Authors Evelyn Sacks and Robyn Spizman released their book, “Eat, Nap, Play” (HCI Books) to assists families with tips and helpful advice on how to get even more out of your child’s day for less.  The book’s title was  intentionally labeled to sound similar to the blockbuster movie, “Eat, Pray, Love” starring Julia Roberts.  The popular movie overall theme is about finding balance.  “Our book is really about the same thing — balance between you and your child, between you and your budget, between you and your lifestyle,” says Sacks.

Here’s 4 helpful tips from the book’s chapter entitled, “Super School Savings” for parents to make the school year less stressful from the authors.

• Get a handle on after-school activities: Kids may do better, the authors write, if they’re not “caught up in rushing from activity to activity, filling up on fast food and changing from softball uniform to skating skirt in the car.” Before parents sign up for every activity available, the authors recommend asking several questions, such as “Has your child shown interest in the activity beyond the fact that a friend is doing it?” and “How much total time is required and is this acceptable?” To keep costs down, set an activities budget for each child. Or try do-it-yourself activities like “Crafty Wednesdays” (surprise kids with a craft project each week) or Our Town (field trips in your area).

• Make a homework box: On the table or desk where your children do their homework, create a box for each student. Stock it with everything needed for a successful homework session — pencils, paper, erasers, maybe even snacks. “There’s something about school supplies that are fun for most people,” said Sacks. “It’s a little leg up on a homework assignment. I think it helps kids get focused and feel proprietary about that assignment.” The authors suggest letting younger kids decorate and personalize the box.

• Give kids responsibilities: Sacks and Spizman believe that by age 8, kids should be able to set and wake up to an alarm clock. They also can help out around the house — fill and empty the dishwasher, water the plants and bring in the mail. Help them learn time management by giving them a calendar to use. (For downloadable calendars, they suggest keepandshare.com, calendar.google.com and cozi.com.)

• Reassess throughout the year: A few times during the year, maybe when report cards come out, hold a family meeting. “How’s the school year going, people?” Sacks suggests asking. She said parents can even start by saying how they’re contributing. For instance, a dad could say, “I’m working on not being late picking you up from activities.” Sacks said she believes it’s fair to ask the children what they can do to make the whole school scene go better.

VIA ARA LIFESTYLE:

The financial crisis has brought about new kinds of challenges for many Americans. High gas prices, foreclosures and low wages are some well-known symptoms. One of the biggest obstacles, however, has been the feeling of uncertainty we encounter on a daily basis, whether it be our job stability, our family budgets, or even our ability to save for retirement. With layoffs across a multitude of industries, many adults are taking action against this cloud of uncertainty by going back to school.

Take, for example, Denise Browning of Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1986, Browning has been promoted 6 times at her current job, but she has hit the glass ceiling without a college degree. Despite working for her employer for 22 years, she was recently overlooked and deemed “not qualified” for a promotion.

“Wow, that was devastating,” she says. “Twenty-two years with a company, my accumulated years of knowledge, my excellent rapport with the reporting staff, my willingness to do the job, to be told ‘you’re not qualified’ — ouch!”

Browning applied for a full-ride college scholarship to go back to school through an online education advocacy campaign to help working moms afford the college degree they need to succeed for themselves and their children. With an online degree, she will be able to further fortify her position within a company and open herself up for career advancement. In today’s economy, the added degree even adds a piece of armor to an employee who may have been spotted for downsizing had they not taken charge of the situation by going back to school.

Many people mistakenly believe that in this tough economy, it may be difficult to find financial aid programs; this is simply not the case. Online Student Financial Aid is an example of an extremely helpful site that guides potential students to schools that offer financial assistance. With resources like this, people are still highly equipped to acquire a new degree, and data shows that it pays off.

In 2005, women ages 25 to 34 with bachelor’s degrees earned 70 percent more than those with high school diplomas, and for men the difference was 63 percent. For all full-time workers in this age group, the average earnings premium for a 4-year college degree is almost $14,000, according to “Education Pays 2006,” published by the College Board.

Online courses can be a terrific way to both pick up the education you need and still be able to work, parent, or juggle the many commitments that define most adult lives. There are currently more than 1,500 online degrees offered by over 130 online colleges. Popular online degrees include master of business administration, nursing and criminal justice, as well as education. Which degree is the best fit for you?

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VIA WJLA:

Many Maryland school systems are running out of snow days in this winter of record-breaking snowstorms.

The majority of public schools in the state were closed Monday. Baltimore County schools have already announced they will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and Montgomery County schools will also be closed Tuesday.

After Wednesday, Baltimore County will have two days left before it has to extend the school year. Howard County schools have just one day left – and there’s another snowstorm in the forecast for Tuesday.

Anne Arundel County has already asked for a waiver from the state’s requirement that students go to school for 180 days a year. State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick has granted such waivers only in rare circumstances.

D.C. public schools initially planned to open two hours late, but are now closed Monday.

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