Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! For the first time in nearly 20 years, NYC public school students in middle and high school will be required to take sex-ed classes. Truth be told, I assumed this was already happening (and it was in some schools. It just wasn't mandatory). My kid's only four, so like most parents of young children, I’m skirting the issue as long as possible. However, the fact is we can’t avoid it forever, nor should we. What topics to cover in these classes (it won't just be abstinence; learning how to put on a condom is on the agenda) and why these lessons are only being introduced now are touchy topics—no pun intended. I suspect by middle school I will have already discussed the birds and the bees with my daughter... or maybe I'll just let Monty Python's The Meaning of Life do the talking for me.

STEM Sell The 42nd season of Sesame Street kicks off September 26 on PBS, and this year Elmo may go all science geek. The producers of the venerable kids' series are showing their support for the STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering and math) by featuring the Muppets gang doing all kinds of experiments. This year's theme is "It's Fun to Find Out" and new bits include Murray’s Science Experiments (will his lamb Ovejita be involved?) and Zoe building a boat so her pet rock can float. Speaking of building, if your kids are curious to see how the Muppets were made, check out the Jim Henson's Fantastic World exhibit at the Museum of Moving Image.

Back to Backpacks Have your kids picked out their new knapsacks yet? While they only care what the bags look like, we moms want to make sure the backpacks are durable and comfortable—especially since we'll be the ones lugging them around half the time. If you're still shopping for one, check out Consumer Reports' great backpack guide, which has tips for picking the right bag for your child. My daughter’s dream tote: a yellow backpack with cats on it. Wish me luck finding that one.

Doctors On Call We know a lot of moms who've spent hours on the phone trying to find out about various specialists. Well, the folks at NYU Langone Medical Center are offering to do the work for you. They recently set up a free hotline specifically for parents that's manned by nurses who can recommend pediatric doctors for every ailment, and even schedule appointments. (Of course, they only refer you to their own staff.) Call 855-NYU-KIDS if you'd like to try it out. Speaking of doctors, we recently profiled a pediatrician who makes house calls. Now that's service.

The Kids Aren't All Right We're all very upset about the ongoing economic crisis, but according to a recent op-ed in The New York Times, kids are the ones who are really suffering. During 2008-2009, the number of public school kids who became homeless increased by 41% from the year before, and many more fell below the poverty line. Meanwhile, youth services and programs are being axed due to budget cuts. Sad to read about, grim to think about but something we can't ignore. Want to help? Check out organizations like Socks’n Undies, which provides new, clean essentials to homeless men, women and children right here in NYC, or First Book, which brings books to kids in low-income homes.

A Nation Divided... by Ice Cream My daughter just got her tonsils out this week, and once she's able to leave the house, we're looking forward to indulging in a lot of ice cream all over NYC. Although we both prefer vanilla, according to a new Harris Poll, chocolate is actually America’s No. 1 choice. The survey also noted how people eat their scoops (bowl versus cone), the top toppings, and analyzed geographical and political differences. Apparently Democrats prefer vanilla over chocolate! I think you just learned a little bit more about me.

Image: meddygarnet