The Importance of Allowing Our Children To Be Children

In Johann Christoph Arnold's "Their Name Is Today, Reclaiming Childhood", she focuses on the difficulties young ones experience in growing up too fast.  Play is so important that she devotes an entire chapter on this subject,  She also addresses the facts that perhaps there would be less violence if parents would put their children at the top of their priorities.  This book gets the reader thinking, hopefully before it is too late.  By spending quality time with our children and by putting our love for them into action, we may never have to experience the problems of violence and suicide once they become adults.  Somehow the media has twisted the definition of childhood by forcing kids to participate in areas that they are not ready to master.  Sadly, our society has the very young worried about whether they are sexy enough.  The young people today know things I was unaware of until I became an adult.  This book is a resolve for parents everywhere wanting to change the tide of things by offering tips and ideas on how to bring childhood back.  I was given the opportunity to rate this book for Handlebar Bloggers.

Media Violence IS a SERIOUS Threat to Our Youth

Growing up in the Sixties and Seventies, our age group was sold on the Make Peace, Not War messages that were in the Media during that era. Flower children told us Love was the answer. We were greatly influenced by the media as young people are still today.  Unless you are blind as a bat, it's hard not to be affected by the overwhelming evidence of violence and coldness in our young people today.  Television programs based on fact, Killer Kids, can attest to the attitude of anger which has arisen with this generation. Never before have so many young people been killing their parents, their families and even their friends when they disagree.  There is mounting evidence in Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Gloria DeGaetano  updated version of "Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill; A Call to Action Against TV, Movie & Video Game Violence" that children are greatly affected by what they see and hear.  Lt. Grossman compares this media with the army's conditioning techniques used to overcome a soldiers' aversion to killing.  This book will take an in depth view of how parent's must have greater involvement in censoring their child's books, movies and games.  Learn how to take action to prevent future violence.  It's never too late to get on board for a more positive future. I was given the opportunity to review this book for Blogging for Books. For more information on Book 

Oh No Not the Children, Dec. 14 The Day The World Changed

          Although there have always been deranged individuals wreaking havoc in society, something  more hurting and unexplainable  occurred on Dec. 14, 2012...A hunter determined to make his prey innocent young elementary students...an awful mind blowing act which rid our realms of any security we might have once felt in the past leaving everyone, everywhere wondering what is happening in our world.  Life has sadly changed since I was a child when my biggest concern was whether or not my older brother found my favorite toy that I hid on him. We lived in a more safe enviroment in those days when neighbors spoke kindly to one another and faithful friends knew that there were certain boundaries that you just didn't cross in for the sake of  true kinship.  It's just not like the good ole' days anymore and my heart bleeds for the parents who must worry when their offspring are doing the right thing by going to school.  What has this world come to and who is to blame?  I imagine it is a number of factors  that have contributed to this lack of concern with human life as I recall some of the things I suggested as a college student majoring in Psychology.  Young and full of passion I suggested in my essay that lawmakers should make Mental Health a mandatory class in all schools just as physical educucation is.  Agreeing that Physical Health was an asset in establishing the importance of  keeping our bodies up to par but I felt that mental health should also be addressed with that same ferver.  For one this would erase the stigma that has been attached to mental illness since forever but also teach individuals on how to identify those who may be afflicted and guarantee that they get some kind of help.  My professor was pleased with my report and gave me a bright A+ while leaving a question for me to ponder...'"How would this class be funded?"'  Since than I felt that there was a negative possibility of ever seeing this proposal come to past.
   So instead today, twenty little innocent victims will be buried.  Hearts are broken, many will lose faith and there will be a void which will not be filled.  The news has left us all with apprehension and uncertainty.  The holiday holds less meaning with the true lights of our lives smothered out.  As a mother and grandmother of thirteen I beg that strickter background checks be made with anyone purchasing a gun and that it include background checks of everyone in the family and/or who may have access to that person's home.  I wonder how many people know that our beloved Abraham Lincoln who suffered through many nervous breakdowns  had his assistants at his home hide the silverware on the days that he was most depressed.  This has been written in his history books as he struggled with his own dark thoughts on certain days.  We can't put all the fault on the media although there is way too much violence being portrayed to the children these days, nor can we put it all in any one egg basket but we can each do our part.  Needless to say our Nation would be a better place if we each were a little more loving and respectful to one another.  Is it possible to make that change?

The Miracle in a Young Mans Heart

    Redemption is Bryan Clay's testimony of  how God changed his  life and guided him into winning   the 2008 Olympic gold medal as well as the 2004 Olympic silver medal in the decathlon.  As a young adult, the author was full of anger and pain enough to set him on the road to self-destruction.  Not unlike a lot of young men of today, he dabbled in drugs and found himself in a lot of fist fighting matches.  For this reason, his story can and will reach the hearts of  young people.  Everyone knows that they tend to listen to someone who understands where they are at and why they feel the way that they do.  This book is also very inspiring for parents as it explains in depth, the unwaivering faith of his mother and how she never ceased in praying for her son. She never gave up, this being a firm reminder for other parents to pray continously for your children.  For all readers, this fact based book is a Hope that God can acheive the impossible.  When the Lord touches this young man's heart it is a joy to hear of his further transformation.  Once suicidal, Bryan Clay finds real purpose and meaning in his life.  I am honored to have previewed his book for BookSneeze on line in exchange for my opinion.  I foresee his story blessing many others in the future and applaud him for having the courage to share the aspects of  his young years.