Dr. Deb shares her knowledge with dental school hopefuls

Dr. Deb has gone back to college! Here she is pictured with some of the members of the Holy Cross Pre-Dental Society. As you may know, Dr. Deb (and Dr. Diane) have been visiting our area schools teaching proper brushing and flossing for 24 years. Dr. Deb was invited by the society to give these dental school hopefuls pointers on the best way to present the oral hygiene message to Worcester school children.

From one parent to the next...

Dr. Deb and Dr. Diane wish you all the very best in your New Year! It's hard to believe that 2012 is behind us. A new year is beginning, and it's always a time for resolutions, and fresh starts. With all the excitement of gift-giving and receiving behind us, we wanted to share a real story from some parents to their child on receiving, responsibility, maturity, and decision-making. While you may or may not agree with this piece, it does bring us back to core values, despite the lightening speed of technology and the ever-present material world. We invite your comments!




Greg H is a kid who just got an iPhone from his parents. His mom, Janell, wrote these [slightly edited] rules for its use:



1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?

2. I will always know the password.

3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads "Mom" or "Dad". Not ever.

4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30 pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00 pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30 am. If you would not make a call to someone's land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.

5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It's a life skill.

6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs.

7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay out of the crossfire.

8-9. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.

10. No porn.

11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.

12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts. Don't laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear -- including a bad reputation.

13. Don't take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.

14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO -- fear of missing out.

15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.

16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.

17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.

18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You & I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.

HSU primate migration

They’re BAAACCCK! My three Homo studentus universitatus (HSU) primates have migrated back to their parental nest for Christmas and once again have infiltrated and taken over my neat and ordered homestead. With non-verbal communication (texting), they have alerted other HSU primates that the winter break meeting ritual has begun at our house. Their social structure seems to have evolved though. There are more female sightings and the males don’t seem so alpha-like. I think they even brush their teeth more!! Their strange sleeping habits have remained the same. They continue to be nocturnal and they seem to prefer sleeping on couches with the TV on rather than in their comfy beds. Maybe it is because they can’t see their beds under all the clothes, books and papers that are strewn about their dens. But truthfully, this is my happiest time. Having my monkeys back home, asking what’s for dinner, and giving me big hugs daily is my greatest joy. I thank God everyday for the good in my life. May God bless your families this new year and let’s remember that many are in need of our prayers. God Bless Us Everyone! ~Deb

Big fans of Santa!

I had heard from patients that Santa had begun showing himself in the malls just after Halloween. In my mind, that's still Halloween and that meant that Santa was an imposter. But, we had to go see for ourselves. As you can see from the photos, it's official! My favorite thing about getting these photos with Santa is to watch the progression my kids have made over the years - from shear, abject horror the first year, to modest apprehension the second year, half cheery smiles in the third, to full board happiness. If they still let me do this annually, I can't wait for the ones with him as teenagers! Should be a framer!

Happy Holidays to everyone! Hold on tight! Here comes 2013!

Empty Nest

It is official...Dr. Deb is an 'empty nester'.

All three of her kids are in college!

 

Here is Alyse, with her list in hand, loading up her cart at WalMart

...and 24 hours later settling into the little corner of her new world!

                                    

 

Nostalgia...

My kids and parents were able to enjoy the beauty of New England's Fall - the mums, the pumpkins, the crisp air!   There's something about the fall that makes you nostalgic, and having family here strengthens that feeling.  It was great having my folks come and visit.  My mom still goes into hyperdrive cooking, like she did when there were us 4 girls growing up, and I never tire of eating her cooking.  My dad goes into handy helper mode - trying to fix things here and there; and we jokingly call him 'Photo Frank' as he is constantly making movies of the kids - much like when I was growing up.  Seeing my kids together with them brings back memories of growing up.  But a big smile creeps on my face seeing how much my kids look like my parents.  It makes me happy to know I'll always have my parents with me in my kids.

Mother and Son bonding time

Dr. Deb and her oldest son, Steve, again participated in the 40th Annual running of the Falmouth Road Race. Steve ran and Deb survived. This is a picture of Steve propping her up after the race!