Labor day weekend, along with the usual suspects (a bunch of families from my son's preschool, plus a few additions from kindergarten and first grade), I took my older two kids camping at Mount Hamilton, the tallest mountain in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and home to the Lick Observatory. The location was selected because of a star party taking place Saturday night hosted by the Halls Valley Astronomical Group.

The long weekend coincided with a new moon, so the night sky was nice and dark. After dinner, we wrapped our flashlights in red cellophane and headed up the hill to where local astronomy enthusiasts had set up their telescopes. These might have been amateurs, but their telescopes were anything but. Motorized and computerized, they were big devices that brought the heavens right down into the campground. The highlight of the night was being able to see Jupiter along with four of its moons, all in a row. Club members were more than happy to explain what the kids were seeing and answer any questions they had.

You may not be close enough to attend one of the Halls Valley club's star parties, but they're not the only group that invites the public to see the stars through their telescopes on a regular basis. Sky and Telescope magazine has a searchable directory of clubs and organizations around the country, along with some tips and advice on getting started on your own. Even without a high-powered telescope, there's a lot to see in the night sky, so get outside and look up!

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For many, BC could easily stand for "Before Cellphones," so unimaginable is life without these handy devices.

And while giving a child his or her own cell phone is now nearly as common a ritual as buying them a bike, the age cellphone ownership is appropriate for children is still rather uncharted territory. The allure of GPS tracking capability has parents of children as young as three considering a cell phone a worthwhile investment in safety, in the even of the child being separated from them in a crowd.

While giving a toddler their own cell phone seems rather extreme, the age at which a child is given a cell phone is rapidly plummeting. The Center on Media and Child Health web site states that 54 percent of 8- to 12-year-olds will have a cell phone in the next three years.

In our house, we didn't feel the kids needed cell phones until they were old enough to be involved in after school activities. Having a cell phone meant they could call when the bus was returning after an out of town game and save us from a forty-five minute wait in the school parking lot. And with pay phones practically on the endangered species list, a cell phone means they can get 911 assistance where ever they might be.

But kids and cell phones also have downsides. For one thing, there's the money issue. Kids are notorious for losing items and cell phones are not cheap. Nor are most cell phone plans or the overage charges when kids get a little too chatty or succumb to the allure of downloading. There's also the back-of-the-mind worry on what the long-term effect radiation waves from a device held so close to the brain might have on developing bodies.

Does you child have a cell phone? If so, how did you decide when they were old enough to have one?

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Kids across the nation should all finally be back-to-school, which means parents across the nation are trying to adjust to a sometimes radical new schedule. Sleep, especially when there isn't enough of it, is on everyone's minds. Most adults need a solid 8 hours, but kids needs are different based on their age.

One of the easiest ways to get kids to bed is a predictable, consistent bedtime routine. Setting the the tone for sleep about 30-60 minutes before lights out helps children's bodies prepare for sleep. This means that loud, active play and brightly lit video games should be ended long before bed. Quieter activities like puzzles, crafts, books, music, bath, or just a little snuggling will put your child in the bedtime frame of mind. Follow this with a predictable nighttime routine, and you have the perfect recipe for a peaceful day's end.

Bedtime comes early at our house, so our after dinner "family time" ends with picture books on the couch. Then we head upstairs for tooth brushing and jammies. Once everyone is tucked in and lights are out, I read a little from a chapter book (currently Junie B. Jones) by flashlight. My soothing voice in the dark seems to lull the kids into a drowsy state, and it's great incentive for getting in bed without an argument.

Do you have a bedtime routine that helps eliminate bedtime battles? Share it with us in comments.

Money is not the only thing that makes a good school, but it certainly helps. There is "no denying the fact that funding allows us to have smaller classes, a deep and rich curriculum and many extracurricular activities," said Superintendent Linda Yonke of the New Trier school district near Chicago, Illinois. New Trier High School spent $17,500 per student last year, more than half again as much as Chicago Public Schools.

The disparity comes largely from the fact that seventy percent of school funding comes from property taxes, so schools in more affluent, more expensive areas have a larger source of revenue. Kids in lower income areas end up with schools that can't afford to offer extra-curricular activities, smaller classes, and better materials.

Last Tuesday, more than a thousand Chicago students skipped the first day of school in order to protest the difference in school funding. The students rode buses to the New Trier school district to fill out applications for enrollment in the better-funded district. "If we say we're a world-class city, then we shouldn't be content with having second-class schools," said state Senator James Meeks, who led the boycott. "I do not believe that a child's education should be based on where they live."

In California, schools are funded equally, regardless of where they are located or local property values. This seems to me to be a much better idea over all because, in the big picture, we're all in this together and everyone should have an equal shot at a good education.

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OK, is it me or is a national convention no place for a baby? As was widely covered (yet not as much as the Democratic National Convention, interestingly), the Republican National Convention showcased many of Sarah Palin's children (and a would-be teenage groom). Among them, Palin's infant son, Trig. I thought it was a lot to take my newborn to the local diner when he was born!

Now, while the Republicans seemed a little more calm and collected than their boisterous Democratic opponents, they were still a relatively rowdy bunch. The whole point of a convention is to get people riled up for the cause, and there was a lot of that going on, especially from Palin herself. It was a loud, crowded, noisy place, which, to me, is no place for a baby. Babies need stimulation and interaction with the social world, I'm sure, but the RNC is a far cry from what good old Doctor Spock imagined. I am sure that kid was terrified. He seemed ok in the arms of family members as the rest of the RNC wailed on, but I couldn't help but think he should have been home with a nanny or a sitter.

Of course, the whole point of having her family there was to drive home the point that she's a mom and that she is a working mother, too. And, naturally, rather than focusing on real issues that truly matter to the election, the focus was all on her family. Trig has down syndrome. Bristol is pregnant. Levi will we her. Both Palin and the press have done their best to constantly remind us of these things--things which matter, sure, but they shouldn't be a part of the race for the White House. Should they? Palin and her people say keep the children out of it, yet there they were, even the littlest one, at the convention. Obama was no better--he trotted his kids out for the cute factor, no denying that.

Thoughts? Should we keep candidates' kids out of the political spotlight? If so, shouldn't they NOT be on television?

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According to a recent survey of 1,500 women interviewed by Psycholgies magazine, most women would rather have a comfortable, happy family life than luxury items like nice clothes and trips to the spa. They also would like to be debt free, have more free time, and be assured their kids will get a good education.

I know. Stop the presses.

It seems like these findings are a given, but according to psychologist Derek Draper, "Women have been seen as riding the rampant wave of consumerism, demanding designer labels, the latest beauty treatments, and killer heels. But this study shows that women are refocusing on family and friends. They are rediscovering what really matters and placing meaning at the centre of their lives."

Maybe Mr. Draper has been hanging out with Paris Hilton-wannabes? Or watched too many episodes of Sex in the City? Because most of the women I know -- partnered up with children or not -- have always had family and friends at the center of their lives and appreciate stability. But they also, when possible, make room for a new dress or hot pair of heels or other luxury items that fit their personality and lifestyle.

Does it have to be either/or? What do you think?

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Actually, that statement may not quite be true. The actor, known for his roles in the Bridget Jones movies as well as the new Mama Mia, has three kids of his own but finds small children "loathsome" at times. But, the hottie's words may have been slightly taken out of context (can you imagine???).

Firth has three sons ranging in age from five to eighteen, so he has plenty of experience with children and being a father. To clarify, Firth says kids are just people who haven't lived very long yet, and while he tends to be affectionate toward the younger set, if they're annoying upon meeting then generally they're annoying period, regardless of age--and hence the loathsome business.

I guess Colin is referring to first impressions, and perhaps there is something to that. I've always heard, however, that you're only as good as your last impression. It's interesting that someone with three kids of his own freely admits children can be loathsome, but I'm not so sure I can agree. All kids, just like all people, have bad days, right? That doesn't make them bad kids!

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Sleeping babies are always scrumptious -- thanks to DtotheV for sharing this sweet sweet moment.

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Yes, you read that right. A little early for Halloween, sure, but this is one of those stories too weird--and creepy--to not be true. A Greater Manchester man who police and family thought was dead re-entered their lives after his son spotted him on television. The man, John Delaney, was believed to have died in April of 2000. Police accidentally misidentified a body as his and his family had a funeral for him, cremating the body of what they believed to be the patriarch in 2003.

Delaney had actually suffered a head injury and been admitted to a hospital days later. He suffered amnesia and was unable to give medical professionals his name. He was transferred to a home and stayed there for eight years before his son identified him while watching a show about missing people.

The son, John Renehan, said that while his father had been cremated, he "knew" the man he saw on television was his father. And he was right. Goes to show you have to trust your instincts sometimes. Now the family is happily reunited in what is truly an amazing story for the books. Sadly, the body of the person who was believed to be Delaney and subsequently cremated, has yet to be identified.

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Twins Max and Emme are six-months-old, and mom Jennifer Lopez is sharing how she slowed down once she found out she was pregnant to savor the experience. She told husband Marc Anthony shortly after she found out she was pregnant, "...this is the first time in my life where I'm going to be a little bit selfish. I don't know if I'm going to have kids again, so I want it to be a beautiful experience. I don't want to have any drama. I just want to be smiling every day."

She may hail from the block, but it's hard to imagine that this is really the "first" time in her life that blingtastic Jenny has been "selfish." Isn't she the same mom who doesn't let her kids wear the same outfit twice? Still, her life with Marc Anthony is so much more settled and private than it's ever been, and choosing to slow down and be taken care of during her twin pregnancy is evidence of that.

She thanked Marc Anthony for taking up the slack with a book full of photos... of herself. Marc Anthony's a romantic, that's for sure, but after nine long months of cooking meals and picking up after a very pregnant wife, I think that my husband would have been much happier with a pair of hard-to-get basketball tickets instead. Then again, I'm no Jenny Lopez!

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