The other night I was being a lazy parent and I got punished for it.

I heard the kids jumping on their bed, something my husband and I have pleaded with them tirelessly not to do, and I also heard some good old-fashion rough-housing between boys. I was lying in bed watching the news, too exhausted from the day’s events to do anything more than say in an in-audible tone to please stop screwing around.

“Ah, well,” I thought, “Bed-time is fast approaching. Ten minutes of that and they should be good and tired.” No such luck.

Then I heard a howl and high pitched siren that I thought was coming from some cat being skinned alive outside. I finally realized it was my 6 year old but didn’t get off the bed right away. You see, he sometimes makes those sounds of torture when his older brother picks up a certain “off limits” stuffed animal or sticks his tongue out at him, so the drama I’m used to. But then I heard my 11 year old son, sounding scared and alarmed, “Dad, come quick, G is really hurt.”
(more…)

At just over 6 months into his presidency, Obama might be showing some weaknesses. His administration may be wondering if he’s not as fail-proof as the media and his former supporters have bragged about in the recent past. Recently, Ohio marked the first state that went for Obama in his presidential candidacy as turning. Ohio’s majority is now opposed to Obama, when their state went for him and elected him only 8 months ago. So, what has changed?

Only a few months ago Dems were boasting and touting that Republicans were done for and any ambitions the party had of regaining power, either in the senate, house or executive branch would be thwarted by new legislation which had to passed immediately, before anybody had the chance to read or analyze it’s consequence. It may have been our celebrity culture that elected our new president and perhaps, celebrity expectations that Americans had sunk their future into. Americans, by all defensive measures just like(d) Obama and that was good enough to get him elected and now they seem confused and surprised that what he promised on the campaign trail — he’s trying to deliver on. What did American’s think was going to happen? Did they think he was only paying political lip service? Well, I have to admit, I did. While I might not be a supporter, I thought, as many Americans did, that he was going to lead much more to the center and that he was only pandering to the left. (Oops!)
(more…)

As an aging American population continues to drive, society may have to be honest with themselves and hold the elderly accountable if and when their age precludes them from driving. As seniors age significantly, medical advances might have increased their age of mortality, yet it’s done little to eliminate the loss of reflexes, eye sight, judgment and reaction. While it’s not a pleasant conversation to have with our nation’s Grandparents, we may be putting our children in harms way by neglecting to have a truthful conversation about it.
(more…)

A California school district recently adopted a new tolerance curriculum which includes a book, “And Tango makes Three”. The story — about gay penguins, is geared towards Kindergartners. The curriculum is being billed as age appropriate and claims to teach tolerance about human differences and helps to thwart bullying. The curriculum changes in every grade to correlate with grade level, eventually challenging what children may consider the “normal” family. Every few years the “Gay Penguin” debate resurfaces as parents and school administrators struggle for authority over whether this instruction can be mandated by school officials or if parents have the right to a) know about it and b) opt their children out of it if they deem the material to be inappropriate.

The additional controversy taking place in California is that parents aren’t able to opt their children out leaving parents to challenge the school district with threats of law suits.

According to World Net Daily, the parents claim the California school district is violating federal law, under the following regulations:

Under the regulation, parents must be notified and given an opportunity to opt-out, if the evaluation addresses topics such as:

* Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent;

* sex behavior or attitudes;

* religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent, etc.

In the past, debates have centered around this “opt out” policy which allows parents the option — to have their children pulled out of controversial subjects, especially in earlier grade levels.
(more…)

Every few years, I write on the very important topic of immunizing your children on time. As new reports and news stories become available, it allows me the opportunity to advocate for a very important cause - child vaccinations.

In recent years, well meaning parents enlightened and emboldened by mere conjecture and rumors have started to reject and refuse life saving immunizations for their children. Science concludes that much of the decisions to not vaccinate children is based on misguided trends and misinformation.

Much of these rumors started with outspoken celebrities, because they’re so much smarter than everyday people don’tchya know? Celebrities love selling parents on the demerits of vaccinations as the root of all evil, i.e.; Autism. Never mind that scientist after scientist has completely refuted this claim, parents are so afraid that their kids might turn out to be freaks, that they’re willing to make these hasty decisions in fear and loathing often relying on a false sense of security that “herd immunity” will prevail. Recent outbreaks of various, once eradicated or nearly eradicated diseases have only furthered the lack of evidence to support the herd immunity theory.
(more…)