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The Night of the Gun By David Carr For new readers of Family Times, author David Carr has been our parenting columnist since the first issue hit the stands. We have followed with interest as his little twin daughters, Erin and Meagan, have grown into lovely, accomplished college students; he found and married his wife Jill and their daughter Maddie was born. As he describes in this issue’s column, this book is a different story – the story of his young adulthood as a drug addict. At first blush it would seem that this book is a huge departure from our usual Update fare of helpful parenting guides, inspirational stories and children’s books with a message – only it is not. David’s book, though not really about parenting per se, has volumes to say about the role of the family, parenting and the power of the giving and the getting of love. (Be advised – this book is for mature audiences and may still not sit well even with some of them. Carr doesn’t hold back in his descriptions of past indiscretions.) The impetus for this book was not, I believe, to impart lessons or even serve as an inspirational ode to recovery. It is a memoir that peers into some dark alleys and acknowledges the lucky breaks that afford the author the opportunity to write about it now from his position as a New York Times reporter, homeowner and family man. But it is not hard to identify some of the safety nets that stopped his free fall – they all have the last name Carr. The argument can be made that it was the steadfast, albeit “tough” love of his family and his own evolution into the role of a father that, if not responsible for his recovery, were major contributors. We are all works in progress as people and as parents - none of us perfect and some walking a rougher road than others - but in the end it would seem, Carr’s recounting of his precarious journey suggests that the building and growing of a strong family, however one might go about it, creates the proverbial rock from which all things are possible. Hardcover, 389 pages, Simon & Schuster, $26. www.nightofthegun.com.
Save Those Receipts With the flurry of back to school shopping in full swing, the Minnesota Department of Revenue is reminding parents to save receipts from school supply purchases. Minnesota has two tax provisions that help families pay education related expenses: the K-12 education credit and K-12 education subtraction. Both programs reduce the tax parents must pay and could provide a larger refund. To qualify, a child must be attending K-12 at a public, private or home school. Most expenses paid for educational instruction or materials qualify, including paper, pens, notebooks; textbooks; rental or purchases of musical instruments; computer hardware and educational software; after-school education, enrichment programs and summer school; and tutor fees. There are no income restrictions to qualify for the education subtraction; restrictions only apply to the education credit. For more information, visit www.taxes.state.mn.us or call 651-296-3781. Expo for Health These days there are expos for just about everything – pets, cabins, chocolate – but what about an expo that could potentially save your life? The annual Diabetes Expo, held at the Minneapolis Convention Center on October 11, brings together resources, experts and ideas for maintaining and improving health for people of all ages with diabetes. The expo provides an opportunity to learn more about how to thrive with diabetes with tips and demonstrations on how to eat healthier, be more active, monitor blood glucose, take care of your feet and eyes and much more. Check out the special Kid’s Corner for interactive fun including face painting, educational games and fitness activities. Visit www.diabetes.org or call 763-593-5333 ext. 6652 for more information or to register. Rise and Shine, Hannah’s on the Line! Do you hate the school morning wake-up routine? Let Hannah Montana do the work. Wal-Mart and Disney are offering free wake-up calls and activity reminders from Hannah Montana. Log onto www.hannahmontanacalls.com and you can select the date, time and theme for your child’s wake-up call and choose between three different messages. There’s no charge for signing up and they’re available anytime through September 15th. Worth Watching Not sure what movies make sense for kids anymore? Check out the Top 100 Films from Kids First! at www.kidsfirst.org/Top100.html. The list recognizes feature films with universal appeal, serving as a resource guide for parents to make age and content-appropriate movie selections for their kids, ages 5-12. To be considered, films must meet or exceed the baseline criteria established by the organization - no gratuitous violence or abuse; no inappropriate sexual behavior; no bias in terms of race, gender, culture or religion; no condescension toward children; no replicable unsafe behavior. Plus, any film on this list has been compared with others and found to be exceptional among its peers. Support the Cause Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and MGM Home Entertainment are joining forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise breast cancer awareness and support advancements towards a cure. Fox and MGM will donate money from the sale of specially packaged DVDs, to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The pink packaged DVDs hit shelves on September 23rd and feature 15 romantic comedies, including Little Miss Sunshine, Just My Luck, Edward Sissorhands, Say Anything and Ever After.
www.freediot.com
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