First lady urges adults to become mentors

[sabra]

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http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/11854499.htm

First lady urges adults to become mentors

SIOBHAN McDONOUGH

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - First lady Laura Bush on Thursday said that spending time with kids brings real benefits in keeping them out of trouble, and urged more grown ups to become mentors.

"At the end of the day the most important contribution mentors make is spending time and attention with the child," Mrs. Bush told about 700 people at the Big Brothers Big Sisters conference.

The first lady cited programs around the country that offer mentoring to children, and took the opportunity to tout her initiative, Helping America's Youth, which stresses that every child needs a caring adult - a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, coach or mentor.

Mrs. Bush talked about the things that can sidetrack a child - smoking, drinking, drugs, pressures to have sex, gangs and violence - and how caring adults can help steer them away from such trouble. And with 50 million children in the United States, there is no shortage of need, she added.

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[Mizmoon]

1. True enough

Young people can use all the help they can get. It's a hard world.

[Avalux]

2. She should have taken her own advice and spent time with her daughters

they obviously weren't steered away from risky behavior. Hypocrite.

[stevedeshazer]

15. You think like I do, sparosnare LOL see below

[Avalux]

16. LOL! Your second pic is great!

:rofl: :hi:

[goclark]

18. Who the hell is she to talk about menntoring anyone!!

Her mother needed to mentor her for selling nickle bags.

Where was her mom and where was she when she raised two(forgot Chimp) three children that are scum?

[Deep13]

3. Ya know what's funny?

When I read this title, I immediately assumed it was about Hillary Clinton.

[Skidmore]

4. Should've taken her own advice

with her own kids.

[indepat]

5. Mentoring begins at home

[rodeodance]

6. I am glad Jr was sidetracked for lots of years with these vices.

Mrs. Bush talked about the things that can sidetrack a child - smoking, drinking, drugs,......

[Neshanic]

7. Like Toonces was for her.

[BlueIris]

8. I loved my mentoring experiences.

When I returned to the world of stable, gainful employment, I will definitely make time to do that again. It was so rewarding. Almost as good as registering voters.

[hatrack]

9. Yeah, they'll find time between their multiple jobs, and raising kids .. .

. . . and trying to help out with the PTA and raising money for their schools, and caring for their parents and sending out resumes and trying to balance their budgets and commuting and all the rest and march right out there and start mentoring.

Great suggestion, Pickles! :puke:

[shantipriya]

11. mentoring

I'd rather have no mentor than have someone like Shrub. Imagine Shrub being a mentor!!!

[loveable liberal]

10. Is this part of Laura's initiative to rid inner cities of drugs?

What ever happened to that? What happened to going to Mars? ..... What happened?

[tx_dem41]

12. What's that saying about a broken clock? n/t

[applegrove]

13. We will need mentors. Why children will be streamed into bad schools

and the like. Chances of going to university if you were not deemed deserving of it as a child - very small.


Most mentors take on a few kids at the most. But that will be okay since there will be more older people than younger ones.

What about the theory that shows that if only 5% or less of your neighbours are professional - then the trap of poverty is set? Why not work on the Cities in the USA and mixing up the neighborhoods?

After all in 30 years there will be no gas. So you better start with the reverse suburban sprawl sooner rather than later!

[cornermouse]

20. Beg to differ with the reverse suburban sprawl statement.

Not everyone can move into the city. Among other things, you still have to have people in the countryside growing so that those foolish enough to move to the city still can find food in the grocery store.

More to the point, I think those jobs which CAN be done from home, online, will increase.

[applegrove]

26. Perhaps. I wonder how you find a mentor if you are poor and live in

the countryside? If you live in the inner city.

The people who need mentors the most will not be the ones to get them.

[cornermouse]

28. You don't leave the big city very much, do you?

Sorry. This is intended to be an observation, not an insult. But maybe you should get out and do some traveling to see what's out there.

[applegrove]

30. Referring to the lack of public transportation outside the city and the

lack of mentors in a tough neighborhood inside the city.

[AndyTiedye]

24. When We Try To "Mix Up the Neighborhoods"...

...it quickly turns into "Yuppification", as the poor get forced out
by skyrocketing rents.

Often the poor get forced way out into the hinterlands, where they
face long commutes and poor or nonexistant public transportation,
forcing them to buy an old gas guzzler to get around.

That's the problem with "reverse suburban sprawl". The city isn't
big enough for everybody.

[applegrove]

27. Still - there has to be a mixture. You have to have all sorts of people

in the neighborhood. Look at how Harlem is picking up. Doubt anyone would worry about Yuppification at this point.
And when you hit the spot where people of Harlem are beginning to be squeezed - then you stop the yuppification. And then you move out of the city like that.

[DFWdem]

34. Actually

Shortly after Clinton announced he was establishing his post-presidency office in Harlem, the leader of the New Black Panthers complained about the gentrification of Harlem and said his group did not want Clinton's office in the neighborhood.

[applegrove]

35. How do the people who live there feel? My understanding is they are

hoping for economic development. At least a bit more than they are used to.

Black Panther's don't speak for everybody. But I agree that Harlem - as property prices rise, should have strict bylaws to make sure that whatever development takes place is African American in nature & in the profit.

[stevedeshazer]

14. Drivel

We all know what happened when she and "Mr. Excitement" were practicing what they preach.




"Mr. Excitement" also has considerable experience with second-graders.

[Frances]

17. Why don't the twins become mentors?

Or would the Bib Brothers-Bis Sisters organization consider them unsuitable?

[cornermouse]

19. So who is Laura mentoring?

You know, a "good for the gaggle, good for the goose" type of thing.

[quispquake]

21. Mentors???

[0007]

22. Bet the pedophiles are salivating over this tall order from the

first lady.

Now let's take all the kiddies to the state prisons and the local fat farms.

[Robeson]

23. You mean like "It Takes A Village", Laura????.....

...gee, when Hillary suggested it, she was called a Commie. Laura rips off her concept, and is a hero. Go figure.

[barbaraann]

25. Bingo.

Of course, Laura wouldn't want to use an AFRICAN proverb to describe a good idea.

[lebkuchen]

29. on a volunteer basis of course

You go first, Laura. Start w/your own brats.

[sweetheart]

31. Kids just can't roll a joint these days and need help

You'd think with small fingers that they'd be adepts, but it just ain't
so... so there is indeed a great need for mentors to come round to
help the kids out. :-) Just remember "Laura Bush said YES to cannabis."

Republicans are all stoners anyways... everyone knows that!

[leftofcool]

32. LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!eom

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lonestarnot]

36. Ugh ... don't you mean the first turdette?

[noamnety]

37. I can guess what kind of mentors she means