followed by cameras and reporters on a regular basis
since his enormous success last summer. As it turned
out, it wasn’t a paparazzo’s camera that caught him in a
compromising situation—it was a camera phone,
presumably belonging to a peer who was attending the
same party. While your son may not be facing paparazzi
on his way to class, or have to deal with media scrutiny
over what he had for lunch, it’s important to make the
case that people are watching his actions, and that they
can make a bigger statement about who he is than
anything he will ever say publicly.
“Kids watch one another closely, and they notice the
things that happen when no one else is watching,”
explains Johnson. “Explain to your son that the decisions
he makes each day, and the way that he carries himself
at school, on the soccer field, and even at home impacts
those around him. Teach him to strive for setting a good
example at all times. Even if no one notices 99 percent of
the time, it will set him up for success when someone
does take notice.”
Teach your kids that it’s NOT all relative. Celebrity
news is more popular than ever, and you can hardly turn
on the television or check out at the grocery store
without being bombarded by the latest celebrity
scandal. It’s unfortunate, but after seeing repeated trips
to rehab, allegations of steroid use and domestic
violence, and other incidents of open drug use, your kids
may be desensitized to news like this and may even
think it’s not a big deal. When you talk to them, make
sure that they understand that what Michael Phelps did
was wrong; no matter how much more press the A-Rod
steroid scandal may be receiving.
“Just because smoking pot isn’t the worst celebrity
offense out there doesn’t make it any less serious,”
explains Johnson. “In fact, it’s sad that the bar is so low
that you can quickly find worse offenses from
celebrities. Now is the time to explain to your kids that
h
i
g
h
wrong is wrong: If your son gets caught cheating on a
test, it doesn’t mean he is in any less trouble just because
Tommy was caught fighting at school. Teach them that
h
o
p
e
s
S
OPEN:
the only offenses that matter are their own, and that
they should be their own litmus test for what’s right and
I
N
F
A
N
T
S
•
T
O
D
D
L
E
R
2
Ye
ar
s -
3
Ye
ar
s
6
We
ek
s -
2
Ye
ar
s
6:30AM TO
what’s wrong.”
Remind them that admitting mistakes and
N
U
R
S
E
R
Y
S
C
H
O
O
L
3
ye
ar
o
ld
p
ro
gr
am
6:30PM
apologizing speaks volumes.With sponsorship deals,
future training, and of course, his reputation all on the
U
N
I
V
E
R
S
A
L
P
R
E
-
K
line, it can be a big temptation for someone like Michael St
at
e
Fu
nd
ed
U
PK
S
ea
ts
A
va
ila
bl
e
Fo
r
4
Ye
ar
O
ld
s
Phelps to want to deny the story, explain it away, or to try
TE
ND
ER
-L
O
VI
NG
C
AR
E!
and fly under the radar and not comment. Instead, he
Fle
xi
bl
e
sc
he
du
le
s
•
Co
me
m
ee
t
ou
r
st
af
f
admitted to making a bad decision on national
CO
M
E
AN
D
JO
IN
T
HE
FU
N!
ay
s
av
ai
la
bl
e
television and he apologized. While it may not change
Ag
e
ap
pr
op
ria
te
c
ur
ric
ulu
m
•
Ha
lf
&
Fu
ll D
N
O
W
A
C
what happened, it’s a step in the right direction and it’s a
F
C
EP
T
O
I
R
demonstration of humility on Phelps’s behalf, one that
H
NG
R
EG
IS
speaks more to his character than a compromising cell
Call for a
A
IG
H
H
T
RA
T
IO
G
O
ES
2
-
P
6
ES
•
S
U
N
M
M
ER
C
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phone photo ever will.
“It’s important to make sure that your kids
tour!
“
T
H
E
P
L
A
M
E
U
D
A
,
C
UR
RI
C
UL
“
” U
B
“
P
A
M
:
understand that an apology isn’t an instant fix, but it is a
E
JA
A
M
C
H
P
A
P
A
A
necessary first step towards making things right,” says
O
R
R
T
T
Y,
”
U
A
Y,
”
T
N
D
D
O
O
M
Johnson. “If you avoid or deny the things you have done
R
P
O
R
L
E!
AY
wrong, it can do further damage to your overall 971 Rossville Avenue
A
RE
A
character. Admitting your mistakes and apologizing to
the people you’ve affected is the first step in restoring
718-317-8143
the faith and trust they once had in you. And you should
also remind your kids that simply apologizing does not
erase their transgressions. Tell them they must live their
apology every day by not repeating their past mistakes.”
www.siparent.com | March 2009 113
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