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New school yearnew rules
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Teaching moments can be so much fun. Educating your children in self-governance is one of the most important things you can do. - photo by istockphoto.com/imtmphoto
Becky Rickman
Deseret News National
Updated: Aug 12, 2014, 4:00 PM
Published: Aug 6, 2014, 8:39 PM

The new school year is about to begin, and this presents a great chance for parents to evaluate the previous year and make changes to their general house rules. How did the kids do on homework last year? Cleaning out their book bags? Household chores? Did they need a nap or a snack when they walked in the door? Did they have too many activities or too much time on their hands?

Set aside an evening to sit down as a family and discuss these issues, and any others you can think of, that pertain to your particular brood. Here are some suggestions for the occasion:

Have a list ready
Make up a parents' list of issues you think need revisited. Try to remember specific issues with each kid and make a note of them. Have this handy, but don't present it right away. Instead,

Ask kids to make their own list 
Since training your children to be responsible for themselves is one of a parent's greatest accomplishments, have your kids make their own lists of things they would like to present for change.

Set the guidelines for the evening
No arguing. All suggestions will be thoughtfully considered and discussed. Keep it light and fun. Put the impetus on self-governance, teaching kids to be aware of their own needs.

Start with the oldest child
By starting with the eldest, you are showing them respect and teaching the younger ones that with age comes privilege. It also allows them to set a pattern for the youngsters on how to conduct themselves when it is their turn.

No interruptions
When it is a child's turn, let them present their suggestions and give them the same courteous and thoughtful attention you would give your minister or boss.

Discuss
Now is the time to pull out your own cheat sheet and talk about ideas you have. With mutual respect, come to an agreement on the new rules. If you have reservations about, say, bedtime, tell them you are willing to give it a 2-week trial with an evaluation to follow. By doing this, you allow your kids to make choices and test the waters. It teaches them do the thinking and evaluating.

Keep notes
Have a notebook handy and keep track of the rules for each child. Later, type them up, put them in a plastic sleeve, and hang on bedroom door. This keeps everyone on the same page and helps prevent future rebellion.

Go down the line
Cover the issues with each child, keeping notes and showing respect. Try not to run out of patience before you run out of kids.

End with a bang! 
Good job. Huge accomplishment. Great teamwork. Teaching moment successful. Now . . . party! Have a special treat like ice cream sundaes for dinner or spaghetti and meatballs without plates or utensils. Show them that it's business before pleasure, but that you still know how to have crazy fun.

Teaching moments can be so much fun. Educating your children in self-governance is one of the most important things you can do. Little exercises like this will give you so much more confidence when the time comes to turn them out into the world.

Becky Lyn is an author and a 35+ year (most of the time) single mom. Visit 
Becky Lyn's Website. or write her at beckytheauthor@gmail.com
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.