If you’re reading this blog, chances are I’m preaching to the choir but I thought I’d take this opportunity to make list of why I love living in Orange County and why I plan to put down deep roots here.
1. The Weather
I can’t think of a place on Earth that has better weather than us. Hawaii is incredibly plush. The East Coast has 4 seasons. But we have it pretty good, don’t we? The cost of living is high and while others choose to leave for greener pastures, I think it’s well worth it.
2. Cultural Diversity
Certainly LA has us beat by some standards. In fact I was born in LA, lived for a spell in Rhode Island and moved to North Orange County when I was 6 years old. But over the years Orange County has become more diverse offering families from many different countries a safe place to raise kids and start new businesses. When I was in elementary school in La Habra my 2nd grade class was bi-lingual Spanish speaking. We moved to Placentia where I attended jr high and high school later at Valencia High School. I had friends who spoke many different languages and it just felt normal.
3. Outdoor activities
From our many beaches like Huntington (where my wife is from), Newport (my old summer hang out on 42nd st.), Laguna (art rich community) and more to the local mountains, we have it all. People come to Orange County on vacation. Nuff said.
4. Hot Bed of Talented Young People and Resources
I think you’d be hard pressed to find another place in the country so full of talented young people. Sure, other states have pockets of specialty talent (Texas and New York come to mind) but all over Orange County you can find talented singers, dancers, musicians, athletes and scholars.
As one example, my daughter played competitive club soccer in South OC for years (before she had to choose between soccer and Track & Field in high school). Soccer, especially girl’s soccer, is incredibly competitive here. Some of the best Division 1 colleges recruit from South Orange County soccer clubs like the SoCal Blues, West Coast FC, Slammers and Irvine Strikers to name a few. And several of the Women’s National Team players have come out of OC…
5. Education
There is always room for improvement in education like the need for more funding, more affordable tuition, smaller class rooms, better wages for teachers, better teachers etc. But we still have it pretty good. There are also great local 2-year and 4-year colleges like Cal State Fullerton, UCI, Chapman and many others.
6. Business Opportunity
OC county has a thriving small business and entrepreneur community. From little Silicon Valley near the Irvine Spectrum to the thousands of sole proprietorships including restaurants, retailers, service providers and more. I think you could find just about anything you could dream of for sale and a market to sell to in Orange County…
What did I leave out? I would love to hear from you, please Tweet me…
The thing about comparisons is that everyone is doing it, but at what cost? Whether it’s people on TV, magazines or our next door neighbors we tend to compare ourselves to others as a way to determine how we measure up.
Am I:
As beautiful?
As talented?
As wealthy?
As organized?
The list goes on…
How about this: Am I better today than I was yesterday?
Am I:
More kind to the people who matter most?
More patient with my children or spouse?
More generous with my time or talents?
More focused on the real priorities?
More disciplined with the goals I’ve set for myself?
More realistic with my expectations?
I think this is a fair and healthy comparison. Often times we get discouraged with results, or the lack of…
But I think we need to remember that it’s not always about how fast or how far. It’s about whether we’re moving forward or backward. And since the world is moving around us, no action at all also equals moving backwards.
Every day is a new chance to be your very best–even if you only move forward an inch.
I have a confession to make: I am a bit of a geek. So I was more than thrilled when the folks at Discovery Science Center reached out to me on Twitter and hooked me up with tickets to check out their new Star Wars exhibit.
It’s like a mini Star Wars museum inside the Discovery Center with most of the models, costumes and props under glass. So unless your 4-year old is a die hard Star Wars fan I’d recommend this for ages 8 and up. There is one cool hands-on exhibit where you (or children) can experience the feel of a hovercraft but younger kids might be disappointed that it only goes in circles for a about 10-seconds. Still cool.
I really enjoyed looking at what seemed to me as rare and unique pieces from the movie set and it brought back some great childhood memories. For example, did anyone else collect Star Wars cards? I had a huge stack of them and remember there being a puzzle element to it. When you turned the card over and put enough of them together you could spell something…
I also have vivid memories of getting a bunch of cool Star Wars stuff for Christmas the year the movie came out. I had both ships, and the action figures.
There is also a Millennium Falcon experience just outside the Discovery Science Center building but since I did bring my 4-year old and the line was long, I decided not to do it. It think it’s like a flight simulator type ride.
When we were done we cruised back into the Center to do the dinosaur stuff, rock wall and other fun things they have.
Here are a few more Star Wars pics. Highly recommend it, go check it out.
I recently shared this experience with many close friends so I hope you will find something of value in it as well.
Let’s just say that work and the normal busy life of a dad in South OC caused me to drift a bit off track…
One thing that really helped me make a course correction and make my way back was this great analogy I heard about the “golden ticket” made famous in the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” It had a profound effect on my attitude and has really stuck with me…
One of my favorite childhood memories is dreaming about all the sweets in Willy Wonka’s factory…there are also so many great quotes like, “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams” and many more.
One of the most heartwarming parts of the movie is when Charlie, the poor, humble and deserving boy finally finds the last golden ticket. But the analogy I heard pointed out some very valuable lessons for us to consider as parents or individuals about the dangers of what could be termed “golden ticket syndrome.”
For instance:
In the search for the limited and valuable golden tickets the seekers and in fact the entire world (who were supposedly following the news), set their sights so singularly on the tickets that the amazingly delicious Wonka chocolate bars were cast aside. People literally opened Wonka bars without regard for the chocolate inside and threw them away if they didn’t get a golden ticket.
As parents, are we so focused on the destination (for ourselves or our kids) that we forget to enjoy the ride? Are we disappointed, less satisfied or otherwise hard on ourselves or our children if we or they don’t achieve the equivalent of finding the golden ticket?
Think about that…
There is something to be said for celebrating even the smallest victories. Time is precious. Life is short. I’m trying to remember, savor and be thankful for chocolate…
I’m the proud owner of two chocolate Labs and these dogs are a part of our family unit. They come with us on trips, are always there to listen and cheer up the kids, and keep us outdoors and active. They are lovable happy dogs…Do you have any pets? Are they a big part of your life? Tweet me and let me know.
Keeping our pets healthy and happy is an important topic.
I had the chance to sit down with Susan Blake Davis, well known Orange County based Pet Nutritionist, founder and president of AskAriel.com and Ariel Rescue Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to helping animals. Susan’s specialty is also holistic, natural care, a topic that deserves more attention.
Here’s a recap of our chat:
Bryan:How did you get started in this important work?
Susan: For as long as I can remember, I have always loved animals. I had a Dalmation and a pet chicken growing up. Through all stages of my professional career, I was always looking to incorporate my passion for animals into my work but I could never find a good fit. My professional training was in business and psychology and for many years I worked in middle management corporate positions. I always felt a void that I wasn’t achieving my true potential. Moreover, I didn’t believe the jobs I held, no matter how prestigious, were enabling me to fulfill my personal dream to help animals and in some small way, make the world a better place.
When I got my first house, the first thing I did was get a dog. We named our husky/shepherd mix Ariel. She taught me how precious one dog’s life was. In 1999, I decided that I wanted to give back to the community in the name of my beautiful dog who had taught me so much. I wasn’t quite sure what was the best way to volunteer, so I went to a number of different animal groups in an effort to find an opportunity where my talents were best suited. I volunteered on a marketing committee at the Orange County Animal Shelter to try to help them find more homes for the shelter pets.
It was heartbreaking for me to visit the shelter as so many of these wonderful pets were being euthanized because of the high volume of animals coming in. (This was before the Internet which has made a tremendous difference because now potential adopters and rescuers can be informed about available dogs and cats.) What bothered me most, was that in many ways, the pets were being blamed for their unfortunate situation and labeled as having “something wrong with them” when in fact, the only thing wrong was their owner’s negligence.
I decided I had to do something to help and started by rescuing one dog and trying to find a home for it. My plan worked! I was a corporate professional during the day and a dog rescuer at night. I would drive into some of the poorest neighborhoods saving the lives of dogs that didn’t deserve to be in a high kill shelter. My family eagerly participated and we all helped to foster and care for these wonderful dogs. One dog successfully adopted after another led to me form a grassroots nonprofit called Ariel Rescue, Inc, an organization of volunteers that has rescued and saved over 1,500 dogs and still continues to sit rain or shine in front of PETsMART in Aliso Viejo every Saturday afternoon.
Some of the dogs had health problems such as diarrhea or skin problems that made them hard to place. Sometimes the dogs were even at the shelters because their owners didn’t want to deal with the health problem. Even though our charity would take the dogs to good veterinarians, the dogs would still have health challenges. I was very involved with holistic care myself and started to research what could be done to help animals using the same principles. What I discovered was amazing……basic changes in diets and a few supplements could turn the dog’s life around! We even once had someone look at a dog for adoption saying “I can’t take that dog, my last dog had skin problems” only to come back two weeks later and then comment on how nice the dog’s coat looked. The holistic care made an immediate difference in the life or death of a shelter pet.
A few years later, my beloved Ariel was diagnosed with a fatal condition: kidney failure. The conventional veterinary treatments for kidney disease were very limited and I had to try to save her life. I did an enormous amount of research and developed my own diets for her, going weekly to my veterinarian for laboratory testing to assess the effects the food and supplements had on her kidneys. What was remarkable was that Ariel rebounded. She went on to live past her 14th birthday and maintained a good quality of life even with kidney problems.
I realized I had found “my calling”. I approached Dr. David Gordon, holistic veterinarian at VCA in Lake Forest about my idea to become a pet nutritionist and he encouraged me to pursue it. I left my corporate position, went back to school, gained hands-on veterinary knowledge and established my practice slowly over a few years.
Bryan: What can pet owners do better for their pets?
Susan: The saddest and most frustrating issue to me is that many people wait to schedule an appointment until their pet is near death. Holistic care takes time to work and it can be too little too late. The best way to help your pet with holistic care is to get your pet on the best diet and use a few preventative supplements such as fish oil and probiotics BEFORE the pet gets sick. Also, getting annual laboratory testing (not just a vet exam) is extremely important. Pets often hide their illnesses and getting a routine blood and urine test along with an exam from your veterinarian can often add years to their lives. If a problem is discovered, pet owners should be proactive about helping their pet immediately instead of waiting for it to get worse.
Here is an example: Protecting your pet’s joints and mobility. Why wait until your dog’s mobility is impaired and your dog is limping from arthritis? Take preventative measures before your dog has joint problems and give them natural joint support vitamins and fish oil to help keep them going strong later in life.
Bryan: What inspires you to carry on this important work?
Susan: What inspires me is when I know I have helped a pet to feel better. Many clients who come to me have practically given up all hope and are extremely frustrated. If I don’t think there is anything I can do, I will let the pet owner know upfront. This is usually the case when the pet owner has waited too long and the pet is too far gone. But, most of the time, this is not the case—they just need to take a new approach. Receiving a testimonial from a happy pet owner that their pet finally got better makes my day!
In addition, I am very inspired by the amazing rescue stories that have occurred in this current economy. There are many volunteers, not only in my nonprofit organization Ariel Rescue, but throughout the United States who have dedicated themselves to helping save the lives of homeless animals. The euthanasia rate is very high right now due to the number of people affected by the economy. Many animals have suffered and some have been terribly abused and neglected. I am always inspired by learning about rescued pets and volunteers that continue to thrive and make lemonade out of lemons.
One great example is the selfless dedication of the woman who saved my dog Bleu. Bleu was a gorgeous white purebred Siberian Husky who was purchased from a breeder and then dropped off at the shelter by his owner when they were moving. They advised the Lancaster shelter not to put him up for adoption (he was only a year old) because he had a pancreatic disorder with constant diarrhea. Thus, his only chance, by law, was to be picked up by a rescuer within 48 hours or be euthanized. Volunteer Rhonda Hallden of Husky Haven (www.huskyhavenofla.org) was leaving to go out of town but rushed to save him from the shelter. Bleu was hard to place because of his digestive problems but Rhonda kept him for 3 years waiting and hoping that someone who “wouldn’t mind the extra care giving him his special food and enzymes: would come along. There are so many healthy pets at the shelter and for someone to spend the effort and money on a sick dog, truly inspired me. My other dog Legend was rescued by another good Samaritan who drives into Mexico every weekend to save cats and dogs that would otherwise perish.
I’m an on-the-go dad. Like you, I’m busy and hardly ever sitting down in front of my computer checking for comments as much as I’d like on this blog. But my iPhone is literally on 24/7 and I do respond almost immediately if you want to reach out to me on Twitter. Ask me a follow up question, weigh in and let me know what you think or just stop by and Tweet me hello…
Summer is finally here in a big way and I thought I’d write about some fun family things to do while you’re out enjoying the sunshine. I live near the Kaleidoscope but had no idea what they had going on until I wandered in… Check it out.
SPECIAL FREE EVENT:
Friday, July 1 from 7-11 p.m. – “Dancing Under the Stars” with Cheryl Burke – Come watch Cheryl Burke, two-time champion of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, and her instructors from Cheryl Burke Dance, Laguna Niguel, as they perform on stage and teach guests to ballroom dance to live music by The Derby Band. For fans of dance and Cheryl, there will be book signing and photo opportunities. Oh, did I mention it’s FREE to the public?
They also have weekly events going on most of the summer…
WEEKLY EVENTS: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10:30 a.m., beginning June 14 – “Kaleido-Fit” – Beach Body Fitness – Fitcore Fitness Training will provide personal training in a group setting, utilizing the multi-level characteristics of Kaleidoscope as an obstacle course. The first class is free. Drop in or call 949-284-0017 to join anytime. All participants will receive SWAG from Kaleidoscope shops. Those who join the “Kaleido-Fit” program will get additional gifts including the Kaleidoscope PRISM VIP card. Jump ‘n Jammin is offering special offers for supervised play for kids during the fitness classes, for a worry-free workout.
Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., June 22–August 24 – “Kaleido-Kids” Variety Show – There will be a different family-friendly show ranging from magic shows and workshops, marionette shows, a reptile show, Ladera Performing Arts performance and instruction, barnyard animals show/petting zoo, juggling acts and more, every Wednesday (excluding August 10). Admission is FREE! All kids who attend receive a ticket for an end-of-the-show raffle. For specific show dates, go to www.gokaleidoscope.com.
Wednesday, July 27 from 10:30a.m.-12:30p.m. – “Kaleido-Kids” Mini Carnival Day – To benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire, bring a new backpack or toy to donate (no weapons and stuffed animals–please and thank you!) and receive a gift card to a Kaleidoscope shop, restaurant or entertainment venue. There will be games, face painting, a balloon artist, a juggler, concessions, raffles and more.
Wednesday, August 10 from 7-10 p.m. – “Red, White & Dine” – Wine Extravaganza – An evening of starry skies, petite cuisine, and fine wine, again benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Several boutique and renowned wineries will feature a wide array of their finest wines while Kaleidoscope restaurants will pair and tray-pass some of their best hors d’ oeuvres and finger foods. A wide array of cheeses will be displayed on two separate tables, one highlighting red wine pairings and the other white wine pairings. There will be live music. Guests will receive SWAG bags, have a chance to win raffle prizes and purchase bottles of wine. Tickets are $40 per person, $70 per couple and $15 for a designated driver ticket. Tickets can be purchased at www.gokaleidoscope.com.
Monday, September 5 at 6 p.m. – The Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar’s 3rd Annual “West Coast Hot Dog-Eating Championship” – Participation from Kaleidoscope shops and restaurants in an all-day, activity-filled event will lead up to the contest which brought approximately 1500 spectators in 2010. Winners from 3 preliminary contests will face off against Thomas “Goose” Gilbert, 2009 and 2010 Champion, and “Furious” Pete Czerwinski, 2010 runner-up, for cash prizes totaling $10,000.
Kaleidoscope, located at 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, was built in 1998. It is in the beginning stages of a major upgrade and new look including a 47,000-square foot LA Fitness. Have fun out there with your family! Tweet me or leave a comment on this blog to let me know about your experience. Or maybe better yet I’ll see you in person at Kaleidoscope.
I’m an on-the-go dad. Like you, I’m busy and hardly ever sitting down in front of my computer checking for comments as much as I’d like on this blog. But my iPhone is literally on 24/7 and I do respond almost immediately if you want to reach out to me on Twitter. Ask me a follow up question, weigh in and let me know what you think or just stop by and Tweet me hello…
Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of confrontation. Nor am I quick to anger. In fact, on the rare occasion that my wife and I have an argument, I always seem to think of great one-line come-backs a few days after the fact…But in situations where my children are in danger, being treated unfairly by non-family members, strangers or otherwise, I have been known to transform into what is popularly known at our house as “papa bear” and it isn’t pretty. Do you know what I mean? My wife says my eyes turn all crazy–big and dilated…
The other day at the public high school in South Orange County where my two older kids attend I had a tussle or papa bear moment with the vice principal, and later the principal. I’m actually writing this a few weeks after this incident because I didn’t want to write in the heat of the moment. I wanted to share some insights and also get your feedback when I had some clarity.
So what happened…? The short version of the story is that my older son was legitimately sick and absent from school for 2 days. The school has a policy that they make a courtesy call to check at home to verify and confirm the absence. A parent must call back within 3 days or else the absence is not excused and the student is marked truant. This is a fair rule and helps protect both school, parents and children. Kids who “ditch” school and get caught are required to sit in detention [think Breakfast Club from the 80's] as well as come to Saturday school repeat another detention.
When the school called us to verify our son’s absence we weren’t home but got the message on our voice mail. We returned the call the next day and left a message with one of the women in the attendance office. We confirmed that he was sick and thought nothing more of it. The following week my son sent me a text saying that he was being pulled out of his AP Psychology class by the vice principal to sit in detention all day for an unexcused absence the previous week. I quickly called the school and tried to fix what was an obvious mistake. The office staff deferred to the vice principal who proceeded to tell me that my son was truant and that we failed to call in within the 3 day grace period.
I calmly explained that we had called in and I assumed that one of the office admin women recorded that our son was sick that day. He turned rather rude and explained that HIS staff doesn’t make mistakes like that and that my son was going to have to pay the price for ditching. As my blood started to boil I imagined the vice principal, Dick, from The Breakfast Club.
It’s worth noting that my son is a senior, a good student and in the four years of high school has never had a run-in with the law (aka the vice principal)–until now. Let me just say that I excused myself from work, jumped in my car and raced down to the high school to straighten things out. When I got to the school the vice principal and principal where both waiting for me in the office. They sat down but I could only stand. They repeated the same nonsense and told me that I had failed to call in and so my son was truant. I explained that he was legitimately sick and that we did call but it was obviously missed by the office. The discussion was like a dog chasing its own tail. I tried to reason with them by asking for an explanation about why the policy is in place. In spite of the evidence that my son was innocent, they were more interested in having him sit in detention rather than attend AP Psychology class.
I lost it–but in a good way like a trial lawyer shredding the lying witness on the stand and making his case.
What happened next is still kind of fuzzy but the end result was positive. My son was exonerated and allowed to return to class. Have you ever had a tussle with your child’s teacher or school faculty? How did you handle it? What did you learn? What would you do differently? For me, it was a reminder not to get caught up in the trap of pride or stupidity that can cloud judgement, like in the case of the vice principal and principal on the day of my tussle.
I’m an on-the-go dad. Like you, I’m busy and hardly ever sitting down in front of my computer checking for comments as much as I’d like on this blog. But my iPhone is literally on 24/7 and I do respond almost immediately if you want to reach out to me on Twitter. Ask me a follow up question, weigh in and let me know what you think or just stop by and Tweet me hello…
This post is for anyone out there who might be having a tough day, week–or month! “Don’t Dream It’s Over” is a message about not giving up and really struck a chord with me this week. To be honest for whatever reason, I caught myself feeling a little discouraged trying to balance work and family life. I didn’t feel like the best parent. Ever been there? Nothing out of the ordinary, you know, just life happening–all at once.
But just when I felt like emotionally throwing in the towel I was brought back by the words from the song. Funny how small things sometimes make a big difference.
It’s hard to explain exactly why the kids in the video above from PS22 inspire me so much. Maybe it’s nostalgia? A flood of memories from 6th grade like my teacher Mr. Pando, the smell of the cafeteria and playing touch football on the playground rush in when I hear them sing.
Maybe it’s because I can hear my own children in their voices? I start to reflect on how fast they are growing up and it makes me feel sad that I won’t have them like this for much longer. The time I spend with them is so valuable. The pangs of regret so painful when I feel like I’m falling short. But there is wisdom and solace in some of the lyrics:
There is freedom within, there is freedom without Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup There’s a battle ahead, many battles are lost But you’ll never see the end of the road While you’re traveling with me
So spot on–as parents we know “There’s a battle ahead, many battles are lost…” That’s how I feel…and it’s overwhelming sometimes. Being a parent isn’t easy but we stick it out, get back up off the ground and keep going because it’s the most important job we’ll ever have. I’m blessed with great kids and a strong wife and take comfort in the words– “But you’ll never see the end of the road while you’re traveling with me…”
Hey now, hey now Don’t dream it’s over Hey now, hey now When the world comes in They come, they come To build a wall between us We know they won’t win…
The internet is a moving target and changing as we speak with new tools and access everyday. It’s arguably the most amazing technological advancement of this century. And yet, there is this great dichotomy because it is both the most wonderful and dangerous place for our children. The old question, “Do you know where your kids are?” might have a slightly different context these days. So seriously, do you know where your kids have been online? Here are 5 simple things you can do to help keep your children safer on the internet.
1. Keep Your Computer in a High Traffic Area
The reason for this is obvious and common sense. When your computer is out in the open and not hidden behind the closed doors of your child’s room you can monitor things better. For our family this means keeping the computer in the family room. Everyone is walking in and out of the room all the time and there’s no place to hide or discover inappropriate content without being noticed. Since we have 4 children, 3 of whom need and use the computer for homework daily, we have 4 computers in our house. 2 of the computers are desktops and we’ve set up stations in the family room where the kids can work on the internet in plain site.
2. Teach Your Kids About the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
I’m a moderately conservative person, not a prude, but not a crazy free spirit either like my dad was in the 60′s living in San Francisco…I personally feel that straight, honest talk works best with my kids. Let’s be real. At the very least, kids are exposed to a barrage of sexual innuendo, bad language and other crap on TV, in the movies and on the internet daily. If you have older kids ages 8 and up, they are likely already talking about sex with their peers at school in some form or another. I’ve talked candidly and openly about the good, bad and ugly of what my kids can find on the internet. I’ve taught them about Google searches and how a simple innocent search for something like, “mermaids” (my 12 year old daughter really used to love the Disney movie “Little Mermaid”) can go horribly wrong in a hurry.
3. Filtering Software
I think special filtering software can be a good thing, but honestly I don’t use it. You can format your internet settings to filter internet content and that’s about the extent that we do. For me, education with my kids has been the best preventative measure.
4. Keep the Passwords Public
One rule of using the internet and other social media sites like Facebook in our house is that the kids must tell us their passwords and log in info. We want them to know that we have access. This goes for email and text message too. We tell them that nothing online is private for them and that it’s for their safety based on the above mentioned Good, Bad and Ugly talk. We tell them that private thoughts and feelings can be shared in a diary, journal or with friends they know well in person. But anything shared online is public domain.
I think this policy will also keep them from posting pictures or videos that might hurt their chances of getting a job later. For example, my daughter makes bank as a babysitter. I’ve taught her that if she posts pictures that don’t make her look like a competent, trustworthy babysitter on Facebook she might stop getting calls. Same goes for my older son. Anything we post online is permanent and public. If we think of it that way we will all use a bit more discretion, right?
Early on we discovered that some of our kids’ friends (and likely our kids followed like sheep too) were creating secret secondary Facebook profiles to talk and share the “real” stuff. Be careful of this. Teenagers are smart and resourceful. In our house, lying is a big deal. The penalty for creating a secret Facebook profile would mean our kids would not just lose Facebook privileges, but lose the internet all together. The thought of having to go the library all the time to check out and read books for reports seemed to put the kibosh on that.
At any given time or day we are welcome to log in and peruse their Facebook page (we promise never to write or embarrass them with dorky parental comments). We tell them that we are allowed to read their email and text messages too. This open system seems to be working pretty well. For Facebook specifically, my wife become friends with all our kids’ friends. This way she can keep tabs on who they’re talking to, the plans they make and what they share. Since she is what the kids would call a “cool” mom, this works well.
5. Set Time Limits
It’s amazing how much homework kids have these days. Facebook is a great social sharing tool but it’s also a time suck. Limit kids’ time for social stuff and games to an appropriate amount. It might also be a good rule for the parents!
Did I leave anything out? I sure would like to hear from you. If you’re on Twitter, give me a shout out, ask a question or make a comment. If you’re on Facebook, you can find me here.
