Child rearing is an experience that makes adults out of grown-up children, called parents. As soon as a child is added in the life of a couple, everything changes. Suddenly, the baby becomes the focus of their lives. Everything revolves around the needs of the baby. The first formative years, from age birth upto five years lay the foundation of the whole life of a child. Mistakes made in child rearing during this time can sometimes be irreversible.

One of the fundamental principles of parenting is to appreciate the needs of a baby. If the needs are misunderstood, the responses of the parents will lead to damage in the bond between the baby and the mother. One of the earliest needs of the baby are- food, sleep, being clean and a sense of safety. Once these needs are met, the baby is a happy baby. The first three needs are physical but the need to feel safe is where there is a difference of opinion among experts. In cultures, where babies are free to sleep with parents and where the mother is available to cling to during any time of the day, the baby feels safe. In cultures where babies are made to sleep in separate rooms, and most of the waking life is spent in creches, there is a shift in the baby’s perception of safe relationships.

Spending time in creches has the advantage of bonding with different person/s other than the mother, which may be looked at as the start of making the individual independent. But the frequent change in caregivers gives confusing messages to the subconscious. The more the changes in the number of caregivers involving less touch, the more the nervous system feels unstimulated. At the end of the day, the baby’s needs for safety are prime after feeding and cleaning has been done. Touch plays a major role in providing the baby, a sense of safety. The more the tender touch is available, the safer the baby feels. Sensorial satiation is what makes a child grow up to be a stable individual.

When a baby does not get sensorial satisfaction, then the baby starts to develop various problems, one of which is hyperactivity. In my own observations, a child who has had the kind of touch that is available to a child reared full time by a mother in India or in Nigeria, he or she is likely to be more stable emotionally. In this case the behaviour can be easily controlled because the nervous system has absorbed the sense of safety in the subconscious. The hyperactivity happens because the nervous system has not reached its level of satisfaction. Children in India are of lesser weight than a baby born in Western Europe. Yet they develop motor skills like crawling and walking and talking earlier than children in the Westren countries. My conclusion is that the sense of safety by touch by mother is the key to this difference. In India, in families in which the baby gets touch -experiences the whole day by family members, even if the mother may be working, motor skills are learnt earlier.

As the baby grows up to understand language, the next step is to teach the baby ways of life. A normal baby who feels well loved, will behave well and will not show any problem behaviour. Any reprimand by the parent, by a well bonded child, is taken seriously and obeyed. The more the child feels loved, the less are the chances of misbehaviour.Love is the best foundation for discipline.

When a child is to be reprimanded, it needs to be done immediately after an event and not ten minutes later. A child has a short memory span. So correction has to be immediate. This way the child can learn to associate the event with the consequences. It is important to let a child know what the expected conduct needs to be rather than giving out for undesirable behaviour.

Spanking or beating is not needed to correct a child. They are counter-productive. If you want a behaviour to discontinue, let the child know of its consequences. For example, if you do not want a toddler to go near a burning candle, then you have to hold the child’s hand and bring it to a safe distance from the flame, so that the child can feel the heat. Once a child knows the fire can burn, they will not go near the flame. Such experiences demand hard work and alertness on the part of a parent. But it is worth it if you want a healthy and well adjusted happy adult as a child.

Experience teaches a child. Words do not mean much, till they are associated with experience. In order for a child to learn, every mistake and its consequences have to be explained in simple language without going into too much details. And everything needs to be based on truth. If a child observes parents being untruthful in any area of life, no matter what you tell them about truth, they will learn to be untruthful.

Copyright Pradeep K Chadha 2006

So what are the gambling myths and gambling facts? A myth is defined as: A popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone. A fact is defined as: A piece of information projected as having objective reality. In the gambling industry there are numerous myths perceived to be facts that range from where the hot slot machines are to tips while playing table games. Here are a few:

Slot Machines

Myth – “The loosest machines are placed at the entrances”.

Fact – All machines are pre-programed to hold a certain percentage of monies played over time to ensure a profit. This is known as the house edge, AKA casino advantage. The percentages may vary from 1 to 15% depending on jurisdiction, denomination, or type.

Myth – “The slots seem to be hitting less on the weekends when it’s crowded. That’s when they tighten them up to make more money”.

Fact – First of all it’s against the law to change the hold amount. Second, the only way to “tighten” up a machine s to contact a representative from the manufacturer to come and change the computer chip, and they would also need casino control board approval. This is time consuming and expensive.

Myth – “Slot attendants know where the hot ones are. Grease their palm and they’ll lead you to the right machines”.

Fact – No one knows which ones are about to hit. Some casinos advertise banks of machines with 98 or 99% paybacks but that’s over the long term. If any slot attendant knew which ones were due to hit, their relatives would probably be playing them.

Myth – “I’ve been playing this machine for a long time and losing. When I left, another player took my seat, and he hits a jackpot on the first spin! If I played just one more spin that jackpot would be mine”!

Fact – A computer chip in the machine called the Random Number Generator, generates thousands of combinations every second. Jackpots can happen even when the machine is not in play. It’s not likely that you would have won.

Blackjack

Myth – “The novice player on my right is making all the wrong moves. He just hit a 16 against a weak dealer 5. He busts by drawing a 10, which should have been mine. I would have won with my double down 11”.

Fact – It’s true that a bad player can affect the outcome of other players hands, but they can also make decisions that result in other players winning. it evens itself out over the long term.

Myth – “I just lost 5 hands in a row. I’m due to win so I’m going to bet up to recoup my losses”.

Fact – The result of your previous hands has no bearing on the results of future hands. If you keep betting up, your money might disappear sooner.

Craps

Myth – “It’s bad luck when a stick man sends the dice to a shooter with a seven showing”.

Fact – Stick persons do not do this intentionally. Sometimes a die will flip on the felt and a seven will show. Sometimes players pre-set the dice to the number they want to hit before tossing. This only holds up the game and aggravates others. Pre-setting the dice does not affect the outcome of the roll.

Myth – “A virgin shooter is good luck”.

Fact – No person or event can cause good or bad luck. First time shooters are often remembered when they win for other players at the table, bu quickly forgotten when they lose.

These are just a few of the gambling myths that have infiltrated the industry over time. Forget the myths and know the facts to maintain a positive and winning attitude. Good Luck!

When author Ginal LoBiondo was just a little girl she, like many other children, had a toy bear. She loved him and cared for him. Like most children she took her little bear everywhere she went. But, there came a day when Gina grew up and her parents felt she was to old to have a bear and they put him in a garage sale.

Now, in the present day, Gina is all grown up and writing books for children. She has been writing books for sometime now. All of her books have a heartfelt feel about them that children and parents come to love. The idea occurred to write her story “Button Nose The Sad Little Bear” when she decided to search for her long lost bear. She discovered him on eBay after a search that lasted over two years. As an adult, she often wondered what had happened to him and finding him was like a dream come true.

Asides from the cute illustrations, her book also has real photos of her family, the bear and Gina holding her soft cuddly bear. Gina decided to write the book from the point of view of Button Nose. If a bear had feelings, what might he be thinking or feeling each time he was sold at a garage sale or an antique collectibles shop is the message she wanted to convey. This is not an unusual point of view for a toy in a story. Young children assume that their favorite toys can see, hear and feel.

In addition to writing, Gina is also a book collector. She loves the Heidi and Cinderella books and has a nice selection of varied editions. These books take her back to fond memories of her childhood. She had trouble learning to read as a child and these books helped her find the interest and passion that she currently has for reading and writing stories for children.

Gina has already completed her next book for children. She has decided to share her version of “Cinderella” which is quite fitting since she loves the story so much. Readers of “Button Nose” will get a sneak peek of “Cinderella” a two-act play that teachers will especially love. The full-length two act state play that the book is based on, is Gina’s first major writing project. A synopsis of the story reads “When Charles marries Vera, his daughter Ella is treated like a servant. Years later, her only chance at happiness comes from a most unexpected source.”

Gina started Nephthys Publications so that she could someday help other writers publish their work. Her advice to new writers is to never give up. If you enjoy heartfelt stories then you will love “Button Nose The Sad Little Bear.”

The internet has revolutionized the way we think and behave nowadays. Apart from keeping us connected with people who are poles apart, it provides us with a great source of information. To be honest, neither I nor my kids can imagine our lives without the Internet, but I was worried sick about how to save them from the dark side it holds. The commonly prevailing theft, pornography, and fake news on the Internet can be a hell of a lot more dangerous for your kids than you think.

Some parents think engaging kids in outdoor play and banning the use of the internet for them is a solution. But, it’s not! You can’t save your kids from using the Internet as it is everywhere. If they don’t use it at home, they will use it at school or at a friend’s place. The only thing you can do is aware them with the negative aspects and increase their maturity in the following ways.

1. Place your Computer in the Lounge

When your kids are below 15, avoid placing the computer in their rooms or anywhere private. Do not allow them laptops and install a common computer for them in the lounge or any shade structure in your home. You, too, might have to sacrifice a bit for them as they get attracted to devices when they see adults using them. In their presence, try to keep your laptops and tablets inside and use the common computer only.

2. Look at What they are Looking at

You don’t need to do it once they have grown up, but you have to be a little investigative when they are below 18. I try to browse through histories and my kids’ social media accounts to know what they are into. Once I found them browsing an inappropriate website, so I counseled them on how it can harm them.

3. Teach them Not to Publicize their Personal Information

Personal information is the most powerful tool for thieves and sexual predators for blackmailing and negative use. I have always taught my kids not to use their personal information including phone number, email address, photograph, passwords, and even real names on social media websites. Furthermore, aware them to only talk to people they know.

4. Block Unnecessary Material

Your kids may get access to some websites unintentionally. For example, they may reach some harmful pornographic websites while looking for their biology queries. You have to keep an eye and block such websites to keep them protected. They don’t know what they are looking at and it’s better they don’t till they grow up.

5. Be Friendly and Empathetic

The only way you can protect your kids from the negative aspects of the Internet is to be friendly with them. Don’t be too strict or bossy that they fear telling you things they experience. For instance, be frank enough to them so that they may open up to you in case they go through cyberbullying. That’s the only way you can protect your kids!

Do people grow up and blossom? Or are they brought up by somebody else? The general expression is -“I was brought up.”- Especially in the Americas and European continent where we often hear people saying: “I was brought up Christian” or “I was brought up Jewish”, these are very common words and ways that we use to define ourselves, but I think it’s absolutely ridiculous and humiliating that a human being has to be brought up. You can bring up cattle but not a person. A human being is supposed to blossom by his own nature, that is why we are on the top of the pile, at least, on this planet and in evolutionary scale, and most people don’t seem to understand that, or they are not allowed to understand by a whole lot of people; so they need to be “brought up”.

Bringing up means that somebody is molding you, and molding means that it’s a predetermined shape.

No flower that blooms is the same way as another flower which blossomed yesterday. If we apply a mold in the same example of the flowers, it means that it’s always going to be the same form of the flower, over and over again. Right now, that seems to be the same mold technique we generally and unfortunately used in the current education system, the so-called religions that are operating in the world, and of course, the family we have grown on. They all want you to be in a certain mold; they don’t want you to blossom like a wildflower. Because they’re afraid of anything fresh happening among them, they want something molded and familiar to them, being different or unfamiliar will cause a lot of discomfort among those groups. If you have succumbed to that system, then yes, you’ve been molded into a certain form, but if you allow your humanity to blossom you will see, that you don’t belong to any mold.

The beauty of being human is that there’s no particular way to be: If you were a cat, you would be in one way, if you were a bird, you are going to be in another way, but to be human there is no particular way to be. What is human is not defined, nor described; it seems like nature drew two lines, for every other creature on this planet; within that two lines, creatures have to play their role. But for us humans, only the bottom line it’s drawn, there is no top line; socially, people are trying to draw a top line for themselves, but nature has not drawn a top line for any of us. The possibilities are limitless, and this is exactly what is freaking us, humans, right now, because we can’t decide what we are going to be, as result of that, we are constantly trying to be like somebody else or fake our way of being. Only the bottom line is set, for our constant evolution.

Evolution is such an abstract concept nowadays, but we still understand that there is more than one way to evolve as human beings, could be consciously or unconsciously. To be more playful on this topic I’m going to ask you a question. In your experience of life, do you find all human beings at the same level of evolution?

I asked without prejudice, but with all the respect to every human being, there’re many people who could feel more complete with a tail, horns or sharp claws because they are always trying to find a way to fight one another for the foolish things in the world. You can go out and drive on the street to see what I am talking about; Traffic is such a mess but is messier in other parts of the world. Driving in the Dominican Republic (where I am from) is probably the most challenging thing, I’ve seen people driving their dream cars on emotional edge for the smallest things, and they are in so much rage; even in other countries where the traffic is far more disciplined. I see the same rage, in every second somebody, is getting in your way where I live. Is like people are constantly trying to test their horoscope; if their astrologer has told them -You will live for eighty years- they will test they lifespan by driving like crazy.

People who are in such a state of rage probably are going to evolve over time and nature will give those claws and horns, because it would be more suitable for their state of mind and emotions. When you see this type of people you feel like they actually want to claw somebody, but they don’t have the claws to do so. Their evolutionary process should be that one day they get the claws. The examples go on and on for the different type of people, but you probably understand my sarcasm at this point.

We all humans aren’t in the same level of evolution even though we are doing the same things as other creatures: we are born, we eat, sleep, reproduce and die just like any other creature in this planet. The one thing we can do differently is to conduct all these very simple aspects of life, consciously; from the moment you are awake till the moment you fall asleep, how many thoughts, emotions, and actions you conduct consciously? This will determine the state of your evolution right now.

If you can conduct those things mentioned consciously, I am pretty sure that you will do it in a certain way. If you take matters compulsively, you will look like any other creature on this planet. We only seem to be at the peak of evolution when we do things consciously, not otherwise. You have enough awareness and consciousness to evolve consciously. When we were like monkeys in the past, we couldn’t decide “I’ll become a human being.” Cause nature was the one who pushed us. But now we are conscious enough to decide “I want to evolve from where I am to whatever is possible.”

We must pay attention to everything around us nowadays because modern society is suffering from an attention deficiency syndrome caused by people’s idea of education. Most people believe that education is information, but the whole idea of the human education system has become to heaping you with information; the more information you heap upon any mind, the more that mind will develop an aversion to attention. Because without knowing anything, information gives you a false feeling of knowing everything and this is becoming a fashion nowadays. for example:

If somebody invited you for a dinner party, you can Google out information about the hundred billion galaxies out there in space; they’ve all been numbered and named, and you see that the galaxy 5337BZ is going to collide with another galaxy (You know this because those were the first two sentences to appear when you Google it) and you go to the dinner party. Whoever talks to you or say “how are you?” you can say something like “hey! do you know about the galaxy 5337BZ that is a trillion light years away?” and you talk about it, making people believe that you’re smart.

This is the whole problem with our world right now. We are mistaking information for intelligence. Anybody who wants to navigate through any situation needs intelligence, not just information, cause the info is just a useful tool on the side that helps you to navigate through a particular situation in a unique way.

Once you fill yourself with too much information, attention becomes a serious problem. You lose the ability to hold your attention and also the ability to access your intelligence. You just churn out the information from memory.

You probably heard the story of Andrew Carnegie. When he started his enterprise in a short amount of time he became so super successful and made so much money that the U.S government suspected that he was doing some malpractice. They set up a Senate investigation committee and they questioned him in every way possible and found nothing wrong with his business; they became desperate and asked, -“How do you manage to make so much money and be so successful?-” Carnegie response was very simple. he said: -“My secret is that I can keep my mind focused on something for five straight minutes.”- All the senators start to look at themselves and asked -“What the deal is with focused the attention for five minutes?”- and they start to experiment among themselves; they couldn’t keep it their attention on anything for more than a few seconds and Carnegie said -“You should not be running the United States.”-

When we were kids we usually make a lot of races to see who can run faster. But allow me to play a little with those memories of your running days. If you have to participate in a race with your friends and I attach you three legs, you will run slower; but with just two legs you would run faster, right? this is the same thing happening with information, you attach something that is not yours to your memory and identifies yourself with it. The more you do that, the less effective you become.

If you pick up a teenager with the internet, he will probably know the name of the galaxy we used in the example but is not good for him, because that is not knowledge, it doesn’t have any usefulness more than just boastfulness. We, humans, need to realize that we do not know even a speck in the universe properly, not even an atom, the moment you believe “I know this” you cannot pay attention. The arrogance of information will bring you attention deficiency.

You probably notice that the more educated people begin to be, the more affluent people become. They cannot wait, because patience happens to be scarcer, but people who don’t think much of themselves live very differently, for example:

If you ask a villager to come, sit and wait. He’ll simply sit there and wait the whole day. But if you ask an educated man to do the same thing, he will look at his watch 20 times in a minute because he cannot wait, he doesn’t have patience as result of his brain thinking too much of himself.

I hope you understand the proportion of who you are in this existence cause If you don’t is going to be hard for you to understand that sometimes in life there is no other way than just wait. When I say proportion I was referring to the comparison of our speck of existence to the infinite size of the cosmos. So if you have the desire of evolving, blossom and achieve great things in this life you must have the patience to learn how your environment is shaping you and how to break the mold you and society have to build around your true nature as a human being.

Introduction

At the time of writing this article (August 2015), a quarter of Amazon’s top twenty best-selling books are coloring in books. So what is an adult coloring book, and how is it that they are currently outselling top fiction authors with new releases such as E.L. James and Paula Hawkins?

Adult coloring books are, very simply, coloring in books for grown ups. Like children’s coloring books, they are full of outline illustrations designed to be filled in with colored pencils, markers, crayons, or whatever other media you wish to use.

What’s in an adult coloring in book?

The main difference between adults’ and kids’ color books is that the grown up versions generally feature less juvenile images and designs. Instead of superheroes, barnyard animals, and television characters, adult coloring in books are more often filled with:

• elements of the natural world, such as trees, flowers, leaves, gardens, animals and insects;
• geometric designs;
• psychedelic patterns;
• repetitive ‘wallpaper’ type patterns;
• cities and buildings;
• anatomical drawings;
• goddesses, angels, and mermaids;
• mandalas; and
• celtic designs.

There are also many ‘theme’ specific books available, featuring diverse subjects such as cars, steampunk designs, and Art Nouveau patterns.

Why are they so popular?

A Scottish illustrator named Johanna Basford published a coloring book called Secret Garden in 2013, featuring pages of beautifully hand-illustrated ink drawings. The New York Times reported in March that a Korean pop star named Kim Ki-bum posted a photograph on Instagram of a ‘delicately colored-in floral pattern’ from Secret Garden. At the time, Ki-bum had a massive 1.8 million Instagram followers. The post went viral and helped to ignite the craze.

The growth in popularity of the books reportedly has much to do with adult relaxation and stress release. Many adults who use the books report that they find the repetitive, low-stress nature of coloring in to be soothing, relaxing, and a way of de-stressing away from the pressures of life and work.

Among the other benefits of adult coloring in books, they also claim to enjoy recapturing the nostalgia of childhood by engaging in an activity usually reserved for children. It takes people back to a simpler time, and can also be a way for parents to connect and bond with their children by sitting down to color in with them. Of course, many parents have been happily coloring in kids’ books for years, but now they have choices that are not limited to Dora the Explorer or SpongeBob SquarePants.

In summary, coloring for adults appears to be a growing past-time that allows adults to relax and unplug from the stress in their lives, by engaging in a hands-on activity that involves minimal commitment and maximum nostalgia.

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” Les Miserables is a story during the time of the French Revolution wherein it portrays the oppression of the French laws to the ex-offenders that was never allowed to redeem themselves and this kindles the flames of the social revolution. This film review will focus on a man who symbolizes repentance and how his path crosses other characters that gave meaning to his life. It talks about Jean Valjean’s struggle to escape the past and reaffirm his humanity in a society wherein poverty and ignorance prevails. This review will also include how women are treated in the society and their state when it comes to equality of sexes.

Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, a proud and decent man imprisoned for stealing bread to save his sister’s daughter from starving. Convict Jean Valjean is paroled but starving because no one will hire or help a known criminal, then one night a bishop at a rural church showed him profound kindness gave him food and shelter. The bishop imbued him with kindness and goodness that shapes the rest of his life wherein he decided to break his parole and build a new identity. He became a mayor and a factory owner where his path crosses with Fantine a factory worker whose grown up daughter Cosette is fatefully in love with Marius a revolutionary leader. Jean Valjean lived his life being guilty of theft and this came a part of his life when Javert chases him for him being an ex-convict. He became a father and mother to Cosette until she is grown-up because he promised to Fantine that she will take care of her daughter and pay all their debts. Because of Cosette, Jean Valjean was able to join the revolution to save Marius the man who is in love with his daughter Cosette.

One of the causes of Jean Valjean’s renewal is the Bishop of the rural church who showed him kindness even if he stole the silverwares of the church. In that scene the bishop symbolizes God who is naturally welcoming and forgiving, the bishop welcomed Jean Valjean with open arms and forgive him like God, He also welcome and embraces sinners who come back to him and repent for what they’ve done. As time passed by, Jean Valjean’s life is continually changing and he had been wealthy and become a mayor. He endowed his helping hands to people who need them especially in the character of Fantine wherein she is a factory worker that was fired for having a daughter out of wedlock. I think Jean Valjean did this because before he is also experiencing the sufferings of Fantine and also because he is empowered and helped by God also to be an instrument of hope and kindness to others. There are three remarkable scenes of him that marked in my heart, first is the act when he suffered just because he stole bread for his sister’s daughter who is starving. We have seen how the perception of Javert and how he acts to criminals, he even stated that once a criminal will always be a criminal. Second, is when he adopted Cosette and vowed to loved her and raise her well. This scenario is also the same with the experience of her sister and his niece who is starving that causes his conviction, but in here Cosette is starving for her mother’s presence and also the dying Fantine also wants her daughter by her side. Lastly is when he dared not to take the shot to kill Javert who has been one of his enemies.

The film showed us the flow of the story of the French Revolution in a very organized manner. The characters gave emphasis on the reality of how life goes on with different kinds of persons. They portrayed their role excellently and the actors showed us the emotion of how it feels like to be in that situation. Every line, every note that they sang is performed with conviction. The scene wherein the Christ like charity of the bishop to Jean Valjean makes us feel the real presence of God. The film’s cinematography is very good that gives the viewers a good flow on how the scene changes from one act to another. The actors express their emotions well to the point that the viewers are carried away by their feelings also.

I woke up one morning when I was 5 and heard my mother sobbing behind the door of her room, my father comforting her. My brothers told me that Grandpa had died. A while later, Mom emerged, hair freshly brushed, lipstick bright red. She cheerfully asked what I wanted for breakfast. I wasn’t hungry, I was confused. I wanted to ask about Grandpa, but Mom’s tight smile warned me not to say anything that might upset her. While I pushed a piece of French toast around my plate I had a realization-an absolute epiphany: Being a grown-up means that you have to hide your sadness!

When I was 15 my father died suddenly of a heart attack. His passing left a huge hole in my heart, but instead of grieving I did what I thought grown-ups do, I suppressed my sadness.

Fast-forward 25 years. I’m in the dentist’s chair getting a replacement for an old childhood filling. The doctor pauses in the procedure, gently rests a hand on my head and asks how I’m doing. At his touch a tidal wave of sadness overwhelms me and I start weeping. For the next 48 hours I’m emotionally numb and clueless about what the hell is happening.

My husband David helped me realize that the dentist’s touch had reminded me of my father, who often tousled my hair. With that revelation, the floodgates burst… finally I was able to grieve for my dad. And through my expression of loss I released myself from feelings which held me hostage for decades.

That day I learned about the power of unexpressed emotions. They don’t actually ever go away. Instead, they work like a mild acid, slowly eroding your insides, boring holes in your emotional foundation, creating gaps in your ability to connect with others. I decided not to ever bury feelings that need to be expressed. I vowed to teach my children, through my own example, to express their emotions in healthy ways.

I got my chance soon enough. During most of 1994 my mom was dying of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Every day I drove an hour each way to visit her. During endless games of Scrabble we finally found the words to communicate with an intimacy we’d never shared before. I am eternally grateful for those last 10 months we had together… grace-filled and excruciatingly painful as they were.

After spending the day with Mom I’d arrive home each night to my own family, scared, stressed, worn down and so raw. I offered no one a lipstick smile. Instead, I trusted that our daughter and son (then ages 15 and 9) would know how to respond to a person in need. And they did. Their backrubs, cups of tea and loving words of encouragement got me through that endless year. I don’t know how I’d have coped if not for David and our sweet kids. If I’d chosen to play the game of “Everything’s fine, honey” I’d have betrayed myself and robbed my children of an opportunity to learn what it means to be a real human being. By sharing the truth of my emotional experience I gave them the chance to exercise their compassion (toward me and their grandmother) and to grow beautifully toward adulthood.

For years we’re on the receiving end of our parents’ choices, observing closely everything they do. As little children we accept that they knew best about what we need. As teens we wonder if they’ve got a clue about who we were or how to parent. After all that watching and evaluating and on the job training with kids of our own, at this point, what could we possibly not know about being a parent?

We know it all, right?

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem for teens in our country. It has been well publicized that drinking for the sake of getting drunk has many negative consequences for both adults and teens. Some of these negative consequences include loss of job, homicide, addiction, driving while intoxicated, and spouse abuse.

Alcoholism is not merely a problem for adults. It would surprise many if they were to learn that alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in America among teens today. Even though the alcohol consumption of our nation has been declining for years, the increasing number of minors who drink is getting out of hand. Today there are close to 3 million teens between the ages of 13 and 17 who are considered problem drinkers according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition to those three million, there are another 300,000 more teenagers who are dependent on alcohol. Many teens experience the negative consequences of alcohol abuse that include poor grades, getting arrested, being involved in an accident, and bad health. A figure that demonstrates just how dangerous alcohol is to teens is the fact that the leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year old is motor vehicle accidents involving an impaired driver. This comes out to mean the death of nearly 8 teens every day.

There are many reasons why teens turn to alcohol. One reason is their desire of acceptance by their peers also known as peer pressure. Teens find popularity at the top of their list and drinking is a way for them to achieve that popularity. Another reason teens like to drink is that it makes them feel more grown up, which is a great desire at that age. Part of this is due to the amount of exposure of teens to drinking in the media. Lastly, teens may use alcohol as an escape from the problems of their teenage years and the challenges that come with growing up and turning into an adult. As you can see, drinking among teens is a growing problem that requires our attention, because teens are our future and it would be best if they and our future were not impaired.

As a child growing up in the late 1960’s, I remember wearing an apron while helping my mother in the kitchen. I remember the thrill of tying that apron on, just like my mother, it made me feel grown up and important.

The apron was traditionally used to protect clothing while cooking or doing housework almost always worn in the home by women of the 1940’s and 1950’s. As more households were able to afford a washing machine, making it easier to keep their clothes clean, the apron fell out of fashion in the United States somewhere in the late 1960’s. Although in my household, my mother, grandmother and sisters wore aprons into the 1970’s.

Why the resurgence of the apron now?

As before, there are many different styles of aprons, although now the apron is considerably more stylish. Aprons are now considered fashionable and chic. There are cute half aprons, with patterns and colors non-existent in the past. There are full bib aprons, covering the majority of the body of the wearer. Today’s aprons not only help a woman keep her clothing clean while cooking, she can maintain her fashion style, and feel beautiful. Aprons of today are fun and fashionable, and believe it or not, sexy. Many are patterned after vintage aprons of days gone by, giving women an old- fashioned feminine look. Women of today are also back in the kitchen cooking, serving their families less take out, and making healthier food choices. Today’s aprons for women are flirty and sexy, adding a romantic touch to many meals.

Men of today also wear aprons! Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, most men did not enter the kitchen except to sit down at the dinner table. They went to work, came home and expected their wife to have dinner on the table. All that has changed, with more women working to help support their families, and many men choosing to stay home and raise their children, while their wives earn the paycheck. With so many designs and colors to choose from, men can find an apron to fit their own personal style and personality. From grilling aprons to kitchen aprons, there is an apron for every task.

Once again, children are re-entering the kitchen, learning how to prepare healthy meals along side their parents. Children’s apron have become big sellers, as most young children want to be just like Mom and Dad.

The resurgence of aprons as a chic, fashionable, and practical covering has made cooking a fun family activity. And one I hope will continue in years to come. Wouldn’t it be great to look back in twenty years and find the resurgence of the apron has helped our children learn to not only to cook and eat healthier, but to spend quality time as a family.