Extreme Arenacross Nationals Jan 24th-25th

O'Reilly Extreme Arenacross

Extreme Arenacross Nationals at Mesquite Arena January 24-25

O’Reilly Auto Parts presents the Extreme Arenacross Nationals at Mesquite Arena January 24-25, 2014. See high flying arenacross racing from pee wee’s to the fastest pros from around the country in an all out air assault on the huge indoor track. Featured classes will be the 250F Pro, 450F Pro, and ATV Pro.  All Pro riders will be racing for their share of the big cash purse.  Arenacross Nationals start at 7:30 pm.  Gates open at 6 pm nightly. Friday night is kid’s night.  The first 200 kids get free toy motorcycles. 

Tips for Raising Happy, Healthy Teenagers

Mom and Happy Teenager

How to Raise Happy, Healthy Teenagers

by Abigail Clark

Successfully raising kids and transforming them into well-rounded, responsible, and productive members of society is no simple task. It takes years of careful guidance and patient teaching to raise kids who can care for themselves, standing on their own two feet. Most importantly, your goal is to raise them to be healthy and happy, above everything else. Here’s a look at some insightful tips on doing just that.

Remember the Big Picture

As easy as it is to get caught up in the test scores, dating debacles, moral conundrums, and attitude adjustments, remember what you’re working for. The overarching goal is for your kids to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society, and ultimately fend for themselves someday.

What Brain Research Can Show About How Your Child’s Brain Develops

How a Child's Brain Develops

The New GPS for Parents: Finding Guidance in Brain Research

by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.

It has become a common statement emanating from the mouths of parents: I wish my teen came with an owner’s manual! For years we have relied on the wisdom of past generations, our own upbringing and a host of books, articles and now, blogs filled with ‘expert’s’ advice.

Research then entered the picture; giving parents more data based advice. One of the earliest and best examples was the study released from Harvard about fifteen years ago, dubbed ‘raising the water level.’ In that study, children whose parents allowed them more freedom of movement and exploration during the toddler years showed a significant difference in intellectual development. This was accomplished by moving harmful objects up out of the reach of children so that they were not constantly stopped from exploring and touching and movement. The older they got and the farther they could reach or move, the higher things were raised above their grasp. In other words, ‘raising the water level’ raised the richness of their experiences, and thus enhanced their growing brains.