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“How many can I have?” G asked.

When throwing a successful party for teenaged boys, it’s important to be able to answer this question with, “As many as you want.” That’s tip one. Imagine what you’d need to feed grownups, double it.

G walked away carrying a mountain of cheeseburger, smiling.

It was a small party, only six of us in attendance — me, my teen boy, and four of his best buds. The honoree was one of his closest friends, Z, who had announced he would not be returning to their school in the fall. He was off to boarding school in the northeast to pursue his passion. Hockey.

The boys were bummed to be losing Z, but recognized that there are limited opportunities for ice-based sports here in Central Texas.

What better way to saw farewell than with an NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs watch party?

We covered food, right? Basically, lots. The only thing left at the end were the hotdogs that were a bit “well done” — my personal preference. (What’s wrong with kids these day that they don’t like a grilled dog with a little crispiness to it?)

Drinks are also key — I iced down Izzle sodas, which they really seem to love. I think of them as being somehow better than more mainstream sodas, maybe because they are sold in Starbucks. I also like the smaller sized Gatorades of the “lower calorie” variety. I hate finding half-finished drinks after a party, so I go with small sizes. (Hint 2.)

With teenaged boys, when selecting a sports even, make sure that there are an even number of fans on both sides of the contest (Hint 3) — this makes for maximum ruckus. In our case, the New York Rangers v. Boston Bruins served nicely. Each goal drew equal cheers and boos.

Also important, a good sound system to drown out the nonsense that teenage boys say. It’s silly. Please notice the Coby Sound Bar. It rocks.

As we were wrapping the party, we were able to present some special gifts to Z, including a $100 gift certificate to the official NHL store thanks to Enterprise Rent-a-Car. He was pumped, and hopefully, he’ll think of Texas when he rocks his new gear up there in chilly New England.

If you’ve got hockey fans in your bunch, there are a couple ways you can hook them up with some hockey loot. First, Enterprise and the NHL have teamed up on the Hat Trick Challenge online game on NHL.com – your can play daily to try to predict what happens on the ice or create private leagues and compete against friends.

Additionally, you can leave a comment on this post or on our Facebook page to be registered to win the prize pack that made my party such a hit: $100 NHL Gift Card, Brookstone Prime Barbeque Kit, Coleman 16 qt. Wheeled Cooler, Mixed nuts to snack on, Coby Slim Wall Mountable Sound Bar with Bluetooth Technology, and some fun Enterprise swag including stress relievers if the game gets tough and reusable stadium cups for drinks at the party. Amazing stuff!

Disclosure:  Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the NHL provided me with a gift package to host my watch party as a thank you for writing this post. However, the views and opinions expressed here are purely my own.

Note: I was recently invited by The Motherhood Team to be part of a group of bloggers invited to learn more about the Microsoft Store. We received a briefing from company execs, were encouraged to visit a store and to write up a post on our impressions. Mine follow.

To describe my experience at the Microsoft Store at the Domain in Austin, Texas, it might be easier to start by outlining what I didn’t feel.

I didn’t feel like I was imposing on anyone.
I didn’t feel like my playlists were lame.
I didn’t feel like there was a clock ticking in the background.
I didn’t feel like my tattoos weren’t ironic enough.
I didn’t feel like it was a problem that my jeans are “relaxed fit.”
I didn’t feel like an idiot with an insatiable desire for expensive products so unquenchable that I would take any attitude that service personnel dished out, endure lines or waits or whatever herd management was on offer, or need to wander around desperately trying to make eye contact with someone wearing the latest in square rimmed spectacles in order to get my questions answered.

I did feel welcomed. I did feel like Scott and Meg and the rest of the Microsoft Store team I spoke with had a clear mastery of the technology they introduced me to. I felt like their enthusiasm for the products and the brand was genuine.

This was never more evident than during my walk-through with the Surface tablet. The Surface is clearly not a “Me, Too” device. This is a complete rethink of tablet software and user experience. I was impressed by the power, flexibility and professional applications the device offered. It’s a legit possibility for laptop replacement.

I had fun with Smartglass, pairing the Surface with an Xbox 360. That might help me with my hopeless gaming skills in father/son Madden scrimmages. And I thought the on-site skinning available for Xboxes could also win me some much needed cred with the teen ones in my house.

The store itself lays out like others in the same market — an open space with products organized on flat tables by type. Phones here, tablets there, desktops over there. The color scheme is different, the vibe is different, but I can see how some might cry “copy cat” at first glance.

But first glance fails to capture the theatre area in the back of the store. This is where things get interesting, and quite differentiated from the competition. The 100” touchscreen dominates an open space which also features about half a dozen high tables and chairs. It’s an ideal presentation/teaching space.

And it’s being used for just that. The store offers seminars and classes, even free summer camps for kids. Free. Summer. Camps. Day long, activity filled, tech oriented experiences for children in the dog days. Can you beat that?

Not only that, the space can be reserved for community events, even birthday parties.

The events, classes and community events availability makes the location more than a store. It’s a crossroads where a brand and a community of users, young and old, can come together.

Have you visited a Microsoft Store? Leave a comment with your reactions, or other thoughts about tech stores in general, and you will be registered to win a $100 Microsoft gift card!

You can also join me for a #GoMicrosoft Twitter party tomorrow!

What: Microsoft stores across the country have more to offer than just tech products. Many Microsoft locations offer an Answer Desk, in-store events, personal computer training and much more!

During this Twitter chat we’ll be exploring all of the ways that the experts at Microsoft can help make your life easier. Your Microsoft store isn’t just a place to shop, but a fun place to visit – for both you and your kids!

When: Thursday, May 14, at 1 p.m. ET (the party will last one hour)

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #GoMicrosoft hashtag to track the conversation.

Hashtag: #GoMicrosoft

Prizes: We will be giving away six prizes to randomly selected winners. Five winners who answer trivia questions during the party will receive $25 Microsoft retail store gift cards, and one grand prize winner will be chosen for a $500 Microsoft retail store gift card!

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in this program. I did not, however, get any of the cool gadgets that they have in the Microsoft Store, even thought I whined about it a little bit.

Note: I was recently invited by The Motherhood Team to be part of a group of bloggers invited to learn more about the Microsoft Store. We received a briefing from company execs, were encouraged to visit a store and to write up a post on our impressions. Mine follow.

To describe my experience at the Microsoft Store at the Domain in Austin, Texas, it might be easier to start by outlining what I didn’t feel.

I didn’t feel like I was imposing on anyone.
I didn’t feel like my playlists were lame.
I didn’t feel like there was a clock ticking in the background.
I didn’t feel like my tattoos weren’t ironic enough.
I didn’t feel like it was a problem that my jeans are “relaxed fit.”
I didn’t feel like an idiot with an insatiable desire for expensive products so unquenchable that I would take any attitude that service personnel dished out, endure lines or waits or whatever herd management was on offer, or need to wander around desperately trying to make eye contact with someone wearing the latest in square rimmed spectacles in order to get my questions answered.

I did feel welcomed. I did feel like Scott and Meg and the rest of the Microsoft Store team I spoke with had a clear mastery of the technology they introduced me to. I felt like their enthusiasm for the products and the brand was genuine.

This was never more evident than during my walk-through with the Surface tablet. The Surface is clearly not a “Me, Too” device. This is a complete rethink of tablet software and user experience. I was impressed by the power, flexibility and professional applications the device offered. It’s a legit possibility for laptop replacement.

I had fun with Smartglass, pairing the Surface with an Xbox 360. That might help me with my hopeless gaming skills in father/son Madden scrimmages. And I thought the on-site skinning available for Xboxes could also win me some much needed cred with the teen ones in my house.

The store itself lays out like others in the same market — an open space with products organized on flat tables by type. Phones here, tablets there, desktops over there. The color scheme is different, the vibe is different, but I can see how some might cry “copy cat” at first glance.

But first glance fails to capture the theatre area in the back of the store. This is where things get interesting, and quite differentiated from the competition. The 100” touchscreen dominates an open space which also features about half a dozen high tables and chairs. It’s an ideal presentation/teaching space.

And it’s being used for just that. The store offers seminars and classes, even free summer camps for kids. Free. Summer. Camps. Day long, activity filled, tech oriented experiences for children in the dog days. Can you beat that?

Not only that, the space can be reserved for community events, even birthday parties.

The events, classes and community events availability makes the location more than a store. It’s a crossroads where a brand and a community of users, young and old, can come together.

Have you visited a Microsoft Store? Leave a comment with your reactions, or other thoughts about tech stores in general, and you will be registered to win a $100 Microsoft gift card!

You can also join me for a #GoMicrosoft Twitter party tomorrow!

What: Microsoft stores across the country have more to offer than just tech products. Many Microsoft locations offer an Answer Desk, in-store events, personal computer training and much more!

During this Twitter chat we’ll be exploring all of the ways that the experts at Microsoft can help make your life easier. Your Microsoft store isn’t just a place to shop, but a fun place to visit – for both you and your kids!

When: Thursday, May 14, at 1 p.m. ET (the party will last one hour)

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #GoMicrosoft hashtag to track the conversation.

Hashtag: #GoMicrosoft

Prizes: We will be giving away six prizes to randomly selected winners. Five winners who answer trivia questions during the party will receive $25 Microsoft retail store gift cards, and one grand prize winner will be chosen for a $500 Microsoft retail store gift card!

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in this program. I did not, however, get any of the cool gadgets that they have in the Microsoft Store, even thought I whined about it a little bit.

Before I had my own children, I had an idea of how parenting would go. I operated under the assumption that I would parent my children to the best of my ability and that would be enough. I believed that my efforts would ensure me happy and obedient children, all the time.

I was wrong.

It turns out that you can parent a child with all your might. You can train. You can teach. You can make up good-behavior charts and bribe reward a child with all manner of stickers and special treats, but these things might not make a difference at crucial times in their life. No parent has ever been able to predict and control every choice a kid makes. That’s the thing about kids—they come with minds of their own. And this often becomes obvious in front of other people, and we mothers are embarrassed beyond words, possibly even stunned silent.

For example, our daughter recently startled a room full of relatives at the family reunion when she yelled, “Pray, Larry!” at her grandfather. You see, my father-in-law is a dear man of God, but he often takes a bit of time to gather his thoughts before beginning the prayer. My mother-in-law has been known to nudge him with a whispered, “Pray, Larry!” to get him moving. My own husband has taken up this prayer-hesitation as he ages, so I’ve started mimicking his mom at the dinner table. “Pray, Larry!” I hiss at Eric.

I think I’m terribly funny, and if he’s honest, so does my husband. He snorts and starts praying. But we forgot to tell Audrey that sometimes little family jokes are just that—little and with only the four of us. So when she was hungry at the family reunion and Grandpa wasn’t on her schedule, she just did what comes naturally—she ordered him to pray. And the whole room thought it was hysterical, except for maybe me. And Grandpa, who apparently doesn’t appreciate being called by his first name by a grandchild. He did get right to the prayer, so I guess the child made her point.

In another example, I think of the time that Caleb threw up on me, all over me, at story time at the library. We were sitting quietly when I suddenly realized he was burning up, then he was throwing up. There was no time to prevent the disaster. My first instinct was to start cleaning the mess, but there was no way I could do that and care for my sick child at the same time. The dear librarians came to my rescue and started mopping up the mess. They cleaned the carpet and the chair and sent me home. My daughter was heartbroken to leave story time early, so they let her stay and then walked her home when it was over.

I could go on and on about the chances God has given me to get over myself as I parent. In fact, I wrote an entire book called There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse, and it’s all about the ways God has let me grow closer to Him through parenting. Each parenting challenge is another chance to move past my initial reaction to seek the good of my children, and to move past pride and self-absorption. These things are poison to our walks with God, and He lets the difficulties of parenting teach us this over and over.

Colossians 3:12-15 says:

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (NLT)

Those cringe-worthy moments in motherhood give me a chance to do just these things. They let me learn how to clothe myself with tenderheartedness towards a child even when I’m embarrassed. They give me a chance to react with kindness when a child blurts out something at the wrong time. They let me learn forgiveness over and over again, just like Christ forgives me over and over again. My life is not about me. I live to glorify God, and He teaches me how to do it as I parent. I pray that He lets you learn these same blessed things through your own experiences as a parent!

About the Author

Before I had my own children, I had an idea of how parenting would go. I operated under the assumption that I would parent my children to the best of my ability and that would be enough. I believed that my efforts would ensure me happy and obedient children, all the time.

I was wrong.

It turns out that you can parent a child with all your might. You can train. You can teach. You can make up good-behavior charts and bribe reward a child with all manner of stickers and special treats, but these things might not make a difference at crucial times in their life. No parent has ever been able to predict and control every choice a kid makes. That’s the thing about kids—they come with minds of their own. And this often becomes obvious in front of other people, and we mothers are embarrassed beyond words, possibly even stunned silent.

For example, our daughter recently startled a room full of relatives at the family reunion when she yelled, “Pray, Larry!” at her grandfather. You see, my father-in-law is a dear man of God, but he often takes a bit of time to gather his thoughts before beginning the prayer. My mother-in-law has been known to nudge him with a whispered, “Pray, Larry!” to get him moving. My own husband has taken up this prayer-hesitation as he ages, so I’ve started mimicking his mom at the dinner table. “Pray, Larry!” I hiss at Eric.

I think I’m terribly funny, and if he’s honest, so does my husband. He snorts and starts praying. But we forgot to tell Audrey that sometimes little family jokes are just that—little and with only the four of us. So when she was hungry at the family reunion and Grandpa wasn’t on her schedule, she just did what comes naturally—she ordered him to pray. And the whole room thought it was hysterical, except for maybe me. And Grandpa, who apparently doesn’t appreciate being called by his first name by a grandchild. He did get right to the prayer, so I guess the child made her point.

In another example, I think of the time that Caleb threw up on me, all over me, at story time at the library. We were sitting quietly when I suddenly realized he was burning up, then he was throwing up. There was no time to prevent the disaster. My first instinct was to start cleaning the mess, but there was no way I could do that and care for my sick child at the same time. The dear librarians came to my rescue and started mopping up the mess. They cleaned the carpet and the chair and sent me home. My daughter was heartbroken to leave story time early, so they let her stay and then walked her home when it was over.

I could go on and on about the chances God has given me to get over myself as I parent. In fact, I wrote an entire book called There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse, and it’s all about the ways God has let me grow closer to Him through parenting. Each parenting challenge is another chance to move past my initial reaction to seek the good of my children, and to move past pride and self-absorption. These things are poison to our walks with God, and He lets the difficulties of parenting teach us this over and over.

Colossians 3:12-15 says:

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (NLT)

Those cringe-worthy moments in motherhood give me a chance to do just these things. They let me learn how to clothe myself with tenderheartedness towards a child even when I’m embarrassed. They give me a chance to react with kindness when a child blurts out something at the wrong time. They let me learn forgiveness over and over again, just like Christ forgives me over and over again. My life is not about me. I live to glorify God, and He teaches me how to do it as I parent. I pray that He lets you learn these same blessed things through your own experiences as a parent!

About the Author

My name is Pao Tolentino, owner of www.daddystruggles.com. I am from the Philippines and I'm looking forward to sharing tips, trick, stories and successes with you.
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Just over 10 years ago when my former wife relocated to the northeast US, I was really distraught that the judge signed off on the move. You see, she was taking our 4 year old daughter with her, much to my dismay. I thought it would have been detrimental to the father / daughter bond that had been developed up to that point. The judge said that my daughter should be with her mom throughout the school year but during breaks from school – summertime, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, etc – she would be with me.
In trying to encourage me, my attorney said, “Think of it this way – you’ll get to be the fun parent!” I started thinking about that. When my daughter’s with me, I could do all the fun things like take her shopping or to Chuck E. Cheese’s

I sometimes suspect that when some people welcome the arrival of our new robot overlords, they’re being less than sincere. So it is in our ironic age.

I’m also pretty sick and tired of people screaming “SkyNet!” every time they see a dog-shaped robot flinging cinderblocks.

Everybody is so sure that we are sowing the seeds of our own destruction with every technological advance that they sometimes forget that robots totally save the universe.  Where will we be without R2D2? Slaves of the Empire, that’s where. And for every Terminator, there’s an Iron Giant (and also the other Terminator). Why do we automatically think the worst when we see technological advances?

Why don’t people see Google Glass and immediately think of Data, instead of visualizing (unaided) cyborg zombie hipsters walking in front of buses all over Brooklyn? Why such dark portents of the future (sort of)?

Because people don’t have enough simplehuman sensor cans, that’s why.

I’ve lived with this charming little stainless butterfly for a couple of months now, and as a result, I feel much better about the fate of my great, great grandchildren. The androids that descend from this sensor can will be too busy making our lives efficient to take over the world.

The butterfly covers open as gracefully as the pod bay doors when you wave a hand above the sensor area, and the can almost never opens unexpectedly (except for about 30 minutes during sunset if you walk past the perfect spot and hold your mouth right). Installing batteries was easy — and the quiet motor whirrs with each operation. I like that there is no cord to mess with.

Once the can is open, it won’t close on you if, like us, you have no disposal and have to scrape every microbe of food off before putting something in the dishwasher. The sensor reads your activity and responds, staying open as long as you are working. I’ve never had the doors close on me a single time. And I’m the DS (Designated Scraper) in my house.

As with the step can I tested previously (and loved), the liner is easy to remove from the can, and the bag is easily slipped from the liner. simplehuman custom bags rock my world — I really love them — but any standard kitchen bag will fit the liner.

An interesting note: in all the weeks we’ve used the can, with all the house guests, adults and kids alike, that traipse through our house eating our snacks, nobody has ever had to ask how the garbage can works. Either the design is completely intuitive, or the machines are already teaching us to obey.

I also predict that there will be no fingerprints anywhere in the future, because the amazing fingerprint-proof stainless will cover every household surface. Seriously, even when the our whole kitchen is dissolved into chaos in the aftermath of family dinner, our simplehuman sensor can still looks like it just came out of the box.

So the next time you see images of robots from the future that frighten you, or are abducted and forced to watch anything from the Transformers franchise, don’t get discouraged. Remember this: (Thanks to simplehuman?) WALL-E is a trash can.

Disclaimer: As I mentioned in the previous posts, I’m a proud brand ambassador for simplehuman and will be creating a series of posts over the next year that relate to that outstanding brand. Because you know simplehuman makes much more than trash cans. But more on that later. The can I tested was provided free of charge, and I am compensated for my work as brand ambassador, including the writing of this post.

Just over 10 years ago when my former wife relocated to the northeast US, I was really distraught that the judge signed off on the move. You see, she was taking our 4 year old daughter with her, much to my dismay. I thought it would have been detrimental to the father / daughter bond that had been developed up to that point. The judge said that my daughter should be with her mom throughout the school year but during breaks from school – summertime, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, etc – she would be with me.
In trying to encourage me, my attorney said, “Think of it this way – you’ll get to be the fun parent!” I started thinking about that. When my daughter’s with me, I could do all the fun things like take her shopping or to Chuck E. Cheese’s

My wife and I recently welcomed a new baby boy to our family. We're now a family of 5 and we couldn't be happier! We already had a 14 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. Now this new addition just seems to make the picture complete!

My wife and I recently welcomed a new baby boy to our family. We're now a family of 5 and we couldn't be happier! We already had a 14 year old daughter and a 2 year old son. Now this new addition just seems to make the picture complete!

Over the past several years, here in the United States, we have seen a spike in incidents of senseless violence. Random shootings routinely make headlines and each time, the more senseless the acts appear to become. Our hearts ache each time we hear of innocent lives being taken from us by a troubled person who seems intent on causing harm to others.
Remember the shootings at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado? Remember how much that incident shook us to the core? In hindsight, it seems like that was the beginning of series of random shootings in which the only “wrong” the victims did was being in a place where the shooters were. The more we hear about these incidents, the more deplorable the acts seem. No place seems safe – the workplace, places of worship, schools, shopping malls and political events have all become crime scenes in the most senseless of ways.
Most recently, in the small community of Newtown, Connecticut, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, 26 people were randomly shot and killed by a lone gunman. Among the dead were 20 students – ages 6 and 7, the school principal, the school psychologist and 4 teachers.
In the midst of “the most wonderful time of the year,” the nation paused to mourn the tragic passing of these precious souls. For the families however, there was no pause. Their lives came to screeching halt; instead of planning Christmas dinner and how to decorate their homes for the holidays, they were planning funerals. They probably have a difficult time going near malls or restaurants or places where families gather. Their pain is very real and being around happy, smiling families might be too much for them to handle as they continue to mourn. Their joy turned into sorrow so suddenly and so senselessly.
I often try to think about the relevance of current events to the responsibilities of men. I think of how these issues affect our roles as husbands and fathers and then I seek to share words that would spur us to action, as we embrace our roles in our families. I’m very aware of the fact that many kids do not live with their fathers due to a variety of reasons. That might make implementing some of these guidelines I share here a challenge. Still, I believe that whether our kids are physically with us all the time or not, there are things that we can do – and ought to do – to help ensure that their well-being is top priority.
As men, first and foremost, we have an obligation to protect our families. Our wives and children depend on us to be providers and protectors. Some might interpret this to mean that we ought to all go out and purchase guns. That’s the least of what I’m saying. The gun-rights issue has its place but that’s not a topic I believe ought to be highlighted on this blog. The gun control debate can be controversial and divisive and I think I can share a positive message on responsible fatherhood without getting into that subject here.
I believe we ought to teach our kids that although most of the people they know and love are warm, kind-hearted, genuine and caring, there are some people in the world who are not that way. There are some who cause severe harm to others and take pleasure in wreaking havoc in the lives of the innocent.
It is important that we reinforce the message that many of us tell our kids: don’t talk to strangers. Strangers can be warm and kind-hearted but some can also be abductors and killers. Unfortunately, we have gotten to the point where we have to teach kids, whose natural instinct is to trust, not to trust certain others because it could be to their detriment.
Another area in which I think we can help our kids is in helping them to recognize potentially dangerous situations. This is particularly important for parents of teens and young adults. I remember how, as a teen I yearned for the freedom to make my own rules and do as I please. When I went off to college, I did just that – made my own rules and did whatever I pleased. I admit that I drank alcohol before reaching the legal drinking age. I partied and had myself a ball. I stayed out late at night – sometimes into the “wee” hours of the morning, not thinking of any potential negative consequences.
Now, as a 40 something year old father of a teen daughter and 2 young boys, my perspective is so much different. Did you know that a disproportionate number of fatalities occur in those late hours? If we think about it, it makes logical sense. People are more prone to party, drink and drive at night, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays. Parents of teens and young adults probably spend many a night worrying because of their kids being out because a lot of bad things happen at night.
Although many of the shootings we have heard about on the news occurred in the daytime, acts of violence generally occur more at night. I remember during my late teen/early adult years growing up in Houston, Texas, I’d routinely go to night clubs. At many of those clubs there were shootings at different points. I remember one such shooting occurred at a concert that I attended. It’s hard to imagine that I was so passionate about being in that atmosphere that I really didn’t think I could have been a victim – whether being hit by a stray bullet or otherwise.
I believe it’s wise to educate our kids about these issues that are so very real. Perhaps as you read this you can think of different incidents in your own life where you exercised bad judgment and put yourself at risk of also being an innocent victim. The types of incidents that make headlines are like what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary but far more common are the ones that occur every day that we might only hear about in our local markets, if at all. We owe it to our kids to educate them about the dangers of the world we live in so that they can be cautious as they go about their daily lives.
Having said all of this, I recognize that tragedies, such as those that we have become all too familiar with, will occur. The children of Sandy Hook simply went to school – one that had security measures in place – and still that incident took place. People go to work or to the movie theatre or to the mall or to their places of worship and while minding their own business, they still become innocent victims.
As much as we might not like to think about it, each day we put ourselves and our kids in the way of potential harm by simply living normal lives. We cannot entirely eliminate the possibility of being victims of violence. I believe, however, that there are steps we can take to decrease the likelihood of being among those who are either victims or family members of victims of such violence.
Collectively we mourn with the families affected by the many incidents of violence that we have become so familiar with.