Program lends parents a helping hand

Turn off the iPod. Shut off the DVD player.

The "Be There" campaign wants to remind parents to be actively involved in their child's growth.

"Be There," a nationwide school campaign, encourages parents to connect with their school age children in meaningful conversations that can take place in normal activities. Shutting off the radio or the cell phone while driving a child to school can spark simple conversation that makes a huge difference in a child's life and can "make the ordinary extraordinary," the campaign's theme.

Nebraska is one of 16 states participating in the "Be There" campaign.

The campaign doesn't want parents to take on additional time commitments in a world where parents may have two or more jobs, and their children may have jobs of their own. It's to use the time already available with children more effectively.