The Week of February 14th 2014 At U. Hospital, 91-Year-Old Plays Song for Deceased Wife www.ksl.com/?

nid=148&sid=28720556
This article is about a 91 year-old man who plays piano to entertain patients at the University of Utah Hospital. He lost his wife a year ago to Alzheimers. He didnt know that his wife had secretly written poetry as she descended into the disease. He discovered her book of prose after her death and found the writings to be a beautiful life-long story of her life, and some of the poems were about him. He wrote a song for her and has performed it publicly as well as on a CD he recorded. Her poems will be published by the University of Utah Press. I felt this article related to Human Development because it shows that old age is still a productive and creative time of giving back if you choose it to be and have the health to do so. It also show cased the deep love of a couple who grew old together and whose love has not been dimmed by disease or even death. Lastly, I love that his wife chose to leave a beautiful legacy behind as she faced losing her mind and eventually her life. What a blessing for that family in her absence.

The Week of February 17th Why Dads Matter www.deseretnews.com/.../What-the-research-shows-about-...

This article cites research that touts the benefits of children having a relationship with a healthy father in their lives from infancy all the way to adulthood. Four decades of social science research shows that fathers matter to childrens healthy development. And it is good for the fathers too. This article totally relates to Human Development in that it lists the myriad of ways a participating father benefits his childrens development and well-being. The article also acknowledges the value of grandparents, uncles, step-dads, and adoptive fathers in a childs life when the biological father is not around. I shared this one with my husband and plan to share it with other fathers and young men as well.

The Week of February 25th Facebook: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Social Networkings Impact on Kids Psychological Health www.webmd.com/parenting/news/.../facebook-good-bad-ugly

The article outlines the pros and cons of facebook use among teenagers and young adults. Some of the positives cited: the more time spent messaging the better their empathy for, and ability to relate to, other people both on-line and in the real world. Also, it can help teens express who they are. Some of the negatives were that these users had more anxiety, stomach problems, and more sick days from school. It was also linked to a shortening of attention span when trying to focus, such as when studying. The article also outlines some tips for parents. This article is valuable to Human Development because we need to understand the affects of the technology we are creating and using so often. Never before have we had the technology in use among us and our children that we have today. With that comes many consequences we need to be aware of. Especially with youth who are still growing and forming.

The Week of March 6th The Rough Road of Single Motherhood-And One Mom Who Defied the Odds national.deseretnews.com/.../The-rough-road-of-single-motherhood-2-an...

This article shares the story of a woman who at 22 years of age became pregnant and chose to keep her baby. She did so alone, her parents were drug addicts and so she had nothing to do with them, and the father was not around either. It is a success story of how one woman was able to do exceptionally well by her child and subsequent 2 others later to be born. It is a rare situation indeed. This article is about Human Development because it showed so many sides of it. From portraying the single mothers childhood raised in the equivalent of a crack house, to the challenges a single mother faces of time, emotional capacity, and money, to her success with her children. I thought it rare, to see such an account. It encouraged me but also concerned me with the growing trend of women who want to mother without a father in the home.

The Week of March 14th Why Breastfed Babies Are So Smart national.deseretnews.com/.../Why-breastfed-babies-are-so-smart....

The article tells that while breastfeeding is very beneficial in many ways, the factor that correlates breastfeeding with intelligence in children may not be solely due to the breast milk. The article states it is rather that the kind of parent who breastfeeds is also most likely to be the kind of parent who reads to their little ones at a very early age and be responsive to the childs emotional cues. It is reading to the little one at around 9 months of age and being sensitive to their needs that really revs up the cognitive development and advance it. The article relates to Human Development by showing how to help your child have the best possible start at development. There are so many philosophies and products designed to do just that, it is good to know the findings of much study on the subject.

The Week of March 22nd Utah Jazz Players Moms Share Tips on Successful Parenting www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29172353

This article covered an event in which several of the Utah Jazz players mothers spoke to a group of moms and some single dads at a function hosted by the People Helping People organization. They purported making your kids a priority, being an example to their children and the importance of a good attitude. The way this information related to Human Development is that with highly accomplished people, it is always interesting to learn about their background, family life, and see the factors that supported or hindered them on their journey. The article also mentioned 75% of single mothers on the Wasatch Front live below self-sufficiency. A taste of that situation.

The Week of March 28th Autism Diagnoses Spike 30 Percent, CDC Says, and Experts Suggest Why national.deseretnews.com/.../Autism-diagnoses-spike-30-percent

This article shines light on the fact that Autism diagnoses have jumped 30 percent over 2 years ago. Two years ago one in 88 children had been diagnosed. Today it reports one in 68. On the bright side however, this is more due to the fact that diagnoses has become more aggressive, not necessarily that there are more children being born with it. This relates to human development because there are so many Autism Spectrum individuals among us it behooves us to look for the reasons why, learn how to get along with them, and institute programs to assist them.

The Week of April 6th 14-year-old Alleged Victim of Ryan Schaffer Tells His Story www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29374506

This article is about a 14-year-old boy who was kidnapped and sexually abused for 3 days by Ryan Schaffer, a 34-year-old man. The abused boy has been afraid to return to school or even leave his home but is now coming forward to speak out against his kidnapper because he feels the case is being mishandled by authorities. The boy has said Id like to see him locked up forever, because I dont want to see him hurt another kid. I find this article relates to Human Development in several valuable ways: 1) Why was a boy his age allowed to ride the Ogden frontrunner by himself? Parents or custodial parents need to be the guardians and protectors of their children. 2) There are those among us in this society that are very mentally sick and depraved. How is this happening and how can we work to prevent such depravity from taking root? 3) Though the boy was afraid, he found courage to finally run and escape from his tormentor. 4) Even though the boy has not been able to return to school or functionality outside of his home, it is the fear for, and compassion for, his fellow man not having to go through what he did, that motivated him to come forth and speak up about how this case is being handled. Concern for others and justice has given him the courage to speak out. What a brave and courageous boy he is in spite of his ordeal. I value that.

Week of April 12th Kids Satisfaction in Sports Often Lower When Parents Spend More, Study Says www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29414990

This article comes from Logan Utah and talks about how kids enjoy sports less when they feel pressured to win because of their parents financial investment it For example, being told by their parents they have to play because it is the kids only ticket to college. Or the attitude of Ive paid all this money for you to play, you better do some great things with it! The pressure ruins it for the kids or they have to keep playing in something they dont want to. This relates to Human Development because there is a well documented, observable, problem in the sports area with many parents and their childrens participation. From fights breaking out between coaches and parents, to parents berating their own and others children on the playing field for their performance. It is more about the parents than the child in actuality, and is a really unhealthy psyche we need to do away with. There should be no tolerance of such behavior and parents need to become aware of the pressure they create and the effect it has on their child. This article is valuable for bringing this to light.

The Week of April 16th Utah Man with Broken Pelvis, Ribs Digs Out of Mudslide www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29516122

This article tells the story of a man trapped in a mudslide, badly broken, who had a moment of realization that rescuers would not reach him in time. He knew in spite of the pain he would have to dig himself out if he wanted to live. This article is his story of how he did just that. This mans story relates to Human Development because it is a tale of the sheer will to survive and is akin to the stories of super human strength in times of trauma when it was needed. In some people and some circumstances the will seems greater than the normal capacities of the flesh and amazing, even miraculous things can happen. We are pretty amazing creatures.

The Week of April 21st How to Deal with Constant Criticism www.ksl.com/?nid=1010&sid=29519229

The article is about how people sometimes must endure the relationship of a toxic person who constantly criticizes in their lives. It tries to help by listing the reasons why some people are driven to criticize. It also lists some ways of coping with that situation. Personally, I think it left off some very crucial advice in this area, and that is that one must set boundaries for ones self in dealing with that person. The article largely encourages getting a thick skin, avoiding, and forgiving. Wow, advice without any advice at all. This article was interesting for Human Development because it shed light on the fact that some people are like this and the possible reasons for why. However, almost laughingly, it failed miserably in giving anyone who has to deal with this any real solutions to deal with it. The advice reminded me of a caricature of some out of touch mother who might give the advice to a struggling child to think happy thoughts honey and it will all be better. I doubt the author has ever had to deal with a chronically critical situation. Unfortunate that someone would not consult a professional to get some real advice on the matter.

The Week of April 28th Former Child Soldier Uses Music to Inspire www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29251495

This article shares the story of Emmanuel Jal who at the age of 7 had to walk with other children across the Sudanese desert to get to refugee camps in Ethiopia because civil war had broken out in his home country of Sudan in the early 80s. Most of his family was killed in the war. On his journey to the refugee camps he and other boys were captured and forced to be child soldiers. They were trained to do horrendous things. After 4 years a British aid worker smuggled him out. He now uses hip hop and rap music to tell about his life. Music was the place I could see Heaven again, Jal said. Music is the place I could be a child again. This article relates to Human Development because it shows the human capacity for horror or goodness, and that out of horror there can be much goodness. It also shows how our gifts and talents can be things that save us as well as bless the people around us. Horror only wins if we let it. Emmanuel Jal did not let it. He is on the road almost every day of the year traveling to share his message of ways to bring peace into the world. He encourages people to get involved in global events because there are many who need our help. He was a victim but he chooses now to make the world a better place. Human choice is powerful.