Hey there,

Another week in the books. Whether it ended strong or just ended, you made it through — and that counts.

The weekend is here, and with it comes a chance to slow down a little. Maybe you'll tackle a project, maybe you'll do absolutely nothing. Both are fine. This is just a little collection of ideas in case you're looking for something low-key to try.

This weekend, try having a "family interview night" where everyone asks each other three questions they've never asked before.

It doesn't need to be formal or structured. You can do it over dinner, during a car ride, or while folding laundry together. The idea is simple: each person comes up with a few questions they're genuinely curious about, and everyone takes turns answering.

You might ask your kid what superpower they'd actually want if they could only pick one, or what subject they wish school taught that it doesn't. They might ask you what your favorite age was, or what you wanted to be when you were their age. The questions don't have to be deep — sometimes the random ones lead to the best conversations.

It's a small thing, but it usually surfaces stories you haven't heard before. And it reminds everyone that there's always more to learn about the people you live with.

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Sunday evening, take ten minutes to create a simple weekly menu. You don't need to plan every meal — even just listing three or four dinner ideas for the week can reduce a surprising amount of weeknight stress.

It doesn't have to be fancy. Write it on a sticky note, type it in your phone, or scribble it on the family calendar. The point isn't perfection — it's having an answer to "what's for dinner?" before everyone's already hungry and tired.

When you know what you're making, you also know what you need. It makes grocery runs faster and cuts down on the 5 p.m. panic when you realize you're missing a key ingredient. Even a loose plan helps the week run a little smoother.

If you're looking for a game to play this weekend, try Splendor.

It's a chip-collecting strategy game where players gather gems to buy cards and build up points. It's designed for ages 10 and up, and a typical game runs about 30 minutes — short enough to hold attention but long enough to feel satisfying.

The rules are simple to explain, but there's enough strategy to keep it interesting. Younger kids can play alongside older siblings or adults without feeling lost, and it scales well whether you have two players or five.

It's one of those games that feels a little more grown-up without being complicated. A solid option if your family is ready to try something beyond the classics.

This section helps parents keep up with the language kids are actually using right now. Because sometimes it's nice to know what they're talking about.

This week's word: lock in

What it means:
To focus intensely, get serious, or fully commit to something. It's about eliminating distractions and giving something your full effort.

How kids use it:
When someone needs to stop messing around and concentrate — whether it's studying for a test, finishing a project, or practicing for a game — they'll say they need to "lock in." It's both a command to themselves and an announcement to others that they're going into focus mode.

Example phrases:
"I have three assignments due Monday, I really need to lock in this weekend."
"Bro, lock in — coach is watching."
"She locked in for that test and got a 98."

It's actually kind of a useful term. Short, clear, and it captures that shift from casual to committed.

For older kids:
What is the only continent with no active volcanoes?

Answers at the bottom.

Science:
Sharks are older than trees. Sharks have been around for about 400 million years, while trees have only existed for about 350 million years. That means sharks were swimming in ancient oceans long before forests even existed on land.

Language Arts:
The ampersand symbol (&) used to be the 27th letter of the alphabet. In the early 1800s, schoolchildren reciting the alphabet would end with "and per se and" (meaning "and by itself means and"), which eventually slurred into the word "ampersand."

You got everyone through another week. Some days probably went fine. Others might've been a scramble. Either way, you showed up and kept things moving — and that's what matters.

Weekends look different for everyone. Maybe yours will be full of activities and plans. Maybe it'll be quiet and low-key. Maybe you'll get through your to-do list, or maybe you'll decide half of it can wait. All of that is okay.

The goal isn't to have a perfect weekend. It's to get to Monday feeling like you at least had a chance to breathe. Whether that happens through productivity or rest or something in between, you get to decide.

Hope your weekend leaves you ready — or at least willing.

For younger kids: What is the only mammal that can fly?
A bat. Bats are the only mammals capable of true sustained flight. Other mammals like flying squirrels can glide through the air, but they can't actually fly. Bats use their specialized wing structure — which is basically a stretched membrane between elongated finger bones — to flap and navigate through the air. There are over 1,400 species of bats worldwide, making up about 20% of all mammal species.

For older kids: What is the only continent with no active volcanoes?
Australia. Every other continent has active volcanoes, but Australia has none. The reason comes down to plate tectonics — Australia sits in the middle of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate, far from any plate boundaries where volcanic activity typically occurs. The last volcanic eruption on the Australian mainland happened about 5,000 years ago. Antarctica, which some might guess, actually has several active volcanoes, including Mount Erebus.