Hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Today's Thoughtful Thursday (yes, it's the Friday edition) celebrates Thanksgiving in all of its family and food-filled glory, with poems from two of our most celebrated African-American poets: Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) and Langston Hughes (1901-1967). We begin with Hughes' classic "Thanksgiving Time", a wonderfully vivid celebration of the day. We then [...]
November is Native American Heritage Month, and today's Thoughtful Thursday brings you three poems from Native American poets. "Autumn" is by Alexander Posey (1873-1908). Posey was a Muskogee Creek poet, journalist, politician and humorist. He founded the Eufaula Indian Journal in 1901, the first Native American daily newspaper. "Remember" is by Joy Harjo (b.1951). Harjo, also a member of [...]
News of mass shootings at concerts and bars are occurring with horrifying regularity. These are places where our teens and young adult children are likely to frequent. What should we tell them about how to prepare themselves for the worst case scenario? Here is some advice from security experts (via this Washington Post article): Prepare an Emergency Action Plan: [...]
Have a little one who will soon start school? Or an older student who wants/needs to make a change? Then you should check out the Parent #ToolKitTalk, "Helping Families Navigate School Choice" TONIGHT (11/13/18) at 7pm EST. You can be a part of the conversation with the Managing Editor of GreatSchools.org and the Executive Director of FamiliesEmpowered.org, who will [...]
It's Thoughtful Thursday, time to turn away from all the worries of the world and let a bit of poetry soothe the soul. As the first full week of November comes to an end, and the trees here in Central Park are putting on a colorful autumnal display, let's celebrate the fall season with a couple of poems. First [...]
Late yesterday a gunman walked into a Southern California bar populated with college students and opened fire, killing at least 12. Less than 2 weeks ago, a gunman walked into a Pittsburgh synagogue and started shooting, killing 11 worshippers and injuring 7. We can barely absorb the horrific news of one shooting before another takes place. It is hard [...]
Election Day is next Tuesday, November 6, and today's Thoughtful Thursday is dedicated to poems about Election Day. We start with "Old South Meeting House" from January Gill O'Neil, continue with "Rally" from Elizabeth Alexander, (who as you will recall recited a poem at President Barack Obama’s first Presidential Inauguration), and end with the classic "Let America be America [...]
This week's Thoughtful Thursday offering comes a day early and is courtesy of the African-American poet George Van Amson, a talented newcomer to the world of published poetry. Enjoy, and have a Happy Halloween! A Halloween Thought Autumnal spirits flit as a host Summer now hides from this chilly ghost Central arbors burn orange and bright A Jacks’ toothy [...]
Halloween is tomorrow, and scary movies are everywhere. From the "Halloween" reboot and "Venom" in the theaters to countless horror movies running on TV and available on demand, it will be pretty easy for your children to get their fill of frights over the next few days. But can they handle it? Common Sense Media offers a guide to [...]
Halloween is less than a week away, so today's Thoughtful Thursday features some Halloween poems for you to share with your sons and daughters. This assortment includes the celebrated African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar's scary tale of a hanging from the tree's perspective, the classic witches chant from Shakespeare's Macbeth, and a silly poem about a Halloween party by [...]