Biden, Trump can't be our only option

Kids should be taught to think.

It's not what we think, but how we think that guides us through life.

Patterns of thought or the way we think is taught or learned at a young age. Critical thinking can let us make better decisions as we go through the most influential and yet vulnerable years of our lives.

Yes... Children can ask "why" one too many times a day, however, this is their way of beginning to understand how the world around them functions.

I would encourage that we teach our children to take a moment to consider before reacting, and act only after thinking about why something is happening.

Not one of our mandatory K-12 classes teach us about methods of thinking, and how to know whether something is more likely correct or incorrect, true or false.

If a school should exist it ought to teach us mathematics, science, English, arts as well as critical thinking skills because this is the very foundation on which a successful future is built, no matter the avenue of life.

Dr. Darius J. Rowe, Columbus

We need other choices

I am already starting to rue the 2024 November elections.

At the top of the ballot, we are likely to have Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

So, our choice will be between a narcissistic, mentally unstable old bully criminal and a fundamentally decent old man who is out of touch with the financial realities and wants to continue to increase our debt with program like forgiving student debt.

I don't know who Trump's vice president candidate will be, but it will likely be someone with the same perverse value system as Trump.

On the other hand, Biden will probably keep the totally ineffective and unqualified Kamala Harris.

More: Jim Jordan didn't have to tap out of House speaker's bid. Thankfully his party did it for him

I mention the VP candidates because there is a reasonable probability that either Trump or Biden will not complete the full year term. At the local level my choices will be some, as yet unknown Democrat, or Jim Jordan who may be one of the best bomb throwers in Congress but is totally ineffective as a legislator and an embarrassment to all Ohioans.

It turns out that we really were better of when the politicians went into the old smoke-filled rooms at the Republican and Democratic conventions and selected the candidates. Now all we have is Hobson's choice.

Raymond D'Angelo, Westerville

Time for those check-ups

With the school year in full swing and the holidays rapidly approaching, families’ schedules are filling up.

Don’t forget to make time to take your children to their doctor for their check-ups.

Holiday breaks are an excellent time to take your kids to the doctor without them missing valuable school time. According to Ohio Medicaid, roughly 1 in 3 young children do not receive regular check-ups.

Children over the age of 3 need annual check-ups, and younger children should receive them more frequently.

Even if your child is not sick, it is still important to take them for check-ups for important health screenings, vaccinations, and guidance on your child’s growth and development. In addition, it creates regular opportunities to discuss concerns about your child’s health.

As a pediatrician, I urge parents to take charge of their child’s health by making regular check-ups a priority.

Dr. Claire Kovalchin, Dublin

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Are Donald Trump and Joe Biden the best we can do?