ON THE MINDS OF MOMS

An open letter to this year's graduates: We need you

Paula Quam — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 21:21:40 GMT

Dear 2024 graduates,

I know you're probably busy starting your "epic" summer before running off into adulthood, but I was hoping you'd help correct a ship that has seemed to have escaped the hands of us adults and has now run a little off course. It's a pretty big chore, but we probably never gave you enough of those anyway, so here it is.

Now, before I start, I'd like to preface this with...we're still wiser than you. You're smart, but we've still got a lot we can teach you. Like that insurance commercial says, "We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two."

Okay. Having said that, there's this thing....we need you. And yes, like usual, it has to do with technology.

You see, many of us who are old enough to have kids around your age are grounded in reality. It's something we happen to like about ourselves, but the problem is, too much of a good thing can also cause issues.

Most of us were raised without the internet. We didn't have social media, and our "outside" information came once a day to our doorsteps or twice a day to our TV sets. The edgiest thing we could easily watch was MTV. Actually, it was great because our brains were only being fed real information — not perfect or 100% error-free information, but we never had to doubt their basic legitimacy. Like real butter and real sugar, it may not have been good, but at least it was real and we knew what we were dealing with. But this also meant our natural evolution did not include developing a keen ability to detect and repel digital bunk.

That brings us to the problem today. If you've created a Facebook account (either for Marketplace or to keep tabs on what we're posting about you), you know most of us are on there doing our thing. We've come a long way since the simpler days of our childhoods and have adapted well to the ever-changing landscapes of life, but information overload is proving to be a challenge. There is so much coming at us from every direction. From deeply biased cable news channels to Facebook memes to YouTube...and now we have to think about bots? We did not grow up with this mental chaos. So, naturally, not everybody is always able to decipher what is fact from fiction.

Media literacy, the ability to analyze and determine the accuracy and credibility of media, is not an overarching strength of our generation. So when you combine a deluge of information — both true/solid and fake/twisted — it all gets so jumbled that we will sometimes throw our hands up and just pick the news that we

want

to believe. I mean, there are so many "news" sources now that say conflicting things, and sometimes it feels like everybody is lying. So, in the absence of clarity, of course we're going to pick the one telling us that what we already kind of believe is right. This is a crazy world that we hardly recognize sometimes, so if we can at least feel like we're right about something, we're taking it. It's called "confirmation bias", and it has us deeming news we don't like as "fake" and news we do as "trust-worthy". (We're tired and overwhelmed, and this is just an easy way to do it.)

The problem is, this is also pitting us against each other. As bad actors intentionally pollute our media and turn us against our fellow Americans, our country becomes weaker and more vulnerable to people in this world who actually do want to harm us. "Hey, look!" they say to us, while pointing at our neighbors, and then "bam!"...they sucker punch us while we're busy squinting our eyes at other Americans whose only crime is that they voted for "the other guy". It's happening on small scales, and if we don't smarten up, it very well could happen on a much grander one — one we might not be equipped to deal with.

Now, to you. We need you.

I know some of you are already getting sucked into that same situation. Algorithms ensure you keep seeing like-minded things, and you guys are also having to navigate all this media without much help from us. And now...AI.

I can't even imagine what us older fogies are going to do when AI-generated content is a more regular part of our worlds, but I'm sure you all understand how incredibly dangerous that has the potential to be. If we're not great at spotting bad photo-shopped images or simply doing some Google searches to verify facts now, I cannot fathom us having to identify AI-generated images and videos that are well done. One convincing, well-timed post could have us all slapping on our old Metallica T-shirts, ready for war.

So, it's up to you. I know I mentioned this, but we need you.

I mean, we've got some tech-savvy, brilliant people in our age group who will hopefully help in keeping tech development somewhat responsible, but there will only be so much we can do. This massive responsibility is going to fall largely to you.

I know this letter is taking a serious turn, but you're all grown up now, and life does get serious. You know this — you're watching terrible wars break out overseas. But here's the thing. Most wars start with a spark from bad people, but they usually only ever take hold when the fuel known as propaganda is added and enough good people believe it. People are misinformed, confused, scared, and that makes them ready to fight. It's what they're trying to do to us. Mass communication is the most powerful weapon on earth. Whoever wins the information war, wins. Period. So please, be smarter than "they" think you can be. Like generations before you, you now have a responsibility to stay informed with the truth. Question everything.

When you watch or read something, take notice of the source. Not the platform — the source. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat — those are only platforms, and there's a mix of good and bad information on all of them. I'm talking about WHO created that video you're watching or WHO wrote that article you're reading. Who are they? Find out. Don't trust random sites and people just because you like what they say. Any yahoo can make a video. Make them earn your trust. Find some credible, centrist news sources — both local and national — and "like" or "follow" them now so that you know you've at least got some legit stuff coming through your feeds. And my gosh, don't rely so heavily on ChatGPT. Sure, it's handy for some things, but AI is only as good as the information it's being fed, and it's being fed by virtually everything on the internet...stuff fallible humans published.

In every second it took you to read this far, there were millions of new pieces of content posted online, and all of the people behind those posts want your attention. You have to be better than us at knowing what is good and what is poison. Because not all poison kills right away, some just slowly build up in your system until you can no longer stand. And you are our newest adults now. We need you standing. We need you to have more clarity than we seem to have at the moment. We need you.

]]>

How to have a ton of fun right in your backyard this summer

Danielle A. Teigen — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:57:08 GMT

Summer often means a busy schedule — sports, activities, camps, vacations and more.

While getting out and exploring is a great way for your family to bond and experience new places and things together, you can also have a great time in your own backyard with some DIY yard games.

These activities are also great options for neighborhood gatherings, family reunions, birthday parties, and more.

Pool Noodle Ring Toss

Head to a local dollar store and stock up on some brightly colored pool noodles.

Create a few rings by taping the ends together, and cut the remaining noodles in half so you can set up the uprights the rings will be tossed on to.

Push sharpened pencils into the grass and fit the pool noodle upright on it. Then start tossing away!

Giant Yard Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe is a great game for people of all ages, and it’s even more fun when it is played on a giant board in your backyard. Just grab a can of spray paint to create the board and use two different colors or styles of paper plates for the Xs and Os.

If your paper plates aren’t quite distinct enough (or you want your kids to practice their letter writing), go ahead and grab a marker (permanent would be best but washable are always winners when it comes to kids’ activities) and have them label the plates with Xs and Os.

Note: If you’re worried about the wind (because, Midwest), you can also use rocks for the markers to ensure they won’t blow away. The board doesn’t need to be as big, but you can still have your kiddos get creative by painting the rocks and marking them with Xs and Os before the game begins.
Bean Bag Ladder Toss

Grab some bean bags (or make your own from old shirts or jean pockets), a ladder, paper and markers to set up this easy bean bag toss game.

Label the paper with the points (probably 10 to 50) and tape them to the rungs of the ladder. Bean bags must go through the area below the rung to earn points. Grab some paper to see who scores the most points!

Note: You could also create a similar bean bag toss using bowls or plates that have been set in the yard and labeled with point designations.
DIY Frisbee Golf

An inexpensive and easy game to set up in your yard is frisbee golf, and all you need are a few tomato cages, plastic baskets and frisbees.

Push the cage into the ground and place the basket in the open end of the cage. Then start flinging the frisbee and hope it lands in the basket!

Lawn Twister

Have some old-school fun by creating a Twister board in your backyard. You can use regular spray paint you have on hand (you’ll need at least four different colors) or you can buy some contractor marking spray that will wash away. Create a circle template using a pizza box or large piece of cardboard, then spray your dots. Make the board as small or as large as you want it, depending on how many people may be playing.

You’ll need a Twister spinner, so grab one from the game box or make your own using a piece of cardboard marked with the colors, hands or feet designation and a spinner made from a pencil.

This article appeared in the Summer Fun special publication. You can pick up a copy of the publication at Cash Wise Foods and Hornbacher's locations throughout the Fargo-Moorhead metro or check it out online.
https://issuu.com/forumcomm/docs/summer_fun_2023]]>

Foster parents sought for Minnesota youth in need of out-of-home care

Forum staff — Thu, 11 May 2023 19:44:39 GMT

ST. PAUL — Last year, more than 11,000 children and youth experienced out-of-home care, prompting two organizations to put out a call for more foster parents in Minnesota.

Children’s Home Society and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota hope more people will see fostering as a way to make a difference in children's lives by signing up to become foster parents. Both organizations provide training, as well as 24/7 support to promote high-quality care, according to a press release from Lutheran Social Services.

May is National Foster Care Month.

The most important qualities for foster parents to have is a willingness to listen, provide support, help children create health relationships, as well as flexibility, patience and a sense of humor, according to the release.

Families and individuals who can provide different household structures and have diverse backgrounds are needed to support and affirm youth who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, as well as children and youth of color. Foster parents are also needed to provide short-term respite care and to foster sibling groups, school-aged children and older youth.

To learn more about becoming a foster parent, visit fosterminnesota.org.

]]>

How to care for baby teeth to promote a life of good dental health

Viv Williams — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 22:00:00 GMT

ROCHESTER — A life of good dental health begins in childhood. Dr. Elise Sarvas, a pediatric dentist at the University of Minnesota �� of Dentistry says that kids should learn how to care for their teeth early to help prevent problems before they happen.

"The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend having your first dental visit at the sign of the first tooth or at their first birthday. Whichever comes first," Sarvas said. "At that visit, we'll not only show you how to clean teeth, especially on a on a wiggly 1-year-old, but also we'll talk about healthy foods for teeth, how to prevent trauma in teeth and what to expect moving forward with growth and development."

The American Dental Association website notes that when kids get their first teeth, parents or caregivers should help them brush twice a day (morning and night) with a baby tooth brush and a tiny bit of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. When kids are ages 3 to 5, parents should still help them brush twice a day for 2 minutes each time with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.

The ADA says parents should continue to supervise brushing until their kids are 6 years old and they're able to spit out the toothpaste on their own. It's not meant to be swallowed at any age.

Follow the

podcast on

and

podcasts. For comments or other podcast episode ideas, email Viv Williams at

vwilliams@newsmd.com.

Or on Twitter/Instagram/FB @vivwilliamstv.
]]>