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Bullying - Bullying Won't Happen To My Child

2011-02-16T08:50:00.006-08:00

You will not believe how many parents believe that bullying and aggression only happens in high school or at most at late elementary school; nothing could be further from the truth. It is now an open secret that bullying actually begins from as early as preschool even though many people associate it with older children. Children have been known to develop aggressive behavior as early as when they are 3 or 4 years old. At such an age it may not be easy to know whether any reported cases of aggression represent a character trait or it was just one of those incidences.

Bullying at this stage goes beyond the obvious punch and kick here and there to include cases of social rejection, verbal assaults as well as continuous ridicule. Even though preschool children may have not learned conflict resolution and may get engaged in cases of pinching and punching, parents

and caregivers must be on the lookout on those children who seem to get excited when they see others getting hurt. Such kids could be trying to assert themselves by inflicting harm and injury to others by deliberately causing harm them.

Such little acts of bullying at preschool level are more often than not reported to the parent or caregiver and need to be given the seriousness they deserve. As a parent you need not ignore simple clear signals that your child is a victim of a bully such as when the child suddenly refuses to go to pre-school, reports to you that a particular child is harassing or doing mean things to him or her, comes home with bruises and injuries that look unreasonable, complains of stomach aches and headaches when it's just about time to leave for school or simply avoids eye contact when you talk to her about school.

Shawn Harvey is a 2nd degree black belt and bully proof child expert. He has over 10 years experience helping parents overcome bullying in their child. His mission is to leave the world a much better place than how he found it. In doing this he created the Bully Proof Secrets Program. A 10 week building block program to educate parents on a holistic approach to solving school bullying. Shawn Harvey is also the author of THE SEVEN DEADLY MISTAKES YOU CAN MAKE WHEN TRYING TO SOLVE BULLYING - Learn how to deal with bullying effectively without creating another problem by avoiding these common parental mistakes.

Is Youth A Blunder?

2011-02-16T08:50:00.004-08:00

Life is a tissue of opposites - a fascinating conundrum, a puzzling delight. In it joy is inextricably mixed with sorrow, success with failure, tranquility with turmoil and dreams with reality. Undeniably the best phase of human life is 'Childhood', when the heart is pure and the smile most innocent one cannot cherish the same innocence for ever. Estranged with the innocent childhood, an individual passes through his naughty teens and then steps into his youth. This is when an individual dreams are most beautiful and desires most ardent. He lives in his own world, hopes for a smiling future, gleaming with passion, faith and dreams. It is in our youth, we see the society not as our benefactor but as our exploiter.

Youth is an age of immense possibilities when the innate talents and competence of an individual strive to attain a distinct form. Youth becomes a blunder when we fail to realize what is more concrete and important for us. Youth involves making blunders, but to label this self-discovering phase of life as a "blunder" is being cynical. Spanning the teen age years to the early twenties, it is in this stage of life that many of us 'discover' ourselves physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. In this often awkward period between being a child and an adult, there are no doubts many mistake we commit in order to rationalize our confused web of thoughts that are gradually reaching maturity. Mistakes are unavoidable at this point, for it is an experience which perfects our thinking, with age and we learn through these mistakes. The mistakes can reform the youth and turn out stronger and better people than before. As regards differing with our elders, it is natural, as there are two different perceptions of the same object. What is required is not a blatant revolt, but liberalization of social norms, creating an environment whereby the spontaneous personality of youth, is not suffocated but finds a creative blossoming. With proper guidance from peers and elders, youth can and should be wonderful experience of finally 'growing up'. If one does not forget the ground while flying, if one does not relinquish hope while failing, and if one does not transcend limits while enjoying, there is no reason why youth should commit blunders. It is the exuberance of youth and experience of age, the profusion and freshness of youth and ripeness and maturity of age that can together makes life and society rich and healthy.

Use Christian Parental Control Software To Protect Family Members

2011-02-16T08:50:00.002-08:00

Finding a excellent Christian web filter with an adult content material blocker program isn't the easiest move to make. There are so many different applications to choose from, also it can be difficult to obtain the one that is best for you. Some people might at first use the most well-known of these programs, that are parent manage software programs. These types of programs usually offer you really broad blocking coverage, that works to limit and restrict very large amounts of sites on the very wide topic or even subject matter. Mother and father love this particular for their children, but it is improper for grown ups in many cases. Determine that you limited the word "gangs" in your children's access to the internet versus by yourself. You certainly don't wish to visit websites that have to do with gangs in as well as themselves, however, you may want to educate yourself about gang-related offences in your area, regulation changes, and much more.

Adult content material blocker programs provide you with the ability to make use of a Christian web filter whilst controlling exactly how restrictive it's for you. These applications work to limit certain unwanted sites, pictures, and so forth through popping up in your screen, however they go additional by giving the ability to manage these things on the keyword foundation. You can select very particular or really broad key phrases to personalize your encounter, so you have total control more than how limited the filters take prescription various key phrases and subjects.

The internet gets more and more packed with unpleasant and annoying sites, which means there's a greater requirement for adult content material blocker programs having a Christian web filter. A person truly don't have to deal with annoying or unpleasant things appearing on your display anymore, since you can have total control of your PC when you use the best filtering plan.

Being religious can come with its trials as well as tribulations, as well as pornography is a battle that you're going to be confronted with as long as the web is around. For those who have a spouse or teens, or each, you are going to may need to look into a grownup content blocker or perhaps a Christian web filter. It may be extremely effective if utilized right. As you may be considering your child or even husband is not doing something, porn may rapidly turn out to be an addiction and may also wreck families that live in the actual Christian way of life.

You are able to block web sites based on key phrases, and not just does it include already designed sites inside it, but you may add to the checklist anytime. This really is easy to use and may block out many of the pornographic websites online. Case one of the many religious internet filtration system programs available right now.

Many partnerships have damaged because of porno, and for this reason, the Christian loved ones should make use of an adult content material blocker on computer systems in the home. Teens get interested as to what it's, but after they start looking in internet marketing often, it may become a dependency. Men might stray from the marriage when they are getting bored stiff, and this is extremely wrong inside a Christian loved ones.

Utilizing an grownup content blocker might help prevent this issue from developing in your home and may protect computer systems all around. Christian believers are prohibited from taking a look at porn in addition to things for example gambling as well as gay or even lesbian marriage content material. This is purely prohibited, and for that reason a religious internet filtration system can be instead beneficial. This issue can be ceased before this even begins.

Shopping With Twins Doesn't Have to Be Mission Imposable

2011-02-16T08:50:00.001-08:00

Little wonders to behold, the birth of twins are certainly an exciting event. The joy and laughter of your life and more exertion than you could have ever prepared yourself for. Going to the mall can be a mission impossible, but if you make plans for before leaving home that first and all future shopping trips will be more manageable and most important, safe outings for both you and the babies.

"No matter how aware and safety-conscious you try to be, there are always distractions. How about some tips on how to load and unload kids from the car without being so vulnerable?" A mother of twins once wrote Twins Magazine asking for help.

Soliciting safety tips on how to get from car to store, this new mom doesn't want to become a thief's victim by being distracted in unaccustomed surroundings. A few simple precautions are all it takes to keep from being vulnerable.

While preparing to go out

• Leave your large handbag at home. It will be one less article to tote.

• Carry only a wallet, it can easily be slipped inside the babies diaper bag for safe keeping.

• When possible, take a shopping buddy. Your buddy - someone to help with getting the babies in and out of their car seats and stroller.

• Two people are much less likely to fall prey in a parking lot while destructed with loading and unloading babies and packages.

It takes a great deal of alertness to keep a hand always on the stroller while looking and shopping. Having another person along can also ease your mind about becoming momentarily distracted. While distracted, it only takes a second for an unwelcome incident to take place.

Curious shoppers often ask, "Are they twins?" Strangers tend to ask this and other questions about twins. Be prepared your first time out with the babies. As they get older and more animated, your twins will attract ever more attention with their contagious grins and it won't be too long before your twins are aware that they are somehow special. For safely, always have them strapped in their stroller.

When leaving the mall

• Have your keys in your hand before heading for the parking lot.

• Have a remote locking device for your vehicle. This is a comfort anytime you are out with small children, especially twins.

Simply by leaving home prepared for the minor distractions ahead, shopping with twins will be easier. After all, it is preparation that will make successive trips more workable and enjoyable for both you and the babies.

Now that you know what is waiting when you head out the door to shop with twins, isn't it time to start packing the diaper bag? Remember, going to the mall or grocery store doesn't have to be a mission impossible. With preparation, it is possible to leave home and have a relaxed and stress free trip.

End

Kathy Manney is the nationally recognized author of autobiographical, lifestyle and travel articles and the travel columnist for "The Vegas Voice," a monthly regional lifestyle newspaper.

She is the grandmother to identical twin granddaughters, Madison and Taylor and as her daughter's "shopping buddy," Kathy become skilled at going out with twins. She is open to freelance work in the fields of non-fiction writing and editing.

Dumped on Valentine's Day?

2011-02-16T08:48:00.003-08:00

Many times Valentine's Day can be so stressful for adolescents that they may do some pretty wildly uncharacteristic things. Boys want to do everything that the media dictates too woo that special girl of his and make her feel loved and extra special. Girls, on the other hand, sometimes demand that this day is extra special because of all the hype about the day. All of these demands can cause a lot of extra stress for couples.

And sometimes your boyfriend may just dump you to get away from all of the stress and demands. Most times, the dumping has nothing to do with you and much more to do with your boyfriend's own insecurities. So, try not to take it personally. Here are a few tips for you to enjoy the day anyway.

1. Try to get beyond the rejection. Perhaps your boyfriend was just trying too hard. Much of that is the media's fault. But maybe your boyfriend is just sensitive and expecting rejection himself. Because of this, perhaps, he put too much pressure on himself to do more than he was comfortable with. But regardless, Valentine's day is only one day. So, try and move past the hurt of this situation.

2. Do something nice for yourself, whether or not your boyfriend will be joining you. Take yourself out for a manicure, or have a hot bubble bath. Or, you may want to take yourself out to the movies. Who said that you can't go alone and enjoy yourself anyway!

3. Have some chocolate. If your BFF doesn't buy you a box of your favourite chocolate, go ahead and buy yourself one anyway. You deserve to have a bit of chocolate. And don't stint. Buy yourself a good size box and share them with your mom. She will really appreciate it.

4. Do something nice for your mom on Valentine's day. Nothing will lift your spirits more and you will feel like you did a really good deed. So, enjoy the time you spend with her. Take her out for a coffee. Or, just bring home some beautiful flowers. She will be so grateful that you thought of her. Many times, our mothers are forgotten on Valentine's day.

5. Do something nice with a group of your girlfriends. You may want to all go out for latte. Or you may want to go out and shop for an hour and buy your favourite outfit. Whatever you do, enjoy the time with your girlfriends to the fullest. And don't forget to give them a little chocolate marshmallow heart too. They will enjoy it and so will you.

By following these tips, you could put more predictability into your Valentine's day celebrations. You can choose to enjoy yourself and the day, even if your boyfriend chooses to break up with you. Remember too if your boyfriend dumps you on Valentine's Day this says much more about him than about you.

Irene S. Roth is a freelance writer for teens and tweens. She is in the process of writing a few E-books for teens and tweens on the topic of confidence and self-assertion. She also has an adolescent blog at http://www.adolescentgirlsblog.wordpress.com.

Planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? 14 Easy Tips to Get You Started!

2011-02-16T08:48:00.001-08:00

You're starting to think about your son's Bar Mitzvah or your daughter's Bat Mitzvah... but if you've never planned a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah before, the planning process can be quite daunting. It's tempting to type "Bar/Bat Mitzvah planning" into Google, however if you do that you will find loads and loads of sites that, at the end of the day, are portals for vendors - but you're not ready to go down that route yet! (Although if you register for the Forums on those sites you may find that chatting with other bar Mitzvah parents to be very helpful). If you want some quick and easy tips to guide you as you start your Bar Mitzvah planning, this is the place to look!

1. Start well in advance. The longer you have to think and plan before you actually need to commit to anything, the more prepared and confident you will be. You can start thinking about your son's bar mitzvah a year and a half before!

2. Be organized: Buy a notebook for keeping your planning and research notes, and a folder for keeping any prospects, price quotations, handouts etc.

3. Download a Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah planning timetable to help you keep to a reasonable schedule. Do your research: What is a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? How do you want to celebrate a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? What different ways or style can one celebrate a Bar/Bat Mitzvah?

4. Since you started well in advance, you have time to think about the actual content of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Remember, your child is becoming a functioning member of the Jewish community. Ask yourself what this means to you, what does it mean to him? How do you want this to be reflected in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah itself? Remember, Bar/Bat Mitzvah isn't just the party; it is the process in which the child will grow in Jewish awareness and commitment. What do you want your Bar/at Mitzvah child to come away with?

5. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah often consists of the service in the Synagogue/Temple, and the party in a different location. Think about which local Synagogue/Temple you identify with, and contact them to talk about dates.

6. Set a date for the ceremony and the party. The date is based around your son's or daughter's Hebrew birthday. Make sure that the date you set doesn't clash with any holidays.

7. What is your budget and then draw up a guest list. I found this, but have never used it, but it looks helpful http://www.evite.com/app/party/calculator/view.do

8. What type of event do you want? Morning, afternoon, night? Weekday, shabbat, festival? Intimate, big? Etc. Once again, speak to friends or forum buddies about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these.

9. Choose a location for the party

10. Find mentors for you! You're nearly ready to think about vendors, themes, center pieces, mitzvah projects etc! Speak to friends who have "been there done that" to find out who they would recommend. Ask them for tips and pointers, and also ask them what mistakes they made or what to avoid. Here is where the online forums are useful. There are whole virtual communities of Bar/Bat Mitzvah parents at different stages of their simcha for you to connect with!

11. Learn the Torah portion: You can find out from your Synagogue/Temple who they recommend, or if they have a formal learning program. You can also ask friends for references for good teachers.

12. Find out if there is a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Year enrichment program in your Synagogue, Temple, School or JCC.

13. Choose the theme of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. You can connect it creatively to your son's Bar Mitzvah Portion, a Jewish idea or value (tsedaka, family). Go ahead and Google "bar/Bat Mitzvah themes", you'll get loads more ideas from there...

14. Interview and choose vendors. Speak to friends and get recommendations.

With that we've covered the big details, there are many smaller details, and we recommend that you consult you Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Schedule for further details.

Most importantly remember, this is your child's Big Day! They are celebrating their Bar/Bat Mitzvah! Let them have an appropriate amount of involvement and choice in the planning, and make sure that the occasion you have planned is something that they will look forward to and want to remember!

Good luck and mazal tov!

Why You Should Shop For Sandboxes For Kids

2011-02-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

When it comes to sandboxes for kids, you are going to want to make sure that you are getting the very best option. Some people don't even think that having a kids sandbox is all that big of a deal. But the thing is there is a lot that children can learn from playing in the sandbox. Not only is it a lot of fun, but there is a lot to be learned which makes it an incredible investment.

One of the first things you will discover is that you could put sandboxes for kids down in the yard and within seconds, all of the children will be surrounding the sandbox and it will be the highlight of the play date. This is because children love to play in sand. They love the sand because of the texture, because of the mess and because they are given a chance to create a lot of different fun things.

By adding a kids sandbox to the yard or playground, you are also giving the children a chance to get in a little more social interaction. Sure, they might play with each other throughout the yard, but with the sandboxes for kids, they will really be interacting with each other since they will be so close and probably working together on some of the same creations. Because of this, you can guarantee that your little ones will start to learn a little more about team work.

As you can see, there are many benefits to shopping for sandboxes for kids. Of course, you are going to want to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible for the kids sandbox. You will also want to make sure that you are getting the non-toxic sand, especially if you have very young children in the house or you think that younger children will be visiting every now and then.

Once the sandboxes for kids are put up, you need to make sure that you are cleaning it out regularly. The last thing you would want is for your children to be playing in dirty sand. You might also want some sort of cover for it so that the moisture, leaves and other things do not end up in the sand. This is especially important if there are cats roaming the neighborhood. You also want to make sure that you are selecting the best kids sandbox size according to how many children you think will be playing in the sandbox on a regular basis.

The more you look around at all of your options, the more you will see just how beneficial the sandbox will be for your child and all of his or her playmates.

Encouraging Play Sand Safety From an Early Age

2011-02-16T08:40:00.003-08:00

Having a sand box in the back yard is a great way for children to improve their development and play skills. However, there are some risks that come with this simple outdoor toy, and play sand safety must be looked at to prevent injury and illness. It is the parent's responsibility to ensure that the sand box is kept clean, covered when not in use and safe to play in. If regular checks and cleaning levels are maintained, the sand box will remain a fantastic environment for children to play in. Sandbox safety is very important, and takes very little time to implement.

Allowing children to play in sandboxes carries an element of risk of illness and disease. Unfortunately, sand attracts cats and other wild animals that will be tempted to use it as their litter tray. Animal feces are filled with parasites and diseases that can make a child very ill. This is why play sand safety is very important to ensure that children are kept safe. Small children will always place objects in their mouths, and if the sand or toys has animal feces on them this will be easily passed to the child. The problem will become greater in the summer months, as the temperatures soar.

As well as diseases being passed to the children, there are other worries with the type of sand that is being used. Synthetic sand can cause concerns as it has been linked to cancer, although the small amounts in the sandbox are classed as safe. Buying the correct sand for the sandbox will help to keep the children safe. Buying the sand from a reliable manufacturer who can prove that the sand is non-toxic and safe for children is recommended. As well as ensuring the correct sand is used general maintenance and cleaning will help sandbox safety.

When the children have finished playing in the sand box it should be covered with a tight fitting plastic cover or specially made lid. Covering the sandbox overnight is essential as this is when animals come out to play. If the sandbox is accidently left uncovered it should be emptied, and inspected to ensure there are no feces in it. Even if the sand box is always covered, it should be checked often to ensure there are no foreign objects in the sand. If possible encouraging the children not to put the sand in the mouths is an idea to help with sand box safety.

Ensuring that the children do not eat and drink whilst in the sandbox will not only stop the chance of sand entering their bodies. It will also stop any chance of the food and drink being dropped in the sandbox and encouraging ants and other creatures. As soon as the children have stopped playing in the sand, washing their hands is a great way to encourage sandbox safety. Teaching children a good level of hygiene is always recommended. If they understand how to remain safe whilst in the sandbox, they will enjoy their time more. Children love playing in sand boxes and they are a great educational tool. Although there are risks involved with the sand, with a good level of play sand safety, these risks are at a minimum.

Coaching Youth Sports the Right Way

2011-02-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

COACHING THE GAME OF LIFE

Remember the George Allen quote adopted by every high school football coach? "Football is like the game of life." When I was a young athlete, that old cliché really irritated me. Sports were supposed to be fun. And the game of life... well, that was something else.

Then I grew up, had kids of my own, and became a recreation league coach of football and several other sports. I have not used Mr. Allen's cliché myself, but I have learned the real wisdom behind it. When youth sports are coached well, they do help kids to learn how to live a good life.

Regardless of the sport or the age of the child, there are three fundamental lessons a coach should teach, summarized as Self, Group and Fun.
• Self: I get better at something when I work at it.
• Group: I am responsible to others and they are responsible to me.
• Fun: I can enjoy life through physical activity and community.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't lecture players about becoming "fully realized personalities" or "more responsible members of the world community." We never mention such weighty subjects at practice. What I do is to try to keep these higher purposes in mind as I structure practices. Kids will learn about themselves and their relationship to the team, and then apply these lessons to other relationships and to their daily lives.

VICTORY AND DEFEAT

It isn't necessary to win games for kids to learn these lessons, but it does help. A victory is a tangible reward for their efforts and proves that it has been worthwhile. Still, of the two philosophies, I favor the traditional, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game," over Lombardi's "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."

Of course when I play or coach, I really want to win. Fortunately, I have found over the years that if coaches and players follow certain guidelines, they do tend to win games.

But even in defeat, the coach and players tend to absorb the loss into a larger experiential context. Experiencing defeat is part of life - for most of us, a regular part. It's a valuable lesson if players learn that effort and group solidarity enhance the enjoyment of playing well-- even for a losing cause.

GUIDELINES

Practice is often the best time to teach the three fundamental objectives of Self, Group and Fun. In order to balance the three, use the following guidelines:

Work on the fundamental skills required for the individual player to play well. Once at a sports banquet I attended, then Indiana University basketball coach, Bob Knight, told us that the most important ingredient in developing a basketball player's ability are the "fundamentals." Whether you like or dislike Bob Knight, you cannot argue with the evidence of his success in bringing out the best in players by drilling them on the fundamentals of basketball. This is especially helpful for younger players who have just been introduced to a sport.

Spend time individually with each player working on their weak points and encouraging any potential talents. This element of practice may be blended with fundamental skill work. On the one hand, every child has areas of play that need improvement. On the other, most kids like some aspect of the game best, and practice should be a means for kids to enjoy their favorite part of the sport. Engage players in group activities that require teamwork to accomplish common goals. Social psychologists discovered years ago that disunited individuals and diverse groups may be brought together when circumstances create "super-ordinate goals." In English, that means sharing a common goal brings people together. Any drills that require two or more players to cooperate to achieve something, such as running a relay or set plays, create super-ordinate goals for the players. A simple illustration is to take four runners and require that they pass a baton. Runners have to work together to make a relay work. Achieving common goals through collective action is the essence of teamwork.

Teach players that each of them has a responsibility to the team to try to play well and that the team has a responsibility to recognize each player's contribution. Christopher Lasch points out in his book, The Culture of Narcissism, that focusing on self-aggrandizement usually leads to unhappiness rather than glory. Considering the attention advertisers and the media pay to individual sports stars, it's an uphill battle to convince kids they'll be most happy within the context of a team, i.e., being a "team player." But kids need to learn that for effective teamwork, each player must play hard no matter what the role. That may mean being the player who is set up to score, or it may mean donning heavy and self-effacing gear of goalie or catcher. A team needs each position to be played for the team At a sports banquet I attended in high school, the legendary coach John Wooden put it something like this: "There may be no 'I' in team, but the team is a team when all the "me's" become "we."

Play the game. Kids join a team to play. Practicing sports help kids grow in many ways, but sports should always include an element of fun. And what's most fun about sports is playing.

Encourage kids to practice on their own and continue to play sports in the future. Two images Americans love are: an inner-city kid on a cracked concrete court working his jump shot over and over through a netless rim; or a farm boy whacking a baseball against the door of a desultory barn until the cover is worn off the ball and the paint off the door. We appreciate these images because they stir in us the picture of love of sport. But developing love of a sport takes more than just going to practice. Even those kids who will never be standouts will feel better about themselves if they come back next season with an improved backhand or a better curve ball. They'll also be more appreciated by the team. And most importantly, a kid who learns that sports can be enjoyed outside of organized athletics has a lifetime of fun ahead of him.

A TYPICAL PRACTICE

Consider a typical practice I conducted with the last soccer team I coached for six-year olds.

First, we do a little running and stretching. Next, we form a circle and work on proper passing technique. At the same time, I quiz the kids on the names of their teammates. Learning everyone's name becomes fun, because it is associated with play.

Next is drilling on individual skills. Proper kicking and passing is repetitively practiced. I try to remind each player of the fundamentals, such as "keep your eye on the ball as you kick" and "strike the ball at the bottom of your big toe." While giving these instructions, I run the kids through exercises requiring them to aim their kicks at targets or to use their left foot for kicking. I try to keep drills interesting, but focused on fundamentals.

Skills drills are work, but the fun comes with getting better. I can see the delight on a kid's face as she kicks the ball farther than she did the last practice. I praise her - not just for kicking well, but for working hard and improving. For the kids, then, the payoff of their hard work is evident in that moment of success.

The teamwork phase of practice is comprised of drills, set plays or relays requiring cooperation among the players. When they work on plays or run relays, the kids directly experience the necessity of cooperation to achieve a common goal. Think of the movie "Hoosiers." The coach, played by Gene Hackman, forbid any player from taking a shot at the basket until the ball had been passed at least four times. Eventually the players realized that teamwork made scoring easier for each player. If you have to pass the ball four times before anyone can even try to score, eventually you will come to associate passing (cooperation) with scoring.

On the other hand, the kids joined the team to play the sport, not just to drill and learn to cooperate. So, we always have a practice game after group drills. (For individual sports such as swimming or track, this can be more difficult. The kids can't go through an entire meet at the end of practice. But they can play related games such as water polo or shot-put relays. Any activity that incorporates the sport into a fun event involving the whole team will work.)

Finally, at the end of practice, I talk to the players. What are their concerns? What are my concerns as coach? I try to give practical advice about improvements the players and the team can make. And I always encourage them to play the sport outside of practice. Finally, we do our "huddle up" ritual: We gather in the middle of the field, put our hands together, and yell, "Goooooo Lazers!"

FAITH AND VALUES

Most of my coaching has been done in a secular context. Even the YMCA and church leagues in which I have coached have rules prohibiting evangelism by the coaches. But the principles of Christian community and ethics are obvious in the coaching guidelines I use. As a coach, I am concerned about the development of each member of the team, just like a minister is concerned about the spiritual development of his parishioners. The team, when it works as a team, is like a church - as the Apostle Paul describes it - with all parts working together. And playing a sport is like living a faithful life. It is challenging, fun, develops the self, and promotes communal cooperation.

Without being explicitly evangelistic, coaching offers a wonderful and rewarding opportunity to teach and show by example the Christian faith. Your faith will show through in the way you conduct yourself with your players, their parents, other coaches, and referees. Abusive or tyrannical behavior by a coach, who is supposedly a Christian, does not shine a light toward Christ and reveals the coach as a hypocrite.

I would encourage every Christian woman and man who has enjoyed athletics in their own lives to take up the challenge of coaching. Not only is it an opportunity to pass on our values to the next generation, but it's... well, like the game of life.

by Jeff Rasley

Responsibility Chart for Kids

2011-02-16T08:37:00.001-08:00

It's important to develop responsibility in kids since they are young. However, parents always have difficulty to let their children do their daily tasks personally and have to keep reminding them. Besides, parents also lack an effective way to make them behave themselves. In fact, during early learning stage, kids require motivation and encouragement to let them move on. Here comes a great tools to make the learning process fun - responsibility chart.

Responsibility chart is a toy that rewards children when they have accomplished their daily tasks or behave well. Melissa and Doug Deluxe Magnetic Responsibility Chart is one of the best options if you are looking for one. This set covers around 20 daily tasks or responsibilities including: Get Ready for Bed, Apologize to Somebody, Stop Whining and the list goes on. To ease the understanding, there are 90 magnets depicting the behavior or tasks they should achieve and the rewards they will receive when it's accomplished. Parents can prioritize several most important tasks and start motivating kids to be a responsible one! Kids are happy to receive colorful magnets when they have done a great jobs, and this keeps the momentum going!

Another responsibility chart which i would recommend is I Can Do It Reward Chart. I love the simplicity and versatility of this chart. Instead of different colorful magnetic rewards, this chart comes with many little yellow stars. The pictures shown on the magnets clearly illustrating the tasks for a particular mission. Simply reward them with these yellow stars if they have achieved a great accomplishment or behaved well. Compared to Melissa and Doug responsibility chart, the special feature about this reward chat is that you can a reward when they meet a target, let say 35 stars a week. What about the reward? For example, bring them for their favorite movie or buy them their most desired toys.

Hopefully you will find it a great teaching tools!

Getting Rid of Exam Anxiety for Good!

2011-02-16T08:25:00.000-08:00

It can be particularly frightening especially for Year 12 VCE students who are on their way to starting their end-of-year exams. These results determine which university or TAFE they will be in next year. Thoughts like, "If I get a mediocre grade, people will laugh at me." or "These countless hours of study could amount to nothing." and the fear of not achieving the desired result can be a plague for any student's mind- may even paralyse them with sheer fear. If you are in this position, you have to keep in mind the specific result you want and constantly remind yourself the reason why you want this score. The reasons are very important. If you associate your goal with positive emotions, you are less likely to give up.

If you are feeling overly anxious, imagine that you devote yourself completely to studying the exams and you achieve poor results. What's the worst that can happen? Can you handle that? Of course you can. You won't die of it. In addition, it is better to have tried your best and get a poor result as opposed to hardly trying and getting a poor result. You wouldn't want to be in a position thinking whether you could have done better if you used more of your resources. If you fear other people's judgments of you, just remember that their judgments of you will not matter when they pass away or when you pass away. So have fun. Make your journey worthwhile. Stop stressing about it because time spent stressing is time you won't ever be able to retrieve. So now that you're not afraid, you can focus on your goal. Go for it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dustin_Nguyen

Get Your Family a Trampoline for Fun and Exercise

2011-02-16T07:40:00.002-08:00

Not too long ago, it was very common for children to spend their summer days bouncing on a trampoline. In the back yard or out in the garden, nothing is more fun than bouncing as high as you can, trying to reach the clouds on your trampoline. Games are easy to play on a trampoline. From playing popcorn, a game where you jump on a trampoline with little plastic balls and try to catch as many you can without dropping them or stopping bouncing, to practicing different kinds of dives for the swimming pool, a trampoline is one the most fun and versatile toys a child can have.

Safety concerns over the last twenty years have really made the traditional trampoline lose popularity and make parents afraid to have them in their yards for liability reasons. A trampoline is not as risky as most people think as long as safety procedures are followed. A simple trampoline net can eliminate many of the greatest risks that children face when using a trampoline. The pure joy and gleeful squeals that children make on a trampoline really make it toy you should seriously reconsider for your home.

From an adult perspective, trampolines are great exercise devices to increase your strength and flexibility. It is one of the most fun types of exercises out there for adults. Doing jumps for 20 minutes on a trampoline is the exercise equivalent of running 3 miles. It is a great aerobic activity that has minimal impact on your ankles and knees. Some exercise programs still rely on the trampoline principles but have taken the small trampolines out of the home and turned them into bouncing balls.

For people with mobility or knee issues, the modern exercise half moon balls can be difficult to stand and balance on. Unlike a trampoline where the surface is flat unless you begin to bounce, the balls are rounded and really make it difficult to stand up straight on them.

Trampolines are a great aerobic exercise for adults for one more reason. Bouncing on a trampoline with your happy, playful children feels nothing like exercise. It is fun, it is spontaneous, it brings back warm memories from your childhood and above all else, and it is something that is easy for your kids to get involved in. In fact your kids will initiate exercise activities on the trampoline and keep you motivated to keep going. Don't waste your time on a treadmill. Have fun with your kids and love it. Get your family a trampoline.

Benefits of Merino Wool in Children's Garments

2011-02-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Merino is a fantastic superfine renewable natural fibre, which is so soft it can be worn right next to the skin with no irritation whatsoever. Especially when sourced from the some of the hardiest alpine sheep in the world. Merino New Zealand Merino is that perfect fibre for all climates. It is reckoned to be the best in the whole world!

New Zealand Merino is:

Warm without being bulky, it is warm even when it is damp or wet (think play centre or hiking!)
Silky soft and can be worn right next to the skin - NO PRICKLES OR ITCHES!
Flame resistant, does NOT burn readily - that is perfect!
Renewable, sustainable and biodegradable! - great for looking after our planet!
Breathable and does not sweat! Good news for sports and active people.
Resistant to unpleasant odours and even stains! Yay!
Perfect for babies, children and adults alike.
Regulates your body's temperature being blissfully cool in summer and toasty warm in winter.
Totally machine washable, busy mum friendly! Yippee!
Long lasting - Washed in COLD water (warm or hot will shrink it!) your merino garment will last through many winters handed on to many children - some of mine are onto the third child with no signs of wear or pilling and the colour is still true to the original.
Quick drying - no need for a dryer (drying will shrink it! Not to mention using more precious power!)

From sheep that lead the good life, free from cruelty and mulesing, free ranging through the highlands of New Zealand mountain ranges, happy sheep make the great merino wool!
All my items are made using eco-friendly processes, sustainable materials and fair trade practices. Now imagine your children or grandchildren wearing modern styled clothes made of the great Merino wool.

Misbehaviour: How to Deal With Misbehaving Children

2011-02-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Misbehaviour are among the most common issues faced by parents everywhere and anywhere around the world and it can manifest in the children's habits from an early stage. What most people fail to realise is that misbehaviour can also be due to psychological disorders. Parents need to determine the reasons for their children's misbehavior in order to help and encourage them. It is also important to understand their problem and try a little empathy.

Misbehaviour due to psychological disorders

I would say that misbehaviour due to psychological disorders are more serious as it can lead to a long term impact to your children's life. Psychological disorders can lead to a sense of anxiety, aggression, fear, depression and insecurities which may in turn affect the child's mental performance. This feelings and emotions can be a result of a traumatic experience like an abuse or injury. It could also be due to family problems or the sudden change in the family nucleus due to unfortunate events like divorce, illness or death.

Children respond to traumatic events differently depending on their age levels. For younger children, misbehaviour could be seen in their sleeping and eating habits where else teens and young adults display changes in their social relationships with their families and friends. Drastic changes could also contribute to the improvement or deterioration of the children's school performances. Some children do not react immediately to traumatic occurrences like divorce, death, or an addition to the family. Changes such as these should be explained to them before the event take place so as to ensure a smooth transition for them so they could adapt with ease. And when the changes do occurs, it is really important to motivate them to share their feelings.

Sleeping Misbehaviour

It doesn't matter where you are or where you come from. I believe almost every parents out there will undergo sleeping misbehaviour. Some of the examples are bedwetters, sleep walkers, sleep rebels, nightmare screamers just to name a few.

If your child is a bed wetter, it helps to reassure them that bed wetting is normal(20% of five years old and 5% of ten years old wet their bed). And about 2-3% of children bedwetters, actually wet their bed due to medical conditions and problems like small bladder, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, sleep apnea, constipation, social changes and stress. Parents should never reproach or physically punish their children for wetting the beds. Instead, try different treatment methods to help resolve bed wetting like medication, pee schedules, monitoring their liquid intake before bedtime and lots of encouragement. As for me, I always make sure that my boy empty his bladder before going to bed and this may sound crazy to some of you but I will hold him by his ankle and hang him upside down for 5 seconds. I seriously don't know the theory behind that but it works(I was told by my mum it work for me too, when I was 5 of course).

Nightmare is another night-time issue and some children even sleep walk and sleep talk. One way to handle this is to start having calming bedtime routine. You can try rubbing lavendar oil on your child's back or reading them their favourite book or simply talk to them. It really helps to settle down their nerves and calm their fears. However if sleeping problems continue and start to affect and disrupt your child's activities, you can always get a sleep specialists and doctors who can assist you.

As for sleep rebels, these are children who simply refuse to go to bed. They will scream, shout and throw a tantrum. As much as you would like to throw your own tantrum and show your child a thing or two of how a real tantrum looks like, I'd suggest really deep breathing and talking to your child and finds out why they refuse to sleep. Another best way to overcome this situation is to get them into a sleep ritual; washing their face, brushing their teeth followed by a bedtime story(just be sure the story doesn't include any ghost, monster or any creature whatsoever and keep it mellow)

Eating Misbehaviour

This misbehaviour could be in the form of refusing to eat, playing with the food but not eating it, being picky eaters and eating non-material foods.

Some of the reasons children refuse or diddle during meal time could be because they want attention, they feel pressured by the parents, eating time is not pleasant for them or it could be they are still full. For a start, you might want to re-plan their meal time and be sure not to snack them in between meals. If they want to snack so close to meal time, give them a small portion of the snacks so they would still be interested to eat during meal time. Clear away any distractions like toys and television during meal time.

Another eating problem in children are picky eaters. The problem with being a picky eater is that the children could end up not consuming the right amount of nutrition that they need. One way you could work around it is to make the food visually presentable. It takes work but the result could be worth the trouble. Be sure to have an array of colour on your child's plate and if don't mind going the extra mile, use cookie cutters, peelers or graters to turn that food into a work of art to tempt them to take a bite. Still not working, well, there's always Pediasure.

Another eating problem that distress parents are when children eat non-food items. This disorder is known as Pica. Children with Pica may eat items like coins, dirt, sand, clay or paint to name a few. This disorder could be a result of nutritional deficiencies that target specific cravings, mental problems, parental neglect, or food deprivation.

Habits Misbehaviour

Bad habits like shouting, hair pulling, or hitting could be a response to situations where children may feel tension, pressure and anger. To address these, parents should try talking to them and find out what is bothering them and build up the child's positive development.

Meanwhile, habits like thumb-sucking and nail biting could be picked up from parents like in my case(both me and my hubby are nail biters) or it could be their way in dealing with tension and pressure too. It is best to sit them down and explain to them the undesired consequences that comes with these habits. If it persist, you can continue reminding them for the rest of their life or choose to ignore(especially if you're one yourself).

At the end of the day it is important to remember that it is normal for children to exhibit behavioral problems. Children have no intention of being deliberately naughty. They are continuously learning and adjusting to their world. Changes, simple or drastic, could have a large impact on them that parents sometimes may have overlook. Talking, encouraging and reassuring them really helps.

Our Teenage Daughter Wants To Get Her Driver's License

2011-02-16T07:37:00.001-08:00

Our teenage daughter wants to get her driver's license. Hold on. She's not old enough. Why, just last year I was coaching her 6th grade basketball team. But then my wife reminds me that it was four years ago when I was her coach and she's now a sophomore in High School. In fact, she'll be 16 in less than six months.

OK. Fine. Maybe I can convince here to wait until she's 18 to get her temporary license and then perhaps after graduating college she can get her permanent license. Seems like a perfect plan until she comes in the door one day with my wife, beaming with excitement holding something in the air. I assume it's her latest report card.

"Dad! Dad! Look at this," she says. "I have my temps. I'm going to be driving." I smile at her because I don't want to take away any of her exuberance. "That's great, honey," I say, as I walk in another room trying to compose myself. It will be all right. Heck, she'll practice for a few months and probably only drive very short distances for a while. In fact, maybe she'll forget about the whole thing!

From the other room, I hear her telling my wife," I can't wait to drive to California this summer. It will be so cool being able to drive across the country." It was now time for me to take my blood pressure medicine. Oh, that's right. I don't take blood pressure medication. Well, this might be a good time to start.

A few weeks later, on a Saturday afternoon while I was watching one of Miami University's rare TV appearances, my daughter, after driving all week with my wife, asks if I can take her to a friend's house. Sure. It's only a mile way and I'll only miss a few minutes of the game.

Moments, later, as I walk out to the car, I notice something out of place. My daughter is sitting in the driver's seat, not the passenger side. OK. I'm sure there's an explanation. Maybe she just wants to get the feel of holding the steering wheel. Surely, she's not going to drive. Is she?

"Get in Dad," she says. "I'm driving. Just relax and enjoy the ride." OK. I'll relax. No. I won't. We're actually moving. Down the driveway we go and in a matter of minutes we're on a road with other cars. Before I have time to panic, we're going about 11 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone. I tell her that we can speed up a bit. And we do. All the way to 12 miles per hour. I want her to drive slowly but I also want to get home before football season ends.

So the driving is coming along nicely and although I can't fathom the thought of my little girl driving...I know I can't fight destiny. But I can still maintain some control. It's my car and I'll be driving it most of the time.

Or so I thought, until my daughter asked where the key to "her car" was. Say what? I reminded her that I was the one that paid for the car, the insurance, the gas and any repairs. Somehow that got lost in the translation because she just gave me a hug and said, "that's nice of you Dad. I figured I would have to at least pay for the gas."

She passed her driving exam with flying colors and now she has her license. I'm OK with that. She's actually a pretty good driver. She keeps her eyes on the road and stays under the speed limit. I'm very comfortable with her driving me different places.

In fact, right now, I'm relaxing on the couch, watching one of my favorite Seinfeld reruns. This episode, I have seen only 12 times. I am curious, however, where our daughter is, because my...ugh, I mean, her car isn't in the driveway.

I ask my wife where our daughter went. "Oh honey," she says. "She said something about driving to LA. She'll be back before you know it."

"LA?" I say. "That's it. I didn't think she was serious about driving to California. I'm going outside to pace for a few days. And please get my blood pressure pills. I really need them."

"Settle down," my wife says. "LA" is just a store in the mall. And remember...you don't take any medications."

"Oh yea?" I say. "Maybe this would be a good time to start. I think right now I'll drive to the doctor's office to see about getting a prescription."

"No you won't," my wife says. "Remember...you don't have a car any more."

Magic Is a Great Hobby For Kids - Five Reasons Why

2011-02-16T07:36:00.001-08:00

Absorbing and Fascinating

Magic is the perfect pastime for children because it enters them into a world of secrets, mystery and imagination. Kids love secrets, they also love the wonder of seeing magicians and to learn how to do this themselves is totally absorbing. Conjuring is fascinating to study because is spans so many areas- there's the colourful personalities that performed magic, the history of magic, the psychology of magic and the stagecraft and showmanship.

When a child gets the magic bug they can spend many happy hours studying some sleight of hand, perfecting a trick then infusing it with their own imagination and personality.

Inexpensive

Magic is an inexpensive hobby for kids because a good book or DVD teaching magic tricks with ordinary objects such as coins, cards or string will offer so much. In fact, some of the most impressive magic is done close up with ordinary objects such as when a rope is cut in half and magically restored again.

When a child learns few magic techniques a whole world of magical opportunities opens up and a little imagination goes a long way. If your young magician likes to make things then the possibilities are even greater as many props are fairly simple to make as they rely on simple principles, your kid could build a whole stage show!

A Hobby For Life

The very long history of magic (there are records in Egyptian hieroglyphics) means that is a vast, almost endless amount of tricks for children to discover, learn and perform. Magic goes into and out of vogue, often reinventing itself for modern audiences

As your children's magic hobby grows and they become more proficient, there are ever more sophisticated magic tricks for them to learn. Their performance experience may lead them to join magic clubs and compete in magic competitions, possibly performing magic for money and almost certainly performing magic tricks for their children!

Magic encourages discipline

For children and adults alike, learning magic tricks takes some discipline because the moves and presentation require solid rehearsal to look good. Some sleight of hand requires a lot of practice to perfect, but, it will offer a lifetime of magical skills. Then, there's the discipline required to infuse a magic trick with the young magician's personality and doing it in a way no other magician does. Once the young magician starts to perform and amaze friends and family, he or she will get the reward for all that practice and be spurred on to carry on.

Confidence

Performing magic tricks in front of people, whether family and friends or complete strangers can be a little nerve racking at first, but repeatedly doing this builds confidence and the young magician's new confidence will inevitably help them in other ways in their life. Kids who can do a few magic tricks will enjoy entertaining people at parties.

Magic is the greatest hobby for kids!

Children remember the sense of wonder they felt seeing a magician for the first time and they often want to become that magician. Once a child has the magic bug they will have an endlessly fascinating, inexpensive, life-long, confidence building, discipline building hobby. Magic is simply magic!

Wooden Swing Sets - How To Create A Whole Outdoor Playground Area

2011-02-16T07:34:00.001-08:00

Across the USA, many states are experiencing warmer days and for the rest of the country spring is right around the corner. The weather is starting to break; it feels like springtime and children are anticipating playing outside. Children adore playing with their toys outside, and in this day and age mom and dad love it when they have a visual on the kids; in plain view; safe play is always the goal. Nothing creates a happier time than your kids playing outdoors with their friends on a wooden swing set, sandboxes, seesaws, or jumping in the bounce house. Outside toys are fantastic and children love having these toys in their own backyard.

You can create a whole outdoor playground area, with a few of these big toys.

Wooden swing sets:

To start with, shop for swing sets that accommodate more than one child at one time. Depending upon your budget, try to purchase a complete package that will grow with your children. They will want to have all of their friends over to play at your house so safety and integrity of the swing set is important. Parents enjoy watching how much fun they have as they climb and swing away the day. Features that are all time favorites are rock walls and climber that give them a fun way to exercise. Add a slide watch them slide down and then start over again, this climbing and sliding is a great workout. Look for high quality, durable swing sets that are backed up by a warranty.

Bounce houses - inflatable fun:

Set up a bounce house inflatable and your kids will enjoy this toy. When shopping for one that is made for residential use look for units that offer double and quadruple stitching on the stress points and seams. Many residential bouncers have a few commercial features like the woven oxford fabric with commercial stitching. Read the label and make sure it is Phthalate free. It is important to know the weight limits that the bounce house can withstand. Another rule to remember is not to allow older kids to jump with toddlers, if there is more that one jumper they should be close in size or age as a preventive measure. For this reason, you don't want children colliding into each other especially if they are different age groups.

Sandboxes:

Sandboxes are available in wood or plastic and ones that come with a lid are the best because they keep animals out. Kits are another viable option because you can adjust the sizes and make them to fit your yard. Kids love to play with sand especially when they create castles and moats. What a good feeling that is when your kids make sculptures like this! Children having fun; digging and shoveling the sand; with their friends and spending hours outside playing because it is pure fun.

Other great ideas can include see-saws, riding toys such as pedal cars, tricycles, bicycles and wagons. Don't forget the outdoor play tents, Teepees and picnic tables. Children get creative when playing outdoors and there are many options you can consider when you creating an outdoor playground area for your children.

Dianna, is always offering safety and education tips to parents and caregivers. She focused on parents, and wants them to properly teach children to play safe on equipment. She is also the Founder of BestPriceToys.com, a leading toy website were the focus is on outdoor play and exercise for children. You can visit her store to learn more about wooden swing sets and bounce houses or outdoor riding toys for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dianna_Boris

10 Birthday Party Ideas For Kids

2011-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

Birthday parties for children are becoming more original year on year, with parents seeking to make their little ones birthday even more special than the last. Whether you have an extravagant budget or you need a party on a shoe string, we have 10 top party ideas which promise to make any kids Birthday party a fun-filled success!

Fancy Dress.

The most popular dressing-up party themes are princesses for girls and pirates for boys. But anything goes. What about fairies or ballerinas for your daughter and super heroes or star wars for your son?

Sleep-Overs.

For brave parents with lots of patience! Sleep-over parties can be so much fun if the party has structure and you keep the children entertained until they are ready to go to sleep. Plan activities that will keep everyone occupied; party games, a treasure hunt (before it gets dark!); then a party supper and a favorite DVD before bed - so the kiddies are not buzzing too much at bed time.

Entertainers.

Hiring a professional entertainer, such as a clown or magician, is a very popular party choice. Good entertainers are worth their weight in gold, especially as they free you up to have a cup of tea and prepare the party food in peace!

Traditional Party Games.

Do you remember playing musical chairs, Simon Says, pin the tail on the donkey and red light, green light? Well, they are all favorite party games and still going strong. A good way to stop temper tantrums is to give each child who is out a little prize so they don't feel too despondent.

Themed Parties.

A favorite television character is a top choice, such as Peppa Pig or Thomas Tank. You'll find matching table cloths, paper cups, bowls, plates, party hats, balloons, party bags and more on sale in the shops, even kids birthday cakes design!

Face Painting.

Good quality face paints create beautiful effects and are simple to apply. There are lots of great books on sale with face painting ideas that you can easily copy. Recruit a few adult friends to help you paint faces, so there is not too much waiting time for the kids.

Bounce House.

Rent or buy a bouncy house as the main entertainment for the day, blow up the paddling pool and turn on the lawn sprinkler for children to run through. Your yard will make an excellent outdoor party venue, providing hours of energetic fun. The outdoor birthday party ideas for kids are quite fun.

Treasure Hunt.

A well-prepared treasure hunt is always a winner with kids. It's all about the clues: they mustn't be too easy or the hunt will be over in 2 minutes, and they mustn't be too hard or the children will just give up. Hide little prizes along the way with each clue, to keep the kids interested until the end.

Arts and Craft.

All children love using glue, paint and glitter to create their little master pieces. It's better for their concentration (and your sanity) if you offer, perhaps, four 10 minute craft activities rather than one long one.

Party Planner.

If you think planning a party yourself involves too much stress, then hire a party planner. This could be an unflappable aunt or friend, or, if you have money to spare, call upon the services of a professional party planner for an extravagant kids birthday party that runs without a hitch!

Whatever birthday party you choose for your child, stay calm and keep smiling. Your efforts are so worthwhile and will create extra-special memories for all the family!

Reshaunda is a working mom who strives to provide parents with an exciting, helpful shopping experience. For unique birthday cake designs, indoor and outdoor party ideas, awesome toys and creative games visit our kids toys page at: http://www.justgreatkidswear.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Reshaunda_Daniel

Special Places for Celiac Kids: Gluten-Free Summer Camps in the USA

2011-02-16T07:32:00.001-08:00

Gluten-free summer camps give Celiac campers the chance to enjoy traditional camp activities without having to worry about what they will eat. It's the perfect summertime escape from feeling left out or different because they can't eat what everyone else is having. At these camp sessions, Celiac kids' meals are gluten-free and carefully prepared so that there will be no need for them to ask or to wonder, "Is this safe for me to eat?"

In researching these camps, it was interesting to see the various approaches to Celiac campers. Some camp philosophies celebrate that the kids are gluten-free, while others focus on treating everyone the same except for which meals they receive. Some camps intermingle Celiacs and non-Celiacs while other camps have only Celiac campers and gluten-free food for that particular session. Some even allow non-Celiac siblings to attend as well.

Regardless of how these camps are set up, they all seem like wonderful environments for gluten-free kids. The directors and food staff seem to be very knowledgeable about food preparation safety, and some can even accommodate other special diets such as nut-free, casein-free, etc. They all seem to understand the importance of making kids feel "normal" and making sure their campers enjoy themselves without having to think about their diet.

I remember going to summer camp as a child, and a lot of my memories revolved around foods that we ate there. If I would have known I was a Celiac when I was a child, I most likely wouldn't have been able to attend. Now, with these summer camps providing the opportunities that they do, hundreds of Celiac children are now able to enjoy camp activities - horseback riding, canoeing, archery, swimming and countless other activities - free from worrying about their diet. It is exciting to know that the number of camps like these continues to grow, which means even more choices when the time comes for my own daughter to attend one.

So, why not treat your child to an unforgettable adventure this summer!? Registration has already begun for some of these camps, so sign your child up before it's too late! Age, cost and registration requirements will vary. Scholarship opportunities are available at some camps

For a complete list of these 10 camps, complete with photos and links, go to: http://www.katiechalmers.com/events.html

Article by Katie Chalmers, Author and Illustrator of "Mommy, What is Celiac Disease?" For more information, please see http://www.katiechalmers.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Chalmers

Main Reasons Why Teenagers Are Prone to Stress

2011-02-16T07:30:00.001-08:00

Adolescents are among the most prone years to worry and anxiousness. Research indicates that teens maturing through 13 to 18 feel the majority of hectic and stressful life among all ages. It is a point when we adjust from childhood to adulthood and this isn't easy. At this point, teenagers usually experience different problems from broken hearts to family members and social problems. Teens need right direction yet not all of them can have it so most just find answers to their very own difficulties.

Teenagers also find it hard to trust anyone. They believe that that they can can't confide their problems to their parents. The reason is because their mother and father might get mad and so they think that they will never be understood.

Teens search for companionship with individuals from other same generation. They think that they may be understood by those individuals who also have exactly the same experience. However, doing so might just cause them to more difficult situations. Quite a few friends could be unhealthy influence and not just every one of them can do good stuff.

All of these difficulties and conditions make teenage life stressful. It's a good idea for moms and dads to understand what their teens are going through. Below are a few factors that help with teens' stress.

Internal Stressors

Teens aren't just at risk of environmental stress. Their particular anxiousness can be due to physical factors. Hormones are at their peak. And this also causes different body changes like breast formation, menstruation, changes in height, weight, and body figure, and many other things. Teens believe that stress has become a problem although it is just common with older people. Not because they don't know that these are normal, the reason is, they don't know what to do.

Immediate changes make teenagers stressed and irritated. Emotional disturbances are also common. Simply because they are more aware on the things, that they are concerned and affected.

Discomfort and the body aches, which could happen usually, are present with teenagers especially girls. This may soon add up to more anxiety and stress which will also bring about more pain. See, it's a continuous process. And becoming youngsters, they're still not aware on what to do to resolve their problems.

External Stressors

Environment is one of the main reasons for stress not only in teens but also in all age groups. Stress can be acquired from school, away from house, are even at their houses. School situations often, are the ones problems to be able to make good grades. Peer pressures can also affect teenagers. And also the most usual factor that brings stress to teens is family problems. Especially, splitting up of parents is probably the major reasons of teenage stress nowadays.

Therefore, parents should be a lot more sensible. They should be a sample to their young kids. They should direct them on the way. Stress isn't just a regular matter that can you need to be ignored. It can cause different complications - physical, mental, as well as emotional. Thus mothers and fathers should support their teenagers because as teenagers, they're still adapting. Help them fight anxiety and live a healthy lifestyle.

Looking to find the best deal on London acupuncture, then visit this site to find the best advice on London meditation for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Doherty

Trusting Your Kids To Do The Right Thing: A Yarn In Massachusetts

2011-02-16T07:29:00.002-08:00

In the "Strange But True" category...

My 14 year old daughter asked if she could take a day trip on Sunday with some older friends, one of whom already has her driver's license. I know this friend as a bright, happy responsible young adult. So I kept an open mind and asked her for the details. My brain went to concerts, shopping malls and parties where pizza and soft drinks flowed freely. It shied away from keg parties in hay fields.

I got my answer. She wanted to go to Northhampton, Massachusetts, about an hour and a half away.

Now for those of you who don't live in New England or other small states, or who don't live near a state line the idea of crossing that magical boundary from one state to another - in this case from Connecticut to Massachusetts - can raise some emotional red flags. Sure, the air in Massachusetts is pretty much the same as in Connecticut. And the rules of society seem to be more or less the same.

But again, there's something about crossing that line that....well, crosses a line.

So of course I asked. "Jill, what the heck is in Northhampton, Massachusetts?"

The answer was surprising, shocking, mind-blowing, amazing....

"A yarn factory."

Rewind that, please. A yarn factory.

Call it a Dad's dream, or a kid who thinks differently, or whatever. My girl and her friends have such a big interest in knitting that they're actually making a choice to drive the 60 miles or so to an outlet center that sells...well, yarn.

I have to admit though. A combination of the distance and that whole state line thing still stuck with me for a moment. Don't they sell yarn anywhere closer?

Then I thought back to some of the stunts I pulled at 14 and 15, including one that still gets thrown back at me to this day.

I looked at her. Reading my mind, she produced the powder blue scarf she is currently working on. My mind flipped back to the last get-together I picked her up from. She and Heather were curled up on couches, happily knitting and talking away, Broadway show tunes in the background.

Either my kid is a parent's dream or this is the cleverest charade ever pulled by a teenager.

I gave my blessing. My wife gave her blessing.

Sunday they made their pilgrimage to Northhampton. Apparently a successful yarn procurement journey took place.

We see, hear and read about teenagers doing all kinds of things we'd rather they not do. No doubt that's partially because we expect them to find trouble. Maybe you've got a kid who falls into that category.

Well, here's one possible way out....

Get him or her some knitting needles and yarn. Apparently knitting has become cool, at least in the Northeastern part of the United States.

If you're a girl, you'll be in good company. It's not all beer blasts and boyfriends (by the way, Jill avoids the first, has one of the second).

If you're a guy: the girls dig knitting. And I bet there aren't a lot of males at the local "knit fest."

Counting My Blessings,
Larry

Larry Hochman, M.S., C.A.G.S. is the founder of NO MORE HOLDING BACK. He helps individuals and groups break through self-imposed limitation and achieve success in business, careers, relationships and happiness. He has spent the last 20 years helping others "play their way to success." He is a long-time educator, counselor, author and professional juggler. Get the latest updates, rants, raves and killer coaching thoughts from Larry at http://NoMoreHoldingBack.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_R._Hochman

Get The Information You Need To Know About The Perfect Teens Summer Programs

2011-02-16T07:29:00.001-08:00

If you've ever dreamed about getting the experience of a lifetime, think about all of the opportunities you'll find with the outdoor adventure. Get away from the everyday routine behind and visit locations for camping out, fishing, water sports, and backpacking together with a great number of other fantastic activities. Lots of people like to join with many others for group adventures led by knowledgeable coaches or guides.

People discover that outdoor trips and activities have a very good way of which makes them feel far more alive, full of energy and appreciative of the wonders of the outdoors. Vacations offering camping and hiking quite often involve discovering animals in their natural habitat and surviving without the need of a number of the conveniences of life for example electrical power and running water. These kinds of "back to nature" adventures contain a way of making individuals look inside themselves and learn the meaning in the term "soul searching".

Kids from grade school through their college years greatly benefit from organized camps and programs specialized all around outdoor adventure. Children are well alert to worldwide dangers in which influence our environment however their time spent outdoors is less than it ever has been. A lot of their time is spent indoors at the TV, on the computer or gaming. In due course, it's given to the astounding and developing rate of childhood weight problems.

A large amount of research has been done in regard to young children and the benefit that the wilderness has on their mental, physical and spiritual well-being. The final results conclude that the more time they spend with the outdoors the more their own long term health and happiness will likely be. These results should certainly inspire all parents to make sure their children spend as much time outdoors that they can. Just about every outdoor activity is beneficial.

Choosing an outdoor adventure involves determining those activities you most take pleasure in then the location which offers that adventure and fits your budget. If your interests lie within things which includes backpacking, kayaking and white water rafting, then wilderness destinations for example the Rocky Mountains supply choices that could most certainly produce an adventure of a lifetime.

For those who lean much more towards the water sports, snorkeling and scuba diving then places for instance the Florida Keys, the coastal regions in California, when your finances permits, journeys to the Pacific Islands or perhaps Australia are perfect. No matter your desired destination final results will likely be stimulating as well as personally pleasant.

Just about every outdoor adventure consists of being completely ready along with the proper clothing as well as extras. The 1st thing to consider will be the length of the journey. This is especially true for an experience like camping that you will need to include a guideline of day-to-day terms, gear and essentials and it doesn't involve going over the top. A camper's hiking shoes or boots along with clothing needs to be picked out for adjustments to weather and also landscapes.

Vacations that don't need to bother about the full gamut of camping outdoors may focus more about the gear maybe a ski trip that would demand the proper attire, accessories and ski or snow-boarding gear in case you do not decide to rent them. Water sporting trips demand even less when it comes to garments planning and specializes in the equipment that include wet suits, snorkels and scuba dive gear.

Summer camp activities are some of the most fun things to do as a youth. Teen summer programs offer character building, friendship development, and lots of fun.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Ess

Novelty Slippers

2011-02-16T07:27:00.001-08:00

Pillowhead Slippers Fun For the Kids

Pillowhead slippers are a novelty slipper that children are sure to enjoy. They come in a range of furry slippers that are fun and are an addition in the popular Pillowhead brand. There are many adorable designs, six animal shapes in total to choose from. Parents or even the kids if they are allowed to choose can pick from a cow, puppy, sheep, duck, pig, or even a bunny slipper.

These Pillowhead slippers come in a variety of colors. The cow design comes in white and black. The puppy design of these cute slippers comes in white and light brown while the sheep comes in white. The duck design of the slippers comes in yellow and orange and the design of the pig slippers comes in pink. Lastly, the design of the bunny slippers is a dark brown and white in color.

Pillowhead slippers make a great gift for kids no matter what time of the year. They could be given on a birthday, Christmas, Easter, or any holiday you wish to celebrate. The slippers come in sizes three through eight. But the slippers are not only for children, adults may wear them as well. The slippers are cheerful and have a certain appeal and are sure to brighten anyone's day just by wearing them.

These Pillowhead slippers are of the non-microwavable variety, so do not attempt to put them in the microwave or this will ruin them. The material that the slippers are made from is extra soft that makes it a luxury for the wearer's feet. It makes it an added treat to wear them because they are fun yet functional and adds comfort and warmth as well to one's feet.

People of all ages will love getting these Pillow Head Slippers whether it is a purchase for themselves, a child, or a relative such as a grandparent, or cousin, or perhaps an aunt or beloved uncle. Friends will love receiving these unique novelty slippers as a gift as well. Another benefit of purchasing these slippers for children is it encourages pretending or perhaps even learning about the animals that the slippers are designed after; and parents will love these slippers for educational purposes.

The slippers are unique and different from any others out there and will bring a smile to the wearer's face no matter what their age may be.

So, visit Cosifun today for more information about the slippers and many other items they carry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Lockhart

What Would an Emo Vampire Be Like?

2011-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

Emos typically carry a lot of emotional pain, so it's a wonder what one would be like if transformed into a vampire. There are tons of vampires in English literature, and up until Twilight, they all had several things in common: the need for human blood, the inability to be in the sunlight, and immortality. How would an emo cope with being a vampire? While we could examine a million different factors of vampire life, in this article we'll focus on the three mentioned above.

The Need for Human Blood

Considering that emos are generally moody people, the ability to cope with vampirism probably would not be much of an issue. Most likely, an emo vampire would make their first mission to take out every person who ever bullied them for being emo. This would also give them a sense of power which would most likely curb the angst.

Inability to Be in the Sunlight

Most emos enjoy being pale. In fact, it's far favored over being tanned. It's fairly safe to assume that an emo vampire would not be bothered by the lack of sunlight in the least.

Immortality

It's a well known fact that most emos don't have a deep appreciation of life. In that sense, immortality may end up being the kryptonite of such a vampire. Unless they could figure out how to better their life by ending the lives of others, there's a pretty big chance that the immortality of the emo vampire would be far shorter than that of other genres of vampires.

The thought of an emo vampire is certainly amusing, though few exist in fiction literature. Luckily vampires don't exist, but if they did exist and one bit an emo it would certainly not be anything like Twilight.

Want to find out what an emo vampire would be like? Then you should head over to my website by clicking here and download Sunset High for free. It's the first emo vampire fiction novella in a series of books based on characters of the emo culture.

Indonesian Mailing Lists

2011-02-16T06:21:00.000-08:00

There are several Indonesian mailing lists.The following is a list (sorted alphabetically) of known Indonesian mailing lists. The most current version is available through the following World Wide Web (WWW) servers:

http://indonesia.elga.net.id/milis.html
http://indonesia.elga.net.id/milis-k.html

or
http://www.paume.itb.ac.id/rahard/id/milis.html
http://www.paume.itb.ac.id/rahard/id/milis-k.html

The information were obtained from the administrators and/or members of the lists. Some descriptions are in Bahasa Indonesia. If you know other Indonesian mailing lists, please let me know. Some of the lists are indicated as "inactive". This was reported by some users and no response from the maintainer(s). In the future I will remove inactive mailing lists from this list. Corrections and additions should be directed to the maintainer.

I am aware of other Indonesian mailing lists. However, I did not add those lists to this list because I am not sure whether they want publicity or not. Some mailing lists do not want to be listed in this list.

Do not misuse this list!

Anak Indonesia

2011-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

"Anak Indonesia". Children are the same, whether they are in Indonesia or in other parts of the world. This page gives a brief information about children in Indonesia.
On the left you see a picture of kids in Indonesia. This picture was taken in a children shoe store. Look at the shoes in the back.

Entertainment

Children in Indonesia like to watch cartoon just like other children. There are many Japanese cartoons such as Doraemon, Detective Conan, Digimon, Pokemon. They are also available as books. Most children like to read books with pictures. They don't like too many text, like "Harry Potter" for example. (By the way, three Harry Potter books have been translated to Indonesian languange. The translation is fairly accurate.)

Children also like to play electronic toys such as PlayStation. Many stores sell Play Station CDs. Most of them are pirated CDs with Japanes titles. They are cheap, about Rp. 6000 (or US 50 cents, less than a dollar). Nintendo used to be popular, but not anymore.

Here is another picture of my kids in a shopping mall. This one was taken in Bandung. They like fastfood just like other kids in the world. Their favorites include McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Popeye's, and the like.

Indonesian Children Introduction

2011-02-16T06:03:00.000-08:00

Indonesian Children Introduction

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country, home to some 240 million people. Widespread poverty, political instability and regional separatism hinder Indonesia’s development. Natural disasters plague the country, which was hard hit by the epic earthquake and tsunami of late December 2004, causing widespread devastation in Aceh Province. Indonesia has more than 76 million children, the fourth largest child population in the world. The severe inequity of resource distribution to many parts of the country affect children disproportionately in their early and developing years.

Save the Children's presence in Indonesia spans some three decades – dating back to 1976. Overtime, Save the Children has grown enormously in the country and today we operate in 14 provinces across Indonesia. Our program approach now brings long term and sustainable benefits to more Indonesian children and we work to establish effective, self-sustaining approaches to issues related to child protection, health, education, livelihoods, emergency response and disaster risk reduction. Save the Children partners with children, communities, local organizations and the government of Indonesia to transform the lives of Indonesian children and their families.

By the Numbers

Population- 240,271,522
Size- Larger than Alaska
Over 2 million children under 5 are malnourished
50% of the population lives on less than $2 a day
Indonesia is prone to natural disasters such as Tsunamis, earthquakes and severe droughts
Indonesia’s doctor to patient ratio is 1:10,000. The US ratio is 1:390
(CIA World Factbook, WHO )
Our Programs

Education
Health and Nutrition
Livelihoods and Food Security
Child Protection
Emergency Response

DAFTAR ISI Ka Damar / Blog tips / SEO

2010-08-23T07:06:00.001-07:00

Hari Anak Nasional

2010-07-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

Postingan ini saya buat khusus untuk mendukung Hari Anak Nasional pada tanggal 23 Juli 2010. Keprihatinan atas malangnya Anak-Anak Indonesia menggugah hatibanyak Blogger untuk bisa mengulurkan tangan meskipun hanya sebatas tulisan. Mari para Sahabat-Sahabat Blogger, kita dukung Hari Anak Nasional sebagai wujud turut membantu pemerintah dalam menyelamatkan Anak Indonesia dari keterpisahan

Selamatkan tawaku . . . .

Hellow . . . .

Mari kita semua ikut mendemokan GERAKAN NASIONAL SAYANG ANAK, dengan mengikuti kolaborasi HARI ANAK NASIONAL ini . . . .
Jadwal postingan bersama tepat tgl 23 Juli 2010, berharap sahabat blogger yang tertarik berkolaborasiuntuk menempelkan BANNER dibawah ini dalam akhir postingan, kalaupun tidak dicantumkan juga tidak masalah....

Artikel ini adalah khusus Kolaborasi dengan Blogger-Blogger yang peduli terhadap Anak Indoonesia. Sobat berniat untuk bergabung?? Silahkan kunjungi Si Empunya Ide { Bang Iwan}

Panduan Lengkap Membuat Blog versi Mobile dengan Mofuse

2010-07-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

Demi menyelesaikan Ebook terbaru saya yang berjudul "3 Langkah Sulap Blog menjadi Versi Mobile". Bagi yang ingin EBook Gratis silahkan kirim Nama, Email pada form di bawah post ini. Nah, setelah kemarin kita membahas Cara Mudah Membuat Blog versi Mobile dengan Mippin (Baca : Mendaftar di Mippin (Situs Pembuatan Blog versi Mobile) ) juga Baca : Memperkenalkan Blog versi Mofuse.
Dan yang paling banyak blogger perlukan adalah

Cara Agar Blog versi Mobile Otomatis Redirect

Kelihatannya sudah lengkap. Tapi ternyata belum, postingan tentang Panduan Lengkap Membuat Blog versi Mobile dengan Mofuse belum saya postingkan ^^. Nah, mari kita simak bersama tutorial "Panduan Lengkap Membuat Blog versi Mobile dengan Mofuse",

Pertama, buka situs Mofuse yang menyediakan layanan Blog verrsi Mobile, ada dua pilihan, pertama, premium dan yang kedua adalah Free.

Jika pilih yang FREE, buka http://www.mofuse.com/a/
Jika pilih yang PREMIUM, buka http://www.mofuse.com/ saja (Jika Premium, maka harus melakukan registrasi/pendaftaran)

Nah, Sobat akan dibawa masuk ke halaman Pembuatan Blog versi mobile Mofuse

Lali isikan Alamat Feed Blog Sobat dengan "http://alamatblog.com/feeds/posts/default" dan klik "Mobilize"

Nah, jika berhasil akan muncul notifikasi seperti ini,

Kemudian mulai mengisi data blog yang akan dibuat versi mobile,

Isikan lagi,

Nah, jika sudah , beri centang dan "Launch Mobile Site"

Berhasil, catat alamat Blog versi mobile mofuse tadi, dan Sobat akan dibawa ke halaman Control Panel

Selesai ^^

Jika Sudah jadi, tinggal melanjutkan ke tutorial ini

Cara Agar Blog versi Mobile Otomatis Redirect

Selamat Mencoba , Happy Blogging !