You see, there is a big difference between training horses and disciplining children. Although a horse may have a strong will, he can never have the kind of free will that humans have. While he can be broken of bad habits like bucking or kicking, he can never choose to be caring and considerate. Children can, over time.

Free will is the factor that is totally ignored in the nature/nurture debate. For fifty years, pseudo-science has promoted the idea that humans are nothing more than intelligent animals who can be trained through reward and punishment to do – what? – our will. That is a very disrespectful way to raise a child.

It is true that nature has to be reckoned with in training both children and horses. Both are born with distinct personalities and temperaments that are all their own. All we can do is help them become the best that they were born to be.

That is where nurture comes in. Our training must be both kind and firm. If child or horse has a strong will, like Uno, we will need to be very persistent in demanding acceptable behavior. A horse will eventually accept his trainer as “the lead horse.” A child, led by loving parents with clear and consistent standards of behavior, will, more often than not, choose to be a self-disciplined person of character, very similar to the good people who raised him.

Learn more about Rob

Read more from the Parents Panel:

• America, sweet land of liberty … right?
• How can a mother kill her children?
• Where did summer go?
• Ugh, August. How do you beat the heat?

These days it seems as if we have forgotten all about Osama bin Laden and al -Qaeda and instead have turned our fear and anger on all Muslims  — any Muslim — we see. Why would any sane, rational person assume all Muslims are radical extremists simply because of the actions of a few?

I don’t know why mosques are being vandalized. I don’t understand why there would be public burnings of the Qur’an. I don’t understand why there is a national debate about whether or not a mosque should be built in the vicinity of the 9/11 disaster. I don’t know why these things are happening in a country that was founded on the very fundamental principle of religious freedom.

The 9/11 attackers were religious radicals. Men throughout history and throughout the world have committed atrocities in the name of the God they serve. My rational-thinking self cannot believe the 9/11 attackers are representative of all Muslims everywhere. I will not support anyone or anything that would foolishly perpetuate such an idea.

As the anniversary of the 9/11 disaster approaches, I will pray that the God I serve will unite all Americans.

My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

Learn more about Denise

Read more from the Parents Panel:

• How can a mother kill her children?
• Where did summer go?
• When enough is enough
• Ugh, August. How do you beat the heat?

This story is tragic. I’ve held back from writing about it as I have two strong reactions to what Ms. Duley has reportedly done — and they oppose each other.

One is contempt for her alleged actions. How dare a mother, one of the most trusted people in a child’s life, steal a future from him or her. It is a brutal and selfish thing to do. A permanent action she will have to live with forever.

The other is sadness for Shaquan Duley. I’m saddened to think she was so distressed she felt there were no other options available to her. Although I do not condone her actions, I have to wonder if she is mentally ill. It is beyond my understanding that a parent could intentionally cause the death of her child and watch him die.

Unfortunately, Ms. Duley isn’t the only one choosing to make such horrific choices. According to the American Anthropological Association, more than 200 women kill their children every year in the United States. That’s a lot of children in danger.

I believe we always have choices, even when we feel our back is against the wall. I can only hope someone on the verge of a dangerous act makes a different choice after hearing Shaquan Duley’s story. There are people who can help. One is by calling the United Way at 211. They can assist someone who feels they are a danger to themselves or someone else.

What is your reaction to Shaquan Duley’s story? How can a mother kill her children?

Learn more about Denise

Read more from the Parents Panel:

• School days: My, how things have changed
  
• Where did summer go?
• When enough is enough
• Ugh, August. How do you beat the heat?

These apple butter cookies are a great way to get in the mood for cooler temperatures.

Apple fact: There are more than 7,000 named varieties of apple. Many of the names, like Winter Banana, Strawberry Parfait, Lemon Pippin, Golden Pearmain, and Cole’s Quince, hint at the flavor of the fruit. Others, like Westfield Seek-No-Further, King of the Pippins, and Laxton’s Superb, reflect the pride of the person who planted them. And some, like Mountain Boomer, Horneburger Pancake, and Foxwhelp, are just plain fun.

For a variety of fun cookie cutter shapes, check out annclark.com.

APPLE BUTTER COOKIES
Makes about 18

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in apple butter and egg yolk.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients and add butter mixture. Stir just until all ingredients are well blended; do not over mix. Chill dough for 3-4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with your favorite cookie cutter. Then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly colored. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To decorate cookies, spoon a generous tablespoonful of cider glaze onto each cookie. Use a metal spatula to gently push and spread the glaze just up to the edges of the cookie. Hold the cookie level and gently shake it back and forth a few times to help distribute the glaze.
6. Cider glaze: Melt 1 tablespoon butter and add 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar, 1 tablespoon cider, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice. Stir until smooth, adding more cider if necessary to make the glaze thick but spreadable. Add food coloring if desired, then frost cookies.

Recipe from Ann Clark Ltd. (annclark.com)

You can watch the “Twilight” movies and read the books, but why stop there?

Thousands of Americans are giving their babies “Twilight”-related names.

Bella, the name of the love-struck heroine of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire novels, hadn’t quite cracked the Social Security Administration’s list of the top 200 girls’ names in America when the first “Twilight” book was published in 2005. Today, it’s at No. 58, higher than Miley, Kingston or Maddox. Cullen, the last name of Bella’s vampire beau, Edward, is in the top 500 boys’ names for the first time in more than a century.

“This is actually a big deal in the baby name landscape,” says Laura Wattenberg, creator of BabyNameWizard.com.

A total of 8,171 U.S. babies received key “Twilight”-related names (Bella, Cullen, Jasper, Alice or Emmett) in 2009, compared with 3,516 in 2005, Social Security data show.

“The interesting thing is, this follows perfectly in a tradition” of naming trends stemming from shows with supernatural themes and attractive young women, Wattenberg says. “The TV show ’Bewitched’ had a huge effect. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ — huge effect. Even the TV shows that didn’t become such big cultural phenomena like ‘Charmed’ spawned hit baby names.”

Yes, she did say “Charmed.” The show’s heroines include Piper, a good witch with great hair portrayed by Holly Marie Combs.

When the show debuted in 1998, Piper wasn’t even in the top 1,000 girls’ names in the United States. The next year, it appeared at No. 700; now it’s at No. 147.

“Piper is an interesting one because it really is an example of the phrase I always repeat, ‘It’s not the fame, it’s the name,’” Wattenberg says.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the precise degree of “Twilight’s” influence on the more than 4 million baby names chosen annually in the United States, in part because Meyer chose names for her characters that were either already high on the hot list (Jacob), rising (Bella, Alice, Jasper, Emmett) or related to those that were. Isabella was already a top-10 girls’ name in 2005, and Bella was at No. 208 and rising at a nice clip.

Cullen was at No. 727 in 2005 and falling, but using last names as first names was already a powerful trend. Emmett, at No. 594 but rising in 2005, is now at No. 332.

“Most of those names were ready stylistically for the public — or rather the public was ready for them,” Wattenberg says.

Still, there are exceptions:

“If you want (to find) the really hard-core ‘Twilight’ fans who were really inspired by the book and not just the name, there were 17 baby girls last year named Renesme (pronounced Ruh-NEZ-may),” Wattenberg notes.

“That’s not a name that you say, ‘Oh, yeah, I’ve always liked that name.’”

The same might be said for Carlisle, a name chosen for precisely zero U.S. boys in 2005. In 2009, 12 male babies got the name.

The reasons Carlisle might not be as hot a name as, say, Cullen, are complex. But Cullen fits several modern naming trends, including the popularity of boys’ names that end in “en” (Jayden, Aiden). Carlisle may sound feminine to an American ear and contains consonants unseparated by vowels (think Gertrude) — a definite negative for modern parents.

Some experts say there’s a psychological incentive to give your kid a name associated with a major pop culture phenomenon.

“(Parents) find a book, they find a movie, they find something that they’re enthralled with, that they’re engaged in and love, and at the same time, they’re going on their own new adventure (having a baby). So the two have a correlation” in their minds, says Lesley Bolton, author of “The Complete Book of Baby Names” (Sourcebooks, $12.95).

Wattenberg sees “Twilight” less as a touchstone for parents and more as a successful delivery system for some very stylish names.

“Name ideas have to come from somewhere, and when a name is presented to a million people at once, if it’s a name that fits current styles and sounds good to parents, it becomes a hit,” Wattenberg says.

Nara Schoenberg,
Chicago Tribune

Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, violence, brief underage drinking and language, including a drug reference
What it’s about: A teen wins a Lotto ticket, only to have assorted thugs and hangers-on try to cash in on it.
The kid attractor factor: The artist formerly known as Lil Bow Wow, Naturi Naughton, kids spending too much money
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Many a false step is made by standing still,” and lotteries serve “to keep poor people poor.”
Violence: Guns, some pretty severe beatings, and blood
Language: Less than a dozen profanities, including one whopper
Sex: Frankly discussed, flirted with
Drugs: Alcohol
Parents’ advisory: Whatever its other adult themes, the graphic (not comic) violence makes this suitable only for 13-and-up.

THE LAST EXORCISM

Rating: PG-13 for disturbing violent content and terror, some sexual references and thematic material
What it’s about: A charlatan exorcist struggles to help a girl who turns out to have real satanic issues.
The kid attractor factor: A horror movie without an R-rating is a rare thing for the 16-and-under horror fan.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Ignorance” and “poverty” breed superstition.
Violence: A minimum of gore, some blood, bones breaking
Language: Almost profanity-free
Sex: Teen pregnancy and incest are bandied about.
Drugs: Alcohol abuse is discussed.
Parents’ advisory: Seriously adult themes and situations rule this out for 12-and-unders.

CATS AND DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE

Rating: PG for animal action and humor
What it’s about: Dogs spying on cats, cats trying to rule the world. The usual.
The kid attractor factor: Cats and dogs talking, using spy gadgets
Good lessons/bad lessons: Dogs heroic, cats evil. Well, not ALL cats.
Violence: Slapstick
Language: Doggone clean
Sex: Butt sniffing
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: Harmless enough, this talking-critters comedy aims for the very youngest demographic.

CHARLIE ST. CLOUD

Rating: PG-13 for language including some sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality
What it’s about: A young man loses his kid brother, but stays in touch with the kid’s ghost as he tries to meet a girl and move on in life.
The kid attractor factor: Zac Efron, not singing or dancing this time
Good lessons/bad lessons: “You can’t put life on hold. It doesn’t wait for you.”
Violence: An accident, a fist fight
Language: About a dozen swear words
Sex: Implied, with a goofy tween masturbation joke
Drugs: Wine, liquor.
Parents’ advisory: This young-adult romance hits that PG-13 in the bull’s-eye suitable for 13 and up.

DESPICABLE ME

Rating: PG for rude humor and mild action
What it’s about: A villain with an image problem resolves to steal the moon, but needs the help of cute orphans to do it.
The kid attractor factor: It’s an animated comedy with “rude humor.”
Good lessons/bad lessons: Some kids never stop trying to impress their mom.
Violence: A bit, cartoonish and exaggerated
Language: Disney clean
Sex: Not a hint of it
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: Suitable for all ages, its appeal seems a bit younger than “Toy Story 3.”

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language
What it’s about: An ambitious guy must lure an unsuspecting dope to dinner where rich Wall Street-types can mock him.
The kid attractor factor: The comedy is broad and daft, with exceptionally goofy characters fleshing out most scenes.
Good lessons/bad lessons The real “schmucks” are those who think mocking others is funny.
Violence: Not really
Language: A little profanity, here and there
Sex: Talked about and pursued, comically
Drugs: Wine, liquor
Parents’ advisory: The message in-between the laughs – that even those we mock have a story, and that those who mock can be clueless themselves – may resonate with teens; OK for 13 and up.

INCEPTION

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout
What it’s about: A team of spies infiltrates dreams to steal secrets or implant ideas.
The kid attractor factor: Leonardo DiCaprio stars, and “Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan is behind the camera.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Positive emotion trumps negative emotions every time.”
Violence: A high body count, a bit of blood
Language: Not much profanity
Sex: None
Drugs: Sedatives so that dreams can be invaded.
Parents’ advisory: Smart, thought-provoking but probably too violent, too dense and too long for the younger set. Take the PG-13 rating seriously.

IRON MAN 2

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language
What it’s about: Iron Man has new foes to fight, new friends to help him fight them.
The kid attractor factor: A comic book adaptation with action and a little edge
Good lessons/bad lessons: Sometimes, it isn’t obvious just what parents pass down to their kids.
Violence: Lots and lots of it, with blood
Language: Some profanity
Sex: Scarlett Johansson joins the cast, and is leered over.
Drugs: Alcohol is consumed.
Parents’ advisory: The fantasy-violence and profanity aren’t so extreme as to make this unsuitable for anybody over the age of 10.

THE KARATE KID

Rating: PG for bullying, martial-arts action violence and some mild language
What it’s about: Small boy moves to China, is bullied, learns Kung Fu from a master.
The kid attractor factor: Everybody is Kung Fu fighting, including Jackie Chan.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Martial arts can teach discipline, self-respect, respect for elders. And yet some students still turn into bullies.
Violence: Quite a lot of it
Language: Pretty mild profanity
Sex: A smooch, here and there
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: A kids’ action film with mostly positive messages, suitable for pretty much everybody

KNIGHT AND DAY

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of action violence throughout, and brief strong language
What it’s about: Unsuspecting woman finds herself attracted to a spy who seems to kill an awful lot of people in the line of duty.
The kid attractor factor: Slam-bang action without much blood; Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz at their toothiest
Good lessons/bad lessons: Watch out for the guy who keeps “bumping” into you.
Violence: Almost, but not quite, constant
Language: A smidgen of profanity
Sex: Quite chaste, despite the presence of Cameron Diaz in a bikini
Drugs: Tranquilizers, mixed drinks
Parents’ advisory: I didn’t count, but this movie has a “Die Hard”-sized body count, a little blood, but mostly killing without consequences.

MARMADUKE

Rating: PG for some rude humor and language
What it’s about: Big, goofy, talking (to other dogs) Great Dane endures his teen years in So.Cal.
The kid attractor factor: Big dog, small car. Big dog, small bubblebath. You get the picture.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Sometimes you change to fit in, sometimes others should change to fit you.
Violence: Canine slapstick
Language: Doggie trash talk _ “Who’s lickin’ butt now?”
Sex: Flirtation
Drugs: The dog and cat are tranquilized for a plane trip
Parents’ advisory: Utterly harmless, but probably too bland for anybody over 10.

NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS

Rating: PG for rude humor, some language and mild thematic elements
What it’s about: Another dysfunctional family calls on the services of the real “Super Nanny,” Nanny McPhee.
The kid attractor factor: Kids behaving badly, then getting what’s coming to them.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Don’t fight. Share. Help each other. Be brave. Have faith.”
Violence: Kids brawling, menacing thugs, a German bomb.
Language: A lot of talk about “poo” and cow patties and such.
Sex: Nary a whit, despite the presence of Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: If your kids have worn out the “Nanny McPhee” DVD, this is for them. A fairy tale that’s suitable for all ages.

THE OTHER GUYS

Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language, violence and some drug material
What it’s about: Mismatched cops try to bust a Wall Street evil-doer, and win the respect of their fellow cops.
The kid attractor factor: It stars the ever-juvenile Will Ferrell, has lots of action and occasional naughty language.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Do not judge a cop by his desk, job title or car.
Violence: Gunplay, car chases, slapstick
Language: The odd comic blast of profanity
Sex: Talked about in the crudest, PG-13 manner
Drugs: Alcohol is consumed, a coke bust goes wrong.
Parents’ advisory: Ferrell makes comedies for the inner-teenage boy in us all; suitable for 13 and up.

RAMONA AND BEEZUS

Rating: G, all ages admitted
What it’s about: An imaginative 9-year-old pest bungles everything from school projects to both her sister’s and her favorite aunt’s romances.
The kid attractor factor: It co-stars Selena Gomez and is based on those beloved Beverly Cleary novels.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “It’s good to scare yourself, once in a while.” “We’re not going to let one bad day get us down.”
Violence: None
Language: Disney clean
Sex: An old-fashioned grown-up romance and a sweet teen one, too
Drugs: Don’t be ridic.
Parents’ advisory: More sentimental than slapsticky, this kids’ comedy is suitable for all ages.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

Rating: PG-13 for stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references
What it’s about: A nerdy guy has to defeat a woman’s seven evil ex-lovers to court her.
The kid attractor factor: A comic book adaptation with comic book sensibilities, video game visuals and Michael Cera
Good lessons/bad lessons: The “mysterious ones” are more trouble than they’re worth.
Violence: Broad, comically exaggerated and plentiful
Language: Bursts of profanity, with much of it bleeped out for comic effect
Sex: Discussed, pursued
Drugs: Alcohol
Parents’ advisory: This gonzo action comedy is a brawl and an F-bomb shy of an R-rating, but it is jokey enough to be OK for 13-and-up.

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE

Rating: PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief (profane) language
What it’s about: A college science student learns he is destined to become a sorcerer and begins his training as villains chase and battle his teacher.
The kid attractor factor: An action film with a heavy dose of magic.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Wise wizards pay attention in science class.
Violence: A bit, cartoonish and exaggerated
Language: Pretty clean
Sex: Flirtation
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: Every bit as family friendly as your average Harry Potter movie.

STEP UP 3D

Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language
What it’s about: New York kids compete, in 3D, in epic break-dance battles in this almost-romance.
The kid attractor factor: “Step Up” is a proven brand for teen screen dance musicals.
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Just be true to who you are.”
Violence: A near-brawl
Language: Mild profanity
Sex: Suggestive song lyrics and dancing, nothing more
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: Far closer to a PG than a PG-13, this is fine for ages 10 and up.

THE SWITCH

Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language.
What it’s about: A guy is reluctant to tell his “best friend” that he swapped the donor sperm that got her pregnant.
The kid attractor factor: A cute little boy is the subject of a lesson in genetics and the biology of “the birds and the bees.”
Good lessons/bad lessons: “Some things have to be said, even if they’re uncomfortable.”
Violence: One slap, off-camera bullying.
Language: Very little profanity.
Sex: Discussed discreetly.
Drugs: Alcohol is consumed, sometimes in large doses.
Parents’ advisory: It’s entirely too biological for younger children but is surprisingly family-friendly, considering its subject. OK for 12 and up.

TOY STORY 3

Rating: G
What it’s about: Buzz, Woody and the toys face abandonment as their little boy outgrows them.
The kid attractor factor: The “Toy Story” toys are back for more adventures in 3-D.
Good lessons/bad lessons: Don’t toss that toy you’ve outgrown, donate it.
Violence: Toddler toy abuse
Language: Disney clean
Sex: Ken and Barbie flirt, even though Ken is a little overly fond of his wardrobe.
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: A prison escape movie, with toys escaping daycare, this has a dark stretch near the end that could disturb younger children.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality
What it’s about: Bella and Edward approach “graduation,” in more ways than one.
The kid attractor factor: Hot vampires and werewolves, teens treating death carelessly
Good lessons/bad lessons: If the guy wants to “wait until we’re married,” he has his reasons.
Violence: Not remotely as bloody as you might expect
Language: A “d” here and there, an “a” word or two
Sex: Getting there
Drugs: None
Parents’ advisory: The special-effects fights might lure kids, but the talk-talk-talk and heavy breathing make it inappropriate for 11 and under.

— Roger Moore | The Orlando Sentinel

More reviews:

www.CommonSenseMedia.org

www.parentpreviews.c

Sept. 17-26
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
The Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math, science, and politics through clever, tuneful songs features favorites such as “Just a Bill,” “Conjunction Junction,” and “Interjections.”

Show Times:
Friday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 19, 3 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 26: 3:00 p.m.

Discounted matinees for school groups: Sept. 23-24 at 9:15 and 10:45 am

Nov. 26 to Dec 5
A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas
This rockin’ holiday treat was created for Chicago’s Emerald City Theatre five years ago, and a children’s book inspired by the stage production was released last fall.

Show Times:
Friday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 27, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 28, 3 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 4, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m.

Dicsounted matinees for school groups: Dec. 2-3 at 9:15 and 10:45 a.m.

Feb. 4-6
Peter Pan – A CCT YouTheatre Production
Do you believe in fairies? Grab your bag of pixie dust and head toward the second star to the right, then straight on til mornin.!  Don’t miss this CCT YouTheatre production with student actors from across the Midlands.

Auditions will be Jan. 4- 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Show Times:
Friday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb.y 5, 10:30 a.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb.y 6, 3 p.m.

Feb. 11-20
Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll’s unflappable young heroine takes a tumble down an enchanted rabbit hole to an off-kilter world of mock turtles, dancing flora, punctual rabbits and mad tea parties.

Show Times:
Friday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb.y 13, 3 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 19, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 20, 3 p.m.

Dicsounted matinees for school groups: Feb. 17- 18 at 9:15 and 10:45 am

April 8-17
The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood
A Monty Pythonesque retelling of the classic.

Show Times:
Friday, April 8, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 9,  10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 10, 3 p.m.
Friday, April 15, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 16, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 17, 3 p.m.

Dicsounted matinees for school groups: April 14-15 at 9:15 and 10:45 am

All performances take place at the Columbia Children’s Theatre in Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive, Forest Acres.  All tickets are $8, general admission, available for purchase with a credit card in advance at  columbiachildrenstheatre.com, or at the door 1/2 hour before show time, with cash or check.

Adults with interested youth ages 5 – 18 years old are invited to attend this informational meeting  for more information please contact  Paulette Gay, 4-H Volunteer Coordinator, 803-359-8515 ext. 124

My worries included not getting caught chewing gum in the classroom and avoiding the smoke-filled restrooms between classes. If I needed to make a telephone call, I had to use the pay phone in the lobby. Going to the library for me meant looking up a book by either the author’s name or the title in the card catalog with the pull-out drawers. I learned to type on a typewriter, and most of my assignments were expected to be written in cursive. My school’s population consisted of black students and white students. and the only other language we had the option of learning was French.

My daughter is a freshman at Dreher High School, home of the Blue Devils. She makes sure her cell phone is on vibrate before she leaves the house and she has her iPpod with her, too. She never learned to write in cursive and is already fluent in Chinese, which she will be studying this year. Dreher’s population is more diverse than the little town I grew up in is, even today. What a difference 25 years make.

I wonder if every parent of a freshman student looks back and marvel at the difference between their child’s experience and their own?

Learn more about Denise

Read more from the Parents Panel:

• Our dog was poisoned
• Where did summer go?
• A pregnant woman’s summertime survival guide
• When enough is enough
• Ugh, August. How do you beat the heat?