The tragic shooting deaths of 19 young school children and two teachers in the south Texas town of Uvalde left us all heartbroken. The gunman was an 18-year-old troubled teen who shot his own grandmother before entering Robb Elementary School and killing innocent fourth graders who were only two days away from the end of the school year. Not surprisingly, the conversation in the media and in the political realm quickly turned to gun control. Ban certain weapons, is the thinking, and these kinds of tragedies can be averted. Sadly, they’re looking in the wrong place. “The closer we get […]

With summer sports camps now in full gear across our communities, we need to talk about a painful subject. And on this subject, Palm Beach Atlantic soccer player Michaela Boyd has insight for parents that could prove lifesaving.  At least three NCAA athletes died by suicide in less than two months this past spring, according to news reports. That breaks Michaela’s heart. And she knows from experience how mental health crises in college athletics can develop from attitudes found in organized sports for children. Michaela began competing at a young age, and she sees great benefits in team sports. “It […]

Several years ago, actually 12, the movie “UP” was released by Pixar. The entertaining story about an old man, a talking dog and a little stowaway boy, all floating around in a house tied to hundreds of balloons, takes you on an adventure filled with childlike wonder… sort of like life. One of the more comical elements of the story is the dog, aptly named DUG, who wears a special collar that allows him to speak.  However, DUG is often distracted by squirrels. We find him in mid-sentence when he will notice a squirrel, stop, gaze intently at the it […]