Welcome to educational Awareness !
Get to know me!
please see my first website socialemotionalpaws.com
Get to know me!
please see my first website socialemotionalpaws.com
AS FOUNDER FROM THE VARY BEGINNING TO HELP CHILDREN THROUGH RESEARCHING TO FIND A SOLUTION. LEGISLATION. HAS BEEN ONE TOOL WHICH I SEEK TO HELP WITH AN ISSUE THAT LEADS TO BETTER RESULTS.!!
MUCH WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE THROUGH AWARENESS IN PRESCHOOL-K-12 STUDENTS,HOMES ALONG WITH INTERACTIONS WITH DOGS TO TEACH EMPATHY AND HUMANE EDUCATION TO ANIMALS, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY BY STATE MANDATES IN SCHOOL WITH THERAPY DOGS,AND PAWS READING PROGRAMS.. TO MEET THE GROWING NEED FOR MORE HUMAN INTERACTION CONNECTION WITH LESS SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION THAT LESSEN SUICIDES.WE NEED MORE SCHOOL DOG CLUBS IM FINDING THEM IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS ON THE INTERNET .MAY BE CREATING A 4H PROGRAM OR DOG HUMAN SOCIETY CLUBS PROGRAM WILL TEACH THEM EMPATHY.
PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN:
CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C.
U.S. HOUSE OF CONGRESS HR 2404 - HONORING CRAIG DURFEY FOR HIS FIGHT A AGAINST AUTISM ... Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf
P.R.D.D.C. CONTRIBUTED IN ADDING A SECTION INTO AB 1718:
CA AB 1718 2000 POLICE TRAINING
CHARTERED INTO LAW http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=199920000AB1718
"President John F. Kennedy said technology ‘has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man.’ Yet swayed by digital-age myths, we are providing our children with remarkably little guidance on their use of technology.”
. It was Albert Einstein who famously said that once you stop learning, you start dying. It was Bill Gates who said that he would want the ability to read faster
Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all who have served our country.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
- President John F. Kennedy
Elk Grove Unified School District has school counselors, psychologists and mental health therapists available at our schools. They have been trained to assess suicidal ideation and respond appropriately to the level of threat identified. It is the top priority of Elk Grove Unified School District to ensure the safety of the students in our schools. Please use our counselors, psychologists, and mental health therapists as resources, in addition to the information provided on this website.
You will find information about the warning signs and risk factors of youth suicide, as well as how to respond if you find out your child has suicidal thoughts or attempts. Provided are local and national crisis hotline information as well as website resource links.suicide Prevention Elk Grove Unified School District http://www.egusd.net/students-families/wellness/suicide-prevention/ andhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-for-animals-club-fall-2019-tickets-66624223847?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
D, Ph.D., founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine who wrote the book, “Virtual Addiction.”
Dr. David Greenfield
Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry,
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Dr. David Greenfield is the founder of The Center and Institute for Internet and Technology Addiction (virtual-addiction.com) and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading voices on Internet, computer, and digital media behavior, and a pioneer concerning compulsive and addictive use; he is the author of the Virtual Addiction, which rang an early warning bell with tech overuse when it came out in 1999. Dr. Greenfield lectures to public and psychiatric groups throughout the world, and has appeared numerous times on CNN, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Fox News, ESPN, Anderson Cooper, NPR and HBO. His work has been featured in U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, Newsweek, People, Time, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Economist, and numerous others. He is widely credited with popularizing the variable ratio reinforcement schedule of Internet use and abuse and the dopamine/tech use connection ... a topic he was discussing in the late 90s. Dr. Greenfield’s recent research and clinical work is focused on why digital technologies are abused, how we can achieve life-balance with digital technology, neurobiology of compulsive Internet use, and most recently on Smartphone use and distracted driving. He is the author of numerous professional journal articles and book chapters on Internet, computer, and digital behavior and the DVD: “Raising Generation D: A Guide for Parents Raising Children in the Digital Age.” Dr. Greenfield is a fellow and past-president of the Connecticut Psych Association, Connecticut Association of Treatment of Sex Offenders (CATSO), and member of the American Society for Addiction Medicine, and The Sexual Medicine Society of North America. He resides and practices in Connecticut.
Show Full BioMarch 24, 2017
February 1, 2015
January 5, 2015
Do you have info to share with HuffPost reporters? Here’s how.
In Your Right Mind is a new weekly behavioral health show that covers various topics each week. Dr. Tonmoy Sharma and Stefanie Wilder-Taylor are the hosts of the show, however, each week new guest speakers participate in a roundtable discussion regarding headlines in behavioral health. The goal is to raise awareness on pertinent issues that get people talking. The hour long show is every Sunday at 5 p.m. on Talk Radio 790 KABC Los Angeles.
by Trevor Haynes
figures by Rebecca Clements
“I feel tremendous guilt,” admitted Chamath Palihapitiya, former Vice President of User Growth at Facebook, to an audience of Stanford students. He was responding to a question about his involvement in exploiting consumer behavior. “The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works,” he explained. In Palihapitiya’s talk, he highlighted something most of us know but few really appreciate: smartphones and the social media platforms they support are turning us into bona fide addicts. While it’s easy to dismiss this claim as hyperbole, platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram leverage the very same neural circuitry used by slot machines and cocaine to keep us using their products as much as possible. Taking a closer look at the underlying science may give you pause the next time you feel your pocket b
Collin Kartchner, who started a campaign in 2018 to #SavetheKids from the negative effects of social media, is coming to Southeast Idaho next month. He will share his message at local schools and at two education nights for parents.
Popular speaker coming to Southeast Idaho to share message about harmful effects of social media
Don’t be a bystander when it comes to bullying. Be an Upstander!
StopBullying.gov has new resources to help you safely upstand to bullying. For example, our new Bystander Fact Sheet details the different roles bystanders play in stopping or enabling the bullying behavior. We have also released the new Become an Upstander to Bullying video online to view and share – they are available on the StopBullying.gov YouTube channel in English and Spanish.
On Feb 6, 2018, the Salt Lake Tribune's front page article began: "Collin Kartchner decided to fight Instagram with Instagram." Two months later, Collin started a nationwide movement called #SavetheKids and has been on a crusade to help people both young and old to rise above the negative effects of social media & screen-addiction, while showing the world how to use it for doing good. Using social media, Collin raised $100k's for hurricane victims, kids fighting cancer, and orphans in South America. In 9 minutes he raised enough money to put up "You Are Beautiful" & "You Are Loved" billboards seen over 1.2M times. Now he's on a crusade to save teens from social media's potential destruction to their self-esteem and mental health, and empowering parents to reconnect with their kids. #SavetheKids #SavetheParents
Greg Hudnall is the founder and Executive Director of HOPE4UTAH. He has championed suicide prevention in Utah schools and communities for over 20 years. His expertise is not only sought after locally, but also nationally at the highest levels of government.
Dr. Gregory A. Hudnall is a former high school principal, student service director and associate superintendent with the Provo City School District. He has been involved with suicide prevention for the past twenty years and has personally been involved with over twenty-five suicides as a first responder or consultant.
Dr. Hudnall has years of personal experience in working with suicide prevention. He has spent the last fifteen years as the executive director of a community crisis team responding to suicides, he spent four years working with Orem Community Hospital emergency room as a therapist and is in his 16th year as chairman of the Utah Suicide Prevention Conference in partnership with Brigham Young University.
Dr. Hudnall was invited to testify before the United States Surgeon General on suicide in Utah and in 2013 was invited by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to present in Washington D.C. on the Circles4HOPE community mental health model at the “Dialogue on Behavior Health and Community Resilience in LDS Communities.”
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A big win Tuesday for a grass roots campaign that started in Utah to bring a rating system to apps.
The issue made its way to top law makers in Washington DC where they discussed the problem, and believe something needs to be done.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee heard from a panel of social media experts on the problems facing teens and the easy access they have to pornography on some of the most popular teen Apps like Snapchat and Instagram.“This is an important topic. This is a crisis effecting our children,” said Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah during the hearing. “Its not just when a child is looking for that it’s happening when they input very innocent child like search terms that have nothing to do with sex.”
Sen. Lee organizing the hearing after meeting with Melissa McKay a mother of 5 children who lives in Salt Lake County. She started the campaign to get ratings on Apps much like a rating system for movies or video games.
She was very happy to see her issue now being heard by some of the country’s top law makers.
“I feel like all of them were very invested in addressing the problem and wanting to fix it, so I definitely it, we are going to see some movement soon,” said McKay to KSL.
Senator Lee believes this is an issue that doesn’t need a new law but one that can be worked out with the tech companies.
like
Digital Citizen Academy is dedicated to improving the lives of students, parents and educators by providing resources, tools and the knowledge needed to foster a healthy balance with technology. Our research-based education, prevention and diversion programs are professionally designed to inform, protect and support young children, teenagers and adults impacted by issues resulting from technology use and overuse. Programs are designed with age appropriate content and provide trackable and measurable data for school districts and organizations.
A recent study indicates that internet addiction can lead to a weaken immune system which leads to more viruses such as the Flu. There is already documented research on how internet addiction leads to mental health issues.
The President and First Lady Michelle Obama discuss how we can all work together to end bullying as an accepted practice and create a safer environment for our kids to grow up in. March 10, 2011.
Spring 5-19-2018 The Academic and Social-emotional Effects of Classroom Service Dogs/Specialized Therapy Dogs with Handlers on Student Learning and Behavior in K-12 Special Education Students in Emotional/Behavioral Disordered Placements as Perceived by their Teachers
What are you doing to protect your kids from their mobile device?
Web browsing history is captured by WebSafety to provide insight into your child’s interests and what they have been exposed to. WebSafety believes a parent child relationship should be based on open discussion and trust. However, we also believe that trust should be validated from time to time.
WebSafety’s web browsing history is checked against our own database of inappropriate websites. If your child visits a website in our database, parents will receive a mobile alert and it will appear on the dashboard. You can customize our database for your own family’s needs by adding new websites or silencing alerts for websites you approve. WebSafety does not block access to websites. We believe that it is more important to extend trust to your child, yet ensure them that their activity is being monitored.
Receive alerts when flagged URLs such as porn and other inappropriate websites are accessed from your child’s device. Web history requires iCloud backups for iOS devices.
SALT LAKE CITY — A grassroots campaign is going after social media giants Instagram and Snapchat, saying it’s time to police their rating system of 12+, because teens have too easy access to porn.
The campaign will be rolled out on Thursday by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in Washington D.C., but many behind the movement are right here in Utah.
"These app ratings are messed up and you can’t go by the app ratings," said Collin Kartchner who is a very popular social media activist speaking to thousands of teens across the state and country. "You can stream porn in two clicks and these apps are rated at 12+. This is like you sending your kid to a PG-13 movie saying, 'Oh, they'll be fine.' And 2 seconds into it they are watching pornography. Parents, if that happened in the movie system we would be outraged, but it’s happening on their phones all day."
The pornography of today has created an unprecedented epidemic of sexual harm. Children and young people are being exposed to violent and degrading content, which by default has served as their sex education. Once a social or health issue involves problems that affect individuals or groups beyond their capacity to correct – responsibility shifts from individual accountability to holding the forces and influences that cause it accountable. While educating individual parents to guide and protect their children is always part of any prevention plan, the problem is well beyond what individual parents and children can do to protect themselves. Science and research is catching up with the concerns of many and is now showing a wide range of harm caused by pornography. Law enforcement and our jails are overwhelmed with the results of sex trafficking and child sexual abuse. Children are at greatest risk as research shows such exposure affects their developing brains and shapes their sexual templates. The younger and more often children are exposed to such content the more problematic it becomes. Adolescents are more susceptible to forming addictions than adults because the dopamine neurons in their nucleus accumbens (i.e. the brain’s pleasure center) are much more active and have an exaggerated plasticity in response to addictive stimulus. Thus, it can be said that a propensity for addiction is more strongly “hardwired” into the adolescent brain. Internet pornography consumption by adolescents is associated with risky sexual behavior that can have profoundly adverse effects such as anal sex, multiple sexual partners, and substance use during sex. Such outcomes are not surprising in light of research into how the human brain develops which shows that adolescents are not as readily able to access their front lobes—the portion of the brain that controls impulses and allows for rapid, smart decision making.
“This is an important topic. This is a crisis effecting our children,” said Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah during the hearing. “Its not just when a child is looking for that it’s happening when they input very innocent child like search terms that have nothing to do with sex.”
Sen. Lee organizing the hearing after meeting with Melissa McKay a mother of 5 children who lives in Salt Lake County. She started the campaign to get ratings on Apps much like a rating system for movies or video games.
She was very happy to see her issue now being heard by some of the country’s top law makers.
“I feel like all of them were very invested in addressing the problem and wanting to fix it, so I definitely it, we are going to see some movement soon,” said McKay
JULY 9, 2019 AT 7:36 PMVolume 0%
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A big win Tuesday for a grass roots campaign that started in Utah to bring a rating system to apps.
The issue made its way to top law makers in Washington DC where they discussed the problem, and believe something needs to be done.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee heard from a panel of social media experts on the problems facing teens and the easy access they have to pornography on some of the most popular teen Apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
to KSL.
Senator Lee believes this is an issue that doesn’t need a new law but one that can be worked out with the tech companies.
like
JULY 9, 2019 AT 7:36 PMVolume 0%
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A big win Tuesday for a grass roots campaign that started in Utah to bring a rating system to apps.
The issue made its way to top law makers in Washington DC where they discussed the problem, and believe something needs to be done.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee heard from a panel of social media experts on the problems facing teens and the easy access they have to pornography on some of the most popular teen Apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
JULY 9, 2019 AT 7:36 PMVolume 0%
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A big win Tuesday for a grass roots campaign that started in Utah to bring a rating system to apps.
The issue made its way to top law makers in Washington DC where they discussed the problem, and believe something needs to be done.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee heard from a panel of social media experts on the problems facing teens and the easy access they have to pornography on some of the most popular teen Apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on protecting children online and data privacy. Witnesses discussed the prevalence of online predators using social media to exploit minors, and ways tech companies can better regulate their platforms to protect younger users. They also made recommendations for greater parental controls on devices and what the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could do to strengthen online safety.
The Center for Digital Democracy hosted a series of discussions to mark the 20th anniversary of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Senator Edward Markey (D-MA), one of the bill’s co-sponsors, reflected on bill’s passage in 1998 and talked about the ongoing work to address online privacy and data protection issues. Then, two panels of policy experts and children’s privacy advocates discussed COPPA’s implementation and enforcement over the last 20 years,
Published Monday, September 2, 2019 2:44PM PDT
Last Updated Tuesday, September 3, 2019 6:21PM PDT
With kids and teenagers only a day away from heading back to school, many with phones and devices charged and ready, the Abbotsford Police Department is warning parents about some mobile apps that could be problematic for teens and younger kids.
A campaign was recently started by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in Sarasota, Fla., after 25 people were arrested for attempting to have sex with someone the accused believed was a 14-year-old.
The Floridian sheriff’s office says all of those arrested used at least one of 15 apps found on the list, most of which are for users 17 and above or are rated M for mature. Investigators say kids can circumvent some of the age restrictions by creating accounts with fake birthdates.
1) MEETME: A dating social media app allowing users to connect based on physical proximity. App users are encouraged to meet in person. Rated Mature or 17+.
2) WHATSAPP: A widely-used messaging app that allows users to send messages, all types of media, make calls and video chats. Rated E for Everyone.
3) BUMBLE: A dating app that requires women to make the first contact. Rated Mature or 17+.
4) LIVE.ME: A live-streaming video app that uses geolocation to share videos so users can find out a broadcaster's exact location. Advertises connections with celebrity users and influencers. Police say users can earn "cins" as a way to "pay" minors for photos. Rated T for Teen.
Bullying continues to be a problem in schools all over New Zealand. According to recent data, 26% of students said that they experienced at least one of six bullying behaviours several times a month over the previous year. The report also indicates that students are resorting to psychological or emotional bullying rather than outright physical violence, both of which can have a negative impact on a student’s sense of self. If you suspect that your child is being bullied, it’s important to find ways to empower him and build confidence which can help him to cope with bullying in a positive way. One way to do this is to have your child care for a dog, as having a pet can do wonders when a child is feeling lonely or isolated. Here’s how having a pet dog can help your child deal with bullying.
Having a pet can enhance your child’s social interaction
Dogs are wonderful conversation starters in children. Having a pet can help your child to interact with someone else who also has a pet as kids from different backgrounds can find common ground in their love of dogs. If your child befriends another pet owner like himself, encourage your little one to invite his new friend and pet dog to your home to play indoor games like fetch, hide-and-seek, and tag. As your child interacts more, he makes himself less of a target of school bullies as he opens himself up to new friendships.
Having a dog teaches your child how to have empathy and kindness
One way to cope with bullying in a positive way is to teach your child to empathise with the bully, as most bullies are also coping with personal problems and insecurities. Having a dog teaches your child to have empathy and kindness, even to those who are being mean to him. On the flip side, if you suspect that your child is the bully, having a pet dog can teach him to be kind to those who are smaller or more vulnerable than him.
A dog can improve a bullied child’s mood
Bullying can result in your child developing feelings of loneliness or depression, but having a dog is one way to elevate your child’s mood and make him feel better. Just spending 15 to 30 minute splaying with a frisky pup can make your little one feel more relaxed and happier once he gets home from school.
Having a dog may not end the bullying, but it can certainly help your child cope with it. With your help and a pet’s help, your child can deal with bullying in a positive way.
Written By: Emma Mills, Health writer on HR issues and workplace bullying.
According to Emma: “Bullying is particularly concerning to me, given some of the problems my brother faced while he was at school, and I’m sure that sadly some of those issues have transferred into his adult relationships and confidence.” We hope this article along with the other previous articles would help someone – Let us know your views or comments…..
Dexter, a 130 pound Newfoundland therapy dog owned by Jenny Armstrong of Laguna Niguel gets some love from the medical staff during a visit to the UCI Medical Center in Orange on Tuesday morning, September 24, 2019. The UCI Health pet therapy program has 11 dogs that visit employees once a month.
Pets can be an awesome addition to the family, bringing us love, fun, company and cuddles. Happy childhood memories often include time spent with the family pet. These animal pals can be a great comfort to children, providing a constant in their lives and sticking by them no matter what else is going on. Auckland's Starship Hospital has recognised the significance of pets to young patients with a special visiting area just for furry family members.
. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office released this list of 15 apps parents should know about, after 25 people were arrested in a sting operation. (Sarasota County Sheriff's Office)
Published Monday, September 2, 2019 2:44PM PDT
Last Updated Tuesday, September 3, 2019 6:21PM PDT
With kids and teenagers only a day away from heading back to school, many with phones and devices charged and ready, the Abbotsford Police Department is warning parents about some mobile apps that could be problematic for teens and younger kids.
A campaign was recently started by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in Sarasota, Fla., after 25 people were arrested for attempting to have sex with someone the accused believed was a 14-year-old.
The Floridian sheriff’s office says all of those arrested used at least one of 15 apps found on the list, most of which are for users 17 and above or are rated M for mature. Investigators say kids can circumvent some of the age restrictions by creating accounts with fake birthdates.
1) MEETME: A dating social media app allowing users to connect based on physical proximity. App users are encouraged to meet in person. Rated Mature or 17+.
2) WHATSAPP: A widely-used messaging app that allows users to send messages, all types of media, make calls and video chats. Rated E for Everyone.
3) BUMBLE: A dating app that requires women to make the first contact. Rated Mature or 17+.
4) LIVE.ME: A live-streaming video app that uses geolocation to share videos so users can find out a broadcaster's exact location. Advertises connections with celebrity users and influencers. Police say users can earn "cins" as a way to "pay" minors for photos. Rated T for Teen.
The History , Theory, and Implications of Internet and Tech Addiction. Interview of Dr. David Greenfield, Founder and Medical Director of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Connecticut School of Medicine
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and it’s my goal to raise awareness about bullying — both online and in the real world. With honest conversations we can start a meaningful dialogue about how we can work together to combat bullying no matter where it may occur.
Because much of my work is with students and schools, I want to focus today on how schools handle bullies and how they can decrease the number of bullying incidents in the classroom setting.
Before I get into my thoughts on how to combat bullying, it’s important to start with the basics.
Ross Ellis is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of STOMP Out Bullying. She is nationally recognized as an expert for her work in bullying and cyberbullying prevention, violence against children, as well as being an expert in online safety.
Ross has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and corporate sector, and has been a child advocate for more than two decades. She educates on reducing and preventing bullying, cyberbullying, and other digital abuse, educating against homophobia, racism and hatred, and deterring violence in schools, online and in communities across the country.
In 2005, Ross founded STOMP Out Bullying, the leading national bullying and cyberbullying prevention nonprofit for kids and teens in the U.S. STOMP Out Bullying has since become the most influential anti-bullying organization in the country.
Under Ms. Ellis’ leadership, STOMP Out Bullying has helped over 5 million youths in resolving bullying situations. She established a 24/7 HelpChat Line for youths who have been bullied, cyberbullied and at-risk for suicide. To date the organization has helped over 100,000 students and has saved over 2,000 lives. Through various network resources, STOMP Out Bullying has saved over 6,000 lives. These number increase daily.
STOMP Out Bullying™ is the leading national bullying and cyberbullying prevention organization for kids and teens, and is recognized as the most influential anti-bulling organization in America (as well as globally), and is the most quoted anti-bullying charity in news outlets.
Pets play a pivotal role in our lives and the lives of our children. Our dogs or cats often greet us at the door, excited to see us and to welcome us home. For kids, having a pet in the family may help them learn responsibility, grow socially, and may even make them smarter. However, pets—dogs especially—also can be nurturing to a child.
Children who are more reserved or quiet—or who are even outgoing—may choose to confide in their furry friend. Animals, unlike people, won’t give advice, they don’t judge but they will love unconditionally. And if a child is struggling with a problem, is worried or just needs a comfort, a pet may be the best friend.
And some dogs may be more than a friend. A school district in Kansas uses therapy dogs to help those who have been victims of bullying, and the dogs also work to help the bullies. Therapy dogs also are used in many pediatric hospitals to help kids alleviate stress. Often these dogs put a smile on a sick child’s face and become favourite friends.
While dogs can be certified as therapy dogs, even a family pet can be a source of calm for kids.
And any pet can make an impact. Dogs, cats, hamsters…even snakes can be a friend and confidant to your child. When a child is a victim of bullying, parents often deal with teachers and administrators to ensure the situation is handled at the school. However, the problem often doesn’t end after the school bell rings. Any child who has been bullied or taunted at school may suffer emotional repercussions…and the sadness, emotional distress and worry can follow them home. Not all kids handle bullying in the same way. Every child is different. Some kids who are bullied may even develop separation anxiety and become upset when a parent leaves (dogs that have been abused may develop this as well).
Kids today are faced with more stressors than ever, and childhood depression is on the rise because of it. Recent studies have shown almost 10% of children and adolescents experience depression. A predominant cause of depression among children is being the victim of bullying. Unfortunately, bullying doesn’t discriminate and can happen to boys and girls of any ethnic, racial, religious, or socio-economic background. Bullying can cause lasting effects such as having low self-esteem and negative self-image, unhappiness at school and difficulty focusing, and trouble establishing healthy relationships with peers.
Interestingly enough, these side effects are found in the bullies as well as their victims. Both are more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who have never been involved in bullying. They are also more likely to have other comorbid mental health issues, such as Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Clinical Depression and Anxiety. If left unaddressed, these feeling of depression and low self-worth can lead to chronic levels of mental health issues, isolation, and even suicidal ideation.
If you opt for a dog, part of the responsibilities will be walking it. This is another win-win for fighting depression. It will make your child be physically active, a well-known tool for negating depressive symptoms. It also is an excellent way to increase social interaction. People are always wanting to touch a puppy, and this leads to a natural conversation when they ask permission. Even if your child is anxious about talking to new people, dogs and pets are automatic ice breakers. Talking about a pet can easily guide the conversation with very little pressure on your child to generate small talk. If they are engaging in conversation, they are less likely to feel isolated and will benefit mentally from the interaction.
Of course, pet ownership isn’t something you should jump into lightly. Be sure to teach your child the right way to handle and care for her pet. Include animal safety rules and how to properly approach animals, and make sure she can communicate this to others who want to touch her pet. With care and supervision, your child and her pet will become fast friends in no time. While there is no quick fix for depression, owning a pet has multiple benefits which show their impact quickly. Having an unconditional friend to love can work wonders for building confidence and self-esteem and combating the negative effects of bullying and depression.
Me-wow! Recent studies performed by research teams at U.C. Davis and Tufts University reveal dog-gone grrreat news: Children who read aloud to therapy dogs or shelter cats on a regular basis demonstrate drastic improvement in their reading skills! Animals provide a safe, non-judgmental presence for struggling readers. Sharing books with furry supporters helps children to:
Oh, and the animals enjoy it, too!
PawsToRead.com and 'Paws to Read Month' were created to connect parents, educators, animal lovers, and child advocates to city, regional, state, and national programs that use shelter cats or trained therapy dogs to improve the literacy skills of children. We also provide tips, activities, and recommended reading lists to help schools and libraries celebrate 'Paws to Read Month' in March...and all year long!
Nobody Likes a Bully is a life-like story of school bullying from different perspectives. Along the way, Coach Kozak answers questions like how to stop bullying, why do I bully, what to do if your friends are being bullied, and how to deal with bullies. The bullying stories used in the video are meant to provide examples of how to prevent bullying and ways to stop bullying for kids.
The Bully Effect, a special presentation about the good that can happen when someone speaks up. Are you ready to speak up about bullying? Go to http://www.stopbullyingspeakup.com to take the pledge. About Cartoon Network: Welcome to Cartoon Network's YouTube Channel, the destination for all of your favorite cartoons and videos. Watch clips from shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, Ben 10, Incredible Crew, NINJAGO, Legends of Chima and more!
Cartoon Network and 826 National are engaging kids in the story of inclusion with an inclusion-themed, storytelling lesson plan for elementary and middle school students.
A well cared for pet can help children learn life skills. Photo / Thinkstock
Herald online By: Sally Hibbard
Pets can be an awesome addition to the family, bringing us love, fun, company and cuddles. Happy childhood memories often include time spent with the family pet. These animal pals can be a great comfort to children, providing a constant in their lives and sticking by them no matter what else is going on. Auckland's Starship Hospital has recognized the significance of pets to young patients with a special visiting area just for furry family members.
6PM: Dog being credited for increased test scores at Weber County junior highAlex Cabrero, KSL TV
SOUTH OGDEN — From the outside, South Ogden Jr. High School looks like any other school in Utah.
Even the inside isn’t out of the ordinary. That is, until you head to the library.
Students who go inside the library are getting better reading scores. It’s not that the books are different or even the assignments students are given.
“It’s magic. It really is,” said Kimberlee Irvine, who is an eighth-grade English teacher at the school. "I wish I could explain it, but it’s just pretty much Bentley magic.”
That’s right: Bentley.
Dogs have long helped out in the classroom, sometimes with reading programs (pictured) and stress relief: Now, canines are being recruited to help teach compassion and reduce
rom surfing to sniffing out cancer, what can't dogs do? Now, USA Today reports that a number of school programs across the country are using dogs to teach kids empathy and compassion in an effort to help curb school bullying. Here, a brief guide:
How are dogs fighting bullying?
Kansas City schools have a program called No More Bullies, in which program volunteers, accompanied by trained dogs, teach kids about fairness, compassion, and integrity for one hour a day over five days. "The animals are the glue that helps the children stay focused and understand the message," says Jo Dean Hearn, an ex-teacher who developed the program. "Children can easily identify with an animal. And it's easy for them to transition when we ask them to consider how an animal feels (if ill treated) to how the kid sitting near them feels (if poorly treated)."
Are there similar programs in other parts of the country?
You bet. Last year, the Yale University School of the 21st Century and the Pet Savers Foundation of North Shore Animal League America launched a program called Mutt-i-grees to help children learn how to be more kind — toward people and animals. The program, which typically employs a dog-shaped handpuppet instead of an actual dog, is now used in 900 elementary schools in 28 states, and it's being expanded to junior high and high schools. Also, the Healing Species program, founded a decade ago in South Carolina, uses rescue dogs to help children and teens recover from abuse and learn self-esteem, empathy, and other core values.
Do these programs really work?
They seem to. The No More Bullies program is so popular that there's a long waiting list for next year. While it's still too early to evaluate the Mutt-i-grees program, most of the teachers who participated said their students' social, emotional, and problem-solving skills improved. A study published in 2008 found that suspensions for violent behavior declined by 55 percent among students who participated in the Healing Species program, and general aggression and retaliation went down by 62 percent. Teachers and guidance counselors also reported improved grades and a more than 80 percent increase in their students' ability to walk away from conflicts.
Sources: Healing Species, Mutt-i-grees, USA Today, Wichita Eagle
Try 4 issues of The Weekfor only $8.00 bullying. Robin Nelson/ZUMA Press/Corbis
Everyone knows bullying is a huge problem, and we all need to work to stop it.
But how? The science is unclear. While school districts across the country spend millions of dollars each year to combat bullying, not all anti-bullying programs work equally — and some of the most common approaches, it turns out, don't work very well at all.
“Do we know definitively all the specific elements? Not quite,” Susan P. Limber, Dan Olweus Professor of Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University, told TODAY. “We do have some strong data that there are programs and efforts that have demonstrated effectiveness.”
“We can’t teach math overnight. It is not a skill you can learn in an hour. That is the whole issue with social emotional learning."
In a TODAY.com survey of more than 1,400 parents, 85 percent say their child has been bullied, but only 45 percent say their child's school takes bullying seriously.
Several recent studies have shown that anti-bullying programs can reduce bullying activity by 19 to 20 percent and reduce victimization by 15 to 16 percent, Limber said. But it depends on the program.
“Some approaches are more effective than others,” she explained.
Many schools simply tackle bullying by hosting an anti-bullying assembly. While that might be a good start, experts agree that an annual address does little.
“(Most schools) bring in a speaker and do an assembly,” Dorothy Espelage, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of North Carolina, told TODAY Parents. “That doesn’t actually work at all.”
A one-off program cannot address the complex causes of bullying.
“We can’t teach math overnight," Catherine Bradshaw, senior associate dean for research and faculty development in the Curry School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, told TODAY Parents. "It is not a skill you can learn in an hour. That is the whole issue with social emotional learning."
When schools only host an assembly it sends the message to students that bullying isn’t important. That might mean students don’t seek help when they are being bullied or see a classmate being bullied.
plans for a world-leading package of online safety measures that also supports innovation and a thriving digital economy
This package comprises legislative and non-legislative measures and will make companies more responsible for their users’ safety online, especially children and other vulnerable groups.
The White Paper proposes establishing in law a new duty of care towards users, which will be overseen by an independent regulator. Companies will be held to account for tackling a comprehensive set of online harms, ranging from illegal activity and content to behaviours which are harmful but not necessarily illegal.
Police around the country are reminding parents about potentially dangerous apps.
UPDATE: The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has updated its list to include 21 apps parents should know about. Click here to read the expanded list.
Original Story Below:
With several recent reports of arrests made after online predator and human trafficking stings, law enforcement officers around the country are reminding parents about potentially dangerous apps their kids could have access to.
A few weeks ago, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said 25 people were arrested during an operation targeting online predators. Sheriff Tom Knight said all of the men arrested utilized "the internet and mobile applications to contact the children to have sex."
The sheriff's office, and most recently the Madill Police Department in Oklahoma, shared graphics showing 15 apps parents should know about.
The apps include well-known social media and dating apps like Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp, as well as location-based dating apps like MeetMe, Grindr and Skout.
App parents should know about, according to law enforcement
The sheriff's office said the operation was to protect kids from online predators and human trafficking.
SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sheriff Office hosted a news conference Friday morning to discuss 25 arrests made during an operation to protect kids from online predators and human trafficking.
Sheriff Tom Knight said the men arrested have 38 prior charges and 15 prior convictions. They range in age between 19 and 65 years old, according to Knight.
"[They] all utilize the internet and mobile applications to contact the children to have sex," Knight said.
Knight said the "most frightening thing" was the access and exposure children have to the mobile apps, which connected them to men arrested.
According to Knight, parents should be aware of 15 apps that their children could have on their mobile devices. It includes MeetMe, Grindr, Skout, WhatsApp,TikTok, Badoo, Bumble, Snapchat, Kik, Calculator%, LiveMe, HOLLA, Ask.fm, Whisper and Hot or Not.
Police departments across the country are reminding parents about potentially dangerous apps that could be on their child’s phone.
The list currently being circulated originated with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. It includes several social media apps, dating apps and apps intended to hide content.
The list was first released by the sheriff’s office in May 2018. Six apps were added in July after the arrest of 25 men in an online predator and human trafficking sting. The sheriff’s office said all six of the new apps were used by the suspects who were arrested.
The app, many of which are intended for adults, can expose your children to a range of things from bullying and unwanted sexual messages, some apps can even give strangers your child’s location.
Keeping children safe is the number one responsibility of being a parent. That's why parents and grandparents alike need to be extremely vigilant in keeping tabs on their online experiences. In an effort to help, we've warned you about secret "sexting" codes that kids are using.
Internet addiction, cyberbullying and online predators are just a few of the threats that you need to watch out for. Now, there is a live video streaming site where children are being preyed upon that you need to know about.
More and more kids are being exposed to smartphones and the internet at younger ages these days. The chances of them running into a digital predator are pretty high.
What's happening now is, police are warning parents about the dangers associated with the site younow.com. The site is described as, "the best way to discover talented broadcasters, watch live streams and video chat with people from around the world."
Police detectives in Fullerton, California recently completed a two-month long investigation dealing with unlawful sex with a minor. A 26-year-old male, Vincent John Conti, was allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl. Conti met the victim on the younow website.
Family Link can help you better understand how your children explore online, as well as help manage their accounts and compatible devices. You can set boundaries that work for your family by managing apps, keeping an eye on screen time, setting a bedtime for your child‘s device, and more.
Copyright © 2019 INFO.SOCIALEMOTIONALPAWS.ORG - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder