Kathy Landin

The Elf on the Shelf—whether you find him cute, annoying or somewhere in between, he's everywhere these days, making the holiday season even more complicated for parents. We did a little investigating on this elusive creature that has become a phenomenon, and discovered a few things we didn't expect.

The Christmas tree is a classic symbol of the holiday season and sometimes, maybe the best way to get in the holiday mood. You put an evergreen tree in the middle of your living room, decorate it with lights, ornaments and tinsel, and—boom—Christmas spirit...

School is back in session in a lot of places, but that doesn’t mean that travel is completely off-limits for your family.

When your kids go back to school, it’s almost like you go back to school, too. Teachers and childhood development professionals agree that when a child’s parents are involved in his education, he learns more and gets better grades. That means, you have just as big a responsibility in his schoolwork as he does.

At last, summer vacation time is here. If you haven’t started planning, it’s not too late. There’s a lot of summer ahead of us, and you can still find time to get out of town with your family before school starts back up again. Just make sure you you don’t fall into a few common traps and you’ll have the best vacation ever.

Wake up. Sound the alarms. Father’s Day is on Sunday. It seems like we talk about Mother’s Day for a month before it actually happens, but Father’s Day just sneaks up on us every year. If this has happened to you and you aren’t prepared with a gift, it’s not too late.

Even though you love your kids dearly and want to spend time with them, the months that kids are out of school can be the longest of the year for any parent. The key to a peaceful summer household is keeping the kids busy and entertained.

The service men and women of our country make huge sacrifices to fight battles on our behalf and keep the freedoms we hold dear. One of those sacrifices is being away from their families and loved ones for long periods of time. The only thing that makes this sacrifice bearable for most is the incredible sweetness of coming home, even if it is only for a short leave.

This morning, legendary hairstylist Vidal Sassoon passed away in his home at the age of 84, according to a Los Angeles police department spokesperson. The renowned salon kingpin died of “apparent natural causes.”

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Bono Age: 52 Occupation: Singer Known For: Being the outspoken frontman for U2 and the world’s richest rock star, leading the group to 22 Grammys (more than any other rock band), being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and tirelessly tackling many humanitarian causes.

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1863 – Confederate General Stonewall Jackson dies, eight days after being accidentally shot by his own troops (More info) 1869 – The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western US, is completed with the driving in of a golden spike in Promontory Summit, UT (More info)

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today: Bob Seger Age: 67 Occupation: Rock legend Known For: Putting together the legendary Silver Bullet Band and propelling them to fame, writing and recording song of the century ‘Old Time Rock and Roll,’ being the genius behind hits like ‘Against the Wind,’ ‘Night Moves,’ and ‘Like a Rock,’ and for being Bob Seger.