THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017
FEATURES
Spanish immersion question
Dear Annie: Our 4-year-old seven years. What if he were not
will be in prekindergarten in the to get along with them? — Una
fall. His elementary school offers Pregunta
Dear Pregunta: This is a
a Spanish immersion program,
opportunity
and we can’t decide whether to once-in-a-lifetime
enroll him in it. The program that will beget a lifetime of fur-
was one of the things that influ- ther opportunities. Being bilin-
gual is a bigger asset than
enced our decision to buy
DEAR
ever in today’s globalized
a house in this area. But
society (and increasingly
now that decision time is
ANNIE
competitive job market).
here, we’re having second
Learning a foreign lan-
thoughts.
guage has been shown to
His school day would
build multitasking skills,
be 80 percent taught in
improve memory, make
Spanish. In the class,
students more percep-
there would be 10 kids
tive, hone decision-mak-
who speak Spanish at
Lane
ing skills and do so much
home and 10 kids who, Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
more. I think you’d regret
like my son, don’t speak
not trying this program
any Spanish.
My wife and I value the abil- out much more than you’d ever
ity to speak a second language, regret trying it.
See whether you can talk to
and starting this early, our son
might be able to speak as well as some of the parents of the third-,
a native speaker. But it would be fourth- and fifth-graders who are
a huge commitment. The school in the program. Get a sense of
expects people who commit in the workloads and how children
prekindergarten to stay in the pro- like the tightknit learning envi-
gram through fifth grade, and it’s ronment. Ask parents what they
now or never; he couldn’t start in wish they had known when going
the future. That is scary for us. into it. Whatever you decide, it’s
We don’t really know our son’s clear that you and your wife care
learning style or whether this deeply about your son’s educa-
would be a good fit for him. And tion, so I have no doubt he’ll turn
he’d be with the same 19 kids for out just fine.
Dear Annie: A fellow church-
goer doesn’t like to drive, so she
always asks others to pick her up
for church, take her to visit her
father in the nursing home, shut-
tle her to the grocery, etc., etc.
She lives 30 minutes out of the
way for most of us, and she has a
car and a license. She never offers
to pay for gas, leaving some of
us feeling taken advantage of.
Should we just put our frustra-
tion aside and try to show some
Christian love, or can we help her
understand that others don’t want
to be taken advantage of? — Feel-
ing Used
Dear Feeling Used: Just
because she has a license doesn’t
mean she should be driving, and if
she feels uncomfortable or unsafe
driving, then good for her for
making the very smart decision
to get help. However, that help
needn’t be from friends or congre-
gation members every single time.
Many community-based transpor-
tation services exist for seniors.
An excellent database is available
from AAA at http://seniordriving.
aaa.com/local-transportation-pro-
grams. The most generous thing
would be to help her help herself
by getting her plugged in to some
resources.
5A
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Nature is
stronger than man. Then again, man is a part
of nature. You’ll prove the mightiness of the
human spirit in some way today as you go up
against the big forces and win.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). After periods
of high exertion you need time to relax and
recover. If you don’t consciously and regularly
schedule this, you’ll miss it and burn out later.
Take care of your health and happiness now
by making a plan.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). In order to better
achieve the group goal, people must feel
safe enough speak up about what’s working
and what’s not. If everyone is too afraid to
challenge or change the way things are
going, the outcome will suffer.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). There will be
flashy, glamorous and dramatic situations to
get involved in today, but should you? You
won’t be sorry if you instead choose your
company the same way you choose your
shoes — for comfort and long wear.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There’s nothing
wrong with wanting appreciation and love. It
doesn’t make you automatically needy just
because you have the very basic human
drive to be valued. Be suspicious of anyone
who tries to make you feel otherwise.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You may
not agree right now with what you did back
there, but you made the best decision you
could make based on the information you
had at the time. Knowing more, you’ll do it
differently today.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’ve
been wronged — probably just a misunder-
standing — and you’ll work it out. Being too
conciliatory would be a mistake. Don’t mute
your own interests more than is good for the
relationship going forward.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The day
has exciting potential for you as you follow
a fascinating lead. Where high standards
meet with prepossessing features, a strong
attraction will develop.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Maybe you shouldn’t
tell everyone about the extensive effort you
put into getting to a certain result. Your payoff
will come when the others figure out that they
can’t easily duplicate what you just pulled off.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Mistakes teach
us how to be more flexible in the future. They
also make us compassionate. Accept your-
self and move on. You’re becoming stronger
and more able every day.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You won’t get
the sale, promotion or attention necessary
to move forward unless people know what
you’re doing and why. So don’t be shy today;
publicize your work.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (March 21).
Get organized now, because you’ll soon
take your talents to a wider audience. Travel
will be involved. You might be surprised
who finds you enchanting in April. Family
connections will parlay into business wins in
May. In June, while tending to responsibility,
a dream will come true. Capricorn and Libra
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 12, 2, 40,
9 and 31.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your social talents
will be put to good use now. You’ll connect
people who can do one another good. You’ll
set a tone where people feel comfortable
enough to contribute.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE