“FEMA for Kids” Program Debuts in California Schools

by Fema For Kids
May 13, 2009

 

Elementary school students in Southern California are becoming “Disaster Action Kids” by participating in a new disaster preparedness program developed by FEMA’s wildfire recovery staff.  The message of the “FEMA for Kids” program is “Be aware-prepare.”

During the school-based program, students visit “learning stations” with various activities.  In one recent program in Los Angeles:

• The American Red Cross taught students how to deal with scrapes and minor cuts, administer first aid and apply warm and cold compresses.
• Local firefighters showed how protective gear helps keep them safe while fighting fires and taught “stop, drop and roll,” as students practiced what to do if clothing catches on fire.
• A pet awareness trainer demonstrated how to care for animals during stressful times. The students even learned how to transport a pet snake during an emergency-in a pillow case.
• Kids explored ready.gov at a computer station to learn how to make an emergency plan and what to pack in an emergency kit.
• Last, kids drew pictures to reinforce what they learned during the exercises. 

All students got “FEMA-Certified Disaster Action Kid” certificates.  You can become a Disaster Action Kid and get a certificate by completing the activities on the  Disaster Action Kid webpage. 

The students’ enthusiasm for the “FEMA for Kids” program was summed up in one student’s thank you note-“You guys rock.”  FEMA plans to provide DVDs of the program to schools throughout California

Source: Fema For Kids

Issues Mothers can face during Pregnancy

By Andrew Regan
May 13, 2009

 

There’s more to being pregnant than just picking a suitable name for your baby; in fact, mothers-to-be have to confront a variety of issues in the run up to childbirth, and many more afterwards.

If you’re having a baby or have ever been pregnant, you’ll understand that you have more issues to consider during your pregnancy than just picking out a suitable name for your child. As well as assessing the options available to you when giving birth, you have to prepare for your baby’s arrival in a variety of ways.

For starters, pregnancy forces you to change your lifestyle; but this doesn’t just mean that you need to stop drinking or smoking. Mothers also need to buy proper maternity clothes and maternity underwear to make sure that their new wardrobe fits their growing body. Many mothers-to-be may feel that maternity wear is frumpy or fails to reflect trends; but an increasing number of clothing designers are creating flattering maternity clothing, including skirts, dresses and nightwear that will suit mothers of all lifestyles.
Many book stores and specialist maternity stores stock books that give advice on dealing with pregnancy. Pregnancy manuals and mothering books can be veritable bibles of information when you’re having a baby and can provide you with a range of answers for problems, such as: childbirth options, explaining the stages of labour and methods of pain-relief during labour. Such manuals are also indispensable after your baby is born and will impart advice on issues as wide ranging as what you can expect from your new born baby and how to deal with postnatal depression.

When it comes to buying items for your baby, make sure that you invest in the right kinds of products. Parents-to-be usually spend money on pushchairs or prams for their children, as well as baby cots, baby clothing and general nursery furniture. However, it is also important to purchase essential safety items like car seats so your baby can travel safely and legally in the car with you. Many maternity shops sell a wide range of safety products, including fixed safety gates, fireguards, baby monitors, cupboard locks and socket covers. By investing in these essential baby safety items, you can be sure that your baby will still have some degree of protection from the more dangerous elements of your home, even when you’re not watching.

The most important thing to remember when you’ve had your baby, however, is to enjoy your time with them, and take pleasure in watching them grow and progress, both mentally and physically. Many maternity shops sell fun baby toys and games that will aid a young child’s development, such as baby walkers or educational books that help children identify sights and sounds. Of course, many stores also sell toys that are designed to provide pure and simple entertainment, such as rocking horses, teddy bears, and mini-cars – and these are often the toys that you and your baby will enjoy the most.

Source: Buzzle.com

Our Memory

By Ashley Picool
May 13, 2009

 

My story is about a girl and her relationship with her grandma.

Great! Just great! Another C to add to my awful report card. “Now young lady, what did I tell you about bad grades?” granny would say every year at this time when my grades would come and my grades would be low. I held the paper in my hands and thought about where granny was now. The soft burgundy walls absorbed every bit of sound. The house seemed darker than it normally was and it made me question as to whether I should make a sound or retain the silence. I decided to not disturb my quiet surroundings and began searching for the person who would soon punish me. I went to her bedroom, but the door was closed.

Granny was one not too well with surprises so instead I put my ear to the cold door. Silence. Again I tried and nothing. The churning in my stomach told me something was wrong. For seven years, granny had always been home when I got home from school. Old age for her was a burden since she couldn’t pick me up at school. I rode the bus to school and back every day since third grade. Granny would stand with her crane at the door and watch as my blond hair swished back and forth up the stairs of the bus. Over the years though, I had convinced her that she didn’t have to watch me. She still wanted too, but when she couldn’t anymore, she gave in and just watched me from the window. And always, when I would come home, I would see granny’s big smile with tons of food on the big oak table waiting just for me. This was our daily routine, so when granny wasn’t there and the house was absolutely quiet, I began biting my nails.

Source: Buzzle.Com

Helping Students Recovering from Traumatic Events

By Fema Kids
May 13, 2009

 

Children will react in their own way and in their own time to their disaster experience. Most reactions are normal and typically go away with time. Parents should be observant, though, if this does not happen.

• Often children will cling to parents and may not want to be away from them. When a child shows excessive clinging and unwillingness to let a parent out of sight, the child is expressing fear and anxiety of separation or loss. These fears should dissolve when the threat of danger dissipates and children feel secure again under a parent’s protection. Parents should give them comfort and reassure them that they are safe. Once they feel safe, they’ll begin to let go.
• Some children need to talk about a traumatic experience all the time and others don’t want to talk at all. This is normal. While it is important not to force children to talk about their experiences, it is also critical for parents to let them know they’re willing to listen, and then, to listen.
• Anxiety about disaster experiences and problems sometimes keeps children awake at night, or nightmares might wake them. Temporary changes in sleeping arrangements following a disaster may be helpful, such as parents letting children put sleeping bags on the floor in their room or sleeping closer to them at first. After a brief period of temporary changes, it is helpful to move back to pre-disaster bedtime routines.
• Giving children choices helps them feel some control when their environment has felt out of control. Choosing food, clothes, what games to play-any appropriate choices-can be helpful.
• Children still need discipline. It helps them feel safe to know their parents won’t let them get away with too much and that normal rules still apply.
• Going to a new school is hard, especially now. Parents may want to see if they can visit the school with their child ahead of time.
• Enabling children to stay in contact with their old friends or even children they met in a shelter can help them feel that their whole world is not gone. The child’s new school may want to help evacuated children get in touch with friends also relocated in the area.
• Parents will want to establish daily routines as soon as they can. Meals, bedtimes and other regular parts of their day can help children feel comforted and know what to expect.
• Sometimes students react to trauma and stress with anger. They may feel it gives them a sense of control. Adults should be understanding but hold children responsible for their behavior. It is not OK to hurt others and break other home and school rules, even if students are stressed.
• It doesn’t help younger children to watch coverage of the disaster over and over. However, some older adolescents may find viewing some factual media reports helpful in order to better understand the disaster and recovery efforts. As an alternative, parents may want to read newspaper accounts with their child.
• Parents should remember to take good care of themselves, too. This will help them have the energy necessary to take care of their children. Their ability to cope with this disaster will help their children cope as well.

Source: Fema For Kids and U.S. Department of Education

Kids on My Space

By BSO Kids
May 12,  2009

 

MySpace makes it easy to express yourself, connect with friends and make new ones, but who you let into your space, how you interact with them, and how you present yourself online are important things to think about when using social networking sites. Here are some common sense guidelines that you should follow when using MySpace:

• Don’t forget that your profile and MySpace forums are public spaces. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want the world to know (e.g., your phone number, address, IM screen names, or specific whereabouts). Avoid posting anything that would make it easy for a stranger to find you, such as where you hang out every day or a picture of you in front of your office or school.

 

• People aren’t always who they say they are. Be careful about adding strangers to your friends list. It’s fun to connect with new MySpace friends from all over the world, but avoid meeting people in person whom you do not fully know. If you must meet someone, do it in a public place and bring a friend or trusted adult.

 

• Harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content should be reported. If you feel someone’s behavior is inappropriate, react. Report it to MySpace or the authorities.

 

• Don’t post anything that would embarrass you later. It’s easy to think that only our friends are looking at our MySpace page, but the truth is that everyone can see it. Think twice before posting a photo or information you wouldn’t want your parents, potential employers, colleges or boss to see!

 

• Don’t say you’re over 18 if you’re not. Don’t say you’re younger than 18 if you’re not. If MySpace customer service determines you are under 13 and pretend to be older, we will delete your profile. If customer service determines you are over 18 and pretend to be a teenager to contact underage users, we will delete your profile.

Source: Sheriff Department

Kids Ask Sparky the Fire Dog

by Sparky
May 11, 2009

Here’s your chance to ask me questions you may about safety. I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can, but I receive a lot of mail, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see your question right away. Be sure to include your first name, your age, and your hometown.

(Q)  How many firesdo you go to each year?

(A)  Unfortunately, I go to way too may fires each year. What makes me sad is that most of those fires could have been prevented had people taken some simple safety precautions. Read the answer to my next question to find out simple safety steps you can take to be safe from fire.

(Q) How do fires start?

(A) All fires require fuel, heat, and oxygen. The fuel is anything that can burn. The heat can come from many things, such as a lighted match, a stove, or a heater. Oxygen is in the air, and that let’s the fire breathe and grow. Fires can start for many reasons. A lot of home fires start in kitchens where people are cooking. Many other home fires are caused by heating equipment. Home fires can also be caused by candles, electrical appliances, and cigarette butts. These are just a few examples of how fires can start. Fortunately, there are lots of simple steps you can take to prevent almost all fires. (Go up three questions to learn how you can keep your home safe from fire.

 Source: Sparky the Fire Dog

Kids’ Talk

By D’Arcy Lyness, MD 
May 11, 2009

 

Every kid (and adult) worries and feels stressed out sometimes. But what do kids do about it? We wanted to find out, so we asked 875 kids ages 9 to 13 to answer some questions about stress.

First, we let kids choose from a long list of stuff that might worry them. The top five things kids said they worried about were:

• 1. Grades, school, and homework – 36%
• 2. Family – 32%
• 3. Friends – 21%
• 4. Brothers and sisters – 20%
• 5. Mean or annoying people – 20%

Then we asked kids what they do during those times when they feel stressed or upset. Here are the top things kids said they do most often. (Kids who answered could say more than one thing, so these add up to more than 100%.)

• Playing or doing something active – 52%
• Listening to music – 44%
• Watching TV or playing a video game – 42%

That’s good news. Playing, listening to music, watching TV, or playing a video game are often good things to do if you’re stressed out. You get a chance to think about something else. Being active – like running around, playing a sport, or riding your bike – may be the best choice of all of these. Why? It’s a good way to let out some of that energy that builds up when a person is frustrated, mad,  stressed, or upset. Plus, exercise releases chemicals in your brain that help improve your mood.

 

What Else Do Kids Do?

Here are some other ways kids said they often deal with feeling upset:

Talk to a friend. Right on! Friends can be good listeners and might know just what to say to make you laugh or feel a little better than you did before. Sometimes you might want to talk to a parent or another grown-up, too.

Try not to think about it. If it’s just a little thing that got you stressed, this can work fine. Sometimes it’s best not to let a little thing bother you. But if it’s a bigger problem, not thinking about it is probably not the best choice. It can be OK to take a break from worrying or stressing out about something, but pretending like it’s not a problem isn’t a good idea. Why? Because nothing changes and the problem might stick around – or get worse.

Try to work things out. A great idea! What could be better than trying to solve the problem? Even if you can’t solve the whole thing, with help, maybe you can start solving some part of it.

Eat something. Not such a good idea. Food’s fine when you’re truly hungry. But if you use food to help you feel better, you might eat more calories than you need and gain weight. It also doesn’t solve whatever problem upset you in the first place.

Lose my temper. Oh, dear. It’s OK to feel angry, but losing your temper and yelling and screaming is never a good idea. It also doesn’t help solve your problem – and can make matters worse.

Feel bad about myself. Oh, dear – again. Everyone has troubles and problems – that’s perfectly normal – but sometimes kids blame themselves for the troubles they have. They might feel guilty, embarrassed, or ashamed if they’ve done something they know is wrong, or if they didn’t do well. But don’t let yourself get stuck in the mud of bad feelings. After all, you’re still learning, like everyone else. By working through troubles, often with help from others, you can find your inner strength. When this happens, you’ll feel better about yourself and will be more optimistic the next time you have a problem. Try to forgive yourself for whatever went wrong. Then try to fix the problem or do better next time. Ask for help with this part if you need to.

Talk to a parent. A super idea! Kids should know they don’t have to face their problems alone. Parents love you and often have good ideas for how to solve a problem. Even if it’s a hard problem to solve, just talking to a parent can help you feel better.

Keep it to myself. This is sometimes OK, sometimes not OK. Kids deserve some privacy and don’t need to tell the whole world about what they’re feeling. But keeping a problem to yourself can lead to trouble. If no one else knows about it, no one can help you.

Cry. This is always sad, but not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone cries sometimes – boys, girls, teenagers, parents, teachers, and even the toughest person you know. Crying is a way to release the tension and upset feelings inside. But too much crying can be a problem if it keeps you from getting control of yourself and trying to figure out what to do next. In other words, there’s a time to cry and there’s a time to get busy!

Some Kids Hurt Themselves
By now, you can see that some ways of handling stress are better for you than others. Sadly, some kids said they hurt themselves when they are feeling upset. About 25% said they banged their head or another body part or did something like biting themselves, cutting themselves, or pulling their own hair.

Kids usually do this because they get so angry or upset that they don’t know what to do. They might feel mad or frustrated and feel like taking it out on themselves. It can be an impulse – something a person does almost without thinking. You probably already know that this doesn’t solve the problem. Even worse, a kid could get injured.

If you’ve ever hurt yourself, try taking these steps next time instead.

• Talk to a parent.
• Call a friend.
• Drink a glass of water.
• Take a shower.
• Go outside and play.
• Watch TV.
• Play with a pet.
• Draw, scribble, or color designs on paper.
• Rip up some paper.
• Listen to music that will shift your mood.

If you know someone who hurts himself or herself when upset, tell a grown-up so the kid can learn how to stop doing this.

Sometimes, kids have seen adults take their anger out on themselves or on someone else. Of course, they shouldn’t – but sometimes grown-ups make mistakes, too. When adults yell or scream or hit a wall, they set a bad example for kids who need to learn to control their own tempers. Kids might imitate adults who do this and not realize there are other ways to cope with stressful feelings. The good news is that adults can learn new things, too. It’s never too late to manage your temper.

Parents Can Be Key

Only about 1 in 5 kids said they talk to a parent when they’re upset, but a whopping 75% of kids said they’d like their parents to help them in times of stress. Here’s how kids said parents could help:

• Talk together.
• Help them feel better, like with a hug.
• Give them attention; do something together.
• Help them solve the problem.
• Stop yelling.
• Don’t make them feel worse.
• Help get their minds off the problem.
• Pray with them.

Sometimes parents might feel like kids don’t want them to get involved. That’s why it’s good to talk to a parent – even if all you want to say is that this problem is going on and that you’d like to try to solve it on your own. More often, you might want your mom or dad to offer ideas or at least a little encouragement.

You can return the favor by being extra nice to your mom or dad the next time he or she is feeling stressed out. You could draw a card, give an extra hug, or clean your room without being asked. Then your parent may be too surprised to feel stressed!

What’s a KidsPoll?

To get this information about kids and stress, we conducted a KidsPoll. This means we asked an equal number of boys and girls a bunch of questions about stress. They answered the questions on handheld data devices while visiting these health education centers and children’s museums:

• HealthWorks! Kids Museum – South Bend, Indiana
• Health World Children’s Museum – Barrington, Illinois
• Poe Center for Health Education – Raleigh, North Carolina
• Robert Crown Center for Health Education – Hinsdale, Illinois
• Ruth Lilly Health Education Center – Indianapolis, Indiana
• Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center – York, Pennsylvania

A poll, like the KidsPoll, gives researchers a bunch of information to look at. Instead of knowing how just a few people feel, they know how a lot of people feel. They can look at the way the entire group answered. They calculate how many – or what percentage – answered “yes” to this question and “no” to that one. Polls give us clues about how most people – not just the ones who answered the poll questions – feel about certain issues.

We’ll be conducting more KidsPolls in the future to find out what kids say – maybe you’ll be part of one!

Source: Kids Health

Dear Alexander

by Alexander
May 11, 2009

Older brother

Dear Alexander,

My older brother doesn’t have any allergies, but I am allergic to milk. He is usually pretty good about it, but sometimes when his friends come over, they make jokes about it. How can I deal with this?

Wow, this can be a tough situation. Sometimes older brothers or sisters act differently around their friends. When your brother is not around his friends, talk to him and let him know how this makes you feel. Older brothers usually like to help out and protect their younger brothers and sisters. Ask your brother to tell his friends that food allergies are nothing to laugh about. Some kids tease because they don’t understand food allergies and what it’s like to have one. He can teach his friends a lot, and that helps you to stay safe.

If they are still being mean, then go to a different room, and then they won’t bother you any more. Make sure to let your parents know about the jokes.

Good luck!

Your friend,

Alexander the Elephant

---

The information above is not designed to take the place of a doctor’s instructions. Patients are urged to contact a doctor for specific information regarding guidelines for care.

Source: Food Allergy Website

Life’s Choice!

By Unknown
May 13, 2009

Editor’s Note: Do you know what “Joyology ” means? It is the study of caring, sharing, listening and Sacrifice.

What is a Joyologist? A joyologist, then would be one who studies joyology. Frankly our world could use a great many joyologists whose mission in life is to actively research the effects of discussing and sharing joy. The research could branch out into how joy effects our careers, family lives, and friendships. The very act of doing the active research should spread jubilation throughout the world and bring about positive results. What a fun job!

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.When someone would ask him how he was doing, would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?”

Michael replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today.

You can choose to be in a good mood or .. you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or… I can point out the positive side of life, choose the positive side of life.

“Yeah, right, it’s not that easy,” I protested. “Yes, it is,” Michael said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.

You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.

The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live your life.”

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a
serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications towe! r.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of! intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?”

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

“The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter,” Michael replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or… I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked.

Michael continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read “he’s a dead man. I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Michael. “She asked if I was allergic to anything.

“Yes, I replied.” The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my
> reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, “Gravity.”

Over their laughter, I told them, “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Enjoy each day, each breath and mostly-each and every friend

Source: Joyology

Should You Pay Kids for Good Grades?

by Tara Welty
May. 11, 2009
When grandchildren bring home straight A’s, do you open your arms or your wallet?

The reward for a thing well done, is to have done it. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The idea of hard work being its own reward may have held sway in Emerson’s late 19th-century America, but 21st-century U.S. schools have embraced rewards including cash and iPods to “incentivize” kids to stay in school and get good grades. In New York, Massachusetts, Texas, and elsewhere, school districts are paying kids for perfect attendance, improved standardized-test scores, or for reading a certain number of books. Administrators say that they hope the rewards will inspire students to achieve.

Cash incentives may be new for public-school systems, but thousands of grandparents like Ned and Inga Book of State College, Penn., have been rewarding kids for bringing home good report cards for years.  “We try to monitor how school is going and what courses they are taking. We pay for A’s and B’s at report-card time,” says Inga, 75. She and Ned, 77, have five grandchildren, ages 8 to 21, and she believes the kids appreciate the rewards as “recognition of their hard work.”

What’s the Best Reward?

Not all grandparents, however, believe cash is the best motivator of young students. In the national debate over cash incentives in schools, critics point out that there’s little evidence that such rewards lead to stronger student performance, and argue that at some point, all successful pupils must learn to study for the love of learning. Some grandparents agree. Diane and Gary Parmelee of Naples, Fla., “pile on the praise” when one of their four grandchildren brings home a great report card, says Diane, 62. “That’s all they really want from me, and I believe it makes them want to keep on doing their best.”

Diane Parmelee, who has been a classroom teacher at various grade levels for 36 years, believes that “no amount of praise or rewards can match the reward that you give yourself when you know you’ve done your best or excelled in something.”

Ellen Cerniglia, associate professor of education at the graduate school of Touro College in New York City, acknowledges that incentives are “in many ways effective,” but cautions that “children often begin to look for bigger or more substantial rewards as time goes on.”

Be Consistent

So should you reward your grandchildren for doing well in school? “The answer depends on the individual situation and family relationship,” says Virginia Shiller, a clinical psychologist and lecturer at the Yale Child Study Center, the coauthor of Rewards for Kids!: Ready-To-Use Charts & Activities for Positive Parenting (Magination Press, 2003), and the producer of the Rewards for Kids website. Before you start doling out cash, she recommends working with your grandchildren’s parents to develop a plan for rewards. “Be sure that the children’s parents are enthusiastic about your plan,” she says. “You may be well-intentioned, but if your reward plan contradicts the parents’ view about how to help the children, there could be trouble.”

However you choose to reward kids for their work in school, Shiller urges you to consider the ways incentives could work fairly for all your grandchildren. After all, each grandchild is unique and has different abilities. If some grandchildren breeze through school with straight A’s but others struggle to get C’s, consider rewarding the struggling students for any improvements on their report card, rather than withholding rewards because they didn’t get A’s. In consultation with parents, Shiller recommends setting individual goals that are “realistic and attainable for each child,” and rewarding not just results but hard work as well.

Both Shiller and Cerniglia stress that your rewards can take different forms – many grandparents give kids money, others stick to praise, but some reward kids for their work in school with special one-on-one activities. Shiller approves: “Grandparents may have the luxury of time that working parents lack, and these activities may create lasting memories and stronger relationships.”

As with any element of grandparenting, the key is finding what makes you comfortable and what works best for your family. For the Books, cash prizes work well. The kids “look forward to showing us their report cards,” Inga says, and as for the children’s parents, “I haven’t heard any complaints!”

Source: Grandparents

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