The uninvolved dad, turning up his nose at diapering(换尿布) and too busy to bathe, dress and play with his kids, is mostly a myth(神话) , a big government survey suggests. Most American fathers say they are heavily involved in hands-on parenting, the researchers found.

    The results are encouraging and important " because others have found the more involved dads  are, the better the outcomes for their children. " said researcher Jo Jones of the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. She co-authored the report released Friday.

    "Times have changed," said Robert Loftus, 34, of Yonkers, NY. He quit a six-figure sales job a year ago to care for his two young children while his wife works full time. "We are trying to rethink our priorities (优先考虑的事) and family seem to be NO.1 priority while in the past maybe people were more focused on career. "

    The study involved nearly 4.000 fathers who were interviewed in person between 2009 and 2013.

◇ Key findings among fathers living with children younger than 5 :

*9 in 10 bathed, diapered, helped them use the toilet or get dressed at least several times weekly .

* Even higher numbers played with them and ate meals with them that often

* Almost 2 0ut of 3 read to them at least several times weekly.

◇Among dads living with kids aged 5-18.

* More than 9 0ut of 10 ate meals with them at least several times weekly and talked with them about what happened during the kids' day that often.

* Almost 2 0ut of 3 helped with homework several times weekly.

* About half took their kids to or from activities that often.

    Dr. David Hill, a Wilmington, N. C. pediatrician (儿科医生) said the survey reflects what he's seen among his patients' fathers. Increasingly, fathers rather than mothers take their kids to the doctor. Some "are anxious about changing a diaper, " he said.

    Census(调查) numbers show that there were almost 190,000 stay-at-home dads nationwide last year versus 93,000 in 2010. Loftus, the New York stay-at-home dad, said, "I feel fortunate to be able to be such a hands-on father.  I'm doing the most significant occupation in the world. "

    In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair­weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck，but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character，especially understanding, honesty and reliability(信任)．

    Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person's place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.

    At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.

    Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor，he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.

    There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.

    When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding，I know I've found a friend!

    Spring is just around the corner and it's a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to get back in the spring sunshine.

Dana Point Festival of the Whales

Dana Point, California

March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010

    Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California Gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean. Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family. Prices start at $ 29 per adult and $ 19 for children. For more information, visit www.dpfestivalofwhales. com

Chandler Ostrich Festival

Chandler, Arizona

March 13 to 15, 2010

    Chandler is the center of Ostrich(鸵鸟) ranching in the U.S. You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tubleweed Park. General admission is $ 9 for adults, $ 8 for seniors, $ 7 for children aged five to 12 and kids four and under are free. For more information visit www.ostrich festival.com

Festival of Houses and Gardens

Charlestib, South Carolina

March 19 to April 18, 2010

    The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America. Each three-hour tour(afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m. and evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.)lets you to visit eight to ten properties dating from the American colonial period. Prices range from $25 to $45. For more information, visit www.historic-charleston.org.

Tulip Time Festival

Holland, Michigan

May 1 to 9, 2010

    You don't need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world's finest tulips (郁金香). The town of Holland is home to millions of colorful bulbs. The 81^st annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in the country will begin with fireworks on May 1. Admission fee ranges from $ 6 for the children's area to $ 38 for theatre tickets. Tickets and more information are available at www.tuliptime.com.

    AEA summer camp is an American-style day camp which follows a weekly theme. Themes are changed each week and each year to combine current trends and interests of children.

    Waikiki Sun & Sandbuckets of Fun (Week 1)

    Join Camp Adventure In a Polynesian Paradise! Come and move your toes in the soft white sand and listen to the symphony of a Seashell Band. It's great to be in Waikiki, where there's surf and sand. We'll drive and find various fish all around the island shore. It's Wet! It's Wild! It's Wonderful Waikiki Fun!

    Stars-spangled Spirit Spectacular (Week 2)

    It's a stars-spangled celebration across the nation! Join the old-fashioned ice cream social, play a double-header at the field of dreams, and learn about some heroes and founding fathers of America. Sparks (火花) will fly at your fantastic finale (结尾), as fireworks explode red, white and true blue.

    Amazing Adventures to the Outer Limits (Week 3)

    It's your time to shine as you join our Camp Adventure planetary race through outer space. See wonderful scenes as we take a spin around the solar system. Learn the order of the planets, hunt for moon rocks and chart your own course for a future space mission (任务). Join your favorite Star Wars friends as you journey on your unusual expedition to the outer limits.

    To foreigners Chinese food isn't a meal. It's an experience. Failing to order the right food and struggling with chopsticks are only parts of the adventure every time I sit down in a restaurant.

    In one of our favorite Sichuan restaurants, it took 3 waiters and 15 minutes for us to order only our drinks. I simply wanted water, but my dad wanted to try the fresh juice they had listed on the menu. There were two problems, however. There were neither pictures nor English on the menu. After several hand gestures, he ended up ordering just a coca cola to simplify things.

    One of our most embarrassing moments was at Xiabuxiabu, a very famous hotpot chain. As soon as we walked in, the entire restaurant seemed to stare at us. Uncomfortable already, we had the most difficulty ordering our meal, since there were so many steps to the whole process. Fortunately, the waitress was very patient and successfully gave us our food. Although it was not the best food I had in Beijing, it was certainly entertaining dropping things into the boiling pot of soup. Once, I tried picking up a dumpling to show my father and dropped it onto his pants. I looked behind me, and people were laughing secretly at my chopstick skills.

    No matter how many difficulties we have regarding food, our experiences give the best stories to tell. The servers are always understanding of our situation and their friendliness is exceptional. They always greet us with a big smile even when they realize they have to clean up the noodles slipped through our clumsy chopsticks.

    The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is probably why there are more myths(神话) about it than any of the other illnesses.

    The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected(感染的) people from the outside world by way of packages and mails dropped from airplanes.

    At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused(浸入) with cold water, and then stood about dripping(滴干)wet in drafty(通风的) rooms. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.

    If cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? In spite of the most painstaking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.

    No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms.