Book Clubs: Tips to Start One This Summer

For people who love to read and be social, a book club can be the perfect outlet. Book clubs are a chance to kick back and unwind with friends over a shared interest. If you’re just starting a book club, pick one evening a month to sit back with a group of friends and discuss a book the group previously decided to read. Dissect the characters, the plot and the writing while enjoying food, drinks and good company. Need to occupy the kids for the night? Have them form a kids book club! Can’t commit to a regular monthly meeting? Start or join an online book club forum.

Take a look at these 21 blog posts for plenty of helpful information on starting a book club for adults, kids or online.

Adults
Before you start a book club, you need to consider how many people you want to include and if it’s an open club or one that’s by invite only. You’ll also want to decide if you’re going to focus on one particular genre or if you’re going to read books from all walks of life. These seven blog entries will help you work through the details and figure out where to begin.  

• Why I Love Book Clubs & Tips on How to Start One You can find a list of things you should consider when creating a book club on this blog post.
• Quick Guide: Start Your Summer Book Club Find a list of things to consider from Oprah when starting a book club, such as whether you pick new or old titles.
• Young Professional Problems: (Not Your Mom’s) Book Club Read this clever and funny post about a book club for young professionals.
• Book Clubs Made Easy! A simple solution to starting a book club is offered in this blog article.
• Starting a Foodie Book Club The main point to consider in this article is to make sure that you have like-minded readers when forming your book club.
• How to Start a Book Club You’ll find a thorough list of things to consider when starting a book club and some sound advice on this post.
• Want to Start a Book Club?  Get Organized by Answering these 7 Questions Find questions and a sample set of answers to help you get started on your own book club.

Kids
Starting a book club for kids can help kids improve their reading comprehension, as well as expose them to the idea that people can have different viewpoints on the same thing. While the focus of a book club for children should be about having fun, kids will still learn a lot from taking part in a book club.  These seven blog articles will help you get started.

• Starting a Book Club for Grades K-4 This post suggests including a craft with your book club meeting, among other suggestions.
• Anatomy of a Book Club This blog post describes how to start a book club with a group of teen girls.
• Start a Summer Book Club for Kids—Fun Stuff to Do Anywhere Read various suggestions on how to start a successful kids book club in this post.
• Starting a Kids’ Book Club There are a lot of helpful suggestions in this blog post for starting a book club for kids.
• 5 Ways to Avoid the “Summer Slide” and Keep Kids Reading Fun ideas, like creating a chart and posting it on the wall, are detailed in this blog post.
• How to Host a Children’s Book Club You can read many quality tips about what to do to start a kids’ book club and what the kids can learn by being in one.
• How to Start Your Own Little Book Club The questions posed on this blog article will  help you work through some of the details about forming a book club.

Virtual
Sometimes life is too hectic for regular book club gatherings, and the only way you can engage in a book club is if it’s online. With the integration of social media and the internet, starting a virtual book club is easier than ever. Read through these seven blog posts to learn how others have done it and what they considered before getting started.

• Book Lovers Unite Online Book Club Read how this online book club is going to work and how you could start one just like it.
• Olson Field Book Club Read about this long distance book club to see if it’s something you may want to start with your long distance friends.
• Virtual Book Club for Kids—Extraordinary Egg Check out the book and activities that this virtual book club is doing for their group.
• Get Back into Reading with the Blogger Book Club If you are a blogger or would like to start a blog, you can also join this book club and learn how the club will be handled.
• How to Start a Book Club Inside a Book Learn about a site where you can start a virtual book club or join others.
• Virtual Book Club This blogger decided to start a book club about books that interest her, and you could do the same thing.
• 10 Tips for Starting a Virtual Social Change Book Club Follow these step-by-step directions to start your own virtual book club.

Source:  Nanny Websites

What's Your Brave? Lessons from Teen Girls on Everyday Courage

The What’s Your Brave?™ project shares the insights and acts of everyday courage of teenage girls from across the United States and eventually the world. What makes us different is that we are going to the real adolescent experts — that is, the teenage girls themselves. We are asking teen girls one “simple” question, “What’s Your Brave?”. In sharing their answers and the reoccurring themes we observe, our hope is to inspire parents to support their own daughters in finding their “brave” — the courage to be themselves even during their tumultuous adolescent years.

Learn more at www.whatsyourbrave.com. 

Teens Smoking Cigarettes: Quick Facts

Many parents call me about their teens and sometimes tweens that are lighting up.  We like to say pick and choose issues, and we don’t condone smoking cigarettes – but we can’t panic. 

Continue talking to our kid about how damaging smoking cigarettes is to your body as well as your overall health.  Smoking is not cool – but it is cool to be an educated parent.  More survey's and research is proving today that our kid's are listening to parents and they are the biggest influence on their children.  First and foremost, they have to be a good role model. 

Most people who smoke first light up a cigarette when they’re teens. In fact, 80% of smokers began the habit before they turned 18.

Here are a few quick facts about cigarette smoking, nicotine and tobacco that you may not have heard before. Even if you have, they’re facts that are worth keeping in mind when your friends and relatives light up a cigarette.

1. Nearly 70% of people who smoke say they wish they could quit.
2. Teens who smoke cough and wheeze three times more than teens who don’t smoke.
3. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, lung disease and strokes.
4. Smokers as young as 18 years old have shown evidence of developing heart disease.
5. More than 70% of young people who smoke said they wish they hadn’t started doing it.
6. Smoking a pack of cigarettes each day costs about $1,500 per year — enough money to buy a new computer or Xbox.
7. Studies show that 43% of people who smoke three or fewer cigarettes a day become addicted to nicotine.
8. More than 434,000 Americans die each year from smoking-related diseases.
9. One-third of all new smokers will eventually die from a smoking-related disease.
10. Nicotine — one of the main ingredients in cigarettes — is a poison.
11. Nicotine is as addictive as heroin and cocaine.
12. All tobacco products — that includes cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco — have nicotine in them.
13. Smoking makes you feel weaker and more tired because it prevents oxygen from reaching your heart.
14. Smoking decreases your sense of taste and smell, making you enjoy things like flowers and ice cream a little bit less.
15. Smoking hurts the people around you: More than 53,000 people die each year from secondhand smoke.
16. Cigarettes have tons of harmful chemicals in them, including ammonia (found in toilet cleaner), carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust) and arsenic (found in rat poison).
17. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
18. Just days after quitting smoking, a person’s sense of taste and smell returns to normal.
19. Ten years after quiting smoking, a person’s risk of lung cancer and heart disease returns to that of a non-smoker.
20. Most teens (about 70%) don’t smoke. Plus, if you make it through your teen years without becoming a smoker, chances are you’ll never become a smoker.

Adapted from “50 Things You Should Know About Tobacco” by Journeyworks Publishing.

February is Dating Violence Prevention Awareness Month

What is Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse refers to any action that pressures or coerces someone to do something sexually they don't want to do. It can also refer to behavior that impacts a person's ability to control their sexual activity or the circumstances in which sexual activity occurs, including oral sex, rape or restricting access to birth control and condoms.Some examples of sexual assault and abuse are:

• Unwanted kissing or touching.
• Unwanted rough or violent sexual activity.
• Rape or attempted rape.
• Refusing to use condoms or restricting someone’s access to birth control.
• Keeping someone from protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Sexual contact with someone who is very drunk, drugged, unconscious or otherwise unable to give a clear and informed “yes” or “no.”
• Threatening or pressuring someone into unwanted sexual activity.

Keep in Mind

• Everyone has the right to decide what they do or don’t want to do sexually. Not all sexual assaults are violent “attacks.”
• Most victims of sexual assault know the assailant.
• Both men and women can be victims of sexual abuse.
• Both men and women can be perpetrators of sexual abuse.
• Sexual abuse can occur in same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
• Sexual abuse can occur between two people who have been sexual with each other before, including people who are married or dating.

What to Do

If you have been sexually assaulted, first get to a safe place away from the attacker. You may be scared, angry and confused, but remember the abuse was in no way your fault. You have options. You can:

• Contact Someone You Trust. Many people feel fear, guilt, anger, shame and/or shock after they have been sexually assaulted. Having someone there to support you as you deal with these emotions can make a big difference. It may be helpful to speak with a counselor, someone at a sexual assault hotline or a support group. Get more tips for building a support system.
• Report What Happened to the Police. If you do decide to report what happened, you will have a stronger case if you do not alter or destroy any evidence. This means don’t shower, wash your hair or body, comb your hair or change your clothes, even if that is hard to do. If you are nervous about going to the police station, it may help to bring a friend with you. There may also be sexual assault advocates in your area who can assist you and answer your questions.
• Go to an Emergency Room or Health Clinic. It is very important for you to seek health care as soon as you can after being assaulted. You will be treated for any injuries and offered medications to help prevent pregnancy and STIs.

Remember there is always help. For more information or to find out about available resources in your area, chat with a peer advocate.

Source:  Love is Respect

Be an educated parent and a smart teenager.

Hating Homework? 10 Ways to Help Make Homework Fun

Do you have a smart child that can pass tests but is failing classes since they don't finish their homework assignments? 

This is very common.

The last thing that kids want to do when they get home from school is homework, and sometimes it can seem near impossible to get them to settle down to study when all they want to do is play and blow off steam. But what if you could make doing homework fun for your kids?

Check out these ways to make the ordeal a little less painful for you and your kids.

1. Start a homework blog – You might as well take advantage of the power of the Internet. Tell the kids that you will record their feelings and ideas about homework on the blog after they get it done. You can decide whether you want to update the blog daily or weekly with new entries. Allow the kids to get creative about entries, but remember to follow proper Internet etiquette.
2. Make it practical – In the early grades it’s fairly simple to make things like math pretty practical by showing the kids how the subject is used in everyday life. For many kids, just making the connection between what they are learning in school and how it applies to real life makes them more interested in their subjects.
3. Teach your kids how to compete internally – The world is full of competition, but not everyone knows how to compete with themselves. If you can teach your child how to compete internally, always trying to do a little better than they did the last time, that self competition can cause your child to want to excel for the sake of excelling. Teaching kids to compete with themselves also helps in warding off peer pressure when they reach their teen years.
4. Rewards – There are pros and cons about giving rewards, but the right kinds of rewards won’t necessarily cause your child to achieve for the wrong reasons. Sometimes just a hug with a few well chosen words is enough. Avoid rewarding your kids with food, especially sweets, as this will set up an unhealthy association between food and rewards for them and can lead to eating problems down the road.
5. Use music as a way to help with learning – Some subjects can be pretty boring, but if you add a tune to some of the things they need to learn, kids will learn the material better and have fun doing it. For example, you can use the “Birthday Song” to memorize the multiplication tables.
6. Turn homework into a game – Create a game to help with homework. Each correct problem is worth a point and the points add up to different levels. Try to get to the highest level to win a token. Tokens can be redeemed for something special. You decide what that is.
7. Help with homework in a positive, proactive manner – Sit down with your child on occasion and help them with the harder homework. Showing your interested in their work can make it more engaging for them. You may not want to do this every time they sit down to do homework, though, because that will take away the novelty of it.
8. Get the kids to read – Believe it or not, one way to make homework more fun is to get your kids to read. If you get them interested in reading and seeking knowledge while they’re young, it will instill in them the desire to continue to learn.
9. Change the location – Just for fun, let the kids do homework in a different place; for example let them do homework outside, if the weather permits, or let them choose a different place to work.
10. Let your kid be the teacher – Have your kids teach you the things they are learning. Have them show you how to solve the problems and ask them questions as if you are the student. This will help them retain the information and understand it better.

With some creativity you can find many ways to make homework fun for your kids. Taking an interest in what they are doing will help immensely. Your participation can cause your kids to be more engaged and more likely to finish their homework and projects.

Source: Nanny.net

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Community Empowerment Series (CES)

Education is knowledge and power that help us to keep our kids safe.

St. Johns County, Duval, Clay, Putnam, Nassau and Flagler all welcome three renown experts to World Golf Village.

Presented by St. Johns County Education Foundation and Communities in Schools, The Community Empowerment Series will cover topics that parents, educators and everyone that are involved in today's youth are concerned about.

View slideshow: Three Celebrity Experts Coming to Our Area!

• Sexual predators, and how to talk to your kids about private parts and stranger danger.
• The social jungle that kids are facing today. From peer pressure to bullying and cyberbullying.
• Importance of digital safety and the critical topic of teaching our kids and especially teens today about how to protect themselves from identity theft.

For these three topics we have brought in the country's leading experts. You may have seen them on your TV and also read their books!

Session one: Stacey Honowitz, who has served twenty years in the Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit of the State Attorney’s Office, will be speaking about sex crimes in Florida and the sentences that they carry. She will also be addressing how to talk to your young kids about private parts.

Session two: Dr. Michele Borba is one of the most popular parenting experts in our country and the bullying prevention expert. She will have a workshop on the Social Jungle our kids are dealing with today, from peer pressure to bullying. Her speaking topics will include friends, cliques, relational aggression, cyberbullies, bullies and peer pressure. Watch the video on the sidebar.

Session three: Theresa Payton will discuss the importance of digital safety, identity theft with kids, and technology in today’s world as it concerns our children. There will also be deep discussion on how to create, maintain and protect a healthy digital identity for all family members, adults and children alike.

All three of these speakers are nationally recognized in their field and have been on many media outlets. We are honored they are coming to our community to help empower us with knowledge to keep our kids safe and our families educated in a society that is ever changing.

Tickets are free and limited to the first 300.
If you are a business or individual that would like to sponsor or be a vendor at these events, please visit our "Getting Involved" page. There are opportunities for everyone!

Don't miss these exciting educational and fun events! 

Visit www.communityempowermentseries.com for more information on the dates, times and all the details!

Pass this on to your friends, family, and neighbors!

Is Your Child Old Enough To Stay Home Alone?

With more and more households becoming two income households, the number of latchkey kids, or kids who are left home alone for a part of each day, is also steadily growing. According to NBC’s Today Show there are over 3 million children who are latch key kids today.

But before you decide to let your own child be a latch key kid, it’s important to evaluate if your child is ready for that responsibility. How do you know if your kids are old enough or responsible enough to stay home alone?

Here are some rules and guidelines that can help you make your decision:

Laws
Surprisingly, there are few laws or regulations on the books regarding what age a child can be legally left alone. Check out latchkey-kids.com to see if the state you live in has any age restrictions in place. According to CARE (Call Reassurance), law makers are considering adding regulations to the law books due to the increase in latchkey kids.

You can also contact CPS (Child Protective Services) in your area to find out what they recommend.

Guidelines
According to Safe Kids USA, children should be developmentally mature enough to stay alone around age 12 or 13. Since children develop at different rates, however, your child may be different. If your child is a dare devil, has impulse control issues, or doesn’t like following the rules, you may want to hold off leaving him alone until he’s older. On the other hand, if your 11 year old is very responsible and follows the rules well, he may be ready and capable of being a latch key kid. As a parent you will need to evaluate your child to determine if he is ready.

Lynn Yaney, a child welfare professional in California, has said that children under the age of 7 do not possess the ability to logically consider cause and effect, so they should not be left alone. Kids ages 7 to 10 are not considered ready to stay alone for an extended period of time because they need supervision to structure their day. However, if there is a structured routine in place, these kids could stay alone for a short time, like after school. Kids 11 and older should be considered on a case by case basis, but should not be left alone overnight, per Yaney.

According to WebMD, tweens ages 11 to 12 may be ready to watch their younger siblings for short periods of time. To determine if your tween is ready consider the following questions:

• Is your tween scared about staying alone?
• Do you live in a safe area?
• Does your home have an alarm system?
• Would your tween know what to do in case of an emergency?
• Do you have friends or family close by who could get there quickly?
• Has your tween shown responsible behavior in the past, such as doing chores without being asked or completing homework assignments on time without being nagged?

After considering the answers to the above questions, you might feel ready to make a trial run on leaving your tween home alone. The next thing you should do is set some ground rules.

• Are friends allowed to come over? How many?
• Is it okay to answer the phone?
• Should he answer the door?
• What is okay to eat? Can he use the microwave?
• How long is it okay to watch TV or play on the computer? Guidelines about what can and cannot be watched or played should be covered.

Once you have established some ground rules, make sure that everyone understands what is expected of them. Create a list of phone numbers for your tween just like you would for any babysitter. Here is a suggestion of some numbers to consider:

• 9-1-1 (he may forget in an emergency)
• You and your spouses’ cell phone numbers
• Number for a neighbor or friends
• Poison control
• Police department
• Your family doctor or pediatrician

After you have prepared your tween for what might happen you should do some practicing or role playing. Have a neighbor come over and pretend to be insistent on getting him to open the door. Go over what to do if the fire alarm goes off. Make sure your tween knows where the first aid kit is kept and how to use it. Ask him what he would do if the electricity goes out. You may even wish to enroll your child in a local babysitting course or a course designed for latchkey kids. These courses help develop and hone self-care skills.

After you are comfortable that your tween is ready to be left alone it’s time to try it out. For the first outing, plan to be home about 30 minutes after your tween gets home from school. When you return, find out how it went. Next time you go out, increase the duration to 45 minutes to an hour. Make sure you can be reached on your mobile phone. Keep increasing the time until you have exceeded the amount of time the kids will be left alone on an average day. Create some way for your child to check in with you when he arrives home after school.

Allowing your tween to stay home alone or to watch a younger sibling is scary, but it’s also a part of growing up. Your tween will be learning responsibility and maturity. If all goes well, you might even be able to go out alone with your spouse for dinner.

Source: Aupair Jobs

Community Empowerment Series!

St. Johns County Florida is getting ready for 2013 in a big way!

Starting February 2, 2013 will be a lecture series that will be like no other.

Celebrity speakers on parenting topics that can't be missed.  Limited free tickets.  This event will be held at The World Golf Village Hall of Fame IMAX Theater.

Starting immediately we are accepting sponsors.  You won't want to miss this opportunity!

The levels for individuals start at $100.00 and go as high as $10,000.00 for corporate sponsors.

Please check our site for the benefits of sponsorship levels.

I am personally proud to be part of St. Johns Education Foundation and Communities in Schools for St. Johns County.  Both are excellent organizations that are always putting our kids first.

Click here to visit Community Empowerment Series and visit our renown speakers!

February 2, 2013: Stacey Honowitz
March 9, 2013: Michele Borba
April 27, 2013: Theresa Payton

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child Parenting Conference

Coming to South Florida!

When:  October 20th, 2013

When: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Where:  Miramar City Commission Chambers, 2300 Civic Center Place, Miramar, FL

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child Parenting Conference is a one-of-a-kind educational event which began four years ago in San Diego.  Susie Walton, founder and president of Indigo Village Educational Foundation, had a favorite quote, “It takes a village to raise a child.”  Susie created the Foundation – a non-profit, community-based initiative - to provide cutting-edge programs in parenting and life skills.  It serves as a vehicle to move these programs and services into the community for families regardless of their economic means.  Susie then held the first It Takes a Village to Raise a Child Parenting Conference to fund the Foundation’s vital work.

Learn more at http://www.villageconference.com/ and you can also purchase your tickets early. 

You can also contact Maggie Macaulay at 954-483-8021 for more information or email her at maggie_macaulay@msn.com.

 Be a proactive parent, grandparent and community - we will have safer kids and teens!

Parenting Today's Kids

Recently I discovered a great new educational sites with articles and information that can benefit parents of kids, tweens and teens today!

Parenting Today's Kids

Fact.  Parents Need Help at the Intersection of Technology and Kids

At ParentingTodaysKids.com, we recognize that technology impacts how kids are growing up.  It can play a very influential role in the choice they make and the people they become.

We Are Parents Too

We are parents.  We get it.  If parents can understand technology today and learn how kids embrace consume and social using it, we increase our chances of protecting our kids and positively influencing them.

Our Goal

We spend so much time protecting and guiding our kids in the “real world”, but most of us can do a better job parenting in the virtual world and protecting our kids online.

Our goal at ParentingTodaysKids.com is to educate parents and to help them close the technology gap that exists between parents and kids in order to better protect them.

That’s why we’ve put together an expert panel focused on raising kids today, ranging from an attorney to a holistic parenting life coach.    Check out the Author’s section today to see the great experts who are here to help you better understand your kids and how they are using technology.

Join them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

5 Talking Tips To Help Teens with Deciding What College Classes to Take

What classes should your college student take?


It’s always great to hear college students regarding advice about the college process.
Today’s guest post is from Katheryn Rivas, who is an English major.

One of the first decisions that your college-bound child will be faced with upon matriculation is creating a class schedule. In my own experience, the process becomes less complicated as semesters progress, but this, I think, is largely because of trial-and-error, learning from mistakes that I made in previous academic years.

Here are a few tips that I would give to first year students who are selecting classes for the first time.

1. Understand that a huge percentage of undergraduates change their majors at some point, so make your class selection diverse.
Many bright-eyed entering freshmen think that they know precisely what they want to major in and what their career trajectory will be like from the first day of class onwards. However, reality works a little differently than do our plans for the future. If you are pretty sure what you want to major in before you enter college, that’s great! However, leave open the possibility of changing your major by not taking too many classes in your prospective discipline when you first start out. Of course, do take some, but keep things balanced and diverse to get a taste for what different fields of study are like.
2.  Figure out what your peak periods of productivity are when choosing class times.
Dates and times should also play an important part in your course scheduling. Are you the type who would rather have a ton of classes on two or three days and have absolutely no classes on some days? Or would you rather have a reasonable amount of classes spread out throughout the week? Personally, I preferred exhausting myself on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I could have leisurely class days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This schedule enabled me to wake up late and hit the books hard preparing for tests on the days that weren’t so packed. However, this setup doesn’t work for everyone, so figure out how you study and work to determine your schedule.
3.  Place a heavier emphasis on general degree requirements your first year.
Many first-year students will make the mistake of taking only those classes which interest them. They figure that they can complete general requirements later in the college career. But what will end up happening is you may put off these requirements for so long that you will suddenly realize, sometimes as late as senior year, that you have a bunch of general courses left to graduate. Don’t end up in this position (like I did) in which you run the risk of taking an extra semester to graduate just because you put of something silly like a phys ed course.
4. Do your course research online to gauge what professors are like in class.
One of the most important factors in doing well in any given class is having a professor that is engaging and accessible. One of the best ways to get classes with the best professors is to visit sites like RateYourProfessor.Com to see which instructors are the best teachers. Reviews will also help you steer clear of professors who are too immersed in their research to care about their class. At the same time however, do take some student reviews with a grain of salt. Some students are simply incensed that they got poor grades, and may take it out on the professor. I’d say believe the reviews that are consistently complaining about the same thing. Don’t base your conclusions on just one or two comments.
5. Take advantage of the “course shopping” period.
Although many universities are different, most institutions encourage “course shopping” during the first two weeks of classes. That is to say, students are free to attend several classes that they aren’t officially signed up for, or drop classes they don’t particularly like, to sign up for others. If your institution does have this flexibility, be sure to take advantage of it. Don’t get stuck in a class that you already know from the beginning you are going to hate.
These are just a few things to keep in mind when creating your course schedule. Be sure to talk to other students who have taken classes you are interested in, and also consult with academic advisors so that you are on track to graduate within a certain period of time. Above all, enjoy the flexibility in the decision-making process of picking your own classes for the first time!

This guest contribution was submitted by Katheryn Rivas who particularly enjoys writing about online universities.  Questions and comments can be sent to: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.

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TV Show Ratings: What Parents Should Know

Households are now capable of receiving hundreds of different channels with the advent of cable and satellite TV. This is an overwhelming number of television shows for concerned parents to monitor. How could they possibly filter out inappropriate viewing for their young children while still being able to watch the more mature shows they enjoy after they’ve gone to bed? In 1997 TV Parental Guidelines were implemented to help parents filter out television programs they don’t want their children to watch.


Here are 10 good reasons parents want TV show ratings.

1. Helpful tool – Even though these TV ratings are less than perfect, they are a helpful tool for parents to use. By examining what the different ratings are and what they stand for, parents have a starting point to work from when determining which shows they will allow their children to watch.
2. Watchdogs – The TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board are the ones determining how the various shows are rated. This means there is a panel of watchdogs reviewing these programs for the parents. The panel consists of experts from the television industry and public interest advocates and are available to receive complaints from concerned parents who may not agree with their ratings.
3. Volume of shows – The sheer volume of shows available on television make it impossible for parents to review them all. The ratings system helps to sort through a multitude of programs by age group. For instance, any show with a rating of TV-MA means that it is intended to mature audiences only and not appropriate for children.
4. At a glance – Once parents are familiar with the various ratings, they can tell at a glance whether the show should be safe for young children to watch or may need further review.  The ratings appear in the upper left-hand corner of the TV screen at the beginning of the program and again after each commercial break.
5. Saves time – The TV show ratings system saves precious time for busy parents. As mentioned before, nobody wants to take the time to review the massive number of shows available. The ratings are visible at a glance and whole groups of shows can be blocked using the V-Chip technology built into most television sets.
6. V-Chip – Since the year 2000 television sets have been equipped with what is called V-Chip technology to help parents filter out programming they feel is inappropriate for their children. The V-Chip receives and understands the different ratings and on screen programs can be used to block whichever ratings parents choose.
7. Can’t always be there – Since parents can’t always be there when their children are watching TV, blocking adult programming gives them some control even when they’re not at home. Although the system isn’t perfect, it can be improved with monitoring and adjustments.
8. Can be used for discipline – Parents can even use the TV show ratings as a form of discipline. The various ratings can be used for either punishment or rewards. Parents can block violent shows for kids who get into a fight or unblock them as a reward for staying out of trouble.
9. Flexibility – The seven different ratings and the five different content labels give parents a wide range of flexibility when determining which shows may or may not be appropriate. Each family has different values and concerns. What may be considered taboo for some parents could be ok with others, so these ratings take that into account.
10. Peace of mind – Parents who are diligent about using the TV parental guidelines can have more peace of mind about what their kids are watching even when they’re not being supervised.

Many television and movie producers use violence, explicit sex and foul language to compete with each other. Parents need to have some form of control to limit the amount of this content their children are exposed to. Very young children are simply not capable of making good distinctions between what is real and fantasy on TV. Although some kids may not be happy about how their parents are using the ratings system to control their television viewing, it’s a valuable tool for families to use.

Source:  Cable TV Providers

Stop Medicine Abuse: Looking for a Five Mom

Help Stop Teen Cough Medicine Abuse 
 

Talking to teens about drug abuse is never easy. Did you know teens that learn about the dangers of drugs from their parents are 50 percent less likely to abuse drugs? As parents, we must work together to educate our teens and create awareness about the dangers of substance abuse, including over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine abuse.

In 2007, five moms from around the country were brought together to share information with other parents about the largely unknown trend among teens of abusing OTC cough medicines to get high. Since then, the Five Moms campaign has reached more than 24 million parents to help educate them about preventing teen cough medicine abuse, spreading awareness to parents, schools, and communities. And now they want your help! The campaign recently launched the Are You the Next Five Mom? search to look for a new Mom to join the fight against cough medicine abuse.
Are you a mom who is passionate about working with teens? Do you have experience working with teens and substance abuse? If you are interested in being a part of the Five Moms campaign, they are looking for someone who:

• Has experience or a passion for working with teens;
• Has past or previous involvement in teen programming or issues affecting teens;
• Has experience working with teens and/or substance abuse;
• Has raised awareness of cough medicine abuse in their community or is a community leader;
• Works with teens on a daily or weekly basis a coach, teacher, guidance counselor, youth group leader, etc.;
• Uses social media to reach parents and educate them about teen substance abuse;
• Is involved with community organizations that center around pre-teens and teens;
• Developed an original idea or event to educate others about cough medicine abuse; or
• Has distributed Five Moms and/or cough medicine abuse information to their children, peers, community, etc.

For more information on how to enter the Are You the Next Five Mom? search, and for the official rules and regulations, visit FiveMoms.com. To learn more about over-the-counter medicine abuse, visit StopMedicineAbuse.org.

You can join them in Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Mistakes Parents Make with Teens and Tweens

Parenting. 
 
It is probably one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs there is.  Although there are many times you have to look hard for those rewards, as they can become hidden during those teen-hood and pre-teen times, you will eventually see them. 

WebMD put together five mistakes that parents make with teens and tweens.  As second semester is progressing, there are many parents struggling with their kids to understand the importance of finishing school and doing well in it.  As with many adolescents, they see their social life is more of their priority.

Teen Parenting Mistake # 1: Expect the Worst
Teenagers get a bad rap, says Richard Lerner, PhD, director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University. Many parents approach raising teenagers as an ordeal, believing they can only watch helplessly as their lovable children transform into unpredictable monsters. Expecting the worst sets parents and teens up for several unhappy, unsatisfying years together.

Teen Parenting Mistake #2: Read Too Many Parenting Books
Rather than trusting their instincts, many parents turn to outside experts for advice on how to raise teens. “Parents can tie themselves into knots trying to follow the advice they read in books,” says Robert Evans, EdD, executive director of the Human Relations Service, Wellesley, Mass., and author of Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope with the Crisis in Child Rearing.

“Books become a problem when parents use them to replace their own innate skills,” Evans tells WebMD. “If the recommendations and their personal style don’t fit, parents wind up more anxious and less confident with their own children.”
Use books (and articles like this) to get perspective on confusing behavior and then put them down. Spend the extra time talking with your spouse and children, getting clear about what matters most to you and your family.

Teen Parenting Mistake #3: Sweat the Small Stuff
Maybe you don’t like your daughter’s haircut or choice of clothes. Or perhaps she didn’t get the part in the play you know she deserves. Before you intervene, look at the big picture. If a certain mode of self-expression or set of events does not put your child at risk, give her the leeway to make age-appropriate decisions and live with the results.

Teen Parenting Mistake # 4: Ignore the Big Stuff
If you suspect your child is using alcohol or drugs, do not look the other way. Parents should address suspected drug or alcohol use right away, before it escalates into a bigger problem, says Amelia M. Arria, PhD, director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

“The years when kids are between 13 and 18 years old are an essential time for parents to stay involved,” Arria tells WebMD. Parents might consider teen drinking a rite of passage because they drank when they were that age. “But the stakes are higher now,” she says.

More drugs are available today, illegal drugs and legal medications. For example, cough remedies with DXM (dextromethorphan) have become a new drug of choice for some teens. DXM is easy to get and teens and parents alike underrate its potential dangers. Studies show that between 7% and 10% of U.S. teens have reported abusing cough medicine to get high. Although safe when used as directed, DXM can cause hallucinations and disassociations similar to PCP or ketamine (Special K) when used in excessive amounts, as well as rapid heartbeat, unconsciousness, stomach pain, and vomiting.

Watch for unexplained changes in your teen’s behavior, appearance, academic performance, and friends. If you find empty cough medicine packaging in your child’s trash or backpack, if bottles of medicine go missing from your cabinet, or if you find unfamiliar pills, pipes, rolling papers, or matches, your child could be abusing drugs. Take these signs seriously and get involved. Safeguard all the medicines you have: Know which products are in your home and how much medication is in each package or bottle.

Mistake #5: Rule With an Iron Fist, or Kid Gloves
Some parents, sensing a loss of control over their teens’ behavior, crack down every time their child steps out of line. Every day brings a new punishment. The home becomes a war zone. By contrast, other parents avoid all conflict for fear their teens will push them away. They put being a cool parent ahead of setting limits and enforcing rules. For these parents, discipline is a dirty word.

To read the complete report by Joanne Barker, visit www.webmd.com.

It is very easy for outsiders to judge and give advice about raising our teens.  Remember, each family is unique and each child is different.  Although some people believe in the tough love approach, it is diffcult to employ when your teens are still minors.

In Broward County there is a Florida’s Children Trust Line at 2-1-1 that can offer you resources and information to help you help your family.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: 5 Parenting mistakes with teens and tweens – Fort Lauderdale Parenting Teens | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/5-parenting-mistakes-with-teens-and-tweens#ixzz1CR7kl5jD

Emergency Numbers and Hotlines: Update your List Today

Raising children today or taking care of elderly parents, keeping emergency numbers and hotlines available at all time is imperative.  Whether your teen or child comes home from school by themselves, or you live on your own, keeping these numbers up-to-date is critical to saving lives.  Every minute counts if a child swallows a poisonous household product, every second counts if your child is a runaway or been abducted.

Here is a great list to start with and take the time to add more that may refer to you personally such as your emergency contacts:

• American Association for Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
• National Runaway Switchboard 1-800-286-2929
• Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255
• Children's Trust Line Parent Helpline 2-1-1
• Crime Stoppers Miami 1-866-471-8477
• Crime Stoppers Broward 1-866-493-8477
• Florida Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-500-1119
• Planned Parenthood - Teen Talk  1-800-230-7526
• Florida Gang Information (Dial 9-1-1 to report gang violence)
• Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline 1-800-962-2873
• Rape Crisis Hotline 1-888-956-7273
• National Victim Hotline 1-800-394-2255
• Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Youth Support Line 1-800-850-8078
• STOMP Out Bullying 1-888-347-5437
• Frequently Called Numbers by Broward Students and Parents
• Parents' Universal Resource Experts (Private Programs for Out-of-Control Teens)
• Peachford Communities (Programs for Adult Addicts wanting to get sober)

Above is a start and be sure to add your local sheriff's office as well as your emergency contacts.

Be an educated parent, you will have healthier and safer teens.


Please add more emergency numbers and hotlines in comments - you may save a life!

Read more.

Sue Scheff: School Climate - Center for Social and Emotional Education

About School Climate

Our goal is to promote positive and sustained school climate: a safe, supportive environment that nurtures social and emotional, ethical, and academic skills.

CSEE is an organization that helps schools integrate crucial social and emotional learning with academic instruction. In doing so, we enhance student performance, prevent drop outs, reduce physical violence, bullying, and develop healthy and positively engaged adults.

For more than a decade CSEE has worked together with the entire academic community—teacher, staff, school-based mental health professionals, students and parents—to improve a climate for learning.

We help translate research into practice by establishing meaningful and relevant guidelines, programs and services that support a model for whole school improvement with a focus on school climate.
What a fantastic organization and very timely!!!! Visit http://www.schoolclimate.org/  today!

Sue Scheff: Free Science Games to Excite and Inspire Your Kids

60 Free Science Games to Excite and Inspire Your Kids

By this point, everyone realizes that there need not be any delineation between education and entertainment. Parents and teachers alike can supplement a student’s knowledge of biology, geology, physics, chemistry, and other scientific disciplines with literally hundreds of free games available online through a multitude of sources. The following list compiles 60 of the most popular ones, mostly involving some of the more popular subjects among children.

Click here for the entire list.

Sue Scheff: Being Honest With Your Teens - Is it always best?

Honestly, is being honest always the best policy? In most situations we all would agree honesty is admired and a sign of integrity. However when it comes to parenting, how much do our children really need to know and when?

Parenting teens today is challenging and most teenagers today enjoy a good challenge. How much of your teen years do you feel like you should share with your teenager? Of course, it all depends on what happened in your adolescent years.

• If you have a teen that is dabbling in drug use, and you have repeatedly shared your experience with using drugs, will the teen see this has condoning the drug use? Keep in mind, drug use today is more dangerous than it was years ago.
• Did you have sex too early? Is it appropriate to share your sexual experiences with your teenagers? Will this give them permission to do the same, or would they learn from your mistakes?
• Were you involved in juvenile issues when you were a teenager? Do you think sharing these experiences would help your teen not to follow that path, or would they feel it would be o-kay since you did it?
• How much should you tell your teens about your financial situation? Should they know your salary? Should they be aware of when you are behind on your payments?

These questions could go on and on. Although lying is frowned upon, it may not be necessary to share everything with your teens. As a matter of fact, that is why we are the parents and they are still minors. Depending on your teenager will depend on how much you want to tell them and how much you won't.

Remember, our children are impressionable - they look up to parental influence, so before you decide to share your Woodstock days, you may want to consider your teen's personality.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens!

Read more on this topic here.

Sue Scheff: Therapy Dogs and At-Risk Teens

Dogs and troubled teens? It may seem like an odd combination, however it is amazing how animals can change lives. Today more and more teen help programs and juvenile centers are incorporating canine therapy and/or equine therapy (horses). Helping struggling teens recognize their potential and self-worth can help them to make better choices in their lives.

Dawn Kairns, author and Family Nurse Practitioner, is making a difference with her therapy dog, Maddie. MAGGIE, The Dog Who Changed My Life: A Story of Love is a book that started a new chapter in the author's life; Helping at-risk teens at juvenile centers is just one of them. Here is a recent interview with author Dawn Kairns:

1. Many of us love animals and especially love our dogs. Please tell us what prompted you to write about your special love, Maggie?

"MAGGIE" actually began as my grief journal after she died. Writing what I remembered about our life together is what helped me to cope with my heartbreaking loss.

I was so struck by Maggie's ability to know what I said, thought, and wanted that I felt compelled to share it so others could look for and validate their perceptions of their dog's sixth sense abilities. Learning to trust my intuition and dream messages were such valuable lessons with Maggie - I wanted to share these special and unique experiences. I also wanted to share the depth of my grief and how I began to heal so others in my shoes will feel supported in theirs, understood and hopeful. Finally, it was my tribute to Maggie, to our relationship.

I also wanted to share with pet guardians my shocking discoveries about the commercial pet food industry, nutrition, and alternative pet health care, like acupuncture.

2. In your former life (prior being a writer) you were a Family Nurse Practitioner. Do you feel that this helped you write about your relationship with Maggie?

I feel several things contributed. My years of personal journaling and a writing course were a huge help in writing about my relationship with Maggie. My years as a psychotherapist probably helped me express my feelings more as well as tune in to Maggie's nonverbal communication. My personal dream work with a Jungian therapist gave me a deeper insight into understanding the significant dreams I had during Maggie's illness and to write about & interpret them in my book. My work as a Family Nurse Practitioner certainly helped me write about the medical, health and nutritional aspects in relation to Maggie.

3. You stated: "My book explores a deeper, spiritual side of the human-canine bond…including animal telepathy, and the importance of trusting our intuition and dream messages" - Please share with us one or more of your experiences and how others can benefit from this.

As far as Maggie "reading my mind," I noticed very early In Maggie's life that she responded appropriately to words I hadn't taught her yet. Then she seemed to understand sentences and explanations about staying out of my flower beds and not going into the street. When I got ready for work and simply thought, "maybe today I can take her with me," she responded with excitement where she would normally recognize my work clothes as a sign that there was no fun coming for her, and she lay down and ignore me, her disappointment obvious.

I learned the importance of trusting my gut feelings over the expertise of others the hard way, by NOT trusting my intuition & I later regretting that choice; veterinarians misdiagnose, as more than one did with Maggie; no one knows our pets like we do. Had I followed my intuition, Maggie may have lived several years longer than she did. I encourage readers/ pet guardians to advocate & speak out if a diagnosis does not make sense to them.

I have kept dream journals for years. A couple of months prior to taking Maggie to a new veterinarian I dreamed that I had her at the vet & he didn't know what was wrong with her, but someone else in his office did. This is exactly what turned out to be true over the course of several months (the misdiagnosis cost her life). It was another woman (vet) in his office who saw Maggie who got us on the right track. I also had 2 dreams that Maggie's neck was bald & irritated. This was prior to learning she had thyroid cancer. When she finally had a biopsy, this is exactly what her neck looked like. These are just a few examples of how my dreams tried to warn me when all was not well with Maggie. At the time I didn't know clairvoyant dreams were possible. Now I do. Maggie and I were so connected that I believe our spiritual bond allowed for this level of sixth sense communication.

4. Many people have heard of Service Dogs, dog that assist the elderly, disabled or otherwise may need a Service dog. Please tell us about a Therapy Dog and how they can help people?

A therapy dog visits people in various contexts such as in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes, schools, juvenile centers, etc. People with learning difficulties & those in stressful situations such as disaster areas can benefit, too.

The most important characteristic of a therapy dog is its temperament. A good therapy dog enjoys human contact & petting, is friendly, patient, gentle, confident, & at ease in all situations. Therapy Dogs can help people by providing affection and comfort, connection, acceptance and no judgment at a time when people in institutions may feel lonely, isolated, unloved, or judged.

5. Your most recent attribute is helping juveniles (high risk teens) with your Therapy Dog, Maddie. Teens that are in trouble or struggling in life, are not mature enough to truly understand the consequences of negative behavior. How do you feel Canine Therapy (therapy dogs) can help them?

In Maddie's case, the kid's at both juvenile centers I've taken her to have really enjoyed playing with her, and getting her to follow the commands I demonstrated that Maddie follows. It can help their confidence. She makes them smile at a very difficult time in their lives; brings them a moment of joy when they are facing the judicial system and taking a hard look at themselves.

I teach the kids about positive reinforcement training, which shows them how important it is to be patient with a dog and to recognize/reward good behavior, again something that will benefit them if they learn to notice the good instead of the negative behavior in themselves and others, as well as in the dogs. The teens also get to learn about caring for and nurturing a dog in a positive way, something that may be lacking in the way they are treated in their lives, depending on their background.

In more in depth canine programs, where, for example a juvenile is paired with a shelter dog to train for several weeks, the at-risk kids experience the power of the human-animal bond. This enables them to experience tremendous growth and behavioral improvements. Dogs have opened prisoner's hearts in ways humans have not. The same is true with teens. The more in-depth canine/youth program also dramatically improves the adoptability of the shelter dogs, which gives the kids a sense of accomplishment and builds their confidence.

If you want to learn more about MAGGIE, The Dog Who Changed My Life you can also visit the author's website at http://www.dawnkairns.com/.

Watch slideshow to meet Maggie, Maddie and Dawn.  Also on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: School Safety TV invites champions to reach out worldwide

Global television initiative to be launched at the International School Safety Convention, April 22-23, 2010, in Denver

School Safety TV, a new cause-related television channel, is inviting leaders, innovators and goodwill ambassadors to join a series of public appeals to be broadcast globally to support programs that help protect students, teachers, and schools everywhere.

The series of televised appeals and mini-documentaries will be launched at the International School Safety Convention, April 22-23, 2010, in Denver, Colorado. Television production and editing facilities will be provided free of charge to spokespersons and delegates from the United States and around the world.

Online registration for television participants is now open at http://www.schoolsafety.tv/  for a limited time.

Also invited are persons of integrity who are widely recognized in the worlds of art, entertainment, sports, science, and literature, and who are interested in drawing attention to programs of their choice and connecting with new audiences.

Throughout the 30 days following the International School Safety Convention, School Safety TV will distribute 4 hours of broadcast video packages to journalists, television news producers, and online and mobile news video providers at more than 25,000 news organizations on all continents.

Participating organizations may include electronic brochures, reports, presentations, and other multi-media with the high-definition video distributions.

To help build a world audience for each program, School Safety TV also offers online social networking tools so that organizations can quickly invite and engage supporters, moderate discussions in multiple languages, create action groups, schedule and promote events, register attendees, and upload media assets throughout the year for instant web distribution.


The Advisory Board for the convention’s television campaign is led by the Executive Director of Safe Havens International, Michael Dorn, a noted school safety expert who has provided leadership consulting to states across the country and to nations around the world.

“Our purpose is to bring together comparisons and contrasts so that administrators, leaders, and influencers can learn from one another,” Dorn said. Bullying, cyber threats, natural disasters, gangs, major accidents, and school violence are problems found in most parts of the world, according to Dorn. “Problems also vary from country-to-country, but the different solutions we try are relevant to everyone,” he explains.

Dorn and the convention organizers point to many examples of horrific school safety issues that deserve international attention:

• A girl in Afghanistan has acid thrown in her face because she wants to go to school, and her family must face a life of humiliation.
• A boy in Nepal recruited into armed conflict as a “child soldier” is haunted by his own atrocities when he re-enters civil society.
• An African boy from a war-torn city tries to adjust to high school life when his family seeks refuge in America.
• A child in Indonesia who loses her family and her school in a tsunami faces the threat of human trafficking.
• Teachers are gunned down in Iraq, and the country experiences a “brain drain” when academic leaders flee.
• A youth gang organizer in California turns to the school playgrounds of Latin America to recruit new members.
• A tranquil European community is hit by a school shooting rampage, and the survivors’ grief remains unresolved.

Reviewing these and many other school-related crises, Dorn said, “We need to build a large community of problem-solvers that is very inclusive.”

Other School Safety TV Advisory Board members include former U.S. “Cyber Czar” Andy Purdy, who will review programs that address school cyber threats; John Simmons, chairman of School Safety Partners; and Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of Love Our Children USA. The founding sponsor for the event is SchoolSAFE Communications, and the event host is the Foundation for the Prevention of School Violence, at Johnson & Wales University, College of Business. The International School Safety Convention is the Foundation’s 4th annual leadership event on school safety.

Visit http://www.schoolsafety.tv/  to register online to be considered as a spokesperson or Goodwill Ambassador.

Browse school safety listings at USAservice.org .

Source: http://www.schoolsafetypartners.org/Funding/schoolsafety_tv.html

Watch video on Examiner.


Education is part of safety, both online and off. Both in school and out. Be an educated parent.

Watch video and read on Examiner.