(BPT) - Parents everywhere agree – potty training can be a struggle. You worry about taking your toddler out in public or trying to find ways to simultaneously encourage potty training and boost your child’s self-confidence. Still, of 1,000 moms surveyed, 76 percent feel that their child’s personal growth as a result of potty training is, ultimately, a big reward.

(NAPSI)—Many Americans today struggle to get enough sleep. Despite their attempts to do it all, pressure to meet the demands of an active, on-the-go lifestyle may be holding men and women back from achieving the type of uninterrupted slumber that leaves them feeling rejuvenated in the morning. These issues are all too common, as the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research estimates that nearly 70 million Americans suffer from sleep problems.

After reading Dave Safier’s article critiquing Basis Schools, I decided to present another view on the issue. The insidious approach of tearing down anything that offers an alternative to traditional public school has got to be exposed if we ever hope to improve education. Instead of reform, we must all conform. If the results aren’t flawless, we use them as proof that nothing is worth trying to improve at all. At the 2010 orientation of BASIS Oro Valley’s opening, founder Olga Block said, “This is not a school for geniuses. If you are willing to work hard, you will be successful.” She was right. Many families aren’t prepared for the workload. When faced with the intensity of the work and amount of homework, they decided it wasn’t a fit for their family. Some kids spend hours a week in a sport; some are in theater or have devoted themselves to music. That is their choice. For my two children, school is their sport. They are bright, self-motivated, and hardworking, but not geniuses. They “practice” in the form of homework just about every day of the school year, missing some social events, sleeping in, shopping and the latest T.V. shows, but that is their choice. The notion that BASIS only takes and therefore only keeps the “smart kids” is not being fair to all the kids like mine who work very hard to be there. It also shows just how uninformed Mr. Safier is about Basis culture and criteria.

The sporting world, in its very nature, harbors an inherent athletic Darwinism. The strong continually trump the weaker opponents, until only two competitors remain. However, this inborn trait of competition becomes complicated, and is often compromised in the sport of boxing. It is a sport in which weight classes and multiple league promotions become barriers that rob fans of dream matchups. Given this complicated boxing climate, it often becomes difficult for polarizing figures of the sport to cement their legacy as all time greats unless they take enormous risks by fighting out of their normal weight class. And amongst current pugilists, there are none more polarizing than the eccentric Floyd “Money” Mayweather. 

Year after year, moms and children are faced with the same question: “What are we going to get dad for Father’s Day?”  Finding the right gift can be stressful and the department stores filled sky-high with matching tie and sock combinations are less than helpful.

(StatePoint) While it’s difficult to encapsulate the moods of tens of millions of people born between 1946 and 1964, one thing has often been said about boomers -- they share a determination to stay forever young.

THEATER

(BPT) - As beautiful summer weather gradually makes its appearance across the nation, thoughts turn to summer travel plans. Americans enjoy the fun and relaxation of traveling: 77 percent of domestic trips are for leisure purposes, according to the U.S. Travel Association. If you want to vacation with friends or family, hitting the pavement for a road trip can’t be beat, and with a few money-saving tips and organization tricks, you’ll plan an awesome trip packed with memories.

This is Chato’s story. He was surrendered to Pima Animal Care Center by his owner on April 11, 2013. This dog spent the first two years of his life as a “backyard” dog –never allowed in the house, never socialized, and never treated as a member of a family. However, in spite of all that, he loved and trusted people. He was affectionate, good with people and other dogs. He was placed for adoption on April 12. 

Q: What is better for a computer, leaving it on all the time or shutting it down every night? — Justin

(StatePoint) Transitioning from high school to the next life stage can be a time of excitement for young people, but it can also be a time filled with uncertainty.

(NAPSI)—One of the best things you can do for yourself, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is make an appointment with a doctor to discuss what screenings and exams you need and when you need them.

When our neighbors listed their house for sale a few months ago my husband and I were admittedly a bit saddened. Not that we knew them well. We did, however, appreciate the constant presence of a Sheriff’s patrol car parked quite visibly in their driveway. I mean, in spite of the alarm company’s sign in our yard, both my husband and I feel that you never can have too much insurance. The presence (and constant threat of) law enforcement was certainly a neighborly perk.

I’ve spent my entire adult life reporting the news, so I was troubled when I came upon a “news” website that stated not only is news bad for your health, but that if you give up reading it you’ll be happier.

Hardly a day goes by that 18-year-old Braden Whitaker doesn’t reflect on May 3, 2011. 

Transitioning from high school to the next life stage can be a time of excitement for young people, but it can also be a time filled with uncertainty.

With more than 60 rides and attractions spanning 85 acres, it’s no wonder people this spring will be getting out of Tucson to check out “The Happiest Place on Earth”, or Disneyland Park. The wildly-popular theme park, known for rides such as Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean, has continued to expand over the past five decades since its grand opening by Walt Disney on July 17, 1955.

Living in Arizona—especially during the hotter months—we are exquisitely aware that drinking water is valuable and life-giving. But even when you spend those hot days basking in air conditioning, getting enough water is one of the best things you can do for your health, at any age and at any time of year.

(StatePoint) In a world full of noise -- from everything from city traffic and lawnmowers to hairdryers and earbuds on personal music devices -- hearing problems are a growing issue. Chief among these problems is tinnitus, a medical condition affecting 50 million Americans.

(NewsUSA) - Five to 10 percent.

Even though “The Great Gatsby” has gotten the movie treatment several times in the past, no film adaptation has ever really stood out as the definitive version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s celebrated novel. Director Baz Luhrmann’s film is certainly the most visually arresting interpretation of “The Great Gatsby” ever produced. Catherine Martin, who previously worked with Luhrmann on “Moulin Rouge,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Australia,” deserves multiple Oscar nominations for her hyper sets and eye-popping costumes. As wonderful as Luhrmann’s “Great Gatsby” is to look at, the enchanting visuals are also ironically the movie’s downfall. In the midst of the art direction, costumes, and music, the story and characters that made Fitzgerald’s book a classic, become a mere afterthought. 

(StatePoint) Transitioning from high school to the next life stage can be a time of excitement for young people, but it can also be a time filled with uncertainty.

(NAPSI)—Many couples’ romantic problems may be easier to solve than they think. That’s because the trouble, if it’s an intimacy issue, may be due to nothing more than their mattress.