A Simple and Quick Way to Protect School Children

The simplest and quickest way to protect children from being murdered while in school is to discontinue having schools as a gun free zone. To attempt to eliminate certain types of firearms violates the Second Amendment even more than has already occurred.

Moreover, to do that to someone who has been diagnosed with a mental illness not only denies that person's Second Amendment right to self-defense, but also does not distinguish between the types of mental illnesses.

Type of Mental Illness Should be Specified
All types of mental illnesses should not be associated with the type of person who may commit a mass murder. The person who committed the mass murder at the Parkland, Florida school appears to be a sociopath, a person who has a type of Antipersonality Disorder. This person tend to be deceptive and can be and is often rational in the planning and follow-through of his terrible acts. This type of personality disorder is often difficult to diagnose and treat. In contrast, an individual who is experiencing depression or anxiety and is on a mood stabilizer for such conditions is unlikely to be acting to acquire a weapon and planning a mass murder.

Safety of the School Children is not the Responsibility of the President
Let’s be clear, the safety of school children is the responsibility of state governments, local governments, and the school boards. Not the President of the United States nor Congress has this responsibility. For example, in Chicago those high schools in the inner-city neighborhoods with a high level of gang activity have uniformed Chicago police officers stationed where the youngsters enter and leave the schools.

Chicago Police Officers in the Chicago Public Schools
The Chicago Board of Education contracts with the Chicago Police Department to have officers stationed at the schools. The police cars are parked outside of the schools and near the school doors in full view of the public. The police officers are stationed inside of the schools where they can observe each student who comes into the school. This has been a successful standing policy of the Chicago Public Schools for decades.

In addition to the police officers being stationed in the schools, there are clearly identified civilian patrols in the blocks surrounding the schools who watch the comings and goings of the students. There is no need to be talking about having teachers, counselors, or any other school officials being armed. I hope that other state and local officials as well as the school boards across the country will consider looking at the Chicago model and consider implementing this type of protection for the children under their care.

Only Benefit the President can Provide
Finally, the only benefit that the federal government can provide is for the President to issue an Executive Order for the Department of Education to redirect funds from useless and irrelevant programs and to make those funds available to the states for the sole purpose of improving the safety of the children for whom they have the responsibility.

3 No Nonsense Steps to Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Self-esteem evolves in kids primarily through the quality of our relationship with them. Because they can’t see themselves directly, children know themselves by reflection.

For the first several years of their lives, you are their major influence. Later on, teachers and friends come into the picture. 

But especially at the beginning you are it with a capital I.

1. Self-Esteem Can Form a Child’s Future

Self-esteem is the real magic wand that can form a child’s future. A child’s self-esteem affects every area of his existence, from the friends he chooses to how well he does academically in school, to what kind of job he chooses, to even a person he chooses to marry. No child has too much self-esteem.

If you take every possible opportunity to point out what your child does well -- praising it descriptively and expressing appreciation-- your child will become more cooperative, competent, and confident. A child who thinks he is good at something, even if he is not – – basketball, math, computer games – – is likely to be more resilient than a child who is never satisfied with his efforts.

2. Be Careful How You View Your Child

If we view our children as stupid, disobedient, disturbed, or guilty of their misdeeds, they would learn to view  themselves as foolish, deficient, or shameful examples of humanity. They will regard us as judges from whom they wish to hide.

They would interpret everything we say as further proof of their unworthiness. If we view them as innocent, or at least merely ignorant, they will gain understanding from their experiences, and continue to regard us as wise partners.

3. Don’t Plant the Seeds of Self Doubt in Your Child

Our children evaluate themselves based upon the opinions we have of them. When we use harsh words, biting comments, and a sarcastic tone of voice, we plant the seeds of self-doubt in their developing minds.

Children who receive a steady diet of these messages end up feeling powerless, inadequate, and unimportant. They start to believe that they are bad and can never do enough.  If you tell children they are bad, that’s what they believe they are – and that’s probably what they will become.

A child feeling good about himself is like a snowball rolling downhill. He will continuously be able to recognize and integrate new proof of his value as he grows and mature.

Keep in mind that your child benefits more from being valued than evaluated.


Do your child feel good about himself? It's based upon your efforts as a parent.

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3 Secrets to Becoming and Remaining Productive

There are three things that work against your productivity and personal development are procrastination, interruptions, and distractions. 

Here they are described and what you can do about them: 

1. Procrastinations

Procrastinations often arise because psychologically you don't want to do the task and consequently you keep putting it off and wreck your productivity. You either perceive the task as being too difficult, too aggravating, too provoking or all three and try to avoid doing it. 

However, avoidance is not the solution and the longer you put it off, the more anxious you will become. 

The solution is psychological in nature. 

You need to relax, visualize the most positive and constructive outcome you can, and then focus on the steps necessary to make the outcome a reality. Take the steps and then be pleasantly surprised at what happens.

2. Interruptions

Interruptions can be phone calls, someone wanting a face-to-face meeting with you, or any unanticipated event. Interruptions, however, can be prevented. If you're working at home consider structuring your day and vow to stick to your structure. 

Break your day down into time/task segments. For example, if according to your body clock, you are typically alert and do your best mentally challenging work early in the morning, schedule the first hour of the morning to do your research and writing if you work requires that. 

Then, schedule your organizing and filing at the end of the day. The hours in the late mornings and mid afternoons can be allocated for meetings, phone calls, appointments and lunch breaks.

3. Distractions

Distractions are the result of an undisciplined mind. Distractions principally happen as a matter of choice. 

You can choose to be distracted by playing useless computer games, dwelling on the argument you had with your friend or spouse, or engaging in some idle chatting instead of focusing on your tasks.

While procrastinations are also a matter of choice, distractions are even more so. 

Procrastinations might indeed be associated with having to deal with an unsavory experience such as revealing some bad news to someone, or just not doing something you just don't want to do but has to be done. 

Distractions on the other hand tend to result from an idle mind - a mind without a focus. Choosing to focus and act on constructive tasks with a strong desire to do so until you complete them eliminates distractions.

Your personal development as well as your productivity depends upon you clearly identifying these three culprits and taking the steps to eliminate them.

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