I was having a conversation with a wise mom recently about the eternal quest to raise children with good values, and we acknowledged 1) how much tougher it is to expect them to know these values if you haven't been clear about what you want to encourage and what you won't tolerate, and 2) it is important to get [...]
The stigma of talking about mental health issues is alive and well in the Black community. We've heard the comments: "Black people don't do therapy", "Nothing wrong with that boy that a little __________ (spanking, time out, grounding, fill in the blank) won't fix", and even "Black people don't commit suicide". But recent stats show we need to be [...]
It's officially Spring! To celebrate the season, the Spring Breaks some of our children are enjoying this week, the worst of the winter storms behind us (we hope), this Thoughtful Thursday offers some Spring poetry. Today's we have odes to Spring from several masters: two poems by the great African American poet Claude McKay, one by the renowned Puerto [...]
March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. While skimming through poetry relating to St. Patrick's Day, frankly expecting to find nothing to hit my fancy, I was pleasantly surprised to run across a poem celebrating motherhood which, while written about an Irish mother, has universal application. I also found a couple of lovely Irish blessings which we all can use. [...]
Cybersecurity is very much in the news these days. How savvy are you and your children about protecting yourself in cyberspace? The Christian Science Monitor recently published "Cybersecurity in Seven Minutes, found here, which gives a quick and info packed summary of how to keep yourself safe online. Once you've gotten smart on how to protect yourself, time to [...]
In celebration of Women's History Month, today's Thoughtful Thursday features poems by well known African-American women poets: "won't you celebrate with me" by Lucille Clifton, "Legacies" by Nikki Giovanni, and "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou. The following biographies, courtesy of poetryfoundation.org, gives you some insight into their brilliance. A prolific and widely respected poet, Lucille Clifton's work emphasizes endurance [...]
Yesterday was International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. March is National Women's History Month, so these achievements can and should receive a month-long celebration. As with Black History Month, we really shouldn't limit the celebration of such achievement to just 31 of 365 days each year, and we won't, [...]
We at GCP think parents should celebrate Black History every month. But since February is the "official" Black History Month (established as such in 1967 by President Gerald Ford; now there is a bit of BHM trivia for you), we will focus on some family "must-do's" this month. 1. Talk about your Family History with your sons and daughters. [...]
Thoughtful Thursdays are back! For those new to GCP, Thoughtful Thursdays feature poetry, quotes, and other literary delights for you to enjoy and share with your sons. The first Thoughtful Thursday of Black History Month 2017 features a classic poem by Langston Hughes, "I Too, Sing America". In this poem Hughes reminds us that Americans of all hues can [...]
Yesterday we said our last goodbyes to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. We watched them get on that helicopter with our hearts full of gratitude and pride. Today we watch women across the globe march for equal rights and against the new administration. There is a lot to process, a lot to get ready for, a lot [...]