(Distributed 07/14/09) Decades ago, hectic lives were the trademark of business people. Today, that condition applies to almost every family in America where your family is your business, according to LSU AgCenter Certified Family Life Educator Dr. Diane D. Sasser.

(Distributed 07/14/09) When parents become involved in their children's schoolwork, studies show the children do better in school. “But that doesn’t mean doing the homework for them,” says LSU AgCenter Certified Family Life Educator Dr. Diane D. Sasser.

(Distributed 07/14/09) Move over, summer – a new school year is upon us! LSU AgCenter Certified Family Life Educator Dr. Diane D. Sasser shares her joy of anticipation with six steps on preparing for the event.

(Distributed 07/10/09) Did you know that Louisiana schools are growing? That is, they’re growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and flowers. School gardens are growing in popularity across the state.

(Distributed 07/10/09) Back-to-school time can be a very expensive time of year. That makes it a great opportunity to help children learn to handle money.

(Distributed 07/09/09) If the idea of spending so much cash for school needs gets you down, take a look at these tips for creating – and sticking to – a back-to-school budget.

(Distributed 07/09/09) “Ever-increasing scholastic demands may mean that children are lugging home more books in their backpacks, often resulting in injuries,” says LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker. She advises comparison shopping when looking for backpacks.

(Distributed 07/09/09) If there’s a teenager in your life, you want him or her to use credit cards responsibly once he or she gets to college. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker offers three words of advice: “Talk it out.”

(Distributed 07/09/09) Whether you're going back to school as a student or teacher, it's important to take extra care of your take-along lunch that’s been waiting all morning for you to eat. You don’t want to get a foodborne illness.

(Distributed 07/09/09) During preseason football practices with high heat and humidity, athletes should be well-hydrated, have access to fluids and be monitored for heat-related illness.

(Distributed 07/09/09) Parents can help their children prepare for kindergarten by teaching them personal skills.

(Distributed 07/09/09) Breakfast is usually considered the most important meal of the day, but one-fourth of children ages 6 to 11 miss that meal.

(Distributed 07/09/09) Once considered a club just for rural and farm kids, 4-H boasts an enrollment of more than 243,000 in Louisiana and 7 million across the country.

(Distributed 07/08/09) Children fare better in school when their parents help them become ready for kindergarten. After all, parents are the most important teachers a child will ever have, says LSU AgCenter family development professor Dr. Rebecca White.

(Distributed 07/08/09) A few weeks before elementary school begins, remind your child that school will be starting, and pay attention to your child’s reactions, says LSU AgCenter family and child development expert Dr. Linda Robinson.

(Distributed 07/08/09) The high school years are usually a time of experimentation and testing limits. Recent studies, however, reveal that conflict between parents and adolescents is much less than popular culture leads us to believe.

(Distributed 07/08/09) As the first day of kindergarten approaches, many parents find themselves anxious about how their children will adjust.

(Distributed 07/07/09) For most high school graduates, high school brings back fond memories. Starting high school, however, can be an overwhelming experience.

(Distributed 07/07/09) A child might be facing the unknown when starting kindergarten, but parents need to prepare as well. They are faced with many responsibilities.

(Distributed 07/07/09) The transition to middle school occurs at a time when children are transitioning to adolescence. The preteen years can be stressful for children as their bodies prepare for puberty.

(Distributed 07/07/09) At a time when many are worried that the United States is experiencing a general decline in civic and political engagement, volunteering appears particularly strong among today’s young people, according to LSU AgCenter 4-H youth volunteer expert Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/07/09) One of the many ways in which parents can help their children prepare for kindergarten is physical development, according to LSU AgCenter family development professor Dr. Rebecca White.

(Distributed 07/07/09) Whether you’re a school athlete, occasional exerciser or simply a spectator, you share one common fact: you can’t live long without water.

(Distributed 07/11/08) While older children are preparing to start school in the fall, younger children are eager to learn new things, too. Shopping for back-to-school items is a good time to start teaching your preschooler about spending and saving money, according to LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Gloria Nye.

(Distributed 07/13/07) As you prep your college-bound kids for all the perils in life, don’t forget money management, advises LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Where does the time go? With mixed emotions, you and your child will be preparing for the start of the next school year. But you don’t want one of those emotions to be one of panic.

(Distributed 07/13/07) With the start of the school year, parents often have high expectations and positive thoughts for the coming school year. Getting off to a great start requires three simple, but important, ingredients, according to LSU AgCenter 4-H youth development professor Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Don't let your child's after-school snack attack catch you off guard. Keep plenty of healthy food choices from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid on hand to satisfy ravenous appetites.

(Distributed 07/13/07) It happens to almost every parent – your child brings home a report card that is less than satisfactory in your eyes. How do you handle it? Do you blow a gasket? Or ignore it, hoping it will go away?

(Distributed 07/13/07) Before your preteen goes back to school this year, remember that many changes take place during the preteen and teen years. It will be important that you be particularly perceptive at this time even though this is the time your child wants to be more independent, according to LSU AgCenter family and child development expert Dr. Diane Sasser.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Whether your child is starting kindergarten, first grade, middle school or high school, the transition to a new setting can be stressful. To make a smooth transition, it’s important to take a few steps to making the transition a positive one, according to 4-H youth development expert Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Expressing your individuality and exercising comfort are the most important considerations for deciding what to wear as a college student.

(Distributed 07/13/07)Sometimes financing a college education is often a partnership involving the student, family, school and a lending agency. LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker encourages college students to find out each partner’s responsibilities.

(Distributed 07/13/07) The rush to school and work each day means some things have to be sacrificed – and often that includes breakfast. Surveys show that as many as 48 percent of girls and 32 percent of boys do not eat breakfast every day.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Parents want to see their children succeed in school. Believe it or not, school success often depends on what happens outside of school, according to LSU AgCenter family and child development professor Dr. Diane Sasser.