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Author Dr. Robert Saul

Raising Young Citizens in the Age of Columbine

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Blog

Victor Hugo revisited

July 19, 2025 By Robert Saul

Victor Hugo was a profound storyteller. Through his works of fiction, he has relayed powerful messages about the human condition and he has suggested ways to honestly address them.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: armed conflict, equality, equity, history, history of the exterior, history of the interior, Les Misérables, love, poverty, safe stable nurturing relationships, Victor Hugo, wartime

Em (“within”) – Pathos (“suffering”); Empathy Revisited – 2025

July 12, 2025 By Robert Saul

Empathy reminds us that the world doesn’t revolve around us, that we are just a small part, but capable of significant good.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Basil Hero, Dr. Bruce Perry, empathy, Isabel Wilkerson, radical empathy

F-A S-C-I-S-M

July 5, 2025 By Robert Saul

It would be convenient to separate the ways of government from the nurturing of our children, but it cannot be done.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Books, children, DEI, diversity, fascism, global humanity, lies, medical professionalism, woke

Hate and Fear – Enemies of Children

June 28, 2025 By Robert Saul

Let’s take the toxicity of hate and fear out of the lives of our children and substitute it with multiple layers of kindness.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, enemies of children, fear, hate

Change is a parenting constant – Part III

June 22, 2025 By Robert Saul

Change will “attempt” to affect transitions but our preparedness for change can bolster our strengths and minimize our weaknesses.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: anticipation, attention, change as a constant, conscious parenting, forgiveness, information processing, parenting, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs

Change is a parenting constant – Part II

June 14, 2025 By Robert Saul

Well, change is afoot! Every situation requires a unique approach and an open mind.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: change, change as a constant, conscious parenting, parenting

Change is a parenting constant – Part I

June 8, 2025 By Robert Saul

Change will occur (it is a constant) and the ability to adapt to such change is crucial to parenting and, more broadly, to all of our interactions in society.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: change as a constant, dynamic processing, information processing, parenting

Was I Wrong? Only in Style

May 31, 2025 By Robert Saul

I will continue to fight against discrimination and attempts to demonize diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that make us stronger, not weaker.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civil rights, cost of lies, cultural trauma, lies, racism, redlining, systemic racism, welfare

“Amazing Grace”

May 25, 2025 By Robert Saul

Diversity, equity and inclusion should be an integral part of our society and of our ethos. Our common humanity demands it.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: ClemsonLIFE, DEI, diversity, equality, equity, inclusion, intellectual disability, meritocracy, racism, systemic racism

Five lessons from a medical career…and life

May 17, 2025 By Robert Saul

Trusting the intuition of others, listening intently, leaving biases behind, smiling and remembering our shared humanity are great lessons for medical professionals…and for the rest of us.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bias, intuition, lessons learned, lessons of life, listen, shared humanity, smile

Support for children and families – ICS!

May 11, 2025 By Robert Saul

I have long agreed with others that it takes a village to raise a child. To deny that reality is to deny our common humanity. We are all related. Everything that we do or hope to do is interconnected with our fellow citizens.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: American Academy of Pediatrics, Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, child support, Child Tax Credit, Head Start, Institute for Child Success, it takes a village, Medicaid, systems theory

End of life care – a la THE PITT

May 4, 2025 By Robert Saul

We have the opportunity to use these blessings of life, at the moments of death, to exalt their memory and so honor them and their lives.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: end of life care, forgiveness, hate, I forgive you, I love you, love, Please forgive me, Thank you, The Pitt

Ringing the bell…not everyone can

April 26, 2025 By Robert Saul

We can celebrate when children and their family ring the bell but what do we do when they are unable to ring the bell?

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: cancer, childhood cancer, grief, HPV vaccine, ring the bell

50 years…and counting

April 20, 2025 By Robert Saul

My fifty years and counting as a medical provider and related roles do provide me with the opportunity to speak with some degree of authority on issues child and family related.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: child advocacy, childhood cancer, children, climate change, deportation, diverse lifestyles, environmental exposures, families, incivility, lawlessness, mental health, racism, rare diseases, vaccines

Parenting – Map or GPS?

April 15, 2025 By Robert Saul

The map for parenting can be vague at times so parents have to have the willingness to learn from each day and from each interaction to love and relate in meaningful ways with our children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: assess, choose, GPS, maps, parenting, pause

Seven Great Pediatric Achievements – Under Threat

April 6, 2025 By Robert Saul

One cannot tear at one thread on the fabric of pediatric care and research and expect the wonderful tapestry of pediatric care and research to effectively continue to achieve great things.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: AIDS, car seats, childhood cancer, cystic fibrosis, HIV, pediatric achievements, pediatric research, seat belts, sickle cell disease, SIDS, vaccine

“Stay Calm and Parent On”

March 30, 2025 By Robert Saul

One cardinal principle in parenting – a dysregulated parent cannot regulate a child. By regulation, I mean the ability to be present, attentive, attuned and responsive to the needs of the child.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: "stay calm and parent on", communal parenting, dysregulation, empathy, hate, parenting, regulation, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs

Patriotism is between the ears, not on your head

March 23, 2025 By Robert Saul

Displays of patriotism without the requisite actions are incomplete in my estimation.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, civility, diversity, faith, patriotism, science, trust, truth

Parental regulation – March 21, 2025

March 20, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I find parenting very stressful.  I now can appreciate what my parents went through.  Do you have any advice as to how to learn to relax and respond in a calm manner to issues with my children?  I want to try and do better. Answer:  Parenting is tough work.  Even when in a…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

WOKE is good, not evil

March 16, 2025 By Robert Saul

Being woke does not promote hate as some contend. Quite the contrary. It seeks understanding and inclusion, acknowledging history and working to learn from it for a better future.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bigotry, Bloody Sunday, book banning, Heather Cox Richardson, LGBTQ, public schools, racism, voting rights, woke

Water safety – March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  The warm weather is coming soon.  We do not have a pool, but our neighbors do. They do not have a fence around their pool.  One of my children is an avid swimmer, and my toddler has to use his swimmies to be in the water.  What advice do you have for the…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Aphorisms to live by

March 9, 2025 By Robert Saul

Aphorisms tend to ring true, provoking reflection and hopefully inspiring beneficial actions.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, aphorisms, Barack Obama, better is good, charity, civility, cost of lies, Craig Mazin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, evil of silence, freedom, James Keenan, Leland Kaiser, malice, Margaret Mead, mercy, our better angels, Robert Saul, Timothy Snyder, trust

Measles revisited – March 7, 2025

March 8, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  (Originally published in March 2024 and updated March 2025) I am concerned about the spread of measles in Texas and now there is a pediatric death.  Could it spread to South Carolina and do I need to be worried?  My children have received both of their measles shots but some of their classmates…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Poverty and children – II. Action

March 3, 2025 By Robert Saul

For the sake of our children and their families, we cannot let the toxin of poverty continue to be a pervasive stain on our society and our democracy.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood poverty, injustice, poverty

Flu infections – February 28, 2025

February 28, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am very concerned about the recent increase in the flu.  I understand that children can get it, but they tend to have milder cases.  What should I be doing to protect them and what to do if they get it? Answer:  Your question is very timely.  We are in the midst of…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: flu vaccine

Poverty and children – I

February 23, 2025 By Robert Saul

What does poverty do to harm children? The simple answer is “a lot.”

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Bryan Stevenson, Dr. Benard Dreyer, Dr. James Perrin, federal poverty level, poverty, poverty as a toxin

Books – February 21, 2025

February 20, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I keep hearing about the importance of books for children.  I don’t understand how books early will make a difference.  Children cannot read in infancy, so it seems like a wasted effort to try and read to them.  When should I start reading to them in earnest? Answer:  I am so glad that…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: Books

Voices for children

February 16, 2025 By Robert Saul

There are countless other quotes that I could use to emphasize my point that action, not inaction, is necessary during times when children and families are pushed to the side and not truly valued. I use these quotes to remind me (and hopefully stir my readers) about our constant requirement to do all that we can and not be deterred.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: American Dirt, Bui Doi, Immigration, Jeanine Cummins, migrants, Miss Saigon, Nicholas Kristof, Somewhere, USAID, voices, West Side Story

Hair loss – February, 14, 2025

February 13, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried that my 10-year-old child is losing her hair.  It seems to be confined to a specific area and resembles a bald circle.  What should I be worried about?  When should I go to the doctor?  Will the hair grow back? Answer:  Hair loss is fairly common in children, for a…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: alopecia, hair loss

Children are not 3/5ths

February 9, 2025 By Robert Saul

Children

Children are not 3/5 a person and deserve so much more than what we are currently providing.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: 3/5 compromise, adult-manifest disease, adult-onset disease, children, merit

Home alone – February 7, 2025

February 6, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  There are times when I need to leave our children home alone – after school, dinner meetings and the like.  When do you think it is safe for the children to be home by themselves?  How old should they be?  What precautions should I take? Answer:  This is a tricky question.  I think…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Clouds, Love and Life

February 2, 2025 By Robert Saul

My reflections can make me commit to considering all sides now and use my experience and years ahead to continue to make a difference for all children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: both side now, civil rights, clouds, Hillary Clinton, Joni Mitchell, life, love, Vietnam War, voting rights

Concussions – January 31, 2025

January 30, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Both of my children play sports where there is a risk of head trauma or a concussion – football and soccer.  Are there special precautions I should take?  How serious are concussions in childhood?  What do I do if they get a concussion? Answer:  Your questions are common ones from parents during childhood. …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: concussions

Does racism still exist in America?

January 26, 2025 By Robert Saul

Let’s not push back by denying things but advance forward to the betterment of all. Let’s put others in front of ourselves. Let’s be heroes.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Clint Smith, conservative Blacks, Heather Cox Richardson, heritage, Martin Luther King Jr., racism, slavery, Trayvon Martin

Speech delays – January 24, 2025

January 23, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried that my 24-month-old son has only a few words.  He seemed to be delayed at 18 months, but we were told just to wait and see.  His motor development seems fine (sitting at 6 months, walking at 11 months) and he is very playful.  Should we be concerned about his…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: expressive language delay, language delay, receptive language delay, speech delays

Areas of Moral Clarity

January 19, 2025 By Robert Saul

Using Paul Farmer’s AMCs as our guide, our efforts can be converted into our achievements on behalf of all children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: areas of moral clarity, children's advocacy, community improvement, hate, Margaret Mead, Paul Farmer

Baby sleeping – January 17, 2025

January 16, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I have been reading a lot about arrangements for infant sleeping.  My parents want to buy bumper pads and cute pillows for the crib for our new baby boy due soon.  My reading tells me that we should not have those in the crib.  And I also read that I should not have…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: infant sleeping

2025 and the three Rs – Review, Renew, Recommit

January 12, 2025 By Robert Saul

When we pause and reflect on our actions in our community, a “new and improved” filter (developed by our review through continuous introspection) will allow us to renew and recommit our energies toward community improvement.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Five steps to community improvement, Leland Kaiser, new year, recommit, renew, review

Is my child overcommitted? – January 10, 2025

January 9, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My two children, ages 10 and 14, are signed up for so many things – sports, music, dance, and debate.  It seems that we are constantly on the go and barely have time for family meals, homework and sleep.  I worry that they are overcommitted but don’t know what to do about it. …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: activities, adolescence, childhood, overcommitment

Loathing – it works but it shouldn’t

January 5, 2025 By Robert Saul

racism

We have to resist such an insidious negative influence. Let’s be willing to recognize what we do well and where we need to improve. Only then can we truly live out the American Dream.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: hate, loathing, WICKED, woke

Why so many colds? – January 3, 2025

January 2, 2025 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My three children (two in grade school and one in kindergarten) seem to have colds all the time in the winter.  The sneezing and coughing don’t seem to go away.  Not only do the kids get colds and pass them around, each child has cold after cold.  And of course, my husband and…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: common colds

Infant mental health – Part II

December 29, 2024 By Robert Saul

To optimize the development and well-being of our children, the physical health and the mental health must be considered at every step.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: basic needs, caregivers, citizens, global responsibility, health care, health promotion, infant mental health, leadership, natural disasters, prevention, resources, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs, transportation

Vision and crossed eyes – December 27, 2024

December 27, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My three-month-old daughter appears to have crossed eyes at times.  Some family members say don’t worry about it, that it will go away.  Some family members have warned me about potential dangers. What is the best course of action? Answer:  You are right to be concerned about your infant’s eyes.  They are critical to…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: Strabismus, vision problems

Infant mental health – Part I

December 22, 2024 By Robert Saul

Of all the things that we do in society, infant mental health is the most crucial of all.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: brain development, freedom, infant mental health, mental health, nurturing, safe stable nurturing relationships, spoiling, SSNRs, Timothy Snyder

Constipation – December 20, 2024

December 20, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 7-year-old son has been having problems with a lot of stomach aches recently.  His bowel movements are quite large and infrequent.  Sometimes he will have problems controlling himself and have accidents.  He is quite upset with this.  We don’t know what to do and fear that the problem will only get worse. …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: constipation

Perspectives

December 16, 2024 By Robert Saul

Perspectives can unite us or bitterly separate us. We can choose to see the other side and acknowledge basic truths, or we fiercely argue only what we “see” and refuse to accept alternate ways to move forward constructively.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: inequality, perspectives, poverty, racism, trust, truth

Developmental concerns – December 13, 2024

December 12, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My child has been identified as being behind in development.  She is behind in both motor development and her speech.  I have been referred for further evaluation but am concerned about the delay in scheduling those appointments.  Any suggestions? Answer:  I share in your concerns.  Monitoring your child’s progress developmentally is such an…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: developmental delay

Welfare is not a dirty word

December 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

Children

Let’s make welfare a goal rather than an evil presence. Let’s make American generous again.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Heather Cox Richardson, make America generous again, redlining, Timothy Snyder, welfare

A fussy baby – December, 6, 2024

December 5, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: My infant daughter started to have fits of crying  around 2-3 weeks of age that are difficult for any of us to control. I remember some similar problem with my first child, but this seems so much worse.  It is quite disruptive to the family and frays our nerves.  Any suggestions are appreciated.…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: colic, fussy baby

Freedom and children

December 2, 2024 By Robert Saul

We cannot just be content with removing barriers, but we must be constructing systems, capacity, and time for parents and communities to supply “good” that will lead to thriving children and families.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: evil, freedom, good, oppression, Percival Everett, slavery, Timothy Snyder

Teen mental health – November 29, 2024

November 28, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried about my teenage son.  His school performance is dropping off, and he is less interested in being with his friends.  He says things that make me worry about possible self-harm.  When I try to bring things up, he immediately shuts down.  Any suggestions? Answer:  This is such a difficult time…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, suicide, teen mental health

Trust – multifaceted and hopefully pervasive

November 25, 2024 By Robert Saul

Developing and nurturing trust should be a constant process.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: SSNRs, trust, truth

Foster parenting – November 22, 2024

November 22, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My husband and I are seriously considering becoming foster parents.  We have a very independent teenager, and we all think that we can offer a very stable environment and help nurture some children through difficult times.  We know that this will pose some challenges but would like your thoughts about the process. Answer: …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: Foster parenting

Our better angels

November 18, 2024 By Robert Saul

I will continue to fight for our children, constantly endeavoring to invoke our better angels and working with others to keep our better angels at the forefront of our actions and interactions.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, Boy Scout Law, love thy neighbor, our better angels, Raphael Wornock

Nutrition and Vitamins – November 15, 2024

November 14, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried about my child’s nutrition.  She is a good eater, but she does not seem to be getting a well-rounded diet.  Should I supplement it with vitamins?  Will they provide the nutrients that her diet is lacking? Answer:  Before I answer the vitamin question, let me first address the issue of…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: childhood nutrition, MyPlate, vitamins

Resentment – a close cousin of hate

November 10, 2024 By Robert Saul

“Resentment displaces hope and purpose the way carbon monoxide displaces air.”

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civility, hate, hope, Marilynne Robinson, resentment

School refusal – November 8, 2024

November 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 7-year-old son all of a sudden is terrified of school and does not want to go.  His refusal has led to some meltdowns at home, and my husband and I are really frustrated with our inability to fix the problem.  Any suggestions are appreciated. Answer:  This is a complex issue.  Remember that…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: school refusal

VOTE – for the children

October 31, 2024 By Robert Saul

I fervently hope that you will vote for the children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: climate change, firearm violence, gun violence, health care, mental health, poverty, social media, vaccines, vote for children

The “disobedient” child – November 1, 2024

October 31, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 6-year-old daughter’s grades are failing.  She has a difficult time with concentrating.  She won’t listen to me and is very disobedient.  There is no change no matter how well or how harshly I treat her as she is so stubborn.  Will she grow up to be a disobedient girl and later drop…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Hate negates kindness

October 27, 2024 By Robert Saul

Stop hate

Let’s take the toxicity of hate out of the lives of our children and substitute it with multiple layers of kindness. 

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, hate, kindness

The crippling cost of inaction

October 20, 2024 By Robert Saul

Choosing to do nothing or ignore the problems at hand is an action that allows or permits the permanent erosion of fulfilling our responsibility to others.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: caste, cheap grace, costly grace, demonization, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, fascism, grace, hate, inaction is action, lies, us vs them, woke

The importance of early reading – October 25, 2024

October 17, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I have read so much recently about the importance of early reading with children.  How early should I be doing this?  Is some of this advice over-hyped since children might not be able to really process all of that information?  My in-laws think that I am too compulsive with my reading routine with…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

“Show the world all the love in your heart”

October 13, 2024 By Robert Saul

If we actively engage in the process of radical empathy, we are fulfilling our promise to others and ourselves to be the best that we can be.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Carole King, Connie Maxwell Children's Ministries, empathy, Hurricane Helene, Just the Crumbs Ministry, love for others, radical empathy, show the world all the love in your heart, trust, truth, vulnerability

Children and natural disasters – October 11, 2024

October 10, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am very concerned about how to deal with my children in the midst of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  We have been without power for 5 days and making do with limited food and resources.  Plus, we have to try and help my aging parents with dealing with the problems with house…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: children and natural disasters

Love thy neighbor

October 6, 2024 By Robert Saul

The ability to love thy neighbor is seriously in jeopardy these days.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: blame, Christian nationalism, disrespect, false accusation, fear, incivility, lie, love thy neighbor, ridicule

Teenage driver – October 4, 2024

October 4, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My daughter is turning 16 and desperately wants to drive.  We have waited until she turns 16 to even have the discussion about driving.  We know that insurance will be high but are even more worried about her attention to all of the factors needed to be a good driver.  What advice do…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: teenage driver

More alike than different

September 29, 2024 By Robert Saul

Responsibility

Living with artificial differences can be healthy so long we understand our commonality and embrace our humanity.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: common humanity, commonality, Dipesh Navsaria, divisiveness, humanity, joy, Ketanji Brown Jackson, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs, tribalism

Am I spoiling my child? – September 27, 2024

September 27, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am a new parent and concerned about what I hear about spoiling children.  I have been cautioned to avoid doing too much (run to her whenever she cries or not being firm enough as she gets older) for her.  Yet I want to do everything I can to make sure she feels…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Do we have a broken water main?

September 22, 2024 By Robert Saul

Water main breaks will continue, and we will jump into the breach quickly to correct the problem. Why can’t we do the same with similar crises for our children?

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: ban automatic weapons, gun violence, mental health, nurturing our children, red flag laws, school shootings, water main break

Sore joints – September 20, 2024

September 20, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My husband and I love to pick up our 2-year-old daughter by her hands and swing her in between us when we are walking.  My mother-in-law, a nurse, said that that could cause injury to her elbow.  We see parents doing that all the time.  What could go wrong? Answer:  During the course…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: elbow dislocation, nursemaid's elbow, Osgood-Schlatter, tibial apophysitis

Could my child do that?

September 15, 2024 By Robert Saul

As parents, we must (MUST, not should) be willing to critically evaluate our children and ourselves, their interactions and our interactions, their mental health and our mental health, and their concerns and our concerns as we seek to be the best parents we can be.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, conscious parenting, mental health, parenting, suicide

COVID vaccine – Again? – September 13, 2024

September 13, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I see that the FDA just approved a new COVID booster, and the CDC is recommending the vaccine for everyone.  Should my children, ages 6 and 12, get the vaccine?  Is this next shot really safe? Answer:  I think that it is really hard to understand why we have to continue to get…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: COVID, COVID vaccine

Trying for a healthy diet – September 6, 2024

September 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried about the diet of my children. Both of my daughters tend to be very picky and refuse many foods that I want them to eat.  They would rather watch the TV at dinner instead of eating the healthy meals I prepare.  Then I get frustrated, and my husband says that…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: childhood nutrition, food wars, picky eater

Learning from History?

September 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

We need to learn from the past and advance the causes of social good, avoid the pitfalls along the way, and condemn the actions that take us backward.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Adolf Hitler, book banning, Confederate flag, Confederate statues, history, lies, Mein Kampf, Mitch Landrieu, slavery

Social capital is our WD-40

September 1, 2024 By Robert Saul

By considering social capital as our WD-40, we are ready to get things moving.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bonding social capital, bridging social capital, Robert Putnam, social capital, WD-40

What to do about ADHD? – August 30, 2024

August 30, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I fear that my 5-year-old son has ADHD.  He seems to be on the go constantly.  He has already been called out in kindergarten for being too loud and disruptive.  His father said he had similar problems and struggled in school.  What should I do?  Is there a specialist who can help? Answer: …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disoder, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness

War music – Really?

August 25, 2024 By Robert Saul

One might wonder why this music (“war” music) would resonate with me. Well, it reminds me of the sacrifice of these brave men.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: air baton, Band of Brothers, music, patriotism, The Pacific, war music

Neonatal jaundice – August 23, 2024

August 23, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My new baby, my third, had obvious jaundice.  My first two babies were put under the lights for their jaundice.  I expected the same for this child, but the doctor said that a new protocol was being used and that the lights were not necessary.  I’m confused.  Please explain. Answer:  I can understand…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: bilirubin, neonatal jaundice, phototherapy

Lies and myths affecting children’s lives

August 18, 2024 By Robert Saul

Lies and myths that are perpetrated or sustained by adults cause significant harm to children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children as little adults, climate change, Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha, election denial, Flint water, lies, myths, poverty, racism, the cost of lies, vaccines

Neighborhood children behavior – August 16, 2024

August 16, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Our neighbor’s child tends to be a bully when she comes over to play with my children, ages 4 and 8. When the neighbor girl comes over to play in the backyard on our playground, she is just a mean girl, at the age of 6.  My oldest daughter is a follower. When the…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: bullying, inappropriate behavior, neighborhood children

Dr. Fauci to the rescue

August 11, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Fauci stands out as a real medical and science hero in my eyes.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: AIDS, anthrax, anti-vaxxers, COVID pandemic, disinformation, Dr. Fauci, Ebola, influenza, misinformation, NIAID, PEPFAR, SARS, smallpox

Infant feeding and pooping – August 9, 2024

August 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I get confused with infant feeding schedules.  I know that every time my baby cries that they do not need to be fed but it can be hard to pick up on cues.  Am I overfeeding or underfeeding my baby?  Related to that, how often should my infant be pooping?  Sometimes it seems…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: formula feeding, infant feeding, infant pooping

LEGOs – Why? Regulation

August 3, 2024 By Robert Saul

In retirement, I have found a “happy place” building LEGO sets. It helps me regulate.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood trauma, flourishing, LEGO, positive childhood experiences, reason, regulation, relate, Resilience, safe stable nurturing relationships

Protection from the sun – August 2, 2024

August 2, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Our children are outside all of the time in the summer.  Whether it’s the backyard pool, the neighborhood pool or the beach, they are out there with just their bathing suits on.  I worry about sun exposure and its effect on their skin.  What can I do to protect them from long term…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: sun protection, sunburn

Forgiveness is so hard

July 28, 2024 By Robert Saul

Forgiveness

I have learned over my forgiveness journey that our humanity usually gets in the way of this process.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: communal forgiveness, Desmond Tutu, forgiveness, Forgiveness Project, Fred Rogers, Marina Cantacuzino

Protecting children in the heat – July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried about my children playing out in the summer heat.  They want to be outside, and I want them to get exercise.  But when the heat index is so high, I worry about them getting heatstroke.  Plus, my oldest son is playing football and they practice in the intense heat sometimes. …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: children, heat exhaustion, heat stroke

Denialism is so corrosive

July 21, 2024 By Robert Saul

Denying the plight of others and ignoring ways to help them is so corrosive to the fabric of our society. We cannot let up on the repudiation of denialism.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: AIDS, COVID, denialism, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha, guns, lead, poverty, racism

Challenges with grandparents – July 19, 2024

July 19, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My in-laws and I seem to have a lot of disagreements about parenting and other issues about the children.  I don’t want to get into arguments but also know that we are the parents and their interference can lead to tension between my husband and me.  Do you have any suggestions on how…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: grandparents, parenting

January 28, 1986 – Trust misplaced

July 14, 2024 By Robert Saul

The Challenger disaster is not just a NASA failure but one characteristic of any enterprise where people interact with people.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: cost of lies, history, misplace trust, space shuttle Challenger, trust, truth

Divorce and children – July 12, 2024

July 13, 2024 By Robert Saul

Even though divorce is very common, that does not diminish the difficulties that children can have with the adjustment.

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: divorce and children

Rick is a force of nature

July 7, 2024 By Robert Saul

The force of nature known as Rick Guidotti has a powerful message for us.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: change, Force of Nature, photography, Positive Exposure, Rick Guidotti

Nightmares and night terrors – July 5, 2024

July 5, 2024 By Robert Saul

Nightmares and night terrors are fairly common childhood sleep problems.

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: night terrors, nightmares

Teamwork and children

June 30, 2024 By Robert Saul

Responsibility

Children that are helped by different teams in our community can grow up to be good citizens and future team members.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, divisiveness, education, faith, health care, law enforcement, medical care, parenting, poverty, recreation, systems theory, teams

Handling Grief – June 28, 2024

June 27, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Our family recently experienced the loss of a loved one.  This has been difficult for everyone, especially my children.  I am not sure how to deal with this issue with the children.  There is no way to shield them from this since we are a very close-knit family.  What advice do you have?…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: children, grief

Is Parenting Innate?

June 23, 2024 By Robert Saul

There are too many complicating factors for parenting to be innate and too many factors that affect the ability of adults to be the best parents that they can be.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Columbine High School, conscious parenting, Five steps to community improvement, innate, life-long learning, parenting

Spitting up – June 21, 2024

June 21, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My newborn infant seems to spit up too much.  Everything I do doesn’t seem to make a difference.  I am worried that she is losing weight.  Everyone is recommending changing formula since it is obvious that she must be allergic to this formula.  What is your advice? Answer:  Thank you for this question. …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: regurgitation, spitting up

Is history the path forward?

June 16, 2024 By Robert Saul

History is the path forward if we choose to improve our lives, improve the lives of our families, and the life of our communities.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, civil rights, Doris Kearns Goodwin, George Floyd, history, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert F Kennedy, voting rights

Thumb sucking – June 14, 2024

June 14, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am concerned that my three-year-old still sucks her thumb at night and when stressed.  Occasionally she will do it in public.  Will it continue too long if I don’t do something now?  Will it harm her teeth, and will she need braces because of it? Answer:  You are describing behavior that is…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: Thumb sucking

Forgiveness – “Are we there yet?”

June 9, 2024 By Robert Saul

Like our children ask on the highway, “are we there yet?” is an applicable question for our own forgiveness journey.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, Francis Collins, humility, sincerity, vulnerability

Water safety – June 7, 2024

June 7, 2024 By Robert Saul

We are now entering the summer months and the safety of our children is so important.

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: accidental drowning, children, water safety

October 14, 1960 – a call to selfless service

June 2, 2024 By Robert Saul

Inspiration rarely arises anew. We often say that it does but only because we do not recognize the fertile ground that has been prepared.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: confession, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, October 14 1960, Peace Corps, selfless service, selflessness

Newborn head size – May 31, 2024

May 31, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My newborn has a misshapen head.  Everyone says that it will be okay, but I am worried since it looks so different as this time.  Plus, her soft spot seems to be so big.  When should I get worried? Answer:  This question is a very common one.  When you think about it, it…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: Newborn head size

The Aspen Effect

May 26, 2024 By Robert Saul

I have always had a fascination with aspen trees. These glorious trees have so many aspects that I have subsequently discovered and found instructive.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aspen trees, Connie Maxwell Children's Ministries, Dr. Bruce Perry, flourishing, resiliency, restoration, The Aspen Effect, trauma-informed care

Breastfeeding – May 24, 2024

May 23, 2024 By Robert Saul

Why do I strongly support breastfeeding? Three basic reasons – it is best for the baby; it is best for the mother; and it is the most nurturing way to feed your baby.

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob Tagged With: breastfeeding

Caste – What now? (Part III)

May 19, 2024 By Robert Saul

A world without caste would set everyone free.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: caste, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, disability, humanity, intellectual disability, Isabel Wilkerson, physical disability, racism

Newborn screening tests – May 17, 2024

May 16, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  We are about to have our first baby.  I have heard my friends talk about the blood test that is done on the baby to screen for various problems.  Do I have to have it done?  Does it hurt? Answer:  I am so glad that you asked.  Since I spent my career as…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Caste – Inaction is action (Part II)

May 12, 2024 By Robert Saul

I would argue that their inaction was an action in and of itself. Choosing to do nothing or ignore the problems at hand is an action that allows or permits the permanent erosion of fulfilling our responsibility to others.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: action, caste, cheap grace, contrite heart, costly grace, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, discipleship, evil of silence, inaction, inaction is action, woke

Sore throat – May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My kindergartner has recurrent sore throats.  I go to the doctor frequently for these and only one time was it a strep throat.  When should I consider having his tonsils removed? His older sister also has frequent sore throats, but she seemed to grow out of it. Answer:  Sore throat is the common…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Caste – A purposeful system of exclusion (Part I)

May 5, 2024 By Robert Saul

Acknowledging Ms. Wilkerson’s challenge that the systemic racism in America is more than color-based and purposely places certain groups of people over others, eventually subjugating the others to a lower caste, is a crucial first step.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: blissful ignorance, caste, dehumanization, divine will, endogamy, heritability, ignorance, inferiority, Isabel Wilkerson, movie ORIGIN, occupational hierarchy, purity, racism, stigma, superiority, systemic racism, terror

Rashes in a child – May 3, 2024

May 2, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am very worried about periodic rashes in my 2-year-old daughter.  They seem to be very itchy and tend to get very irritated.  The skin seems to be thicker in certain areas.  Should I be worried?  What could be causing the rash? Answer:  Let me preface my remarks by saying that I would…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

AGE-ing or SAGE-ing?

April 28, 2024 By Robert Saul

All too often we treat our senior citizens as our elderly, not our elders. Despite the loss of some physical and mental capabilities, our elders should come to terms with their declining physical capabilities and accept expanded mental potential, spiritual renewal, and greater social usefulness.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: 5Ms, age-ing, aging, elderly, mediators, mentors, mobilizers, monitors, motivators, sage-ing, saging

Teen curfews – April 26, 2024

April 25, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I don’t know when to set a curfew for my teenager.  I remember that my parents set a curfew that I thought was too early.  What do you think is a reasonable time? Does it change with age?  What if his friends have a different curfew? Answer:  The whole concept of curfew is…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Tears – Cleansing Properties

April 22, 2024 By Robert Saul

Tears

Tears are so important in our lives. While we might try to stifle them at times (to keep our emotions in check and/or to avoid embarrassment), I would argue that it is healthy and therapeutic to let the tear duct gland overproduce and to overflow the tear duct with overt tears noted around the eyes or on the face.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: empathy, happy tears, sad tears, tears

Teens and social media – April 19, 2024

April 18, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I know that my teenage daughter spends far too much time on social media.  I read about all of the negative things that can happen.  How can I control her use of social media?  How can I help guide her through the combination of the turbulent teen years and now social media? Answer: …

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Profiles in Courage

April 14, 2024 By Robert Saul

It is up to us now to continue the diligent journey to protect humanity from its own inhumanity. Their profiles in courage should be examples for us.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: dehumanization, genocide, profiles in courage, Raphael Lemkin, William Proxmire

“Bad” public behavior – April 12, 2024

April 11, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am so embarrassed when I take my 4-year-old son out in public, like to the grocery store, and he has a temper tantrum.  He screams and makes quite a scene.  Do you think he has attention deficit disorder? Answer:  I can appreciate your question.  So many parents in my career have dealt…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Remember redlining?

April 7, 2024 By Robert Saul

The sinister implications of this social engineering practice have had consequences since its initial use and persist to this day.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: affirmative action, colorblindness, cultural redlining, educational redlining, electoral redlining, environmental redlining, financial redlining, medical redlining, Nikole Hannah-Jones, race conscious, redlining, the New Deal, woke

Cancer in a parent – April 5, 2024

April 4, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am being treated for cancer.  Like Princess Kate, I am very concerned about how to tell my children and how to deal with active treatment that might affect my parenting.  Both of my children are under 10 so I anticipate a tough time with trying to tell them.  What is your advice?…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob, Thoughts

Forgiveness – A Requisite Life Skill

March 31, 2024 By Robert Saul

Forgiveness is an essential part of human existence. Without the ability to forgive, we could not make progress.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, humility, politics, problem with politics, reciprocity, reconciliation, sincerity, susceptibility, vulnerability

Guns at home – March 29, 2024

March 28, 2024 By Robert Saul

  Dr. Bob:  I read about accidental deaths in children due to guns it seems like every day.  We have guns at our house, but my husband assures me that they are unloaded or locked up.  We have two children, ages 3 and 6.  What precautions should we take to be sure that they are…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Is the goal happiness?

March 24, 2024 By Robert Saul

I think parents should aspire for their children to be good citizens. Caring, loving, sharing, helping and nurturing are the key operational words…then, they will be happy.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood happiness, citizens, democracy

Sound exposure – March 22, 2024

March 21, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am very concerned about what I am hearing about sound exposure in children.  I see children and teens everywhere with earbuds, I presume listening to music.  Or I see children playing video games with earbuds in.  My own children have earbuds for when they are in public.  What advice do you have…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

WOKE – I’m in!

March 18, 2024 By Robert Saul

If woke is being “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice),” then count me in.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: book banning, citizenship, gun violence, LGBTQ, public schools, racism, transgender, woke

Measles in children – March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am concerned about the spread of measles in Florida and some other states.  Could it spread to South Carolina and do I need to be worried?  My children have received both of their measles shots but some of their classmates have not.  Could they still get it?    Answer:  Your concerns are…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

A Joyous Journey

March 11, 2024 By Robert Saul

I wasn’t sure what retirement would be like.  I knew that I would be “retiring” but vowed to not withdraw from service to children and families.1   My commitment to advocacy could not be time-limited. I could not withdraw from the work at hand. But it would be different. When I was working, I felt that…

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Connie Maxwell Children's Ministries, Dr. Bruce Perry, flourishing, predictably unpredictable, Resilience, restoration, The McCall Center, trauma-informed care, unpredictably predictable

Screen time in early childhood – March 8, 2024

March 7, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I just read that children are exposed to too much screen time in early life.  I see little children everywhere holding smart phones or tablets watching something.  I worry about my grandchildren having too much screen time.  What can I tell my daughter and son-in-law about the hazards of screen time? Answer:  Modern…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Conscious Parenting – Basic Traits

March 3, 2024 By Robert Saul

I am convinced that we are never really done “parenting,” even for folks without children or with grown children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: ability to change, ability to not change, childhood happiness, citizenship, conscious parenting, empathy, forgiveness, happiness, humility, love for others, optimism, parenting, patience, persistence, rational discourse, sincerity, sustained involvement, vulnerability

Bedtime for children – March 1, 2024

March 1, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Bedtime continues to be a real struggle at our house.  Our 3-year-old daughter keeps pushing back the time to go to bed and comes up with every excuse that she can.  We are tired and want to get her settled down.  What suggestions do you have? Answer:  We have all had this problem…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Heart break continues

February 25, 2024 By Robert Saul

The heart break of gun violence continues. Early in 2024, there were more mass shootings than days in the year.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, Columbine, gun regulation, gun violence, heart break, love, Newtown, Sandy Hook, Uvalde

Frequent ear infections in children – February 23, 2024

February 23, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 18-month-old son is having a lot of ear infections.  At times, it seems like he is having one continuous ear infection.  I have heard about the benefit of ear tubes to prevent ear infections, but I worry about poking a hole in the eardrum.  What is your advice? Answer: Early in my…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Communal parenting

February 18, 2024 By Robert Saul

When we fail our children, we fail our communities and ourselves. We have a communal responsibility to all of the children in our communities.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: communal parenting, education, faith, family, health care, it takes a village, law enforcement, medical care, parenting, poverty, recreation, systems theory

Acne in children – February 16, 2024

February 17, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 12-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter are in the midst of developing acne.  At times things seem to be under control and other times the flare-ups are quite frustrating.  I had bad acne myself as a teenager, and I would really like to treat this the best way possible.  I know how frustrating…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Conscious parenting – Basic tools

February 12, 2024 By Robert Saul

Instruction, engagement, and involvement are mandatory elements of the process that is parenting beyond the basic nurturing of our children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conscious parenting, engagement, instruction, involvement, parenting, safe stable nurturing relationships

Pain in young athletes – February 9, 2024

February 8, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 10-year-old daughter loves her soccer.  Every so often, she complains of knee pain and ankle pain.  How do I know when she should rest?  How do I know when to treat these aches and pains or go to the doctor?  Is there such a thing as too much practice? Answer: Your questions…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Science and faith: a wondrous mix

February 4, 2024 By Robert Saul

The wondrous mixture of science and faith makes us stronger when we embrace it and use it to improve our lives, to improve the lives of others, and the life of our communities.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: faith, Francis Collins, science, science and faith

Infant Co-sleeping – February 2, 2024

February 2, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I have heard that sleeping with your infant is dangerous.  My daughter-in-law sleeps with her 3-month-old baby, and I am very concerned.  She says that it makes breastfeeding in the middle of the night so much easier, but I have read that there is a real danger associated with co-sleeping.  What can I…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Catch!

January 28, 2024 By Robert Saul

The game of catch is really the universal exchange of human emotions that should occur in almost any interaction.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Catch., give-and-take, human interaction, still face experiment

Fever in children – January 26, 2024

January 26, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  Fever in my child scares me.  When she gets sick and runs a fever, I worry about seizures and serious infection.  She is now 6 years old and has fewer high fevers, but she had many when she was very young.  Is there a possibility of brain damage?  I know that I will…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Acts of kindness, seeds of hope and flowers of love

January 21, 2024 By Robert Saul

Nicolai’s act of kindness was non-random. It was purposeful. He embraced that higher power in each of us.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: acts of kindness, beautification, disability, Emmanuel's Gift, flowers of love, Free Wheelchair Mission, Mount Kilimanjaro, Nicolai Calabria, random acts of kindness, seeds of hope

Teenage issues and HPV vaccine – January 19, 2024

January 19, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 12 year-old-twins have a check-up due soon.  Since I have one boy and one girl, I know that there will be different issues for each child to address.  But I have heard that they both should get the HPV shot.  I worry about that shot.  I have heard that there are numerous…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Communal forgiveness

January 14, 2024 By Robert Saul

Group apologies are extremely important. Sometimes that is the only way we can move forward in our society as we analyze our individual actions and our social actions.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: AMA, apology, communal forgiveness, Confederate flag, Confederate statues, forgiveness, Mitch Landrieu, moral compass, reconciliation

Vaping – January 12, 2024

January 11, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I have seen my teenage son’s friends vaping. I am worried about him picking up the habit.  What should I be worried about?  I think that it is not healthy and should be avoided. Answer: You are correct that vaping is not healthy.  It is addictive, dangerous and to be avoided.  Let me…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Civility Matters

January 7, 2024 By Robert Saul

Civility is key to social interactions. It provides the interweaving fabric that keep us together.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civility, hope, incivility, purpose, resentment, trust, truth

Trampolines and cigarette exposure – January, 5, 2024

January 5, 2024 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My nephew, age 10, got a trampoline for Christmas.  His parents made sure to get the side netting and protective pads over the springs.  My children, ages 5 and 8, cannot wait to go over and play.  What are your thoughts and how can I be sure to keep things safe for my…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Toxins to avoid in 2024

December 31, 2023 By Robert Saul

New Year’s resolutions can be “to do” things but I think this year for me, it will be to acknowledge serious toxins and toxic situations.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: cost of lies, hate, judgmental ideation, lies, New Year's resolutions, poverty, racism, resolutions, selfishness, skepticism, toxic, toxicity, toxin

Babysitting and bike helmets – December 29, 2023

December 29, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My child has a very hard time accepting babysitters.  My husband and I really need to get out and have some time “date” time.  Any suggestions for ways to ease the transition? Answer: This is an interesting dilemma.  There are no one-size-fits-all for this issue.  There are so many possible variables – how…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Visited by an angel…twice

December 24, 2023 By Robert Saul

These angels in my life manifested for a purpose. I am intent to be faithful to that purpose

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: angels, children's advocacy, Christmas, community improvement

The hazards of co-sleeping for infants and sleepwalking – December 22, 2023

December 22, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My infant daughter is having problems getting to sleep.  We have “survived” colic (she grew out of it) but now she sleeps with me.  Is that ok?  Somebody told me that I shouldn’t do that, but I need to get my sleep. Answer: Your question highlights multiple issues about infant sleeping.  I can…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Trust is the currency of social interaction

December 18, 2023 By Robert Saul

We all want our currency of our social interactions – trust – to be valued. This currency only accrues value if we invest in the efforts and accept our ongoing responsibility.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: confidence, dependability, empathy, humanity, knowledge, radical empathy, trust, truth

Simple? It should be!

December 10, 2023 By Robert Saul

Simple, vague or decontextualized words and deeds are not simple, vague or decontextualized if applied for the good and well-being of others.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children's advocacy, community improvement, creativity, forgiveness, idealism, love, Simplicity

Biting other children – December 8, 2023

December 8, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 2-year-old son will often bite other children in the daycare at church.  I am so embarrassed.  My other children never did that.  He bit my husband once, and he popped him.  While I know that he shouldn’t have done that, my son has not bitten him since.  What should I do? Answer:…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

“Better is good” – incremental steps forward

December 4, 2023 By Robert Saul

“Better is good, and better is actually a lot harder than worse.”

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: better, better is good, incremental improvement

Assessing development – December 1, 2023

December 1, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I am worried that my 16-month-old grandson is behind in his development.  He has barely started walking and falls frequently.  Plus, he only says a few words.  What should we do? Answer: It is appropriate for you to be concerned as we want our children to be on target and assessed if they…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Guns – let’s do something

November 27, 2023 By Robert Saul

It is time for all of us to pledge to make the changes needed.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Columbine High School, community improvement, Five steps to community improvement, forgiveness, gun regulation, gun violence, hate

Getting proper sleep for children and thumb-sucking – November 24, 2023

November 24, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  I can’t get my two children on a regular sleep schedule.  My three-year-old wants to stay up until her 10-year-old brother goes to bed.  I know that they each have different sleep requirements.  How do I set the schedules and get things settled down at night? Answer:  Your question has several aspects so…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Vulnerability Makes Us Strong

November 20, 2023 By Robert Saul

At first blush, the trait of vulnerability would appear to be a moral failing or weakness. I would argue to the contrary.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, humility, sincerity, the strength of vulnerability, vulnerability, vulnerable

Dealing with a sassy 4-year-old – November 17, 2023

November 19, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My 4-year-old son seems to have picked up some of his older brother’s stubbornness.  He has even found it funny to use words he knows that we do not approve of.  I know that I shouldn’t threaten to wash his mouth out but am at wit’s end.  Please help! Answer:  Your problem is…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Civil rights struggles and 2020 election denials

November 12, 2023 By Robert Saul

Children learn from adults and if they learn that wanton disregard for the rule of law and that not being empathetic toward others are acceptable behaviors, we have failed.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civil rights, cost of lies, election denial, insurrection, segregation, voting rights

One-year-old throwing food – November 10, 2023

November 12, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob:  My one-year-old daughter will throw her food from her highchair. My family thinks it’s cute but at the end of a busy day, I don’t since I have to clean it up. What advice do you have? Answer:  I completely understand your problem.  I’m sure that she is smiling and probably laughing as…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

The injustices of poverty

November 5, 2023 By Robert Saul

The war on poverty should not just be a financial one. The war on poverty needs to be an all-inclusive one bringing justice to all.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: climate change, education, environment, health care, housing, hunger, injustice, legal support, poverty, voting rights

What Have I Learned?

October 29, 2023 By Robert Saul

If the families that I saw derived some benefit from my care over the course of my career, I had to acknowledge that I derived even more benefit from my interactions with them.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bias, lessons learned, lessons of life, listen, parental intuition, retirement, shared humanity, smile

5-2-1-0 to enhance health; sleeping problems – October 27, 2023

October 27, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: I am worried about my child’s weight.  I read so much about too many children being overweight and all of the concerns about pre-diabetes.  Do you have any suggestions? Answer:  You are right to be concerned.  Multiple factors appear to be contributing to increased weight in too many children.  Less exercise, less healthy…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

“Seasons of Love” – One minute at a time

October 22, 2023 By Robert Saul

Abundant friends and love can make us “wealthy” and our lives fulfilled if we consider each minute (all 525,600 of them) in a year a chance to exhibit a season of love.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: David Roth, love, RENT, seasons of love, wealth

How do I handle colic? – October 20, 2023

October 21, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: My grandson seems to have fits of crying that are difficult for any of us to control. I remember his mother having colic, but this seems so much worse.  What can his mother do?  How can I help her? Answer:  Indeed, you seem to be describing colic. We don’t really know what causes…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Selfishness

October 15, 2023 By Robert Saul

Selfishness does not and will not serve us well. We must recommit to the principles of the American dream and reject the notion of us vs. them.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, hate, justice, love, poverty, selfishness, selflessness, trust

Handling temper tantrums – October 13, 2023

October 14, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: My young son seems to have too many temper tantrums at home.  He is 3 years old so I can’t say that it’s just the “terrible twos.”  How do I deal with them and get him to calm down? Answer:  In my experience of over four decades in pediatrics, this is one of…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Conflict Resolution by Rational Discourse

October 9, 2023 By Robert Saul

Conflicts will always be present so we must be able learn the lessons of rational discourse. We need meaningful dialogues while listening and being sensible without demeaning others.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conflict resolution, dialogue, forgiveness, rational discourse

Allergies in children – October 6, 2023

October 6, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: Please discuss history of peanut allergies.   Will peanut allergies diminish in future generations? Answer:  Allergies in children are an annoying problem for the child and the parents.  And they are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Many ailments are misattributed to allergies, and some ailments are unrecognized to be due to allergies.  So, before…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Lessons for us all, in our youth and beyond, thanks to DEAR EVAN HANSEN

October 1, 2023 By Robert Saul

Our job is to continually seek to understand others—and to understand that appearances can be deceiving.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: adolescence, Dear Evan Hansen, forgiveness, humility, sincerity, suicide, the cost of lives

Phones in schools – September 29, 2023

September 29, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: How do feel about children having mobile phones in schools? Answer: This is certainly a hot topic these days. But before I address the specifics of phones in schools, let’s talk about phones in general for children. Phones are different than other internet-connected devices. They are so much more portable (“mobile”) and, as…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

“Horses were my mother’s religion”

September 24, 2023 By Robert Saul

The love of horses

Her love for horses was the perfect outlet for her creative energy and was the demonstrable way for her to show her love for so many things.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Cheryl Strayed, empathy, horses, self-awareness, self-improvement

Sibling differences – September 22, 2023

September 22, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: How can two siblings who are raised in the same home behave so differently? Answer: This is an age-old question.  How is it possible that two sibs, with the same parents and raised in the same household, behave so differently?  My forty plus years of pediatrics experience has certainly demonstrated this phenomenon, and,…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Didn’t We All “Come From Away?”

September 16, 2023 By Robert Saul

I hope that the memories of 9/11 call up our “better natures”.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizens, Come From Away, kindness, September 11th. 9/11, service

Talking with my child about cancer in a grandparent – September 15, 2023

September 15, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: How do I talk to my 7-year-old about their grandparent’s cancer diagnosis? I am worried about saying too much, but I want to be honest. Answer: I completely understand your concern.  Let’s first acknowledge one thing – I suspect that you are very worried about this diagnosis yourself.  Whether the diagnosis of cancer…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

The Cost of Lies

September 10, 2023 By Robert Saul

Lies have a cost because they multiply; because they tear at our social fabric; because they can become unrecognizable.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Chernobyl, election denial, lies, moral fabric, social decay, the cost of lies

Handling childhood snoring and constipation – September 8, 2023

September 8, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: My 5-year-old snores. Should I be worried? Answer: There are multiple causes for snoring in children.  Most of them are self-limited but when snoring persists, medical attention should be sought. Since snoring is usually related to partial obstruction of the nasal passages and upper airways, one of the most common causes is an…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Teachers Affect Eternity

September 3, 2023 By Robert Saul

At all levels of education, teachers have provided the stability needed for life-long learning and fueled an enthusiasm for life-long learning.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: eternity, Henry James, mediators, mentor, mentors, mobilizers, monitors, Teachers

How do I handle my child’s anxiety? – September 1, 2023

September 1, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: My seven-year-old is anxious. Should she see a counselor? Answer: This is an excellent question.  We are currently in a pediatric mental health crisis – too many children are manifesting anxiety or depression and too few services are available.  If you are concerned that your child’s anxiety is comprising her ability to function…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Ban Corporal Punishment in Schools

August 27, 2023 By Robert Saul

Corporal punishment has no demonstrable positive effects. In the short-term, the child might be fearful or obedient, but in the long-term, there is no consistent improvement in behavior.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: corporal punishment, discipline, schools, SSNRs

Managing Sibling Rivalry – August 25, 2023

August 25, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: How do you manage “sibling rivalry?”  Answer: This is a very broad question.  One can address this question from the newborn period (when a newborn comes home and, all of a sudden an older child has competition for affection) or later in childhood (from preschool rivalries to teenage squabbles).  Let me address this…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

The lessons of tyranny for parenting

August 21, 2023 By Robert Saul

Being a tyrant is the exact opposite of being a conscious parent that understands the give-and-take of effective parenting and is willing to adapt as needed to change.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: authoritarianism, citizenship, conscious parenting, forgiveness, parenting, trust, truth, tyranny

How do I get my child to stop stalling? – August 18, 2023

August 18, 2023 By Robert Saul

Dr. Bob: I have a next level dawdler, taking forever to get things done. Everything my 5-year-old does takes a significant amount of encouragement and coaxing and finally “the countdown.” I hate how frustrated I get. I don’t want the threat of lost privileges to be the only thing that finally gets her going. Any…

Filed Under: Ask Dr. Bob

Ladders of Love

August 13, 2023 By Robert Saul

Ladders of love are critical for our children. They provide the support as the children and families lift themselves from the trauma to a pathway toward restoration, resilience and flourishing in the days and years ahead.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: adoption, grief, the pediatric way, trauma-informed care

The gaps that should be filled

August 6, 2023 By Robert Saul

Filling the gaps

The gaps that we ignore in history only serve to perpetuate false nostalgia or continue a false narrative.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Angola prison, Blandford cemetery, Galveston, Goree Island, Monticello, racism, slavery, Whitney Plantation

I embrace science – you should also

July 30, 2023 By Robert Saul

Science matters—it improves lives, it tells us when we need to make changes and it provides a blueprint how to help children and their families.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: antibiotics, benefits of science, cancer treatment, child development, children, pollution, science, science and faith, vaccine

Friend or parent?

July 23, 2023 By Robert Saul

Parents can be a friend for their children. These two concepts mix together quite nicely when executed in good faith.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conscious parenting, discipline, friend or parent, friendship, parenting, punishment

Are we ready for life-long learning?

July 16, 2023 By Robert Saul

Active, involved citizens are life-long learners. It takes a significant commitment to be a life-long learner.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conscious competence, conscious incompetence, elder, life-long learning, racism, sage-ing, sages, unconscious competence, unconscious incompetence

Pause, Assess, then Choose

July 9, 2023 By Robert Saul

Good citizenship is the hallmark of a civil society. And should be the goal of parenting. Pausing, assessing and choosing correct responses will be the ticket to our success.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: assess, choose, citizenship, conscious parenting, parental awareness, parenting, parenting awareness threshold, pause

The Correctness of political correctnesss

July 2, 2023 By Robert Saul

Political correctness is correct

Political correctness is ok and necessary in my view. It serves to adjust our moral compass on an episodic basis.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: democracy, grace, hate, history, political correctness

My Three Moms and SSNRs

June 25, 2023 By Robert Saul

I am firm believer that we are never done developing, and I hope that the nurturing from my three moms and their SSNRs will continue to be the beacon for me going forward.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aging, elders, safe stable nurturing relationships, saging, SSNRs

“Wasn’t Me”

June 18, 2023 By Robert Saul

It is our duty to not say “wasn’t me” but to say it “was us.” Only then can we seek to be a part of the solution going forward instead of being entrenched in the past.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: "wasn't me", communal forgiveness, Confederate flag, forgiveness, voter suppression

Parenting and “flip-flopping”

June 11, 2023 By Robert Saul

I will continue to seek change as positive, not as “flip-flopping,” and embrace my maturation. I encourage all parents to do the same.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bedtime, change, conscious parenting, flip-flopping, parenting, temper tantrums

Somewhere…

June 4, 2023 By Robert Saul

The folks seeking refuge or asylum coming to our country or those seeking relief within our country should be treated with respect and given every opportunity possible.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aliens, illegal people, Immigration, safe stable nurturing relationships, West Side Story

Memorial Day and patriotism

May 28, 2023 By Robert Saul

Displays of patriotism without the requisite actions are incomplete in my estimation.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, civility, diversity, faith, Memorial Day, patriotism, Saving Private Ryan, science, Thomas Jefferson, trust, truth

Raising Young Citizens in the Age of Columbine

May 22, 2023 By Robert Saul

Citizenship

Healthy children (physically, mentally, educationally, financially and socially) are good citizens. Healthy children are our future.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizens, citizenship, community improvement, involvement, parenting

Spoiled or Nurtured?

May 14, 2023 By Robert Saul

Spoiled?

To say that parents or other caregivers are spoiling children when they are nurturing children is to ignore basic needs and conflate some behaviors as being spoiled.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Maslow, citizenship, conscious parenting, Mark Bartel, needs, nurturing, parenting, safe stable nurturing relationships, selfishness, spoiled, SSNRs

Avoiding Genocide

May 7, 2023 By Robert Saul

Lemkin

Raphael Lemkin was right to be on a crusade and warn us all about the possibilities of genocide. It is up to us now to continue the diligent journey to protect humanity for its own inhumanity.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: genocide, lies, propaganda, Raphael Lemkin, Samantha Power, William Proxmire

“Measure twice, cut once”

April 30, 2023 By Robert Saul

carpentry

“Measure twice, cut once” has broad application. If we don’t consider the response of our words and deeds (“measure twice”), the actions (“cut once”) will often put your relationships in jeopardy and make reconciliation very difficult going forward.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, humility, measure twice cut once, sincerity

To Kill a Mockingbird revisited

April 23, 2023 By Robert Saul

Mockingbird

Isn’t it interesting how the words, deeds and actions of children can have a dramatic positive effect on the behavior of adults?

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Atticus Finch, Clear Eyes, conscience, empathy, Friday Night Lights, Full Hearts, mob, To Kill a Mockingbird

Children as our teachers

April 17, 2023 By Robert Saul

School children

At the end of the day, we must analyze our reflections in our children and feel good about it. If not, we should use these reflections to change our behavior in a positive way. Let the children be our teachers.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Children as teachers, forgiveness

S-Words that I Dislike and Love

April 8, 2023 By Robert Saul

S-words

Our words and deeds define our ability to work together for the common good. Let’s be mindful of our choice of words and our actions so that we can move forward, not backward.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: hate, S-words, shut up, sincere, sorry, stupid

Fueled by hate, the list goes on and on

April 2, 2023 By Robert Saul

5 steps

The perpetuation of hate must stop but will only stop when we say “enough” and stop becoming desensitized.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: assault rifles, Columbine, desensitization, Five steps to community improvement, forgiveness, hate, school shootings

President Lincoln, thank you

March 26, 2023 By Robert Saul

Lincoln

President Abraham Lincoln stands out as one of our greatest presidents, especially given his tenure during our troubled times during the Civil War. Vilified by some but praised by most, his legacy has stood the test of time with continued scrutiny and analysis 160 years after his years as our president.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, forgiveness, parenting, racism

Discipline does not equal punishment

March 19, 2023 By Robert Saul

Discipline

The intrinsic problem with equating discipline with punishment is a misunderstanding of the meaning of discipline. The word discipline comes from a root word meaning to teach or instruct.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conscious parenting, corporal punishment, discipline, instruct, parenting, punishment, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs, teaching

Birmingham, AL (1963) – Children at play?

March 12, 2023 By Robert Saul

Children's crusade

The children in Birmingham AL peacefully protested segregation, segregation with its inherent unequal education and unequal economic opportunity, and were greeted with violence.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Birmingham Children's Crusade, civil rights, Constance Baker Motley, Martin Luther King Jr., segregation

My Children’s Children?

March 5, 2023 By Robert Saul

MCC

My Children’s Children was therefore chosen as the title to give a voice (sometimes more of a shout!) on behalf of my children, my grandchildren, my patients and their children, and all children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizenship, forgiveness, get involved, love for others, my children's children, our children's children, parenting, stay involved

Thoughts on Medical Trust

February 26, 2023 By Robert Saul

Caduceus

The brewing distrust for medicine and science that has bubbled up, especially during the pandemic, only serves to diminish health care (acute, chronic, supportive and preventive). The public needs to trust the medical profession.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: COVID, medical trust, prevention, trust, vaccines

WOKE – Count me in

February 19, 2023 By Robert Saul

Woke

If woke is being “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice),” then count me in.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: book banning, gun regulation, LGBTQ, poverty, public schools, racism, school choice, systemic racism, transgender, woke

The Pediatric Way

February 12, 2023 By Robert Saul

Children

I am proud to be part of a movement that sees the importance of treating all children as our valuable resources to be nurtured and cherished.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: adult-manifest disease, adult-onset disease, childhood adversity, early brain and child development, Pediatric Way, poverty

Tears – Rinsing our psyches

February 5, 2023 By Robert Saul

Tears

Tears are so important in our lives. Let’s let them rinse our emotions – grieving together, celebrating together, being nonjudgmental – as we support each other.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Come From Away, happy tears, psyche, sad tears, tears

M&Ms…(and M&M&Ms)

January 30, 2023 By Robert Saul

M&Ms

Sages can use their lifetime of experience by being positive contributors to the community and continuing to provide purpose to their own lives.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: age-ing, elderly, elders, mediators, mentors, mobilizers, monitors, motivators, sage-ing, sages

Grace – A Gift or A Journey?

January 22, 2023 By Robert Saul

Grace cover

To accept the grace of God and others might be our fate but to make it meaningful requires us to be on a journey to accept that grace and pass it on.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Clementa Pinckney, Confederate flag, grace, Mother Emanuel church shooting, President Obama, Sandy Hook

The Strength of Social Capital

January 15, 2023 By Robert Saul

Bowling

Social capital refers to good will, fellowship, sympathy, and social intercourse among individuals and families.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizenship, fellowship, goodwill, involvement, social capital, social intercourse, sympathy

Happiness for children

January 8, 2023 By Robert Saul

Happiness

Caring for each other is the hallmark of caring citizens…and the path to happiness. What a beautiful trail to lead our children down.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood happiness, common good, divorce, happiness

Laughter and tears are potent salves

January 1, 2023 By Robert Saul

Salves

We should be looking for salves (anything that soothes or relieves) in our interactions with our children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: contemplation, laughter, recommit, renewal, Resilience, review, safe stable nurturing relationships, SSNRs, tears

Are we asking the right questions?

December 25, 2022 By Robert Saul

Life's questions

Asking the right question – “What happened to you” – allows us to switch the focus from blaming children for their behavior to a place of understanding and allows us to be more impactful with our attempts at helpful interventions.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: early brain and child development, life's questions, what happened to you

The Challenge of Mercy

December 18, 2022 By Robert Saul

Mercy

Mercy is that peculiar quality that at times seems ephemeral (transient, temporary) yet pervasive in its calling.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Bryan Stevenson, Chaos of others, compassion, Dawn Turner, mercy

“Light-bulb” Moments

December 11, 2022 By Robert Saul

Light-bulb moment

Epiphanies, revelations, or “light-bulb” moments are sometimes easy to recognize but, more often than not, are only noticed after the fact.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: "light-bulb" moment, civility, diversity, epiphany, faith, forgiveness, involvement, love for others, parenting, revelation, science, trust, truth

Timeless Christmas gifts

December 4, 2022 By Robert Saul

Christmas gift

This holiday season, let’s consider the gifts of substance as the most important gifts to share with our children and family. Gifts of substance are those that have lasting value and are often considered timeless. These are gifts that touch the heart and soul of human interactions, the essence of the bond between parent and child.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Christmas gifts, communication, compassion, forgiveness, gifts of substance, involvement, lifelong learning, live by example, work ethic

Lack of Sportsmanship = Lack of Civility

November 27, 2022 By Robert Saul

Sportsmanship

The example of sportsmanship sets the stage for positive community improvement. Sportsmanship demonstrates love for others, respect, and honesty.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civility, empathy, hate, sportsmanship, violence

How to Move Forward

November 20, 2022 By Robert Saul

Moving forward

While we often have a tough time dealing with forgiveness for painful issues (personal, business, social, or community), we can still move on making sure we don’t let our confusion cloud our actions. We must work together, taking communal responsibility, to improve the life of our community.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, moving forward, reconciliation

Critical factors for parenting

November 13, 2022 By Robert Saul

Parenting

We should never assume that parents don’t need help “navigating the maze” that we call parenthood.  We all need help and should never be embarrassed to ask.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: common good, humility, life-long learning, love, parenting, patience, persistence, relational health, social determinants of health, trauma-informed care

Why Mentors Matter – A Tribute to Dr. Sam Katz

November 5, 2022 By Robert Saul

Dr. Katz

He was an experienced and trusted advisor, but he was so much more. His mentorship set the stage for multiple aspects of my career.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: educator, gratitude, innovator, measles vaccine, mentors, pediatric residency, Samuel Katz, visionary

The toxicity of hate

October 30, 2022 By Robert Saul

Stop hate

Hate evokes such a powerful emotion that its toxicity affects our own thoughts, our interpersonal relationships (partner, family, friends) and our social relationships.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, children, common humanity, hate, toxicity

“With malice toward none, with charity for all”

October 23, 2022 By Robert Saul

Lincoln

Lincoln knew the only way to rebuild and move forward, was to accept the common responsibility for the problems of the day (“with malice toward none”) and work together to improve from this time forward (“with charity for all”).

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizenship, Civil War, Lincoln, love for others, politics

“You’ve got a Friend in Me” – Woody Rides Again

October 15, 2022 By Robert Saul

Woody

“You’ve got a friend in me” only works if we accept the responsibility that goes with it.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aging, friendship, love for others, toy allegory, Toy Story

Racial inequity – It cannot be whitewashed

October 9, 2022 By Robert Saul

End Racism

Racism is a problem for all but particularly children. Those affected are raised in an environment that has lifetime effects and usually multiple effects across generations. The easy thing to do is to sit back and just hope that society does better. But those that care for children are not allowed that “luxury.” They must engage to make a difference.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: anti-racism, poverty, racial inequity, racism, segregation, the South

Revisiting My Father – Thanks to Fred Rogers

October 2, 2022 By Robert Saul

Fred Rogers

Being mindful of those around us and accepting them and their humanity is so crucial to our lives. The lessons of Mr. Rogers are pertinent to me, at every stage of my life.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: alcoholism, early nurturing, fatherhood, forgiveness, Fred Rogers

It takes a village – it really does!

September 25, 2022 By Robert Saul

Village

There is an African proverb stating that “it takes a village to raise a child” implying that a local (or even broader) community of people need to work together along with a child’s parents to raise a child to their maximum potential.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood education, communal parenting, faith, health care, law enforcement, parenting, poverty, recreation, village

I Might Be Getting Older But…

September 19, 2022 By Robert Saul

Elders

Elders need to get involved as sages. Sages are elders who choose to use their experience in life for the betterment of their fellow citizens.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aging, elders, mediators, mentors, mobilizers, monitors, motivators, sage-ing, sages

Why Forgiveness?

September 11, 2022 By Robert Saul

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an essential trait to human existence. The ability to forgive allows us to move on in our lives, progressing from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Forgiveness is therefore a fundamental developmental step in our lives.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizenship, forgiveness, humanity, humility, sincerity, vulnerability

Why this pediatrician decided to write books

September 5, 2022 By Robert Saul

Love

Pediatrics is a great medical specialty. Its impact on its practitioners and on patients and their families can be long lasting. For me, the impact has been enormous. I have felt that I have a tremendous responsibility to children and their families. The practice of pediatrics has made me a better person.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, citizens, families, parenting

Parallels between civil rights legal struggles and 2020 election denials

August 28, 2022 By Robert Saul

Kennedy 1962

It is quite plain to me that the early segregationists and their perversion of the rule of law are eerily similar to the attempt by some prominent politicians to subvert the rule of law with the attack on the Capitol and the continued attack on our laws and the Constitution.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civil rights, election denial, integration, lawlessness, racism, segregation

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

August 21, 2022 By Robert Saul

Love thy neighbor

Love for thy neighbor is really tough for all of us, if we are honest with ourselves. Yet total disregard for this holy instruction makes a mockery of public service and tears at the moral fabric of the country when it is allowed to continue and accepted as the new norm.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: love, love thy neighbor, neighbor, parenting

Thoughts from a Proud “Flip-Flopper”

August 14, 2022 By Robert Saul

flip flops

I proudly accept the fact that I have changed my opinion and have “flip-flopped.” I would argue that I have not flip-flopped but rather have made a reasoned decision based on a lifetime of experience and moral conviction.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: capital punishment, death penalty, flip-flopping, forgiveness

Labels—Merchandise, yes; People, no

August 6, 2022 By Robert Saul

Labels

Labels can have specific roles and functions. They can provide information as needed to make decisions about purchases. On merchandise, they can be helpful signaling certain measures of quality, perceived or real. But labels have no place in describing people.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: humanity, labels, political correctness

Lessons from Moon Visitors

August 1, 2022 By Robert Saul

Moon

“We don’t go to heaven when we die, we go to heaven when we’re born.”

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: celestial telescope, common good, heaven on earth

A Selfish Agenda

July 24, 2022 By Robert Saul

Selfishness

Selfishness does not and will not serve us well. We must recommit to the principles of the American dream and reject the notion of us vs. them.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, citizenship, empathy, selfishness, selflessness

“Show the world all the love in your heart”

July 18, 2022 By Robert Saul

Beautiful

I just adore the words in the Carole King song, BEAUTIFUL. 

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: empathy, love, music

The lessons of Gross Anatomy linger

July 11, 2022 By Robert Saul

Gross anatomy

Though now clinically retired, I am forever indebted to the profession of medicine and how I have hopefully helped others and how so many others (colleagues and patients) have helped me. And I am particularly indebted to the early donor for my anatomy experience.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: awesome responsibility, gross anatomy, medical school

To Kill a Mockingbird meets Friday Night Lights

July 4, 2022 By Robert Saul

To Kill a Mockingbird

Great literature tells us stories that are timeless and remind us of our responsibility to our fellow citizens. Often children are the messengers of these messages.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: blind spots, childhood innocence, empathy

What is Patriotism?

June 27, 2022 By Robert Saul

Patriotism

Patriotism is not passive. Patriotism requires action.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civility, diversity, faith, Lincoln, patriotism, science, trust, truth

The Power of Vulnerability

June 21, 2022 By Robert Saul

Vulnerability

Being vulnerable when practicing forgiveness is a strength and one to accept as a strength when dealing when others. I applaud the strength of vulnerability, acknowledge its power, and encourage others to do the same.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness, life journey, vulnerability

Bui Doi – They are all our children, too

June 14, 2022 By Robert Saul

Bui Doi

If we cannot see our common humanity, then I dare say we have lost our own humanity.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, humanity, war

Adversity, resilience, and flourishing – Oh my!

June 9, 2022 By Robert Saul

Flourishing

There is a path forward from adversity. Resilience and flourishing to help establish SSNRs and using the tools of relational health can help clear that path.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: adversity, flourishing, relational health, relationships, Resilience

How to leave a “Columbine-world”

June 2, 2022 By Robert Saul

Columbine

We are now over twenty-three years post Columbine. My journey continues

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: citizenship, Columbine, community improvement, empathy

Incivility

May 28, 2022 By Robert Saul

Incivility

“There is a cultural obsession nowadays with civility, with the idea that if everyone is mannered enough, any impasse or difference of opinion can be bridged. But these are desperately uncivil times. And there is nothing more uncivilized than the political establishment’s inurement to the constancy of mass shootings in the United States.”

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, gun violence, incivility

Better is Good

May 17, 2022 By Robert Saul

Better

When I look back at the life of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. or John Lewis, I realize by their words and actions that “better is good” was often the next acceptable step, and that “better is actually a lot harder than worse” was so true.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: activism, advocacy, better, children, improvement, pediatrics

Why a pediatrician (and son) decided to write books

May 11, 2022 By Robert Saul

Mom and son

While pediatricians do not use holy water in their interactions, they do invest an incredible amount of professional experience and emotional energy as they engage in a partnership with their families.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, citizenship, empathy, pediatrics

Our Children are Ill: Should we treat the symptoms or the cause?

May 5, 2022 By Robert Saul

Children

Let’s address all children as our children and promote policies and practices that support the formation and maintenance of safe, stable and nurturing relationships.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, nurturing, relationship

MERCY

April 27, 2022 By Robert Saul

Mercy

Whether engaged in medical service as a physician or community service as a citizen, we need to let mercy be our guide and let compassion and forbearance lead us forward.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: chaos, mercy

Horses were my mother’s religion

April 19, 2022 By Robert Saul

The love of horses

My mother was a very devout person. Her love for horses was the perfect outlet for her creative energy and was the demonstrable way for her to show her love for so many things.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: horses, love, moral compass, spousal abuse

NEVER AGAIN? NOT REALLY

April 6, 2022 By Robert Saul

Never again

Lies are costly. Lies have a cost because they multiply; because they tear at our moral fabric; because they can become unrecognizable.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: genocide, lies, trust, truth

Science and Children: What’s the Big Deal?

March 31, 2022 By Robert Saul

Science and children

Science matters—it improves lives, it tells us when we need to make changes and it provides a blueprint how to help children and their families.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood cancer, childhood development, children, science, vaccination

Why? Because I care about children

March 11, 2022 By Robert Saul

Children

Yes, I might be overzealous in my work on their behalf, but I will be unapologetic. Why? Because I care about children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, civility, diversity, families, history, racism, science, trust, truth

Skepticism can erode trust

February 27, 2022 By Robert Saul

Skepticism

Only when we recognize the healthy aspects of being a skeptic (to keep us morally strong) and diminish the toxic aspects of being a skeptic (believing unverified information and breeding mutual suspicion) can begin to see our path forward. We have to be open to listen, carefully observe and course correct when needed.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: common good, skepticism, truth

Receiving trust requires give and take

February 19, 2022 By Robert Saul

Receiving trust

Trust is such a difficult issue to discuss at times. We all want to be trusted, and we want to able to trust others. I refer to the former as projecting trust and the latter as receiving trust.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: honesty, trust

Staying “true” to the truth – Moral courage

February 10, 2022 By Robert Saul

Moral courage

the ability to hold our ground and stay the course and to let right triumph over might displays the moral courage necessary to stay true to the truth. We will all waver at times, so this is a difficult virtue to uphold.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: courage, moral courage, morality, truth, truth-seeking

The toxin of poverty and children—a way out?

January 29, 2022 By Robert Saul

Childhood poverty

Poverty is a harmful toxin in the lives of children. It is a lifelong environmental toxin that affects children in the short-term and the long-term.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood development, children, poverty

Conflict Resolution by Rational Discourse

January 19, 2022 By Robert Saul

Conflict resolution

The ability to resolve conflict in civilized society is probably not an innate ability. We have to be taught how to do it. We need to see positive role models in our parents, family members, employers, teachers, and fellow citizens.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conflict resolution, forgiveness, rational discourse

“Professional” lessons learned

January 8, 2022 By Robert Saul

Lessons learned

Recently I was asked to write an article about my professional journey. When I was completing that, I took the time to highlight 5 lessons learned. As I detail them below, I also realize that they have applicability to all of our social interactions and that every day is a day to learn and improve.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: bias, common good, humanity, intuition, lessons learned, retirement, smile

Truth-seeking is a humbling journey

December 27, 2021 By Robert Saul

Truth

Truth matters. It is not easy, and it is a journey that one must sincerely pursue…and humbly accept.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: life journey, truth, truth-seeking

The Professional Road Less Traveled

December 16, 2021 By Robert Saul

Professional journey

One might ask what I have learned in my close to 50 years since college and foster parenthood being a pediatrician, medical geneticist, educator, administrator and author. I could create a long list, but I will choose just a few

Filed Under: Thoughts

Columbine revisited – again and again

December 7, 2021 By Robert Saul

School children

These measures are no guarantee that school shootings will be eliminated. It is time for all of us to pledge to make the changes needed. Life is complicated, and bad things will continue to happen. But just accepting the death of children as inevitable and extending “thoughts and prayers” to the families is reprehensible when corrective measures are available.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Columbine, forgiveness, gun regulation, mental health, parenting, schools

Somewhere…

November 30, 2021 By Robert Saul

Somewhere...

If we use our strengths and seek to improve where we can, then we begin to get to that somewhere, somehow and some day. That is our joint humanity.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: children, civility, diversity, faith, forgiveness, science, trust, truth

The Correctness of Political Correctness

November 16, 2021 By Robert Saul

Political correctness is correct

Political correctness is ok and necessary in my view. It serves to adjust our moral compass on an episodic basis. Not only is it a good thing, it is a necessary component of a civil society and democracy such as ours. After all, civility is the hallmark of citizens of faith. Citizens of faith care about how they treat each other.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: civility, democracy, political correctness, racism

To Be Unconscious or Conscious – That is the Parenting Question

November 5, 2021 By Robert Saul

Unconscious or conscious

There are two ways to be a parent—unconscious or conscious. Like most things in life, this is not a binary choice. It is both. I contend that we vacillate back and forth continually as we try to maneuver this journey called parenting.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: conscious, parental awareness, parenting, unconscious

Em (“within”) – Pathos (“suffering”): Empathy Revisited

October 20, 2021 By Robert Saul

To practice empathy, I have to use my own strengths and weaknesses to reach out, gently peek behind the curtain, be humble, and pursue a course of active engagement.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: common good, empathy, heaven on earth

The everyday lessons of genocide

October 11, 2021 By Robert Saul

Reaching out

The lessons of genocide are unfortunately the lessons of everyday life. We need to listen long and hard to those lessons so we can improve our community and the community of humankind.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: community involvement, genocide

Personal responsibility in our community

September 19, 2021 By Robert Saul

Responsibility

Getting involved in our community in some tangible way is crucial for positive change. Change will only occur when citizens commit to get involved in the issues in their community.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: community improvement, involvement, personal responsibility, social capital

The gaps…oh, the gaps

September 7, 2021 By Robert Saul

Filling the gaps

The gaps that we ignore in history only serve to perpetuate false nostalgia or continue a false narrative. When doing so, we continue to deny what defines our history.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: gaps, racism, reckoning, slavery

TRUST AND FAITH…AND LOVE

August 27, 2021 By Robert Saul

trust

I think the intersection of trust, faith and love is very much a part of the practice of medicine and reasonably shared by an elder in his community.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: faith, love, trust

Forgiveness – Field of Dreams style

August 12, 2021 By Robert Saul

Forgiveness is essential as we strive to improve ourselves and the lives of our fellow citizens. Let’s pay attention to the signs (church, movies, and music to name a few) that can provide the guideposts for us to recognize our current situation and make a positive change. This change (forgiving ourselves first) must occur before we can make a difference.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: field of dreams, forgiveness, reconciliation

This I Believe – Parenting Matters

August 6, 2021 By Robert Saul

Parenting

The power of the influence of our parents is incalculable. They can provide the platform for our actions and the actions of generations to come.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: beliefs, influence, parenting

Parenting and maps

July 18, 2021 By Robert Saul

Directions

Parenting is sometimes considered an innate process to raise one’s children to be capable adults—that everything is straightforward and will easily fall into place over the years from birth to adulthood. Conceiving children does not properly prepare us for the nurturing, physical and emotional, needed to raise healthy children.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: parenting

Sages can make a difference

June 17, 2021 By Robert Saul

As we age, we can choose to be elderly or become elders. In the former role, we tend to accept the physical and mental changes and just lament their presence as inevitable. In the latter role, we are not “age-ing” per se but hopefully “sage-ing.” As a sage, we are using our collective experience to help provide advice and potential wisdom to others.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: aging, community improvement, elders, involvement, sage-ing

The tale of three opposites

June 7, 2021 By Robert Saul

The tale of three opposites

More often than not, we know the things we should be doing. I can recall many times when knowing something still did not translate into positive actions on my part. When that happens, I have found that looking at opposites can be helpful.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: anti-racism, justice, love, poverty, racism, selfishness

It’s a free country

May 16, 2021 By Robert Saul

USA map

Freedom is not really ours. It is a gift, and we must use that gift wisely. Great sacrifices have been made on our behalf. And we must honor those sacrifices.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: democracy, freedom, responsibility

DEAR EVAN HANSEN has lessons for us all, beyond our youth

May 5, 2021 By Robert Saul

The Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen” deals with issues confronted in the angst of adolescence and about learning how to deal with these issues. But these lessons are life-long issues—they are just more dramatic during adolescence and the emotions needed to deal with them then are often more exposed. So, it is appropriate to relook at the lessons and add an additional adult perspective

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Dear Evan Hansen, forgiveness, lessons of life

What to Say to Someone Who Lost a Child

April 29, 2021 By Robert Saul

Child loss

I know from experience the anguish that families experience with the loss of a child. Whether the circumstances include a previously healthy child who died from a tragic accident or a child with a chronic health condition who succumbed to their disease, families are never really prepared for their loss. They need our support, especially when we might be uncomfortable and not know what to say.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: child death, Child loss, grief, guilt

Save Our Children!

April 21, 2021 By Robert Saul

The abuse and neglect of our children is preventable. Children, our most precious resource for the future and our most vulnerable group of people, deserve our protection.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Child abuse, child neglect, prevention

Forgiveness is essential

April 5, 2021 By Robert Saul

End Racism

Forgiveness is essential to human existence. The ability to forgive allows us to move on in our lives, progressing from childhood to adolescence to adulthood.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: forgiveness

Trust is the currency of social interaction

March 25, 2021 By Robert Saul

I don’t think it is an exaggeration to state that “trust is the currency of social interaction”—that trust is the basis of how we can make our words and deeds worthy of the privilege of serving others or the privilege of telling others of what we think they should be doing.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: social interactions, trust

COMMUNITY IS FAMILY

March 7, 2021 By Robert Saul

We must remember that our community is our family. Often when we think in ‘a business way’ we tend to lose sight of this big picture. We need to constantly remind ourselves that the real business of business is people.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: business, community improvement, family

Is Truth-telling Important?

February 27, 2021 By Robert Saul

Truth-telling is an essential skill for personal life, for interpersonal social interactions, for community activities, and for governmental decision-making.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: community improvement, truth

The lessons of tyranny for parenting

February 19, 2021 By Robert Saul

Being a tyrant is the exact opposite of being a conscious parent that understands the give-and-take of effective parenting and is willing to adapt as needed to change. Tyranny has no place in society or in parenting. The lessons put forth by Professor Snyder are valuable reminders as we navigate the journey known as parenting.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: parenting, tyranny

The Chemistry of Community Improvement

February 11, 2021 By Robert Saul

I don’t think that it is a stretch to think of community improvement efforts in chemical way. New and enhanced efforts can result from the combination of simple “reactions” by individuals or groups.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: community improvement, human chemistry

A Pediatric Profile in Courage

February 2, 2021 By Robert Saul

I bring the story of this brilliant yet exceedingly humble pediatrician to our attention as a reminder that the work of protecting and enhancing the physical, social, educational, family and psychological environments of our children and families is the ongoing work of ALL of us. 

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: courage, Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha, Flint water

WHAT REALLY MATTERS

January 25, 2021 By Robert Saul

I often ask myself “what really matters?” as I contemplate the path forward…I can engage as a citizen (seeking to help others), as a truth-seeker (on a journey of life-long learning and continuous improvement) and as an elder (having acquired an array of life-long experiences and seeking to use those in a positive fashion). Not being engaged is really not an option.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Do Pediatricians retire from public service?

December 17, 2020 By Robert Saul

The work of helping our children and families is ongoing. It demands our continued efforts. For those of us that retire from the workforce, we should never withdraw from our commitment to children. I pledge to continue the work!

Filed Under: Thoughts

Science and early child development

November 29, 2020 By Robert Saul

There are so many variables to be identified and analyzed for early childhood development. These variables are essentially the pieces of the “jigsaw puzzle” of life but do not in and of themselves dictate the future. But these variables can help us anticipate certain issues, be proactive as needed, be reactive when needed and intervene with support when it is needed.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: childhood development, early childhood

“Our society isn’t fulfilling our promise to children”

November 2, 2020 By Robert Saul

The new AAP Blueprint for Children demands our full attention going forward. We can do no less.

Filed Under: Thoughts

CIVILITY MATTERS

October 11, 2020 By Robert Saul

Social discourse without civility is so ineffective and detrimental to our society.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Children as Our Teachers

September 27, 2020 By Robert Saul

Children are our best teachers! Listen and learn.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Foster Children Need Our Help

September 14, 2020 By Robert Saul

Children in foster care need our special attention and nurturing.

Filed Under: Thoughts

“Wasn’t me”

August 25, 2020 By Robert Saul

As we seek to solve current issues, a “wasn’t me” stance should be substituted with “was us”–and move forward.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Life-long learning – toward unconscious competence

August 8, 2020 By Robert Saul

Life-long learning is a guide to a life fulfilled.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Resilience is so important

July 3, 2020 By Robert Saul

The ability to receive help when we are down is key to developing resilience.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: Resilience, resiliency

Communal forgiveness

June 3, 2020 By Robert Saul

Social responsibility (to improve the lives of our fellow citizens and to right past wrongs) is integrally tied to forgiveness.

Filed Under: Thoughts Tagged With: communal forgiveness, Social responsibility

Being better carpenters

May 25, 2020 By Robert Saul

“I don’t think that I can ever forgive you.”  “You don’t mean it.  You’re not really sorry.”  “When will you ever learn?”  Expressions such as these are repeated in households and workplaces everywhere every day of the week.  We humans are social beings, and social beings interact.  Interactions inevitably will lead to some conflict.  I think our ability to resolve those conflicts…

Filed Under: Thoughts

Captain Miller to Private Ryan – “Earn This”

May 8, 2020 By Robert Saul

So many sacrificed so much for all of us…

Filed Under: Thoughts

I have been truly blessed—thank you Mom, Julie and Mabel!

March 14, 2020 By Robert Saul

Mothers come in all forms—birth mothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, caregiving mothers (often grandmothers or aunts) and mothers-in-law. Whether assuming the role from birth or stepping in at various junctures in the life of the child/adult, these women play a vital role throughout our lives.

Filed Under: Thoughts

ANTI-RACISM SHOULD BE THE GOAL

March 1, 2020 By Robert Saul

Racism can be replaced with anti-racism

Filed Under: Thoughts

Capital Punishment is Just Plain Wrong—Thoughts from a Proud Flip-Flopper

February 7, 2020 By Robert Saul

Capital punishment is wrong in my opinion. And it’s been a tough journey for me to come to that conclusion.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Labels—Merchandise, yes; People, no

January 7, 2020 By Robert Saul

Labels

Labels are not for people.

Filed Under: Thoughts

Revisiting my father

December 13, 2019 By Robert Saul

Being mindful of those around us and accepting them and their humanity is so crucial to our lives. The lessons of Mr. Rogers are pertinent to me, at every stage of my life. His messages are certainly for more than children!

Filed Under: Thoughts

525,600 Seasons of Love

December 1, 2019 By Robert Saul

Abundant friends and love can make us “wealthy” and our lives fulfilled if we consider each minute (all 525,600 of them) in a year a chance to exhibit a season of love.

Filed Under: Thoughts

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