【推荐1】An important part of raising your children is teaching them good manners as it helps them be more successful in life.     1    Here are some “old-fashioned” but important manners for your modern kids.

Saying “thank you” to service workers

Saying “thank you” is the base of all good manners but these days many children overlook thanking the people that help them in many little ways each day, like wait staff, store clerks, and bus drivers. It’s not just about politeness but about teaching children to recognize and acknowledge others’ contributions as valuable.     2    

Taking turns talking

Teach your children to touch your arm and then wait patiently for you to acknowledge(理会)them before speaking. If they do interrupt, calmly tell them it’s rude to interrupt and let them know you’ll acknowledge them shortly.     3    Offer your children the same politeness and don’t interrupt them when it’s their turn to talk.

Using their indoor voices

    4     A parent should teach their children early on how to moderate(使适中)their volume and tone based on the situation. You can make it into a fun game for little ones, like seeing who can whisper the quietest at a cinema.

Covering a cough or sneeze

These days it’s more important than ever to teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. It’s not just a matter of hygiene(卫生)——no one enjoys getting sprayed.     5     Don’t forget to teach them to say “excuse me” after.

【推荐2】I will never forget the tenth summer of childhood with my grandfather in western Norway at the mountain farm, where my mother was born. As a boy, I always thought people simply bought whatever they need. Whether Grandfather know this, I don’t know. One day he said, “Come, I have something for you.”

I followed him to a workroom. “You should have a toy boat. You can sail it at Storvassdal.” He said. “Great!” I jumped, looking around for the boat. But there was none.

Grandfather pointed to a block of wood. “The boat is in there.” Then he handed me some tools and showed me how to use them properly. “It’ll be a fine boat, and you’ll make it with your own hands,” he said, “No one can give you what you do for yourself.” The words rang in my head as I worked. Finished the boat, it wasn’t much to look at, but I was pound. Then I sailed it at Storvassdal.

We had to return to America. “You cannot bring that boat home with you,” my mother said. “We’ve already had too much baggage.” Feeling sad, I hid my boat under a big rock at Storvassdal.

I said good-bye to grandfather, not knowing I would never see him again.

In 1964, I went to Storvassdal with my parents and my wife and children. To my surprise, for 34 years, my treasure stayed here, waiting for my return. I felt we three were together again although my grandfather had died 22 years ago.

I carved “1930” and “1964” on its side and put it back.

I returned to the lake in 1968, 1971, 1977 and 1988. Each time I had the boat and carved the year, my grandfather seemed near.

My last trip to Storvassdal was in 1991. I brought my granddaughters: Catherine,13; Claire,12. I hoped they would understand the importance of the little boat and its simple message. At Storvassdal, Claire said softly, Grandpa, someday I’ll come back.” She added, “And I’ll bring my children.”

【推荐1】Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of her country’s problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than throw your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.

Chip eaters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lays, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they clean the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding (衬垫) and liners (衬里) from old coats to line the insides.

It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around”, Oleita told the Detroit News.

Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800,000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags. Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita—whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life —and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she says.

And, of course, there’s the symbolism of rescuing bags that would otherwise land in the trash and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental problem and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita told hourdetroit. com: “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.”

【推荐1】It was June a few years ago right around the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year.   A few weeks earlier the first fireflies had appeared blinking (眨眼) their lights on and off in the woods around my house. What a joy it was seeing them again. Their little flickers (闪耀) of light made me smile with delight.

Now as the daylight was starting to fade I saw out my window some of the neighborhood children attempting to catch the slow moving lightening bugs. One of the girls went inside and came back with a clear, glass jar. After chasing a few without success she finally caught a firefly inside it. All the other children gathered around to watch it flickering its light on and off inside the jar. Soon darkness started to fall and the children’s Mom walked over to them and told them it was time to set the firefly free. One of the girls protested but the Mom explained that the firefly would die if left in the jar. Then she said something that still stays in my heart to this day: “It is time to let this little guy go so he can share his light with the rest of the world!”

I remember when I was a little boy we all used to sing the song, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!” But as adults we find it hard to do so. We dwell on (老是想着) the darkness too much and in fear keep our light hidden away. Don’t hide your light. Don’t keep it in a jar. Share your flickers, no matter how small they may be. Let the love inside you out. Let the glow within you drive the darkness away.

【推荐2】During the past few weekends, we held the first 24-Hour Play Festival on campus, the first event our school has held.

The event started in the Playhouse Theater at 8 p.m. on Friday with students who signed up to be either an actor, director or playwright (编剧).Then the chair announced the theme of the event from a pool of play themes. Playwrights had 12 hours to write a 10-miute play based on the theme, which meant that they had to work all night to get the scripts (剧本) ready before 8 a.m. on Saturday. Directors received scripts and had 12 hours with actors to start their rehearsals (排练). Everyone would perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

As a stage manager, I had to make sure everything went well. It was really exciting because this was our first time. The performers did an excellent job. I was amazed at the playwrights’ beautiful scripts and the ideas they represented. Among those stories, there were many themes including friendship, love and equality.

One of my favorite plays was about friendship. In the play, a girl and a boy haven’t seen each other for a long time. One day, they meet by accident. At first, they are nervous because they do not know where to start. It was so real that it reminded me of my friend and me. When they talked about good memories in the past and expectations of the future, I was moved. They moved like birds on the stage, and my heart followed.

The actors were amazing. They had to memorize all their lines in 12 hours. Directors also contributed great ideas in such a short time. I was really excited to watch the performance and be one of the staff. It was not easy starting from zero, but as long as there is a beginning, a story always forms.

【推荐3】My name is Joe Mari, I am a male nurse from the Philippines who is working overseas, and sometimes, being away from my family and friends, I will mostly feel lonely, bored, and homesick. So in my spare time I draw pictures of people using Faber Castell classic coloured pencils, ballpoint pen, and pencil for black and white ones.

I started drawing and won my first inter-school competition when I was 5. By that time I had no dreams of being an artist, as I thought it was all a ‘game’ and I was never serious about art. I became a part of my school paper as a cartoonist until high school and then time passed and I have forgotten about drawing. It went on to being just a hobby until I tried to get back at it again two years ago. I watched YouTube videos every night, trying to figure out how to improve my skills. Drawing people’s faces is a fascination for me, which is obviously displayed in my works.

You’re probably wondering why I never took any courses about art, and why I am a nurse. You see, there is a fine line between your dreams and your passion. I took the medical field in hopes of giving service to as many people as I can. I have always been fascipated by the world of Science and by the world of Art at the same time.

My intention in sharing this story is not to compare, but rather to bring out whatever other interests you may have inside you. Sure you may be working in front of a desk at day, but who knows, maybe you also rock out with your band at night. With enough patience and perseverance, nothing can prevent passion.

I hope I inspired you all with my story, so go on, get that paper and whatever tool you can use to create art!