Kim John Payne, author of “Simplicity Parenting,” responds to how she decides what to say in front of her children.

“Before I say something in front of my children I will ask myself three questions:
• Is it true? To this I can usually, though not always, tell myself, with a sense of righteousness, a firm ‘yes.’
• Is it necessary? Now I pause. Do my children really need to hear this? They will know soon enough the world is flawed; for now a good world will do just fine.
•Is it kind? This is altogether harder. Is it kind to this person to say this? Am I modeling being accusative rather than inquisitive, dehumanizing or humanizing?”

Wow! What great food for thought.

When it comes to things like being mean-spirited and getting involved in gossip, our kids could really use a good example.

Guess what else this brings to mind? Driving.

If you swear at other drivers in the car or even show them one of your fingers, it may not be the best thing for your kids to hear or see.

And, what about television?

Keep in mind that what you’re listening to on TV, they probably are too.

They are counting on us to filter certain information. And, well … we may not always do a great job.

Start small. Start a day at a time.

Focus tonight on what your kids hear and do your absolute best to make sure it’s in their best interest.

• An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. He has lots of choices to make and six ears to protect.

We are officially past the “everybody plays and everyone’s a winner” phase.

Last Saturday, we played West Valley (my son plays for Highland) and I would say the game was pretty darn aggressive.

Micah, who is 11, banged his knee on the court at one point and sat out for a spell. There were also three different injuries to West Valley kids.

Each time, the kids left the game, but were able to return.

So, long story short, bumps and bruises, but nothing serious.

It’s fun to watch these guys flying around and learning to be competitive. They are wrestling for loose balls, taking charges and getting after it.

These are all skills they’ll need if they expect to play at the varsity level in high school.

This is also when it gets more competitive. Kids who don’t hustle are replaced by kids who do.

I think this is the grade level (or maybe it’s in sixth grade or so) where kids decide whether they’re all in or if they want to go do something else.

There are lots of good lessons for moms and dads to reinforce at home.

Teamwork, hard work, trust, execution … they are all part of the game of basketball.

And, more importantly, they all transfer to other areas of life.

If one day Johnny is running a bank, he’ll still need the values presented in teamwork, hard work, trust and execution.

So, yes, dribbling a basketball and making a free throw may not result in a paycheck later in life, but they still matter in the big picture.

Fighting for the ball is part of the growing process. That spirit may matter someday when he ‘s seeking the next promotion or needs to be a team player on a corporate negotiation.

• An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. He never gets to play basketball at work. His boss frowns upon it.

You can check out our Minute for Mom, where Robin Beckett details things moms can do when they get a chance to breathe and have some “mom time.” There’s also a column from Dr. David Pommer about co-sleeping. He talks about the plusses and minuses of having an infant sleep alongside mom and dad.

And, lastly, yours truly offers some tips on Valentine’s Day and how you can keep it lively — and more importantly — how you can involve your kids.

And, of course, there’s much, much more. Go take a look.

• An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. He’s experienced many things as a parent, but is absolutely clueless (he readily admits this) about raising daughters.

Before becoming a father, I would have thought this expression too saccharine.

Wow, people can change – dramatically. I’m now a walking billboard of that expression.

When I married at 22, it wasn’t because I wanted to hurry up and start making babies. I gave myself a five-year minimum rule. My wife, Kimberly, scoffed.

But a friend and former boss once said that if you always tell yourself you have to wait until you have everything lined up properly, have your finances just right, then you will keep putting it off.

On our second wedding anniversary, Kimberly’s pregnancy test was positive. We kept our dinner plans at The Barrel House, but dinner that evening was clearly a different experience than the one we expected.

I didn’t freak out. I didn’t cry. I wasn’t overcome with overwhelming joy or euphoria. But …

I did feel something.

It was like a slow, inaudible click occurred inside me, and a strange calm took over. I felt relaxed. I liked this new idea and the pleasant feeling that came along with it.

I remember I gave a slight, genuine smile that widened as I hugged Kimberly. She had more jitters, with the realization that a little life was inside, soon to grow and bloom.

I loved the time when my wife was pregnant. I immersed myself in each stage, devouring as much information with her as I could along the way. I loved my new role.

Yet, while we knew what to expect when she was expecting, we were mindful that we didn’t really know much of anything at all.

And then, as the famous expression suggests, my heart grew when I suddenly had my daughter – and several years later, a son – to love and care for more than anyone else.

–Scott Klepach, Jr.

The program is for students in grades K-5. Tickets are $5 each.

The Capitol Theatre is located at 19 S. Third St., Yakima. Call 509-853-ARTS (2787) or visit capitoltheatre.org for more info.

A gastroenterologist and a dietician will be guest speakers for the day’s program, which is free to attend. This is the first time the foundation is holding an educational event in Yakima.

For more info, contact Kathleen Newbould at 425-451-8455 or knewbould@ccfa.org.

To celebrate Engineers Week, the Yakima branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Engineering Department at Yakima Valley Community College are teaming up once again to host “Engineering Day for Kids,” which runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 25. The event will take place at YVCC’s Hopf Union Building (HUB).

Any elementary school-aged child is invited to attend this free event and get experience with hands-on activities that will help the child explore the connections between math, science and engineering.

No registration is required, but if you have any questions, contact Ben Annen at 509-966-7000 or bannen@hlacivil.com.

The Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra and Yakima Ensemble for Strings are putting together the show, which will be held at The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St., Yakima. Call 509-248-1414 or visit www.yyso.org for more info.

Athletes, acrobats, jugglers and extortionists show off stunts and feats as the Shanghai Acrobats perform at 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at The Capitol Theatre.

The Chinese circus traditions from 2,000 years ago are brought to life with music, lighting, choreography and scenery. The company’s American division is based at the New Shanghai Theatre in Branson, Mo.

Tickets: $7.50 for youth 18 and younger, $7.50-$35 for adults. The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St. Yakima; 509-853-ARTS (2787). capitoltheatre.org