Being truly helpful30thMay
30th
May
Raising Kids by Tony Deis on May 30, 2009
My mother was oldest of 4 children. Born in 1945 she was the one that had to follow my Italian grandfather to the produce stand every day after school, on weekends and in the summer. "I hated it at the time," she said about the hustle and bustle of the once infamous Yamhill market in Portland. As a teenager she began to realize her sisters were missing out. She experienced the buzz of a lively city, buying direclty from farmers on "Produce Row" and the graciousness of my grandfather, often giving…
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Land as a family member21stMay
21st
May
Raising Kids by Tony Deis on May 21, 2009
What is your relationship to the land you live. Is it a commodity you pay mortgage on? Is it a friend or a member of the family? These questions are very important to the children in our lives. They don't see the yards and neighborhoods we live as simply "where our house sits". Spider webs, weird bugs and trees to climb are etched into the…
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5 thoughts for family connection14thMay
14th
May
Raising Kids by Tony Deis on May 14, 2009
I grew up in an Italian family. A big one. My identity is wrapped up in mia familia. Here are 5 thoughts that could help strengthen those bonds so important to all of us... 1) Make a family recipe book. Simply ask everyone, including Uncle Earl, for their favorite recipe. If you're food snob, don't be so quick to judge; include Aunt Sofie's…
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Choosing camp instructors7thMay
7th
May
Raising Kids by Tony Deis on May 07, 2009
I realized I could do something very important with today's blog. I want to better inform parents about how we choose the instructors responsible for the well being of their children. Here are some important things to know about the people we hire. The ones we all trust to protect and care for our kids. Getting in is hard, nigh on impossible…
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Walking backwards28thApril
28th
April
Raising Kids by Tony Deis on Apr 28, 2009
As a teen I once walked barefoot in my garden. Dirty feet and hands. The smell of garlic in the sun. My non-high school tenure was a three-quarter acre Eden blossoming from my parent's backyard. Every day, for all day no one told me what to do. For hours I would sit, step slowly and listen for what was coming next. Each action and movement…