As is the case with many people, I too have a Muhammad Ali story. Perhaps, it would be more accurate to state that I have several Muhammad Ali stories. I could tell you about the overwhelming number of times my father lectured me about the greatness of Muhammad Ali. A greatness that for my dad extended well beyond the boxing ring. While most ... [Continue Reading]
Do You Know the Seven Deadly Sins?
Do you remember The Seven Deadly Sins? I do. They are pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. I was first introduced to them by my grandmother. If memory serves me correctly, that first introduction preceded my grandmother’s attempt to get me to behave. I know that this going to come as a surprise to some of you but I ... [Continue Reading]
FACE IT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN ARE AVERAGE
The other afternoon, I had the good fortune of chatting with a friend whom I have known for more than thirty years. During our discussion, he was lamenting his dissatisfaction with parents. Specifically, he was irritated by the number of parents who have children who merely strive to be average. My response to his parental annoyance – which you ... [Continue Reading]
Guess Whose Child Will Be The Next World Famous Billionaire
Imagine for a moment that an omnipotent, extraterrestrial, or some being of your choosing – who is of course more benevolent than you – sent you a gift. Further, imagine that the gift you receive weighs approximately 8 pounds and is around 20 inches in length. Upon receiving this gift, you notice immediately that this highly sophisticated ... [Continue Reading]
Is Your Child Happy and Healthy?
Chances are that if you ask any expectant parent what their hopes are about their pregnancy the overwhelming odds are that they will respond – “all we want is a happy and healthy baby”. In fact, the phrase happy and healthy is so common that it should be catalogued as part of the standard and universally accepted expecting parent lexicon. Yet ... [Continue Reading]
Sometimes Humble Pie Tastes Ooh So Good!
The other day, I was served a hot heaping slice of humble pie and I loved it. Okay, truth be told when the slice of humble pie was first presented to me, I was – in G-rated terms – irritated. I wasn't irritated because the humble pie wasn't served à la mode either. Nor was I worried that the humble pie might mess up my swim trunk model figure. I ... [Continue Reading]
Why It Might Be Okay To Take A Gap Year
As the end of another school year approaches, all over the country parents and graduating high school seniors are having discussions from calm to passionate about what comes next. Some students know exactly what they want to do next while others are not so sure. This dilemma is not exclusive to those students whose high school transcripts and ... [Continue Reading]
How Would You Define Great Schools?
The last several days have been incredibly enlightening. In consecutive days, I had the opportunity to take a bus tour of the “great” schools of Indianapolis and listen to a panel of experts discuss preschool education. While in all but a couple of cases, I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the efforts of those who spoke about educating our ... [Continue Reading]
Has Your Life Mask Been Properly Secured First?
“In the event of a decompression, an oxygen mask will automatically appear in front of you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band behind your head, and breathe normally. Although the bag does not inflate, oxygen is flowing to the mask. If you are travelling with a ... [Continue Reading]
Do You Know Where Your Children Are?
Each night at 11pm, on numerous local news stations across the country, an important question is asked – "do you know where your children are". Ordinarily, the person asking the question is a member of local law enforcement. Explicit in the law enforcement officer’s question is an overt admonition to parents. “Parents” – the local officer would ... [Continue Reading]