It turns out the internet has tons of uses for these little silica packets.

Those silica gel packets are actually endlessly reusable, and so useful

Don’t automatically toss those little packets you get in clothes and food.

By Jordan Smith

The silica gel packets you find in the pockets of your clothes after a shopping day or within the bag of your beef jerky snack come with a stern, scary warning: “Throw away. Do not eat.” But as long as you don’t eat them, you actually don’t need to throw them away.

Instead, you can reuse the silica packets. They contain desiccant, a drying agent, used by manufacturers to help keep moisture from damaging clothing or electronics during shipping. They’re also found in packaged foods since they help keep your favorite snack fresh.

It turns out these little packets aren’t just for one-time use, either. They actually can be used indefinitely with a few simple steps. If you think indefinite uses sounds like a stretch, think again. These packets can be used a number of ways right inside your own home.

Parents are raising the alarm as schools roll out robot and AI teachers without consent.

Parents are raising the alarm as schools roll out robot and AI teachers without consent

‘Amira’ is talking to kids in New Mexico schools, while a New York school district is introducing ‘Sally,’ a humanoid teacher assistant.

By Jacalyn Wetzel

Nothing says back-to-school quite like chatter over technology. Some parents are heading to school board meetings to demand their kids receive minimal screen time. Other parents are finding out that their children are or will be exposed to AI technologies without their consent.

America has a teacher shortage problem that only seems to increase every year. It’s a multi-pronged issue that requires a multi-pronged approach to address. Some school districts, however, are tackling the issue in ways that are making both parents and teachers uncomfortable.

Case in point? New Mexico and Portland public schools introduced an AI program called Amira Learning. She’s marketed as a reading growth learning agent.

Gift giving should feel good for the giver and the receiver. But around the holidays, it can be a major cause of stress.

Grandma offers wake-up call for grandparents who can’t stop buying the grandkids presents

She’s got the perfect solution for what to do when you just can’t pass up a great deal at the store.

By Heather Wake

Parents and grandparents find themselves at odds frequently. It could be a disagreement over how much screen time the kids get, battles over grandma giving them too many sweets, or arguments around how often grandma and grandpa should be babysitting. Conflict in their relationships is almost a given, and navigating disagreements in a healthy, productive way is key for the relationship to evolve and grow.

One huge source of that conflict comes in the form of… stuff! All parents can relate to the sense of dread they feel at the sight of the grandparents arriving for a visit with a trunk-full of presents. Toys, furniture, costumes, decor, you name it. And that’s just on a regular Tuesday. Around the holidays, it can get even worse. It’s not that they don’t want their kids getting gifts, it’s just all too much, especially when you live in a home with a finite amount of storage.