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The Demise of Our Culture?

I was watching an interview with a Fox News contributor and author, Laura Ingraham, who was talking about her newest book, “Of Thee I Zing.” Apparently her book is about the demise of our culture. There was a person on this show who totally agreed with everything she was saying and there was another one who didn’t. One of the comments made is how each generation says the same thing, how much worse kids are “today” than they were “in my time.” Even back in the 50’s during the time of “I Love Lucy,” when a married couple depicted on … Continue reading →

Something Is Better Than Nothing

We sometimes receive conflicting information when it comes to exercise and physical activity. We are told that a little bit is better than nothing. But then we are also told that if you aren’t engaging in a certain amount of exercise or physical activity every week, there is no benefit to your body. So which is it? If I don’t spend 5 to 6 days a week, 30 minutes a day in some form of exercise, is it pointless to do anything? According to new guidelines issued by the “American College of Sports Medicine,” although they recommend at least 150 … Continue reading →

Mathitudes

My daughter is unintimidated by math. Why should she be intimidated by it anyway? Math is just numbers, and numbers are everywhere. (Ok, yes, I know that there is a little more than that to math, but not in the primary years). The other day she was watching a video from the library and I was sitting there with her. The video turned out to be about a math contest, and the prevailing message of the entire 30-minute long segment was that math was something for brainy people, not for the general population. I don’t get it. We assume that … Continue reading →

Halloween Makes Insurance Tricky

Halloween is strange, from an insurance standpoint. For just one night, a group of complete strangers are going to arrive at your door, expecting to receive candy and treats. Most of these strangers will be children, and not all of them will be accompanied by adults. All of them will be wearing a costume, which means they may be wearing masks that obstruct their vision, or an outfit that makes it difficult for them to walk around. There is great potential that an accident will happen! Unfortunately, there isn’t anything called “Halloween Insurance”. So, what can you do to protect … Continue reading →

Be a Healthy Example to Your Children

We really are our kid’s best example. While we strive to make healthy changes to our lifestyle, we should be making sure that our children embrace the same desire. If we don’t pass on a healthy lifestyle to our children, then we are just setting them up for future health problems, let alone self esteem issues. Obesity is a real problem in this country and it is becoming an increasingly significant problem amongst children. It is easier for children to not be active—computers, television, video game systems, iPods and the like are drawing children to become couch potatoes. As parents … Continue reading →

Before Asperger’s Syndrome

One of my brothers has Asperger’s Syndrome. He was not diagnosed until after he became an adult. He is now in his 30’s. Not as much about Asperger’s Syndrome, autism, or the autism spectrum was recognized or understood then, compared with what we know now. Most people today have at least heard the term Asperger’s Syndrome before. When my brother was a child, people thought he was odd, but did not have any context to explain why he was so different from other kids his age. I think most of our family realized that something about my brother was atypical … Continue reading →

JC Penny Optical is Having a Sale

Does someone in your family need new glasses? Were you hoping to pick up a pair of prescription sunglasses before summer ends? Now is the time! JC Penny optical is having some great sales. JC Penny is a department store that has it’s own optical department. You do not have to have health insurance that covers vision care to use their optical department, but, of course, it can be helpful if you do have it. They have several different sales going on right now, for glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. Some offers are specifically for children, or for seniors. You … Continue reading →

TV: Worse Than We Thought

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Those darn scientists are at it again. It seems that ever since I was a kid, the scientific community has been on a crusade to do away with television. For the record, I definitely do not think a parent should use “Dora the Explorer” as a babysitter for their young ones. On the other hand, I also do not think your child will turn into a zombie if he happens to watch one cartoon. For what it’s worth, a recent study of 1,300 Canadian toddlers maintains that TV viewing is more harmful to a child’s developing brain than what was … Continue reading →

TV’s in Children’s Bedrooms (2)

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I observed firsthand the problems of having TV’s in children’s bedrooms back when my daughter was in elementary school. One of the girls in her Year 4 class had one in her bedroom and she was the envy of her peers. Naturally this girl boasted about her new-found televisual independence and I’m sure there were cries of “I want one, too!” in more than our household. When I found out this girl’s older sister in Year 8 also had her own TV, as well as her younger brother in Year 3, it became almost like a scientific experiment for me. … Continue reading →

The Power of “No” (Part 1)

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Jim Carrey was recently in the charming film “Yes Man.” It’s about a movement to say “yes” to everything. While the film is certainly worth watching (for those old enough for the content), and the overall meaning is positive, there is a definite danger to the word “yes” when it comes to college. One of the best pieces of advice you’ll ever receive is “get involved: early and often.” College is necessarily a transition for most traditional students. You’re moving away from the ever-watchful eye of parental supervision and into a different environment that involves a certain amount of maturity … Continue reading →