Category: children

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The Palmer Candy Company Doesn’t Care About Your Kids

Two weeks ago, I e-mailed a letter to The Palmer Candy Company regarding the harmful ingredients they put in their products — specifically Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs).

After I posted the article, Healthy Food Tip #4: Beware of Food Companies That Lie, I wanted to give them a fair chance to express their side of the story and hopefully “make it right,” as promised in their Quality Pledge.

I have received no response. Nothing — not even a piece of toxic candy. So I’ve decided to rewrite their “Quality Pledge” in an effort to make it more honest:

The Old Palmer Quality Pledge

“For Over 50 years, Palmer has been a national brand making candy for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. We use only the finest ingredients and are proud of all our products. If you are not satisfied, please let us know and we will make it right. We would also enjoy hearing from you for any other reason. Visit us at: www.rmpalmer.com“

The New Palmer Quality Pledge

“For Over 50 years, Palmer has been a national brand making candy for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. We use only the CHEAPEST ingredients and are proud of all our PROFITS.

Some people ask why it took so long for us to tell the truth about the poison we put in our candies. We stand by our company’s code of ethics:

We, the upper management of Palmer Candies, are a bunch of liars. We simply don’t care about your children’s health. We’ll just keep putting Partially Hydrogenated Oils in our products, which has been linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, obesity and allergies that can cause arthritis.

And don’t get us started on how it disables your body from properly absorbing good essential fatty acids (necessary to sustain healthy life). We know consumers are too stupid to understand this stuff, so why bother to explain, let along make a change?

But we promise to make these little pieces of death look all cute so your children will find them irrestible. And we’ll just depend on parents to keep trusting us, and keep being ignorant to the crap we’re selling.

If you are not satisfied, please let us know and we will IGNORE YOU. We would MUCH RATHER not hear from you at all. Visit us at: www.rmpalmer.com“

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So what do you say parents? Are you willing to send this company an e-mail asking them what gives? Maybe if enough of us speak up, the will listen.

And remember, you are not alone…

Related Links:
– Ban Trans Fats
– What’s Wrong with Partially Hydrogenated Oils?
– The latest U.S. health safety distraction ploy: Blame China!
– Recovery Medicine
– 6 Rules To Avoid Eating Bad Fats, by Ban Trans Fats.com

Related posts:
– Healthy Food Tip #1: Decoding PLU Codes For Better Health

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Sex and the Daddy

Tyler over at Building Camelot beat me to it.

He talked about sex, and what he had to say made me realize that I’ve been avoiding this topic for too long.

I’d like to highlight Tyler’s article in its entirety here. It touches on many good points about the dynamics of relationship, which is a great place to start…

What Comes First In Marriage? Sexual Or Emotional Fulfillment?

by TYLER on JANUARY 11, 2009

It’s like the age-old question “What came first? The chicken or the egg?” Does sexual fulfillment or emotional fulfillment come first in marriage? I was watching the Today show a few days ago and they were doing a segment on relationship resolutions and how to start off on the right foot for the new year. It was a panel discussion which focused on people who are in either committed or non-committed relationships and what steps they should take in the upcoming year to find happiness. 

When the discussion turned to those who are married, or at least in a committed relationship, one of the guests, Shannon Ethridge, author of The Sexually Confident Wife, said something that has been stuck in my head that I wanted to share and get your opinion. Fast forward to the 3:20 mark to Shannon’s part.

(Link to the msnbc video. Sorry, having trouble  imbedding)

Shannon mentions that at the beginning of each year she evaluates what she needs to do in the upcoming year to inspire her man (she’s been married for 17 years) to meet her emotional needs. I love that she uses the word inspire! It’s certainly a word that’s lost in many marriages these days especially if you have children or you’ve been married for any length of time.

She goes on to clarify that if a woman meets all of her mans sexual needs then he will fall all over himself to meet her emotional needs. I agree with her and here’s my question; does his sexual fulfillment or her emotional fulfillment come first in marriage? Does the wife make sure her husband has all of his sexual needs met first or does the man support his wife emotionally before his own needs?

In a good, healthy marriage I think the answer to the question is simple…it’s both. How can it be both? How can his needs be met at the same time as her needs? If you both make it a priority and work on fulfilling each others needs at the same time, mutual fulfillment can be achieved. If you value your marriage, neither you nor your spouse can afford to sit around and wait to have your needs met.

I doubt that I’m going out on a limb when I say that every man wants a wife who is confident and fulfills his sexual needs. On the flip side, I’m sure the same women want their man to be able to fulfill them emotionally. It’s just as important for men to support their wives emotionally as it is for women to leave their men sexually satisfied.

The one thing that I know I struggle with is recognizing, reacting and inspiring my wife’s emotional needs. I’m always selfishly thinking that she should satisfy my sexual needs first, but we should be working on mutual fulfillment.

What do you think? Drop me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

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I hope you’ll take some time to visit Tyler at Building Camelot and read some of his other articles. He certainly has a lot to offer, especially to us dads out there.

And remember, you are not alone…

Related links:
Sex and the Daddy, Part 2

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Tongue Twisters for Kids & Dads

My boys and I picked (no pun intended) up The Blue’s Clues Nursery Rhymes Treasury, during our last visit to the library. By chance, I turned to the following page and read aloud. I was amazed at how the play on words caught their attention, and how much laughter ensued – reading after tongue tied reading (until they got sick of it for the day).

I’m sharing it here for those of you who are not familiar with this version, or any version of Peter Piper. I bet your kids will like it, especially if you try and read it fast…

Peter Piper

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

The Daddy Brain Version

Peter Parker picked a peck of pickled poop.

A peck of pickled poop Peter Parker patiently picked.

If Peter Parker tried to pass off the pickled poop as pickled peppers, would his friends be pissed?

Probably.

And remember, you are not alone…

Family Blogs
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Dads are Not Second-class Parents, Part 4: Dads Need Help Too

This is a video I came across on Twitter. It’s made by a “dude” named Hugh Weber. Although he’s still awaiting the birth of his child, that hasn’t stopped him from beginning the transition “from dude to dad.” His powerful message is a perfect fit with this series…

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You can find Hugh on Twitter, or visit his page @ vimeo.com

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Want to share your own Second-class Parent story? Submit it as a comment and I’ll be happy to highlight you on my blog. Click the widget on the right-side tool bar (near the top) for more info.

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And remember, you are not alone…

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Additional Dads are Not Second-class Parents Articles:
– Part 1
– Part 2: And Then There’s Dad
– Part 3: A Divorced Dad’s Perspective
– Part 5: Perceptions & Paradigms
– A Question for Dads: Have You Been Treated Like a Second-class Parent?
– Where’s the Dad in Toy Story?

Family Blogs
blog

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Can You Let Go of Wanting Security/Survival? The Sedona Method, Part 5

The Sedona Method is a powerful & easy-to use program that helped me learn to let go of negative thoughts, emotions and behaviors that were holding me back in every aspect of my life — from health, to career, to relationships.

If this is your first look at the series, you might want to check out Part 1 for an overview before you get started.

Part 2 focuses on letting go of resistance
Part 3 is about letting go of the need for control
Part 4 introduces how to let go of wanting approval

This installment focuses on letting go of wanting security/survival.

Wanting Security/Survival
“When we want security, we feel like we don’t have security. We approach life as though it’s a battle for survival. We see everyone, at least on a subtle level, as an enemy.

We may often feel and react to even the smallest changes or decisions as if our lives are threatened. We may avoid taking risks, even if that means giving up success. We may avoid confrontation, even if it’s necessary. We may walk around expecting the next disaster.

You can recognize wanting security, because it may include a sense of being threatened, uneasy, in danger, on guard, or impending doom. In the extreme, it’s a paralyzing fear – we feel like we’re about to die. We also feel like we’ll do anything to get it back.

Synonyms for wanting security include wanting safety, to survive, to get revenge, to protect ourselves and others, to attack, to defend, to kill, and to be safe, to name a few.

As we let go of wanting security, we feel safer, more secure and at home wherever we are without feeling like we have to achieve safety at other’s expenses.”

— Hale Dwoskin, CEO and Director of Training of Sedona Training Associates

Lester Levenson, the creator of The Sedona Method, had this to say about how fear affects us: “Fear, and it will appear.” These words do more than rhyme. They contain a truth about how we manifest our reality. The more we keep a fear in mind, the more we attract it.

There’s another saying, “What we fear, we create,” which is a slightly different way of looking at it. Have you heard of the law of attraction? It states the same thing. The more we focus on something, positive or negative, the better chance it has of becoming reality. For more on this, you can read The Road to Nowhere: It’s not too late to recreate your reality.

So let’s get started with letting go of the need for security/survival.

This exercise, taken directly from The Sedona Method course, will give you an idea of what it’s like to let go. You may find it hard to do, or you may find it easy. Either way, it’s OK just the way it is. Remember this is only one “slice” of the program. There’s much, much more to it than I am able to explain here.

And remember, it’s OK to take each step as slowly as you need to…

Take a deep breath and focus inside.

Think of a situation where you felt the need for security or survival.

Could you welcome the feeling for a moment? Let it fully be here.

Could you let it go?

I find that taking a deep breath and exhaling while I let go is helpful. If you repeat this process a few times, I think you’ll find that at least some of your need for security/survival has dissipated (if it hasn’t already).

Remember, this is only a small part of what the Sedona Method has to offer. If you explore the course further this will all make a lot more sense.

If you’d like to learn more, or try the CD program risk free, click here. You can also purchase the Sedona Method book, available at Amazon.com and fine bookstores everywhere.

And remember, you are not alone…

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Dads are Not Second-class Parents, Part 3: A Divorced Dad’s Perspective

A Divorced Dad’s Perepective is written by by guest blogger Derek, dad of two.

 

Derek is a very involved dad who puts his kids first. He is constantly looking for ways to become a better dad and a better man. The story he relates here is one of many instances where the school system has treated him like a second-class parent…

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Without getting too detailed about my situation, I must say that as being a divorced dad I feel I have been treated like a second-class parent many times.

 

I’m a very involved, hands on dad — from changing diapers when my kids were little, to potty training them, to reading them books at night.

 

I believe that there shouldn’t be labels put on tasks when raising your kids, such as “mom’s always cook dinner, unless of course it’s easy mac (and cheese) or dad’s putting something on the grill.” Or doing laundry and grocery shopping to name a few.

 

These were things that growing up my mom would do, and rarely if ever I saw my dad do. He was in charge of the man things around the house and did a good job at that but I believe those times have changed.

 

On my own now being divorced I am forced to “do it all” and doing great with it all. I honestly have most things under control. I always know what my kids schedule is for school and extracurricular actives, I decorate their rooms and make sure sheets are clean, make sure that we all are eating healthy and not taking them to Mickey D’s all the time!

 

And I would be this way even if I were married. It’s called being a parent!

 

What is hard for me is dealing with how the system or people in our society make us dad’s feel as if we should just be a “traditional” dad and not a parent and modern dad.

 

Recently, I called my son’s school and asked if I could have some info about his hot lunch monthly billing (for the last couple months). No big deal right?

 

The first question the lady asks is “now you and your son’s mother are divorced right? And she has primary custody right?”

 

At first I felt like asking: “am I speaking with my lawyer’s office?” I thought better of it! I answered her and she continued talking about how she’d see if see could get that info to me.

 

She could see??? See what? She doesn’t know if I pay for the hot lunch bill or if it’s my son’s mother who pays. She was not telling me what I needed to know. She told me that she would mail me the info…well that was 3 weeks ago and I have not received a thing.

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Want to share your own Second-class Parent story? Submit it as a comment and I’ll be happy to highlight you on my blog. Click the widget on the right-side tool bar (near the top) for more info.

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And remember, you are not alone…

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Additional Dads are Not Second-class Parents Articles:
– Part 1
– Part 2: And Then There’s Dad
– Part 4: Dads Need Help Too
– Part 5: Perceptions & Paradigms
– A Question for Dads: Have You Been Treated Like a Second-class Parent?
– Where’s the Dad in Toy Story

Family Blogs
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My letter to Palmer (America’s Favorite Holiday Candy)

This is the follow-up letter I sent to Palmerâ after I posted Healthy Food Tip #4: Beware of Food Companies That Lie:

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Dear Palmer:

 

I am the father of two and a daddy blogger.

 

Your Quality Pledge on your products states: “We use only the finest ingredients and are proud of all our products. If you are not satisfied, please let us know and we will make it right.”

 

Your company uses Partially Hydrogenated Oils in your products – marketed to kids! This ingredient has been banned in Europe and many states have made it illegal to use in restaurants. So the question is, how is this a quality ingredient? It’s junk and it’s hazardous to peoples’ health. How can you be proud of putting this in your products, especially considering children are the main consumers.

 

You say in your quality pledge that if a customer has a problem, you will make it right. Are you willing to take this out of your foods?

 

Thank you for your time.

 

Peace,

Joey

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I’ll report back with their response.

And remember, you are not alone…

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Healthy Food Tip #4: Beware of Food Companies That Lie

This statement was on the back of a Palmerâ “Double Crisp” Chocolate Holiday Candy package I unwrapped for my kids today. Palmer is a large, popular holiday candy provider based in Pennsylvania.

Keep in mind, this story could be true of any food manufacturer (unless they’re USDA Organic). So checking the ingredients on the label is really important to the long term health of your kids (and you). 

The Palmerâ Quality Pledge
“For Over 50 years, Palmer has been a national brand making candy for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. We use only the finest ingredients and are proud of all our products. If you are not satisfied, please let us know and we will make it right. We would also enjoy hearing from you for any other reason. Visit us at: www.rmpalmer.com”

After reading this, I thought to myself, “that’s nice.” Then I read the ingredients.

First was sugar, of the bleached/refined variety. Second was Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (PHO) which is really bad stuff (click here for details).

Cocoa, obviously a key ingredient in making chocolate, was the 6th (just behind crisped rice). The Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (PHO) was probably used to help crisp the rice, thicken the candy and achieve a richer taste.

It’s also cheap, and it helps the product have a shelf life of infinity. That’s why hundreds (possibly thousands) of companies put it in their food. Here’s a link to 6 Rules To Avoid Eating Bad Fats, by Ban Trans Fats.com 

Since PHOs are Trans Fats, how can this company claim that they are using the “finest ingredients?” This crap is bad for our kids! It’s been banned in Europe, and many states have made it illegal to use in restaurants.

Here’s a quote from my previous post about PHO’s explaining why they’re so bad:
“They cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and allergies that can cause arthritis. It also disables your body from properly absorbing good essential fatty acids (necessary to sustain healthy life) found largely in polyunsaturated oils. Instead of being absorbed and providing your body with what it needs to function properly, the essential fatty acids are eventually stored as fat cells, causing you to gain weight.”

You know what? I’m going to e-mail Palmer and see what they have to say. Let’s see if they keep their promise to “make it right,” because I’m not satisfied.

If we all did this with companies like Kellogs, Post, all non-organic bread companies and Pilsbury, maybe they’d finally make a change. If we stop buying their products, what choice do they have? I guess they could just think up some new lies, or some new names for trans fats (like mono-and-dyglicerides or shortening).

Even though these ingredients are listed on the label, more often than not the Nutrition Facts section of the package states “Trans Fat Og.”

And remember, you are not alone…

Related Links:
– Ban Trans Fats
– What’s Wrong with Partially Hydrogenated Oils?
– The latest U.S. health safety distraction ploy: Blame China!
– Recovery Medicine

Related posts:
Healthy Food Tip #1: Decoding PLU Codes For Better Health

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The Four H’s of Self Destruction: Have You Fallen Into The Trap?

I’m tired. All the time. And I’m ashamed of myself that I have not been able to overcome it. Quite simply, I have not been accomplishing what I’d like to in my life — specifically when it comes to my blog and the “bigger” plans I have for it.

People struggle with so much more than I do on a daily basis. I feel like a weakling, a 40-year old dude from NY who can’t get his shit together. I’m doing my best, but it never feels good enough.

I’m dedicated to my kids and my wife. They come first, and that’s how I like it. But somewhere along the way I have lost my balance. Being dedicated to my family should not mean sacrificing all of oneself. But in my mind, in a twisted subconcious way, it seems I have done just that — sacrificed my professional happiness in order to be a better dad and husband.

But nobody asked me to.

I just feel there’s just not enough time in the day to get it all done (or so it appears at first glance). And after working long hours 5-days a week, how can I take more time away from my family?

The result is a crabby, edgy, non-satisfied dad who feels unfulfilled in the career department. Since I have no plans of putting my kids or wife anywhere but in the number one position, I need to find another way to make time for myself. Time where I have enough energy and cognitive process to work on Fulfilling Career Stuff (FCS).

Although the term does sound a bit funny, I think just about any parent can understand where I’m coming from.

So I took a closer look at my situation, how I spend my time.

I realized (for the umpteenth time) that there is a small window of opportunity after the kids go the bed for me to be productive and work on my FCS. About 2 hours before I pass out (only to wake up with keyboard face).

So why do I play Internet poker instead of working on my blog, my idea for a TV show or my book? Why aren’t I working MORE on making Daddy Brain a bigger deal, one that can potentially support my family? This is what I THINK & SAY my goal is, so why aren’t I taking ACTION on it?

When the night rolls around, I WANT A BREAK. But then all day long, I WANT CHANGE. I’m getting stuck in wants, and when that happens I find myself lacking the very things I desire. I’m basically stuck in resistance.

Is part of it self sabotage? Maybe, but it think the problem is more complex than that.

It begins with being exhausted. And when I’m this tired I become captured by the Four H’s of Self Destruction: Hobby becomes Habit becomes Harmful becomes Hated.

Bear with me while I explain because this is a dilemma I think most people struggle with. One that traps us in a particular state of mind that makes us incapeable of accomplishing that which is so important to us.

Hobby
Many of us have hobbies, things that are fun, bring us joy, help us relax and so on. Technically speaking, hobbies are harmless as long as they remain hobbies. But sometimes something happens to these harmless things — they change and become…

Habit
Let’s take my Internet poker playing as an example. At one point playing Internet poker was just a hobby. But somewhere along the way it became a coping mechanism. It became something that, as the day wore on, I would feel more and more of a compulsion to do.

Don’t worry, I’ve made money and I’m not broke from it. But it has robbed more hours from my life than I can count. Just an hour or two a night, but the hours add up. Put together, these same hours could have resulted in a book, dozens of blog posts or a spec script for the TV show I’m developing. It could have also been dedicated to some extra sleep which would keep me in a better state of mind (making it easier to avoid the Four H’s of Self Destruction).

Another example: a casual drinker who has two or three beers a week. This turns to a six pack a week. Then multiple beers a night until this casual drinker (hobby) has a drinking problem (habit). It could be any hobby that mercilessly grasps you — sex, drugs, TV, reading, puzzles, exercise, naps, crosswords… the list is endless.

Harmful
Now your little hobby has turned into a monster. It negatively affects your life, your relationships, your work — whatever. And since it’s no longer a hobby, but a habit, it is very difficult to stop.

Hated
Sometimes we hate the habit, sometimes we hate ourselves for having the habit. Often, people just feel unhappy and unfulfilled and don’t allow themselves to go any further. Let’s face it: turning a hobby into a habit is a great way to hinder ourselves. For many it is a path to self destruction.

In the following weeks, I plan on diving deeper into each of the for H’s. I hope you’ll stick around to read them, and more importantly to share your opinion so we can all become happier, more fulfilled human beings.

A clear indication of whether I’m figuring this out or not will be the amount of blog posts I am able to complete. And the amount of poker I am able to avoid.

And remember, you are not alone…

Related links:
The Four H’s of Self Destruction: When Hobby Becomes Habit