Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
For Better or For (Much, Much) Worse
Do you remember something called “alienation of affection?” It was an old law that allowed a spouse to sue someone for interference with his or her marriage. It was once on the books in every state in the country. But in the 1930’s, most states got rid of the law, thinking that standard divorce laws were good enough. Today, you can only find the alienation of affection law in seven states — one of which is North Carolina. (more…)
Justice for Phoebe?
You may know that I’ve been on an intense crusade against teen bullying for the last several years. Right now, I am outraged! Bullying takes many forms. It happens with both boys and girls, on playgrounds and school buses, and now with cell phones and computers, there’s cyberbullying — omnipresent, electronic stalkers who can go after their targets day and night.
What’s happening before our very eyes is scary, and we are seeing sickeningly tragic results. Case in point, the recent heart-breaking and outrageous story of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince. Sadly, this is not an isolated story, as I have dealt with many heart-breaking stories of unchecked bullying many times over the last several years, some resulting in death. (more…)
It's Time for Kids in America to Rock Out!
My ears are still ringing from the jam session we had in the studio for last Thursday’s show. You would think I’d be used to it by now, after raising our very own rocker dude, our youngest son, Jordan. He can wail now, but boy, oh boy, those early years were rough! Ha! Jordan, I kid. I kid! (Sort of.)
I had such a great time with our amazing musical guests to kick off The Dr. Phil Foundation’s new music program called “Little Kids Rock Across America“, and man, they ROCKED. I’ve always said that parents need to encourage their children’s passions, and for some, that passion is music.
Not every kid is just a good student or athlete. For some, it’s music that can be a great way to enhance his or her self-esteem and help keep them out of trouble — “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” and all that. I really believe that when some children get to a certain age, they really want to feel like they belong to something, or at least have an identity that distinguishes them from being just a face in the crowd. (more…)
The Rudeness Epidemic
I love your comments on the new post, and many of you agree that common courtesy seems to be a thing of the past.
Why have we become so accepting of boorish behavior? I believe there’s a right way and a wrong way to deal with offensive attitudes, and you’re going to see some interesting experiments on today’s show. If you’re the culprit, well, you just might learn to view your behavior in a different light.
So what’s the rudest thing you’ve ever witnessed or done? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Moms Who Drink (While Being Mothers)
Sometimes I think common sense just isn’t common enough! This is one of those times. Now I probably should recuse myself from the following discussion, because it is about drinking and I admit that I don’t drink at all, which is pretty extreme and may compromise my objectivity, but I really don’t think it does. It’s just a personal preference, and I don’t really have a problem with those who do drink. I really don’t; so long as they drink responsibly, meaning in moderation, with a designated driver and, most importantly, when they’re not being the caregiver to their children.
You can probably guess that this is on my mind because of the horrifying tragedy that took place on a New York state freeway just recently. The driver of the vehicle, a 36-year-old mother of two, allegedly had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit. We still don’t know what happened in that instance, and while what’s being reported may seem extreme compared to chatting and having a drink or two with other mothers in the backyard on a sunny afternoon — what happens when a parent puts the kids in the car to head home? (more…)
