Astronaut Timothy Kopra – “Where is my Ride”

By Laura Leigh Davidson
August 31, 2009

Has anyone ever been a little late picking you up from school or practice? NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra found himself in a similar situation this week.

Kopra has been living on the International Space Station (ISS) since mid-July. He is scheduled to return to Earth aboard space shuttle Discovery. But his ride has been delayed. Discovery was unable to launch at its scheduled time on Tuesday due to thunderstorms. The shutttle’s blast off has now been postponed until Friday because of mechanical problems.

Until Discovery arrives to take him home, Kopra will continue his daily duties, which include conducting science experiments in the ISS labs, and performing maintenance on the space station. Kopra and five other astronauts from around the world currently live on the ISS.

Kopra recently talked to Scholastic Kid Reporters Bailey and Mason Pownall of Austin, Texas, about what it’s like to live in space. Here’s part of their interview.

Q: As a child, was it your dream to become an astronaut?

KOPRA: When I was about 6, it was pretty normal for a kid to want to grow up to become an astronaut. NASA was landing men on the moon, and it was a really exciting time for the space program.

Q: What has been your favorite part of being an astronaut, if you had to pick one thing?

KOPRA: Probably the favorite thing that I’ve done so far was to live underwater for a week. I lived in a facility called Aquarius. Living underwater is very similar to living in space. We had a crew of six that lived inside this module that wasn’t very large. We took daily walks on the bottom of the ocean. (Walking on the ocean floor is similar to walking on the moon.)

Q: What are some of your jobs on the space station?

KOPRA: My very first job on the ISS was a space walk. I worked with robotic arms to help attach different platforms to the space station. I also spend about two hours every day working out. Living in space is very hard on your body and exercising helps you withstand the harsh conditions.

Q: What is the biggest challenge about being an astronaut?

KOPRA: For me [since I have been in training to be on the ISS] probably the most challenging part has been separation from family.

Q: What is the first thing you’ll do when you come back to Earth?
KOPRA: As soon as we get back, I’ll essentially be a lab rat. I have to participate in experiments that will help scientists understand exactly what happens to the human body when it is exposed to very weak gravity for a long period of time. Scientists will be taking a lot of measurements to see how my body is adapting to coming back to the stronger gravity on Earth.

Q: What kind of food will you be excited to eat when you come back to Earth?
KOPRA: Fresh food. We have a very limited supply of fresh food.

Q: What would be your advice to kids who want to become astronauts?
KOPRA: I think the primary way to achieve goals like that is through perseverance and hard work. You can apply those to any major goal that you have.

Astronaut Nicole Stott will be taking Kopra’s place aboard the ISS.

Source: Scholastic News Online

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

My Memory of Senator Ted Kennedy

Alexandra Conway
August 30, 2009

 

Kennedy wanted a legacy of hard work for children’s rights, he told this Kid Reporter.

Back in 2004, when I was an 11-year-old Scholastic Kid Reporter, I covered the Democratic National Convention, attending numerous state delegation meetings and caucuses. I had many great experiences, but my most memorable one was my encounter with Senator Ted Kennedy.

I attended a delegation breakfast where he and then-Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack spoke. Kennedy spoke passionately about his interest in education. Following his speech, I weaved and tried to politely push my way through the crowd to get close enough to get his attention. I was eager to ask this notable and influential senator a question or two.

A large group of reporters trotted after the Senator as he left the event. I was with Scholastic Editors and two other Kid Reporters, including my little sister, Elizabeth. We were trying to stay ahead of the pack, when a man with a large camera on his shoulder swung around to get a shot of the Senator walking. I was so close to both of them that the camera hit me right on the head!

With a big throbbing egg on my forehead, I managed to pull myself together and keep running. Within moments, Senator Kennedy had stopped and was looking right at me. Wow!

Lots of other reporters had gathered around and were shouting out questions. Bright lights from the TV cameras were practically blinding me. Despite the glare, I looked Senator Kennedy right in the eyes and asked him how he would like to be remembered. He thought about it a moment before answering. Despite the chaos around him, he gave a measured and sincere answer.

“I want to be remembered as someone who helped children, someone who cares for children,” he said. “Children need good schools to go to, a place to live, good food to eat. The most important thing for children is to have a good education.”

I paid close attention to every word he said as cameras clicked and other reporters shoved. From then on I remembered Senator Kennedy as the most important political figure I ever had the opportunity to interview.

When I woke up this morning, I was devastated to hear that Senator Kennedy died last night. He died in his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, at the age of 77.

My first thoughts went back to my experience in 2004 and the question I had asked him. I know for sure that Senator Kennedy will be remembered as an outstanding public servant and so much more. His brother President John Kennedy once described him as “the best politician in the family.”

Senator Kennedy, who was known as the “last lion” of the senate, had a remarkable congressional career of 47 years. Only two other senators in history have served as long as he did.

His time in the senate was filled with many accomplishments. He was known—and often called—the most effective and hardworking legislator in Congress. He will forever be remembered as a great legacy from a family dynasty of legacies. President Obama said it all when he called Kennedy, “the greatest US Senator of our time.”

Editor’s Note: PHOTO: Scholastic Kid Reporter Alexandra Conway interviews Senator Edward Kennedy at a delegation breakfast during the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, July 29, 2004. Photo by Suzanne Freeman

We would like to know what you think? dan@gooldcoastchronicle.com

Source: Scholastic News Online

Hero of the Week – Country Star Keith Urban

By SJH/PIO
August 29, 2009

The patients and staff of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® received quite the unexpected and special treat this past June when Keith Urban stopped in to tour the facility and visit with the kids.

The country music star is a dear friend of St. Jude. His efforts and support have greatly contributed to the enormous success of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids, and this dedication has influenced his fan club to join Fans Care for St. Jude Kids in 2002.

An added element of surprise to the visit was the VIP reception that Keith received upon his arrival: waiting to greet him and thank him for his support were Marlo Thomas, Tony Thomas, Dr. William Evans, St. Jude Director and CEO, Dave McKee, COO of ALSAC and Rick Shadyac, newly appointed CEO of ALSAC.

Also gathered to greet Keith in the Chili’s Care Center lobby were many excited patients and their families. After spending time with all of his fans, Keith proceeded on his tour, led by Dr. Larry Kun, who provided insight into the advanced imaging capabilities that the facility offers.

Dr. Mary Relling then gave a tour of her lab in the Pharmacology Department. Keith continued on to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, where he gave patients a treat they will never forget: each patient received a handwritten message on their window, as well as some special one-on-one time with Keith. His love and passion has always been the Kids of St. Jude, and this was evident by the attention given to every patient he met.

As he wrapped up his visit and tour, Keith shared with St. Jude staff members that much of his inspiration has come from Randy Owen, longtime supporter of the hospital, friend of Danny Thomas, and founder of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids.

Source: Country Cares

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

The Whale Said “Thank You”

By Janet Angel
August 28, 2009

If you read a recent front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat.  She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.  A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands(outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.  They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.  When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.

She then came back to each and ev ery diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around ~she was thanking them.  Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.  The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.  And , may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.  I pass this on to you, my friends, in the same spirit.

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

California Girl Kidnapped 18 Years Ago Found Alive

By Fox News
August 27, 2009

An 11-year-old California girl kidnapped in 1991 while waiting for a school bus has been found alive, and a convicted sex offender is accused of raping her and fathering two children with her while he and his wife held her captive in their backyard.

Despite the shocking revelations, the discovery of Jaycee Lee Dugard brought sudden relief to her family 18 years after their young girl disappeared.

Dugard was being kept with the two children in a series of tents and sheds hidden behind the Antioch, Calif., home of Phillip and Nancy Garrido, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday at a news conference.

Dugard and her two daughters are “in good health, but living in a backyard for the past 18 years does take its toll,” Undersheriff Fred Kollar said.

The Garridos were arrested Wednesday after Phillip Garrido raised suspisions of campus police at the University of California, Berkeley. Garrido was spotted there with two young girls trying to gain access to the campus library, Kollar said.

Campus police then notified Garrido’s parole officer who arranged an interview. Garrido, who was on parole from a 1971 conviction for rape and kidnapping, arrived for the meeting accompanied by the two girls, ages 11 and 15, as well as wife, Nancy, and another woman, named Allissa.

Allissa was then identified as Jaycee Dugard, the blond, pony-tailed 11-year-old who was taken from the school bus stop minutes after she left her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991.

Dugard was reunited Thursday with her mother, who was overjoyed to learn the ordeal was over and the daughter she feared dead was actually alive and well.

Dugard’s stepfather, the last person to see her in 1991 and a longtime suspect in the case, said he was overwhelmed after doing everything he could to help find her. He said the news that she was found was like winning the lottery.

“To have this happen where we get her back alive, and where she remembers things from the past, and to have people in custody is a triple win,” he told The Sacramento Bee.

The Garridos are being held in the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez on potential charges of kidnapping and conspiracy on Wednesday, police said. Phillip Garrido also could face charges of rape by force, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor and sexual penetration.

Click here for more on this story from FOX40.com.

At the Garrido’s house, barriers were constructed to “inhibit outside viewing and prevent the victims from contact with the outside world,” Kollar said. Police described the situation as a compound with sound-proof walls and no electricity.

The neighborhood is described as a residential area, with the Garridos home raising no suspicion from the outside world as to the horrific compound concealed in the backyard.

Neighbor Helen Boyer, 78, described the Garridos as nice and friendly and said they cared for Phillip Garrido’s elderly mother.

“If I needed something, they would be the first I would call on,” Boyer said.

Dugard left for school the morning of June 10, 1991, dressed all in pink and stood at the bus stop two blocks from her house. As her stepfather watched from the driveway, a gray car with two people inside pulled up, grabbed the child and sped away, according to witnesses.

In media reports at the time, the girl’s stepfather said he heard Jaycee scream then jumped on a bicycle and frantically pedaled after the car in a failed effort to follow it up a hill. He then turned around and shouted at neighbors to call the police.

The case attracted national attention and was featured on TV’s “America’s Most Wanted,” which broadcast a composite drawing of a suspect seen in the car.

Probyn said his wife, Terry, spoke with Dugard by phone on Wednesday.

“She got a call from the FBI, they said they had found Jaycee and she was alive,” Probyn told KTVU. “My wife talked with her and is convinced she is Jaycee. Jaycee remembers everything.”

Click here for more on this story from KTVU.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Editor”s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Fox News

Who Were Our Presidents? Part 5

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
August  24, 2009

Editor’s Note: How many of us along with our children? Know who our Presidents were and what they have done in Office.

Each week we will pick a President and tell you about them and their accomplishes.

We hope that you will enjoy this series. And let us know what you think? dan@goldcoastchronicle.com

5. JAMES MONROE 1817-1825

 

On New Year’s Day, 1825, at the last of his annual White House receptions, President James Monroe made a pleasing impression upon a Virginia lady who shook his hand:

“He is tall and well formed. His dress plain and in the old style…. His manner was quiet and dignified. From the frank, honest expression of his eye … I think he well deserves the encomium passed upon him by the great Jefferson, who said, ‘Monroe was so honest that if you turned his soul inside out there would not be a spot on it.’ ”

Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1758, Monroe attended the College of William and Mary, fought with distinction in the Continental Army, and practiced law in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

As a youthful politician, he joined the anti-Federalists in the Virginia Convention which ratified the Constitution, and in 1790, an advocate of Jeffersonian policies, was elected United States Senator. As Minister to France in 1794-1796, he displayed strong sympathies for the French cause; later, with Robert R. Livingston, he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase.

His ambition and energy, together with the backing of President Madison, made him the Republican choice for the Presidency in 1816. With little Federalist opposition, he easily won re-election in 1820.

Monroe made unusually strong Cabinet choices, naming a Southerner, John C. Calhoun, as Secretary of War, and a northerner, John Quincy Adams, as Secretary of State. Only Henry Clay’s refusal kept Monroe from adding an outstanding Westerner.

Early in his administration, Monroe undertook a goodwill tour. At Boston, his visit was hailed as the beginning of an “Era of Good Feelings.” Unfortunately these “good feelings” did not endure, although Monroe, his popularity undiminished, followed nationalist policies.

Across the facade of nationalism, ugly sectional cracks appeared. A painful economic depression undoubtedly increased the dismay of the people of the Missouri Territory in 1819 when their application for admission to the Union as a slave state failed. An amended bill for gradually eliminating slavery in Missouri precipitated two years of bitter debate in Congress.

The Missouri Compromise bill resolved the struggle, pairing Missouri as a slave state with Maine, a free state, and barring slavery north and west of Missouri forever.

In foreign affairs Monroe proclaimed the fundamental policy that bears his name, responding to the threat that the more conservative governments in Europe might try to aid Spain in winning back her former Latin American colonies. Monroe did not begin formally to recognize the young sister republics until 1822, after ascertaining that Congress would vote appropriations for diplomatic missions. He and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wished to avoid trouble with Spain until it had ceded the Floridas, as was done in 1821.

Great Britain, with its powerful navy, also opposed reconquest of Latin America and suggested that the United States join in proclaiming “hands off.” Ex-Presidents Jefferson and Madison counseled Monroe to accept the offer, but Secretary Adams advised, “It would be more candid … to avow our principles explicitly to Russia and France, than to come in as a cock-boat in the wake of the British man-of-war.”

Monroe accepted Adams’s advice. Not only must Latin America be left alone, he warned, but also Russia must not encroach southward on the Pacific coast. “. . . the American continents,” he stated, “by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power.” Some 20 years after Monroe died in 1831, this became known as the Monroe Doctrine.

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? Can you answer this question? What has James Monroe accomplished as President? dan@youngchronicle.com. If you know the answer you can win a prize.

Source: Whitehouse

Coroner Rules Jackson’s Death Homicide

By THOMAS WATKINS
Associated Press Writer
August 24, 2009

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide and a combination of drugswas the cause, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson’s death June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson’s personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. A designation of homicide means that Jackson died at the hands of another, but does not necessarily mean a crime was committed.

A search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston includes a detailed account of what Murray told investigators.

According to the document, Murray said he’d been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks with 50 milligrams of propofol every night via an intravenous drip. But he said he feared Jackson was forming an addiction to the anesthetic, which is normally used in hospitals only, and was attempting to wean his patient by lowering the dose to 25 milligrams and adding the sedatives lorazepam and midazolam.

That combination succeeded in helping Jackson sleep two days prior to his death, so the next day, Murray told detectives he cut off the propofol — and Jackson fell asleep with just the two sedatives.

Then around 1:30 a.m. on June 25, starting with a 10-milligram tab of Valium, Murray said he tried a series of drugs instead of propofol to make Jackson sleep. The injections included two milligrams of lorazepam around 2 a.m., two milligrams of midazolam around 3 a.m., and repeats of each at 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. respectively.

But they didn’t work.

Murray told detectives that around 10:40 a.m. he gave in to Jackson’s “repeated demands/requests” for propofol, which the singer referred to as his “milk.” He administered 25 milligrams of the white-colored liquid, — a relatively small dose — and finally, Jackson fell asleep.

Murray remained with the sedated Jackson for about 10 minutes, then left for the bathroom. No more than two minutes later, he returned — and found Jackson had stopped breathing.

“There’s no surprise there” that death could result from such a combination, said Dr. David Zvara, anesthesia chairman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“All those drugs act in synergy with each other,” Zvara said. Adding propofol on top of all the other sedatives “tipped the balance.”

Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner’s toxicology report found other substances in Jackson’s system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer’s death, the official told the AP.

When he died, Jackson was skinny but not overly emaciated, and his body had bed sores, the official said. The singer is believed to have developed bed sores in the months following his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges, when he went into seclusion and spent long stretches in bed.

Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he “told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.” Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson. Murray’s attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that “should have” killed Jackson.

A call to the coroner’s office was not returned Monday.

Jackson’s family released a statement Monday, saying it has “full confidence” in the legal process and the efforts of investigators. It concludes: “The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”

The 25 milligrams of propofol Murray told police he gave Jackson the day he died “is not a whopping amount,” said Lee Cantrell, director of the San Diego division of the California Poison Control System. But by combining propofol with a cocktail of the other sedatives, known as benzodiazepines, it “may have been the trigger that pushed him over the edge,” Cantrell said.

Cantrell said it’s perplexing that someone would give various benzodiazepines if one was found not to be effective.

“This is horrible polypharmacy,” he said, referring to the interaction between the various drugs. “No one will treat an insomniac like this.”

The affidavit says Murray told investigators he didn’t order or buy any propofol and had found about eight bottles of it in Jackson’s home along with numerous other medications. But investigators served a search warrant Aug. 11 at a Las Vegas pharmacy and uncovered evidence showing Murray legally purchased from the store the propofol he gave Jackson the day he died.

Murray didn’t tell paramedics or doctors at UCLA hospital where Jackson was rushed June 25 about any drugs he administered other than lorazepam and flumazenil, according to the affidavit. The document says it was only during a subsequent interview with Los Angeles Police detectives that Murray gave a more full accounting of the events leading up to the 911 call.

The coroner’s office has not publicly released its autopsy findings, citing a request from police detectives to withhold results until their investigation is complete.

Homicide, or “death at the hands of another,” is one of several possible findings in a coroner’s death investigation. The designation does not necessarily mean a crime was committed though it is a useful starting point for prosecutors, said Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner in New York City and a forensics expert involved in many high-profile murder cases.

“It is an easier prosecution when the medical examiner calls it a homicide,” said Baden, who is not involved in the Jackson investigation.

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press Writers Justin Pritchard and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles; AP Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee; and AP Writer Michael Gracyzk in Houston.

Source: Associated Press and Yahoo

China Loves their Olympics of Magic

By Laura Leigh Davidson
August 24, 2009

In 2008, China hosted one of the most spectacular Olympic Games in recent memory. This year, the country’s capital city of Beijing played host to another dazzling competition: the World Championships of Magic.

The weeklong event is also known as the “Olympics of Magic.” Every three years, magicians from around the world unveil their best tricks to compete for a gold medal in their area of the ancient art of illusion. An illusion is something that appears to exist but does not.

Shawn Farquhar of Canada won the 2009 gold medal for close-up magic. Close-up magic, or micro-magic, is performed for an audience that is generally no more than 10 feet away. Farquhar tricked the eyes of even the closest observers with his deck of magic playing cards. He showed the audience an ace of spades, and that he had nothing up his sleeves. The next moment, the card was clearly an ace of clubs!

A magician from Hungary named Soma captured the gold medal for stage magic. Stage magicians perform large-scale illusions, or tricks. Soma used everyday objects in his stage act. He ripped up every section of a newspaper into tiny pieces. But, much to his own apparent surprise, the newspaper kept putting itself back together.

Mad for Magic

Farquhar and Soma may have gone home with the medals, but the country of China is perhaps the biggest winner in this year’s World Championships of Magic. Thousands of people around the country have gone mad for all things magic.

Lu Chen, a popular magician from the neighboring country of Taiwan, helped spark the magic craze on a TV show this past spring. People could not stop talking about one trick in particular. Lu made a ring disappear and then reappear inside an egg. How could the audience see the ring reappear in the egg? Lu cracked the egg open for all to see.

But many in Lu’s audience wanted more than to be entertained. They wanted to know how the trick was done. This curiosity is helping spread “magic fever,” as many call it, throughout China.

To learn the secrets behind magic tricks, people are flooding magic training schools. Many magicians have started their own schools to teach the tricks of their trade to curious beginners.

China has a long history of magic for teachers to draw on. Baofeng (bow-fung), a region in the southeastern part of the country, is the home of Chinese magic. There are records of magic acts being performed in Baofeng that date back more than 1,400 years.

Magic Money in Tough Times

Magic fever is helping local businesses cope with tough economic times too. In addition to booming business at new training schools, stores that make stage costumes and tents for magic shows have seen a big jump in sales.

The town of Zhouying (joe-yeeng) takes in about 75 percent of its income from magic schools and related businesses. Magician Wang Xianbo (sheon-bo) was born in Zhouying. He spoke to USA Today about his hometown, which is known as “Magic Village.” Wang says many residents of the village have turned from farming to magic-related businesses to make a living.

“Magic is hot now,” Wang said. “Many of my neighbors are traveling around China performing.”

Wayne Wang, author of the book China Magic!, agrees. This “is [an important] year for magic in China,” he told USA Today. “Dancing and pop music are no longer fresh, but magic makes people’s eyes pop out. Magic is new and fashionable to a lot of young people.”

Source: Scholastic News Online

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Daughter Found Her Inner Princess

By Mallory Factor
FOXNews.com

And I loved seeing my daughter transformed and enjoyed watching her soak up all the attention that was gracefully given to her.

Maybe because she is our middle child, I have always told my four-year-old daughter that she is Daddy’s little princess. Every night, when I tuck her into bed I say, “Good night, Princess Creagh.” But Creagh has been tough to charm. “I am just Creagh,” she responds with perhaps a hint of wistfulness. “I am not a princess.”

So when we went on a father-daughter trip to Disney World recently, I decided to take her for some “princess therapy”– at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a new salon for young girls at Cinderella’s Castle.

Named for the song that Cinderella’s godmother sings as she transforms Cinderella from cinders to glamour for the Prince’s ball, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is much more than a makeover experience for young girls. Like all Disney attractions, every detail is carefully conceived and executed to create a magical experience for children. Disney magic is hard at work here for the lucky young girls whose parents are willing to pay for the experience (all income levels are accomodated from $49.95 for the basic “Coach” package which includes hairstyle and shimmering makeup–to $249.95 for the deluxe “Castle” package which also includes a gown, shoes, accessories and photos). And the magical effects last far longer than the glitter does.

At Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Creagh meets a “fairy godmother-in-training” who asks her about her favorite princess (Cinderella) and helps her pick out a gown, shoes and accessories in the style of that princess. Then, with typical Disney grand style, the fairy godmother-in-training brings my daughter to a large curtain. She whisks the curtain back, and voila! All of Creagh’s choices, in her own size, lay waiting for her to put on in a huge dressing room fit for a princess.

After she dresses, my daughter meets a few more fairy-godmothers-in-training who help her pick out a hairstyle and makeup. Later, her fairy-godmother-in-training asks, “Princess Creagh, which color would you like for your nails?” My daughter looked puzzled and responds, “I am just Creagh. I am not a princess.” Then from a rainbow palette of nail colors, she chooses one out of the four sparkly shades of pink.

After a few minutes, my daughter relaxes into the fantasy of being a princess and clearly begins to enjoy all the personal attention. Her interaction with her fairy-godmothers-in-training becomes more spirited and upbeat. Her shyness recedes. She had become a princess in her own mind, and no longer corrects anyone when they refer to her as “Princess Creagh.”

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is buzzing with young girls, but each girl gets a huge amount of personal attention from their own fairy godmothers-in-training. The staff is very attentive and shows great respect to the choices of each girl, somehow making each one feel both important and unique. It is a type of attention that busy parents rarely have the patience or time to provide, and the girls seem to thrive in their own Disney bubble of personal care and consideration.

Finally, an hour and a quarter later, the transformation is complete. Disney magic has given my daughter a beautiful princess gown, a soft glittering glow to her face and a dramatic hair style including long pink tresses. Her look is wholesome, but ethereal — more Broadway than “beauty pageant.” Creagh has been expertly styled and has emerged as another creature entirely from the pensive, cautious girl who entered the salon earlier. She stands taller and exudes confidence.

As she mounts the royal throne for her photo session, my daughter has the gleam in her eye of a real princess. She has been listened to today and made her own choices. Not important ones mind you — which hairstyle she would like, nail colors and the like — but still the choices have been her own. She has found her inner princess and likes it.

It is fair to ask what the point is of dressing up little girls, putting make up on them and painting their nails, all in the style of one of the Disney princesses. But whatever its excesses, the “princess makeover” does seem to have positive psychic benefits for the little girls themselves. The girls feel that their opinions matter and that they are important. They also seem to get a hint that they can be as beautiful as any princess or any other girl. There is no adolescent angst about not being pretty enough–all girls are treated as beauties here.

And I loved seeing my daughter transformed into a fantasy princess and enjoyed watching her soak up all the attention that was gracefully given to her. For many parents–including me, seeing their daughter “come out” as a princess was a very moving experience.

One mom next to me was crying profusely. She told me that she had saved up to give her daughter this special experience because she thought it might help her daughter feel better about herself and also improve their relationship. It sounded like there had been a lot of conflict over the past year between she and her daughter and it took the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience to show her that the inner beauty of her daughter was still there–despite their recent hard times.

The staff told me that crying parents are a common sight at the salon. Many parents weep silently and even sob outright — not just because their daughters look like beautiful princesses, but also because they love to see their daughters bask in the spotlight and thrive under the attentive care of the Disney fairy godmothers-in-training.

And the experience of making her own choices and receiving intense personal attention at the salon seems to have stayed with Creagh. My wife has noticed that Creagh is expressing her own opinion more in the family–and not always just agreeing with the views of her older brother and sister. Whether this is because of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience or for other reasons, we don’t know, but after her trip, she seems to be putting herself on equal footing with her older siblings more. I don’t think it was just about the make-up and pretty dresses for Creagh — it was about having grownups give her choices, listen to her likes and dislikes, and allow her to feel comfortable being the center of attention for a while.

Congratulations to Disney for letting little girls and their families find their “princesses.” Princess therapy really works, for daughter and for parent. Just ask Princess Creagh.

Editor’s Note: Mallory Factor is the co-chairman and co-founder of the Monday Meeting, an influential meeting of economic conservatives, journalists and corporate leaders in New York City. Mr. Factor is a well-known merchant banker and speaks and writes frequently on economic and fiscal topics for news stations, leading newspapers and other print and online publications.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source: Fox News

Our Kids Going to School More Safely

By NCMEC
August 19, 2009

Every day millions of children take to the streets and highways to get to and from school.¹ For many children this experience is a new one and they may not understand or be able to use the safety rules. Young children do not have the same frame of reference for safety as adults do. They may not “look before they leap,” which is why it is so important for families to supervise young children and practice safety skills with their older children to make certain they really know and understand them. The tips noted below will help prepare for a safer journey.

Tips for Parents and Guardians

Instruct your children to always TAKE A FRIEND, always stay in well-lit areas, never take shortcuts, and never go into isolated areas. Teach them to stay aware of their surroundings and observe all traffic rules in place to more safely share the roads and sidewalks with others.

Walk the route to and from school with your children pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they’re being followed or need help. Make the walk to and from school a “teachable moment” and chance to put their skills to the test. Make a map with your children showing acceptable routes to and from school. If your children wait for a bus, wait with them or make arrangements for supervision at the bus stop.

If anyone bothers your children or makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused, while going to or from school, teach your children to trust their feelings, immediately get away from that person, and TELL you or another trusted adult.

If an adult approaches your children for help or directions, remember grownups needing help should not ask children for help; they should ask other adults. Instruct your children to never accept money or gifts from anyone unless you have told them it is OKAY to accept in each instance.

Even though there can be more safety in numbers it is still not safe for young children to walk to and from school, especially if they must take isolated routes anytime during the day or in darkness. Always provide supervision for your young children to help ensure their safe arrival to and from school.

Instruct your children to leave items and clothing with their name on them at home. If anyone calls out their name, teach them to not be fooled or confused. Teach your children about the tricks someone may try to use to confuse them or engage them in conversation. Children should also be taught that they do not need to be polite if approached and to get out of the situation as quickly and safely as possible

Ensure current and accurate emergency contact information is on file for your children at their school. If you, or another trusted family member or friend, need to pick your children up, make sure to follow the school’s departure procedures. These procedures need to include the school’s confirmation of your children’s departure with only those you authorize to pick them up.

Teach your children if anyone tries to take them somewhere they should quickly get away and yell, “This person is trying to take me away” or “This person is not my father/mother/guardian.” Teach your children to make a scene and every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting if anyone tries to grab them.

Teach your children if anyone follows them on foot to get away from that person as quickly as possible. If anyone follows them in a vehicle they should turn around, go in the other direction, and try to quickly get to a spot where a trusted adult may help them. Advise them to be sure to TELL you or another trusted adult what happened.

Instruct your children to never leave school with anyone until they’ve checked with a trusted adult. If anyone tells them there is an emergency and they want your children to go with them, teach your children to always CHECK FIRST with you before doing anything.

Also teach your children to always CHECK FIRST with you if they want to change their plans before or after school. Make sure your children always play with other children, have your permission to play in specific areas, and let you know where they are going to be. Instruct your children to TELL a trusted adult if they notice anyone they don’t know or feel comfortable with hanging around them.

In the event your children may be lost or injured, make sure they carry a contact card with your name and telephone numbers such as work and cellular. This card should be hidden from plain view.

Key Tips to Reinforce With Your Children

Always TAKE A FRIEND with you when walking, biking, or standing at the bus stop. Make sure you know your bus number and which bus to ride.

Say NO if anyone you don’t know or a person who makes you feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused offers a ride unless I have told you it is OKAY to do so in each instance.

Quickly get away and yell, “THIS PERSON IS NOT MY MOTHER/FATHER/GUARDIAN” if anyone tries to take you somewhere or is following you. If anyone tries to grab you, make a scene and every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.

NEVER LEAVE SCHOOL GROUNDS before the regular school day ends. Always check with the office before leaving school early.

NEVER take shortcuts or walk through alleys to get to or from school faster. We will talk about which way to go to and from school. Remind me if activities you participate in cause you to leave earlier or arrive home later than usual. Remember to call me once you have arrived home.

Editor’s Note: According to the National Center for Education Statistics in fall 2008, a record 49.8 million students will attend public elementary and secondary schools. An additional 6.2 million students are expected to attend private schools this fall, Fast Facts. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, www.nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372, accessed September 9, 2008.

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Source: Missingkids

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