David Altshuler, M.S.
(305) 978-8917 | [email protected]

Category: Parenting

Wild Life

Feeling fairly confident that the children were old enough to take a walk in Myakka River State Park by themselves, but not confident enough to actually let them leave the campsite unattended in the dark, I accompanied them down the trail into the woods. Before we had walked a hundred

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The Language of Heroism

Harry Zuckerman was a big part of my life growing up. He drove car pool to Sunday School and had been my dad’s best friend in law school. Harry married LaVona in late December 1954, two weeks after my mom and dad got hitched. “For tax purposes,” they said. The

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How Can You Have any Pudding…

That Miami, my cherished hometown, has only two seasons is well known. “Construction and hurricane” rather than the traditional four enumerated in the James Taylor song is what we have in South Florida and I’m used to it after almost 60 examples of each. What the tourist brochures neglect to

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Parenting without Grades

Remember the best teacher you had in high school, the one from whom you learned so much? Ever reflect on why she never had any discipline problems? Was it because your classmates were more respectful in those halcyon years? That teacher seemed so relaxed, in control, no behavior management issues.

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They Are Who They Are

It is coming increasingly clear that “we are who we are.” I didn’t choose to be a happily married heterosexual male any more than any of my gay friends and relatives chose to be who they are. “Straight Camp”-okay, there’s no such thing as “Straight Camp”, somebody made that up-doesn’t

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Choice Parenting

1) Four-year-old Liam picks a wooden train out of the toy box. His six-year-old brother, Colby, comes over and grabs the train from his hand. Undeterred, Liam gathers a bag of blocks and starts to build a tower. Colby knocks over the stack of blocks. Undaunted, Liam selects a puzzle.

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Lesson Learned

One of my running buddies found out a few years ago that a distant relative on his wife’s side left the couple some $6000. Malcolm wasn’t close with his wife’s aunt’s second husband so he was equally pleased and saddened by the news of his passing. “He had a good

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The Toughest Love of All

You know that guy who is unpleasant with you, has been for years? You know the one I mean. Maybe he’s a colleague at work, maybe a neighbor. Maybe he’s the bully in your algebra class, maybe it’s your wife’s sister’s husband. Whoever it is, he’s always giving you a

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Now Sit Right Back and You’ll Hear a Tale

When our sons were six, one of my running buddies and I packed up the canoes and the kids and headed out to the barrier islands conveniently located a hundred yards from the mainland out in Biscayne Bay. After tying the boats to the top of the car and loading

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When Will They Ever Learn?

1)     “Turn left at the third light pole before the church that burned down where Lee Ann’s grandfather got married that first time.” 2)     “Take half the coefficient of the linear term, square it, and add it to both sides.” What do these directives have in common? That not everyone

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Copyright © David Altshuler 1980 – 2022    |    Miami, FL • Charlotte, NC     |    (305) 978-8917    |    [email protected]