We're changing and growing!
Parents Daily | Fun Stuff | Sound Off | Parenting Instruction Manual | Best of the Web | E-Cards | Kids Only | New Every Day | Getting Around | Tech Tips
Welcome to a new and improved Family Planet. We've added some exciting features and done some rearranging to help users navigate more easily. We hope you like our new look and that you'll tell us what you think. Rest assured, all of your favorite features are still here, but we've made some additions we think you'll enjoy.
The homepage is where it's always been, but it looks a bit different now. This is the place to see a quick overview of all that's available on Family Planet. Each day our graphical "marquee" highlights a particular discussion topic, article, interview, service, activity, or news release. Plus, under each section heading you'll find summaries of new content so you'll know exactly where to go for the latest parenting information.
The snappy new icons along the right side of the homepage and at the bottom of most other pages are navigational buttons that provide shortcuts to each of the key areas on the Planet. If you know what you're looking for, you can go right to it. You'll find these buttons throughout the service, and once you become familiar with the site, you'll find them an easy way to get around.
Click the "contents" button on the homepage to see our Planet Guide. Inside you'll find a complete listing of all that Family Planet has to offer. Our reorganized site has six key areas for you to enjoy: News, Sound Off, Parenting, Best of the Web, E-Cards, and Fun Stuff. Each section has its own table of contents, making navigation through topics easy. Here's a quick summary of what each one has to offer:
Parents Daily
We make it easy for you to stay on top of news that affects your family. Updated weekdays at 5 p.m. PT, our family related news summaries cover everything from safety recalls to medical breakthroughs, celebrity gossip to politics. Our quick and concise tip sheet includes links to longer articles and to Web sites with details on important stories. News reports are archived for a week; if you miss a day, you can catch up. One of this year's biggest news stories promises to be the presidential election. Find out how this year's balloting affects you and your family: Election Watch covers the campaign with an eye on family issues. You can get to our daily news report and Election Watch from the homepage. The news is also accessible via the buttons you'll find on most pages.
Fun Stuff
If you're like most families, "fun" is at the top of your list. You want to go places, do things, buy the best toys, and rent the best videos. Family Planet helps you with all that and more. In Fun Stuff we feature:
So kick off your shoes and have some fun, online and off.
- Movie reviews by Joanna Conners every Friday.
- TV-free activities and outdoor activities for your kids (and you).
- A comprehensive listing of family event calendars for communities all over the United States.
- The Penny Whistle Traveling With Kids Book.
- A multimedia scrapbook that features games, photos, crafts, and activity ideas.
- Online fun, humor, and reading exclusively for parents.
- Contests where you can test your skills and win great prizes.
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio's reviews of kids' toys, books, software, and other children's media.
- The Multimedia Home Companion for Parents and Kids' reviews of children's software.
- HomePC's monthly family software reviews.
Sound Off
Connect with a community of smart, savvy parents in Sound Off. Share opinions, swap stories, ask questions, and get answers.
Hot Topics is where we tackle the controversial family issues we all face. From breastfeeding to spanking, gay parenting to handling teen drug abuse, this is the place for lively discussion, diverse opinions, and even heated debate. A new topic every Wednesday.Get to the Nitty Gritty and touch base with others on the everyday aspects of parenting. Here parents connect on everything from bedtimes to morning routines. Whether you need a listening ear, have an idea to share, or want to see what works for other parents, here's a caring community of committed moms and dads. Discussions added on Tuesdays.
Be Counted. Take our polls on family issues big and small, and see how your opinions compare with those of other parents. New polls every week.
Our experts have great advice, but sometimes parents know best. Soapbox gives you the chance to respond to our experts and reviewers. It's also the place to give feedback on Family Planet and to find out what other parents think. Updated every Monday.
Live Online is your chance to meet some of the world's most interesting people, from parenting experts to celebrity parents. These live chats are free, easy to access, and a lot of fun. We have new chats regularly. If you miss one, the transcripts are a great way to see what everyone's talking about.
Parenting Instruction Manual
Too bad kids don't come with an instruction manual--most parents could use one once in a while. To help, Family Planet has put together a team of experts to answer your questions about parenting and to tackle the tough topics parents face. In our parenting area you'll find:
- World-renowned book author and child development authority Penelope Leach answering baby and toddler questions every Tuesday and Thursday.
- Child development and behavior specialist Jan Faull talking about issues particular to preschool and school-age kids and answering questions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- The author of The Mother's Almanac and The Family Almanac, Marguerite Kelly, discussing all aspects of family life and answering questions in her Tuesday and Thursday columns.
- Help with juggling career and family. Susan and Tom Price answer questions about balancing work and family every Wednesday.
- Ways to keep your family healthy, as pediatrician Barton Schmitt offers insights on symptoms, characteristics and treatment of common childhood ailments. New medical columns go up every day. Turn to the medical index page to look up information about specific problems.
- Summaries of advice offered in the latest parenting books. There's so much advice out there, how do you decide which book to trust? Each month MelnikNotes reviews a parenting book and looks at some controversial issues. Here's a quick, easy way to keep on top of the latest information.
- A comprehensive expert index that makes it easy to find fast answers to your dilemma of the day. We've organized all of our expert columns by topic so you can compare one expert with another and find solutions that work for you and your family. Updated daily.
- A complete and detailed listing of resources for parents and families, Parents' Resource Almanac. It can't be beat: It's an easy-to-search digest of phone numbers, books, support groups, and much more. From Adoptions to Zoos, Parents' Resource Almanac has information on almost everything that affects your family.
Best of the Web
If you can't find what you're looking for on Family Planet, let us help you find it on the World Wide Web. The Internet can be a confusing place, and so we constantly screen and rate sites of interest to parents, kids, and families. Our Best of the Web section provides a comprehensive list that gives you easy and safe access to the most educational and entertaining family sites on the Net. We also provide reviews of sites that match your topics of interest. Simply let us know what you're interested in by filling out our search form, and we'll take you to reviews of the best Web sites available. Surf the Web with our life jacket, and come back to Family Planet when you're done. New site reviews every week.
E-Cards
Keeping in touch has never been so easy. Family Planet's House of Cards features electronic greeting cards for all occasions. They're fun, easy to send, and free. New cards added regularly.
Kids Only
Coming soon: a special section especially for kids, with fun activities, games, stories, and more. Have your kids come back this fall to meet new friends and maybe learn a thing or two.
New Every Day
As you can see, there's a lot happening on Family Planet and there's something new every day. Check out our publishing schedule for a quick summary of upcoming columns and other new content.Getting Around
You already know that those snappy buttons are shortcuts to each of the main areas. A couple of other tricks will make it easy for you to navigate the Planet:The Contents button is on almost every page. It takes you to the Planet Guide and from there you can go to any area of the service.
At the top of the page, there's a banner identifying the section that you're in. Click on that banner and it will take you up one level.
To look at a past version of a current column or review, use the "more reviews" or "past issues" text link on the left side of the current edition. It will take you to a list of back issues.
Last but not least, the back button is your friend. Almost all Internet browsers have a back button that lets you go to the page most recently visited. The more you click, the farther back you go.
Tech Tips
If you're new to the Web, our Tech Tips section offers detailed instruction for navigating Family Planet and the entire Internet. Check here whenever you have a technical question.Keep in Touch and Visit Often
Family Planet is a very special online community we'd like you to be a part of it. Keep in touch and tell us what you think and how we're doing. Visit often and tell your friends.Welcome to the Planet!
Kelli Curtis
Publisher