Which half of the brain to engage?

Written by Shelley Plett Tuesday, 07 April 2009 14:10

Want to be a reliable eyewitness? Close your right eye. Tunneling your vision through your left eye only will give you a better chance of accurately remembering the details.

According to an April 2008 study reported in the British newspaper, The Times, it’s all about the hemispheres of the brain. The left side deals in logic, the right side deals in emotions.

This is something we’ve all probably covered in a psychology class along the way, but have you reconsidered the possibilities of this? You can put this natural process to work for you where it really counts:

1. Deliver your knock-knocks from the left to get a laugh. The research showed that the right side of the brain typically processes punch lines. So if you don’t get a...

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Dare we confess our teenage idiocies?

Written by Shelley Plett Tuesday, 24 March 2009 13:47

“797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.” —From 2002 report by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

 

Eventually, we all reach the age when we’re comfortable confessing our teenage idiocies to our parents.

Actually, the word comfortable might be an overstatement to make us feel more in control of the admission. I mean, even though everyone involved is an adult, parents will always be parents. While they can’t literally punish us for the incredibly dumb things we got away with, they seem to have “a way.”

A way of raising an eyebrow, rolling their eyes, or some...

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White lies: A parent’s teaching tool

Written by Shelley Plett Tuesday, 10 March 2009 13:52

“There are times that when truth and kindness conflict, one ought to choose kindness, especially when a little honesty is better than a lot.” —Leroy Jack Syrop



If I was the betting type, and I am, I’d wager most parents have stretched the truth a time or two with their kids. It’s probably not the best strategy to take in any given situation, but at times it’s completely acceptable.

It has to be.

Sometimes the only way to get around going through the drive-through is to apologetically explain that they have run out of toys for the kid’s meals. And really, without the toy, what’s the point?

Even as we harp on our kids about honesty and never ever telling a lie, we can still be realists.

We can tap into their...

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Women are prepared to take their place

Written by Shelley Plett Tuesday, 24 February 2009 13:51

“I’m not for women in any job. I don’t want any of want them around. Thank God we don’t have any in the cabinet.... I don’t think a woman should be in any government job whatever. I mean, I really don’t. The reason why I do is mainly because they are erratic. And emotional. Men are erratic and emotional, too, but the point is a woman is more likely to be.” —President Nixon, audiotaped in 1971



As my niece boards a plane for England this week, the world starts shrinking. Or is it growing? I’m not sure.

On one hand, knowing she’ll be a London resident for awhile while her fiancé completes his Air Force tour of duty, it seems much smaller. Tomorrow she’ll be in London. Today she’s in Kansas. Just that quick...

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