Normally, I try to keep my kids' organized activities to one per season, but this spring, those activities will be overlapping for about a three week period. Suddenly, my older daughter is very close to being over-scheduled, something I try hard to avoid. She doesn't want to drop an activity, though, so we're going to make rest, good nutrition, and quiet time a priority so that she can power through.

As a family who typically cherishes unscheduled free time, we're learning how to be a family on the go. Here are a few things I've learned:

• Always have a stash of band-aids on hand. Spring is a notorious time for skinned knees.
• Take a reusable bottle filled with water every where you go.
• April is not too early for sunscreen.
• An umbrella is especially useful if stashed in your car, instead of your closet at home.
• It might not seem chilly now, but pack sweatshirts anyway.
• Always, always, have an energy-boosting snack ready.

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Although breast feeding has skeptics, it's hard to believe that processed formula is anything but a bad alternative to natural mother's milk.

When looking at the nutritional needs of children, there is a reigning philosophy that it should be kept as natural as possible. In an age where 24 hours is not enough time in a day, that's a hard act for many parents, and especially moms.

So, it's comforting to hear of information from countries outside the U.S. when it comes to kid's nutrition, and the Vietnam Pediatricians' Association has chimed in on that subject.

This week, that group released its recommendations for children's nutritional needs. No surprise -- the suggestion was for babies to be breast-fed and be provided a variety of foods as well.

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If you're tired of hearing your kids sneeze, sniffle and cough, you have probably investigated allergies as the cause of all that mess. Nobody likes to hear those sounds coming from any kid, but outside of drugs and medical processes that may just mask allergies, what can you do?

First off, provide a good complement of solid, nutrition-packed foods like tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers and fish, according to this story.

The regular consumption of those foods end up causing a 40 percent reduction in allergy symptoms, according to a study published recently in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. Although the link between these foods and the expression of allergies is unknown, it's still rather intriguing. The battle for many of us is to get our kids to eat these great foods.

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Trying to wean kids off junk food and into healthy snacks and meals that involve fruits and vegetables can try even the strongest of nerves of the strongest parents. Why is that transformation so hard?

Perhaps eating fruits and veggies just isn't that fun. Look at junk food - it's mostly wrapped in bright colors, innovative packaging and many even include free toys. It doesn't take a marketing genius to know kids respond to these things.

On the other hand, vegetables can look quite lame and boring, and although fruits are generally colorful and tasty, they have very little neat packaging and other enticements. Getting creative on the presentation of these healthy foods is a must if more consumption by ids is to take place. Read this over at The Diet Channel for some specific tips on this front.

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Trying to assist your kids in forming healthy and nutritious eating habits can be a battle that takes a long time along with quite a bit of effort. From infancy to those kindergarten years, proper nutrition is essential -- but how do you follow such a healthy guideline? With patience and virtue.

The 'Food Pyramid' for kids is a great tool to use, and it's different than the standard USDA Food Pyramid for adults. Growing kids have different nutritional requirements, of course.

The color-coded guide explained at The Diet Channel is a great way to set up healthy routines for feeding that small child (and slightly bigger ones too). There are still some reservations I have about milk and meat products being included as part of these groups, but to each his (or her) own.

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How did you decide how to start feeding your kids when it was time for them to eat solid foods? Was convenience and nutrition at the top of your list? Most likely, those two criteria were there for many of us. But, which on comes first?

With the schedules of most adults a frantic mess these days, it is very hard to do everything with a complete focus on outstanding health and vitality. There simply isn't enough time. But, time spent in some ways is quite a bit more valuable than time spent in other areas, right?

The nutrition of growing and developing kids is probably one of the highest priorities for many health-conscious folks. If not, why is that? Emotional stimulation and other areas are just as important as eating right for many kids, but is nutrition (the right kind on your list, near the top?

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