Even in a world where "the latest thing" is ever-changing, what is not ever-changing are the parts of childhood that help children develop the skills they need to be well balanced adults. To choose an old fashioned approach to make a point, if Nature wanted kids to be "wired" they would be born wearing an over-the-ear, Blue Tooth, headset (a bad example, perhaps, since Blue Tooth requires no wires). Technology or no technology, children need a certain amount of time to interact with family and friends in more conventional ways. They also need some time to engage in interests that are not   read more

Most parents are more than familiar with their own sleep problems that occur after a frazzling day. The truth is, even though babies don't have to worry about nasty bosses, paying bills, and a water heater than needs to be replaced; they, too, can get frazzled and anxious. They, too, are likely to have trouble going to sleep, or staying asleep, when their day has not been one during which they have felt calm and secure.While adults' threshold for becoming anxious is much higher than that of babies, the principle of anxiety causing sleep problems is the same. One of the biggest mistakes   read more

During one of the many screening interviews that took place prior to my adopting one of my children, the social worker asked, "Could you tell me what your parents did as far as disciplining their children went?" It was the only question she asked that left me feeling as if I didn't have an immediate answer.As I searched my mind for what to say, I could feel my eyes "looking" for an answer and my shoulders shrugging. After a few awkward "ums" and the realization that no answer had come to me, I said, "I don't really know. Nothing, I guess. They just talked." I was incredibly horrified and   read more

Ideas for writing are not something we find, but rather cultivate. Cultivating, however, implies that we already have some "seeds". In other words, the key to having a wealth of writing ideas is to find those seeds, know how to cultivate them, and create a bountiful garden from which to pick one of many inspired ideas.Since finding those seeds is a mental process, it shouldn't be a matter of long, laboring and tedious hunting and digging. Instead, it should be a matter of "mentally scanning" Tedious laboring is counter-productive to the creative process. Bringing a vast array of   read more

"The" truth about writing rules is that a writer must have a solid grasp of them. "My" truth about writing rules is that they are sometimes best broken. Whether or not I actually have any right to establish my own truth is something of which even I am not entirely sure. Still, I've often found that it is when I've broken the occasional writing rule that what I've written is most well received.This is not to say that I am opposed to good grammar (to the contrary, I have always had a very deep appreciation for the ways the "building blocks" of the written word can be perfectly and systematically   read more

The other day in a forum someone asked why people write. I thought I may as well post my response to that question here: Never ask someone who writes why he writes. You're at high risk of getting a book in reply! My motives/incentives for writing are sometimes comparable to my motives/incentives for walking or talking - different, depending on what, when, and how I'm walking or talking (or writing). At the same time, writing is "in a category by itself". Then, too, there's writing "in general", writing online, and writing on HubPages specifically (all different kinds of writing   read more

Even if just now and thenI long to hear your voice again.Again, to simply touch your hand;just have the chance, each now and then.Even if just now and thento know you're always there again.To hear your laughter, see your eyes;Again to hear your words, so wise.To have things as they were again,and not to wonder if or whenwe'll have the chance to meet again;each now and then I wish these thingsagain.   read more

Sometimes it seems as if I do more organizing of writing than writing, itself - and yet the organizing continues. As I mentioned elsewhere here, I do a lot of different types of writing. As a result, sometimes it can all just seem like a big batch of "miscellany" to me. I began this blog as a way of starting to organize the writing, but the need to organize grows as the number of posts/articles does. You'd think it would be important to have to organize writing I do for other people; but in a way, there's much less need when it comes to that kind of writing. Sure, I keep a copy of what   read more

Thoughts of April   read more

Tomorrow begins the month I've waited for all Winter! I don't have anything all that Earth-shattering to say about the beginning of April. It's just that I am a hater-of-Winter, a loather-of-Winter, and a Despiser-of-Winter. Over the last week, with all the flooding here in Massachusetts, I've also become particularly sick of downpours and water (at least the kind that has found its way to places no water should ever be). It's been good to know it's been March, but that hasn't been nearly enough of this hater-of-Winter, in view of the fact that March has brought a bunch of weather that is   read more