Journey to Global Community
In 1968 a third-grade teacher named Jane Elliot was compelled to give her students a lesson in discrimination after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Watch the PBS 10-minute clip of A Class Divided: *Thank you to my good friend Erin for sharing this video with me last night. * … [Read more...]
Aram asked for my phone the other night, and had his first text conversation. He was so excited to be able to have access to Brian when he was at work.... up until Brian told him it was time to bed, then he wasn't so keen on texting him anymore! ;-) I never thought texting could be useful learning tool, but reading and spelling action is definitely happening . I am not thinking I should start embracing modern technology for kids (in small doses)! … [Read more...]
We were at an early dinner last night when our kids caught a glimpse of the videos taken today when the bombing happened at the Boston Marathon. This was the first time the kids really associated themselves with targets of such senseless hate. Our children are aware of tragedies going on in the world, but I think this is the first time it really clicked as a reality for them. It was sad, but also a reminder that they are growing up and it was time to talk more in-depth about fear, … [Read more...]
The importance of our children's role against war and terrorism should be a conscious thought for all parents. As adults we are actively making a difference, but with our children we have invested so much more in a future of peace. … [Read more...]
Samuel has been asking us for a blue mohawk for about six months. We used spray, but he was adamant about using a less temporary color on his hair. Brian and I were on the fence about it, so I decided to pose the question to our Facebook page and received an overwhelming number of helpful and thoughtful responses. In the end, I sat down with Samuel and had a talk with him about why he wanted blue hair. All of his answers expressed his imagination and … [Read more...]
Remember when I said that being mistaken for the babysitter of my children was upsetting? Well, this was 100 times worse: When shopping at the grocery store, the boys were hanging on both sides of the shopping cart. An elderly (and very sweet-looking) man came over and started asking me questions in broken English. Man: Pointing to Samuel and Aram and sweetly smiling, “Aw, Friends?” Me: Happily, and willing at this point to correct him, “No, … [Read more...]
A story was told to me a few nights ago about two brothers and their love for each other. This is a story of hope and love led by example of the most unfiltered, precious, and discerning people on the planet- children. Parents tend to boast about their children's Western accomplishments. Various awards are given out for excellence in academics, sports, and the arts. We all know, or are guilty ourselves, of bragging about physical attributes of our children. How many of us have spouted off … [Read more...]
The divorce rate in America is hard to get a good estimate of because some states don’t disclose their divorce rates (including California, rumored to be among the highest in divorces). It is estimated that 34-55% of all US marriages end in divorce. Even on the low end the numbers are not very cheery. People who “attachment parent” have been accused of causing divorce due to their lifestyle. I am assuming the estimated statistic above is not made up of solely AP … [Read more...]
We should always uplift and encourage our children, but let them be themselves! They will become something greater than what we could ever dream- exactly who they were created to be! … [Read more...]
No, I'm not joking... Check out this unexpected conclusion to Dr. Paul Okami's study on children's exposure to parental "household" nudity: "Boys exposed to parental nudity were less likely to have engaged in theft in adolescence or to have used various psychedelic drugs and marijuana." "Girls were also less likely to have used drugs such as PCP, inhalants, or various psychedelics in adolescence. " Why is this? More on this study later, but it seems the children who are … [Read more...]
Our hope is that people will get a chance to see a family that may look a little different, but is as close and loving as a family that meets the stereotypical ideal. It is time to break barriers, stop making assumptions, and realize that families come in all different shapes and sizes and can still define the term. Find Out More ››
