Children Learn what They Live, by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

A classic.  I recently witnessed a parent forcing their child to do something the child did not want to do.  The child was in tears.  The child was being forced against her will.  The parents were, in essence, taking the child's will away from her.  I love these parents but I did not agree with what they were doing.

I have heard many times that a person must accept responsibility for where they are in life or what they become.  I can agree with this where a person's choices are concerned.  Many times we take a child's choice away from them.  That is wrong and may have lifelong consequences that is not the child's fault.  I hope this child heals and turns out OK.

 This poem by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.  is a classic.  I remember it often.

Children Learn What They LiveBy Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Kenneth Glyn Hales

My cousin Kenneth Glyn Hales died in the evening of March 7, 2015.  He is said to be 81 years of age.  He was related to Elder Hales who is an Apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Ken would give the genealogy report at the family reunions.  Ken wrote three book about family history.  They were huge books.  Like a good three inches thick. 

One of the memories of the Hales family is a car accident that happened near Lovelock, Nevada on August 6, 1954.  The family went to Disneyland and on the way back to Utah were hit by a speeding drunk driver and five of them were killed.  Killed were father and mother Frank and Eugenie Hales, daughter Julie and sons Don and Que.  Nikki Hales was the lone survivor.  Nikki also survives Ken and was at one time a inner city missionary in Salt Lake City for the LDS Church.  Ken was in the Air Force at the time of the accident.  Elva had already married.  Monte, who is now deceased, had also left home. 

In the home where grew up was a picture of Frank and Eugenie.  I often saw that picture and my mother often told me of the accident.  Whenever I saw that picture I got the impression that they were in the presence of God.  They went to a far better place despite the very tragic accident that they had here on this planet.  I felt that they did not go to any intermediary place but straight to the presence of god.  They were devout members of their church and Eugenie was the Relief Society President for the 29th Ward. 

What a reunion that Ken is having with his parents and all his family members that he has studied and written about.  He had a few lines in his ancestry that were pioneers.  Pulsipher and Burgess just to name a couple.  One of the Pulsiphers baptized Willford Woodruff who was one of the Presidents of the  LDS Church.  What a glorious occasion to be reunited with your parents after sixty and one half years.