I was moved to write you after reading your email of the day concerning diagnosing kids with bipolar disorder. I am sickened by the drugging that is going on in my own small town.

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An amazing thing happened last weekend. My son, who just turned 10 in April, was invited to a birthday/pool party with a bunch of his friends. There was approximately 16 boys his age there, plus many parents. Unfortunately, I was not there, which as you'll hear, will NEVER be the situation again.

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I was so touched by Kathleen's e-mail about their 6 children, and worrying about the really important things in their future...whom they will marry, for instance. I thought about those decisions, too, with our 3 sons...

 

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This is from Barry: Dear Dr. Laura: I was a participant in an unwanted, unnecessary divorce...because my wife wasn't 'happy.'' I have 3 minor children who, despite my tremendous efforts to the contrary...only get to see me 7-10 days a month.' I do everything I can to remain in their lives so I might display to them the importance and value of good character, good values/morals, and integrity.... For Valentine's Day, I wrote my 5 year old daughter a poem.' I'm not a poet by any means.' I'm your basic manly man.' These words simply came to me in the half-hour it took to write them down.' In it are references to many things we do as a family ....I thought you might like to read it: A Poem for Claire A poem for Claire is what I will try.'I hope it turns out - ya see, I'm only a guy.'There are jobs that I have-'One is being your Dad.'Out of all of the jobs'That one makes me most glad. We do things we like'And some we don't mind.'I'm pleased that you're nice'And so warm and so kind. I tell you I'm serious'But you know that I'm not'We're both very silly'And we smile a LOT! We sit out in back'And look at the clouds'You see shapes I don't see'You make me so proud. Walking to school'Is always so fun.'It's been so cold lately'We can't wait for the sun! You fiddle with your homework.'Maybe a snack instead?'But each night we read'Just before time for bed. I love when we play'You're so very special'We dance and we laugh'Now it's time to WRESTLE! We cuddle on the sofa'Watch TV at night.'But we don't watch a show'That might give you a fright. We make up games to play'Sometimes go for a hike.'But what you like most'Is riding your bike! You play Dan-Ball and Rock Band'And sometimes the Wii.'"Daddy, come look!'Come here! Come see!" I'm busy in the kitchen'Moving fast there to here.'You're the first and the loudest'During our dinnertime cheer. I miss you dearly'When we're far apart,'But I'll always remind you'I'm in your head and your heart. The message is clear'In this poem you hear.'Your Dad loves you greatly'And I will always be near. I want you to know'You're my best Valentine.'I will ALWAYS be yours'If you will be mine. I love you.'Dad You've made me a better man, Dr. Laura.' I thank you. More >>

By this time, you all know that former Presidential hopeful John Edwards is not longer hopeful about too much.' According to press reports, Elizabeth Edwards has left him.After the Clintons and many other high profile power couples' personal issues with marital problems and affairs, I think we're all pretty numbed and crass about it all.This blog is not about affairs - it's about another form of betrayal.'Andrew Young was a former aide of the Edwards' who was personally intimate with them and a co-conspirator in John Edwards' tacky affair and secrecy surrounding his illegitimate child.' In fact, in addition to harboring the bimbo in his home, Andrew Young tried to take the credit for this baby to keep his boss in the limelight in a more positive way.All of this has now hit the fan, and these three are no longer speaking.' Andrew Young has written a "tell-all" book, " The Politician ," which goes on sale this week.' He maligns Elizabeth and John and even goes so far as to say that they both conspired to use her cancer diagnosis to promote John's campaign for President.' I don't know if that's true or not, but it just sounds so disgusting that I can't wrap my mind around it.'What a despicable character Andrew Young is!' First, for benefitting from his relationship with the Edwards family (with privileges, opportunities, trust, bonding, financial compensation, power and friendship), and then making money by betraying their confidences when he was a definite co-conspirator in everything they did (which he now criticizes).' People who do that are scum.Years ago, Eddie Fisher also wrote a tell-all book about the women he was intimate with, including Debbie Reynolds and Elizabeth Taylor.' Why they, or any of the other women, had anything to do with that toad is beyond me, but they did.' He did a "kiss and tell" book.' Disgusting.' All to make a buck.' He betrayed the tender confidences of women who once cared about him.I ran into him while he was on his book tour, and we were both appearing on a television interview program.' He dared to come up to me to cheerfully introduce himself.' I cut him short, saying I knew who he was, and that he was a disgusting human being and obviously not a gentleman for the book he wrote and now was hawking.' He looked stunned, and that made my moment!' I turned my back on him and then slowly, deliberately walked away.' He was trying to say something to me, but I just didn't care.Instead of buying Andrew Young's book demonizing Elizabeth and John Edwards, spend that money on buying some good children's books for your local school library. More >>

There's a new study out from San Diego State University saying that children and young adults today are the most anxious and depressed of the last seventy years.I'm not surprised at all.' Having too many choices is chaos.' Morals and values have been sacrificed in favor of infamy and fortune.' When sports heroes are infamous and rich'because they took drugs to increase their performance, that is demoralizing to kids who work hard to aspire to athletic greatness simply by practicing a lot.' When other young people get famous for flaunting drugs and anti-social behavior, it makes it difficult for the kids who simply work hard.When you have a major Hollywood producer/director putting together a movie to excuse and explain Hitler (in context, he says), you have a generation that has no clear understanding of evil.When you have military dying in the fields of foreign countries because we are at war with a religious ideology that wants to terminate western civilization, and one of their combatants is caught and tried only as a common criminal, you have a generation that is confused.When you have a culture that does not support the basic building block of education - the family - we have children turning to equally confused peers and pop culture.When the people in positions of power, authority and fame turn out to be of little character, you have a generation that doesn't know what to respect or whom to emulate.It all matters.Our kids pay the price. More >>

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There is very little broadcast television that matters, but there is a lot of broadcast television that tears down morale and morality.There is one ray of persistent sunshine - the one minute spots produced by The Foundation for A Better Life.' These are the most touching, moving, elevating, lovely video essays you can imagine.'The one I saw in the middle of watching the 5:30AM morning news showed a ferocious scene of a very physical professional hockey game.' The scene then shifts to the locker room where all these sweaty, huge and muscular macho guys are getting ready for the next game.' One of them is on the telephone, trying to hide his face and voice from the rest of his buddies.' He's clearly uncomfortable, but doing what the person on the other end of the phone is asking him to do:' sing the "itsy bitsy spider."' The scene cuts to his little daughter giggling with delight as Daddy sings to her while Mommy holds her on her lap.' Daddy finishes the song, and tells his daughter he loves her.' He hangs up to find his buddies surrounding him and doing the hand motions of the itsy bitsy spider going up the water spout.' He says "Hey, it's my girl - my daughter," and all the guys smile like crazy.It's just so lovely.' The Foundation for A Better Life has a website - check it out at www.values.com .' Look at their archives.' Be touched and moved like me, and be elevated in your mood as you try to survive the moral decay of our society.' There is a light! More >>

I understand that the list is now at 14 distinct dalliances by Tiger Woods, and the count is likely to grow.' One of the reasons the legal types are interested in this situation is the precedent for "alienation of affection" suits, which can be filed when an "outsider" interferes in a marriage.' These suits are allowed in seven states:' Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota and Utah.' Why these suits are disallowed in all the other states is a curiosity.' Perhaps lawmakers in those states were being pre-emptively self-protective.' Who knows?However, it doesn't matter that Woods lives in Florida, a state where alienation of affections suits aren't allowed.' If any of Woods' professed affairs took place in an alienation of affection state, Mrs. Tiger Woods could sue.' According to my research, the suits rarely make it to trial - usually the threat of such an embarrassing lawsuit is enough to have it end up in an out-of-court financial settlement.On my radio program, when I discuss with the "wronged" spouse their pain and desire to get revenge with the "other woman or man," I remind them that it is their spouse who breached vows.' The other individual was just the means to that sad end.' When people don't wish to leave their marriages, they often focus their rage on that other person to protect their spouse from their rage.' However, I believe it ought to be common understanding that the vows include a warning to others:' "let no man turn asunder" means that no one should interfere with the married couple's intimacy.' All society has really taken that vow.' Therefore, I believe it is fair that there be some consequence, and perhaps compensation, for the hurt caused.I think all states should allow such lawsuits, as they respect the sanctity of marriage. More >>