Moms Talk: When the Power is Out, How Do You Stay Sane?

There are two parts to today's discussion on Mom Talk, so that everyone will feel they can get a chance to comment.

Part one discusses the children, of course. With our recent string of long power outages in La Grange, La Grange Park and Western Springs, what do you do to keep the kids active?

No power means no TV, no video games, no music, no computer—I'm going crazy, so I figure your kids are too. Sounds like a perfect opportunity to kick them out of the house on these beautiful summer days.

What has your family done to make the most of half week with no power? Have you gone on any special trips? Eaten at any special restaurants? Gone to the movies? Tell us your tips for how you've used the power outage to get closer.

In the second part of our discussion today, how do you yourself deal with the outages? Are you missing all your friends Facebook posts? Having a hard time sleeping without the air on at night? Or maybe, like for a neighbor of mine, it's as simple as really, really missing your blowdryer.

Tell us in comments.