Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Las Vegas, NV

Separating the wheat from the chaff. Refocusing our priorities. Seeing past the trees to the forest. Getting the big picture.

All of these are great euphemisms that we hear from the boardrooms of America. When times are tight, we need to take a step back and examine the situation and get rid of the stuff that doesn't matter to make room and save energy for the stuff that does.

It's a great time to take a look not only at what's in your closets and toyboxes, but what's in your parenting toolbox to figure out what's important and what needs to stay back in 2008.

Here are five things that kids can do without.
1. A room full of expensive toys. With all of the ads on tv and in our mailboxes, it's hard not to feel the pressure to give our kids all the stuff that we think we should have had when we were their age. The next time you unload the monster box of legos, chances are your toddler or preschooler will be more fascinated with the box than its contents.
2. Full schedules. Yes, we all want our kids to be well-rounded, rainbow-pooping Einsteins who will cure cancer while composing operas. Running yourself (and them) crazy between dance, sports, art, language, and other structured activities can get to be a bit much. It's okay to ask them to choose what they want to do. And it's okay for them to change their minds after the season is over and make changes. They're kids -- it's all about exploring and finding out what their talents are and are not.
3. TV. My dad once told me "No one ever died from not watching TV." Although I didn't appreciate it at the time (I just wanted to watch the Smurfs after all!), he was right and now he has the American Academy of Pediatricians to back him up. TV for kids under two shouldn't happen and if it does, it should be kept to a minimum (we have to shower sometime, don't we?) Get them up, out and moving.
4. Junk food. We've got the fattest kids on the planet here in the good old U S of A. That's a statistic we shouldn't be proud of. Introducing healthier foods isn't easy, trust me. I've picked my share of peas out of my dining room carpet. But they will get it -- eventually. When you eat healthier, your kids will too.
5. Lavish vacations. Don't get me wrong, my family loves to travel. My husband and I came from families who loved to travel. Getting out and seeing something new can be a total blast, but don't think that you need to sell a kidney to book a cruise with a seafaring mouse to have a good time. A simple day trip to a good hiking trail and a picnic lunch is great way to spend a Saturday. A weekend getaway to a budget hotel near the beach will be as much fun for your kids as a five-star all inclusive resort. It's the time that they spend wth you that matters, not the mint on their pillow.

So what's important? Here are five things that every kid needs.
1. Time and attention. Make time for your kids. The to do list can wait for a few hours or even days. Go out and have fun.
2. Sleep. Teaching your kids to put themselves to sleep is one of the great gifts you can give them. When this happens and how it happens is up to you. What worked for my kid (the Ferber method) may not work for yours. Well rested kids mean better rested parents.
3. Routine. I'm a big advocate for putting some sort of rhythm into your day. The late Tracy Hogg's EASY method (Eat, Activity, Sleep, and "You Time") has carried us from babyhood through the preschool years. It not only helps you, but it helps your kids know what's next -- that they'll eat, sleep, play (with you and independently) will ease their stress. You don't need to be a drill sargeant, but some structure can help any family.
4. Laughter. Don't forget to have fun. You don't need a houseful of toys, extravagant birthday parties, or mouse-filled vacations to have a blast with your kids. A ball in the backyard, a story at the library, or just a simple bike ride around the block will be the memories they will treasure.
5. Love. Really, does this need any explanation? Kids who feel loved are more self-confident, healthier, and are better able to love others. It's not rocket science, folks. Hug and kiss your kids and let them know you care. Every day.

So what's important to you this year. How will you be refocusing things at your house?