Is your child a leader or a bully? (Learn to recognise the signs)

We’d all like our children to be leaders, to think they are leader-material. The race for leadership crops up in all walks of academic life, from class president to magazine editorial board. There are many qualities that make a leader and many more that make a great leader.

At the same time, none of us wants our child to be a bully. Yet academic life is the most common setting for bullying. Just as there is a thin line of distinction between confidence and arrogance, humility and subservience, genius and madness; there is just a thin line separating leadership from bullying. ‘Kids don’t suddenly...

Read the full article in the October 2014 post of New Age Parents


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1820 words
Non fiction
Singapore publication

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Words from the Wise

"I loved your article and would love to have it featured in (an) upcoming issue."

Susan Koppel

ex-Editor

Today's Child Magazine

"It has some good things to say"

Sherri Langton

Associate Editor

Bible Advocate / Now What?

"It is good"

Kristyn Komarnicki

Editor

Prism Magazine

"Really like it and will definitely include it"

James Cole

Group Editor

Family And Parenting

"The article looks good"

Melody Tan

Associate Editor

Signs Of The Times

"I would love to use this story in our (future) issue."

Brittany Morgan

ex-Editor

Hudson Valley Parent

"The subject matter is great"

Christina Elston

Editor

Los Angeles Parent

Against the grain

Retirement hits some people hard. And when my father retired, no one was harder hit than my mother and us two sisters. With time hanging heavy on his hands and nothing much to do but try Mum’s patience and dole out long-winded advice much too often on Shirley’s legal cases, Dad had soon picked up the not-so-subtle hints about doing something better with himself than just being Man of the House. Tiring of the charms of daytime television, he had begun to hunt in earnest for a proper little hobby with which to keep himself occupied. After having steadily taken up and discarded solitaire (too slow)...
Read the full article in the October 2010 Family Matters issue of Chicken Soup For The Soul

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2050 words
Humour
US publication
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Words from the Wise

"It is an entertaining story"

Jennifer Stackhouse

Editor

ABC Gardening Australia

"We enjoyed it"

Sandra Costich

Associate Editor

American Scholar

"Yours is a charming story--lively and whimsical... I enjoyed the story of your father's post-retirement 'employment' "

H. Emerson Blake

Editor

Orion

"Nice story. I enjoyed it"

Pat Stone

Editor

GreenPrints

"This was very enjoyable to read"

Lorna Loveless

Editor

BackHome

"I really enjoyed reading your piece... It is quite funny - I especially liked the ending, I too could picture those pain-spattered walls. You're a very talented writer with good instincts for intriguing stories"

Paula Jolin

Manuscript Reader

Sun

"You are clearly a talented writer"

Alison Weaver

Founding Editor

H.O.W. Journal

The ties that bind

I am around eight years old and totally flummoxed. My mother has just posed the following conundrum to me:
“Two pairs of mothers and daughters went to the market and bought three lemons. They each got a whole lemon. How is that possible?”

Resisting the urge to just stare at her and blurt out that she is joking, I carefully go over the riddle word by word. After five minutes of straining the grey cells, I am nowhere near the answer. Five more frustrating minutes with numerous fractions worked out infront of me, and I utterly give up. Mum smiles and explains, “The two pairs were: a Grandmother, a Mother...

Read the full article in the Summer 2010 issue of Ducts

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2025 wordsEssay
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I liked this essay... I thought your subject and tone were interesting... The description of the family writing its history is very funny... I do like the topic and think there's gentle comedy and potentially something profound about the piece... I'd love to have this essay... You did a marvelous job of bringing the essay to a conclusion, and I had the good kind of chill going down my back as I read your final paragraph. You cogently and eloquently explained the reason for this endearing tradition, and I suspect that many Americans may end up being more than a little jealous of not having such a tradition after reading your account and its meaning... Again, this was really a wonderful result... Congratulations."

Elizabeth Rosen

Essays and Memoirs Editor

Ducts

"I thought this was a very interesting story and compelling to read"

Diana Lyles

CEO

Scribblers and Ink Spillers

Present from the past

Helen Blackwell’s birthday was fast approaching. That is to say, it was about eight months away, but when one is your best friend, you can’t plan too far enough in advance. And on her 40th, I was determined to pull out all stops.

Helen and I had been friends since childhood. We grew up together, went to the same school, attended colleges in neighbouring towns and got married within a few months of each other. We knew each other’s families like our own and each other’s thoughts better than ourselves. I knew she would want an unusual gift that would complete her special day. Not cosmetics, she...
Read the full article in the May 2010 issue of Practical Family History


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1215 words
Humour
UK publication
Includes ten funny cartoons featuring Debora and her menage!

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Words from the Wise

"It is a really lovely piece, and well written... I really enjoyed the article as it is a lovely, light, read on a family history theme... I am sure it will make a lovely feature... Thank you for the funny illustrations"

Karen Clare

(Acting) Editor

Practical Family History

"It's a lovely story"

Debbie Attewell

Editor

Candis

Against the grain

Retirement hits some people hard. And when my father retired, no one was harder hit than my mother and us two sisters. With time hanging heavy on his hands and nothing much to do but try Mum’s patience and dole out long-winded advice much too often on Shirley’s legal cases, Dad had soon picked up the not-so-subtle hints about doing something better with himself than just being Man of the House. Tiring of the charms of daytime television, he had begun to hunt in earnest for a proper little hobby with which to keep himself occupied. After having steadily taken up and discarded solitaire (too slow)...
Read the full article in the February 2010 issue of Work Life Group's Career Stories 2010 Competition

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

2050 words
Humour
US publication
***********************

Words from the Wise

"It is an entertaining story"

Jennifer Stackhouse

Editor

ABC Gardening Australia

"We enjoyed it"

Sandra Costich

Associate Editor

American Scholar

"Yours is a charming story--lively and whimsical... I enjoyed the story of your father's post-retirement 'employment' "

H. Emerson Blake

Editor

Orion

"Nice story. I enjoyed it"

Pat Stone

Editor

GreenPrints

"This was very enjoyable to read"

Lorna Loveless

Editor

BackHome

"I really enjoyed reading your piece... It is quite funny - I especially liked the ending, I too could picture those pain-spattered walls. You're a very talented writer with good instincts for intriguing stories"

Paula Jolin

Manuscript Reader

Sun

"You are clearly a talented writer"

Alison Weaver

Founding Editor

H.O.W. Journal

The ties that bind

I am around eight years old and totally flummoxed. My mother has just posed the following conundrum to me:
“Two pairs of mothers and daughters went to the market and bought three lemons. They each got a whole lemon. How is that possible?”

Resisting the urge to just stare at her and blurt out that she is joking, I carefully go over the riddle word by word. After five minutes of straining the grey cells, I am nowhere near the answer. Five more frustrating minutes with numerous fractions worked out infront of me, and I utterly give up. Mum smiles and explains, “The two pairs were: a Grandmother, a Mother...

Read the full article in the June 2008 issue of Family Tree Magazine

or

Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1215 words
Humour
UK publication

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Words from the Wise

"Wonderful article"

Jeanie Croasmun

Editor

Ancestry Magazine

"I like it"

Simon Fowler

Editor

Ancestors Magazine

"You have a good writing style which flows well. I was intrigued and wanted to read on"

Henry Saley

Publisher

Horizon Magazine

"We like your article"

Ed Zapletal

Publisher

Family Chronicle