Issue Date: March 4, 2007
Save on pet supplies
SHOP THE DISCOUNT CHAINS. At mega stores (Petco, PetSmart), selection is huge, and prices are well below those you'll pay if you purchase non-prescription food and other supplies through your vet. But do watch sales at your local pet store, which often sells hardware (leashes, litter boxes) for even less than the discounters.
BUY IN BULK. Dry pet food, kitty litter and hamster bedding last for months, so stock up on the big bags to save (check expiration dates on food). At PetSmart.com, 5 pounds of Hill's Science Diet Light Adult Small Bites dog food is $8.49 vs. a 40-pound bag at $31.99, a savings of $35.93 over eight smaller bags.
DON'T OVERFEED. One major non-medical expense for pet owners is certainly food. But we often feed our pets more than the package recommends. Avoid that trap, and you'll not only save money, but you'll also have a healthier animal.
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The best maps on the Web
Planning a road trip these days means turning to the Web for maps and point-to-point directions. MapQuest long has been in the forefront of readable directions for getting from A to B. Now it also offers a fast Multi-Stop Route Builder program that allows you to add up to 10 locations and print a detailed map and route directions.
Google Maps lets you view a road map, aerial map or hybrid of the two. And it quickly finds businesses and attractions.
The new AskCity is worth a look, as is MSN's Live Local Search, which has 3D maps. But Yahoo! Maps offers the best features, like pinpointing gas stations. And if you're looking for pizza in, say, Sheboygan, Wis., two dozen pizzerias will pop up, with directions. Yahoo! Maps also shows real-time construction and traffic delays.
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Kids can do play-by-play for March Madness
Call plays with ESPN's boombox as you watch the game.
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The ESPN Play By Play is a glorified PA system that lets you tap your inner Stuart Scott. The portable audio device runs on AC current or six C batteries and can broadcast 150 feet. Just plug the hand-held microphone (included) into the boombox, press the sound-bite button to blast familiar theme songs to ESPN shows like SportsCenter or College GameDay, and try out your best color commentary. Additional ESPN SportBytes SoundCards provide more sounds.
Play By Play ($99.95, reallivesports.net) is aimed at ages 8 and up, but budding sportscasters of all ages can enjoy it. And that's the true beauty of the toy. You can mute the TV after that Final Four buzzer-beater and do mock post-game interviews with your friends. The boombox also is good for delivering speeches, rallying the "troops" and tormenting siblings.
But Play By Play's creators did commit one technical foul: You cannot record and replay your child's verbal highlights.
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Encourage, don't nag, overweight teens
Motivating older kids to do what's good for their health can be especially frustrating. But for more than 9 million overweight kids in America today, the problem of shedding pounds goes well beyond physical health. In addition to medical risks such as diabetes and heart disease, overweight and obese teens are more likely to be depressed and to have low self-esteem and poor grades.
So, how do you get a teen to diet? "If the teen's not ready or isn't motivated, nagging, preaching and complaining will only backfire," says Anne M. Fletcher, author of the new book Weight Loss Confidential. She interviewed 100-plus previously overweight teens and many of their parents to find out how they lost the weight and kept it off. Most said exercise was key.
Critical do's and don'ts
DO:
Talk to your child as a friend, not as a disciplinarian.
Put your teen in charge of how, and when, to lose.
Get rid of the junk food, and stock up on healthy options.
Model healthy eating and exercise.
Be patient. Weight loss takes time -- and often,multiple attempts.
DON'T:
Tell her that her weight is OK if she expresses concern.
Criticize or try to coerce your teen into losing.
Be a food cop. Comments like "You've had enough" will backfire.
Single out the overweight teen in your household.
Ann Pleshette Murphy is ABC's Good Morning America parenting expert.
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