Respect. Isn’t that really all parents want from their kids? Isn’t it about the hardest thing to actually teach them to do–treat us with respect? I struggle with this a great deal due to the way my two teenage boys sometimes speak to me, respond to a request, and generally behave. It is not with much respect, at times, and I don’t like it.
Aretha had the biggest hit with her rendition of “Respect” though it was originally performed by Otis Redding in 1965 (here’s a …

I had a discussion with some other dads the other day about “the family dinner.” To my surprise, many of these men described their family eating adventures as just that, an adventure. Or, more specifically: a circus, trial, ordeal, and other pejoratives.
My immediate thought was about the classic image of Norman Rockwell’s painting, “Freedom From Want” with the image of “mom” or “grandma” presenting the turkey at what is likely a Thanksgiving dinner, with the whole family eager, excited, and present. “Dad” or “grandpa” is looking …

As you may know, I’ve developed a relationship with the Pastor, his kids, his community, and their school in Ghana, Africa. I’ve written about it in my “A Story of Giving” column, my “Africa Zebras” blog (with the great photos), and spoken of it on my Radio Show (August 12, 2010). They are wonderful young girls that we’ve sent books and more to. Soon, we’ll be sending some laptops (from The Wright Centre for Orthodontics). Pastor Frank Bennin is father to some (biologically), and “Father” to all, spiritually. …

This makes for a great magazine headline on your nearest news stand but unfortunately you become disappointed and confused once you flip through the pages.
Wether it’s the magical Acai or Gogi berry one week, or the raw, cooked or frozen diet the next, it’s all a marketing illusion for companies to sell you more of their stuff.
So let’s breakdown the Diet Dogma.
The idea of a “Perfect” Diet is like chasing a moving target, and if you continue to chase this moving target you are setting yourself up for failure.
Even some …

I remember that one of my mother’s many sayings, when I was growing up, related to friends and went something like, “If you want perfect friends, you won’t have any.” This was often in response to my irritation at what a particular friend had done. Later, more often than not, if my mom asked me if that particular thing my friend had done was resolved, I’d have forgotten what it was altogether.
As with so many things our parents say to us, their advice often goes unheeded but …