Tuesday, December 31, 2013

the big disconnect

catherine steiner-adair, ed.d with teresa barker, wrote one of the wall street journal's best nonfiction books of 2013.  the big disconnect is about technology - texting, tweeting, screens of all sorts - and how it's changing our children and families.  the first chapter is an overview, and the rest is sorted by age group.  the final chapter helps parents coach children as they grow into our screen-full world.  

here are the top 5 reasons to read this book:

1.  the first surprise was the section: what children see:  parents missing in action.  ah!  children on screens is only half the story.  are the adults available?  or are they texting/talking/blogging/working on a device? (excuse me while i stop blogging to play scrabble.)

2.  families with much older and younger siblings have a special challenge.  steiner-adair tells a story about a family with children of various ages trying to protect the little ones, and finding their 7-year-old playing grand theft auto on a phone in the car.  It's an endless challenge, this role of IT parent in the digital age. (p. 35)

3.  here's another quote from the same page where the author discusses how she hears from parents worried about their children, and teachers, too:  Teachers share their concerns about the subtle but pervasive ways they see tech impinging on the school experience:  four-year-olds who want to imitate computer games on the playground and hesitate to play with blocks or peruse books: elementary school children who struggle to problem-solve and who depend on adults to help them with the simplest tasks, high school students who struggle with any assignment requiring more than shallow attention and prefer a virtual tour of a museum to a field trip to see the real thing. 

4.  the ages and stages chapters are clear and full of examples of technology's impact on kids.  in particular the teen section was powerful.  teens are spontaneous.  one story is about some guys whose buddy was hurt by a girl.  they went to the school music room and wrote a song, as heartbroken musicians always have, but they used the girl's name and school.  then uploaded it.  fast-forward to the girl's parents contacting lawyers.  note that this part is r rated, with a discussion of "sexting" and "friends with benefits".

5.  the last chapter, the sustainable family, deserves a separate post.  it's useful and positive, with concrete ideas for parents.

the big disconnect  is about using technology in a healthy way.  

beautiful reading.
joy to you.  

Monday, December 30, 2013

the light at the end of the tunnel

 if you go to natural bridge in kentucky, follow the sign for nada tunnel.
 it's one lane, rock on both sides and above.
don't stop because the road goes both ways.
 drive a little and find the parking lot.
time to head out on the trails.  
natural beauty.

Friday, December 27, 2013

rain


 the little miami is normally far to the right of this running path.
now the path is abstract art.
still lovely, but not very useful.
here's wishing you a healthy, restful weekend.  

Thursday, December 26, 2013

simple things

 when things are hectic, there's
 peace to be found in flowers.
joy to you.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

carol of the bells

christmas eve workers can celebrate with coffee and an office phone.
joy!

Monday, December 23, 2013

winter solstice

here's the ohio river from my work friday morning.  
the beauty is the view that's hidden in summer.

a peaceful christmas to you!  

Monday, December 16, 2013

christmas break - see you next week!

 it's that time of year.  
the tiny santa by the fireplace needs a big tree.  
the corner is bare, so
 it's time to pack up my purse and go shopping.

i'll be back before christmas, god willing.  

joyful preparations.
peace to you and yours.

Friday, December 13, 2013

franklin park conservatory - sticks


here we go into a holiday weekend.
may you find peace amid the busy-ness.
and joy.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

seeing green


in the literal sense.

it's 14 degrees F here, and time for a little green.
happy thursday!



Wednesday, December 11, 2013

noodles & company


here's some thai curry soup with shrimp from noodles & company.
a little spicy, it's just right for a snowy day.  

edible beauty.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

chilly coffee emporium



pull around the corner toward the coffee shop, and you smell the warm scent of wood smoke.  
you go up the steps and inside for your extra-hot mocha, and pick up some
tiny candy canes wrapped in dark chocolate.

winter joys.
warm thoughts to you!

Monday, December 9, 2013

snowy ault park


good morning.
the sunrise shining off the pond creates a dot of fire in a frozen field,
while the soft sherbet hues bely the cold.
no sitting today - it's time for hot chocolate.

 photos of an ice storm in ault park here and here.

winter beauty.
happy new week.

Friday, December 6, 2013

traffic - snow



this snow is melted,
and a new storm expected.

be safe, and here's to sledding, skiing, and hot chocolate!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

little saint nicholas

with a lunch sack and some yarn, your little one may enjoy making a stocking to share on st. nick's feast day, friday, december 6th.  our students are sharing their love with younger children. 

the joy of saint nicholas to you!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

beginning the season

 in downtown cincinnati, you will find a
huge christmas tree.  there's ice skating and entertainment in the square, too.
if you pass through a hotel, you can see 
 the football stadium, sweeter than ever.

holiday joy to you.

Monday, December 2, 2013

baked in a pumpkin

here's a healthy treat we made for thanksgiving dinner.  
the recipe is from a family friend.  

take 1 small, perfect pumpkin, and cut off the top, leaving a generous slice for the lid.
clean it out, and place it on a pie pan.
 in a saucepan, combine 2 tart apples (diced), 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1/3 cup water,
 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, and
1/3 cup of sugar or maple syrup.
bring just to a boil, and then pour the mixture into the pumpkin and cover with the lid.
bake at 350 F for 45 - 60 minutes.  dig out the pumpkin with each spoonful of fruit.
enjoy!
 you can also bake the pumpkin seeds for a snack.

edible beauty.
joy to you!
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