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U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Texans Encouraged to Pledge: ‘Be Out There’ for 2012

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Tuesday, January 3, 2012   

AUSTIN, Texas - A pre-Christmas Nielsen survey found 44 percent of kids between ages six and 12 had an iPad on their wish list. No report on how many saw that wish come true, but clearly electronics dominate the lives of children these days, and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is trying to help families pare down the average eight hours a day kids spend in front of screens.

NWF naturalist David Mizejewski says that even in the New England states, with vast outdoor resources, kids still tend to prefer technology.

"It's not that there's anything necessarily inherently bad about all those great technologies, but I think anyone would agree that eight hours a day for a kid to be indoors - sedentary, in front of electronic media - is too much."

He says those technologies can be used to research locations for outdoor adventures, and applications can be downloaded on phones and tablets to help identify plants and animals.

And why should parents care? Mizejewski says there's a vast amount of research showing that outdoor time for kids is good for grades, behavior and health.

"Parents can make it a resolution - 'In 2012, I'm going to make this a priority, to get outside with my kids, or build some outdoor time back into my kids' schedule' - because it's an important thing to do."

Sports are one way to get kids outdoors, but Mizejewski says the best outdoor time for maximum benefits for children should be unstructured, just letting them poke around and explore, with friends and parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a total of 60 minutes of unstructured outdoor play for kids every day.

Tips for parents are at www.nwf.org.


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