Social Media, American Culture, and Parenting

These comments from the Rush Limbaugh Radio Show reflected so powerfully my own thoughts on this issue that I am posting his monologue. At some point when they grow older and mature, they have to get serious, and certain things

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/social-media-american-culture-and-parenting/

President Obama, Terrorism, and Homeschool

Dinner Topics for Friday US Grants Asylum to Muslim Terrorists but Not to Christian Homeschoolers By Dave Jolly See video About ten years ago, the Tsarnaev family was granted political asylum in the United States. Curiously over the past 10

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/president-obama-terrorism-and-homeschool/

College Student, Yale University, and Morality

Immorality at Yale Another case for homeschooling. Before you spend your life savings on a famous university, watch out! You may want to do some homework! There are a lot of courses you can take online, save money, and your

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/college-student-yale-university-and-morality/

Capitalism, American History, and Vanderbilt

Dinner Topics for Tuesday From Wikipedia Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), also known by the sobriquet Commodore,[2] was an American industrialist and philanthropist who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was also the patriarch

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/capitalism-american-history-and-vanderbilt/

Veterans, Soldiers, and Honor

Project honors Marine who gave life for comrades Donate to Paralyzed Veterans of America   By Joy Lucius Semper Fidelis! Always Faithful! More than a motto – for one group of Marines, these words exemplify their devotion for a fallen

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/veterans-soldiers-and-honor/

President Obama, Scandal, Socialism, and American Culture

Learning, Definition, and Critical Thinking Culture of liberalism and socialism Definition of sycophant: servile, self-seeking flatterer. Application today: President Obama is a cult figure for socialists and liberals; they follow him slavishly, defending criminal behavior with blind adoration, totally oblivious

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/president-obama-scandal-socialism-and-american-culture/

Stress Management, Classical Music, and Richard Wagner

Dinner Topics for Friday Classical Music and Richard Wagner

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/stress-management-classical-music-and-richard-wagner/

Classical Music and Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner Tannhauser Grand March

Jesus Christ: Christian Art

Dinner Topics for Thursday From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Carl Heinrich Bloch (May 23, 1834 – February 22, 1890) was a Danish painter. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and studied with Wilhelm Marstrand at the Royal Danish Academy of

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/jesus-christ-christian-art/

Bible Study: Abortion, Symbol, and Definitions

The Oath, a Serpent, and a Staff American Right To Life

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/bible-study-abortion-symbol-and-definitions/

Quotations: Holy Spirit, Virtue, and Vice

Dinner Topics for Tuesday Quotes by Alexander Pope “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/quotations-holy-spirit-virtue-and-vice/

Praying Hands: Story of Inspiration

Dinner Topics for Monday Praying Hands: A Story of Inspiration  Late in the fifteenth century, two young and zealous wood-carving apprentices in France confided in each other their craving to study painting. Such study would take money and both Hans

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/praying-hands-story-of-inspiration/

President Obama, Scandal, and Big Government Abuse

Unfortunately, there is no way the Senate will impeach a sitting black president. But we must keep fighting for our liberty, because they want us to give up and quit. Obama classmate audited 2 years ago now

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/president-obama-scandal-and-big-government-abuse/

Learning, College Students, and “Cultural Diversity”

Dinner Topics for Friday Warning: If you are looking at colleges, buyer beware! College tuitions these days will bankrupt you, and what follows is only one example of what is going on nationwide, in some of the most prestigious colleges.

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/learning-college-students-and-cultural-diversity/

Economy, Taxation, and Integrity

Calvin Coolidge represents the exact opposite of President Obama. Coolidge had integrity. He deserves a lot more respect than he ever got. ~C.A. Davidson Dinner Topics for Thursday “Reprinted by permission from Imprimis, a publication of Hillsdale College.” “We must

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/economy-taxation-and-integrity/

History: Israel and Palestine

Dinner Topics for Wednesday So, journalists, activists, and foreign ministers of the world: you still have time to ask yourselves and others these questions; still have time to prevent a great wrong from being done; still have time to save

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/history-israel-and-palestine/

President Obama Scandal: Update

Obama Lied; People Died The Damning Dozen: Twelve Revelations from the Benghazi Hearings Obama calls Benghazi controversy a

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/president-obama-scandal-update/

Government, Beast, and Homeschool

Dinner Topics for Tuesday Starve the Beast — Homeschool Your Children Not to mention that most schools, including expensive universities and colleges, are woefully inept at teaching critical thinking. ~C.A. Davidson Whoever controls the schools rules the world.~ Gary DeMar

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/government-beast-and-homeschool/

Nursing Hero: Florence Nightingale

Dinner Topics for Monday From wikipedia Florence Nightingale OM, RRC 12 May 1820

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/nursing-hero-florence-nightingale/

Stress Management, Classical Music, and Johannes Brahms

Dinner Topics for Friday Don

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/stress-management-classical-music-and-johannes-brahms/

Classical Music and Johannes Brahms

Dinner Topics for Friday

Don't miss this sweet waltz and the great commentary on Brahms in the video of his 3rd symphony

Brahms Waltz





Brahms Symphony no. 3 Poco Allegretto

President Obama, Communism, and Truth

Russian Calls Out Barack Obama As A Communist by Leon Puissegur Barack Obama is called a pure Communist by the Russian Press and many in Russia are making that statement. Maybe that is why the Boston Bombers could get away

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/president-obama-communism-and-truth/

Quotations: Liberty, Socialism, and Economy

Dinner Topics for Wednesday Quotations by Friedrich Hayek If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion. ~Friedrich August

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/quotations-liberty-socialism-and-economy/

President Obama, Scandal, and Truth

Obama Lied; People Died There is an old saying about the Emperor Nero in Roman history: Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Update on Benghazi Scandal Cover Up Benghazi Blows Up on Bob Schieffer May 06, 2013

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/president-obama-scandal-and-truth/

Parenting: Teaching Kindness

Dinner Topics for Tuesday More about Teaching Kindness: Parenting Value: Kindness Kindness

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/parenting-teaching-kindness-2/

Parenting Value: Kindness

The value of Kindness
& Friendliness

Becoming more extra-centered and less self-centered. Learning to feel with and for others. Empathy, tolerance, brotherhood. Sensitivity to needs in people and situations.
Richard and Linda Eyre

Introduction
Simple kindness and friendliness is a great human value. It involves parts of other values, such as the empathy of sensitivity and the boldness of courage, but it is a very separate and different value from these. This value is also partially an extension of the value of peaceability. In peaceability we try to teach children not to hurt and to avoid conflicts. Here we teach the positive side of being a friend, acting friendly and kindly, and becoming more polite and courteous.

Friendliness and gentleness also apply to self. Children who learn to be gentle and tolerant with themselves grow up to be less stressed and more relaxed and self-secure. 

Simple friendliness (based on our earlier-established criteria and definition of a value of something that helps others and diminishes hurt in others) is a profound value. Often a simple act of kindness or a word or two of extended friendship can change another person's attitude and mood for the rest of the day -- and longer.

In trying to teach kindness and friendliness to our children we once again realize that they are not lumps of clay to be molded as we choose, but seedlings -- already who they are -- ready to blossom if watered and fertilized and exposed to a lot of sunlight.

Wherever your children fit on the scale of natural kindness and friendliness to others, there is always room for improvement on this important value of life.

_____________________

A friend of ours told me a story that I thought illustrated how parents can be kind and friendly to their own children and thus improve the rapport and feeling between them.

He came home from work one day, went into his "private" bathroom, and found little five-year-old Lulu, who loves trying to clean things, holding an empty cleanser can and standing over a bathtub that was overflowing with soap suds onto the carpet. He nearly reacted the way most parents would have: "Lulu! You used way too much soap! You're ruining the carpet! You should never try to do things like this without help!"

But he had some especially tender feelings in his heart that day for Lulu, and he said, "Oh, Lu, you were trying to clean Dad's tub, weren't you?"

Little Lulu looked down and said, "But Daddy, I used way too much soap!" It was a tender, warm moment that ended in a big hug.

If the father had said, "You used way too much soap," Lulu would have said, probably with some bitterness or some hurt, "But Daddy, I was just trying to clean your tub!" It would have been an unpleasant, separating moment. -- Richard

_____________________

Sometimes we don't need to tell our children what they did wrong. They already know. If we are kind and gentle with them and come to their defense, they will say what we would have said, and the moment will be warm and the feeling will be right.

General Guidelines
Have a "gentleness and politeness" pact." This can create a mood of particular kindness and warmth in your home during this "month." Get together as a family as you start this month and discuss how pleasant a place the world is when people are kind and gentle. Ask the children to join you in a "pact of gentleness and politeness" for the month. Explain that this will mean a commitment of two "do's" and two "don't's."

Do's:

·  Be polite -- say, "please," "thank you," and "excuse me," and look for chances to extend acts of courtesy.

·  Smile and ask, "How are you?" Expect a real answer to the question and listen to it.

Don'ts:

·  Don't yell or raise your voice or be critical of another.

·  Don't say anything critical -- neither of someone else nor of yourself. (No "I'm so stupid" or "I can't do anything right.")

Talk frequently about how things are going, how people feel, how hard it is to remember, and so on.
Decide where your child stands in his natural abilities to be kind and friendly. Know what your challenge is with each child. There is nothing quite like the joy one feels as a result of kindnesses to those who really need and appreciate it, whether it be a good deed for one little old man across the street or kindness on a more grander scale. However, kindness and friendliness are never as easy as they sound. Some children show their insecurities by pretending to be popular but putting other children down in ways that are outright cruel, while other shrinking violets and painfully shy children spend all their time wondering why no one likes them. Others are genuinely well adjusted and naturally look for ways to be kind and friendly to those around them. Try to determine where your child fits in his natural abilities to be kind and friendly so that you know where to begin.

Teach by example. Give your children clear and specific models for friendliness, kindness, and politeness. This value is one that cannot be overdone. During the month be extra friendly and polite to everyone, including your children. Use "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" profusely. Say nice things. Practice Emily Post etiquette in everything from opening doors and holding chairs for women to setting the table in a proper and special way. Even help children with their own jobs. Smile a lot.
Watch children respond. Once they get over the suspicion that you're putting them on or rehearsing for a part in some play, they will begin to mirror what they see in you.

Teach your child the value of relationships, not only with friends but with family. This will increase their appreciation of close "blood" relationships. During an evening meal every few months take the time to reinforce the importance of having friends and being a friend. Foster and nourish the idea that even though outside friends are very important, the best friends they will ever have should be their brother or sister (as well as his or her parents). Childhood friends will come and go, but family members will last throughout life. Those friendships should be nurtured and treated with care. You could even try a private game among family members. When one child is persecuting another or arguing or calling names in a way that he would not think of doing with a friend, have the persecuted child say the word friend, which is a code word to the other child to lay off and begin treating him a little more like a friend. Although it may not work at the moment, it will help to raise the awareness of what they're doing. (The same game works for parents who talk to their children in less than glowing terms, or vice versa.) You could even suggest that when a child is angry or being rude to another family member, an onlooking child has a responsibility to walk up to the child being attacked, put his arm around him, and say, "Don't talk that way to one of my best friends."

"Parenting-by-Objective"
Review the activities and stories that go along with this months value. Make sure everyone in your family understands the value so they can see how they can apply it in their own lives and situations.
Talk about the Monthly Value every morning and remind your family to look for opportunities to use the value throughout the day. They may also observe how others don't understand the value. Get your children to share their experience with the value each day at the dinner table or before you go to bed. Be sure to share your experience each day as well. It will help your children know that you are thinking about the value too.

Dinner Topics: Birth and Human Rights

Dinner Topics Newsletter Dear Valued Readers, About our Newsletter (NOTE: The Newsletter is free and digital. There is no paper copy of the newsletter. ) I continue to get requests for the newsletter. You can get the monthly newsletter and

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President Obama, America, and Fast and Furious

Speech to Mexican Students: Obama Bashes America

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/president-obama-america-and-fast-and-furious/

American Culture: Liberty vs. Communism

Dinner Topics for Friday Immigrant: We Don

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/american-culture-liberty-vs-communism/

Boston Marathon, Terrorism, and Teaching

Younger brother Dzhokhar graduated from the celebrated Boston high school Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS). A graduate of CRLS has had years of anti-American claptrap crammed down his throat Kent Clizbe is a former CIA counterterrorism operations officer. His

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/boston-marathon-terrorism-and-teaching/