True, it is a growing concern that our nations children are becoming obese. With high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol becoming part of the their health concerns how do we help children practice habits that will help them live longer and healthier lives?

Richard Simmons knows personally how it feels to be a child with a weight issue. Cutting public schools funding for PE and Extra Curricular Activities are not acceptable options! To cut PE as well as reduce or limit recess prevents a child from learning good habits about health and weight loss. Additionally, children need physical exercise and good eating habits to preform better in their daily subjects. Keeping focused and energized for Math and Reading helps the child preform better on their daily work and to be a good student. Ultimately, helping the school achieve higher marks on their standardize testing requirements under No Child Left Behind (NCLB.)

State testing will become more difficult in the coming years as the new testing requirements begin to be implemented. (TAKS, STARS, EOG'S)

A healthy life style includes; eating right and including exercise in your life. From an early age, our children need to learn both habits as they move through different ages and stages of their lives.

Healthy children have happier lives keeping depression rates lower for our nations children. Parents, pay attention to this issue. It will help your child live a healthier, happier and stronger life!

Learn more about this important issue by listening to some of the radio interviews by Richard Simmons.

Special Needs kids can welcome an amusement park in San Antonio, Texas. The grand opening is Friday, April 9th. Tickets for special needs kids are free, family members and caregivers cost $5.

It is extremely exciting that there is a sensory village and handicap access to all the rides along with additional caution with crowd control.

The brain's memory area is called hippocampus. When there is destructive inflammation in the brain's memory center, memory loss is experienced. Over time, inflammation in the brain can cause significant memory loss. This can accelerate dementia or cause one to have magnified depressed feelings. All of this could play a roll in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Why is celery an important roll in prevention of memory loss?

Read more »

Provided by Kim Ashby

Answer the following questions:     YES     NO

Do you skip words or lines when reading?        
Do you reread lines?        
Do you lose your place?        
Are you easily distracted when reading?        
Do you need to take breaks often?        
Do you find it harder to read the longer you read?        
Do you get headaches when you read?        
Do your eyes get red and watery?        
Does reading make you tired?        
Do you blink or squint?        
Do you prefer to read in dim light?        
Do you read close to the page?        
Do you use your finger or other markers?        
Do you get restless, active, or fidgety when reading?        

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, then you might be experiencing the effects of a perception problem called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, which can interfere with your reading efficiency. Now, for the first time, there is a simple method Irlen Colored Filters worn as glasses or contact lenses, that can help people overcome this problem quickly and easily.

Copyright © 1991 by Perceptual Development Corp/Helen Irlen.  All rights reserved.
For other self tests including the long test, headache test, light sensitivity test, autism test <a href="http://irlen.com/index.php?s=selftests">click here</a>.

It’s The Holidays: But Don’t Let Your Kid’s Brain Go On Vacation | Top 5 Tips for Keeping Kids Thinking During the Holiday Break

They’ve spent the first semester of school learning a world of new concepts and skills. But, 21 days out of the classroom can be a setback for some kids. Jan Van Blarcum, founder of Creative Tutors, says there are fun activities for families that will keep kids actively learning while they enjoy a break from the traditional classroom setting.

 Here’s the short list of fun activities for the winter break.

• Read for pleasure. Encourage your child to spend 45 minutes reading each day. Fifteen minutes alone and 30 minutes with a parent or grandparent. Ideas/Visuals: Best-selling books, popular magazines, like Sports Illustrated and Tiger Beat.
• Practice multiplication. Or addition and subtraction, if the child is younger. All math is done more efficiently when these facts are committed to memory — and it takes practice. Ideas/Visuals: Math card games, dice games, math quiz web sites.
• Write in a journal. Buy a cool journal and suggest your child write about his holiday break, as well as any goals, dreams, fantasies or problems he or she may have. Drawing is another great way to express feelings in a journal. Ideas/Visuals: A journal and pen.
• Play educational games. Turn off the TV and have fun with words and numbers. Ideas/Visuals: Word search books, crossword puzzles, Scrabble, card games, Sudoku, Rubix Cube.
• Slow down and enjoy life. Decide what events are really important — and skip the rest. Stay home and re-group as a family. Talk about your hopes and plans for 2010. Play board games, snuggle by the fireplace, and tell stories from the past.

I wanted to provide this resource for parents and their children. This will be an easy place for you to check and see how your child will score on the Exit Level TAKS Test for 11th and 12th grade students.

English Language Arts (ELA)

Writing Prompt

Social Studies

Social Studies [Glencoe]

Science

Mathematics

Students may need tutoring for a variety of reasons. Whether to improve a grade or increase their understanding in a certain subject area; to stay organized and on track in all of their classes; or prepare for entrance exams and standardized tests, a tutor can be just the boost they need.

But for some students with slumping grades and rising frustrations, tutoring may not just be a boost but a necessity. Parents should consider when and why a child might need the extra help and support of a tutor.

Read more »