Lifestyle

You could send out a group email, offering some direction. Tell them: “The season is upon us and we are anticipating birthdays and holidays. This year we are trying to reduce the material abundance in our household and are encouraging people to send only one gift per child – or offer them “experiences” instead of material gifts. If you’d like ideas, we’d be happy to supply them, and as always, we are so grateful for your thoughtfulness and attention. Our children are very lucky!”

In my experience as a teacher for 37 years, I have encountered this situation numerous times, but on those occasions, I had sent the child to the nurse without having to discuss the reason (a phone call was made to the nurse prior to child’s arrival).

I found out when my sister-in-law, the executor, sent me a check for a smaller portion of the money, along with a letter about what a terrible human I am – outlining mistakes I made 45 years ago (as a teenager), as well as a detailed account of mistakes made by my deceased parents, my other brother and his children, etc.

“To have to go around and beg, and that’s literally what you have to do, you have to beg,” she said. “A lack of knowledge made people stand back and say, ‘I don’t want to do that,’ or, ‘I can’t do that, that’s going to hurt.’ That’s the first thing that you hear.”

Dear Distressed: You question your own feelings, which is what people do when they’ve experienced chaos and dislocation in childhood. Childhood is when humans learn to inhabit and express their authentic feelings. Competent, sober, and reliable parents guide children through this process. You were denied this – and much more – in your own childhood.

Former President Obama said the city and the world lost an icon. “Over his 102 years, Tim was many things: a veteran, historian, author, educator, civil rights leader, and humanitarian,” he said. “But above all, Tim was a testament to the power of place, and how the work we do to improve one community can end up reverberating through other neighborhoods and other cities, eventually changing the world.”

“During the evening at the homecoming dance, students showed displeasure of the songs by kneeling, crouching down, or sitting at multiple times throughout the dance. Kneeling was not isolated to the song, Payaso de Rodeo, as shown in the video,” the statement said.

Like all of us, she will occasionally struggle and make mistakes. But unless there are mitigating circumstances which you don’t mention (he is married, was married, has children, or a previous unhealthy history with relationships), you must trust that your daughter will make her own way, as we all must.

The dry weather is continuing into fall so watering continues to be important for witch hazel. Leaf scorch typically occurs after long periods of dry, windy weather when the roots of a plant are unable to supply water to the foliage at a rate that keeps up with the water lost from the leaves by transpiration. (Julie McCaffrey/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Education Week magazine is keeping a growing list of educators who have died due to COVID-19. If you want to have your heart broken today — regarding the bus drivers, lunch ladies, librarians, custodians and beloved teachers and school staff who have died of COVID — I suggest you look up the editorial in the Sept. 3, 2021 issue (“We Feel Your Grief”), written by Managing Editor Lesli A. Maxwell.