Online Features
Family Living
Reduce brain drain in your kids over summer
(BPT) - The second the school bell rings signaling that school’s out for summer, it seems that children immediately forget everything they’ve studied over the past nine months. When they return to school in the fall, playing catch up takes time. Studies show that this brain drain can result in as much as a few months’ ...
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Digital apps make learning fun for young children
Today’s children grow up in a vastly different technological world than that of their parents or grandparents. While you may fondly recall a favorite storybook stored on your nightstand, many kids today are reading using their parent’s smartphone or tablet. Digital devices are becoming a regular part of a child’s life, ...
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Avoid the summer slide: 7 fun, brain-stimulating activities for students
(BPT) - As summer approaches, many parents are worried about the summer learning slide, and with good reason. Students who do not participate in enrichment and learning activities during the summer break can lose roughly 22 percent of the knowledge and skills they gained during the previous school year, according to the...
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Secrets to fear-free social media use
(BPT) - Many Americans love social media, but it scares them, too. While they are reconnecting with old high school classmates, viewing photos of a colleague’s new baby and chatting with a friend about a new job, social media users are also worrying about having their identity stolen from a social media site. That fear...
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How to turn your backyard into the best vacation destination
(BPT) - It’s a widely known “secret” that family vacations aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. Traveling can be a costly hassle with too many negatives that overshadow the fun. That's why a growing number of Americans are rediscovering the fun that can be had at home, and taking steps to make their backyards as...
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Five swimming pool myths that are all wet
(BPT) - It’s got all the hallmarks of a great home improvement – adds value, enhances livability and beauty, and creates a perfect gathering spot for family and friends. So why wouldn’t you add a swimming pool to your outdoor living space? From the belief that it costs too much to operate a pool to the misconception it...
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Five things to do before sending your child to camp wearing hearing aids
(BPT) - Summer is approaching and many parents will be sending their children off to camp. If your child wears hearing aids and is set to attend a summer camp for kids of all abilities, here are five things you can do to help your child get the most from his or her summer camp experience: 1. Visit your child’s hearing ...
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Try something new and refresh your technology habits
(BPT) - Are you using the Internet as if it’s still the year 2000? If you answered yes, you’ve got some catching up to do. Technology has come a long way in the last 13 years; new shortcuts, alternative products and simple tools available today can help you accomplish tasks faster – saving you time and increasing your efficiency online. Many people don’t realize this, but old tech habits can actually create more work for you. There is no better time than the present to refresh your techn...
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Serve up an ideal space for summer outdoor entertaining
(BPT) - The arrival of milder temperatures means dining al fresco, hosting neighborhood cookouts and enjoying intimate cocktail parties under the stars. When creating a backyard oasis to entertain family and friends this summer, it’s important that it be both inviting and able to withstand the wear and tear that goes ha...
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The changing role of parents today [Infographic]
Family life is radically different than it was even a decade ago. Today’s parents have to adjust to the ubiquity of social media and changes in traditional roles, but they are finding ways to adapt and keep the family bond strong.
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How to support your friend in a split
(BPT) - When a marriage ends in divorce, it’s not just the couple who is involved. Friends and family members are also part of the process and often play many different parts – from objective confidant to reliable “vent-ee.” If you’re suddenly or unexpectedly thrown into this role, what help are you prepared to offer? S...
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Fun tips for fantastic family vacations
(BPT) - Family vacations are always a great time for family bonding and exploring new places. With some careful planning, the trip can be packed full of fun from the minute you lock the front door to the minute you arrive back home, exhausted and ready to share stories of your adventures with friends and family. Travel...
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By Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a ban on openly gay scouts that had been in place throughout the organization's 103-year history, capping weeks of intense lobbying on both sides, the group said in a statement. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, composed of some 1,400 delegates, voted to end the ban effective January 1, 2014. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ...
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he directed Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a review of Department of Justice guidelines for investigations that involve journalists and report back by early July. Obama has come under criticism for his administration's pursuit of journalists who have reported leaked material. In recent weeks, it emerged that the Justice Department seized Associated Press phone records as part of a probe into leaks about a 2012 Yemen-based plot to bomb a U.S. ...
By Tim Gaynor PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona jury weighing whether Jodi Arias should be put to death for the brutal murder of her ex-boyfriend deadlocked on Thursday and the judge ordered a retrial of the penalty phase of the case. Arias, a former waitress from California, was found guilty this month in the murder of Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He was stabbed 27 times, had his throat slashed and was shot in the face. ...