September 2010 Entries
According to a new study by psychology professor Timothy Jay at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the rise in adult vulgarity is being mimicked by children and teens. Jay says that swearing really takes off between ages three and four. The reason for the rise in children who swear has everything to do with adults who swear at home. According to Jay, cursing is a form of coping, a way to reduce stress and vent anger.
It’s “Casino Night” at the local high school. The flyer sent home reads, “Bring your family for a night of food and fun and raise money for our school.” But is exposing kids to gambling a good way to fundraise? Isn’t it just harmless fun? Walk the halls of most high schools and you’ll find teens gambling before, during, and after school. It’s estimated that 4 - 6 percent of all adolescents are pathological gamblers.
Job uncertainty and loss has certainly hit a number of families in recent months. So I thought I would share a question asked by a wife whose husband recently was laid off from his company. She has noticed being more irritable and on edge due to financial stress. Her question was, “Do kids pick up on this and if so, how do we talk to them about what is happening?"
“Here is my advice. I would stay in school, get your degree, and then look for a job where you want to live.” Sounds reasonable? Maybe, but if you are a twenty something, it will probably be received as… “Thanks. I am sure that’s how you did it back in the day. But things are really different now.” Welcome to parenting a 20-something!
This past June, Kristin Stewart (of "Twilight" fame) was up for Best Kiss at the MTV Movie Awards. What might surprise you is that she was nominated twice—once for kissing Robert Pattinson in "New Moon" and the other for a passionate kiss with female co-star Dakota Fanning in "The Runaways". But that wasn’t all the kissing that happened during the evening. Hollywood was on a roll, trying to be funny, cute, or provocative with the audience.