The Final Countdown

We are a matter of hours away for the Lemon Drop. Everything is in place.

In the meantime,

Here are my answers for an interview conducted by our local news station.

Hopefully this will tide you over until tomorrow evening.

I was asked to come up with some easy ways to talk to children about charity and good citizenship.

Tips, advice etc...

1.Honesty has been the best policy for conveying the needs of others to my children. I allow them to feel sympathetic for others and provide them with opportunities to realize how very lucky we are to have the life that we do. I dint shelter the boys from some of the harshness of the world that we live in. I monitor the news that they receive, but I dont fully protect them for the truth. I remember watching CNN with my oldest son soon after the earthquake in Haiti and him asking me whether or not the images were "real". We had a long discussion about the devastation and fear that was taking place in the images that we were receiving from the television. That night we prayed for the families in Haiti. Events similar to this one provide a building block for such conversations and a willingness to let a child's heart be compassionate and sympathetic.

2.Lead by example. I feel like the very best way for a child to nurture a generous heart is to live as an example to them. I live each day, making conscious decisions for both myself and my family. At the end of the day I want my boys to feel like they did the very best that they could have done, whether it's accomplishing an art project or in orchestrating an event like the Lemon Drop. I hold myself to the same standard.

3.Do unto others as you would like done for you. I often explain to the boys that everyone has hardships and obstacles to overcome in their own lives, both big and small. At the end of the day, we are all the same. Human beings, living this one life. If there is a way to help another person, to take some of the burden off of their shoulders, if even for a moment, that is amazing. That's the real gift.

4.Lastly, our family moto is "Today is a new day." I repeat this to the boys constantly. Every single day holds an immense amount of opportunity. You just have to seize it, and really be passionate in what it is that you are doing. Possibilities are endless for a child, and if that is instilled within them from an early age, their lives have a good chance of being a momentous occasion. 

(I hope that helps!)