Chances are, most people reading this know a child who has stayed home from school this week simply because they were afraid of being bullied – but they may not realize it. It is estimated that an average of 160,000 students each day around the country stay home out of fear of being bullied. Yet many adults, for a variety of reasons, have no idea that the bullying is taking place.
“The battle of wits has begun,” said the Man in Black in the movie, The Princess Bride. That’ll soon be true for the students competing in the Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl too. Starting on January 19th and continuing through March 9th, thousands of middle and high school students will compete in 120 regional competitions all across the country as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The prizes aren’t quite on par with winning the hand of a princess, but offer pretty bright prospects nonetheless.
By Joe Laing, El Monte RV
No one disagrees with the notion that it’s hard to save money and stick to a budget, whether you’re an individual or a family unit. But sometimes, the reward in the long run can be worth a little bit of penny-pinching in the present, especially when it comes to your summer family vacation. Do you really want to let the kids down this June and tell them that the family can’t afford to take a few days and road trip together someplace interesting? You can avoid that unpleasant, disheartening scene with a little bit of planning–and not as many sacrifices as you might think.
If you’ve never educated the kids (or your spouse!) regarding the purpose of a budget, having a family meeting before getting started is essential. Let everyone know that a budget is a fun, responsible way to make sure enough money is available for a vacation that year. Keep in mind the following when discussing the family budget:
