Back to School Schedules

How to keep your family connected during a hectic school year.

By Shirin Yadegar
Shirin YadegarBack to school schedules are tedious and exhausting. Driving two kids to two separate activities after school is nearly impossible, but somehow we manage. In the midst of all the chaos, we many times fail to connect with our children. Instead, we are rushing them to eat a snack and get changed into their dance, gymnastics or athletic wear in the back seat. We rush them to after school activities and tutors because they have begged and we have coerced them. So by the time everyone gets home, showers and completes homework there is either a meltdown or pure exhaustion. (more…)

Staying Healthy During the School Year

Are your children prepared to return to school?

By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D., F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D., F.A.A.P
JuliaBack to school time is upon us, which is a great opportunity to make sure your child is ready from a health perspective. There are new requirements this year for adolescents for vaccines. It is also a great time to refresh on illness prevention while being at school.

Staying Healthy
Maintaining proper health begins at home. Back to school time is a good excuse to refamiliarize your children on the importance of hand washing at home and school. Most illness is spread through contact, and hand washing has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent your child from becoming ill while at school. (more…)

4 Great Eco-friendly School Tools for Kids

Teach them to live green at a very young age

It’s best to teach children at a young age how to love the environment. The next school year, you can opt for eco-friendly tools that are cost-efficient free from harmful chemicals. In this article, we’ll give you a list of the best green items that you can purchase for your little ones before the school starts. (more…)

Family Trip to Samui

by Lisa Niver Rajna
Lisa Niver RajnaAfter a second sabbatical year traveling all over Asia, my personal favorite place to stay is Thailand. George and I have spent the last two months in Lamai, Koh Samui, Thailand. We have enjoyed the restaurants, the beach and George plays in the band twice a week at Rock Island House.

I interviewed eight year-old Esteban from France and six year-old Angie from Thailand to find out the best things to do in Koh Samui from a kid’s perspective! A clear favorite was Coco Splash Waterpark, followed by sailing with Siam Pirates and visiting the waterfalls. Esteban’s dad, Florian, also said one of the best things about Lamai is just swimming in the water! (more…)

Easy Back to School Lunches

By Shirin Yadegar
Preparing any meal for 4 growing children and a foody husband is a challenge that I have mastered. My biggest obstacle was learning how to make healthy food taste good for all of their palates. Here are my two favorite, super easy dinner recipes that you can recycle for school lunch.

BBQ Chicken Dinner= BBQ Chicken Salad

  • Serving 6
  • Ingredients
  • 6 pieces of skinless chicken breast BONE IN
  • Your favorite BBQ sauce
  • Wash your chicken then marinate it with a bottle of your favorite bbq sauce. Leave it in a pyrex dish covered for 4 to 24 hours then cook on low in the crock pot for 4 to 6 hours.

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Preparing for the New School Year

By Nicole Sadighpour
NicoleSadiParents can help their children start the school year on the right track by planning ahead, being realistic, and most importantly, by maintaining a positive attitude.

  1. Review the materials sent by your child’s school as soon as it arrives. These packets include important information about your child’s teacher, room number, school supply requirements, sign ups for after-school sports and activities, school calendar dates, bus transportation, health and emergency forms, and volunteer opportunities.

  2. (more…)

Calcium without Dairy

By Dr. Peter Waldstein and Dr. Julia White
JuliaSo you know that calcium is important, but what do you do if your child does not like dairy or milk? Or what if he/she is allergic? Older children usually stop drinking milk entirely, but luckily there are other options available. (more…)