October 12th, 2010 by admin
By Jilliane Hoffman,
Author of Pretty Little Things
Last December, New York’s Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced that more than 3500 registered sex offenders had been purged from the social networking sites Facebook and MySpace in the state’s first database sweep for sexual predators.
That’s 3500 caught, convicted and registered sex offenders who’d actually used their real names when they signed up for a Facebook or MySpace page. That’s not counting all the deviants that haven’t yet been busted, pled to a lesser charge, had charges dropped, never registered their emails with their probation or parole officers, socially communicate using an alias, or live outside the Empire State. With that in mind, consider this sobering statistic: According to the Center for Sex Offender Management (CSOM), the average sex offender offends for 16 years before he’s finally caught. In that time span, he has committed an average of 318 offenses and violated 110 victims.
Wow. Now just imagine who your kids may be chatting with online. Read the rest of this entry »
March 21st, 2010 by admin
By Joanne Kimes and R.J. Colleary with Rebecca Rutledge, PhD,
Authors of Teenagers Suck: What to do when missed curfews, texting, and “Mom can I have the keys?” make you miserable.
Once upon a time, a parent was left to their own creativity to come up with new and clever ways spy and snoop on their teenagers. Listen in on the extension phone? Sneak a peek at their personal diary? Check for contraband stashed in the underwear drawer? Your current teenager might actually injure themselves laughing at your Neanderthal ways.
“Wait a minute,” your teen says, while gasping for breath, “Didn’t they do those things on an episode of The Brady Bunch?”
Okay, already. I’m old. Don’t rub it in.
Today’s teens might dare you to try and crack the code of passwords protecting their blogs. Or snicker while you attempt to make sense of the net lingo shorthand on their text messages. And only underwear is in the underwear drawer. So, while your neighbor’s cat has been “friended” poor old Mom is still waiting patiently on the “facespaceplace” page for her shout out. Read the rest of this entry »
January 25th, 2010 by admin
by Annye Rothenberg, Ph.D., Child/Parent Psychologist
As parents, we want our children to be accustomed to healthy eating from the earliest possible age so good nutrition will be a lifelong habit.
Young children are ready to begin to learn about nutrition (“healthy food” vs. “treat food”) and about food plans (why meals need to include each food group). These nutrition lessons will need to be repeated many times, in more detail, as your children get older and want to understand more about why. Read the rest of this entry »
January 20th, 2010 by admin
Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from the book Love, Magic & Mudpies
by Bernie Siegel, MD
Published by Rodale; November 2006;$17.95US/$21.95CAN; 1-59486-554-X
Copyright © 2006 Bernie Siegel, MD
Send Love Letters To Your Kids
Smile at your children, smile at each other — it doesn’t matter who it is — and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.
–Mother Teresa
It’s not enough to love your kids. You have to tell them that you love them. They need your love poem tattooed on their hearts so they can take it with them wherever they go. The famous poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “I love you not for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.” That’s the essence of a family. Let your children know that their mere presence makes your life better every day and that they don’t have to do anything other than be themselves to make the world a better place. That is what makes your life and theirs meaningful. Don’t just say it; write it down for them. Words seem to carry more weight when they are on paper. Write love letters to your kids, send cards, and leave notes for them around the house. Read the rest of this entry »
January 8th, 2010 by admin
By Wednesday Martin, Ph.D.,
Author of Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do
The media is in love with the term “blended family.” From USA Today to Star magazine to the New York Times, from 20/20 to Oprah, there’s no escaping the articles about repartnering with children that don’t just label such families “blended,” but further suggest that “blending = success.” That is, not blended = failed stepfamily. Read the rest of this entry »
