Been There Done That

Should We Try for Genetic Perfection?

Wow. I just read an article in our local newspaper that a 'risk-free' prenatal test for Down Syndrome has been developed. I'm not sure how I feel about that. What do you think?

I'd never in a million years wish the birth of a disabled child onto a family. It's very hard and often tears that family apart. A child who needs life-long care is not what most people bargain for. Do parents have the right to avoid that at all costs?

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Submitted by tutor1235 on July 2, 2008 - 3:24am.

Appreciating what you've got

My youngest came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and said "Mom-what happened to the water?" It's been a while, but my husband and I recognized the symptoms-the well pump had gone out.

Now, if you live in the city you may never have had this experience, but everyone who lives out in the country like we do will understand. Our water comes up from our well, and the entire system needs to be working right for us to get any at all. There's a pump, a motor, the well itself, a tank, and the electricity to run the whole thing. Whenever one piece of the equation goes awry, we have no water. Turn on the tap and you get absolutely nothing.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on July 1, 2008 - 9:43am.

The Light of Learning

Some days, I think I have the most wonderful job in the world. I work with developmentally disabled adults (among other things), and I teach them to read. When people first hear that, they often shake their heads. They wonder why in the world anyone would want to take on a fruitless task like that. They wonder what I hope to accomplish. They wonder who in the world pays for the service and why it should be supported. Here's the story.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on June 27, 2008 - 11:34am.

A Long Time Away

Wow, I wish I could say that I've been writing the Great American Novel or climbing Mt. Everest or discovering a cure for cancer these past months, but alas, I cannot. I simply FORGOT about this blog! You know how it goes-you get all excited about something and go great guns at it for a few days, then something else catches your eye.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on June 26, 2008 - 1:43pm.

A Christian Against Prayer in Public School

Whenever I make my stance on this issue known, it seems to rouse all sorts of responses. Yes, I'm a devout Christian. I lead Bible studies, teach Sunday School, practice daily devotions (at least most of the time!), and have well-thought out theological views. I attend church regularly and have a wide circle of Christian friends. I enjoyed reading The Purpose-Driven Life. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Christian and proud of it.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on March 9, 2006 - 11:07am.

So Am I Going Senile??

I think it's happening to me-my brain is shutting down due to old age. I never thought I'd be in this position. I've always been one to keep up with the times and to "think young." Well, except perhaps when it came to music. I'm in the club that feels there hasn't been good music since the 70's, and I absolutely abhor rap. Sheesh, it's worse than disco ever was!

But now, I'm having tons of trouble with my world, and I'm afraid it's due to old age and senility setting in. I've become ...gasp...one of those befuddled old people that I always secretly made fun of. I watched my first my grandparents and then my parents slowly get left behind by technology, and swore that I'd never allow myself to become so antiquated that I couldn't operate household appliances. And now look at me.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on March 8, 2006 - 5:07am.

So Who's to Blame?

I've seen several postings on this and similar sites lamenting the demise of decent spelling and grammar. And I agree-some of the entries should be given a pretty low score in the proofreading department. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I do put forth some effort to make sure that my public work is at least readable.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on March 4, 2006 - 1:03pm.

Partisan Politics at the Dinner Table

I've been watching with interest as my teen daughters develop and crystalize their political views. They obviously do a lot of thinking about politics, and it's clear that they are keeping up with current events somehow. I'm not sure whether they're reading a newspaper when I'm not looking or if they are being mandated to follow politics in one of their school classes, but the result is the same. My dinner table has become a flashpoint for partisan politics.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on March 3, 2006 - 11:48am.

The Value of Household Chores

Remember the days when every child was expected to accomplish certain chores each day or week? Perhaps you recall this from your own childhood or maybe youve reasoned out that children need to learn to do the housework sometime before they launch out into the world. Many parents wonder when to begin to teach their children how to work. The answer is "As early as possible!" Busy lifestyles often make it quicker and easier for adults to do the work, but this policy does a grave disservice to your youngsters. Aside from teaching the specific skills involved with the upkeep of a home, regular chores help a child develop the self-discipline necessary for successful adulthood, self-esteem needed for a rewarding existance, and a work ethic that includes improving their own circumstances. That's not even mentioning the savings in time and energy for the adults of the family once the children are trained to do a portion of the housekeeping.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on March 2, 2006 - 5:51pm.

Where Have All the Editors Gone?

Please note: This rant isn't directed at any of my esteemed fellows on this site! It's a general concern over a much larger problem....
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I think I was in college when I first noticed it: the general quality of printed publications has been going downhill for quite some time now. This predates the internet, so I can't lay the blame that direction. No, I have to believe that either ignorance or laziness is at fault. Not a day goes by when I do not see a fracturing of spelling or grammar on some document or sign that is in the public's view. It's really quite sad, because my opinion of the business or the writer plummets precipitously when I see simple errors that should be caught long before the item hits the public eye.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on February 28, 2006 - 4:27pm.

First My Refrigerator and Now My Stove!

I can hardly remember when my refrigerator didn't have letter magnets attached. We first put them up when it became apparent that the eldest child was very precocious and she was reading and spelling pretty well by age three. The other kids came along, and those magnets did double and triple duty as the girls discovered how to sort letters, how to make simple words, and later, how to post simple messages. I assumed it was all pretty normal, if a tad developmentally early.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on February 27, 2006 - 2:54am.

Introduction Time

Hello, everyone! I'm Sandy, aka tutor1235 on many websites. I must be totally nuts, but here I am starting yet another blog. It already feels like I'm blogging too much, but I'm having so much fun it's hard to stop. I suppose you really can get addicted to blogging.

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Submitted by tutor1235 on February 26, 2006 - 7:10pm.

Blogger Party