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Helicopter Parents ~ Are you one? Do you know one? Or maybe you don’t even know what the term refers to. Well, if you don’t know, think of hovering over your kids, not letting them breath or make decisions for themselves and you will get the mental picture of a Helicopter Parent.

 There is a fine line between caring and being there for you kids, and hovering like a helicopter. Steve Israel from the Times Herald-Record will join me today at 1:00 to talk about this. He wrote a wonderful piece last Sunday about this and we will be talk about it and how it came to be such a problem.

We will also be talking about living here in the Hudson Valley our kids, commuting and family life. So join me today and hear what Steve Israel has to say. He sure knows life around here and listening to him will help us all to                Make Good Choices ~

Last week two teenagers in Long Island were arrested on charges of planning a Columbine type assault on Connetquot High School. One boy, a 15-year-old whose name is not released because of his age, wrote in his Journal, according to the Associate Press, “I will start a chain of terroism in the word. This will go down in history…Perfecto.”

Could this happen in your child’s school? I hope not, but what preventative measures can we take to make sure this doesn’t happen?

One thing we could do, my guest today Jerry Mintz (director of The Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) www.educationrevolution.org  1-800-769-4171) and author of No Homework and Recess All Day, says is to have smaller schools. He also says that we need schools to be ”on the side of the child.”

 Listen in today as we talk about this. We all know violence in our schools is a problem. I talk about it often. We have to help troubled kids before they get this defeated and angry, and there are always signs when kids are in turmoil. There are preventative things we can do in the education of our children, and in our schools. So listen as we discuss this problem and talk about solutions in alternative education.

To see today’s guest having a lively discussion about schools and competition with Sean Hannity on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, go to www.jerrymintz.com  

And as always - Don’t Forget to Make Good Choices ~

It is summer which brings to mind fun in the sun, swimming, barbecues and…BUGS! Yep, BUGS. All kinds of them flying and crawling about. But did you know that bedbugs have made a comeback? They have and there are things you should know, especially if you planning any trips. They often hitch a ride home and plan to stay.

 Lately there has been a lot of press about bedbugs (check out this week’s ConsumerReports and U.S.News & World Report), because they are becoming a widespread problem.

Listen to my guest, Greg Baumann, from National Pest Managment Association (NPMA) www.pestworld.org and let’s all learn more about bedbugs and other unwanted summer guests. There may be things we can do to make sure they won’t ruin any of our summer fun. Are you scratching yet?

If you need local help call Barry from the Bug Clinic at 845-356-2837. He has helped many (including my friend in Manhattan) and will help you too. Go on his website www.bugclinic.com  and have a bug free summer!

          And Don’t forget to make good choices ~

Happy Fourth of July! With all the day’s festivities, I hope you find a bit of time to listen to my guest  - Carol Tavris co-author of Mistakes Were Made (but not by me) published by Harcourt, Inc.  It is a fascinating read about why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts - even when we know that we are doing it. Well, we kinda of know - we have so successfully confinced ourselves that we are right, knowing lies pretty deep under our conciousness.

 Think this is not you? Think again - it may be all of us at times, but the trick seems to be in when knowing it is good for you (so you can sleep at night even though you have made a mistake), and when you have gone too far down the slippery sloop of deceit.

So listen in today and learn more about how we lie to ourselves, so that you can always be aware of how to             make good choices ~