This world is getting darker and meaner every day. And there are fewer kids doing wholesome kid stuff with each passing year. But I think you’ll find that the sights and scents of a flower garden can still attract kids almost as much as they attract bees. So, stop what you’re doing and make the most of it. So what if you had an … Read the rest…
Category Archives: Rhyme and Reason
I never met a honey bee I didn’t like. And, maybe it’s just my imagination (because I have a powerful imagination), but I think they like me, too. Because every honey bee I see smiles at me. Now, I gotta tell ya. It takes a special way of squinting your eyes in order to be able to see a honey bee smile. But I’ve … Read the rest…
Where I live it can get pretty windy. In fact, the current Funderburk home town is the fifth windiest city in America. We have an average wind speed of 11.5 mph. And the strongest recorded wind speed is over 101 mph. Wow, that’s a lotta gusto. All that windy talk reminds me of when my dad showed my brother and me how to hook … Read the rest…
According to research, rhyming books can “help with language development, including phonemic awareness, which is crucial for early reading skills.” And apparently rhyming books “make learning fun which is particularly appealing to young children.” Hmm. I guess that might all be true. But I just write ’em for the funny looks. Yeah, kids get funny looks on their faces with the right rhymes. And … Read the rest…
There are lots of bad guys (and that includes the female part of “guys” too) out there everyday. You can’t swing a metal jump rope without hittin’ at least one. In fact, I could tell you a story, three stories in fact, that happened one after another on three consecutive nights way back in the 20th century. Well, I’ll just share the short version … Read the rest…
Do these sound like masculine traits? Decisiveness, assertiveness, and confidence? I think they certainly SHOULD sound like masculine traits. And I believe those traits can be instilled into boys in ways that help them develop leadership skills. Let me ask you this? Do you think that’s happening in America these days? I don’t. At least not as a rule. Only as the exception. The … Read the rest…
Emotional Resilience. That’s what they called it. And they followed up the name with this description: Encouraging boys to embrace aspects of traditional masculinity, like stoicism and fortitude, can foster emotional resilience. And this doesn’t mean to suppress emotions. But learn to handle emotions in a way that prepares them for life’s challenges. Boys can grow up to be men who are less likely … Read the rest…