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Whaddaya Say
Teens Talk: Getting In…To College
by Ella Damiano, from Chicken Soup for the Soul
When I was in third grade, someone told me that I could go to any college I wanted if I played the French Horn. The next year, I told the band teacher about my new passion for the French Horn, but ended up with a trumpet in my hand, because the teacher wanted me to start with the simpler instrument. I played trumpet for five years, but stopped before high school, when I would have switched to French Horn, because band would have conflicted with soccer. Read more…
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Brazilian Waxing: What worries me
by Lauri SternI worry about my daughter. In this age of instant fame, instant messaging and instant information, how will I raise her with a moral code that includes patience? When the media reports that oral sex has become as casual as a handshake, how can I drive home the message that a meaningful relationship takes time? Today’s teens appear to move at a much faster sexual pace than I did at their age. Not to sound puritanical, but after watching an episode of Gossip Girls, I wonder, “What can I do?” Of course there are channel blockers and computer safety programs, but even songs on the radio today have lyrics like, “I want to take a ride on your disco stick,” with 8-year-olds dancing to the beat in hip hop class. Read more…
Blended Families
We’ve been at this thing called “Blended Family” for over five years, and I can safely say that it’s been both a challenge and surprise for all parties involved. The dynamic really began when my girlfriend (and future wife) asked me to pitch in two nights a week to watch John*, then 9, and Carla*, then 6, while she completed her degree at Ursuline College. “When I’m not here, David is in charge,” she would say, and I took that seriously. I automatically turned on the Dad-as-Protector-and-Rearer mindset, and I dreamed of the day that these great, fun, welcoming children might call me Dad. Read more…
