• Safety Tips:
• Community Safety: Is that DNA in the fridge?
• School Safety: Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome
• Questions and Answers: Discipline
• Statistics:Teach the Risks of Drug Abuse
• Open for Discussion, One Opinion: Let the Kids Grade the Adults!

Community Safety:

Fingerprint America Child Id kits are now available for parents to create a small packet containing DNA samples as well as basic fingerprints of each of  their children. These samples are taken without causing any discomfort to  your child, and stored in the privacy of your own home freeze in the event of an emergency situation. Fingernails, and hair,a nd saliva samples are used, along with ..... that can be used by law enforcement officials to  assist in a search effort. Most importantly, these materials can be used in conjunction with other age appropriate materials to help open a conversation with young children about safety issues. Fingerprint America reminds families that stranger abduction is rare, and that "stranger danger" should not be taught in a way that frightens a child. Helpful teaching materials  available through this website include a musical CD with catchy educational songs, and a video that explore these issues at a child's level.

Remember too, older children need reminders of which side of the road to   walk on, not to wear dark clothes at night, and to walk with a buddy. They  should also have an updated identification kit created, showing them with  their braces, their new pimples, and that new pierced...ear? Fingerprint America's Child ID kits are easy to complete for any age child.

School Safety:
Helping each child feel his or her most competent is a goal shared by all good teachers. Experienced teachers may recognize when a child's health is impacting school performance, but long after a virus seems to have left a child's system, the impact may remain. Myalgic encephalmyelitis (aka Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome) is a condition which only recently is gaining recognition, and how it disables students and staff in school settings. A knowledgeable teacher can be the first to put together the clues rather than labeling a child a lazy student. If a child is forgetful, has a low tolerance to odors, has trouble regulating body temperature, and has inconsistent ability to concentrate, with fatigue, they may be suffering from this malady. Schools need to recognize the special needs of these students, and make accomodations. Students and staff are more at risk for developing this condition at the start of a new term.

For details, please read the guidelines for schools at http://www.youngactiononline.com/docs/guide.htm

Question from a Reader and Our Answer:

Q: My 10 year old son has been quite disrespectful to family members lately, and my 7 year old argues constantly when we say no to a request. Lately, I am exhausted and angry at my children, and I find it difficult to be creative in my discipline methods. In fact, I have "grounded" my 10 year old to his room for 2 weeks as an alternative to spanking him. I would like to  know if you have any suggestions about how a parent is supposed to cope with  an overwhelming amount of troubles with their kids. Thank you.

A: First step is always remember to take a big breath. Few of us can remember to count to ten when angry, but the idea is to shift your focus for a moment to relax yourself from that adrenaline rush so you don't act on the urge to strike your child. In the heat of the moment, lock yourself in the bathroom, run all faucets to drown out their whining, and splash your face with water. Calm yourself down as best you can, and open the door when you feel ready to  speak, not scream.

Second step, remember that parenting is a tough job. Seek support through a friend, or a group in your area. Ask your pediatrican or librarian to recommend books on parenting and discipline. Third, learn what is "normal" for each developmental phase. Sometimes just talking to other parents to hear that their kids are doing the same annoying behaviors will help you realize it is a phase, and not faulty parenting that is causing this hard time. There are books in the library that can easily identify what each age child is working through, and plenty of resources right online. You can visit the Child Welfare League of America's website for parenting tips, at  www.cwla.org

As far as "grounding" your son, remember that discipline is supposed to teach the child something useful. To say, "Sit there and think about what you did," may mean he sits there thinking, " I punched my brother because I hate him, and I will do it again when I see him!" So, be sure to add something constructive, such as asking him to write down five things he can  appreciate about his brother. Also, a good rule of thumb is to keep the grounding to a manageable level, and 2 weeks is excessive and difficult to enforce. The point is to emphasis what they did wrong, and what you expect them to do next time. Two weeks "grounded" can cultivate built up resentment  and other negatives rather than effectively teaching your child to behave in a positive way. Try to recognize the positives too, no matter how small they seem.

Statistics:

The National Institute on Drug Abuse releases an annual report of the survey results of more than 16,000 high school students. You can find the details of this report by visiting www.monitoringthefuture.org

Research has shown that students listen to rumors about how cool a new drug is long before they hear the facts about the dangers. That is why the popularity of different drugs comes and goes. Currently, "club drugs" such as Ecstasy are most popular, with every other drug type showing a decline in useage.

Visit http://www.drugabuse.gov/Infofax/HSYouthtrends.html to print out a drug use trends report.

Also of note:
29.7% of 12th graders have had five drinks in a row during the last 2 weeks, and 49.8% report having had alcohol during the last month. 13.2% of 8th graders have had five drinks in a row in the last 2 weeks.

Adults spend a lot of time and effort evaluating youth. We increasingly   measure school performance, how much television they watch, what youth are  eating, what drugs they are taking, and more. Yet how often do we ask our youth to evaluate us? The Uhlich Academy in Chicago does an annual nationwide survey of teens, and creates a "Report Card" that rates adults. The results are offered on their website, along with an intruiging guide for teachers and youth group leaders to encourage open group discussions.

By asking for teens opinions rather than just speaking to them about important topics you can create awareness of what kind of projects your community can develop, as well as help establish the important bonds that teens need to feel secure as enter the wider circles of the community.

In the "Spending Quality Time with their Families" category, teens overall rating for adults was only a B-. This is from an age group traditionally portrayed as not even wanting to spend time with their families. Yet, when polled, this rating demonstrates their longing for an improved effort on the part of adults. To view this Report Card filled with surprising results, visit http://www.uhlich.org/ReportCard/Grades.htm

Asking youth to evaluate us could make for an interesting school year,and is perhaps a more valuable tool to open the school year with than the cliched "What I Did Over Summer Vacation" essay. Take a chance, and find out where we rate as the students sit down to listen to all the lessons we wish to tell them this new school year! You can print out a blank Report Card to use at the Uhlich Academy website.

This newsletter was created by Laura A. Davis for: 

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