Before we get into my commentary, I thought I would share a picture of my dog. It has been unbearably hot here in Texas for several weeks, and I am always amazed at Poppy’s fortitude. She is willing to chase the ball no matter how high the temperature is. If I want to stop, she just gives me that look, “Oh please. Just throw it one more time. Please!!!!”
And now on to the serious stuff, starting with a caution to helicopter parents from Julie Lithcott Haims, former Stanford dean, mother and author of the book How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Over Parenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success. Don’t do everything for your kids. Don’t plan their entire lives. Don’t get them out of every scrape and every problem they have.
“Here’s the point – and this is so much more important than I realized until rather recently when the data started coming in: the research shows that figuring out for themselves is a critical element to people’s mental health. Your kids have to be there for themselves. That’s a harder truth to swallow when your kid is in then midst of a problem or worse, a crisis, but taking the long view, it’s the best medicine for them.”
Her article was in the Dallas Morning News Sunday August 9th and is well worth a read.
In other news, a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish said that 19 women captives were executed by Islamic state fighters in Mosul for refusing to have sex. Apparently the women refused to participate in the practice of sexual jihad.
I had to read that little bit of news twice to make sure I was not mistaken in what it said. Sexual jihad? Really?
Now some words of wisdom from Democratic Senator Corey Booker,speaking to Evangelical Christians,
Don’t speak to me about your religion; first show it to me in how you treat other people. Don’t tell me how much you love your God; show me in how much you love all His children. Don’t preach to me your passion for your faith; teach me through your compassion for your neighbors.
In the end, I’m not as interested in what you have to tell or sell as in how you choose to live and give.”
Well said, Senator.
Now on a lighter note, this is from neurosurgeon and GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson at the national debate when asked what sets him apart from the other candidates.
“I’m the only one to separate Siamese twins the only one to operate on babies while they were still in the mother’s womb, the only one to take out half of a brain, although you would think, if you go to Washington, that someone had beat me to it.
Friday’s Funnies
I don’t know who wrote the following quips, they were sent to me in an e-mail, but I thought they were pretty funny. Enjoy…
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue-Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.
I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than Kay.
I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?
The first testicular guard, the “Cup,” was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
Life just gets better as you get older doesn’t it? I was in a Starbucks Coffee recently when my stomach started rumbling and & I realized that I desperately needed to pass gas.The place was packed but the music was really loud so to get relief and reduce embarrassment I timed my expulsions to the beat of the music.
After a couple of songs I started to feel much better. I finished my coffee and noticed that everyone was staring at me. I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my Ipod … and how was your day?
That’s it for me, folks. I really need to get back to work on an editing job. Will probably work all weekend. I would complain, but it will keep me inside where it is cool.
How about you? What are your plans for the weekend?