If you have ever watched the CBS Evening News on a Friday night, chances are you've had to reach for a box of tissues. That's because, more times than not, correspondent Steve Hartman's "On the Road" segments, tend to go right for the tear ducts. The preschooler who randomly befriends a despondent older man. The kid with special needs who gets his chance to score in a game. The whole town that comes out to thank one of its longtime residents. The waterworks start flowing even when you know from the start what is going happen. Such as in those tried and true tearjerkers … [Read more...]
Making a Fool of Yourself a Gift Your Kids Won’t Forget
Every Christmas growing up, for as long as I can remember, our entire family would attend a The Nutcracker ballet together. We would get dressed up and, my dad's three brothers and their families also along, head into downtown Chicago to watch some Christmas magic. As I kid, I really didn't enjoy this. I had to wear dress pants and most likely some God-awful itchy sweater that my mom loved. However, what I did like was that we went as a big group to somewhere special. That was our time together. We haven't done this in forever. With us kids grown up and with families of our own, the … [Read more...]
Santa’s Tips to Help Moms, Dads Make the Nice List
Santa and I are tight. He once warned me to slow down because I was carrying precious cargo. He also gave me a few goofy tips (he was laughing so hard he almost spit out his candy cane) for parents to insure their inclusion on the Nice List. Here it goes: Say “Yes" Try doing something with your children that you normally wouldn’t do. This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank or spend any money really, but what’s something outside of your comfort zone that the kids want to do that you can afford (emotionally) to try? Try it. Eat dessert first Go ahead. Break the rules and let the … [Read more...]
How to Survive Christmas Break with Your Children
If your situation is anything like mine, soon your kids will be home from school for Christmas break. That means days of being home all day with three children who are overly excited, trapped indoors because of freezing cold temperatures, constantly needing a snack, and -- even when they are having fun playing together -- they still sound like they are fighting. You might be wondering how I will survive this ordeal and, if you’re in this situation, how you will do the same. This year, I came up with a five-part plan to survive Christmas break. Feel free to use, modify, share or ignore. 1. … [Read more...]
Christmas Present and the Gift of Hope Beyond the Holidays
“What would you like for Christmas?” It was a simple question, sitting in a text message, timestamped and marked as read. I didn’t have a simple answer. Peace on Earth would be nice, but I would settle for a government that cares for its people. Cures to everything: disease, hunger and otherwise? That would be a Christmas miracle. Financial security might help me sleep at night, but a job would do me wonders. “Nothing,” I replied, because those are the things I would like forever. + + + I was in middle school when my mother’s parents died, both in the same year. I … [Read more...]
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