Many modern parents have a very bad habit of coddling their children, ultimately turning them into out-of-control monsters. Here's one scenario:  a driver in Florida left the keys in the ignition and the engine running of his 1966 Acura Integra to run inside an Italian restaurant to pick up a take-out order.  That was just too much temptation for a 17 year old, who with his 14 year old buddy, jumped in the car and drove away.  He was followed by owner in a separate car, police were called, a description went out and the two were apprehended post haste. More >>

Facebook recently added a check-in or location-sharing feature, much like the one provided by FourSquare.com... More >>

Years ago on your program you described how to write a letter to an adversary so THEY would know what the text REALLY means, but anyone else reading the correspondence would think the writer was being sweet. Here's the story: A nasty, aggressive neighbor was putting evil notes in the rural mailbox attached to my fence post. More >>

Sometimes, children who have been adopted fantasize about being with their birth family.  That's what's happening to a worried listener: More >>

...My neighbor's son goes to a local day orphanage. She chose this particular day care because it has "sunny yellow walls and the toys looked clean." This was her standard for the people who would raise her child. This day care recently acquired a three year old Chinese boy, whose parents are recent immigrants from China to attend medical school at a local university. This boy speaks no English. More >>

I was listening to an in-depth interview on PBS radio with Patricia Heaton (Debra on "Everyone Loves Raymond") and she told a story from her past: She had been married for many years (and still is) and landed a role where she had to kiss another man. She said in this role she had to "pretend" she was very much in love with her co-star. More >>

Recently, I received some very bad news about a friend. A year ago, she was diagnosed with lung cancer.  She never smoked and was very physically active, religious, positive personality and never even used a curse word. I called her every day as she went through surgery and chemo. It looked like all was good.  But it wasn't, and it isn't. This cancer is aggressive, and spread even in the soup of strong chemotherapy.  Now they've told her they cannot operate.  She will have radiation every day for seven weeks and then be on chemo daily for the rest of her life. More >>

There is no medicine to cure hatred More >>

When I was a boy, one of my favorite times of year was early September. Why? Because it was then I could look forward to returning to school (later, college)... More >>

Help your children take healthy, productive steps toward their 21st century adult lives this school year... More >>