I have an early memory — probably from about age four or five — of Fourth of July fireworks. We had gone to see the big fireworks show and I was in bed trying to go to sleep. Back then, however, firecrackers and bottle rockets were completely legal and larger explosives were not uncommon. To a young child, however, the noise was terrifying — I knew for sure that one of those fireworks I was hearing was going to land on our roof and burn the house down with all of us in it. And perhaps that’s why I’m an ultra-liberal these days. Yes, before you head out to that Fourth of July parade or fire up the Independence Day barbecue, you might want to take a look at what a new study has to say about the lasting effects of such festivities.
Archive for the ‘Research and Studies’ Category
American Families Come Up Short In Emergencies
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
If you were suddenly faced with an emergency — a necessary repair or unexpected medical expense — how well could you handle it, financially? According to a new study, more than half of American families would likely be unable to come up with the cash to cover a significant expense in a month’s time. As the economy remains in the doldrums, even those who are still employed are no longer financially secure.
No Internet For You, Young Man
Monday, December 20th, 2010
According to a new study, parents see internet access similar to how they see watching television — especially when it comes to using it as punishment. More than half of American households take away television viewing privileges as punishment, a figure that has not changed significantly over the last ten years. What has changed is the number of parents that use internet access as a form of punishment as well.
The Easy Gene
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
If you want to know if your kids are going to be the sort that sleep around or the kind that prefers long-term relationships, you might just want to have them get a DNA test. Even if they’re still too young to know about such things, you can still get some idea of what they’ll be like. And, if you’re not happy with what you find out, it’s your own fault. After all, they got their genes from you.
Kids’ Best Friend — Or Not?
Saturday, November 27th, 2010
Growing up, we had a number of dogs over the years, from dachshunds to a loveable schipperke to a couple of dumb-as-doorknob borzois and never had any problems with them. When she was an adult, however, my sister adopted an Australian shepherd and the dog bit a number of people. That was an expensive lesson. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, but that’s not always the case.
Teaching Gender Stereotypes
Saturday, November 20th, 2010
I try hard to avoid gender stereotypes with my kids. I know full well that my career over the last 30 years as a computer programmer was made possible by a woman. I also know that one the most hardcore overland adventurers I know is a woman. There seem to be a lot more male chefs on TV than women. And my daughter continually amazes me with her Herculean strength, even as my son impresses me with his empathy. And yet, it seems, children pick up on stereotypes as early as preschool even from the most innocent comments. Yes, it turns out that even “Good morning, boys and girls” is enough to induce gender awareness in preschoolers.
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