Telling It Like It Is» Family

Grandparents Interfering by Suggesting Baby Names?

Lin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:04 +0000

If a grandparent were to suggest baby names to one or both soon-to-be parents, is the grandparent interfering? Why is suggesting nice girl or boy names as possible options out of excitement and anticipation of the coming baby considered an interference in the parents lives? As a grandmother of three and soon-to-be grandma of two more grandchildren, hearing about the baby names being discussed as possibilities is fun and exciting. I haven’t made a single suggestion for any baby names and I’m not going to.

Baby names for our upcoming grandchildren is one of the many things being planned and considered, even though there is still plenty of time for the baby’s parents to make their final selection of their favorite baby names for either a boy baby or girl baby. Some of the girl names that have been mentioned are beautiful, feminine and “soft” sounding, perfect baby names for girls, while names for boy babies are a bit more challenging for the parents to pick even one they both like.

As I’ve said before, choosing a grandparent name or nickname for “Grandpa” and I is really no big deal. I would happily accept the moniker of “Grandma” if that is the name my grandchildren ultimately choose to call me, and Grandpa doesn’t care either. But when it comes to parents choosing baby names, that is an area where friends, in-laws and grandparents can often get themselves into trouble.

Based on the message boards, blog articles and comments, as well as grandparent forums and online polls about grandparents interfering in the decision-making process for baby names that I’ve seen, it is clear to me that some grandparents have stepped over the very fine line between making simple suggestions about baby names to rude and disrespectful behaviors. On the other hand, there have also been many cases where hyper-sensitivity on the part of one parent (usually the daughter-in-law) creates a full-blown war over baby name suggestions, based on the kinds of email I receive regularly about so-called interfering grandparents or mother-in-laws.

Oh the stories I could tell of grandparents, mother-in-laws and father-in-laws making a few harmless baby names suggestions of boy or girl names they really liked and the baby’s parents subsequent reactions would be shocking to readers. Sure, there are boy and girl baby names chosen by celebrities that might fall into the category of “weird”, “odd”, or downright crazy names celeb’s choose to name their children. Whereas, some parents might think naming their baby Apple, Camera, Puma, Chastity, Sailor, Suri, Banjo, Free, Dweezil, Moon Unit or Diva Muffin are just unique baby names that no one else has.

There are online websites that list the most popular baby names for any given year, but you can bet that if a grandparent were to suggest any of those baby names for girls or boys, there will be parents who become upset at the mere suggestion. So much thought goes into choosing a name for a baby, including the various meanings and unique spellings of names under consideration, that it would be best for grandparents and the relationships with their adult children to keep their ideas to themselves unless asked directly.

Even if/when the parents-to-be ask for advice or want ideas for baby names, tread very lightly and carefully so any names you may suggest does not come across as telling the parents what names they must choose for their own child. I named my children, you named your babies, so take a step back and give the parents the space they deserve in naming their own child. If you, as the grandparent, don’t like or actually hate a baby name chosen, suck it up and deal with it. The choice of names is theirs, not yours.

If you hate a child’s first name but like their middle name best, calling the child by their middle name instead of their legal first name (the name chosen by the parents) will get grandparents or in-laws into trouble. The line between being helpful and interfering is extremely thin, and in some cases, being too sensitive to hearing input offered by grandparents or in-laws creates bigger problems than necessary.

If parents ask for baby name ideas, be prepared to hear the person’s favorite names. If you don’t want advice on names, don’t discuss baby names and don’t ask for suggestions from people. It is unfair to grandparents, in-laws, friends etc to discuss problems, concerns, worries or conflicts about baby names, child development or child behavior problems with people and then get upset and argue when thoughtful solutions are offered.

Some parents choose to keep the names they’ve chosen private until the baby is born in order to avoid problems and conflicts. When the announcement was made that a baby is on the way and we’re about to become grandparents again, the first-time parents were given a baby names book with over 100,000 names for boy and girls to choose the perfect name for their child. Not only does it help them in their efforts to find their favorite names to decide on, but it helps take the pressure off of grandparents wanting to suggest baby names that the parents may or may not like and being treated as interfering grandparents.

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10 Reasons Why People Don’t Go to Church Anymore

Lin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:00:46 +0000

Churches around the US have changed over the years, where multi-site churches mean pastors are able to reach thousands of would-be church attendees on the web, says USA Today. In an interview with pastors Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll and Ed Stetzer, the “old fashioned”, traditional churches from grandma and grandpa’s time are going by the wayside and are being replaced by what is often referred to as the “mega church” with thousands upon thousands of church members.

Having visited a few “mega churches” over the years, such as the Potter’s House and a few others, witnessing the burgeoning growth of large churches and the increased numbers of online internet churches has been interesting to say the least. To say this ain’t your grandma’s church anymore is an understatement.

Going to Christian church services and meetings is a tradition for many families, but the traditional way of attending church can now be accomplished by watching church services on television, online and by watching church service podcasts like the Holy Trinity church offers interested ones. Enjoying a sense of fellowship, shaking hands with the pastor or minister and developing a one-on-one personal relationship with the preacher and family appear to be disappearing and creating culture shock for some.

“It’s not the traditional American mom-and-pop church, where the same pastor counsels parishioners, visits when they’re ill or marries or buries them. . .

This form of high-efficiency evangelism allows thousands of worshipers to hear the same message from a lead pastor or a member of his team, in person or by video at three, five, even a dozen or more locations. Meanwhile, others take over the one-to-one side of ministry — counseling, ceremonies and small-group guidance. . .

“I do miss having a pastor at the door shaking hands in the ‘check-out line,’ ” says Lauren Green, drawn to join Redeemer by Keller’s preaching. “But I realize that model of a personal relationship with a particular pastor is probably gone.”

Having witnessed firsthand various kinds of abuses within churches over the years, and the increased evidence of pure greed shown at some large churches we’ve attended, it really comes as no surprise that many previous mega church members have become church dropouts and no longer regularly attend church anymore. Why? Why don’t people go to church anymore? Here are some of the reasons based on a survey poll:

Top 10 Reasons People Don’t Go to Church

Boring or unfulfilling church services 42%
Beliefs of the church 35%
Church’s moral views 35%
No need to 34%
Prefer to do other things 31%
“My beliefs are too weak” 27%
The way churches are organized 24%
Other commitments 21%
Bad experience among church people 16%
Not enough time because of work 15%

Source: Why People Don’t Go to Church, 1998 Australian Community Survey

LifeWay Research, the research arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, based in Nashville, conducted a survey of 1,402 “unchurched” adults to determine why respondents had not attended a religious service in a church, synagogue or mosque for several months.

“More than one in five (22%) of Americans say they never go to church, the highest ever recorded by the General Social Survey, conducted every two years by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. In 2004, the percentage was 17%.

Just 52% agree on the essential Christian belief that “Jesus died and came back to life”.

61% say the God of the Bible is “no different from the gods or spiritual beings depicted by world religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.,” although Buddhist philosophy has no god and Hindus worship many.

Most of the unchurched (86%) say they believe they can have a “good relationship with God without belonging to a church.” And 79% say “Christianity today is more about organized religion than loving God and loving people.”

The importance of faith and prayer in our lives goes without saying, or at least it should. Keeping true to Christian beliefs and understanding the power of prayer can be accomplished whether believers physically attend a local church, watch church services on television or pod casts on the internet.

Listening to almost nothing but “fire and brimstone” Bible sermons from childhood, or Hell and Damnation types of sermons from the pulpit leave much to be desired. Seeing and hearing ministers running around the Church stage screaming and hollering and pounding their fists about whatever Bible topic they chose to speak about, is a complete turnoff to me.

I don’t go to church to listen to a pastor scream and yell about something or another, and if that is the only way for a pastor or minister to preach and get their message across, I’ll just find a church to attend elsewhere without all the dancing and prancing around. I much prefer ministers who preach and teach practical things about life, with scripture readings that drive the point home, and that’s just one reason why I like Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Reading Joyce Meyer books and watching her show on television every chance I get is always enjoyable. It would be great to be able to attend a Joyce Meyer’s “Convention Tour” if it comes to our local area, but for now I just have to be content with listening to her television program as she talks about serving God, reading and re-reading her book “The Love Revolution”, and enjoying everyday life.

Have you read any books by Joyce Meyer? What is your favorite Joyce Meyer book so far?

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It’s The Thought That Counts – Thoughtful Gift Giving

Lin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:38 +0000

When giving gifts for any occasion, it’s the thought that counts. Being a thoughtful gift giver means we have taken the time to carefully think about the gift recipient’s personal interests, needs, wants, likes and dislikes, in order to find an appropriate gift to give from the heart.

Being thoughtful is defined by personal qualities like being kind, giving, considerate, attentive, appreciative, helpful, caring, loving, and giving mindful thought towards the comfort and good of others. Kids learn the thought counts very early in life, and teachers appreciate thoughtful gifts from schoolchildren, so why are thoughtful gifts given such a bad rap?

“You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for others – something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.” – Albert Schweitzer

It’s The Thought That Counts

There are many ways to be thoughtful and kind in our daily lives that have nothing to do with giving gifts to others for birthdays, Christmas, Hannukah, other holidays and special occasions. I personally enjoy sending special cards to people I love and care about, perhaps a “just because” or “thinking of you” card, always remembering to send Christmas, birthday or anniversary cards to those on our list.

Why send cards? Because I can and want to, and because it’s just one more way for me to show loved ones they are being thought of and cared for throughout the year. Being thoughtful and giving towards others does not only include close friends and family, but also our neighbors and complete strangers we’ve never met before, perhaps while performing random acts of kindness from a caring, giving, charitable heart.

Thoughtful gifts do not have to be expensive and gifts do not have to be for any specific occasion. Well thought out gifts show a person you’ve been thinking about them, how well you know them and want to buy a gift for them that they will like and genuinely appreciate, even if it’s a cheap gift.

When we think of others and kindly put them ahead of ourselves, we reduce our thoughts about ourselves and our own ego, especially if the giving act is done without expectations. When we accept gifts with genuine gratitude, regardless of whether we like the gift or not, we reduce thoughts about ourselves and our ego. This is a spiritual benefit of giving and receiving.

Whose thought counts? The quote “it’s the thought that counts” expresses the thought process and good heart condition of a thoughtful gift giver, but not necessarily that of the gift recipient. The idiom that acknowledges thoughtfulness and kindness on the part of a gift giver is far too often given a negative connotation.

“People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind. Think big anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack if you help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.” – Dr. Kent M. Keith (The Paradoxical Commandments)

Practical or “safe” gifts can be misinterpreted as a sign of not caring about the person being gifted, or wrongly interpreted as being given purely out of obligation, rather than a desire to give nice gifts. Intentions are sometimes questioned, false assumptions and judgments are made as to why the gift is being given at all.

The Art of Receiving – Gift Etiquette

Receiving gifts properly in an art form, and it is a joy for people to give freely to others, but many are not comfortable with the etiquette for receiving a gift. There is an art to receiving gifts, compliments or money, and while most of us give quite easily, some feel especially uncomfortable or unworthy of receiving gifts. The psychology and science behind “it’s the thought that counts” and the art of receiving is discussed by Ode Magazine, explaining how receiving may be harder than giving for various reasons, but can lead to even greater personal and spiritual growth.

The receiver of gifts should always remember that an effort was made, no matter how big or small. It is good etiquette and good manners to accept a gift graciously and to say thank you. To choose the perfect gift that a gift receiver will enjoy and will be happy to receive, we have to tune into that person, carefully listen to what they have to say, and take notice of what they need or want for Christmas gifts or birthdays that are within the budget.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

Inconsiderate, negative attitudes on the part of a gift recipient might be expressed with words or implication that mean the gift(s) received “wasn’t at all what the person wanted from you; it’s cheap but okay and will do just fine; at least you tried; it’s better than nothing; the thought is appreciated but……”

Such negative responses are a clear sign of an unappreciative, inconsiderate person, who does not understand or care about the real meaning of it’s the thought that counts and what being a thoughtful, gracious receiver of gifts is all about. Be positive and giving towards others anyway, give from the heart and make it personal.

When receiving a gift, always say a heartfelt, sincere Thank You for the gift received. It doesn’t matter how large or small a gift is, how little a gift may cost; what is important is the feeling or thoughtfulness that the giver is expressing with his or her gift.

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa

If someone buys a gift for you that you don’t like, but they did it out of love, that should still be acknowledged. No one should judge a gift based on the assumed value of the item or how much a gift costs, but appreciate the gift given that has thought and feeling behind it. If you’re given an inexpensive gift that someone put a lot of time, thought and work into, you should be just as appreciative as if the person gave you an expensive diamond ring.

“Giving whether it be of time, labor, affection, advice, gifts, or whatever, is one of life’s greatest pleasures.” – Rebecca Russell

With a little creativity and planning, coming up with ideas on how to be thoughtful about gift-giving and finding meaningful gifts for Christmas, birthdays or any occasion becomes easier. The best presents are always the ones that directly think of the recipient, heartfelt and genuine gift giving. That’s the real meaning behind it’s the thought that counts and what matters most.

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Fridge Locker Locks Food in the Locker Sized Fridge from Refrig-A Raiders

Lin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:30:40 +0000

Heard of the Fridge Locker yet? The Fridge Locker helps protect your food from “Refrig-A Raiders” at work, college and home, with the Original Personal Food Security System, The Fridge Locker. Have you ever taken your lunch to work and when it came time to go to lunch, you discovered someone swiped your food?

College roommates, friends, family and coworkers often complain about people stealing their food, drinks, snacks (and beer) without asking, but if they had the locker sized Fridge Locker, food thieves would think twice. There is no need to keep hiding snacks from friends or family anymore…, and “do not touch” signs rarely work, this portable security food locker solves your problem.

The Fridge Locker is a great gift idea for college students, dorm roommates, yourself, or anyone else on your gift list who has tried in vain to keep food raiders (people who can’t be trusted to keep their paws off your food) from emptying your fridge, freezer or pantry shelves. It’s also a great idea for parents trying to get their kids to eat healthy but have trouble keeping their kids out of the treats and snacks before dinner – be sure to choose a lock combination your kids and their friends won’t easily guess.

The Anti Theft Lunch Bags just might be enough to keep food thieves and bullies from stealing your child’s school lunch bag or lunch box, but the Fridge Locker deals with food thieves even better.

“We all know the feeling… You’re hungry for the delicious snack and the refreshing beverage that are waiting for you in the fridge. But when you open the door the shelves are empty… Keep your food safe from “Refrig-A Raiders” at home, your dorm or the office with the Original Personal Food Security System, The Fridge Locker.”

Chromed metal combination lock, set any combination you choose!

Door opens & becomes a shelf.

High density polyurethane walls.

Portable, take anywhere!

The Fridge Locker is available at PerpetualKid.com and is a simple and easy device to use. Consisting of a metal cage, measuring 7.5-inches wide by 7.5-inches tall by 11-inches deep, the Fridge Locker is secured with a combination lock that you choose. The food security system is small enough to fit in a fridge, freezer or pantry. Keep in mind that once the Fridge Locker is installed in the home, office or college dorm refrigerator, food thieves might not be too pleased that your tasty food and snacks are no longer easy pickings.

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Reuse Old Stuff – Recycle Your Old Stuff For New Creative Uses

Lin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:00:33 +0000

Do you use and reuse stuff around your house in a creative effort to “go green” and save money by recycling, instead of having to buy new stuff all the time? “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” is apparently an old proverb that’s been around for a long time and it makes a lot of sense, but I’ve yet to learn its origin or the author’s name.

I’ve read a lot about smart living rules, simplifying our lives and finding new ways to recycle and reuse stuff we have around the house that used to be thrown in the trash can as soon as the container was empty. I used to think that recycling clothes was just a matter of donating jeans, sweaters, shoes, old shirts etc to charities like Salvation Army or Goodwill, but I’m learning so many other ways to recycle or reuse clothes and other stuff around the house.

I’ve been happily surprised to read so many great ideas on how to recycle just about anything, and that includes clothes, books, magazines, household items and more. The list of things you can recycle is virtually endless, and I’m doing my best to learn more about recycling as fast and easy as I can.

Things You Can Recycle

Dave Ramsey’s book The Total Money Makeover explains how to pay off debts and save money the smart way, and one way of saving money is to learn easy ways to recycle to cut out unnecessary spending.

Recycling books and magazines isn’t hard at all. When I have accumulated a small collection of books that I’m not using or needing anymore, I take my magazines or books to a used book store (like Half Price Books) for others to use and enjoy as long as they like, or I just sell the books on Amazon or eBay at a cheap price and make a little money from my gently-used books.

I wish I had known that phonebooks can be recycled, because I ended up just throwing several of them in the dumpster for the trash collector. Do people really use phonebooks anymore, when it’s so much easier and faster to just search for the information online these days? Oh well, I suppose there are still a lot of people who don’t have computers or the internet and need to use the old-fashioned paper phonebook method of finding people and places.

How To Recycle Your Old Stuff

MSN Lifestyle ran a slideshow article from RealSimple showing “50 New Uses for Old Things”, and my reaction to the list of ideas on ways to recycle old stuff was like a light bulb flickering brightly Why didn’t I think of that?! I’ve read some very clever recycling ideas before, but these are some great ideas, too good not to share:

Use the mat from a Twister Game as a tablecloth for a child’s birthday party. After everyone is finished eating, wipe it clean and reuse to play Twister!
Make no-mess pancakes with the help of a ketchup bottle: Pour batter into an old ketchup bottle that’s been washed and dried, then squeeze out precise portions to make perfect size pancakes! This idea works great when letting children or grandchildren decorate cakes with frosting!
Stop searching everywhere for hair clips and elastics: Safely store them on an empty Toilet Paper cardboard tube. Hairclips and bobby pins go on top, ponytail holders wrap around!
Transform a six-pack holder into a condiment tote that’s great for summer picnics. A six-pack drink holder is the perfect size for carrying ketchup, mustard, squeeze relish bottles, rolled up napkins, and utensils to a family picnic!
Have an empty cassette tape holder? Coil up your iPod earphones and stash inside. A small MP3 player will fit inside too!
Use an empty (and clean) travel soap holder (the kind with the lid that snaps shut) to carry your point and shoot camera in your purse!
Forget unruly plastic bags that seem to regenerate under your sink. An empty tissue box keeps them neatly corralled and ready for use. Keep one under each bathroom sink!
At a party, mark each person’s glass with a removable window decal. Stores have holiday ones for a festive touch!
Wrap the ends of hangers with rubber bands and dress straps won’t slip off! Cover doorknobs with aluminum foil when painting to keep them clean!
Need to take a few day’s medication with you on a trip? Pop a few pills into a contact lens case so you don’t have to take the whole bottle!
It’s easier for a child to drink out of a regular glass if you wrap a few rubber bands around it for a better grip!
Eye doctor gave you an eyeglass case you don’t use? Use it for nail clippers and emery boards when you travel!
Wrap a wine-bottle carton in pretty paper and use it to hold your lightweight shoes, sandals, and slippers!
A napkin holder can hold your bills, checkbook, stamps, address labels, and envelopes neatly on your desk!
Attach a magnet to the inside of a metal medicine cabinet to hold your nail clippers or tweezers!
Repurpose an old frame for a vanity tray that’s pretty as a picture. Place a piece of colored paper or fabric inside as a finishing touch.
Vegetable oil will put a shine on leather shoes. Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt, then run a soft cloth with a drop of oil over the surface to (literally) add polish.
Use a hard plastic soap case to protect a camera stashed in a carry-on bag when traveling. It‘s the perfect size!

Recycle It! is the mantra spreading like wildfire in America, so if you’ve been thinking your stuff is garbage and needs to be thrown away in a trash can, think again. Knowing there are so many things you can recycle, hopefully you will join the recycling movement and learn more ways to recycle, protect our environment by using and reusing your stuff over and over again, and save money like Dave Ramsey says.

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A Child Psychologist’s Top 10 Wishes for Parents in 2012

Lin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:00:07 +0000

Tolstoy famously wrote “Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Modern psychological science supports this wisdom in findings that extend back for decades and traverse the globe. My work has focused on trying to distill this research into 10 effective and time-efficient strategies that hectic parents can use to promote wellness, happiness and resilience in their children and themselves.

So, my wish for parents in 2012 is to practice these 10 strategies (each of which constitutes a chapter in my parenting book Working Parents, Thriving Families: 10 Strategies That Make a Difference). Here they are:

#1. Spend one hour a week with each child doing nothing but paying attention and saying what you like about your child, what he or she is doing or what he or she is saying. This special time is different from quality time (i.e., in quality time something else is usually holding my attention in addition to my child). What an apple a day is to a pediatrician, this hour a week of special time is to a child psychologist.

#2. Discover what your child excels at, help her or him to develop it and give her or him regular experiences with such, especially in public. All of us have talents that reside at the top of the bell curve, though they often go undiscovered or undeveloped. To discover and develop your child’s talents is a major gift. (By the way, these first two strategies go to the core of self-esteem formation.)

#3. Develop and support daily, weekly, seasonal and special occasion rituals. Such activities can serve as islands of stability in the torrential currents of our culture. Think of it from the perspective of your child: Kids may be shooting kids in school, planes may be crashing into buildings but we still have pizza night, or go to church on Sunday, or have a family meal or, (fill in the blank). These “we alwayses” are music to a parent’s ears.

#4. Further develop your child’s psychological muscle to do things when he or she doesn’t feel like it by developing an effective discipline plan. Try to avoid what doesn’t work (e.g, corporal punishment, harshness)–knowing that we are all capable of lapses and not being too hard on yourself for them–and to use what does work (e.g., setting specific age-appropriate expectations and linking them to outcomes desired by your child, using time-out). By the time he or she is an adult this “muscle” will likely predict his or her success across multiple vocational and interpersonal realms.

#5. Monitor well. Of course, this means establishing appropriate parent controls on the range of media devices to which your child has access. But, it also means limiting sedentary electronic pleasuring to two hours a day and, when she or he is out of your site, knowing where he or she is, who she or he is with, what they are doing and what responsible adult is in charge of monitoring.

#6. Remember that your child’s wellness depends upon your wellness and the wellness of your relationship with your significant other. Secure your oxygen mask first before securing your child’s (e.g., each chapter in the aforementioned book includes a strategy from the positive psychology literature for parents to promote their own wellness.)

#7. Promote harmony, collaboration and effective relationships with the other important adults in your child’s life. The more you do this the better your child will fair. This is the case with teachers, coaches, and, especially, exes (e.g., two things best predict adjustment to divorce: the number of changes the child experiences, with the fewer the better, and how well the parents get along).

#8. Make sure that your child’s health tripod (i.e., sleep, physical activity and diet) is strong. Make sure he or she gets recommended doses of sleep (1-3 years old: 12-14 hours, 3-5 years old: 11-13 hours, 5-12 years old: 10-11 hours, Teens: 8.5-9.25 hours), sweats and breathes hard an hour a day (or at least most days) and eats a balanced diet (e.g., low in refined/processed carbohydrates and junk food, lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and quality fish). So many kinds of problems can go away, or be avoided to begin with, when this tripod is strong.

#9. Empower your child to make decisions that are developmentally appropriate and teach her or him how to respond adaptively to failure (e.g., crisis = pain + opportunity). We parents hurt worse when our kid hurts. This can sometimes cause us to make too many decisions for our kids and/or to try to protect our kids from the consequences of their choices.

#10. If your child is suffering from anything more than transient mental pain, treat it as you would more than transient dental pain, and seek out the services of a qualified mental health professional (most kids have such pain by adulthood but only a small minority get effective care). And, if you do, educate yourself regarding what differentiates pedestrian from quality care (lots of guidance is provided in my book).

We parents number among the most selfless beings in the universe. I hope you give yourself credit for that as you raise your progeny this year. And, if there is anything I can do to help you in your parenting mission, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Dr. David Palmiter is a psychology professor, practicing psychologist, President-Elect of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and Public Education Coordinator for the American Psychological Association. He also has been married for 20+ years and has three children ranging in age from 11 to 16. His blog is at www.hecticparents.com, his Twitter moniker is @HelpingParents and his primary website is at www.helpingfamilies.com.

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