Daniel Lubetzky

George Saunders gave a graduation speech that Matthew Kahn shared with me. It really touched me. His “regret” absolutely reminded me of a couple kids in school that, like him, I was nice enough to, but I didn’t do enough to protect and stand up for against bullies. I could have been nicer. I could have been kinder. And I could have been more courageous. I hope to teach my kids to do better. And I hope we all as humankind can minimize what George Saunders aptly describes as “failures of kindness.”

See the full speech after the jump.

[Read more →]

You may remember the Turn the Tide Foundation‘s video, Unjunk Yourself, that teaches teens and tweens the importance of healthy eating. They are now out with another great video to educate us on the dangers of processed food and its marketing ploys as well as to encourage teens and tweens to opt for food that is real and good for them!

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Julianna Storch

This chilling New York Times article about the fatal consequences of prescription medications designed for ADHD reveals scary truths about the drugs and their side effects. Perhaps more frightening, however, is many doctors’ lack of attention or thorough examination of a patient before prescribing and renewing prescriptions for potentially harmful psychiatric drugs.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Julianna Storch

[Read more →]

This moving and inspiring video shines a spotlight on the young and talented Jodi DiPiazza as she performs with Katy Perry at the ‘Night of Too Many Stars,’ an evening to benefit autism education programs. Jodi’s autism does not hold her back from reaching her potential as a musician, and she serves as a role model to everyone working to overcome obstacles in their own lives.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Julianna Storch

My Dad used to tell us a story he conceived about a little bird named Bimbambu when we were kids. It is one of my favorite stories – about a kindly bird who literally sheds all his feathers in order to help other animals fight the winter weather along the way, only to end up without any protection until all the animals come to his aid. This may very well have been one of the subconscious foundations for the creation of KIND and the KIND Movement, as it teaches the important lesson of exhibiting unbridled kindness to everyone we encounter.

And now my sister Ileana has brought the story of Bimbambu to life in a colorful and beautifully designed digital children’s book so that other parents can share Bimbambu’s lessons in kindness with their children too. The Kindle e-book edition is available on Amazon now (and I was able to view it on my Ipad by downloading the free Kindle reader), and I look forward to seeing the print copies in English, Hebrew and Spanish soon!

This New York Times Magazine article demonstrates the rise in prescription stimulant abuse among high school students trying to keep up with the pressures of school and college applications. Douglas Young, a spokesman for the Lower Merion School District outside Philadelphia, best identified the problem and solution, “Straight A’s and high SAT scores look great on paper, but they aren’t reflective measures of a student’s health and well-being. We need to better understand the pressures and temptations, and ultimately we need to embrace new definitions of student success.”

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Julianna Storch

During a tornado, Stephanie Decker demonstrated extraordinary heroism as her house collapsed on her and her children.  Stephanie saved her children’s lives by wrapping them in a blanket and laying on top of them as their house was minimized to rubble. When she was found by neighbors, her legs had been severed but her children were unharmed.  Our thoughts are with Stephanie as she recovers and she will always have our admiration.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

Food Business News came out with a staggering statistic that sugar makes up 16% of American kids’ calorie intake.  Research has shown that added sugars are most commonly found in soda which of course provides no nutritional benefit.  While food items like nuts and fruit contain sugar, this type of sugar is naturally occurring and carries nutritional benefits.  The remainder of this article depicts that kids are consuming too much added sugars, a problem that will only exacerbate the obesity and diabetes epidemics.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

[Read more →]

NextStepU is a website that helps students navigate their way along the educational path that’s best for each individual.  Daniel’s insights in the interview below are undoubtedly helpful for these students as they explore their dreams and opportunities.

by Adeena Schlussel

[Read more →]

Emily Rapp spoke to me as a Dad and as a human being like few have ever done. I strongly recommend this life-affirming article from this courageous and beautiful mother.

[Read more →]