. . . how can we teach our kids that work is an inherently good thing? It’s not just about making money, it’s not a necessary evil one has to do to get to the other “good” stuff in life, which even some in our Christian culture teach. Rather, “work” is a wholesome thing - it was, after all, present in the garden before the fall. So on Labor Day and every day in a culture which has such a twisted understanding of work, how do we teach our children to value the creative, redemptive, and protective value of work? Oh heck, how do we just get them to do a few chores without complaining??

Listen today when I talk to writer Tony Woodlief, and we expand from the themes of his Wall Street Journal article I posted earlier this week. (You can find more of his funny and engaging work on family life and, among other things, raising boys into men!) at www.tonywoodlief.com.

I hope you tune in today at WYLL/AM1160 Chicago at noon, or listen live via streaming at www.wyll.com. Later listen here by clicking the microphone, or, at the end of the week, get a podcast of the show on NationalReview.com.

And thanks for stopping by!

Betsy Hart

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Hi friends - here’s a column I wrote yesterday for the Chicago Daily Observer on the Palin choice for VP -

(Since I wrote this yesterday, I’ve heard a bit more from the national media on the significance of Palin’s gender - but still nothing like we would be hearing if she were a Democrat!)

When a Real Woman is not a “Real Woman”

As always, thanks for stopping by!

(And yes, a little later today I will be telling you about tomorrow’s radio show!)

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Hi Friends - My 12-year-old, Tori, had to miss the Jonas Brothers Chicago concert last weekend.  Here’s what happened.  It was a lesson to me in letting our kids handle adversity!

my column

Have a great Labor Day weekend, but check back later today for a preview of my radio show on Sunday!

Betsy

(P.S. - I’m thrilled about the Palin choice for McCain’s VP!  Feel free to tell me what you think of that too.)

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Hi - here’s another really good piece in today’s WSJ about kids and chores.

Hey everybody, get to work!

Kids and Chores and the Value of Doing the Dishes

And if you haven’t had a chance to visit bsafe.com, and download their internet filtering software for their family, ou’ll want to do it now.  It’s a great product, and for a limited time my listeners get 20% off!  Just put in my name, “Betsy,” for the promotional code.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Betsy

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I think you will love this recent piece by Tony Woodlief from the Wall Street Journal - it’s given me lots of good ideas.

Kids and Work and . . . Karl Marx?

And don’t forget - if you had a chance to listen to my “It Takes a Parent” radio show yesterday, you know that for a limited time Bsafe Online is offerring a special 20% discount for my listeners if they go to bsafe.com and download their terrific filtering software. Just put my name, “Betsy,” in the special code section. And as always, thanks for stopping by! — Betsy

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Hi friends - I hope you listen to today’s “It Takes a Parent” show when I get to talk internet safety with Karen Jenkins of Bsafe Online. Kids are starting school, and are more likely to plug into their network of friends online, and get onto or get back onto “Facebook” and similar sites etc. This is also the time when “cyber bullying” starts back up for many kids. The internet can be a wonderful tool - but it can also be dangerous to your kids in ways you as a parent might not fully appreciate. (And anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to kids I don’t frighten easily.) Find out what you can do to protect your family!

Bsafe is a top rated, easy to use internet filter, and for a limited time Bsafe is giving a 20 percent discount to my listeners! Just go to bsafe.com, and put in my name, betsy, as your promotion code when you download the filter.

Be sure to tune in today at noon central time, WYLL.com Chicago (AM1160), www.wyll.com, here after the show, or later in the week podcast on nationalreview.com.

(And again, I appreciate all your comments and read all my e-mail, even if I can’t respond to everyone personally.)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Betsy

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Hi Friends - here’s this week’s column. This grew out of a very funny Sunday afternoon spent with a group of parents who also remember all the perfect kids they never had. Enjoy.

The Perfect Kids I Never Had

Thanks for stopping by - Betsy Hart

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Hi friends - here’s a piece I recently wrote for the Chicago Daily Observer. Are your school kids, like mine, being encouraged to recycle in order to “save trees”? You’ll want to read this. Enjoy!

Recycling is a Waste

Thanks for stopping by!

Betsy

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Hi Friends - okay, I’m getting a lot of e-mails asking - “where are you??” because I haven’t been posting regularly. I guess this week’s column is part of the answer (and thanks for all of you who have checked in.)

my column

Meanwhile, I have been doing a lot of work on the new, hour long radio show, “It Takes a Parent,” and many of you have been kind enough to tell me you like the longer format. Please continue to let my producer and me hear your suggestions and comments. And please do NOT miss this week’s show. It is one of my all time favorites, and it is information packed. This week I had the honor of talking with Dr. Calvin Beisner (rhymes with ‘Nice - ner”) He wears many hats, one of which is the National Spokesman for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.

Cornwall Alliance

This week, Dr. Beisner and I discuss the growing seduction of many well meaning evangelicals into the global “climate change” political movement, and the devastating repercussion for the poor that could have around the world. You will not want to miss the discussion of the real story about climate change, why and how many Christians in the United States are being misled on this issue, and the principles behind rightly stewarding God’s creation.

And by the way, you may be more than a little surprised (and horrified) to find out where the money to promote much of the global warming “hype” in the Christian community is coming from (this from the Institute for Religion and Democracy)

Do Some “Humanitarians” Hate People?

Here’s another good website for you on this issue:

Wegetit.org

Be sure to tune in to AM1160/WYLL Chicago at noon on Sunday, listen live at WYLL.com, or check back here later to tune into the show or get a podcast from nationalreview.com.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Betsy Hart

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Hi friends - hope you’ll call in to “It Takes a Parent” today at noon central time. AM1160/wyll, or streaming on wyll.com. We’re going to try to get to a lot of topics, but we’ll start by talking about the mom who created an international uproar when she allowed her 9-year-old son to ride the NYC subway by himself. I say good for her, but a lot of folks think I’m crazy too.

Are we overprotecting our kids? Are we denying them the lessons that would teach them to handle adversity and roll with life’s punches? I think so.

Or, do we live in an age when we have no choice but to be a little overprotective if we want to be good parents? Give me a call at 847-956-5042.

I Look forward to hearing from you - Betsy Hart

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