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National parks seek funding increase to mark centennial
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Entrance fees for several national parks were raised last week, the first increase that many have experienced since 2008. - photo by Daniel Bendtsen
The National Park Service turns 100 next year, and the White House hopes this seniority merits a pay raise from Congress.

A proposed bill introduced Sept. 18 aims to relieve some of the agency's financial strain by establishing a fund to finance "signature projects and programs to enhance the National Park System as it approaches its centennial in 2016 and to prepare the parks for another century of conservation, preservation, and enjoyment."

The bill asks for a $900 million fund for infrastructure spending, with an additional $300 million to be allocated for "signature" projects that parks will use to mark the centennial. This funds appropriated over three years would not be a permanent spending increase, but the bill would set up a endowment for the NPS to invest for its future. Federal funds would also match the donations the NPS receives each year.

The agency has not received the funding from Congress it hoped for in recent years, and the NPS says it has an estimated $11.5 billion need for the entire system of 400 properties. "We cannot greet (our visitors) with failing facilities," NPS Director Jon Jarvis told The Associated Press.

An op-ed in The New York Times argues, however, that policymakers need to rethink the park service's purpose and not rely so heavily on government appropriations.

Reed Watson and Scott Wilson of the think-tank Property and Environment Research Center wrote in June that the NPS has been too interested in expanding its control of lands that don't generate visitation revenue. They say the federal government should open lands to markets that want to tap into natural resources, and scale back NPS authority to high visitation locales like Yellowstone, where fees, not federal funds, should be paying to keep the parks functioning.

This year, fees have indeed been increasing. After accruing $70 million in maintenance needs, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado raised its car entrance fees by $10 last week, NPR reported, joining more than 100 parks to increase fees this year to finance maintenance and new projects. For many, the price hike was the first since the Great Recession.

Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Grand Canyon national parks all raised their single-car entrance fee by 20 percent this year. The Everglades and Rocky Mountain National Park also raised their annual passes by double-digits, according to AP.

The fees are allocated to pay for infrastructure repairs. Many parks also have elective projects to fund, like refurbishing visitor centers and building educational exhibits.

Despite the fee increases, national parks are a bargain compared to other recreational offerings and there are price breaks for some families.

Under the Every Kid in a Park program launched in September, fourth-graders and their families can get into the parks for free. The White House launched the initiative to boost visitation among students "beginning to learn about the world around them." The program grants all fourth-graders a coupon to enter the park for free. The initiative is planned to be continued into the future, with the eventual goal of expanding access for all children.

Entrance fees are also waived for military personnel, and senior citizens can still get an $10 lifetime pass for all parks.

Parks that collect entrance fees keep 80 percent of revenue, and 20 percent is distributed to other parks that do not collect fees.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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