Mountain View

Homosexuality, Divorce: Who are we to Judge?

Topics such as divorce and homosexuality conflict with certain morals. How can we teach our children values without causing them to become judgmental?

With all the discussion of gay marriage rising to a heated level once again, I admit that I’m feeling a bit confused in my own beliefs. The topic is often a controversial one, especially when you were raised in a conservative Christian home such as I was. I’ve grown up believing that homosexuality is sinful, and that those who conduct such sin will go to hell. Not only should they deny their feelings and "act like" heterosexuals; they should pursue marriage, have children and live Godly lives. These beliefs are based on the biblical verse I Cor. 6:9 - 10 which states, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, …

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Moms Talk

Have you Ever Been ‘Caught With Your Pants Down?’

More importantly, when you were caught in that compromising position by one of your offspring, what did you do?

Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics. This week’s Moms Talk question relates to being caught in an embarrassing “situation” by one of your kids. If you live with children, at one time or another you are going to get caught in a compromising position. Were you stepping out of the shower and reaching for your towel? Answering the call of nature? Or responding to the call of the wild? In this week’s Moms Talk, we want to know how you handled the unbelievably embarrassing moment when your child (or children) caught you (and maybe your spouse?) with your pants down. Try to keep your answers G-…

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Hello College Debt, Goodbye Risk

A New York Times story on graduates weighed down with college debt makes the case for last week’s column.

Once again, The New York Times is playing catch-up with Patch.com. On Sunday, The Times had a front-page story about the growing burdens of college loans, three days after my column ran on the same subject. The paper did a wee bit more legwork for their gazillion-word story – my research consisted mainly of talking to a friend at the deli counter at the Giant supermarket – so I’ll leave the term “copycat” out of this discussion. The lead of The Times story was about a young Ohio college graduate who owes $120,000 in loans and is working two jobs to pay the $900-a-month bill. Her mother is taking out life insurance on her because if anything happens to her daughter, she couldn’t pay the loans for which she co-signed.  A decade ago, 58 …

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Opinion: Don't Get Rid of Good Teachers

Salisbury High School Junior Tommy Walters defends the need for good teachers and criticizes a public education system that's running out of money.

In his last State of the Union, President Obama asked Congress to "offer schools a deal." He said that we "should give schools the resources to keep good teachers and reward the best ones." So... where is this deal? Last week, I attended a Salisbury Township School District school board meeting with the intent to protect the jobs of three of the most inventive educators I know. All of them were my teachers. You see, I'm currently a junior at Salisbury High School and I've been in the American public school system for 12 years now. I can assure you, these three were the ones the President was looking for. They are the people with the capability to shape the minds of the following generations of thinkers and innovators, and they should be …

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Mountain View

Changing Diapers Doesn't Necessarily Make you a Mom

Being a mom might be about more than warming up a bottle and watching for diaper coupons.

Another Mother’s Day has passed and with it came memories of my very first Mother’s Day experience. I was a mom on Mother’s Day 2002, but I had never heard my child’s cry or seen his sweet baby face. I had never even changed his diaper. I didn't even know his birthday. I’ll never forget that Mother’s Day. It was one of my first visits back to church after four long months of strict bed-rest. During my first pregnancy, things were going pretty smoothly. I didn’t deal with morning sickness. I was able to go to work every day. And the only real turn-off I had was to anything related to Subway. Yes, every time a commercial popped up for the “$5 Foot-Long” my stomach turned. Fruity Pebbles cereal, on the other hand, was my very best friend. At …

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Breastfeeding Cover Photo: What Do You Think?

May 21 issue of Time magazine shows picture of Mom breastfeeding young boy standing on a chair.

 Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics. This week’s Moms Talk question relates to a Time magazine cover photo of a breastfeeding mom used to illustrate an article about “attachment” parenting. The May 21 issue of time magazine features a cover photo of a mom breastfeeding her three-year-old son, who is standing on chair to reach her breast. The photograph is being used to illustrate an article about a concept in childrearing known as “attachment” parenting. The cover headline asks the question “Are You Mom Enough?” The article delves into the history of attachment parenting and some of its …

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Life in the Slow Lane

Is There a War Against Youth?

Journalist Stephen Marche claims there is a war against youth and that the massive college student debt problem is part of it.

The specter of how to put two kids through college looms large in my life; I pick at it as one would a scab – and with similar results. Recently, a mother of three told me her daughter, an Emmaus High School grad who went on to a four-year school, has $60,000 in college loans – and she emerged with the least amount of debt among her friends.  Strangely, that kind of burden on the middle class doesn’t bother syndicated columnist Cal Thomas. In an op-ed piece in The Morning Call last week he wrote this: “I feel about those with crushing tuition debt the way I feel about people who choose to live along the frequently flooded banks of the Mississippi River. If students and their parents choose expensive schools, they should accept the …

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Rosemary B

11:15 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012

I think we are at the point now, 3 yrs into his presidency, that Barack Obama needs to be held responsible for his share of the national debt problem. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/   more ›

Mountain View

Paying Compliments Can Yield Big Rewards

This week, let's all give voice to those positive things we're already thinking about the people who cross our paths.

The other day I heard a story on the radio that really got me thinking...   A woman was out shopping and as she approached one of the retail stores, she noticed a young woman washing windows. She stopped for just a second and said, “Wow! You’re doing a great job. Those windows really sparkle.” And she genuinely meant it. The woman turned in disbelief. In all the time she had been washing windows, no one had ever taken notice. She was just someone doing a blue-collar, low-paying job. She thanked the woman who complimented her, but still couldn’t believe someone had taken the time to praise her for a job well done. It made her day! Is there anyone you'd like to shower with some public praise? Tell us in the comments. And you know what? …

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Jenae Holtzhafer

3:39 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Thank you so much, Vincent! What a simple idea that could mean so much. Those little acts of kindness are so simple, yet we so often get lazy throughout our day with our focus on what we have to do next. In our travels out west, we discovered people are living a slower pace and are more likely to say "hello" when they walk by, start a conversation while standing in the check-out line, wave as …   more ›

Right or Wrong: Suspended for Singing 'Sexy' Lyric

A Colorado first-grader was recently suspended for singing the popular LMFAO song "Sexy and I Know It."

Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics. This week’s Moms Talk question relates to singing a pop song with questionable lyrics in school. A first-grade boy in Colorado was suspended this week for singing the popular LMFAO song "I'm sexy and I know it," to a female classmate while standing in the lunch line. This is the second time the boy has been reprimanded for singing the song in school, according to published news reports. This time, the offense comes with a three-day suspension for sexual harassment. His mom says the punishment is unfair, stating "I could understand if he was fondling …

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Mom of DnNnD

3:41 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012

Actually this article and the original article in Colorado state that this was the second time he was reprimanded in school, but on this second time a girl was in front of him in the lunch line. The first time he did not sing it to a girl, let alone the same girl. Therefore, no harrassment has occured.   more ›