Seeing things from the other side of the looking glass by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner Everybody has a list — losing weight, gaining confidence, improving relationships, or saving money at the supermarket. We recently discussed a US News and World Report article, “50 Ways to Improve Your Life.”  The tips were worth the price [...]

What would we do differently if we were teens again? by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner If you are among those who have considered revisiting your teen years to determine if another try at it would get a better outcome, you may want to rethink it.   Even in movies like Freaky Friday and 17 [...]

Smile—you’re at the parent-teacher conference! by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner Sometimes a little humor is the only thing that will get you through a parent-teacher conference—unless you are the parent (or teacher) of the student who makes all As, has 100 percent attendance, and has done every homework assignment since daycare. That describes fewer [...]

Lu Lewis & Edna Varner. Edna, here. The holiday season is fast approaching and if you are like me, the turkey isn’t the only thing that will be stuffed when the friends and relatives arrive. At my house, this includes closets, the space under beds, “off-limits” rooms, the basement and the garage. Since I cannot [...]

Finally…It’s Okay to Fail! By Lu Lewis and Edna Varner   Students who are taught that talent and ability can be developed have an entirely different attitude toward a mistake.   When we’re passed 50 (okay, way passed), we would like to think that we’ve learned life’s most important lessons.  Having done so, we are [...]

Be a happy camper even if you don’t go off to camp! written by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner You’re lucky as a family if you’ve already chosen a “just right” summer camp or similar experience for the kids.  Whether they are all set for youth adventures on their own, or you’ve decided to make [...]

It’s the Holidays— Deck the Halls, the Yards, the Y’Alls! by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner There are certain things Lu and I believe we just need to do during the holidays. We attend at least one of the holiday events we loved as a kid or one our parents forced us to attend–as a [...]

The standup kid Children and laughter make the perfect combo By Nancy Harrison Laughter and children go hand in hand. In Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie wrote, “When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.” [...]

Ho, ho, ho and a therapy bill By Julianne Hale My brother and I were never on equal footing when it came to the ways of the world. Despite being born three years before me, he possessed a sweet naïveté I never had. When our mother confirmed my suspicions about Santa Claus on the Christmas [...]

Key to reading success: One simple habit, begin early What’s the best way to ensure that your child succeeds in reading? Put a book in her hand every day—starting when she is very, very young. It’s critical for children to have direct access to early reading opportunities and books. In fact, research shows that the [...]