kids

To perform better in school, maybe kids need less time in the classroom. Some Texas schools are gaining attention for tripling the recess time for students, and we're waiting to see if this growing trend catches on in East Texas.

Most kids have these things and they're supposed to reduce stress and help with concentration, but do they work?

If your brood is anything like mine, the first thing the kids do when they walk in the door after school is grab the iPad or the Kindle. Spring is here, kids!  East Texas has plenty of things to do outside, and we're leavin' the house.  Here are just a few ideas.

Texans can come up with some goodies!  Just look at any kindergarten class list, and high five yourself for stamping your kids with some unique, cool, and creative names. A new list is out, and please share your thoughts.  Are the quirkiest baby names in Texas really that quirky?

You've probably seen the Girl Scouts set up outside different stores across East Texas over the past couple of weeks, and their parents may have passed the order form around the office.  How much longer do cookie sales last?

This is the worst part of pet ownership.  We've learned that Harry has major health issues and he's in noticeable pain, and we're faced with that big decision that no dog owner wants to make.  How do you talk to the kids about what's coming?

A few more Hatchimals made their way to select stores over the weekend, but they're gone again.  What do Hatchimals do anyway?

It's mean to withhold the magic of Christmas from the kids, and I just couldn't do it any longer. Lights on, tree up. And I've discovered three big reasons besides these girls, why Christmas should always start before Thanksgiving.

Good luck today with your office cubicle decorating contest.  You are rockin' those cob webs. I have failed my children with my lack of Halloween decorations, so my 6-year old decided to take matters into her own hands and make something festive on her own.  And then the sprinkler system hit it.

This may be the great debate at your house. The kids are begging for a phone so they can enter the world of Snapchat for themselves, and you're holding off as long as you possibly can.  What's the ideal age to let kids have a smart phone, and how does East Texas compare?

A Texas teacher is getting a lot of attention for a "no homework" policy that she says she's planning to stick to all year long. She wants kids to play outside, have dinner with family, and get to bed early instead of burying noses in the books at home.  Think it'll catch on?

If you are on social media at all this week, you will quickly understand that school has started. As parents, there is some sort of reflex that makes us mark these back-to-school moments on Facebook, and as you might be able to see in this picture, the kids would rather just hurry up and get to class