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Show A6 The Emery County Review, Tuesday, December 30, 2008 The FAMILY PAGE Horoscope Focus On The Family Crossword Figuratively Speaking Focus on the Family Teaching Good Writing Skills Starts at Home Dr. James Dobson Q I’ve always had an interest in creative writing, primarily because I had a teacher who encouraged me to express myself and gave me the skills to do it. My kids, however, have not had that exposure. The school system just doesn’t teach writing skills anymore. How did you come to be a writer, and how might I give my children a nudge in that direction? It is true that writing skills are seldom taught today. That was evident a while back when I was considering hiring a Ph.D. candidate from a large university. I called her major professor for a recommendation. He spoke highly of this woman and said he was sure she would do a good job for me. I then asked if she was an adequate writer. He said, “Are you kidding? None of my students has strong writing skills. Young people don’t learn to put their thoughts on paper these days.” He was right! It hasn’t always been that way. I remember diagramming sentences and learning parts of speech when I was in el- A ementary school. It was a major part of the curriculum. Also, my parents encouraged and helped me grow in this area. I wrote a letter to a friend when I was nine years old. My mother then suggested that we read it together. I had written, “Dear Tom, how are you? I am just fine.” My mom asked me if I thought that sounded a little boring. She said, “You haven’t said anything. You used a few words, but they have no meaning.” I never wrote that phrase again; although that is the typical way a child begins a letter. Looking back, I can see how, even at an early age, my mother was teaching me to write. In addition, I was also fortunate to have a few English teachers who were determined to teach me the fundamentals of composition. I had one in high school and another in college who insisted that Horoscopes by Holiday The sun, moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Pluto are all in the highly responsible, traditional and exceptionally goal-oriented realm of Capricorn. As the heavenly bodies celebrate the Sea Goat, the concept of work and play are reversed. The most compelling and irresistible thing to do is to be of service to others and make a pretty penny in the process. And if the job is difficult, all the better, as Capricorn loves a challenge. ARIES (March 21-April 19). An opportunity to mentor another presents itself in the first days of the year. Though you worry that past misgivings could hinder this endeavor, you will find it is, conversely, an invaluable asset. You are a survivor. You know the roads to avoid, and this is your chance to share the map. You’ll be brilliant. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your people skills are in rare form. You bring a smoothness of form and movement to all of your conversations -- people easily fall into your graceful dance of connection. It’s a secret power you’ll use often to expand your network and deepen your relation- her grow up without developing it. Does the middle child really have greater adaptive problems than his or her siblings? The middle child does sometimes find it more difficult to establish his or her identity within the family. She enjoys neither the status of the eldest nor the attention given to the baby. Furthermore, she is likely to be born at a busy period in the life of her parents, and especially her mother. Then during her preschool years, her precious territory is invaded by a cute little newborn who steals Mama from her. Is it any wonder that she often asks, “Who am I and where is my place in life?” (Dr. Dobson is founder and chairman of the board of the nonprofit organization Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO 80995(www.family.org). Questions and answers are excerpted from “Solid Answers” and “Bringing Up Boys,” both published by Tyndale House. Copyright 2008 James Dobson Inc. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.) Q A Figuratively Speaking Week of December 21 Holiday Mathis I learn grammar and composition. They nearly beat me to death but I’m glad they did. I earn a living today, at least in part, with the skills they gave to me. Especially, I would like to say “thanks” to Dr. Ed Harwood. His classes were like Marine boot camp, but what I learned there was priceless. It’s not terribly difficult or time-consuming to encourage and teach kids some of the basics of grammar and composition. One approach is to ask a family member to correspond with your child and encourage him or her to write back. Then when the reply is written, sprinkle a few corrections, such as the one my mother offered, with a generous portion of praise. Finally, entice that youngster to engage in a little creative expression. As for what you can do to compensate for the de-emphasis on writing in school, I really don’t know -- except to seek instruction outside the classroom. The teaching of writing has gone out of style -- much like the old “homemaking” classes for girls. But it is an incredibly valuable craft that your child can use in a wide variety of settings. Don’t let him or ships in the early part of this shining new year. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). An association seems delightful, but do not be blinded by the polite appearance of cooperation. This may actually be an effort to ride your coattails or steal your spotlight. Do not fret, though. You have a bag of nobler tricks. The weekend provides the opportunity to throw on a metaphoric cape and take it to the stage! CANCER (June 22-July 22). There’s a long list of things you want to do in the new year, and when you let your intellect bounce from one subject to the other, a lovely rhythm emerges. However, by Thursday you’ll see the value in streamlining. Trim the resolutions down to a single aim. One important goal will serve to focus you powerfully. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your self-esteem cannot be compromised by anyone other than you. Rather than pleading for attention while licking your wounds, you take a different approach. You ask your higher mind for a new and more empowering way to think about your situation. John MacIntyre 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Ranks of Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates, George Kaiser, George Soros and William Barron Hilton on the list of BusinessWeek’s “The 50 Most Generous Philanthropists.” 3: Number of years Warren Buffett has topped the list. $40.655 billion: Amount given by Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, since 2004. $2.625 billion: Amount given by Bill and Melinda Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder and his wife, since 2004. Source: BusinessWeek 84: Percentage of Ameri- cans who rate the honesty and ethical standards of nurses either “high” or “very high,” according to Gallup’s annual “Honesty and Ethics in Professions” survey. 7: Number of years in a row that nurses have enjoyed top public accolades. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: Ranks of pharmacists (70 percent), high school teachers (65 percent), medical doctors (64 percent), police (56 percent) and clergy (56 percent) on the Gallup list. 1, 2, 3: Ranks of cheap airline tickets, used cars and cheap apartments for rent on the list of Ask.com’s “Top Deals and Steals Searches of 2008,” according to Ask.com. 1, 2, 3: Ranks of maver- ick, socialism and economy on the list of Dictionary. com’s “Top Gainers of 2008.” 1, 2, 3: Ranks of “How cans who rate the honesty and ethical standards of congressmen either “high” or “very high.” do I get pregnant?” “How do I lose weight?” and “How do I write a resume?” on the list of Ask. com’s “Top Question Searches of 2008.” Source: Ask.com. 23: Percentage of Ameri- 1, 2, 3: Ranks of Charles 12: Percentage of Ameri- cans who rate the honesty and ethical standards of bankers either “high” or “very high.” Source: Gallup Continued on Page A10 Prince, former CEO of Citigroup, Rick Wagoner, chairman and CEO of General Motors, and John J. Harris, chairman and CEO of Nestle Waters, on the list of the worst corporate “Scrooges” of 2008 -- the CEOs who exhibited the worst kinds of unbridled greed and a lack of compassion or concern for others over the last year, according to Co-op America, in conjunction with its Responsible Shopper program. Source: Co-op America. 49: Percentage of compa- nies that plan to reduce the size of their executive bonus pool compared with last year, according to a Watson Wyatt survey. 30: Of these companies, percentage that expect a cut of up to 20 percent. 35: Percentage that expect a cut of 20 to 50 percent. Source: Watson Wyatt Worldwide. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: Ranks of Hawaii, London, Paris, Aruba and New York City on the list of the top 10 holiday dream escapes, according to TripAdvisor. Source: TripAdvisor. Idle thought “There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second.” -- Logan Pearsall Smith (Copyright 2008 John MacIntyre Inc. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.) Answers on Page A10 |