Editor's Note: The presidential victory of Republican Donald Trump, an upset that surprised the pundits, had many parents openly fretting online about their children's future this morning. Guest columnist Bill Peebles was one of them, and he offers this insight and strategy.My 11-year-old sons will be home from school soon. We discussed the presidential election this morning. They seemed a little stunned, but I was glad to see they weren't frightened. They may come home that way, though.I imagine different scenarios. What I might say to a kid who asks if everything will be OK; who … [Read more...]
That Was One (Adjective) Presidential Election
As I write this, we're still one week away from Election Day -- but deadlines are deadlines! By the time you read it, we'll probably know how it all turned out. So I feel a journalist's obligation to talk about the election results, and using a Mad Libs format seemed like the only way to do it right. So grab your kids and play along!Dear America,Wowie wow wow -- that was quite an election, wasn't it? A real roller-coaster ride! But now that the votes have all been __(verb - past tense)_ and we know who our next president is, I thought we'd just check in with each other, reflect on … [Read more...]
One Nation … with Liberty and Changing Tables for All
Potty equality is nearly upon us, moms and dads.Just when you thought legislators in Washington, D.C., couldn't agree on anything, Congress passed and President Obama recently signed into law the Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation Act, or BABIES Act. The new law requires baby changing tables to be installed in men’s and women’s restrooms in publicly accessible federal buildings.“Government needs to do more to ensure that public buildings are family-friendly. No mom or dad should ever have to worry about finding a safe, sanitary place to change their baby … [Read more...]
Our Kids Can Mend the World We Wrought
There are countless problems in the world. They can be found in Sudan, Syria, England, Brazil and Ethiopia, to name but a few. Everywhere there are terrifying acts of nature and unnatural acts of terror. They are here, in America, too: gender and racial inequality, a lack of common-sense gun laws, incurable disease (and the profiting from it), the demonization of poverty, a culture of violence, the celebration of ignorance, and a demagogue wearing hate as a brand who wants nothing more than his bully in the pulpit. The lists go on and on, all of them, and it can seem overwhelming. Some issues … [Read more...]
Parents: Don’t Trump the Golden Rule
The last time my daughter and I talked politics, it was a much easier conversation. She was 11, and we were in full agreement that our vote would go to President Obama’s re-election. He was our Good Guy, and there was really nothing else to be said.Simpler times.She’s 15 now, which means her opinions are stronger and presented with much more bravado, if not evidence. It’s also served with a side dish of judgment. As in: “OHmigod, anybody who doesn’t vote for (place candidate name here) must be totally STUPID.”(I’m not saying I don’t believe that myself about some people. But I’ve … [Read more...]