A must-read essay is in this issue: Stewart J. Frimer, a local clinical social worker, has written a provocative piece on how we raise our sons. “Boys, Guns and Violence” is an important and timely serious look at how we raise men. This ties in very well with Part II of our series on Teen Girls and dating violence. How we raise our men affects how they interact not only with women, but with the whole world around them. Parents need to be more and more educated about the important role they have in the ultimate social development of their children. Our writer, Tammy Scileppi, has once again taken on a topic of enormous impact that our whole society has to address.
Violence inhabits the nightly news and the daily headlines. It is our duty as parents to educate ourselves to the best of our ability to raise a healthy and functional family. Our future depends on it. We are here to evolve and it takes guts and determination to step outside of the status quo.
Another important reality is divorce. More and more prevalent, the question remains, how to talk with your children when the decision has been reached? When marriage is over, the conversation is not. Children are not exactly blind to the realities, especially if they are older. The younger children, however, may not be acknowledging the signs around them and communication is key. Then again, when is it not?
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I think I’m not alone. Even when I was a vegetarian, we made a super holiday feast, just minus the turkey. With all the hype from the media, it almost seems as if Thanksgiving is about the turkey and the holiday shopping. It’s good to try and keep in mind what it’s really about, the crops coming in and having sustenance for the winter ahead. Every culture has their own version of our Thanksgiving and as a result it’s perhaps the most inclusive of our holidays. Celebrating the harvest is an important acknowledgment of our good fortune and something we must never take for granted.
This year my daughter will not be at our table for the first time. I am feeling a bit weird about that although I knew eventually it was coming. The chicks leave the nest. This Mama bird wishes sometimes that they didn’t.
Every day is reason for thanks, but setting aside a special day to do it is, I think, a great priority deserving of our attention and respect. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks for reading.
