July 2009
12 posts
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Neda’s Death and...
Recently, I went to a family restaurant that had television monitors throughout and a few video games that were located in a special section. Although the combination of TV and video game sounds was almost deafening, I had a hankering for the mini corn dogs on the menu, so I decided to ignore the sounds and stay. The hostess led me to a table directly under a monitor and facing a table for four....
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Capital...
I can’t get Byrd and Melanie Billings off of my mind. The ruthless killing of two incredible people, parents of 16 children, 12 of whom they adopted, many with special needs, is overwhelming. This senseless tragedy becomes even more egregious in light of the recent discovery that the apparent motive for the crime was financial gain. Murdering the Billingses for money was like tossing aside the...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Once a Parent,...
There’s not a stepmother on the face of the earth that wasn’t rolling her eyes when she read the recent People Magazine article about the “new romance” between Jon (of Jon and Kate Plus Eight TV program fame) and a twenty-two-year-old woman who “likes to party.” I know because I speak from firsthand experience. In the article, Jon states, “I’m in a new period in my life and feel very free.” Now,...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Drugs, Alcohol,...
As far as I can tell, there’s only one good thing that came out of my excessively conservative and restrictive background. That is the fact that I have never smoked, I’ve never used illegal drugs, and I didn’t try alcohol until I was well into my thirties—which resulted in my never developing a dependence on any of these things. While I am not foolish enough to conclude from my own experience that...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Adult-Oriented...
My granddaughter graduated from kindergarten and the two of us celebrated by spending the day together in the city. After spending time in Central Park, FAO Schwarz, the Disney Store, and her favorite restaurant, we went to see a movie. I knew that we would have no trouble finding one because, when Hollywood discovered that kids’ movies are cash cows, it started cranking out full-length animated...
Parenting Advice from Joy Berry: Military...
When I pass by an accident on the highway, I never look. This is because the one time I did look, the images I saw were indelibly imprinted on my brain and they still haunt me to this day. So when I recently saw a headline that read, “1 in 8 returning soldiers suffers from PTSD,” I thought to myself, “They must mean 7 in 8 returning soldiers suffer from PTSD, because 1 in 8 simply can’t be true.”...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Chivalry Is Not...
I’m here to tell you that chivalry is not dead. It’s merely manifesting itself in unexpected ways. The other day, I was loaded down with a purse, briefcase, and roller-bag, so it was imperative for me to find a seat on the crowded subway. Doing so in New York has become a full-on contact sport. When competing against teens that are hell-bent on sitting so they can better access their various...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Michael Jackson’s...
A lot has been said about Michael Jackson’s plastic surgery—both before and after his death. Most of the comments have been critical. Some people criticize the outcome of Michael’s various surgeries, but most criticize the decision to have any kind of plastic surgery at all. Like everyone else, I have my thoughts about why people are critical about Michael’s surgery. Plastic surgery is expensive...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: A Parent’s...
Do you want to hear a bedtime story that would test any young parent’s metal? If you do, try this one on for size. When my hyperactive daughter was barely three years old, she taught herself how to disengage all of the locks on our front door. Her favorite time to use her Houdini-like skill was in the middle of the night when everyone in the family was asleep. She loved escaping into the night and...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Three Horrific...
Someone almost punched out my lights today. It wasn’t the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. I had several meetings in the city. The last one took place in a restaurant across from a movie theater. After the meeting, there was just enough time to catch a movie before heading home. I hurried to the box office, purchased my ticket, and rushed to my seat just as the movie was starting....
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Children And Pets
My son and daughter-in-law vastly underestimated my granddaughter when they came up with roadblocks specifically designed to dampen her desire and slow her resolve to get a hamster. The main obstacle was her need to come up with enough money to purchase the pet plus all the equipment and supplies needed to take care of it. Given today’s inflated cost of cages and other necessary accouterments,...
Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: My Amazing...
An 18-year-old Hispanic girl who lives in my neighborhood saw me transporting my two dogs in special carriers that enable people to take their pets with them on the subway. She needed a way to transport her pet rabbit to the vet, and she approached me about borrowing one of my carriers. During her pick up and return of the carrier, I noticed her outstanding connection with my two dogs and asked...