This is the 40th anniversary of “Free to Be You and Me”, an amazing group of songs to help children see the possibilities of life without gender restrictions and fear. They are as fresh and real today as ever. The songs are about self-empowerment, being understanding and loving. Every child, in every culture could benefit.. read more →
We were there on Friday. Yup. We were at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Even had lunch at The Volcano House. We stood at the steam vents (great for a facial) and went as far as we could go to get some “hot” pictures of Kilauea and the lava flow. Missed the big show by.. read more →
Meet Brenda Dennis, a senior director of strategy and planning for Cisco’s $32B global enterprise business. That is what her day job is now, before the bottom almost fell out from beneath her. More on that in a moment. Brenda is also a wife, mother of three boys, ages 9, 11, and 13. She is.. read more →
Rachel Carson who wrote a book of major importance “The Silent Spring” was a GUTSY woman who spoke out about the level of toxins in our world 50 years ago. Those numbers are higher and the risk more deadly. Someone recently commented that with all the toxins in the world we are living longer so.. read more →
Time magazine May issue started a major brouhaha that is hopefully the beginning of a great dialogue about what it means to be a parent and what children really want and need. For me, the photo of the mother and three year old son at his mother’s breast brought up the controversy from decades ago.. read more →
Hey mom…did you get flowers, a potted plant, candy, a dinner at the best local eatery? Did you get a phone call? A Card? Was the communication nostalgic or trite? Was there an edge of animosity or real appreciation? Mother’s Day is a multi-layered, complex day filled with stuff that is often unsaid by both.. read more →
Picture this scene: a four year old brother and a six year old sister are fighting over television rights. She wants “Word Girl”, the GUTSY gal heroine who fights all the bad in the world with her extensive vocabulary; or something like that. He wants “The Transformers” and “Super Heroes” who fight all the bad.. read more →
Maybe, just maybe the era of anything goes is ending. Maybe, just maybe the guy with the loud mouth and no couth will be put out to pasture. It’s about time. I have listened to Mr. Limbaugh, on occasion, to understand his appeal. I have always turned him off with a sense of deep.. read more →
Remember the kids chant “sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me”. Not true! Words can be more powerful than any blunt objects and the newest research in neuropsychology indicates that the images and memories of harsh language can cause us to shrivel into a ball of protection long after.. read more →
I asked a school teacher friend of mine if they still teach the George Washington “Cherry Tree” story to elementary kids. She said “sometimes yes and sometimes no”. “Why not all the time”, I questioned. “Just because of that word you used…only if we find the time. We move at such a fast pace that.. read more →
