Is your child being Bullied?

by LA Ferguson

Bullying among children is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Typically, it is repeated over time. 

Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting and/or punching (physical bullying); teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying); intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying); and sending insulting messages by phone, social media, text or e-mail (cyberbullying). 

Many children, particularly boys and older children, do not tell their parents or adults at school about being bullied, so it's important that adults are vigilant to possible signs of bullying.

Recognize the signs

• • Comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings
  
  
  • Has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches
  
  
  • Has few, if any friends, with whom he or she spends time
  
  
  • Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus, or taking part in organized activities with peers (such as clubs)
  
  
  • Takes a long, "illogical" route when walking to or from school
  
  
  • Has lost interest in school work or suddenly begins to do poorly in school
  
  
  • Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home
  
  
  • Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or other physical ailments
  
  
  • Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
  
  
  • Experiences a loss of appetite
  
  
  • Appears anxious and suffers from low self-esteem

What to do if you suspect that your child is being bullied?

If your child shows any of these signs, this does not necessarily mean that he or she is being bullied, but it is a possibility worth exploring. What should you do? Talk with your child and talk with staff at school to learn more.

1. Talk with your child.

Tell your child that you are concerned and that you’d like to help. Here are some questions that can get the discussion going:

• "Do you have any special friends at school this year? Who are they? Who do you hang out with?"

• "Who do you sit with at lunch and on the bus?"

• "I’m worried about you. Are there any kids at school who may be picking on you or bullying you?"

• "Are there any kids at school who tease you in a mean way?"

• "Are there any kids at school who leave you out or exclude you on purpose?"

• "Are there any kids at school who you really don’t like? Why don’t you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?"

2. Talk with staff at your child’s school.

Chat with the staff that watches the kids outside of the class room. Call or set up an appointment to talk with your child’s teacher. He or she will probably be in the best position to understand the relationships between your child and other peers at school. Share your concerns about your child and ask the teacher such questions as:

• "How does my child get along with other students in his or her class?"

• "With whom does he or she spend free time?"

• "Have you noticed or have you ever suspected that my child is bullied by other students?" Give examples of some ways that children can be bullied to be sure that the teacher is not focusing only on physical bullying.

Be involved with any form of bullying. Don't assume it will just go away. Let your child know they are not dealing with this alone.

Parents Don't Forget School-time Safety

As a new school year begins, parents should remember new backpacks and sneakers are not the only things that should be on their to do list. Safety should always remain at the top of their list.

An analysis by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children found attempted abductions of children are at the highest risk when going to and from school or school related activities.

This can be a scary subject but it is necessary that children have a plan if a situation arises. Parents and other adults can help keep children safe by following these ten tips.

1. Teach children to always TAKE A FRIEND with them when walking or biking. Tell them to STAY WITH A GROUP while standing at the bus stop. 

2. Walk the route to and from school with your children pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they're being followed or need help. Teach your children they should NEVER TAKE SHORTCUTS and always stay in well-lit areas.

3. It is not safe for younger children to walk to and from school, even in a group. Parents should always provide supervision. Parents should wait for a bus with children or make arrangements for adult supervision at the bus stop.

4. Teach your children if anyone bothers them and makes them feel afraid or uncomfortable they should trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them it is perfectly fine not to be polite and tell someone "NO".

5. Teach your children if anyone tries to take them somewhere they should RESIST by kicking and screaming out "I don't know you" or "This is not my parent." Tell them they need to draw as much ATTENTION as possible. 


6. Teach your children NOT TO ACCEPT A RIDE from anyone. Let your child know who is authorized to give them rides if you are not available. Stress to them to only accept rides from your emergency back up trusted adult. If anyone follows them in a vehicle they should run in the opposite direction and shout for help.

7. Teach your children to run away from an adult who ASKS FOR DIRECTIONS or asks for help looking for a lost pet.

8. Teach your children to NEVER ACCEPT MONEY OR GIFTS from anyone unless you have told them it is alright to accept in each instance.

9. Make sure the school has current and accurate emergency contact information on file for your children and confirm names of those authorized.

10. Teach your children to always CHECK FIRST before changing their plans before or after school. Teach them to never leave school, with anyone unless they CHECK FIRST with you or another trusted adult, even if someone tells them it is an emergency.

In conclusion, it's important to empower your children. Give them the confidence and tools to stay safe. Teach them to trust their feelings and instincts and always tell you or a trusted adult if anyone makes them feel afraid, uncomfortable or confused.

To Catch a Leprechaun Step 1 - Hat Trap

Leprechauns have big egos, so a giant version of their own hat is irresistible to them. Once they step on the false top, you'll have caught a 10-gallon prize.
So that the top doesn't give way too soon, use a lightweight bait, such as a crumpled piece of gold foil.

Leprechauns love to break rules. Warning signs are sure to lure them in. Natural materials make these woodland creatures feel at home. Set the trap out on the kitchen counter with some bait and go to bed. 

In the morning you might find that those sneaky leprechauns have danced across your counter tops with their little green shoes and gotten past the trap and taken your bait! Sometimes they leave gold dust everywhere and turn your milk green with their magic, Be sure to check the inside of your trap, sometimes they leave “gold” goodies inside. If you’d like to try and catch one… here’s what you do.

Leprechaun Trap Materials:
Empty oatmeal container
green, gold, black felt
poster board
several twigs
gold chocolate coin candy or whatever you like
white glue
scissors
glue gun

1. measure a piece of green felt large enough to wrap around the oatmeal container
2. cut a strip of black felt 1-2″ wide and as long as the green felt
3. cut a gold felt square with a hollow center
4. glue the black strip to the green felt
5. glue the gold square to the center of the gold strip.
6. cut out shamrock shapes (or use shamrock stickers) and glue onto the belt side of the felt.
7.  cut the center out of the lid to the oatmeal container.
8.  cut a circle of green felt the size of the oatmeal lid.
9.  starting at center of green circle, make cuts outwards, working your way around the circle in sort of a star pattern
10.  glue green circle to frame of oatmeal lid.
11.  Place onto the oatmeal container.

12. spread glue onto the back of the green felt and wrap it around the oatmeal container.
13.  cut another circle of green felt 1-2″ wider than the container.
14. glue circle to poster board.
15.  glue bottom of oatmeal container (or what we can now call a ‘leprechaun hat’) to the center of circle on the poster board.
16.  using twigs and a got glue gun, make a small ladder to reach from the poster board to the top of the ‘leprechaun hat’
15. place some ‘bait’ or crinkled up gold foil on the top of the hat, finishing off the trap.

*The ‘gold’ dust was gold and green glitter sprinkled on the counter. Barbie's shoes and green crayola washable paint to made the foot prints.
 


***Green Milk - place a few drops of green food coloring - Leprechaun Magic Happy St Patrick's Day!

Real Mean Girls - Bully

By LA Ferguson

In the past, bullying was considered a problem among boys and was viewed as physical intimidation and violence. Experts are finding that bullying and cyberbullying among girls is on the rise. Although this type of bullying is not physical, the psychological nature of it is more insidious. The effects can be more serious and harmful to the individual and leave irrevocable damages to them for years.

A new study has found that girls at same-sex schools feel greater pressure to adhere to gender norms and were bullied if they didn’t more than those at mixed-gender schools. Perhaps even more surprising, the same researchers say that girls at same-sex schools evaluated their self-worth based more on social confidence than cognitive confidence. The study found that girls at mixed-gender schools weighed academics more heavily than social prowess.

 

Some feminists would argue that in the middle-school years, boys pressure girls to fulfill certain gender norms. But William M. Bukowski, one of the researchers in the girls-school study and the director for the Center of Research in Human Development at Concordia University in Montreal, argues that boys aren’t imposing stereotypes on girls. 

In fact, girls are imposing stereotypes on each other. “It’s called the social-dosage hypothesis,” Bukowski says. “When girls are together without the presence of boys, they’re going to get an extra-strong dose of what it is to be female.” Hence, girls at the same-sex school feel more pressure to be “girly.”

Parents should not assume that just because their child is female that they won't have a tendency to become a bully. Be on the lookout if your child is behaving rude and malicious in manner. Watch how they interact with other children. If they show signs of resentment or engage in a power struggle, they might have issues with bullying. Also as a parent, be sure to talk to your child about bullying to ensure they know what bullying is and how wrong it is to abuse others in any form. 

Talking to your children is the best way to find out if they are having issues with. Keeping this line of communication open is important because it helps your child know they can always come to you for help.

Thanksgiving - Fun Craft ideas for Kids

 Thanksgiving Napkin Holder

Thanksgiving Napkin Holder - fun and easy for the little one to make.

Supplies: 

1. Washable children's paint and brush
2. Small piece of red construction paper
3. 9" lightweight paper plates with the ruffle edges
4. Safety scissors
5. Marker 
6. Tape.

Paint the plate's edges with fall colors. Let dry. Cut a 2 1/2 inch long piece from the red

construction paper. 

Round one end for the head. Make eyes with a marker and carefully

cut a beak below the eyes in a "V" shape.

When the plate is dry bend the plate at 3 1/2 inches from the front edge and the back edge.  

Bend the lower edge of the head piece 1/2 inch and tape it to the bottom of the center front. 

Now add some pretty napkins and you are done!

Thanksgiving Table Favors/Place Card

Supplies:

1. Fall colored construction paper
2. Large tongue depressors
3. 9 oz. paper cups
4. Marker
5. Safety scissors
6. Ruler
7. Glue

Cut cups to be about 2" tall. (I use a gold colored cup). Cut a tongue depressor in half making 2 heads. 

Cut 5 pieces of various colored construction paper that are 5 inches by 1 inch for feathers. Make one end rounded.

On half of a tongue depressor make eyes with a marker. Cut a yellow beak and glue it under eyes. Glue the tongue depressor to the cup.

Cut two wings that are 1 inch by 1 inch (make one end round) and glue them on each side of the tongue depressor (rounded end facing back)

Glue the tongue depressor to the back making them fan out. If you want, you can place a name on each one as place card and perch one in front of each table setting.

Fill cups with candy maybe candy corn, you should find it on sale now.

Make Halloween Full of Treats and No Tricks

Halloween night is one night of the year where it almost feels like all rules go out the window. Children count down the days towards Halloween night when it is okay to scare people, okay to play tricks on others, and okay to ask strangers for treats! Parents spend so much time and energy protecting their children from common dangers in and out of the home for the every day, but when it comes to special nights like Halloween; it can be very easy to forget some of the most basic rules.

Research indicates that Halloween night is most dangerous for children between the ages of five and eleven, and that lack of parental supervision is a leading cause in many injuries that may occur with children on Halloween night. To ensure child Halloween safety, even more precautions than your every day safety concerns need to be taken, as the bulk of the activities happen in the dark, with strangers, and on crowded streets. It is very easy to ensure your child’s safety on Halloween night without compromising their fun as well.


The number ONE rule of Halloween safety is to ensure your child is supervised. If your child falls in the age ranges between five and eleven, then you must ensure your child is accompanied by you, or by a trustworthy adult. Do not trust young children with older children, as the night is too distracting and too much fun even for older children. Take the initiative and the responsibility and attend this event with your child. When years pass and you look back, you will be happy that you did.
Here are some basic child Halloween safety tips for the remainder of the evening.

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Before You and Your Children Go Out

• Ensure that your child is provided with all of the reflective materials that they need when they are walking in the dark. Put reflective tape and markings on their costumes as discreetly as you can. The younger your children are, the easier this will be considering older children do not appreciate the sanctity of the costume that they have worked so hard on ‘destroyed’.
• If you do have older children that refuse the tape or markings, fret not. Gone are the days of lugging huge flashlights around. Parents can purchase glow in the dark bracelets, glow sticks, or night wands that children can take with them. You may still experience some resistance, but remind your children who is the parent. They don’t take these with them, they don’t go out.
• Ensure your child’s costumes are flame retardant and are not billowy and risk catching flames. Homeowners are getting more and more imaginative with their outdoor decorations and becoming less aware of child Halloween safety. Jack-O-Lanterns are still popular and these are a fire hazard regardless of how safe they may appear.
• Your child’s costume should not touch the ground in a manner that may trip them.
• Ensure your children go trick-or-treating on a full stomach so that they are not tempted to eat any treats, questionable or otherwise, while they are out.

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When Trick or Treating

• Do not pass stopped cars if you are driving, as they may be unloading groups or small children. If you are driving, it is best to choose a neighborhood, and park your vehicle.
• Only visit homes that are well lit, regardless of how interesting the spooky decorations may be. You also want to accompany young children to the door. People that are scary on days other than Halloween would like to take advantage of this evening in preying on unsuspecting children, and it is your responsibility to ensure this rule is followed for maximum child Halloween safety.
• Do not allow your children to enter a stranger’s home, no matter how nice the people may seem.
• Keep your cell phone on you at all times, and if you are allowing older children to go out with their friends, ensure they have a cell phone with a full battery.
• Do not allow your older children to trick or treat alone.
• Stay on the sidewalks and do not cross lawns. You never know who may be lurking in a bush. Even if someone is hiding for a fun scare, it may terrify young children and ruin the entire evening.
• Older children should have a curfew, and if they do not follow it, their goodies should be confiscated. 

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When the Night is Over

After everyone is home and safe and sound, the only concern you have now is what is in their bags. Inspect all goodies for both young and older children and toss out anything you just don’t feel right about or is questionable. Do not allow your children to eat anything that has been unwrapped, or does not come in a sealed wrapper. These are the basics of child Halloween safety. As always, use your best judgment, your parental instinct, and you can ensure a safe night for everyone without instilling a feeling of paranoia.

Back to School Safety Tips

As parents prepare for the start of a new school year, teaching children how to be safer needs to be at the top of their list of things to do. An analysis by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children of attempted abductions during the past five years found that children are at most risk when going to and from school or school related activities.

Parents and other adults can help keep children safe by following these ten tips

1. Teach your children to always TAKE A FRIEND with them when walking or biking, and stay with a group while standing at the bus stop. Make sure they know which bus to ride.

2. Walk the route to and from school with your children pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they're being followed or need help. Teach your children they should NEVER TAKE SHORTCUTS and always stay in well-lit areas.

3. It is not safe for young children to walk to and from school, even in a group. Parents should always provide supervision for young children to help ensure their safe arrival to and from school. If your children wait for a bus, wait with them or make arrangements for supervision at the bus stop.

4. Teach your children that if anyone bothers them, makes them feel scared or uncomfortable to trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them it is ok not to be polite and IT IS OK TO SAY NO.

5. Teach your children if anyone tries to take them somewhere they should RESIST by kicking and screaming, try to run away and DRAW ATTENTION by kicking and screaming "This person is trying to take me away" or "This person is not my father/mother."


6. Teach your children NOT TO ACCEPT A RIDE from anyone unless you have said it is ok in that instance. If anyone follows them in a vehicle they should turn around, go in the other direction, and run to a trusted adult who may help them.

7. Teach your children that grownups should NOT ASK CHILDREN FOR DIRECTIONS, they should ask other adults.

8. Teach your children to NEVER ACCEPT MONEY OR GIFTS from anyone unless you have told them it is ok to accept in each instance.

9. Make sure the school has current and accurate emergency contact information on file for your children and confirm names of those authorized.

10. Always know where your children will be. Teach your children to always CHECK FIRST before changing their plans before or after school. Teach your children to never leave school, with anyone unless they CHECK FIRST with you or another trusted adult, even if someone tells them it is an emergency.

Children should be taught to trust their feelings. They need to know that if someone makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused, they should tell a parent, guardian, or trusted adult.