23 September 2011

The Passing of Common Sense

I came across this statement, and had to share it.


Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm; ... - Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don't spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers - I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, do nothing.

22 September 2011

Canada takes stance on salt, sugar, fats in processed food


After reading that Canadians on average consume about 26 teaspoons of sugar daily, it was refreshing to see Canada sign onto the UN agreement to combat chronic diseases.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the general director of the World Health Organization, and also a Professional Home Economist, slammed the tobacco industry for trying to "subvert this treaty".  She also said:


"Processed foods, very high in salt, trans fats, and sugar have become the new staple food in nearly every corner of the world. They are readily available and heavily marketed. For a growing number of people, they are the cheapest way to fill a hungry stomach,"

21 September 2011

The NHL needs to address Depression

With the three deaths this year of Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak who fought personal demons has brought to light the darker side of professional sports.

At times it is difficult to understand why someone who makes well over $500,000 a year would suffer from depression.  However, we know from many professions, money doesn't heal all wounds.

The NHL needs to wake up and realize their players, their product, are human.  They have issues.  Some as severe as abuse as a child, others have parents or family members who are ill, they become parents, they have to deal with the stresses of moving, and so on.

We know of the familiar stories of Theo Fleury and Sheldon Kennedy.  Neither committed suicide, but they were close.... and the NHL never really addressed the issue, they put a band-aid over the situation.

But this all has me wondering who is next?  Is it another "fighter"? Or is it someone who is depressed due to performance stress or concussions? Which I immediately thought of Marc Savard and Sidney Crosby, two players who have been on the injured reserve due to prolonged concussion symptoms.  Concussions to star players are a dark mark on the league.  But could you imagine if a star player took his life?  Could you imagine the ramifications?  I wonder if the NHL would act quicker in implementing a program if it was one of their elite products that committed suicide?

It just makes me wonder.  It has been a dark summer, compounded by the plane crash, for the NHL.

Let's see some action to protect this from happening in the future. Please.

20 September 2011

It's Your Life... Own It!


Jessie Clark, now Jessie Funk has turned from releasing music to writing motivational books, specifically for youth.

I got my, surprisingly, autographed copy from Jessie Funk telling me to remember the power I have.
This book includes personal stories from Funk, activities, and motivational quotes. Her book is broken into 10 parts, with an intro activity called Frisbee Face.

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Read the rest at Notes on Parenting.

SpongeBob is guilty.... along with other shows


SpongeBob has become a victim of the "protect-our-children" movement.

A study performed on kids measured their problem solving abilities after watching SpongeBob, Caillou (an apparently "calm" show said the researchers), and colouring.

The kids who watched SpongeBob performed significantly worse compared to the other to categories.

Of course colouring will produce the better outcome.  What I can't understand is why Caillou was used.  Yes, I understand it is calmer in the sense that the screen isn't bouncing around.  However, the quality, while at times education, promotes whining to get stuff.

I admit SpongeBob is banned in our house, as well as Rugrats, Alex, and Caillou. For reasons Angeline Lillard, the lead researcher said, it isn't just about how much TV children watch, it is the quality.

Be aware of what you are putting on in front of your kids.

13 September 2011

Time to Revive Home Economics


The New York Times recently had a piece promoting the need to bring Home Economics education back into the school system as we fight decaying families, teeth and an ever growing waste line.  Here are some excerpts that I enjoyed.


"NOBODY likes home economics. For most people, the phrase evokes bland food, bad sewing and self-righteous fussiness."



"Indeed, in the early 20th century, home economics was a serious subject. When few understood germ theory and almost no one had heard of vitamins, home economics classes offered vital information about washing hands regularly, eating fruits and vegetables and not feeding coffee to babies, among other lessons.
"Eventually, however, the discipline’s basic tenets about health and hygiene became so thoroughly popularized that they came to seem like common sense. As a result, their early proponents came to look like old maids stating the obvious instead of the innovators and scientists that many of them really were. Increasingly, home economists’ eagerness to dispense advice on everything from eating to sleeping to posture galled."

07 September 2011

Dealing with a Peanut Allergy




Finding out that your child has a severe peanut allergy can be a very stressful concern.  From worries about what kids are bringing to school in their lunches to trade with your child to what is in the food you just ordered in.

Discovering that your child has a reaction to peanuts may happen intentionally or accidentally.  For my family, we learned my daughter was allergic when she got her hands on a delicious peanut butter cookie.  Her lips began to swell and she got spots.  Mom took her to the doctor immediately.

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Read the rest of the post at Notes on Parenting.