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Jennifer Garner, actress turned advocate for Save the Children, thanked the administration for the funding but warned, “this is not enough.”  She went on to tell reporters, “I have a child entering kindergarten and believe it or not, a huge part of why you are successful and bright and cheerful, clean, pretty looking people is because you were able to sit in a circle when you got to kindergarten – that is kindergarten readiness.”

So let’s get this straight, Ms. Garner and others like her believe that being able to be still and sit in a circle is kindergarten readiness?  Try selling this concept to the parents of any healthy, active 5 year old boy or even some girls.  Could the objective of the program be to produce a bunch of cookie-cutter kids that behave the way they are told and, therefore, can be trained in a way that will allow the government to teach young absorbent minds what it wants them to learn?

Isn’t it the parents responsibility to provide the early instruction, basic training if you will, for the children?  They teach the toddlers by example, reading to them and exposing them to society.  Family values are a big part of a child’s development.  Should parents leave this up to the state?  What about the notion of religious teaching?  No school receiving federal funding will be permitted carry out the wishes of all parents, so whatever the children are taught will necessarily be religion-free. 

By taking the child out of the home environment the parent forfeits the early nurturing contact with the youngster and deprives the children this basic need.  Operating under government regulations will mean all children must receive the same degree of care and attention in order to provide equal treatment.

Some may argue that many families are comprised of working couples or single parents, which justifies the need for toddler schools.  This is outweighed by the potential loss of parental control and authority government run facilities the will occur.  If you doubt this, look at today’s public elementary schools compared to when we were young.  Bible reading and prayer are out, but revisionist history and gender diversity education are in.

This new program is designed to establish the government as the super-parent, the all-knowing and all-providing entity that will take care of everyone’s needs from the cradle on, and do it fairly as opposed to the way a living, loving parent does.  Is this what America is becoming?  If you like this, go with it.  If you question this approach to raising our kids, contact your elected representative and let them know that you believe parents must have responsibility over their children.

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More than 6 in 10 women have a negative opinion about how well the children will do compared to half of all the men surveyed for a Rasmussen study conducted in June.  Again, younger adults of both genders have a more positive view of the future than their older counterparts.

Along racial lines, whites were the most pessimistic with 60% saying the years ahead look bleak, while only 48% of blacks agreed and those designated as others (mostly Hispanics and Asians) being the least negative at just 38%.

Asked if it is still possible for anyone in the US to work hard and get rich 28% of respondents answered yes, the lowest rating in the last 2 years.  More than twice the percentage of men said yes versus women.  The 18 to 29 and 65+ age groups were most negative while about a third of those between 30 and 64 were optimistic.

In terms of getting rich through hard work, the most positive group of all were the others in the racial sub-group with 44% saying yes to the children’s future.  This group also believed it was possible for anyone who wants to work to find work with 65% answering affirmatively compared to 44% of all adults.  Could this attitude be attributed to so many of the other group being immigrants or the children of immigrants?

The question of whether it is possible for anyone in the US to work their way out of poverty received a yes answer from 44% of the adults surveyed.  The men were more positive with 57% saying yes versus just 36% of the women.  The 18 to 29 age group was lowest with 25%.  All race groups were in keeping with the percentage of total adults stating a positive belief that in this country people can work themselves out of poverty.

Concern over poverty is mounting with 7 in 10 respondents saying more people are living in it than a decade ago.  And, a plurality (45%) of those surveyed said the current government anti-poverty programs actually increase poverty.  However, the state of poverty in America is not what it is in third world countries where nearly all children are faced with disease, starvation and a lack of education.

So, while people generally don’t think the children will partake in the American dream to the extent they did, a good portion of them believe those who are willing can find jobs and that it is possible to work your way out of poverty.  If that isn’t the American dream what is?  Now, let’s instill this concept into the hearts and minds of each and every one of our children, so they believe they can actually do better than their parents.

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These and many more questions must be answered, with all honesty, if our grandchildren hope to have an education approaching the kind received by New Seniors and Baby Boomers.  In an effort to “make things equal” we have actually found a way to dumb-down the typical classroom agenda with bi-lingual teaching or slowing down the educational process so the poorer students can keep pace.  Such actions have proved to hurt the majority of students rather than leveling the playing field to accommodate a few.

There was a time, not too long ago, when schools recognized the fact that while we are all created equal we do not all possess the same interests or skills.  Some were gifted with the ability to excel in science and math.  Others did better in language and the arts.  While mechanical and vocational courses attracted those that preferred to work with their hands.  This is akin to the fact that some students play football, some play in the marching band and some sit in the stands and cheer.

Somewhere along the line, we accepted the notion that anyone who graduated from high school was a candidate for college, even though the child may not have wanted to or would succeed if they did.  This concept was part the desire that equal opportunities exist all, which came out of the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the 1960s. 

Today there are more women enrolled in our universities than there are men, and diversity, some say, has resulted in good students being passed over so quotas can be met.  And, the community colleges are much like an extension of high school rather than effectively serving as a gateway to the four-year institutions of higher learning.

In the meantime, the elementary school students are being taught gender diversity, revisionist history and in some instances being philosophically brainwashed instead of teachers following the proven methods that helped New Seniors and older Boomers get what was once the world’s best overall education.

With Washington, DC trying to take control of education and the teacher’s unions not willing to budge on tenure, seniority and benefits all we can expect is higher costs and poorer test scores.  For now, local school districts do have something to say about what happens in the classrooms.  Therefore, it is incumbent upon all of us who had the privilege of a good public education to be a voice for the children in our communities.

A good education is vital to the future of our grandchildren and the entire nation.  But they will miss out on this if the schools don’t get back to educating rather than bending to the whims of every political action group.      

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The biggest culprit is the education system.  America spends more money per student and gets the worst return on this vital investment, because education is a political football with special interest groups coming first and teaching our youth is a distant second.  There never seems to be enough money to do the job schools are supposed to do. 

What happened to the school money from the bonds voted on at the state and local levels?  The dollars generated from cigarette taxes?  The portion of sales taxes that was for education?  Or, the educational windfalls that state lotteries were going to provide.  How are these things working out in your state?  In the meantime, charter schools and other school system refinements are blocked by unions and their political lap dogs.

In spite of a noticeable lack of academic improvement, there are lots of additions to the rules and regulations being imposed on schools.  Current curriculums are under attack.  The rewriting of history is an ongoing battle at all grade levels.  Parents are also concerned that younger students are being exposed to sexual orientation education.  In one California school district, gender diversity is now being taught to first graders.

No longer are parents the ones to decide when it is appropriate to discuss sex with their children and how they want to form the conversation.  The schools, with the support of the teachers’ unions, are leading the way to determine what is said and when this kind of information will be instilled in the minds of children. 

Any attempt to stop this kind of indoctrination is quickly met with cries that homophobic groups and ill-informed parents are harming children and causing disharmony in the classroom and bullying outside the school.  Of course, the PC (politically correct) police are on the scene to point fingers at anyone who baulks at this subject matter being taught to kids, even at the elementary school level.  Activist judges and supportive media outlets work in concert to jam these changes into school curriculums now and forever.

Young minds are sponge-like and have yet to develop the ability to discern.  Learning what is right and wrong, what is and is not actable behavior as well as determining moral and other values is the responsibility of the parents. 

Knowledge of social behavior should be imparted by teachers who also demonstrate and monitor the application of these necessary skills within the school community.  However, the schools are usurping the parents’ authority by making unilateral decisions about teaching debatable subjects.  After all, is it not reasonable for parents to be the ones to decide when their children have come of age to lose their innocence?  

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The definition of an extended family household is one that has two or more adult generations or a grandparent and one other generation living together.  According to a 2008 Pew Research study, 49 million Americans, 16.1% of the total U.S. population, are part of such a family.  This trend is growing.

In 1940, 25% of the population lived in extended family households.  This fell to 12% by 1980.   At the early part of the last century, 57% of adults over 65 lived with their adult children.  During the 1980s into the 1990s just 17% of those 65+ lived with their families.  This climbed to 20% in 2008 and continues to increase. 

Only 10% of the total population lives in a single person household.  In 1980 nearly 29% of those living alone were over 65.  More recently, this has dropped to just over 27%, even though there are more people over 65 than at any time before.

The wave of immigration that began in the late ‘70s, the ethnic makeup of the new multi-generational households reflects this phenomenon.  Hispanics 22%, Blacks 23%, Asians 25% and Whites 13%.  All segments have increased since the recession began.  Of total U.S. households, 34% consist of one generation, 47% are two generation (parent with child), 16% are multi-generational and 2% are living in group quarters.

Another Pew study (2005) indicates that 56% of the public believes it is the responsibility of adult children to take in elderly parents, but a strong minority (39%) disagree.  However, with economic uncertainty and an aging population, many families are forced to reconsider having grandmom and granddad move in.  Often the elder family members are able to help with some of the expenses as well as the childrearing duties.

Establishing a multi-generational family is not easy.  Is there enough room for one or two more people?  Will an add-on room or separate unit be needed?  How are finances and other responsibilities to be split up?  What about privacy issues?  And, most important, will the various personalities be able to get along?

Assuming all parties involved are willing to make an extended family household work, it can be a great experience for all.  The grand parents bring family history and years of personal experience to the table.  Mom and dad get some help and hopefully ask for advice.  And the grandkids get the opportunity to receive adult guidance from someone other than their parents while learning about the roles of different generations.  All-in-all, this is the kind of arrangement that can do much to re-establish family values in America.   

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Sure, the air was still nippy but had lost its sting.  And, when the sun made an appearance, Mother Nature confirmed what we already knew: it was time to play ball.  I’ll never forget the ritual, learned from older brothers and dads, which took place as we got ready for the unofficial baseball season that lasted for more than six months even in a cold-weather city like Philadelphia.

Before putting the glove(s) away for the winter, we placed a ball in the pocket of the glove and wrapped it with cloth.  This was done to assure the glove maintained its shape.  The first thing we did after taking a glove out of safe keeping was to open a can of linseed oil and slowly rub the oil into the leather to make it as supple as possible.  This exercise was repeated several times during the season.

Next, we went to our stash of baseballs.  I kept mine in a couple of shoe boxes.  One had the old balls.  These had lost their stitches and covers.  So we taped them with quarter-inch adhesive tape, which left a bump at both poles causing the ball to take funny turns. 

Taped balls were used to play catch in the cement driveway or the asphalt street.  We didn’t care if the ball got serious scuff marks, we just re-taped it. The used balls, with covers intact, were reserved for use on the playing field but only for practice.  New balls remained in individual boxes, wrapped in tissue paper and ready for a game.

Bats were a different animal.  As we grew longer bats were needed.  As we gained strength heavier bats came into play.  Those who played PAL (Police Athletic League) ball or with other team had to wait for the coach to tell us what we would be swinging once the organized teams started playing a couple of months down the line.  So, we oiled up the old bats – all bats were wood back then – and used them until that time came.

The other equipment was important, too.  Hats had been blocked a placed on a closet shelf.  If our hat size changed over the winter, we made sure that a new cap was ready.  There were no adjustable hats in those days, so size mattered.  Finally, spikes (baseball shoes), had to be checked for size, as did uniforms.

Knowing we had everything in order, the boys of that era looked forward to hours of fun playing what was then America’s pastime.  Today, many boys as well as girls will be doing what we did those many years ago and waiting for the cry we love to hear every year about this time, “Play ball.”   

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My dad took me to the school yard after work and on weekends for a few weeks until I got the hang of maintaining balance while propelling myself forward.  There were no training wheels back then.  In fact, bicycles were difficult to come by in the midst of WWII.  Mine was found in relative’s basement and long forgotten before it was discovered when clearing out the storeroom in preparation for a wartime junk drive.  None of that mattered.  I had my own bike, and I knew how to ride it.

At first, my bike riding was close to home.  Soon going around the block again and again grew boring.  A couple of skid outs from turning too sharp and applying the brakes too hard along with a few crashes from not paying attention were painful but helped perfect my cycling skills.  With this experience, I was ready to expand my biking horizons.

I rode all around the neighborhood and then ventured to distances of a couple of miles, but I had to pedal like crazy to move the small bike along with any kind of speed.   As I grew, the seat was extended to accommodate my longer legs.  Being able to ride the full-size, big guy’s bike was my dream.  Over the next couple of years I experienced a growth spurt and shot up to the required height.  Along the way, I stopped riding my bike and borrowed one from the older brother of the kid next door who had graduated to cars.

Then, in 1947, I turned 11.  To my delight I received a shinny, new Schwinn bicycle for Christmas that year.  This was no ordinary bike.  It was the Cadillac of bikes in every way.  Solid and heavy, it was built for comfort and cruising.  It had a two-tone paint job, whitewall tires, a front-end shock absorber, pedal and hand brakes, carrying rack and a battery operated horn along with a guard to keep my pants from getting caught in the chain.  What a bike!

I put lots of miles on that Schwinn.  It looked cool and I knew I looked cool riding it.  I often checked myself in store windows as I rode by — this was a habit I later renewed when I started driving.  The bike took me all over my part of the city.  And, without my realizing it, I got into good shape for the sports activities I enjoyed so much.

When high school came, the Schwinn did not see much action anymore.  My mind was on other things.  In a way, I had out grown it just as I had that little Chinese red one from years before.  But I’ll never forget the fun I had with these bikes or the feeling of independence they gave me.  Too bad today’s kids don’t have the freedom to enjoy riding bikes the way I did.  However, my grandkids seem to enjoy the biking stories even though they’ll never experience these adventures themselves.      

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Those over 65 can act smug and say it wasn’t our fault.  The truth is we let government get out-of-control by not paying attention to what was going on in Washington, let alone our state and local governments.  Electing the same politicians to office, again and again, or not participating in the voting process took place on our watch.

Thinking that the money the elected officials spent was somebody else’s, such as taxes from big corporations or rich folks, has come back to haunt us.  Businesses had to pass on their added costs of doing business to us, which has helped fuel inflation over the years.  And, when the rich could not make up budget shortfalls, the burden fell on us in the form of additional and often hidden taxes as well as fees and up charges for services.

In the past two years the federal government has borrowed an addition $29,660, according to CNS News.  Over that period the national debt soared from $10.79 trillion to the current level of $14.13 trillion.  This 30% increase over 2009 is unsustainable, yet the president’s recent challenge to his cabinet called for cutting budgets by only $100 million, which hardly makes a dent in the debt.

Politicians are known for using the tactic of “kicking the can down the road.”  This is simply a way of delaying making difficult decisions, those that might adversely affect their reelection, and leaving the problem for someone else to solve.  Entitlements have always been considered the third rail in political circles.  And, that belief prevails today.

If the government cut all discretionary spending, the deficit would not be eliminated.  So it is the untouchable programs that must be examined and reformed.  Unless our elected representatives are willing to address the sacred cows of Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, there is little hope for getting the federal budget back in line.  We New Seniors participate and are deeply concerned with these programs.  Therefore, we have strong opinions about their sanctity.

Since we are living with Social Security and receive government sponsored health care benefits, New Seniors know what they mean to us.  Each of us should contact our representatives and express our opinions, both for the importance of the programs and how they might be improved for the generations not yet of age.

Since those 65+ accounted for nearly one in four votes cast last November, politicians must listen to our voices now if they want our votes later.  Let them know what you think works and what doesn’t work.  Give them thoughts for improvements as well as cost savings, because we must get involved for our sake and the sake of generations to come.      

McDonald’s is under attack for more than its Big Mac.  New Seniors have seen the rise of fast food throughout our lifetimes.  We may not have liked seeing the demise of the mom and pop restaurants, but the golden arches have become part of the American way of life.  Now, we won’t be able to take the grand children or great grand children there for a bite to eat and get them a free toy in the process. 

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Is there an adult in this country who believes that a burger, fries and a sugary soft drink is good for you?  Conversely, there are few who will argue that this combination doesn’t taste good.  And, since the rule today is not to let kids under ten years old out of our sight, the only way the youngster can have a Happy Meal, or similar fare accompanied by a free toy, is for an adult to take them to the restaurant and order it for them.

Proponents of taking the fun out of fast food contend that this is one way to fight obesity and to get kids to enjoy nutritious food.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest plans to sue McDonald’s, the leading fast food operator, for brainwashing young kids through advertising and promotion of these high calorie, high fat, high sugar meals, which are often demanded by the children.  Did the kids force the adults into the car and drive them to McDonald’s.  Don’t these do-gooders understand that adults have both the power and the responsibility to say, “no?”

As a precursor to what is to come, San Francisco became the first major city to ban most of the Happy Meals.  The veto-proof ordinance will not be in effect until the end of 2011.  At that time, no free toys can be given with meals contain more than 600 calories (with the drink) and have over 35% of the calories coming from fat.  In addition, the combo must include fruits and vegetables. 

Since most meals are consumed at home, wouldn’t that be the place to introduce better nutrition for the entire family.  Going out to eat was supposed to be a treat, a break from the norm, something different.  The notion of the government, any government from local ones all the way to Washington, pre-empting the parents and regulating what the kids eat seems downright un-American. 

If youngsters lived active lives instead of playing video games or whiling away the hours in front of the TV set and the computer screen, maybe they wouldn’t be overweight.  If the school lunches are healthy as well as better tasting, maybe the kids would eat them rather than junk food.  And, if there was a play period every day when the kids were allowed to compete and play strenuous games like dodge ball and tag, maybe they would burn up the calories like we did when we were kids.

Until these questions can be addressed, let’s not make the Hamburglar the bad guy.  In the meantime, if you are a New Senior with grandchildren ask their moms if it’s okay to take them out for kids for a Happy Meal from time to time.  But, remember, you will be liable for the young ones enjoying themselves. 

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Those of us born between 1930 and 1945, once known as pre-boomers and now the core of the New Seniors movement, grew up learning and understanding this kind of philosophy.  It was laid out to us as the way to live life.  Our parents and other family members showed us how this worked.  School teachers, the clergy, scout masters and a host of personal role models taught us about the value of this kind of service.  Now it’s our turn to pass it on.

Boomers start turning 65 next year at the rate of one every ten seconds, and this will continue through 2030.  As they join the ranks of the New Seniors, about 4 million of them will turn 65 each year for the next 19 years, uncharted territory will be forged.  Because never having been 65 before opens up an entirely new experience for the boomer generation.  Where do they get the insight and advice to help make this transition as smooth as possible?  They’ll look to the people who have successfully moved on to this phase of life, those who are already New Seniors.

Don’t expect to see New Seniors lecturing to the recent batch joining them.  Rather current New Seniors will continue to do what they’ve been doing.  The newer folks can learn by watching what we do and pitching in when and where they can.  Sorta like on-the-job training when we were new to the workforce, although nothing formal.  All it takes is to connect with New Seniors and join them in being of service.

The whole idea is to make this country the best possible place we can for trailing generations, particularly our grand children and great grand children.  We’ve been through the trials and tribulations of life of the business years or soon will be.  So our efforts are not money oriented.  Instead we are trying to make a difference by improving the quality of life in small, sometimes hardly noticeable, increments.  This is not for us but for others: family, friends, neighbors and the well-being of the country.

For instance, the New Seniors’ presence is important in mentoring kids, helping people gain new job skills or volunteering to be of service to those in nursing homes and other facilities.  We have the know-how and the time to make a difference.  More of us are inspired to give back what was so freely given to us, so we are getting involved.

Are you satisfied with what’s going on?  Do you fear the American dream is being compromised?  Is helping someone besides yourself of interest to you?  If you’re not already stepping up to the challenges that we all face, there’s no better time to join other New Seniors to plant those shade trees for future generations.