Category: Parenting

Detroit, the Family and Reflections on Racism

My first job as a graduate nurse was in a hospital in downtown Detroit. I worked in a labor/delivery unit with a diverse group of patients. Some women had taken Lamaze classes and some were unwed teenagers. We had a pregnant woman, victim of a gunshot, who was partially paralyzed. The unit had on average… Continue reading Detroit, the Family and Reflections on Racism

Nine Tips for a Young Woman

Flowers photographed in Israel

As a mom, grandmother and nurse What advice would I give to a young woman? Learn about life practices that support your health: nutrition, exercise, rest. Pay attention to the rhythm of your body, because your cycles give insight into your health. Don’t share your body intimately with a young man outside of marriage. Sex… Continue reading Nine Tips for a Young Woman

Medical Freedom for Families

Over the past couple of years I have tracked legislation occurring across our country with regard to childhood vaccinations. Because one of my children developed fibromyalgia after a vaccine I am sensitive to this issue. In 1986 the federal government passed a bill, the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, that gave pharmaceutical companies immunity from… Continue reading Medical Freedom for Families

At the Mall: The VIE Event

What happened in Washington D.C. last week? The constant drumbeat for impeachment continues and headlines the news. There are many topics, news relevant to parents and families to report. Congress has many issues that should be addressed for the people. On November 14th an event took place on the Washington D.C. Mall. It was cold,… Continue reading At the Mall: The VIE Event

At Last a Child Spoke Truth

Hans Christian Anderson wrote fairy tales that I read as a child. Recently one of those stories has come to mind. In The Emperors New Clothes swindlers approach a self-indulgent King with a proposal. They have devised a very clever lie with their plot. They tell the King that the magical clothes they produce will… Continue reading At Last a Child Spoke Truth

Learning and Teaching Patience

Patience is a virtue, worth cultivating in ourselves and our children. Some years ago I read an article by Pamela Druckerman that extolled the way French parents teach their children to wait. In her article, Why French Parents Are Superior, Druckerman pointed out that children who have learned patience are more content and better behaved.… Continue reading Learning and Teaching Patience

A Call to People of Faith for the Sake of the Children

Attorney General Bill Barr gave a speech to the law school at the University of Notre Dame on October 11, 2019. In that speech he said: “For anyone who has a religious faith, by far the most important part of exercising that faith is the teaching of that religion to our children. The passing on… Continue reading A Call to People of Faith for the Sake of the Children

Is There Something We Can Learn from Nazi Germany?

At the back of the book there are 57 pages of notes. Erik Larson has written a meticulous history based on government documents, letters and diaries.  The book, In the Garden of the Beasts, provides a view of Nazi Germany through the eyes of the American ambassador. William Dodd was a history professor. He was… Continue reading Is There Something We Can Learn from Nazi Germany?

Extending Hospitality at Home and With the Church

During WWII children were being evacuated from France and Paris. I just finished reading Until We Find Home, a historical novel by Cathy Gohlke. It is a story of unexpected hospitality. When Claire arrives at her aunt’s home in Windemere England with five French Jewish children she completely surprises her aunt who has become somewhat… Continue reading Extending Hospitality at Home and With the Church