Boogie Back to School

Even though it is still hot and steamy outside, most kids have headed back to school and the signs are obvious. The puffy-eyes, lack-of-sleep-slumps and frazzled morning hair – and we’re not just talking about the kids.
It’s been an annual tradition at our house to take the sting out of going back to school by hosting a final fling of barbecue, swimming and sand volleyball. This year the favorite activity was indoors as partygoers hung out around the Wii to play a new game just released by EA called Boogie. It’s an interactive dancing, karaoke, get-off-the couch and shake-your-groove-thing game that everyone can enjoy. The pictures below testify that the young and not so young couldn't resist playing. The playback feature that allows you to produce your own music video had us cracking up at the “creations.” The best part is that now I have a new addition to family game night that will hopefully help ease the pain of dark, cold winter nights to come.

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They Like Us!

Did you hear the good news? A seven-month study conducted by MTV and The Associated Press reveals young people find the most happiness in family, and most of the respondents listed their parents as their heroes.
Nearly 1,300 young people aged 13 to 24 years old were interviewed. When asked what one thing in life makes them the most happy, 20 percent said family, the top answer. Nearly three-quarters said their relationship with their parents also makes them happy. The findings are great news for parents of teens and young adults who feel personally rejected during these turbulent years.
Recently we talked with Sean Covey, son of Stephen Covey and best-selling author of "The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make". Sean discusses how we can communicate better with our teens and the six key decisions teens make, and how their choices will make or break their futures. You can hear the full interview by visiting our teen spirit page. Our conversation with Sean was enlightening and reminded us that these years are too important to allow raging hormones to get in the way of our evolving relationship. Besides, even heroes need help.

Back to School Stress Part 2

Millions of parents across the country are gearing their children up for the new school year. But, while you're purchasing that new backpack or negotiating the fair market value of a new pair of jeans, have you thought about or talked about what is worrying your child this upcoming school year?

Major research consistently tells us that bullying tops the list of school troubles. Be it Simon Cowell or Donald Trump, being a bully has become socially acceptable and it's on the rise. So as our kids start off the new school year, parents should know that one in every five children will be bullied. And, unfortunately there is no where to hide. Despite the more focused attention on bullying in schools, technology has allowed the bullies to enter the safe havens of our homes through cyber-bullying. This weekend we talk with the bully coach Joel Haber about what parents can do to help prevent and deal with bullying. We want to hear from you. What tops your list of worries for the new school year? Vote on your top worries or post a comment/question on this post. We'll talk about the results on the program and feature an expert guest to discuss the issue.

Back To School Stress

If you're like us, you may be feeling a bit anxious this time of year. The fun of summer activities are in full swing but those back-to-school shopping advertisements are calling you to get ready and geared up for what lies ahead.

Whether it's the shopping, the change of routine or the fear of the unknown, the stress of going back to school can make you feel frazzled. That's why in the next few weeks we'll be devoting Family Matters programs to all the issues you may be thinking about this time of year. Sign up for our free newsletter so you don't miss a particular topic or your chance to ask a question or two.

This weekend we kick off our back-to-school specials with one of our favorite calm-us-down guest, Kathleen Hall from the Stress Institute. She'll share tips and strategies on paving the way to a successful start of the school year.

Sports Heroes Behaving Badly

As any family who loves sports can tell you- it's not easy to find a hero in today's sports culture of steroid use, criminal activity and questionable moral decisions. So what's a parent to do when their child's role model behaves badly?
This weekend on Family Matters Radio we pose that question and more to USA Today's sports columnist Christine Brennan. She's seen the good and the bad in sports as well as written numerous columns, authored a best-selling book and is a commentator voice in several Olympics. Her new book Best Seat in The House, chronicles her relationship with her dad and how their mutual love and respect of the game fostered life lessons beyond the field. You'll have to tune in to hear her views on how parents can approach the breaking headlines of bad behavior and take a more balanced approach by pointing to the many sports figures who contribute both time and money to helping kids. We want to hear from you. What are the biggest challenges for sports-loving families? Are you frustrated by the current sports personalities behavior? Is it too expensive to take the kid's to the ball game?