Video games are as much a part of modern kid-dom as peanut butter and jelly. Just about anywhere you go, you're bound to see a kid or three gathered around a little box with a screen jabbering on about mushrooms or racers or some such gibberish (to you anyway). Any guesses what you're seeing there?

Communication. Aka, social skills. Aka, video game play is no longer relegated to that loner kid in his mom's basement. In fact, if you've got a shy kid who needs to be brought out of his shell, you might want to invest in a game console. Behold the wonder of what it can do:

Do you ever look around the car and wonder how the heck our parents handled long car trips without electronics? Books are great, but when you've got a kid who gets carsick, movies can be the difference between a pleasant trip and a steady stream of "are we there yet?" The little pink DVD player my daughter has for road trips has been a lifesaver for my husband and me over the years -- especially when we're in bad traffic and need to cut down on conversation so the driver can concentrate.

But that little magic box is no good to us without a good stock-pile of road trip movies. Need to refresh yours? Here are the family vacation movies you NEED to add to the rotation for upcoming travel:

The following is a post from our sponsor, Quaker.

Ah, spring! Finally we can say goodbye to cooped-up, dark winter days and welcome the warmth and sunshine that April brings. Well, except for those days of April showers, of course. But don’t worry -- we’ve got ideas for some great activities you can do inside and out to celebrate spring! To maximize the fun, make sure the whole family fuels up first with a hearty breakfast, like Quaker Perfect Portions instant oatmeal. Everyone can make their own custom bowl and sweeten their way. Then you’ll be ready to tackle adventures like these:

To say that 7-year-old Aldrich Lloyd Talonding has a voice like an angel is not just a cliched overstatement. Hearing the words come out of his mouth will blow you away, plain and simple.

A video of the elementary school boy from the Philippines singing Luther Vandross' song "Dance With My Father" while his cousin, James, accompanies him on the guitar has gone viral, wowing people around the world. Watch it after the jump, and you'll see why.

When I walked into the White House Science Fair, I expected to meet incredibly brilliant kids. I was not disappointed. Among the budding scientists President Obama honored were teens who created a bicycle-powered, emergency water sanitation system, and another who developed a low-cost, robotic prosthetic arm. Though, the most impressive presenters may have been the youngest: Evan Jackson, 10, Caleb Robinson, 8, and Alec Jackson, 8. It wasn't just their project that impressed, it was the story of how they got there. There was no science teacher or school administrator who inspired these boys, it was their mothers. Women who work full time with no science background dedicated nights to encouraging their kids to invent something that was in league with much older students. It's just proof that we moms are more powerful than we think when it comes to giving our kids the best chances in life.

Ahhhh ... spring is finally here -- and as a mom who lives in the northeast, I'd like to put an extra emphasis on FINALLY.

It's been one heck of a winter, to say the least, and after being cooped up inside the house for what seems like an eternity, getting outside for a breath of fresh air is, well -- a breath of fresh air.

And even though spring is always a welcome season no matter how old your kids are, moms of toddlers are even more ready and willing to embrace it. Because, you know -- trying to keep a little kid entertained inside the confines of your house on a daily basis gets really old, really fast.

I posted this picture on Facebook over the weekend. It was met with countless "how did you manage to capture all three of them?" and "that's a miracle!" responses.

Yes, folks, after five years of unsuccessfully attempting to capture all three of my kids in the same frame, I've finally discovered the secret behind it. Well, five of them. And it's your lucky day, because I'm sharing ...

Here's the crummy thing about having your bike stolen: It's gone now. One day, you're riding through the park on your cool bike, streamers flying in the breeze; next minute that biking joy is gone for you. That's what happened to poor Bella Sanchez the other day. Her mother, Nina, was just about to take her for a bike ride when she noticed her daughter's Minnie Mouse bike (a gift from Santa!) and her jogging stroller had been stolen.

There were tears. "To say we were heartbroken would be an understatement," Nina said in a Facebook post that's since gone viral. But then, an Officer Khor called Nina back to say he was on his way -- with a new princess bike! And this story get even better.