Snapily Back to School Coupon Codes!

Your kids want to stand out in the crowd. They're always looking for the hottest new trend out there.

And you want them to have the supplies they need for school, while still letting them express their personalities.

So why not let them personalize their own back-to-school products to make a truly fun and unique statement this school year?


From sharing a scrapbook of summer travels to decorating lockers with 3D “flip effect” photos and posters or creating one-of-a-kind notebooks featuring photos of best friends and family, Snapily has the best gear for that back-to-school cool.

How does Snapily make these "flip effect" photos, posters, and notebooks anyway?

In a nutshell, Snapily is the ONLY photo-technology company that has developed a new 3-D, flip animation using lenticular printing technology that literally allows you to bring your photos to life (flip-book style) on notebooks, scrapbooks, postcards, wallet-sized business card, or stationary.

Wow! Snapily sure is cool. Need even more proof?

Snapily is also offering discounts for Cool Moms Rule! readers:

SNBTS20OFF - 20% On all orders over $20 (only for Back to School products) SNGEN20OFF - 20% On all orders over $20 SNBTSFREENB - Free Small Notebook on orders over $25 (Back to School promo) SNGEN5OFF - 5$ off On all orders over $25 SNFREECARD - Free flat card, pay only for S & H.

Savings on School Clothes from French Toast!

Stop and moment and reflect. With the school year about to begin, how much are you prepared to spend on your kids' school clothes?

Now that my boys are teens, they pretty much just throw on jeans and a t-shirt every day. You'd think it would be cheap to dress them, but their clothes set me back a pretty penny compared to their elementary school days.

Back then, although they attended a public school, they wore a uniform of polos and either khaki pants or shorts. Getting them dressed in the morning was easy--no arguments about what they were wearing--and I always knew if I needed to do laundry (just count the polos in the closet!).

If your kids are wearing uniforms this year, (lucky you!) French Toast offers a unique combination of quality and style, and if you price out an entire school wardrobe for your kids, you'll find it's actually reasonable. In fact, the cost of a complete French Toast school uniform wardrobe for a boy or girl is about $120 (see breakdown below).

And it gets better – Cool Moms Rule! readers may use coupon code: QPPR75 for Free Standard Shipping on orders $75 or more. Follow THIS LINK to visit the homepage and automatically apply the discount.

School Uniform Prices from French Toast:

Boys
6 tops- 8= 48.00
4 pants- 15= 60.00
1 sweater 15= 15.00

Totals-123.00

Girls
6 tops- 8- 48.00
2 pants- 13= 26.00
1 skort-10= 10
1 shorts-10
1 sweater- 13

Totals- 107.00

These quick and easy recipes from Quaker Maid found their way to my inbox. With time running out and parents running around like crazy to get ready for school, they're perfect for our Back to School Bonanza series. Enjoy! ~Viv

Easy Summer Meatball Dinner

One 15 oz. can whole potatoes, drained, rinsed, cut into chunks • 1 cup chopped onions • 14.5 oz. beef broth • 32 oz. tomato sauce • 1 cup water • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper • 12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables • Approx. 15 oz. meatballs.

In a large saucepan, combine potatoes, onions, beef broth, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, pepper and vegetables. Bring to a boil on stovetop. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Add meatballs, cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meatball Pitas – Back to school

1 package of Mama Lucia Italian Style Meatballs
8 small pita breads
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup cubed feta cheese
1⁄2 cup chopped black olives
1⁄2 cup chopped shredded lettuce
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of oregano

Heat the meatballs on the stove top with red pepper flakes and oregano. Heat the pita breads in the oven on low heat until warm. Once heated, place 2-3 meatballs in each pita bread. Top with feta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. As cheese begin to melt, top off with lettuce, onion and black olives. Serve “taco style” for a snack or main meal.

Great Parents Make Great Schools Work.

According to “The Economy’s Impact on Back to School,” a report issued by GreatSchools and Harris Interactive, nearly two in three parents (64%) believe that the economic recession has made it even more vital to volunteer in the classroom this school year.

The good news for teachers facing cutbacks at their schools? 53% of parents surveyed say they plan to volunteer at their child's school this year, an increase of 20% in average over last year's survey. The greatest rise is in African American parents: an impressive 60% plan to do so this year, up from just 23% last year.

But there's bad news as well--nearly half of those enthusiastic parents cite the lack of volunteer opportunities as one of the main challenges standing in the way of their being more involved in their child's education.

“As American families prepare for back-to-school season in this economic climate -- when family, school and state budgets are tighter than ever -- there is a silver lining: parents,” said Bill Jackson, founder and president of GreatSchools. “This...report is a wake-up call to parents and teachers alike to clearly communicate on ways they can work together.”

The study also looked into the ways economic cutbacks have influenced the school choices parents make:

• More than three in five parents (61%) believe the quality of education will suffer because of school cutbacks.

• Nearly one out of every four parents (24%) have begun rethinking the type of school their children should attend going forward.

How prepared are parents for school?

• 93% plan to buy school supplies ahead of time.

• 47 percent of (only 47 percent?!) find out ahead of time which subjects their child will be learning.

• 39% have kids start reading more frequently as the school year gets closer.

• 33% cut down on TV and video games.

• Almost 90% plan to save money on school supplies this year by reusing old supplies and waiting until after school starts to avoid unnecessary purchases.

Inspiring Action: The Great Parents Pledge

The Great Parents Pledge from GreatSchools is focused on inspiring parents to commit to greater levels of involvement in the coming school year. Parents choose GreatSchools to connect with each other – to find the right schools, share stories and advice, and get their parenting questions answered. A Webby Award-winning site, GreatSchools is now expanding its reach and impact with its College Bound initiative. The GreatSchools website also features tips on avoiding the summer ‘brain drain’, a shopping guide for affordable school supplies, and a back-to-school quiz to help families get off to a smart start. For more information, please visit http://www.greatschools.org.

McAfee Family Protection--set your mind at rest

If you've been reading Cool Moms Rule! for a while, you'll know that I have two teen boys who just (Monday!) started high school.

If you haven't been reading for a while, I'll pause for all the sympathy I know my fellow Moms are sending me right now at this revelation.

Because teenagers are fascinating, fabulous and frazzling just as a subset.

And teenage boys are especially...challenging.

They don't always confide in you.

Strike that.

They *never* confide in you. You have to pry those secrets out. (Tip: Younger siblings are good for that).

Plus, with teens you are working on a whole Trust/Responsibility dynamic. You want to trust them (and my kids, knock on wood, are basically good kids), and they want more rights, and with more rights goes increased responsibility, and there's this whole cycle going on.

And one of their new rights is: a computer of their very own. They each have one now, and yes it does make my heart flutter sometimes to think of this.

Their responsibilities? Backing up their important stuff regularly (and by important, I mean not just those latest tunes, guys, but your homework), and adhering to our common sense rules about online behavior (only chatting with online friends they know through IRL interaction, not giving away personal information to any strangers, etc).

One of my biggest scares with the boys was when my oldest, the Owl, would run into problems on the old computer because of something he'd seen online that he "just had to" download. Usually, it was a game or a software patch.

And though we are very careful, he ran into some of those annoying ads that pop up all over your screen.

And once, a virus.

To be safe, I had to wipe the whole hard drive, and start from scratch. Not fun.

Which is why I installed McAfee protection on our old computer. I've trusted McAfee for years as the best anti-virus protection around.

And now, thankfully just when we need it with all these computers in the house, there's McAfee Family Protection.

All you have to do to protect the computers* in your home is install McAfee Family Protection on each one, and you're good to go.

It works for...well, everything!

First, it protects your kids against spyware (that's like what I mentioned above happened to the Owl, where your personal browsing history causes ads to pop up all over your screen).

And of course McAfee has always been my own first defense against viruses.

But it does more.

McAfee Family Protection filters YouTube videos so that your kids don't access content you find objectionable, and even alerts you (through a text message or by email) instantly if your kids are giving out their personal information to strangers over the internet.

If that whole Trust and Responsibility dynamic I mentioned has gone seriously south and you really need to keep a close eye on your kids for a while, you can even record their instant messaging and social media interactions with others.

You can block questionable email addresses if you are worried about cyberbullying.

And McAfee Family Protection even lets you limit their time online.

I know of at least a few parents who could really benefit from this last option, when their kids are having trouble budgeting their online playtime with schoolwork and chores at home.

Including us, really. Our kids often need more than a gentle reminder to get off their computers. Usually it comes down to me yelling, red-faced, at the top of my lungs, "I said get off NOW!"

I wouldn't be surprised to her my head's spinning like Linda Blair's in the Exorcist at that point.

Anyway, trust me, this is a tool you'll actually use. I trust McAfee because I feel that they have the most up-to-date protection out there, and it's really easy to work with for even those of us who are, perhaps, not the technical gurus we'd like to be.

No, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about here. You know if you're that woman--the one that has to ask her kids how to take a picture with the new camera.

Yes, even you can use McAfee Family Protection.

Now, you may have noticed that I've included this review in our Back to School Bonanza series. That's because, through August 31, 2009, Cool Moms Rule! readers can save $5 off of McAfee Family Protection using this promo code: 5familyprotection.

In addition, if you have any questions you’d like to ask an expert, McAfee’s Chief Cyber Security Mom, Tracy Mooney, is available at cybermom@mcafee.com or at www.mcafee.com/cybermom.

*System requirements:

• Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher
• Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit platform only) and Windows Vista Service pack (SP1) or higher
• 10 MB Hard Drive Space
• 800x600 or higher Screen Resolution
• 128 MB RAM
• Active Internet Connection
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7.0 or later
• Mozilla Firefox 1.5 or later
• For up to 3 PC

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of McAfee and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, McAfee sent me a blanket and care package to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Guest Article: Back to School with ADHD

The following article, full of timely and valuable tips for all those Cool Moms who face the additional challenges of school-age kids with ADHD, is part of the Cool Moms Rule! Back to School Bonanza series. ~Viv

Back to School with ADHD

by Jeanne Gehret, M.A.

September 13-20 is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Awareness Week. When I mentioned this to the mother of a child with attention problems, she laughed. "I wish I only had to think about ADHD one week a year," she said. "For us, it's a year-round concern. I guess this refers to when it's uppermost in our minds because of starting school."

I agreed. More than any other time, September's when we parents of kids with ADHD establish the accommodations necessary for our children to survive and thrive in school. In truth, however, our efforts continue all year long. As the parent of a child with ADHD, you can help your youngster transition comfortably and successfully into a new school year by asking yourself these four questions:

What new people or routines will my child encounter this year?
How can I prepare my child to do well in each setting?
How can I help the adults in each setting deal effectively with my child?
What can I do at home to support my child's educational goals?

In answering these questions, here are some suggestions.

Ten ways to help make school great this year for your ADHD child:

1. Meet the teacher(s) as early in the school year as possible. Establish yourself as the child's advocate who has your youngster's interests at heart and is willing to cooperate for the best academic experience. Mention previous classroom accommodations and techniques that worked. Even if your youngster has an individualized education plan or 504 plan, don't hesitate to mention the highlights. This helps teachers use effective strategies from day one, even if they haven't had time yet to sort through documentation.

2. Exchange email addresses and phone numbers with the teacher, and establish preferred contact times. Whether your contact is daily, weekly, or monthly, it is best to check in regularly, even when things seem to be going well. This allows you to smooth out bumps on the path before they become roadblocks.

3. Give your child something to boost his confidence such as a popular new item of clothing, encouraging notes from home in his lunch, or a worry stone. For older kids, a motivational bookmark or a special photo may prompt a smile.

4. Know your school's processes for getting help for children who are having difficulties in school. Does the teacher or school do academic screening? When the screening process identifies children as having difficulties, who provides the services? Once interventions are in place, how long before the child's progress is re-checked? What methods are used for monitoring progress?

5. If your child takes medication for ADHD, notify the teacher and the nurse. Make sure that your child knows when and where to go for his daily dosage. When starting meds or changing doses, be sure to let the school know. Have a clear conversation with your youngster about if and how to explain to others why he takes meds.

6. If you have after-school childcare, make sure your child knows how to get there and is familiar with the surroundings. Visit the childcare facility with your youngster before his first official day there and let the staff know of ADHD issues and any medications.

7. Think of ways to form bonds with classmates -- parties, trips to a playground, or walking to the bus stop. Make your home inviting to other children. When your youngster socializes at home, you can monitor any ADHD problems and help when needed.

8. Minimize distractions at home so that you can focus on your child's adjustment to school. Be pro-active about scheduling physicals, buying school supplies, and getting prescriptions refilled. For the first few weeks of school, cut down on non-academic disruptions like visiting relatives, shopping, major cleaning projects, remodeling, and visits to the vet.

9. Establish a school-year routine. Make a list of no more than five things that your child must do each day after school, such as reviewing with you what's in his backpack, doing his homework, and returning his completed homework to the backpack. When kids are prepared, they become confident and free to focus their attention on doing their best.

10. Make sure that your child gets enough sleep. If she takes stimulant medication, you may need to adjust the timing of the dosage so that she can relax at night. Other helpful bedtime routines may include story time, relaxing music, a foot rub, and special blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals.

If you suspect your child has ADHD, or other learning difficulties, make sure to address it immediately. See #4 above and be proactive.
I'm not making any promises. But if you attend to these ten issues by the end of ADHD Awareness Week, you may enjoy a day, even a season, when ADHD is not front and center on the refrigerator of your mind.


Jeanne Gehret is the parent of a child with ADHD and learning disabilities and is the author of three picture books that comprise The Coping Series from Verbal Images Press. Eagle Eyes includes a song for getting ready for school and other coping mechanisms that Ben uses after he's diagnosed with ADHD. Houdini's Gift shows Ben using a reward chart as motivation to complete his daily responsibilities. The Don't-give-up Kid describes the invention devised by very creative boy while he discovers and copes with his dyslexia. For more on these books, see www.ksblinks.com. To learn about ADHD Awareness Week, see www.chadd.org.

What's New With Cool Moms Rule? Back to School!

My kids started school yesterday.

That's right, yesterday, the most ridiculously early day ever for starting school in Florida. I mean, it's literally a hundred degrees out here today, people!

The boys are doing fine, actually getting up on time this morning, too, and they seem to like their teachers okay (though pre-calculus has the Owl a bit worried). This is the Rhino's first year in high school, and he is taking it in stride. The Owl, of course, is an old hat at this, though even he had some excitement on their first day, in the form of an (impressively mature) classmate, new to our school and to Florida, who came into the Owl's first period class yesterday, announced, "I have seizure issues," explained how to deal with the situation in case something happened, and then, unfortunately, succumbed to a serious seizure in the classroom.

He was taken to the hospital and even returned to school later in the day (I am really admiring this kid's courage), and the Owl appears unfazed by the incident, though he did relate the account with a little more ghoulish relish than I would like.

I told him to make sure he is there for the kid, because I imagine if he was stressed out yesterday, and that contributed to the seizure, coming back today and dealing with everyone's curiosity is going to be tough.

BUT.

The rest of you, I hope, start school at a more reasonable date?

Good.

Because tomorrow, we are starting our Back to School Bonanza!

We'll be running a series of posts to help you prepare for the coming school year, including some quick and easy recipes, and tips to help you maybe save some bucks this time around.

Oh, and of course there will be a giveaway or two!

Which reminds me, it's time to announce the winners to our two recent giveaways today!

That's coming next, promise.