>Parent Bloggers Network asked folks to think about vacations, past and future. I don’t get out much, but I must say our family enjoys road trips. So…should I chronicle the business trip when Amigo rode along with his dad in a brand new live truck for the television station? Recent trips to Chicago to see Wicked and later to cheer on the White Sox? The stop on the way there at the Converse outlet store? (Breathe, daughter, breathe) How about the journeys of Flat Stanley?

One of the fun parts of traveling with older teens is (gasp) sharing the driving. I’m a morning person, and La Petite is a night owl. On a long trip, my coffee and I will get us going, and she’ll get us to the destination courtesy of her Mt. Dew. In a big city or an unfamiliar area, one can drive while the other navigates.

Amigo really enjoys the radio on long trips. He will tune in a local station and enjoy the accents. He has it in his head that we need to take a trip to Canton, Ohio, and Cooperstown, New York to visit their respective halls of fame. I could be talked into it…well, it’s a strong possible maybe.

If part of the adventure is finding a place to stay, I could look into Pickpackgo.com, a place that helps find quality lodgings in a variety of locales. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be singing “On the road again” or “Movin’ right along” as we hit the highway.

Pick the Place, Pack Your Bags, and Let’s Go!

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Despite the 90 degree heat, Amigo boogied down outside US Cellular Stadium before a White Sox game. The band was playing classics from Chicago and Blood, Sweat, and Tears — the kind of tunes that warmed this baby boomer’s heart. He’s fifteen, and he shows that whether it’s baby boomer favorites or baby disco, you’re never too old or too young to enjoy moving to the music.

>Quality time. What is it? Families eating at the table together, cheering each other on during games, running errands and chatting in the car. My family sits down to eat together several times a week. We don’t always get all of us to the table, with work schedules and other commitments, but we do our best. And after supper, we sit down together and watch Jeopardy! One thing we love to play together is Trivia, in any form or fashion. Sometimes we’ll get a little punchy after playing for a while, especially when we’re playing an all-weekend overnight tournament. And with that in mind, over tired and with apologies to Dr. Seuss, here goes.

You could play baseball or backyard croquet.
You might go biking. Every nice day.
But what if it rains? And what if it snows?
Turn on TV, sit around, blow your nose.
When the sun doesn’t shine,
And it’s too wet to play.
You might sit in the house, on that cold, cold, wet day.
Or…
You might talk to each other. Or dance ’round the room.
Or play the piano and sing a good tune.
And if all that low-tech can’t give you a smile,
There’s always the Wii, and its Boogie for style.

This post is brought to you in conjunction with Parent Bloggers Network & EA’s Wii-Boogie, a family gaming experience. Shake it. Sing it. Create it.

>I grew up in a district that was an anomaly; we had no hot lunch program. We packed a lunch or went home to eat.
My students eat lunch at school, and very few go home. Since my sixth graders are the oldest students in the elementary building, they have the privilege of ‘working’ lunch as well. They beg to do this! I like to think it’s altruistic on their parts, but I think a large part of the attraction is the thirty minutes of class that they miss when their crew is on duty.
It’s definitely a point toward their social status to be able to “work lunch”. When the crew needs subs, the kids often take care of it themselves. They’ll notice, “Hey, Mrs. Teacher, Mike’s absent. Can I work for him?” I have very little to do with the whole picture other than picking the next group off my list of volunteers. These eager kids are learning about work ethic and self-motivation outside of the classroom. It’s real learning, and all around lunch.

And here’s to the parents who are looking for good child-friendly web sites, too. Schoolmenu.com and Familyeveryday.com are two that may satisfy your taste for safety while fulfilling your kids’ appetite for fun. Games, nutrition and fitness suggestions, and fun cartoon art are just a few of the links. There’s an email newsletter and a contest or two, and several other information and enjoyable links. I took the quiz to see which TV Mom I most resemble. Carol Brady? Me? Where’s my Alice?
Check out School Menu and its parental counterpart Family Everyday, two sites that work together with School Food Services Directors to provide and promote healthy eating and physical fitness for kids and their parents. Enjoy!