Before You Call Someone a Racists You May Need to Look in the Mirror

Yet another NBA owner sticks his foot in his mouth. I'm not trying to get into a negative online thread, but I do have some thoughts as a former journalist and a black woman.  Here it goes.

The first headline (caption) that I saw regarding this story was "Cuban Admits That he's a Bigot".  Way to go writer for getting me and probably millions of others to read the full story.  With my journalism cap on I have to say, that's what you're supposed to do; write in a way that will appeal to your readers; but at what cost to the subject of your piece.  Yes, Cuban gave journalist the fodder for this news story but when I read the article (and here's where I put on my cap as a black woman) I can understand the point he was trying to get across [even though I truly could have done without the hoodie reference-post Trayvon Martin...it still hurts people]. 

Here's MY TRUTH...(yes, in all caps because I don't want anyone out there to think that I'm dictating how you should feel, perceive things, etc. in this not so post-racial society).  Have I grabbed my purse tighter?  Have I pulled away from a gas station or convenience store?  Yes.  Why?  Because of my perception of the people that may be occupying that space at a given time.  Real talk; because of the black or white people that make me feel uncomfortable.  Does that make me a racists?  In my heart I grapple with this all the time but my reality is that in the last three years, I've been called a dumb nigger and a black bitch (by white women).  On the occasion in which I was called the "n" word,  I got into a verbal sparring match with the individual, letting her know that if the right  "n" word was in that store that she would have been picking herself up off the ground after having the crap smacked out of her.  Not so welcoming, huh? On another occasion, I pulled into a gas station in which a truck adorn with a confederate flag, full of young men (black and white), pumping hip hop music where loud talking (as my mom would say) and freely using the "N" word. It's worth noting that the gentlemen I encountered at the gas station looked like the examples that Mark Cuban referenced in his commentary. At that moment, I made the decision not to get out of my car and further subject myself to their banter which to me was very aggressive. 

Is this every going to go away?  If you're a parent, regardless of race, color or creed, you pray that it will.  You pray for a world in which we don't have to grapple with your own prejudices.  You pray that people who themselves were born to parents with staunch views about race, gender and sexuality, etc. can someday change their view.

Am I angered by what's happened in the NBA over the past month.  Definitely. But  before I go and call someone else out I take ownership of the fact that I still have work to do on me.  Maybe that's where it starts.

Thank you for letting me be serious, in my often humorous and world of Mahogany Mom.



http://www.aol.com/article/2014/05/22/mavericks-owner-mark-cuban-under-fire-for-comments-touching-on-r/20890853/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing11%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D479545

With or Without: Fearless Beyond My Make Up

This week, the Today Show brought back the the body image series, “Love Your Selfie, Reclaiming Beauty". In the past, I have been impressed by those willing to share true feelings about their own beauty. Even the courageous of the Today Show anchors who bare all (emotionally) has had a huge impact on me. Placing yourself in a position of vulnerability without make up or stripped down to the bare minimum to show the world that although you are not perfect the depth of love for yourself far outweighs any standard of beauty that society has set before us.

Everyday I get up and I look in the mirror and I say to self..."girl today will be your no make up Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday!" You get the picture! But I can never bring myself to that point. Maybe it's because I don't have the courage to. Maybe I hate the fact that I've waxed my brows so much that they'll never grow back (MAC Chestnut pencil is my best friend) or maybe it's because I'm afraid that someone will mistake me for Frank instead of Fran if I were to go without make up.

The truth is that I've grown to understand that my make up and the way I like to "beat my face" is just a small part of who I am. Sure, there was a time when my make up was there purely to hide my insecurities and my lack of self love. I've had times in my life where the self esteem bucked was completely empty but after years of searching, some therapy and personal development I've gotten to the point where I'm truly happy with who I am.

As a mom it's even more important for me that my love for self resonates in all that I do. Not in a cocky sort of way but in a manner that conveys to others (especially my daughter) that love encompasses how I communicate with others, the level of empathy that my heart holds for those around me, my desire to help those in need and my willingness to openly brace differences.

While I may never have a no make up kind of day I do believe that it's important to take a good look at yourself. Even if its a mental strip down take time to be introspective, embrace the flaws and look at the hills and valleys in life which are perfectly designed by God to encourage our spiritual growth and strengthen our faith.

 

It's Not the New Black

As always, when I decided to place my hands on the keys and voice my opinion on a controversial topic, I take a great deal of time to research, think, and engage in thought provoking conversations to gain as much insight as possible before I leave a forever imprint in the form of a blog post.

It’s been almost three weeks since I saw a ‘Gay is the New Black’ post on social media (accompanied by a posting of what I deem to be a very derogatory a t-shirt which I care not to repost), but after scouring the internet, I realized that this topic has been a part of mainstream discourse for some time. While I’m sure comparisons were made long before 2008 when a popular magazine, The Advocate posed the question in a December 16^th article, this issues has resurfaced and reignited this discussion. The Advocate (December 16, 2008 issue) discussed the passage of Proposition 8 in California and the then protests that ensued around the country as a result.  At the time, many equated the struggle for  equality between gays’ and African Americans’ to be parallel.  

The discussion of discrimination because of one’s sexual orientation compared to discrimination because of the color of one’s skin has outraged many. The Obama presidency (first term) placed the gay rights movement front and center, with some thinking that the gay rights movement had not experienced the same amount of progress as the civil rights movement; calling the plight of gay Americans a Modern-day civil rights struggle.  Activists likened their experiences to what blacks championed during the civil rights movement and apply similar concepts to their current fight.  While there is enormous respect for that period in time by those who advocate for equality for the gay community, the sting from making stark comparisons is still distressing. 

I was moved to reflect on a Facebook post that stated that this fodder was nothing more than another way to divide us as people and to further highlight issues of disparity in this country.  Aside from legalities, religious commentary and a review of history, this rang deep for me. 

My belief is that we live in a world where there will always been judgment and consistent challenges in terms of equality and fairness. For generations, we’ve been condition to believe certain things and pass these beliefs on to our children and their children; me being no exception.  That’s why I feel the way I do.  I grew up being told that the color of my skins, aptitude which should determine my altitude and my gender could make or break me.  My parent’s mantra was that you always have to work twice has hard as whites and that there will always be blacks who excel and some that don’t based on things like education, access, etc. hence, my father’s embracing of the teachings of his favorite scholar, W.E.B. Dubois.  In my father’s eyes, education was the key to everything and he marched on Washington and supported civil rights causes in the Metropolitan area because he believed it was his duty as a black man to do so. I grew up being beaten over the head (figuratively) with stories about the struggle of blacks both past and present and my role as a soon-to-be educated black person. Fast forward to now.  What would my father’s mantra be, knowing that his granddaughter carries with her the weight of being female, black and gay in today’s America?  What would he say to my sister-in-law or my step sister who wears the same badge?  What would he say to my students who struggle with their sexual identity and blackness every day?    Would he be able to put an educational spin on this issue?  What would he say about the comparisons between the black civil right movement and the gay rights movement of today?  I know for a fact my father would probably have a coronary.  To him, there was no greater struggle in the 20^th century than that which was experienced during the civil rights era and my father was an advocate for black people so it probably goes without saying that he wouldn’t even try to begin to understand the mindset of a gay person.  It’s a sad commentary on my father, but lovingly, I can understand it because he was born in 1929 and grew up in a different time.

My father’s perspective on education, however, does carry with it a great deal of latitude.  I believe that in all that we do there is an element of education, but when it comes to issues like our civil rights, human indignity and discrimination our emotional tool box is no longer protected and we become vulnerable to years of self-hate, religious-line crossing and misinterpretation of everything from choices, to scientific facts to the law, the bible and perception…the list goes on.

However, I can’t help but think that during the civil rights movement, Bayard Rustin (young readers PLEASE GOOGLE…take this moment to further education yourself) held the hope that the civil rights movement of the 60s would also helped to bring about the same sense of equality for openly gay people during that time.  I’m sure he was verklempt at the notion of being viewed as a liability by some in Dr. King’s camp even though he was one of the key organizers of the March on Washington. I’m sure that Mr. Rustin longed for the day that there would be no prejudiced of another kind against him and that he could someday live as Dr. King desired…in a world where each person was sacred, free and equal to all others.

By the title of this blog, you can glean that I don’t agree with this statement that has been adorn on everything from t-shirts to protests signs.  In my heart, gay is not the new black because the struggle of black Americans in this country is rooted in oppression and still exists.  In some pockets of this country, people are probably still living like it was 1960.   What I’m going to say next may ruffle some feathers, but black is black…I can’t hide my blackness or do anything to thwart judgment of those who don’t like me because of the color of my skin, it is who I am. As Francine Edwards I cannot and will never be able to hide the fact that I am black!  On the other side of this issue stands a group of people who may have the option of keeping their sexual preference to themselves or a making it the sacred trust of close confidants; thus limiting occasions when they can be judged by others. Voddie Bauchman speaks about this same issue in a 2012 post under the article subheading Unidentifiable Minority:  http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/07/19/gay-is-not-the-new-black/

  

The struggle for gay Americans is real. The right to live with a same-sex partner, marry, be afforded the same benefits and health care, etc. is important and shouldn’t be disregarded by any of us.  However, likening this struggle to a movement that was designed to provide equal access and basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizens to a race of people who were being oppressed as a result of segregation laws, and legislation that further divided this race educationally and economically is a historical beast of a different sort. While I believe gay Americans have faced oppression it is not the same sort of oppression that inhibited black people in the 60s, thus I stand by my point that the comparison should not be made.

This may be trite, but last year, I was called the N word in a store.  Now the lady who did that saw my color but knew nothing about me in terms of psychographics.  If I were hand in hand with a woman and the same situation occurred in which I bumped into her, would she have used a gay slur to reference me? (I can imagine that the slur would have been an outward expression for the hate of both blacks and gays). One will never know, but I share that to say how the journey for black Americans and gay Americans can be different on so many levels.

Whenever there is a fight for equality, you have to reach back and look at how champions in the past did indeed champion that cause.  Some believe the civil rights movement laid the foundation for other ‘rights’ related endeavors like the  modern women’s movement and the student movement and that tools of petitioning, nonvio

lent protests and legal advocacy are still in place and serve to right to wrong of those impacted.

In an effort to bring about change, divisive tactics or catchy buzz phrases like gay is the new black should not be a part of the action plan.  This further divides people and takes energy away from the real cause.  The conversation about the challenges that gay Americans face needs to be elevated and yes, the conversations about addressing the rights and inequality that permeate many of the black communities must continue as well.  I believe that the reason so many black people wince at this comparison is that some people lack perspective and understanding of the civil rights movement that impacted this nation.

For me the image to the right says a lot.  What the warriors of the past went through to have those signs taken down was powerful.  It was for some a journey to hell and back…for others it was death.  The gay rights movement is daunting; I’m sure…but to this degree?  You decide.    

You have your struggles…I have mine.  What makes us better people is being able to conquer these struggles not only for the good of ourselves but for the benefit of others.  No matter which side of the argument you’re on a point free from contention is that we still have more work to do.

“We are all people…people do not throw their geniuses away. And if they are thrown away, it is our duty as artists and as witnesses for the future to collect them again for the sake of our children and, if necessary, bone by bone.”

Alice Walker in her essay, Zora Neale Hurston: A Cautionary Tale and a Partisan View

The Olympic Spirit and the Forgotten Dads

I'm watching the Today Show and I see a promo for a special Proctor and Gamble program focusing on how mothers raise Olympians.  Touchy-feely images of moms in the crowd supporting their children, picking up skaters as they fall, hoisting gold medals...you know, the typical tear-jerking images.  Americana and competitive sports at its best.  I hear the commentator say "mother's don't get the recognition they deserve..." to that I stand there with a blank face.  "Really." I say aloud as I look across the room to my husband who's applying lotion on the ashy legs of our four year old.

Now that's someone who doesn't get the recognition he deserves...my husband, along with thousands of other husbands and dads who sacrifice everything not just for Olympic dreams but for all the dreams their children have; no matter how big or how small.

This isn't the first time that Proctor and Gamble has paid homage to moms.  It was done at the summer Olympics.  Why wasn't I as reflective about this during the summer? I'm not sure.  Maybe it's because there's more hype, celebrity and a stronger following during the summer Olympics forcing the human-interest stories of this nature to take a back seat but the fact remains that once again, dads seem to be forgotten.

As someone who pursued a kinda-sorta Olympic dream (I was a competitive gymnast from grade six until my freshman year of college) I remember my father being in the trenches in a different way.  Sure my mom drove me to Beltsville, Maryland to the Prince George's Gymnastics Club three times a week and on weekends.  She either sat in the car or on the hard bleachers and watched as I tumbled, fumbled, fractured and once competed with a concussion. She wasn't there to wipe my tears or baby me, she was tougher than the coaches at times, but none of it would have been possible without my father, who paid the gym tuition. Even in the 80s and 90s I remember my parents talking about the nearly $1,000.00  a month that went towards my budding gymnastics career.  My dad didn't always go to the meets but when he did, you could tell that he was the proudest father there.  I'll never forget the first time I scored a perfect 10 in vault.  It was dad and his brother who cheered the loudest.

My dad was a quiet man (with a wonderfully quick and sarcastic sense of humor, to which I say THANK YOU) but he always found time to tell me how proud he was of me.  Now it may not have been in a traditional form  "I'm so proud of you Franny," but he say things like "I saw you out there...how'd you learn to do that?" or he'd say "I see all that practice is paying off."  I knew what it meant.

Just because some of them don't cry when you win or lose, they're not the ones kissing dirty boo boos or putting band aids on a Red Power Ranger toy (which I did last week) doesn't mean that dads aren't on "TEAM ALL ABOUT MY KIDS".  They are.  I think it's so easy to focus on mothers, because matriarchy is often associated with a hands-on form of nurturing and support.  In recent years, there has been a cultural shift in which men are taking on more non-traditional roles in the home and are not necessarily showing us a 'new' type of dad, but are  probably doing what they are innately able to do...love, nurture and care for their children.

I'm sure there will be tons of dads in Sochi and I'm hoping they they get a moment to shine.

The Total Package

Twenty two years ago I had my dream job. I was a television producer for the award-winning Teen Summit on Black Entertainment Television. Although I had a very small on air segment, the BET glam squad took time to make sure that every stitch of my weave was in place, make up was flawless and that I had on the latest fashions.  Even when they weren't around, they had equipped me with the skills necessary to maintain the professional look of a journalist.

Fast forward to NFL Sunday football and Pam Oliver. There have been enough jokes and I've even seen a few prayers for her to make a change so no need to deploy any comedic talents to fuel the fire.

I think this does deserve some serious commentary. I've become more of a sports fan partly because of the female presence of all of the sports journalists who have been able to maintain stability in one of the most male dominated industries.

To this end, I know in my heart that Pam Oliver has read the commentary, seen the pictures and is tired of it, but truthfully, I also know that Pam knows better.  My thought is that an individual's  presence as a journalist is comprised of more than your knowledge of the field in which you are reporting/covering.  To me, Pam Oliver is a pioneer and quite possibly an inspiration not only to women who may want  to someday walk in her shoes but she may be inspiring all people to have the courage to pursue career aspirations in fields with a history of gender, age, and racial inequality. Her success can't be ignored, but how she's been looking for the past two Sunday's is overshadowing these great strides.

I've probably read as many posts or articles about Pam's hair as you have in the span of a week and critics are being outed for tearing a 'sista' down, being harsh and sexists (one commentary stated that this would never be an issue for a male broadcaster) and making much ado about nothing as it relates to Pam Oliver's weave situation. Of course there are stark comparisons to the Gabby Douglas hair commentary from the Summer Olympics but the difference here is that 1) Pam is a grown woman and 2) she has a job in which appearing on camera is front and center.

Your skills are important but how you look on camera is just as important. I don't think I've ever seen a journalist (male or female) that appears 'not put together from head to toe' time and again.  I don't want anyone to walk away from this post thinking that I'm superficial but I do think Mrs. Oliver has a career in which her outward appearance is important. 

I dare not venture into any commentary talking about how touchy the 'black hair' issue is or how this is just one of those cultural issues that we can't seem to let go of, because for me this isn't really about black hair.  It's about a female journalist who knows that she is held to different standards than her male counterparts (which is TOTALLY wrong) in a male dominated industry that just so happened NOT to put her best foot forward, in terms of her appearance, two Sunday's in a row.  

I'm not going to get all churchy on folks as I bring this post to a close, but I'm reminded of a story my husband told me that he heard Joel Olsteen share on a radio program.  Mr. Olsteen's wife asked him to run to the grocery store and get something for dinner.  He had just finished working out and was sweaty with an old  t-shirt and gym pants on.  He hopped in the car with the hopes of running into the store without being noticed. He said that just as he was getting ready to get out of the car and go into the grocery store God spoke to him.  

"God Spoke to me. I  mean, if God has every spoken to me, He spoke to me right there!  Right down inside, I'm sure He said, "Don't you dare go in their representing Me like that!" He said, "Don't you know that I'm the King of Kings?" (You Best Life Now, page 285)

Joel Olsteen said he went back home, took a shower and but on clean clothes and then went back to the store.  The bottom line for him was that God doesn't appreciated laziness or sloppiness. 

Why is this important here?  We'll for me, it was my husband's way of ministering to me as I was having one of those moments where putting myself together wasn't at the top of my list.  I often think about the conversation my  husband and I had regarding Joel Olsteen's comments and how that applied to our lives. Sure there are moments where I want to put on a baseball cap and dark glasses and run errands, or days when I don't want to put on my best face, but you know what?  I'm obligated to.  As a professional woman, mother, believer and mentor, I have an obligation to be the best me I can be all the time.  This definitely isn't an association with perfection, but I try hard to show that I have pride in myself both internally and externally. 

I'm not saying that Pam Oliver needs to embrace the spiritual teaching of Joe Olsteen (but if you want to, you can read the entire book at  www.slideshare.net/FreeLeaks/your-best-life-now-by-joel-osteen), or that she's not putting her best foot forward but there is room for reflection and improvement in all of us.

I'm sure she knows that she was a trending topic yesterday on social media. She has to know that people will be watching not only to see the Seahawks and Denver battle it out for Football's most prestigious honor but to see if she cares enough about herself to make a return to being the total package every time she's on camera.

My People are Destroyed For Lack of Knowledge

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Hosea 4:6


On Monday night Micah and I were doing as we usually do, watching sports and chatting about what was on our social media platforms.  Suddenly he shows me what is probably the most ignorant and disrespectful event flyer that I've ever seen...An MLK Freedom to Twerk Party Flyer.

He began to read the comments on his Facebook page and most people our age were outraged...as we should be.  After scrolling back up from the comments we noticed that Dr. King's image has been photoshopped onto the flyer adding to our dismay.

Fast forward to Thursday when Micah told me that a host of radio personalities lead the charge to bring attention to this buffoonery and disrespect of one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time, leading the party promoter to cancel the event.

I can't be help to ask myself how a promoter in Michigan could see nothing wrong with superimposing an image of some held in such high regard with something that has been viewed as culturally-fracturing and degrading. Supposedly the promoter told club owner, Vic McEwen, that he didn't see anything wrong with the flyer...and subsequently McEwen broke the contract and cancelled the event.  In the event that the promoter is, let's say 13...then maybe a true understanding of what this holiday means is absent, however, we all know the promoter is probably  someone who has a modicum of sense and knows what the civil rights movement and Dr. King's efforts and death are all about. I think it says a great deal about Mr. McEwen, a black business owner who took a loss on the event, but my only hope is that he took time to have a come to Jesus meeting with the promoter and used this miscarriage of imagery as a teaching moment.

I often think that young people have little regard for anything that has been done to open doors for the marginalized, lost, broken-spirited  and oppressed people in society.  Perhaps it's because they live in a world with  [alleged] equality, excess and instant gratification and have been lead to believe that the fight is over.

Shame on the promoters parents, teachers, peers, etc. who didn't teach him about his history and struggles of the past.  Or is it shame on this opportunist who chose to ignore those things and who probably throws a Freedom to Twerk party during the weekend of every nationally observed holiday.  Shame on those individuals who got a kick out of seeing our great Dr. King super imposed over a body with low-hanging pants, a medallion around his neck and hands clasped to resemble a gang sign.  Shame on the fact that fifty years later people still don't get it.

The promoter has since opened the venue door for a a positive and celebratory event and yes with an appropriate flyer...but it should have never come to this.  I'm so blessed that I was raised by a father who made it a point to show me the scar on the back of head from which he was hit with a police baton while participating in a civil rights march in Washington, DC.  I'm truly bless to have parents who were raised with a principles of spirituality and community service to which I have committed myself to. I'm grateful for my friends, family and colleagues who are in the trenches everyday making sure that our youth are guided in the right direction.

We owe it to ourselves to not only keep Dr. King's dream alive but to follow the spiritual teachings of those leaders in our homes, churches and communities and do our part (no matter how great or how small) to make a difference.

To the promoters (who probably are the first and won't be the last to inappropriately use Dr. King's image) I hope that this past week has given you time to reflect and redirect your energy.  There is never a reason to put financial gain over honoring the legacy of such a worthy individual.

Enough said.

When They Start Talking Back

As the 13th birthday draws near I’ve noticed something...he’s starting to be more vocal. That’s the politically correct way of saying that Number Two (our son Madison) is starting to talk back.  I noticed it a few days ago when he questioned why I told him to called everyone to dinner when he responded "why...dinner's not even ready?!" I stopped midway in my explanation and gathered myself! Why was I even answering him? I gave him a directive and his job was to do what I said. No explanation needed.

More egregious is the fact that he consistently questions me when he’s given a chore to do. My requests are followed up with statements like “I didn’t do that,”, “why can’t ____ do it?”, or “why do I have to do it?” Mind you, the same can be asked of my husband and he gets nothing more than a sigh.  I’m constantly being told that I have to stop being a pushover and that I’m not tough enough as a disciplinarian but in my own defense I’m not a 6’8” dad who commands respect merely as a result of my stature.

From time to time I even get the stare-down; a silent challenge to my authority and when there’s an audience (the younger members of Team Edwards) they join in.

My challenge is to gain control, limit the amount of yelling that it takes to get this control, and yet exert a level of authority.  I can’t pop my kids in the mouth every time they talk back to me (ahhhh, many of you just screamed “LIKE HELL YOU CAN'T!!!”) because we live in a different day and time, but looking back I can count the number of times I talked back...two (or maybe three)! And I remember exactly where I was in my childhood home when I got slapped square in the mouth. As a 44 year old, I’m still afraid to smart off to my mother, even though she is paralyzed on one side and can’t react as quickly as she used to because I have a level of respect for her that is unwavering. Just this past Christmas, she told me to sit down and as I was getting ready to fire off an explanation as to why I couldn’t (me being the gracious host that I am I was focused on entertaining our guests) I stopped. I looked at mom and said “yes ma’am,” and quickly respected her request. Again, how times have changed.

In the words of Barney Fife (younger readers may have to Google him) I’ve gotta “nip it in the bud,” before it spreads like cancer in our home. While I wax and wane between humor and my genuine concern this is a serious issue.  My kids see sassy characters on the shows they watch, witness meltdowns and disrespect in public and often watch their peers talk back in school (and I dare not blame this latest hurdle in motherhood on the media or society although both tend to be contributing factors) but it’s no laughing matter.

I know that finding a balance between how I react and respond and trying to understand the root cause of why my kids talk back is important.  Child psychologist suggests that talking back is a natural inclination for children who are testing their limits. Other research suggests that children talk back for two reasons: when things are going their way and when things are not so good; thus the window of opportunity for kids to break the rules as they relate to their communication is wide open.  I want my children to understand the importance of being able to speak up, ask appropriate questions, and engage in constructive debate because it is a skill that needs to be developed.  Empoweringparents.com suggests that parents don’t react to backtalk as it leads parents into prolonging arguments in which they do not need to engage.  Lehman (the author of the article) goes on to say that the focus should be on accomplishing your objectives as a parent and not so much on the fact that backtalk is often viewed as a challenge to authority.  My challenge is figuring out how to facilitate the development of healthy, age-appropriate communication in a way that builds respect for authority. I am well aware of the fact that my job as a parent is to get my children to follow the rules set forth in our home but I can’t help but to acknowledge the sense of powerlessness and frustration that my kids sometimes feel when they are trying to express themselves and I cut them off because I know that the conversation will lead down a sketchy road between backtalk and defending one’s position.  As I scoured the internet for reasonable discussions about this topic (mostly from licensed professionals) most of what I found boiled down to this; the tweens and teens are very formative years and ignoring this behavior will create a bad attitude and disposition that will last a lifetime, thus as parents it’s our job to find a way to develop and display health behaviors.

 

courtesy: www.picsbox.biz

I want to empower my kids but I also want to maintain my power at home. Some say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but I’m hoping this doesn’t apply to children because in my experience, a snide, disrespectful teen has the potential to become a pretentious, mouthy and sarcastic adult.