Saturday, June 24, 2006

Blindness, Mental Impairment and Musical Talents

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14)

On CBS 60 Minutes tonight, there was a segment reporting on Rex Lewis-Clack, a musical savant whose incredible piano talent coexists with blindness and severe mental impairment. The show also features 11-year-old Rachel Flowers and 26-year-old Derek Paravicini who are in similar situations.

When I teach multiple intelligences, I want parents to know that each kid has some special talents in them waiting to be encouraged and discovered. The stories of Rex, Rachel and Derek showed us how music opens the door to their brains and provide a way for them to communicate with this world.

Click on this and that to find out more details about these musical savants.

What jump out is the dedication of Rex's mother (a Stanford Grad), and the music teachers and mentors for those young people. Every kid needs love and care. It is amazing how human brains work and how some people persevere in spite of great difficulties.

Parents, do you appreciate your child? Do you count your blessings?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

What Does Your Kid Put On-Line?

"I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition." (Ezra 4:19)

I heard that companies are now searching on-line and examining popular sites such as myspace.com to find information about job applicants.

Often times teenagers and college students post pictures and stories that they may not want their parents and others to see, but they feel safe to do it just for fun, only for the eyes of their friends. What a shock to find out later that such records are being taken seriously by potential employers, even school administrators!

A wise parent told her children they could experiment thing as long as it did not leave permanent damages/marks on their bodies (e.g. dying his hair vs. piercing holes on his nose or lips vs. using drugs). With the Internet, the scope really has expanded. Even the media is warning our young people about potential dangers. What are parents to do about this world wide web? What are we teaching our children along the way?

Is it more important to do the right thing or to avoid being caught having done something wrong? May be the best thing to do is to be the person you are outside and inside? Have you talked with your kids about being authentic and genuine? Have you shown them who you really are?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Cantonese or Mandarin?

The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." (Genesis 11:6)

When my husband and I met at Berkeley, our only common language was English, even though both of us were Chinese born overseas.

He came from Taiwan and I from Hong Kong. In my senior year, we met at a EECS class a few months before he got his masters degree. When four people did a team project together, one of his friends invited me. That gave us time to know each other as we have to do the design of a disc controller together. He asked me out after the project was complete. Soon he proposed. It was only three months from the time of our first real date to our wedding! Soon we had our first argument, and the honeymoon was over. Whether out of love or self-protection, he started learning Cantonese and I Mandarin so that we can figure out the other person better. Now we have three common languages! Our accents do not stop us from communicating.

Tonight, I gave two talks on EQ to a Cantonese speaking church at their fellowship gathering. While I was speaking with the youth (in English), my husband spoke with the adults; then it was my turn to speak to the parents on EQ. When I walked into the sanctuary, he was answering questions in Cantonese about being a husband and a father. Praise the Lord for a chance to learn from each other.

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Friday, June 16, 2006

Who Loves Us?

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:7-8)

Repeatedly I heard people doubting whether anyone loves them. We all want to be loved. We all love our kids. However, we often love them conditionally.

No, parents would say. We love our children just the way they are!

Really? Even if they are not beautiful, handsome, or cute? Even if they do not have high accomplishment? Even if they have no or low status?

How do you spell true love?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Thursday, June 15, 2006

A Broken and Contrite Heart

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17)

When someone complains to me about his boss, wife and children, I feel sad for him. It must be hard for someone to be rejected by everyone around him. Sometimes I hear similar stories from teenagers or young adults who have no friends. "My teachers pick on me. Other students despise me."

Often time, the pain is so much that the person is desperately trying to escape the pain. Some people pretend they don't care. They withdraw from the world and try to find temporary relief from drugs, alcohol, games, and Internet pornography. Can they really serve the problems on their own? Do they know God will not despise them no matter how bad they may be?

King David felt sorry for what he did and he asked God to forgive him and help him. That's why God called him a man after His own heart.

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Monday, June 12, 2006

Super Bowl Hero in Motorcycle Accident

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." (Proverbs 19:20)

Benjamin Roethlisberger is the NFL quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the youngest quarterback who led his team to a victory in Super Bowl in February 2006.

Today, Ben was involved in a motorcycle accident. He was not wearing a helmet when his head hit the windshield of a car. He suffered broken nose, jaw, back of head. He also lost many teeth and had injuries to both knees.

Prior to the accident, Ben had been criticized for his preference for not wearing a helmet while riding. But he insisted that he felt "more free" on the motorcycle that way. May be he should have listened?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Teen Hit by a Cement Truck

"Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life." (Proverbs 22:2-4)

A 17-year-old teenager visiting from San Francisco was dragged for 140 feet after his motorized scooter collided with a cement truck near the Alameda-Contra Costa County border. He suffers serious leg and arm injuries and may lose his left arm and left leg.

An Alameda County fire spokesman said the boy was riding with a 17-year-old friend from Dublin when, at 2:12 p.m., the SF boy rode across Dougherty Road into the path of a moving northbound truck carrying cement.

Apparently, the boy was visiting his 19-year-old brother to celebrate his birthday. Some reports say the scooter was very new, and still had a sale tag on. I wonder whether he was given the scooter as a birthday present. One report says it could be the first time he rode such scooter.

Is there anyway to forsee danger even when we are having fun?

Copyright © 2006 Winnis Chiang, Parenting ABC