The Columbia Press
August 20, 2021
7
ZED by Duane M. Abel
www.corkeycomics.com
Senior Moments
with Emma Edwards
How about common sense?
Here we are, once again, in
confinement due to an influx
in COVID-19 cases, with the
Delta variant being the chief
culprit.
Sometimes I let my mind
wander to the “what ifs.” I
have a fertile imagination, as
my family will attest, and so
the “what ifs” can multiply.
But I have learned it does me
no good.
As I have said before and I
will reiterate here: I feel that
God has given each of us what
could be called common sense
and it’s there if we care to use
it.
Common sense is defined
as “sound judgment in prac-
tical matters” such as a com-
mon-sense approach.
Synonyms include good
sense, acumen and sensible-
ness.
Have you noticed how some
signs on products show man-
ufacturers assume we have no
common sense? Here are a
few I ran across recently:
Warning label on package of
fireplace logs: “Caution; risk
of fire.”
On an iron: “Do not iron
clothes on body.”
On a fishing hook: “Harmful
if swallowed.”
On a hair dryer: “Do not use
while sleeping.”
On a baby stroller: “Remove
child before folding.”
A riddle that has been
around since before you and I
were born gets me every time.
See if you can figure out what
common sense would tell you.
Riddle: You are in a dark
room with a candle, a wood
stove and a gas lamp. You
have only one match. What do
you light first? (Answer is at
the end of this column.)
My next thought is wheth-
er I sometimes lack common
sense. Was I – or were you --
born with common sense?
Why do we need signs such
as this: “Please be aware that
the balcony is not on ground
level.”
From what I have studied
on the subject, I’ve concluded
that we’re not born with com-
mon sense. It is something
we learn beginning in early
childhood.
I like Thomas Edison’s state-
ment, “The three great es-
sentials to achieve anything
worthwhile (in life) are, first,
hard work; second, stick-
to-itiveness; third, common
sense.”
Dare I tell you I think we se-
niors possess more common
sense the older we are?
I can’t help it. One more
warning.
On a Superman Halloween
costume: “This costume does
not enable flight or super
strength.”
Perception enters into the
answer of what is common
sense.
I like to think I use common
sense with my kitten named
Holly, who has suddenly
grown into an opinionated
cat. Sometimes I get annoyed
with her take on life and am
tempted to open the door and
toss her out. Then what we
call common sense reminds
me that traffic is heavy in my
area of Warrenton and Holly
does not know what a car is
except for fun trips in her car-
rier to the vet’s office.
Likewise, common sense
tells me to wear my mask and
not gripe and complain. Oh,
and here is the answer to the
riddle in the middle of the
column: The match is what
should be lit first.
Here’s to Your Health
by Dr. Emily Pirmann, pediatrician
Get kids mentally ready to return to school
Back-to-school time is often
exciting for kids. They get to
see their friends again, meet
new teachers, and learn new
things.
But last year’s topsy-turvy
school year may make some
kids anxious about returning
to school in the fall, accord-
ing to the Child Mind Insti-
tute.
As a parent, you can help
your kids cope with these
stresses and worries. Here
are a few ways to prepare
and reassure them that go-
ing back to school will be safe
and fun:
• Get rock solid on the rules.
There are no guarantees. But
steps like wearing masks,
social distancing and hand-
washing can help prevent the
spread of COVID-19 when
kids head back to the class-
room. Make sure they know
what will be expected of
them, and reassure them that
the rules are there to keep
them safe.
• Start a familiar routine.
Before school starts, get them
used to a daily schedule that
matches what they’ll have on
school days. For instance, set
regular times for:
Waking up and going to
sleep.
Eating breakfast and lunch.
Taking a nap if they need
one.
Picking out the next day’s
clothes.
• Flex their social muscles.
If it’s safe to do so, arrange
play dates with a friend in
their social bubble before
school starts. Having a famil-
iar buddy when they go back
to the classroom can help
them ease back into in-per-
son interactions.
Set the tone. Stay calm and
positive when talking to your
kids about their worries. Re-
assure them that their feel-
ings are normal. Then focus
on what they can do to feel
better and how you can help.
• Manage your own stress.
Remember, that the new
school year is a first for you,
too. Recognizing and man-
aging your own stress and
anxiety can help model good
behavior for your kids.
• Ask your children’s teach-
ers how you can best reach
them. Many teachers use
email or school apps to com-
municate with parents. By
establishing open commu-
nication with the school and
teachers, you will be able
to voice your concerns and
questions early, so they can
be addressed.
• Be on watch. Kids show
stress and anxiety in different
ways. They may act out, with-
draw, or show other changes.
If these signs last more than
a few weeks into the school
year, talk to their doctor. In
some cases, counseling might
be helpful.
Dr. Emily Pirmann is a
pediatrician at Columbia
Memorial Hospital. Here’s
to Your Health is brought to
you by CMH.
Special columns in The Columbia Press
Every week: Senior Moments with Emma Edwards
Week 1: Financial Focus with Adam Miller
Week 2: Here’s to Your Health from CMH
Week 3: Off the Shelf by Kelly Knudsen
Final week: Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer