As teens head back to the classroom this fall, they'll be assigned a lot of homework in the three "Rs": reading, writing, and arithmetic. Important to students' success will be the homework parents do in teaching two other "Rs": role modeling and responsibility.

On Jan. 1, thousands of people will challenge themselves to quit smoking, exercise more, eat better or take more pictures. All worthy goals. But there are other worthy goals that get left off the New Year's resolution list. Children who grow up reading with their parents attend school more regularly and are more likely to complete their educations. Why not add "helping your child to read" to your list of resolutions for 2009?

Generations of American girls learned how to run a household in high school home economics classes. In the 21st century, girls are learning how to build the house -- and shopping malls, office buildings and virtually every other kind of structure on the American landscape.

Educators are working to change uninterest in learning an ancient language through a textbook by incorporating Latin studies into modern technology via iPods, cell phones, online games like World of Warcraft and Internet social pages.

Your 4-year-old may already know how to tie their own shoelaces and spell out their first and last names. But as preschool looms around the corner, are you worried how well they'll fit in with the rest of the classroom? According to a nationwide survey conducted of 1,000 parents, 90 percent consider social skills to be vital to their children's happiness and confidence.

When the first day of school arrives and your child boards the school bus, it may come as quite a shock that they don't buckle up. But times are changing. Some school bus manufacturers now offer an optional seat belt system.

With the rising cost of gas and food and the crisis in the financial markets, there's no doubt that the economy is on everyone's mind. If you are worried about losing your job, you are not alone. If you are one of the millions of Americans who have lost your job, you might consider a new career, not just a new job.