Work and school are both important. However, work can demand a lot of your time while school can demand an incredible amount of attention from your children. It’s great if you’re the type of family that takes dinner as an opportunity to talk about how everyone’s day went, but dinner won’t be enough to really know what’s going on in your children’s lives.

When you do get some time off from work and the children get a little break from school, grab the chance to catch up. Take this time to let your children know that you can be their friend too. It’s okay to feel a little awkward, but these 2 tips should make it a fun learning experience for you and your children. (more…)

A full week’s work can take its toll on you anytime, without warning. Before you crash and burn, it’s a good idea to take some time off from work—during the weekday.

Although weekends are usually there for you, they come with crowded places that end up making you more stressed out. Using your vacation leaves to take a weekday break is worth it. Taking a break doesn’t have to come with a price. So go away for a bit and return to work fully charged. Here are 3 tips to help you maximize your weekday break. (more…)

You’ve probably heard about the Obama’s and their vegetable garden. But have you heard about the White House playground? Like the garden, the playground was designed as a symbol of the Obama’s commitment to sustainability. Just like the garden, the playground also made the news when it was featured on an episode of 60 Minutes.

Everything in the playground was built with green materials. The White House staff worked with the National Recreation and Park Association to come up with the best materials for the playground. The playground equipment was made with 100% cedar and redwood harvested in the US. The wood is “certified” to ensure it complies with all local, state, and federal harvesting regulations.

The playground has four swings, a slide, a fort, a climbing wall and climbing ropes. There’s also a picnic table that has plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents.

Not long after the playground went in, the hard ground was replaced with a safer and environmentally-friendly playground surface. The rubber mulch was made from recycled tires from Rubbercycle. Rubbercycle’s Rubber Mulch and Rubber Curbs was chosen for both safety and for its “green” aspects.

Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, love their new playground. Rubbercycle is honored to keep them and millions of other children safe and using renewable resources to do it.