas when you're on black ice. Instead, try to coast over it in your desired direction, because patches typically don't stretch longer than 20 feet.

If your tail begins to drift in a certain direction, gently turn your wheel in the same direction that your car is drifting. Struggling against the drift by steering in the opposite direction can cause spin-outs.

Balance in life a key to maintaining a healthy weight

JANE GLENN HAAS — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:38 CST

If Oprah can't do it, I can't do it.

The Queen of Daytime TV acknowledges she is given to yo-yo dieting. And this is the woman who has her own chef, her own trainer, her own national image to maintain.

What's to become of the rest of us who have extra pounds and follow Oprah's diet tips and menus?

"Say 'thank you' to Oprah," says Leslie Seppinni, a Los Angeles-based marriage and family therapist and doctor of clinical psychology. Seppinni also specializes in weight management.

"Say 'thank you' for sharing your pain, shame and guilt. You are not alone. It's time for society to realize that weight loss and maintenance are not only physically challenging but emotionally challenging as well."

Sodium lurks in foods we may not expect

JANE GLENN HAAS — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:38 CST

Hey, you know you have to watch your salt. We all have to shake it easy as we get older.

But a new report from Consumer Reports finds sodium lurking in foods you might not think to check.

In fact, lower-fat foods can be higher in sodium than their full-fat counterparts, says a report in the January 2009 edition.

"This time of year, when people are trying to watch their calories in between holiday parties, it's important to be vigilant about sodium," says Jamie Hirsch, associate health editor at Consumer Reports.

"Our analysis found that lower-fat products might be higher in sodium. That's in part because when fat is taken out of full-fat foods, sodium is sometimes used to compensate for flavor."

Experts prefer dual-system smoke detector

RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:38 CST

The presents were wrapped and the tree was ready to go up. But Lisa Cochran got a call telling her all had been destroyed in a devastating fire.

It remains unclear what caused the fire in Cochran's suburban Pittsburgh home, destroying it and the house of her next-door neighbor.

What is clear is that winter -- especially around the Christmas holidays with the combined hazards of trees, candles, electric lights and space heaters -- is the prime season for home fires.

More home fires occur between Christmas Eve and Jan. 6 than at any other time of the year, and Christmas tree fires are especially deadly, with an average of one in 15 resulting in death, compared to one in 131 overall, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Fire officials urge consumers already out shopping for Christmas gifts to look at smoke detectors as well.

Green options for wrapping gifts

BRIAN MCDONALD — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:37 CST

Ever wonder what happens to all that tape, shiny wrapping paper and ribbon when the holiday season ends?

It may surprise you to learn that, every year, we engage in harmful gift wrapping with products that contain toxic chemicals like bleach and heavy-metal dyes.

When gift-giving, nobody's goal is the depletion of forests or engorgement of landfills with non-biodegradable materials.

Thankfully, these days it's quite feasible for anyone to avoid this moral and environmental burden. Here are some simple ways to reduce environmental impact with green gift wrapping:

• How about a gift within a gift? No, not nesting dolls. But could a college student in your life use an extra bath towel or pair of sheets? Do you know someone who likes to bake and would appreciate a new cookie tin, or a cook in need some Tupperware? With a little luck and planning, many gifts like these can serve as the "wrapping" for other gifts.