#PetRap begins Sunday with a Photo Contest

Cool Kat - Cool Dog

If you’re a pet-lover, like me, you’re slightly kooky, passionate, and loving. It goes with the territory. #PetRap begins this Sunday, May 26, 2013 at noon -1:00 p.m. PT/3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET, with a favorite pet photo contest. Just for the fun of it. Bring your fav photo and we’ll have two winners. The prize for the winners is PDF copies of my two books, but the big WIN is the bragging rights. I am promising to create a community of pet lovers that will get together on lazy Sundays to have fun together. This is NOT going to be an activist community.

NOTE: I just discovered that there is an existing PetChat so we’re going to be #PetRap. Please note hashtag change!

All photos must be submitted DURING our first #PetRap hour on Sunday, May 26 between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET. The winners will be announced at next week’s #PetRap and their photos posted in next week’s #PetRap pre-chat post!

Book Cover from The Empty NestA Dad's Point of View book cover

Generation Gap: Kids as a Second Language

Funny baby photo

What were the slang words of your generation? Mine included groovy and bitchin’ among many others. Every generation has its own slang, dress, general look, and of course, its own music. Every generation looks back at theirs as the best and I actually think this is a darn good thing. For young boys and girls, dressing differently than their parents, listening to different music, and generally speaking their own language is the first step on the road to independence.

read more

Do You Compete with Your Spouse or Significant Other?

fighting animals

With male and female roles changing so significantly in recent years, I’m wondering how much this may have affected our egos? Do you compete with your spouse or significant other? Yes, we all likely say we wish nothing but the best for our partners, but deep inside do we feel envy sometimes? I think this is one of those semi-taboo topics that aren’t aired much, which means, of course, I’m going to wade right into it.

read more

Are YOU Afraid of Your Wife?

Wife going after husband

How many men do you think are afraid of their wives? If “afraid” is too strong a word, how many men believe they must walk on eggshells in their wife’s presence? What marriages do you know – well – that are successful and appear happy? I chose the word “appear” because no one really knows what is going on inside another’s home and life, so all we can make is educated guesses based on how well we know people.

read more

What’s on YOUR Mind?

Cartoon about what we are thinking

Needless to say, my title is a shameless pitch for comments but, of course, I’m going to share what’s on my mind first. You’re welcome to add anything on yours, please. It’s now two weeks since The Boston Explosion aka The Boston Bombings and I think we’re getting over the initial shock. I am still reeling from the details that my son shared about what happened to him that morning, which I’ll share in a moment.

read more

Tips for Parents on How to Talk to Your Kids about The Boston Explosion

 Running Shoes and a Heart for Boston

Tips from Dr. Jennifer Weberman, Commentary by Bruce

The Boston Explosion aka The Boston Bombings have had a large impact on all of us. Such a senseless act of terror often raises difficult questions for parents and children. How can such evil exist? Where does it come from? Are we safe? What’s next? The list of questions is endless and for many of them, there is no simple answer, anymore than there is a simple answer to questions of faith. However, as parents, we must be able to comfort our children in these times of unfathomable suffering and unthinkable acts of evil.

read more

Two Common Questions on Death and Divorce that Need to GO!

 Cartoon About the Meaning of LIfe

When I was young, my mother would often take offense when someone would ask her, upon seeing me with my mom, “is he your only one?” She was always polite but given that she’d lost two other children, it was one of those questions that hurt, though the person asking had no idea. Simple questions about death, divorce, and our family make-up may seem innocent, but are they really?

read more

Why Our Kids Should Go For It

Magic happens when you take risks

Yes, we should encourage our kids to Go For It. Of course I don’t mean foolish or dangerous things, but those that will help them succeed in life. In our contemporary world, it’s the risk-takers who will succeed. Too many kids feel entitled, have been pampered or helicoptered, and the idea of taking a chance and going for it is completely foreign to them. Thomas Edison is a perfect example of a man who didn’t allow failures to deter his determination.

read more