Rumor Has It: When Your Kid’s an On-Line Target
Rumor has it that more and more kids are taunting each other online. A logical extension for the “mean kids” on campus, emails, texts, instant messages and sites like Facebook can become fertile grounds for hurtful gossip. Why the slams? We all know that tweens and teens are trying to assert their uniqueness and independence. Sometimes that takes the form of competing for friends and fighting … [Read More...]
Oh, Skype! Teach Kids to Play It Safe with Webcams
Standard issue for today’s tech-savvy tweens and teens, a webcam may be at the top of your kid’s holiday wish list. For those of us who aren’t already in the know, a webcam is a video camera that’s either installed inside or connected to your computer. The gadget lets you talk with friends and relatives via live streaming video, or record and post videos to sharing sites like YouTube. Several … [Read More...]
How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: Red Ribbon Week 2011
Kids and teens across America are wearing crimson, ruby and scarlet this week in celebration of Red Ribbon Week 2011, Oct. 23-31. With their red shirts, school assemblies and community service projects, millions of kids are pledging their commitment to living a drug-free life. The event was born in 1985 when parents and youths across the country began wearing red ribbons to raise awareness about … [Read More...]
Keep Out of Reach of Children: Store and Dispose of Old Meds Safely
To a kid, your old pills, tablets and capsules look like M&Ms, Skittles and Sweetarts – and the sugary coating on some medications make them even more enticing. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention estimate that 70,000 kids ages 18 and under end up in the emergency room each year because of an accidental overdose of prescription and over-the-counter medications. In about 80 percent … [Read More...]
Leibby Kletzky. Making Sense of a Senseless Crime
As a child safety expert, former cop and founder of a global child safety education organization, it is part of my job to make sense of the senseless. To shed some light onto a dark subject and offer comfort in the truth that violence is predictable and preventable. But, like most jobs, some days are easier than others. The day I learned of the abduction and murder of Leibby Kletzky was one … [Read More...]
Community
Rumor Has It: When Your Kid’s an On-Line Target
Rumor has it that more and more kids are taunting each other online. A logical extension for the “mean kids” on campus, emails, texts, instant messages and sites like Facebook can become fertile grounds for hurtful gossip. Why the slams? We all know that tweens and teens are trying to assert their … [Read More...]
Brain Bruise: Does Your Kid Have a Concussion?
Almost no kid escapes childhood without a strong knock to the head. Whether they slip off a jungle gym, stumble on the blacktop, get hit with a flying object or fall victim to a body check in hockey, kids and teens are nearly as prone to head injuries as skinned knees. Bad blows can cause a concussion, … [Read More...]
Back to School, Back to Cold and Flu Season
Suddenly sharing pencils, basketballs, desks and air space with two dozen other germy kids, it’s no wonder your little scholar comes down every year with a back-to-school cold. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, school-aged kids are some of the best transmitters for cold … [Read More...]
Organize a Walking School Bus for Fitness and Safety
When we were kids, our neighborhood streets were filled every morning with classmates walking, skateboarding and biking to school. According to a U.S. Department of Transportation survey in 1972, a whopping 90 percent of kids who lived within a mile of campus made it there on foot or bike. But for … [Read More...]
Bottle vs. Tap: Is Your Drinking Water Safe?
The best things in life are – practically! – free. The water that flows from your tap may be just as healthful for your family and the Earth as pricey bottled brands. Because it’s so convenient, portable and calorie-free, sales of bottled water have skyrocketed over the past decade. One estimate … [Read More...]
Teen Safety
How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: Red Ribbon Week 2011
Kids and teens across America are wearing crimson, ruby and scarlet this week in celebration of Red Ribbon Week 2011, Oct. 23-31. With their red shirts, … [Read More...]
When Boyfriends Turn Bad: Help Your Daughter Spot Trouble
When he first appeared in your living room, he seemed like the perfect boyfriend – clean, polite, respectful and funny. But slowly your daughter’s … [Read More...]
Mouse Muscles? Kids are Getting Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries
With all their texting, tweeting and typing, our kids are now setting themselves up for repetitive stress injuries. The number one job hazard of office … [Read More...]
Pushing Star Athletes: How Much is Too Much?
Football, softball, hockey, volleyball, soccer. Organized sports are a great way for kids to get in shape, build their skills, meet new friends and develop … [Read More...]
Are Violent Video Games Too Much for Our Kids?
Blood, gore, car chases, explosions, shoot-outs, smacking a hysterical woman. It might be all in a day’s work on your kid’s Xbox360. While more … [Read More...]
Parenting
Keep Out of Reach of Children: Store and Dispose of Old Meds Safely
To a kid, your old pills, tablets and capsules look like M&Ms, Skittles and Sweetarts – and the sugary coating on some medications make them even … [Read More...]
Brain Bruise: Does Your Kid Have a Concussion?
Almost no kid escapes childhood without a strong knock to the head. Whether they slip off a jungle gym, stumble on the blacktop, get hit with a flying … [Read More...]
Back to School Mellow: Streamline Your Manic Mornings
You screeched into the school parking lot and made it to the classroom door just as the morning bell rang, but your child is in tears, your hair’s a … [Read More...]
Zap! Stay Safe in a Lightning Storm
The lights of Broadway and the entire public transit system in New York were shut down last week as Hurricane Irene threatened to rip up America’s East … [Read More...]
Slipping and Sliding: Stay Safe at the Waterpark
After a fast whoosh down a towering slide at the local waterpark, your little daredevil may think he’s performed a death-defying feat. And you may have … [Read More...]
