Category Archives: Uncategorized
Kids on Caffeine
Caffeinated drinks are not recommended for kids under 12. But, even if you don’t intend for you child to take in any caffeine, most get some through chocolate and “energy drinks”. Here is an interesting article with tips for parents.
Kids and Caffeine: An Unhealthy Combo
by Katy Abel
Whether they’re decking the halls or cruising the malls, kids are popping open soda cans and guzzling caffeinated beverages like never before. In a holiday season filled with festive parties, it’s not unusual to hear parents say, “Sure, you can have another Coke.”
True, a couple cans of pop won’t kill our kids. But health experts warn that we may have underestimated the effects on a child’s growth and development.
“Caffeine is mildly addictive,” notes Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI.) “Twenty years ago, teens drank twice as much milk as soda pop. Now they drink twice as much soda pop as milk.”
Indeed, the soda consumption of teenage boys, the all-time pop-guzzling champs, nearly tripled from 1978 to 1994, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research service. In 1994, nearly three-quarters of teen boys drank an average 34 ounces, the equivalent of almost three cans daily.
All told, children and teens down more than 64 million gallons of soda per year. Not only are teens drinking more; soda consumption for 6- to 11-year-olds doubled between 1978 and 1994.
Soft Drink Companies Market Through Schools, Ads
While soda companies (not unlike cigarette companies) deny any attempt to reach the under-12 market, a look at both demographics and marketing suggests otherwise. Research shows that coffee consumption rises between ages 15 and 24, and declines thereafter.
Meanwhile, growing numbers of cash-strapped school districts are reaping millions from soda manufacturers who pay for the right to sell their products in cafeterias and vending machines. Often the marketing deals allow companies to place ads in strategic locations like the school gym or school buses. Savvy media messages, crafted with youth in mind, link soda with desirable traits like energy and winning.
“It’s crazy to be pushing junk food on kids at schools,” protests Jacobson. Several years ago, his organization petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to require manufacturers to list caffeine as a product ingredient. To date, CSPI has not received a response.
Parents are well-advised to remember that caffeinated soda is a non-nutrient that can cause sleep problems, irritability, and stomach upset, says Mary Rimsca, M.D., director of health for Arizona State University and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, the phosphoric acid that causes carbonation in soft drinks hinders the absorption of calcium.
“It binds the calcium,” says Rimsca. “We are starting to see increases in incidents of osteoporosis at a young age. It’s just beginning to come out in studies.”
Advice for Parents
You don’t want to be The Grinch Who Stole Pepsi, but you also want your children to get the nutrients they need. Some suggestions from health experts:
- Limit soda consumption to parties or special occasions only. Most pediatricians recommend no more than one 12-ounce can per day, tops.
- Make sure soda is not a regular substitute for milk or other calcium sources.
- Avoid the “added caffeine” drinks like Coca-Cola’s Surge or Pepsi’s Josta.
- Become “soda savvy.” Mountain Dew weighs in with 55 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can; Sunkist has 40, Coke, 45, Pepsi, 37. Sprite is caffeine-free.
- Talk with school administrators, food service workers, and school nurses. Does your district have a contract with a soda manufacturer? Express your concerns about soda in schools.
- Talk frankly with kids about nutrition and marketing messages. “I know you like Coke or Pepsi and it’s okay to have once in a while, but the ads that make it look as if you’ll play better in gym if you drink soda are filled with lies. You need strong bones to play well and bones need calcium. Soda doesn’t have calcium.”
Read more on FamilyEducation: http://life.familyeducation.com/nutrition/foods/36515.html#ixzz1shaXHjsf
Like this:
How to Make your Flowers Last Longer
Spring flowers are on their way! I love having fresh flowers inside but I have found that they don’t last very long in the vase. So I wondered if there were any tricks to make them last longer. Guess what? There are! Here is what I found:
Make Your Cut Flowers Last Longer
by Colleen Moulding
| Nothing lifts a room like fresh flowers, but they can be expensive. Here are ten tips to help you get the best out of your arrangements.1). Buy flowers still in bud. You get the pleasure of watching them open and they will have a longer vase life than those bought in full bloom.
2). When you get your flowers home, strip off any leaves that will be below the water line, cut off the bottoms of the stems and give them a good long drink of lukewarm water. 3). Add a few drops of household bleach to the flower water to guard against the slime caused by bacteria and add a spoonful of sugar instead of commercially produced flower food. 4). Woody stemmed flowers, like roses, benefit from having the bottoms of their stems crushed and then split to help them take up water. 5). Bulb flowers such as daffodils should have their stems snipped across at an angle. Washing away the sticky white secretion will lengthen their life too. 6). To stop tulips flopping over, wrap the bunch tightly in wet newspaper and leave them in two to three inches of water for about one and a half hours. Push small pins through the stems just below the flower heads and they will stay soldier straight. 7). Don’t leave flowers in warm rooms overnight. Extend their life by putting them in the coldest room in the house while you are asleep. 8). Improvise vases for any occasion by wrapping bottles, jars or plastic containers with tissue paper, fabric or coloured net, tied with ribbon, raffia or cord. Tiny flower prints or gingham for a casual country look, swagged silky fabric, bright or pastel tissue paper for more formal occasions. Or overlap shiny leaves around the outside of a glass and tie with raffia before arranging your flowers inside. 9). Place your floral arrangement in front of a mirror and it will look twice as big and beautiful. 10). Finally don’t forget to top up your vases with fresh water every day for long lasting displays. © Colleen Moulding 2000 |
Experiencing Contentment
To me, contentment is one of those words that you think you know what it means until someone asks you to define it. I’ve have found myself in some of those predicaments with my boys when they ask me to define words they’ve learned like: sarcasm. We all know what sarcasm is, but to put words to it so a child can understand it is difficult.
So when I sat down to start putting my thoughts together I asked myself how I would define contentment and when I had come up with my definition, I started to wonder if I was correct.
I get the sense that our culture would define contentment as: Happiness with one’s situation in life.
My personal definition prior to doing this study was “feeling satisfied with my current circumstances”.
A few weeks ago, I took an informal facebook poll and asked my friends how they defined “contentment”. Some of their answers were:
• Enjoyment of whatever may be desired
• The absence of dissatisfaction or anxiety; peace.
• Being at peace with yourself
• Absence of want
Stop for a moment and consider how YOU would define contentment.
Dictionary.com defines contentment as “satisfaction; ease of mind” and sites the word “happy” as a synonym.
But, according to the Holman Bible Dictionary, the definition of contentment, from a biblical perspective is: “An internal satisfaction which does not demand changes in external circumstances.”
How do we know this? Well, by far the most sited scripture on contentment is Philippians 4:11 which in the King James version says “I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.” The (NIV) says-“for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
Charles Spurgeon was a prolific author and pastor in the 1800’s. His work remains highly influential to this day.
According to Spurgeon, the words “I have learned” show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. When Paul says, ‘I have learned to be content;’ he is basically saying that there was a point in his life that he did not know how to be content.
But now, he has LEARNED how to be content in his circumstances. I think it’s important for us to review what those circumstances had been when he wrote that. In 2 Corinthians chapter 2, Paul says: “I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died. 24 Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip. 25 Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from people from my own country. I have been in danger from those who aren’t Jews. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers. 27 I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.”
So this is what Paul had endured when later in Phillipians he says: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
So the state of contentment has to be learned because our natural propensity is to be discontented. The last of the ten commandments addresses this aspect of the human condition. Commandment #10 says “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
To covet, or covetousness, is a sin mentioned frequently in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is considered a root of other serious sinful behaviors.The term means “to desire intensely.” In Scripture this word expresses the intense love and desire for any object or person; that is given more importance, and becomes a substitute for the devotion and love due to God.
I don’t know about you but when I hear the word covet, it sounds like an “old word” like “hither” or similar words that we don’t often use in our contemporary vernacular. So I find it hard to relate to in my own life. I don’t think any of us would consider ourselves necessarily guilty of coveting. But this is a sneaky one. And it creeps in as another word we can more easily recognize: comparison.
Don’t make the mistake of comparing yourself to others. Some of us have nice looking outsides but messy looking insides. And vice versa.
The danger of comparison is that it predominantly leads to two sinful responses: Pride and Despair.
[Pride]
If we compare ourselves to someone who struggles with an issue that happens to be an area of strength for us, we will be tempted toward pride and we’ll wonder why they can’t just get it together!
[Despair]
If we compare ourselves to someone who is strong and gifted in an area where we are messy and weak, we’ll be tempted toward despair and we’ll wonder what is wrong with us that we can’t get it together!
Both pride and despair lead us away from our rightful posture of holy confidence and humble dependence.
Colossians 3:2 says “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”
Whenever we look horizontally and compare ourselves with others, we’ll perceive things through a skewed lens. Looking up vertically for perspective keeps us more focused on God’s strength than our weaknesses.
If we forget to look up and only look out, we will subject ourselves to the devil’s attempts to lure us away from God’s promise of peace and contentment.
I believe this applies to fostering material contentment as well as spiritual contentment. Times are tough. And it’s easy to compare ourselves to others and wish we had more. But our GOD has limitless resources and, at a minimum, He will give to us according to our actual need. Phil.4:19
1 Timothy 6:6 says that “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” Have you ever seen those bumper stickers or license plate frames that say “Whoever dies with the most toys wins!” They have never heard this scripture. They need to have this bumper sticker instead: “Whoever dies with the most toys…misses the point!
But don’t let me confuse you. Discontentment is not just associated with material things. Through this study, I came to realize the depth of my spiritual discontentment. And as I grow in my walk, these are some of the thoughts that pop into my mind:
I wish prayed more like so and so.
If only I had more biblical knowledge like so and so.
Oh man, she spends an hour each day with the Lord and some days it’s a miracle if I do it at all.
I still struggle with sin! Argghhh… why can’t I be more holy!
Now, I’m not saying that you can’t look at someone and be encouraged to live a holier life. I’m just saying that when you compare yourself, the slope to despair is slippery. So for me, this is an area of discontent that can easily lead me to sin.
Of course, this line of thinking is not from God. Instead of living feeling condemned, I need to claim the Victory of Jesus Christ! And remember that true contentment can be learned.
Greek Definition for the word “learn” means to increase ones knowledge through experience, to appropriate the truth personally, and to live it out practically.
Spurgeon reminds us that on earth, things that grow must be cultivated. If we are to have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener’s care.
Contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by our human nature; it is the new nature alone (right?, we are new creations in Christ) that can produce it, and even then we must be especially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us.
To be content is to trust that God is great and that He is always up to something good.
So how do we learn contentment?
I’m a do-er by nature, so I like to have how-to’s whenever possible. So here are a couple to get you started.
1) To battle discontentment you must put on the armor of God.
a. Meditate
i. on Psalm 119:36 which will protect you against coveting:
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain
(In other words, “Grant me the future grace of strong influences on my heart to give me an appetite for your truth that breaks the power of my appetite for things.” )
b. Flee 1 Timothy 6:11
i. But you, man of God, flee from all this (covetousness and discontentment), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
c. Slay (Put it to death!) Colossians 3:5
i. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature (as we learned earlier, discontentment is part of our earthly nature).
2) Do Not Complain Instead Focus on Thanksgiving.
a. This allows us to see all the good things we have and makes contentment easier.
b. Philippians 2:14
i. Do everything without grumbling or arguing (this means DO LIFE without grumbling)
c. James 1:17
i. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
d. Luke 12:31
i. But seek God’s kingdom, and all your other needs will be met as well.
So What are the Considerations in Parenting?
We must go after discontentment in our children with the same resolve we seek to uproot disobedience because both are rooted in a sinful, selfish mid-set – and these are not the kinds of things we want growing in our kids.
I’m about to say something controversial so forgive me. You know how people always say “children are so innocent.” Well, I’m not sure about that. Children may be inexperienced but they are not necessarily innocent. In fact, some have argued that thanks to Adam and Eve, they are born with an inherently sinful nature. A nature that is inclined to disobey God.
So, why do I think this? Have you ever seen a couple of toddlers who want the same toy? How does that play out? “MINE!” So they are naturally selfish. How about when the terrible 2’s hit? What is a 2 year old’s favorite word? “NO!” They’re defiant.
The reason parenting is so exhausting is because we are constantly trying to teach them contrary to their human disposition and impulses. But don’t get discouraged. Remember that Proverbs 22:6 instructs us to “Train up a child in the way he should go”. And God will always equip us for the work He has called us to do.
In the book Spoiled Rotten, the author references a marvelous saying: “there is nothing as shattering as a dream that comes true”. Our children need to dream, to have things to look forward to, and things to hope for. But don’t interfere with natural consequences or make the mistake of meeting their every desire because you can’t stand to see the disappointment in their eyes or don’t want to deal with their wrath when they don’t get their way.
When through the best of intentions we fulfill their dreams prematurely, we are unintentionally robbing our kids of anticipation, excitement, and optimism. Instead we may be inadvertently teaching them to be demanding and to expect instant gratification.
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t encourage our children to dream and hope or that we shouldn’t teach them how to cope with broken hearts or disappointments. But there is a difference between experiencing natural feelings and throwing a tantrum.
Children learn what they live. If they live with parents who are never satisfied, always striving, ever looking for the next best thing to feed their material appetites, then those children will come to believe that life comes from stuff. But stuff breaks down, gets old, is outdated in a matter of hours or simply doesn’t satisfy for very long. As a result, those kids will hunger and thirst and yearn for more stuff. Different stuff, but more stuff none the less.
My boys have way too many toys, most of which I have not purchased myself. And they are always asking for new toys. Before birthdays and Christmas, we go through the toys and I ask the boys to toss broken toys and then donate functional toys to “boys and girls who are in need”. Nothing new comes into the house unless we donate some first. And when I have control over it, we do not purchase every toy they fancy. It’s ok to not give them everything they want.
If we don’t teach our children and actively provide perspective when they are young, they will likely grow up with one of two schools of thought: 1) I NEED the stuff or 2) I HATE this stuff and will lose a measure of respect for parents who were too shallow to teach them these principles.
We have some family friends who raised 2 daughters. They lived in affluent community and because they, the parents, were raised with very little, they gave their daughters everything they wanted. Now these daughters are in their 30’s and one of them continues to purchase whatever she desires whether or not it’s financially responsible because she feels like she’s entitled to have whatever she wants. The other daughter, hates receiving gifts and gets annoyed whenever her parents try to offer her financial help. She accuses them of trying to buy her affection.
Knowing these parents pretty well, they are “normal” parents. They wanted to give their daughters what they didn’t have growing up. But they failed to teach their children the proper perspective on materialism and contentment.
Not that we are going to seize every teaching moment perfectly but may we live close enough to the Father’s heart that we hear His voice when He whispers “Be thankful in this moment or You don’t need to buy that today or Don’t look too long at your neighbor’s stuff. Come and spend some time with Me instead”.
When our children watch us battle through our unfulfilled desires to find contentment, they’ll learn that though it’s not always easy, it is possible, and it is worth it. When they hear us regularly thanking God for specific blessings in our life, they will remember that they too are blessed. When they see us giving to others more often than grabbing for ourselves, they will see that “stuff” is a nice but not a source of contentment.
But for the entitled, demanding, foot-stomping child, the only proper response is one of discipline and intervention.
Be prepared to leave the store, the restaurant, or the park. Cancel plans, interrupt conversations and do what you have to do to take care of the outburst on the spot. Doing so sends the message to your child (and to the world): that their character means so much to you that you willing to inconvenience yourself any day of the week to deal with wrong behaviors and misguided perspectives.
Reward proper thinking.
A couple of winters ago, I pathetically fell while skiing my first run on a beginners slope and hurt my knee….bad…as in the ski patrol had to come get me and toboggan me down to the medic. I spent the rest of the day icing my knee and feeling sorry for myself as the rest of my family got to finish their day of fun. My little guy, Joey, came to check on me and when he saw me in my pitty party said “Well, mom, at least you didn’t break it!” And I thought, you know, out of the mouths of babes!
Catch your child doing something right and reward them for the right attitude and perspective.
As we wrap up, I just want you to remember that there will always be someone skinnier, prettier, better or holier than you. Contentment has little to do with our circumstances and everything to do with what we tell ourselves about those circumstances. Contentment arises from an inward disposition that we cultivate with Christ.
God wants us to learn to be content in our circumstances, not when they improve.
True contentment is a joyful, humble, uninterrupted, and independent of circumstance, dependence upon Christ. It is an attitude which cannot be controlled by material comfort or poverty. It is a ready acceptance of whatever God may allow in your life.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being good to us. And thank you that we can rest assured that you will come through for us again.
At this very moment each one of your daughters in this room possesses more than they can comprehend and is more blessed than they know.
Help us to embrace what you have given us today and grow us in trusting you for the desires of our hearts in accordance with your will.
May we continually be reminded that You are more than enough for us and whatever our lot, may it be well with our soul.
Amen
Legacy of Contentment
Discussion Questions:
Are You Content?
• Looking at the world today, give an example of how the world beckons us to be discontent with our life.
• Share an example of when you find it most difficult to have contentment in your life?
• How has your definition of contentment changed in the last hour?
Personal Application
• During your prayer time, list 5 things you are thankful for each day. Comb all areas of your life and try to come up with 5 different things each day. We can all say we are thankful for family, friends, food, etc. But get specific (ie. I am thankful that the kids slept through the night and that baby’s cold hasn’t turned into an ear infection, etc.)
• Regularly check up on those who have less than you and offer help whenever possible. Something as simple as a phone call to a lonely person will do wonders for your state of mind and bless them immensely. Then pray for those you’ve just reached out to, count your blessings and thank Jesus for all you have.
• When you notice yourself feeling discontented, retrace your steps and find out where your perspective changed. Ask God for a renewed perspective. Meditate on Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Can you think of other Bible verses that you can cling to, memorize, meditate upon, and apply to help you battle your discontentment?
Parental Application
Look for teaching moments to discuss the proper perspective on contentment with your children.
Utilize meal time to discuss how things are going that day. Praise God for things that are going well. When things are not going well, look for the bright side in that situation. This will teach your child to look for the silver lining and practice contentment.
During night-time prayer take turns listing your blessings with your child. When requesting something from God, be sure to teach your child that God’s Will will be done and that we are to be content with how our prayers get answered. I have found that ending prayers with “but not our will God, Your will be done” helps us to remember that posture.
I Drank Something WEIRD Today…And I Liked It!
Many of you know that I have started taking classes at YogaWorks in Westlake Village (let me know if you want a free pass to try it out for a week). While I’m really enjoying the variety of classes, I’m not going to lie – the sculpting class I’m taking leaves me wiped!
After my work out I try to hydrate as much as possible. Water, of course, is the preferred choice. But at times, I have also chosen to drink Coconut Water which is very hydrating and loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Well, today after class, I was feeling particularly exhausted so I stopped at Lassen’s on the way home hoping to find a magical elixir so pick me up. This caught my eye so I thought I’d try it for fun.
Organic Mamma Chia. This drink is load with Chia Seeds. That’s right Chia, as in Chia Pets.
Apparently, Chia seeds, an ancient grain, were revered by both the Mayans and Aztecs for their amazing energy and natural healing powers. Chia seeds were a main component of both the Aztec and Maya diets, and played a prominent role in religious ceremonies. One tablespoon of the seeds was considered capable of sustaining a warrior for 24 hours.
Today, chia is the force behind famous long distance runners who use it for powerful stamina. As described in the New York Times bestselling book, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall:
“In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone. As tiny as those seeds are, they’re superpacked with Omega-3s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber and antioxidants. If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn’t do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on the chia diet, you could probably swim home.”
I choose the raspberry passion flavor and gotta say, I liked it! It is weird to drink becaue the seeds are a little “slimy” but it is reminiscent of those drinks with boba in them. Strange but yummy. Now, it’s too soon to tell if it lives up to it’s claim as a “Vitality Beverage” but I will likely purchase and drink this again.
Here are the statistics that sold me. This bottle had:
- 2000 mg Omega-3
- 10 g of Fiber
- 4 g Complete Protein
- 33 mg Calcium
- High in Antioxidants
- Gluten-Free and Vegan
- Lightly Sweetened
- Less than one tablespoon of Organic Agave
- Certified Organic
So, there it is. I drank something WEIRD today…and I liked it!
Screwtape Letters on Stage in Thousand Oaks!
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is a smart, provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view.
The play, set in an eerily stylish office in hell, follows the clever scheming of Satan’s chief psychiatrist, Screwtape, as he entices a human ‘patient’ toward damnation. In this topsy-turvy, morally inverted universe God is the “Enemy” and the Devil is “Our Father below.” The stakes are high as human souls are hell’s primary source of food.
DATE: Sat., Jan. 14 at 4pm & 8pm, Sun., Jan. 15 at 3pm
PLACE: Civic Arts Plaza, Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks
For Ticket info, click here
Send your child a PERSONALIZED VIDEO MESSAGE from SANTA
My boys got these personalized video messages from Santa and LOVED it! This is quite impressive. You plug in their names and even a photo and then Santa will email you a video. AND IT’S FREE!
YOU MUST DO THIS TODAY!!!!
CLICK HERE: FREE SANTA VIDEO
Stocking Stuffer Alert: Bible Verse Flash Cards for Kids
ABC Bible Verse Flash Cards: Plant the seeds, reap the rewards
These make great stocking stuffers for young kids. My friend Michelle developed these to teach her young girls bible verses and the alphabet at the same time. They came out great! Find them on Etsy.com. They are priced at $9.95.
Peeling Pomegranates
I grew up eating pomegranate seeds but never fully appreciated the work my mom went through to give us this delicious treat! Now, as a mom myself, I love watching my boys enjoy them as much as I do. What I don’t love is… peeling them. But here are a few tricks that make it less daunting.
What to Teach Your Child about Bullies
I found this on another website and had my son read it to me, and my other son, so that we could have a discussion not just about how to avoid bullying…but also how to NOT BE a bully and how to HELP someone who is being bullied. Make sure to take the time to give your child this practical life skill.
(For more info for teachers and parents click here.)
For Kids
What is a bully?
A bully is a person who purposely tries to hurt others by:
· Making them feel uncomfortable.
· Hurting them by kicking, hitting, pushing, tripping, etc.
· Name-calling.
· Spreading nasty rumors.
The bully hurts the other person over and over.
The person being bullied feels that he or she can do nothing to stop it:
· He or she might feel smaller or weaker than the bully.
· He or she might feel outnumbered by the bully and the bully’s friends.
· He or she might feel there is no help:
· No one to talk to.
· No one is standing up for him or her.
· He or she often feels very sad, but does not know how to change the situation.
Bullies can be BOYS or GIRLS!!
Who do bullies pick on?
· Often, bullies are bigger kids, so they pick on:
· Kids they feel are smaller.
· Kids they think won’t stand up to them.
· Kids that have few friends to stand up for them.
Why do bullies do what they do?
· Sometimes they think that they will win or get what they want.
· Sometimes they want to impress or entertain their friends.
· Sometimes they enjoy feeling power over someone because sometimes they are being bullied by someone else!
· Sometimes they do not even realize that they are hurting the other person.
What to do if someone is bullying you:
· Tell someone you trust about it. If it is easier for you, write that person a note instead!! (People you might want to tell are: parents, teachers, the principal, playground safeties, or older friends).
· If the person you told cannot help you or does not do anything, find someone else! Never keep being bullied a secret!
· Try not to let the bully see you are upset. (Bullies are looking for signs that you are upset and they may do it more).
· Avoid areas where the bully feels comfortable picking on you (for example, places where teachers cannot see you – such as corners of the playground, lonely corridors, and behind large furniture in the classroom.
· Try to surround yourself with friends and people who will stand up for you.
What to do if you see someone who is being bullied:
· Get friends together and TALK to the bully. Let the bullies in your school know that bullying is not accepted at your school.
· Don’t cheer the bully on or stand around to watch. (The bully might like the attention, and pick on the kid even more).
· If you see someone being bullied, find someone to help stop it. (Get another friend, a teacher, a playground safety, a principal).
· Be nice to, include, and get to know the people who are being bullied: You may find they are similar to you!!
· Try to make friends with the bully too- show them other ways to interact with others. (They don’t need to bully others to be accepted or cool).
Simi Church offers Free Workshop for Parents of Kids with Challenges
There is Hope for Your Child. This Saturday, there will be a FREE workshop for parents, teachers, volunteers and students who refuse to accept limitaions on their child’s potential. Workshops include: Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Potential, Ideas and Methods to Help Children With Learning Challenges, Unlocking the Gifted Child Behind the Mask of Sensory Overload, Fetal Drug and Alcohol Effects, Seizure Disorders, Down Syndrome and Brain Injuries.
Looks like a great line up full of useful info. I can’t figure out how to post the flyer here so, follow the link for all the info. Let me know if you go!
