May 8th, 2009 by admin
By Michael DeJong,
Author of Clean Body:The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing Yourself
“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”
–Phyllis Diller
Don’t blow your nose. Just use your sleeve.”
“Is that shirt dirty? Ehhh . . . whatever.”
“Yeah, I ditched school too.”
“Sure . . . lets keep the dog.”
“Curfew — Schmurfew.”
. . . not exactly what you’d expect mothers to say. But if they did — the world wouldn’t be nearly the same place. Read the rest of this entry »
July 1st, 2008 by admin
Apparently when you tickle Elmo he’s not laughing, he’s having a seizure.
–Jay Leno
In an attempt to assure the world’s children that millions of Chinese-made toys currently being recalled for containing toxic lead paint and tiny choking hazards can no longer hurt them, high-level Chinese officials announced Tuesday that millions of playthings are being rounded up and immediately put to death . . . According to the Xinhua News Agency, in the past three days alone, factory owners roused an estimated 365,000 Barbie dolls from their dream homes in a violent series of raids. During these raids, the Barbies were separated from their Kens, stripped naked, and had their heads shaved. They were then taken to an undisclosed area, leaned against the wall and shot by a firing squad as toy soldiers were forced to watch. Read the rest of this entry »
October 7th, 2007 by admin
Fun Halloween Games
Make a Spider Web
All you need for this fun game is a ball of black, white, or silver yarn or string and a few kids. Have everyone stand around in a circle. Ask one child to hold one end of the string and then toss the ball to another kid. Each child holds on the string and then tosses it to someone else. Before you know it you’ll have a great spider web. Read the rest of this entry »
June 30th, 2007 by admin
Younger Children’s Reaction to Death
by Charlotte M. Mathes, LCSW, Ph.D.
Author of And a Sword Shall Pierce Your Heart
Because children grieve differently from adults, they may appear not to be mourning at all. One adult client confessed her long held guilt that as a child, the day her sister died, she went to a neighbor’s to play. This woman has been mourning her sister’s death for thirty years. With help, she recalled how bad she felt about her sister’s death, even though she chose to play. Children often resume play even while hurting inside. They need more physical activity to release their strong emotions. Having a shorter attention span, they also require frequent respite from their grief and will often alternate short periods of mourning with pursuing other interests.
Children’s reactions to death are also influenced by their concept of its finality, an understanding that progresses as they pass through successive developmental stages. In the early years, supposing death reversible, children believe a brother or sister will return and are not likely to be devastated. They attribute the imagined return of life to the good effects of ambulances, hospitals, or doctors who will magically revive the deceased. Read the rest of this entry »
