/PRNewswire/ -- From raising money for a sick classmate through a lemonade stand to mowing the lawns of elderly neighbors free of charge, the good deeds of youth across America make the world a better place. Now Farm Rich, the popular frozen snacks and appetizers brand, plans to recognize these efforts through the launch of its Kids Who Give (www.kidswhogive.com) program.
"At Farm Rich, we want to keep people happy," explains Jennifer Meetz, Director of Marketing. "We have spoken with so many kids and parents who share that desire to spread happiness and help others. Kids Who Give highlights how the individual actions of youth can make a big difference."
Kids Who Give kicks off with a national contest to find outstanding adolescents with a strong understanding of the meaning and purpose behind giving to others. The effort is open to kids in the United States aged seven to seventeen that voluntarily donate their time to benefit local charities or individuals in need. Five winners will each receive a $300 gift card, $1,000 to contribute to the charities of their choice and a special Farm Rich care package. To learn more and view online entry forms, visit www.kidswhogive.com. Submissions will be accepted until June 15, 2010.
In addition to recognizing youth already involved, Kids Who Give aims to empower more adolescents and teens to pursue community outreach. The web site will feature practical tips and tools for getting started, interviews with kids and video diaries of the contest winners being active in their neighborhoods.
Kids Who Give is an integral part of the Farm Rich brand's commitment to bettering the communities they serve. Over the years, Farm Rich has supported individual sports leagues and volunteer organizations that benefit children and families. In addition, Rich Products Corporation supports People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH), a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the West Side of Buffalo, New York.
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Georgia State Capitol Celebrates 100 Years of Scouting
Boy Scouts and Georgia State Parks Announce Partnership
State lawmakers today welcomed Boy Scout troops from across Georgia to celebrate 100 years of scouting during Boy Scouts of America Day at the Georgia State Capitol. Representatives of the Department of Natural Resources were also on hand to announce the “Scouting for State Parks” initiative that will engage thousands of scouts and volunteers to help maintain Georgia’s state parks.
Each year, Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) and Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), along with other legislators involved in scouting, host the troops at the State Capitol for the day and formally recognize them in the Senate and House chambers with a special resolution. “The Boy Scouts are an integral part of every community they serve. As an Eagle Scout and board member of the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, I’ve had a unique opportunity to see first-hand the level of dedication the organization, its scouts and volunteers bring to each project,” said Sen. Pearson. “I look forward to seeing how our state parks benefit under this partnership. Parks are a vital part of Georgia’s communities and of our state’s tourism industry.”
Rep. Ehrhart noted, “I’m so pleased to be a part of the celebration of the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, and of the tenth anniversary of Boy Scout Day at the Georgia Capitol. Over the past ten years, thousands of young men from all over Georgia have taken part in Boy Scout Day, and it has given them a chance to meet their elected officials and learn more about how our democracy works.”
Each of Georgia’s thirteen Scout chapters, or councils, has committed to undertaking a large-scale service project for a local state park throughout this year. Georgia state parks have suffered from painful budget cuts due to severe declines in state income. Maintenance and improvement projects have been put on hold, while cuts have been made to staff and public resources. Through this partnership, state parks will receive maintenance and care at no additional cost to taxpayers by enlisting many of Georgia’s 200,000 Scouts, volunteers, and alumni.
This initiative has received strong bi-partisan support from Georgia’s state lawmakers. Sen. George Hooks (D-Americus), the only Georgia state senator to receive the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, offered his encouragement to the Boy Scouts and state park staff to take pride that their partnership will benefit thousands of Georgians across the state. “During such difficult economic times, the state needs all the help it can get from citizens who are willing to lend a helping hand.”
Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) remarked, “It has been truly an honor to have participated for the last eight years in Boy Scout Day at the Capitol, especially this year as we celebrate Scouting’s 100th anniversary. Throughout the years we have seen a movement that has embraced diversity by bringing together people from all cultures and helped millions develop the necessary components to influence their adult lives through character building, leadership training, and physical activities.”
“For 100 years, Scouts have served Georgia’s communities,” said Scouting’s Georgia State President Scott Sorrels. “Now, during Scouting’s Centennial, we’re focusing our resources like never before to address a critical need – the budget crisis in our state parks.”
National author and Scouting advocate Alvin Townley was instrumental in helping develop the program. “We saw our state and its magnificent park system in trouble and we realized Scouting has 200,000 youth and adult volunteers here in Georgia who can help,” he explained.
To learn more about Scouting for State Parks, visit www.ScoutingForStateParks.org.
State lawmakers today welcomed Boy Scout troops from across Georgia to celebrate 100 years of scouting during Boy Scouts of America Day at the Georgia State Capitol. Representatives of the Department of Natural Resources were also on hand to announce the “Scouting for State Parks” initiative that will engage thousands of scouts and volunteers to help maintain Georgia’s state parks.
Each year, Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) and Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), along with other legislators involved in scouting, host the troops at the State Capitol for the day and formally recognize them in the Senate and House chambers with a special resolution. “The Boy Scouts are an integral part of every community they serve. As an Eagle Scout and board member of the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, I’ve had a unique opportunity to see first-hand the level of dedication the organization, its scouts and volunteers bring to each project,” said Sen. Pearson. “I look forward to seeing how our state parks benefit under this partnership. Parks are a vital part of Georgia’s communities and of our state’s tourism industry.”
Rep. Ehrhart noted, “I’m so pleased to be a part of the celebration of the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, and of the tenth anniversary of Boy Scout Day at the Georgia Capitol. Over the past ten years, thousands of young men from all over Georgia have taken part in Boy Scout Day, and it has given them a chance to meet their elected officials and learn more about how our democracy works.”
Each of Georgia’s thirteen Scout chapters, or councils, has committed to undertaking a large-scale service project for a local state park throughout this year. Georgia state parks have suffered from painful budget cuts due to severe declines in state income. Maintenance and improvement projects have been put on hold, while cuts have been made to staff and public resources. Through this partnership, state parks will receive maintenance and care at no additional cost to taxpayers by enlisting many of Georgia’s 200,000 Scouts, volunteers, and alumni.
This initiative has received strong bi-partisan support from Georgia’s state lawmakers. Sen. George Hooks (D-Americus), the only Georgia state senator to receive the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, offered his encouragement to the Boy Scouts and state park staff to take pride that their partnership will benefit thousands of Georgians across the state. “During such difficult economic times, the state needs all the help it can get from citizens who are willing to lend a helping hand.”
Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) remarked, “It has been truly an honor to have participated for the last eight years in Boy Scout Day at the Capitol, especially this year as we celebrate Scouting’s 100th anniversary. Throughout the years we have seen a movement that has embraced diversity by bringing together people from all cultures and helped millions develop the necessary components to influence their adult lives through character building, leadership training, and physical activities.”
“For 100 years, Scouts have served Georgia’s communities,” said Scouting’s Georgia State President Scott Sorrels. “Now, during Scouting’s Centennial, we’re focusing our resources like never before to address a critical need – the budget crisis in our state parks.”
National author and Scouting advocate Alvin Townley was instrumental in helping develop the program. “We saw our state and its magnificent park system in trouble and we realized Scouting has 200,000 youth and adult volunteers here in Georgia who can help,” he explained.
To learn more about Scouting for State Parks, visit www.ScoutingForStateParks.org.
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Friday, January 22, 2010
Don't Wait To Discuss Sexting With Your Child Or Teen
(NAPSI)-Digital technology connects children in a way that no previous generation has experienced, with social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace surpassing e-mail as the preferred method of communication.
Although kids today may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and life experience can land them in hot water for abusing these new social tools. For this reason, parents should help children navigate this online social landscape.
It's important that children and teens learn about the dangers lurking in the digital world. Online bullying can be vicious and easy since it all takes place behind a keyboard. Children and parents have been charged with crimes for spreading rumors or publishing personal information about others online.
Another way trouble can arise is through "sexting." Sexting is sending a text message, via cell phone, that contains inappropriate photographs--or links to photos--of people naked or engaged in sex acts. According to a recent survey, about 20 percent of teen boys and girls have sent such messages. Texts like these can be emotionally devastating and have serious legal implications for senders and receivers. Parents should discuss the consequences of sexting as soon as a child has a cell phone. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to start these conversations:
• Talk to your kids, even if the issue hasn't directly affected your community. "Have you heard of sext ing? Tell me what you think it is." First learn what your child knows about the issue and then add to it an age-appropriate explanation.
• Use examples appropriate for your child's age. Alert younger children with cell phones that text messages should never contain pictures of naked people.
• Make sure kids of all ages understand that sexting is serious and considered a crime in many jurisdictions when minors are involved. Possible consequences include police involvement, suspension from school, and notes on the sexter's permanent record that could hurt the child's chances of getting into college or getting a job.
• Impress upon children the emotional effects this dangerous game can have on others.
• Peer pressure can play a major role in the sending of texts. Parties can be a contributing factor, so collect cell phones at social gatherings to reduce this temptation.
• Monitor media headlines for articles about sexting that illustrate the very real dangers for both senders and receivers of offensive images. Ask children questions such as "Have you seen this story? What did you think about it?"
• Encourage school and town assemblies to educate parents, teachers and students.
For tips and more information about social media safety, talk with your pediatrician or visit www.aap.org.
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Although kids today may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and life experience can land them in hot water for abusing these new social tools. For this reason, parents should help children navigate this online social landscape.
It's important that children and teens learn about the dangers lurking in the digital world. Online bullying can be vicious and easy since it all takes place behind a keyboard. Children and parents have been charged with crimes for spreading rumors or publishing personal information about others online.
Another way trouble can arise is through "sexting." Sexting is sending a text message, via cell phone, that contains inappropriate photographs--or links to photos--of people naked or engaged in sex acts. According to a recent survey, about 20 percent of teen boys and girls have sent such messages. Texts like these can be emotionally devastating and have serious legal implications for senders and receivers. Parents should discuss the consequences of sexting as soon as a child has a cell phone. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to start these conversations:
• Talk to your kids, even if the issue hasn't directly affected your community. "Have you heard of sext ing? Tell me what you think it is." First learn what your child knows about the issue and then add to it an age-appropriate explanation.
• Use examples appropriate for your child's age. Alert younger children with cell phones that text messages should never contain pictures of naked people.
• Make sure kids of all ages understand that sexting is serious and considered a crime in many jurisdictions when minors are involved. Possible consequences include police involvement, suspension from school, and notes on the sexter's permanent record that could hurt the child's chances of getting into college or getting a job.
• Impress upon children the emotional effects this dangerous game can have on others.
• Peer pressure can play a major role in the sending of texts. Parties can be a contributing factor, so collect cell phones at social gatherings to reduce this temptation.
• Monitor media headlines for articles about sexting that illustrate the very real dangers for both senders and receivers of offensive images. Ask children questions such as "Have you seen this story? What did you think about it?"
• Encourage school and town assemblies to educate parents, teachers and students.
For tips and more information about social media safety, talk with your pediatrician or visit www.aap.org.
-----
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Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children? Pros and Cons and Current Research at New ProCon.org Website
/PRNewswire/ -- ProCon.org, a nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity dedicated to promoting critical thinking, created the new website http://vaccines.procon.org/ to explore the core question "Should any vaccines be required for children?"
Although no federal vaccination laws exist, all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools. Depending on the state, children must be vaccinated against some or all of the following diseases: mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and polio. All 50 states also issue medical exemptions to vaccinations; 48 states (excluding Mississippi and West Virginia) permit religious exemptions, and 20 states allow an exemption for philosophical reasons. As of 2009, the national average vaccination rate for required school entry vaccines was 95.41%.
Proponents of vaccination argue it is one of the greatest public health developments of the 20th century. They point out that diseases like rubella (German measles), diphtheria, and whooping cough once killed tens of thousands of infants every year in the U.S. and are now avoided by vaccination. They argue that, although vaccination is not without risks (including rare but serious side effects such as seizures, paralysis, and death), the public health benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.
Opponents of vaccination argue that children's immune systems can deal with most infections and that natural immunity should be allowed to develop. They argue that possible severe side effects from vaccination are a risk that children should not be subjected to when, in most cases, diseases that children are vaccinated against are not usually life threatening. They also argue that vaccines can cause adverse reactions including allergies, auto-immune disorders, autism, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
As of 2009, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Physicians recommend that children be vaccinated against fifteen different common childhood illnesses. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the National Vaccine Information Center, and Generation Rescue say parents should not be required to vaccinate their children.
The latest ProCon.org website explores many pro and con arguments and includes sources, images, videos, reader comments, and a section of little known facts called "Did You Know?" The findings should help readers think critically, educate themselves, and make informed decisions about childhood vaccination.
Did You Know?
-- According to a 2003 report by researchers at the Pediatric Academic
Society, childhood vaccinations in the U.S. prevent about 10.5 million
cases of infectious illness and 33,000 deaths per year.
-- About 30,000 cases of adverse reactions to vaccines have been reported
annually to the federal government since 1990, with 13% classified as
serious, meaning associated with permanent disability,
hospitalization, life-threatening illness, or death.
-- Over 5,500 cases alleging a causal relationship between vaccinations
and autism have been filed under the National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims between 2001
and 2009.
Learn more at http://vaccines.procon.org/.
About Us
ProCon.org (online at www.procon.org) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity whose mission is promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship.
Information is presented on 31 different ProCon.org issue websites in subjects ranging from health care and medical marijuana to the death penalty and illegal immigration.
ProCon.org websites are free of charge, require no registration, and contain no advertising. The websites have been referenced by over 175 media entities and used in over 932 schools in all 50 U.S. states and 25 countries.
-----
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Although no federal vaccination laws exist, all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools. Depending on the state, children must be vaccinated against some or all of the following diseases: mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and polio. All 50 states also issue medical exemptions to vaccinations; 48 states (excluding Mississippi and West Virginia) permit religious exemptions, and 20 states allow an exemption for philosophical reasons. As of 2009, the national average vaccination rate for required school entry vaccines was 95.41%.
Proponents of vaccination argue it is one of the greatest public health developments of the 20th century. They point out that diseases like rubella (German measles), diphtheria, and whooping cough once killed tens of thousands of infants every year in the U.S. and are now avoided by vaccination. They argue that, although vaccination is not without risks (including rare but serious side effects such as seizures, paralysis, and death), the public health benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.
Opponents of vaccination argue that children's immune systems can deal with most infections and that natural immunity should be allowed to develop. They argue that possible severe side effects from vaccination are a risk that children should not be subjected to when, in most cases, diseases that children are vaccinated against are not usually life threatening. They also argue that vaccines can cause adverse reactions including allergies, auto-immune disorders, autism, ADHD, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
As of 2009, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Physicians recommend that children be vaccinated against fifteen different common childhood illnesses. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the National Vaccine Information Center, and Generation Rescue say parents should not be required to vaccinate their children.
The latest ProCon.org website explores many pro and con arguments and includes sources, images, videos, reader comments, and a section of little known facts called "Did You Know?" The findings should help readers think critically, educate themselves, and make informed decisions about childhood vaccination.
Did You Know?
-- According to a 2003 report by researchers at the Pediatric Academic
Society, childhood vaccinations in the U.S. prevent about 10.5 million
cases of infectious illness and 33,000 deaths per year.
-- About 30,000 cases of adverse reactions to vaccines have been reported
annually to the federal government since 1990, with 13% classified as
serious, meaning associated with permanent disability,
hospitalization, life-threatening illness, or death.
-- Over 5,500 cases alleging a causal relationship between vaccinations
and autism have been filed under the National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims between 2001
and 2009.
Learn more at http://vaccines.procon.org/.
About Us
ProCon.org (online at www.procon.org) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity whose mission is promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship.
Information is presented on 31 different ProCon.org issue websites in subjects ranging from health care and medical marijuana to the death penalty and illegal immigration.
ProCon.org websites are free of charge, require no registration, and contain no advertising. The websites have been referenced by over 175 media entities and used in over 932 schools in all 50 U.S. states and 25 countries.
-----
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Daily Media Use Among Children and Teens Up Dramatically From Five Years Ago
/PRNewswire/ -- With technology allowing nearly 24-hour media access as children and teens go about their daily lives, the amount of time young people spend with entertainment media has risen dramatically, especially among minority youth, according to a study released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Today, 8- to 18-year-olds devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes (7:38) to using entertainment media across a typical day (more than 53 hours a week). And because they spend so much of that time 'media multitasking' (using more than one medium at a time), they actually manage to pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes (10:45) worth of media content into those 7½ hours.
The amount of time spent with media increased by an hour and seventeen minutes a day over the past five years, from 6:21 in 2004 to 7:38 today. And because of media multitasking, the total amount of media content consumed during that period has increased from 8:33 in 2004 to 10:45 today.
Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds is the third in a series of large-scale, nationally representative surveys by the Foundation about young people's media use. It includes data from all three waves of the study (1999, 2004, and 2009), and is among the largest and most comprehensive publicly available sources of information about media use among American youth.
Mobile media driving increased consumption. The increase in media use is driven in large part by ready access to mobile devices like cell phones and iPods. Over the past five years, there has been a huge increase in ownership among 8- to 18-year-olds: from 39% to 66% for cell phones, and from 18% to 76% for iPods and other MP3 players. During this period, cell phones and iPods have become true multi-media devices: in fact, young people now spend more time listening to music, playing games, and watching TV on their cell phones (a total of :49 daily) than they spend talking on them (:33).
Parents and media rules. Only about three in ten young people say they have rules about how much time they can spend watching TV (28%) or playing video games (30%), and 36% say the same about using the computer. But when parents do set limits, children spend less time with media: those with any media rules consume nearly 3 hours less media per day (2:52) than those with no rules.
Media in the home. About two-thirds (64%) of young people say the TV is usually on during meals, and just under half (45%) say the TV is left on "most of the time" in their home, even if no one is watching. Seven in ten (71%) have a TV in their bedroom, and half (50%) have a console video game player in their room. Again, children in these TV-centric homes spend far more time watching: 1:30 more a day in homes where the TV is left on most of the time, and an hour more among those with a TV in their room.
"The amount of time young people spend with media has grown to where it's even more than a full-time work week," said Drew Altman, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation. "When children are spending this much time doing anything, we need to understand how it's affecting them -- for good and bad."
Heavy media users report getting lower grades. While the study cannot establish a cause and effect relationship between media use and grades, there are differences between heavy and light media users in this regard. About half (47%) of heavy media users say they usually get fair or poor grades (mostly Cs or lower), compared to about a quarter (23%) of light users. These differences may or may not be influenced by their media use patterns. (Heavy users are the 21% of young people who consume more than 16 hours of media a day, and light users are the 17% of young people who consume less than 3 hours of media a day.)
Black and Hispanic children spend far more time with media than White children do. There are substantial differences in children's media use between members of various ethnic and racial groups. Black and Hispanic children consume nearly 4 1/2 hours more media daily (13:00 of total media exposure for Hispanics, 12:59 for Blacks, and 8:36 for Whites). Some of the largest differences are in TV viewing: Black children spend nearly 6 hours and Hispanics just under 5 1/2 hours, compared to roughly 3 1/2 hours a day for White youth. The only medium where there is no significant difference between these three groups is print. Differences by race/ethnicity remain even after controlling for other factors such as age, parents' education, and single vs. two-parent homes. The racial disparity in media use has grown substantially over the past five years: for example, the gap between White and Black youth was just over two hours (2:12) in 2004, and has grown to more than four hours today (4:23).
Big changes in TV. For the first time over the course of the study, the amount of time spent watching regularly-scheduled TV declined, by 25 minutes a day (from 2004 to 2009). But the many new ways to watch TV -- on the Internet, cell phones, and iPods -- actually led to an increase in total TV consumption from 3:51 to 4:29 per day, including :24 of online viewing, :16 on iPods and other MP3 players, and :15 on cell phones. All told, 59% (2:39) of young people's TV-viewing consists of live TV on a TV set, and 41% (1:50) is time-shifted, DVDs, online, or mobile.
"The bottom line is that all these advances in media technologies are making it even easier for young people to spend more and more time with media," said Victoria Rideout, Foundation Vice President and director of the study. "It's more important than ever that researchers, policymakers and parents stay on top of the impact it's having on their lives."
Popular new activities like social networking also contribute to increased media use. Top online activities include social networking (:22 a day), playing games (:17), and visiting video sites such as YouTube (:15). Three-quarters (74%) of all 7th - 12th graders say they have a profile on a social networking site.
Types of media kids consume. Time spent with every medium other than movies and print increased over the past five years: :47 a day increase for music/audio, :38 for TV content, :27 for computers, and :24 for video games. TV remains the dominant type of media content consumed, at 4:29 a day, followed by music/audio at 2:31, computers at 1:29, video games at 1:13, print at :38, and movies at :25 a day.
High levels of media multitasking. High levels of media multitasking also contribute to the large amount of media young people consume each day. About 4 in 10 7th - 12th graders say they use another medium "most" of the time they're listening to music (43%), using a computer (40%), or watching TV (39%).
Additional findings:
-- Reading. Over the past 5 years, time spent reading books remained
steady at about :25 a day, but time with magazines and newspapers
dropped (from :14 to :09 for magazines, and from :06 to :03 for
newspapers). The proportion of young people who read a newspaper in a
typical day dropped from 42% in 1999 to 23% in 2009. On the other
hand, young people now spend an average of :02 a day reading magazines
or newspapers online.
-- Media and homework. About half of young people say they use media
either "most" (31%) or "some" (25%) of the time they're doing their
homework.
-- Rules about media content. Fewer than half of all 8- to 18-year-olds
say they have rules about what TV shows they can watch (46%), video
games they can play (30%), or music they're allowed to listen to
(26%). Half (52%) say they have rules about what they can do on the
computer.
-- Gender gap. Girls spend more time than boys using social networking
sites (:25 vs. :19), listening to music (2:33 vs. 2:06), and reading
(:43 vs. :33). Boys spend more time than girls playing console video
games (:56 vs.: 14), computer games (:25 vs. :08), and going to video
websites like YouTube (:17 vs. :12).
-- Tweens and media. Media use increases substantially when children hit
the 11- to 14-year-old age group, an increase of 1:22 with TV content,
1:14 with music, 1:00 using the computer, and :24 playing video games,
for total media exposure of 11:53 per day (vs. 7:51 for 8-10
year-olds).
-- Texting. 7th - 12th graders report spending an average of 1:35 a day
sending or receiving texts. (Time spent texting is not counted as
media use in this study.)
The report, Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds, was released today at a forum in Washington, D.C., that featured the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, media executives and child development experts. The report, related materials, and a live webcast are available at http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm.
Methodology: The study was designed and analyzed by staff at the Kaiser Family Foundation, in collaboration with researchers from Stanford University. Data collection, sampling and weighting were conducted by Harris Interactive(R). The report is based on a survey conducted between October 2008 and May 2009 among a nationally representative sample of 2,002 3rd - 12th grade students ages 8 - 18. Respondents completed a self-administered written questionnaire in the classroom. Figures for grade level, school type, region, urbanicity, gender, race/ethnicity, parent education, and school grade enrollment were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportion in the population. A self-selected subsample of 702 respondents completed seven-day media use diaries, which were used to calculate multitasking proportions. The study accounts for media multitasking in the following way: Total media exposure refers to the amount of media content young people consume in a day -- the number one gets by adding up the amount of time spent with each medium (10:45). But most young people often use more than one medium at a time (e.g., listening to music while using the computer). This multitasking is taken into account in the calculation of total media use, which is calculated by reducing media exposure by the proportion of time spent media-multitasking (7:38). All times are presented in hours:minutes, such as 2:32. The study focuses on recreational use of media: for example, time spent using the computer or reading for school is not included in calculations of media use. The study covers TV, movies, computers, video games, music/audio, and print. Time spent using a cell phone for media consumption is counted as media use, but time spent talking or texting on the phone is not. This is the third in a series of studies conducted by the Foundation in 1999, 2004, and 2009, with a different group of respondents participating each time. The report includes data from each wave, and notes changes over time. A summary of key changes in question wording and structure over the years is included in Appendix B of the full report. The margin of error for the full sample is +/- 3.9%, higher for subgroups. Note that sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error in this or any other survey. A more detailed description of the methodology can be found in the full report.
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The amount of time spent with media increased by an hour and seventeen minutes a day over the past five years, from 6:21 in 2004 to 7:38 today. And because of media multitasking, the total amount of media content consumed during that period has increased from 8:33 in 2004 to 10:45 today.
Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds is the third in a series of large-scale, nationally representative surveys by the Foundation about young people's media use. It includes data from all three waves of the study (1999, 2004, and 2009), and is among the largest and most comprehensive publicly available sources of information about media use among American youth.
Mobile media driving increased consumption. The increase in media use is driven in large part by ready access to mobile devices like cell phones and iPods. Over the past five years, there has been a huge increase in ownership among 8- to 18-year-olds: from 39% to 66% for cell phones, and from 18% to 76% for iPods and other MP3 players. During this period, cell phones and iPods have become true multi-media devices: in fact, young people now spend more time listening to music, playing games, and watching TV on their cell phones (a total of :49 daily) than they spend talking on them (:33).
Parents and media rules. Only about three in ten young people say they have rules about how much time they can spend watching TV (28%) or playing video games (30%), and 36% say the same about using the computer. But when parents do set limits, children spend less time with media: those with any media rules consume nearly 3 hours less media per day (2:52) than those with no rules.
Media in the home. About two-thirds (64%) of young people say the TV is usually on during meals, and just under half (45%) say the TV is left on "most of the time" in their home, even if no one is watching. Seven in ten (71%) have a TV in their bedroom, and half (50%) have a console video game player in their room. Again, children in these TV-centric homes spend far more time watching: 1:30 more a day in homes where the TV is left on most of the time, and an hour more among those with a TV in their room.
"The amount of time young people spend with media has grown to where it's even more than a full-time work week," said Drew Altman, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation. "When children are spending this much time doing anything, we need to understand how it's affecting them -- for good and bad."
Heavy media users report getting lower grades. While the study cannot establish a cause and effect relationship between media use and grades, there are differences between heavy and light media users in this regard. About half (47%) of heavy media users say they usually get fair or poor grades (mostly Cs or lower), compared to about a quarter (23%) of light users. These differences may or may not be influenced by their media use patterns. (Heavy users are the 21% of young people who consume more than 16 hours of media a day, and light users are the 17% of young people who consume less than 3 hours of media a day.)
Black and Hispanic children spend far more time with media than White children do. There are substantial differences in children's media use between members of various ethnic and racial groups. Black and Hispanic children consume nearly 4 1/2 hours more media daily (13:00 of total media exposure for Hispanics, 12:59 for Blacks, and 8:36 for Whites). Some of the largest differences are in TV viewing: Black children spend nearly 6 hours and Hispanics just under 5 1/2 hours, compared to roughly 3 1/2 hours a day for White youth. The only medium where there is no significant difference between these three groups is print. Differences by race/ethnicity remain even after controlling for other factors such as age, parents' education, and single vs. two-parent homes. The racial disparity in media use has grown substantially over the past five years: for example, the gap between White and Black youth was just over two hours (2:12) in 2004, and has grown to more than four hours today (4:23).
Big changes in TV. For the first time over the course of the study, the amount of time spent watching regularly-scheduled TV declined, by 25 minutes a day (from 2004 to 2009). But the many new ways to watch TV -- on the Internet, cell phones, and iPods -- actually led to an increase in total TV consumption from 3:51 to 4:29 per day, including :24 of online viewing, :16 on iPods and other MP3 players, and :15 on cell phones. All told, 59% (2:39) of young people's TV-viewing consists of live TV on a TV set, and 41% (1:50) is time-shifted, DVDs, online, or mobile.
"The bottom line is that all these advances in media technologies are making it even easier for young people to spend more and more time with media," said Victoria Rideout, Foundation Vice President and director of the study. "It's more important than ever that researchers, policymakers and parents stay on top of the impact it's having on their lives."
Popular new activities like social networking also contribute to increased media use. Top online activities include social networking (:22 a day), playing games (:17), and visiting video sites such as YouTube (:15). Three-quarters (74%) of all 7th - 12th graders say they have a profile on a social networking site.
Types of media kids consume. Time spent with every medium other than movies and print increased over the past five years: :47 a day increase for music/audio, :38 for TV content, :27 for computers, and :24 for video games. TV remains the dominant type of media content consumed, at 4:29 a day, followed by music/audio at 2:31, computers at 1:29, video games at 1:13, print at :38, and movies at :25 a day.
High levels of media multitasking. High levels of media multitasking also contribute to the large amount of media young people consume each day. About 4 in 10 7th - 12th graders say they use another medium "most" of the time they're listening to music (43%), using a computer (40%), or watching TV (39%).
Additional findings:
-- Reading. Over the past 5 years, time spent reading books remained
steady at about :25 a day, but time with magazines and newspapers
dropped (from :14 to :09 for magazines, and from :06 to :03 for
newspapers). The proportion of young people who read a newspaper in a
typical day dropped from 42% in 1999 to 23% in 2009. On the other
hand, young people now spend an average of :02 a day reading magazines
or newspapers online.
-- Media and homework. About half of young people say they use media
either "most" (31%) or "some" (25%) of the time they're doing their
homework.
-- Rules about media content. Fewer than half of all 8- to 18-year-olds
say they have rules about what TV shows they can watch (46%), video
games they can play (30%), or music they're allowed to listen to
(26%). Half (52%) say they have rules about what they can do on the
computer.
-- Gender gap. Girls spend more time than boys using social networking
sites (:25 vs. :19), listening to music (2:33 vs. 2:06), and reading
(:43 vs. :33). Boys spend more time than girls playing console video
games (:56 vs.: 14), computer games (:25 vs. :08), and going to video
websites like YouTube (:17 vs. :12).
-- Tweens and media. Media use increases substantially when children hit
the 11- to 14-year-old age group, an increase of 1:22 with TV content,
1:14 with music, 1:00 using the computer, and :24 playing video games,
for total media exposure of 11:53 per day (vs. 7:51 for 8-10
year-olds).
-- Texting. 7th - 12th graders report spending an average of 1:35 a day
sending or receiving texts. (Time spent texting is not counted as
media use in this study.)
The report, Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds, was released today at a forum in Washington, D.C., that featured the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, media executives and child development experts. The report, related materials, and a live webcast are available at http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm.
Methodology: The study was designed and analyzed by staff at the Kaiser Family Foundation, in collaboration with researchers from Stanford University. Data collection, sampling and weighting were conducted by Harris Interactive(R). The report is based on a survey conducted between October 2008 and May 2009 among a nationally representative sample of 2,002 3rd - 12th grade students ages 8 - 18. Respondents completed a self-administered written questionnaire in the classroom. Figures for grade level, school type, region, urbanicity, gender, race/ethnicity, parent education, and school grade enrollment were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportion in the population. A self-selected subsample of 702 respondents completed seven-day media use diaries, which were used to calculate multitasking proportions. The study accounts for media multitasking in the following way: Total media exposure refers to the amount of media content young people consume in a day -- the number one gets by adding up the amount of time spent with each medium (10:45). But most young people often use more than one medium at a time (e.g., listening to music while using the computer). This multitasking is taken into account in the calculation of total media use, which is calculated by reducing media exposure by the proportion of time spent media-multitasking (7:38). All times are presented in hours:minutes, such as 2:32. The study focuses on recreational use of media: for example, time spent using the computer or reading for school is not included in calculations of media use. The study covers TV, movies, computers, video games, music/audio, and print. Time spent using a cell phone for media consumption is counted as media use, but time spent talking or texting on the phone is not. This is the third in a series of studies conducted by the Foundation in 1999, 2004, and 2009, with a different group of respondents participating each time. The report includes data from each wave, and notes changes over time. A summary of key changes in question wording and structure over the years is included in Appendix B of the full report. The margin of error for the full sample is +/- 3.9%, higher for subgroups. Note that sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error in this or any other survey. A more detailed description of the methodology can be found in the full report.
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
New 'Art of Washing Hands' Web Site Provides Wellness Education for Students
/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia-Pacific Professional is proud to announce the debut of its "Art of Washing Hands" (www.TheArtOfWashingHands.com) Web site, an online portal that offers interactive hand washing and hygiene information to elementary school teachers and students. The Web site highlights proper hand washing techniques, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is part of Georgia-Pacific Professional's ongoing wellness initiative to educate people of all ages about the importance of washing hands, especially when away from home.
The "Art of Washing Hands" Web site features Georgia-Pacific Professional's character, Mo(TM), who represents the hygienic characteristics of the company's notable enMotion® touchless towel and enMotion(TM) soap dispenser line. Included on the site are Germ-Jitsu themed classroom activities, coloring book pages and hygiene tips. The site also includes original hand washing songs students can learn to sing while they wash their hands - they are the right length to sing through twice for ample hand washing. All materials on the site are available for easy downloading and printing as needed.
"As a major supplier of wellness solutions for our customers and end-users, Georgia-Pacific Professional is committed to helping consumers stay well while away from home," said Bill Sleeper, president - Georgia-Pacific Professional. "As educators and parents seek new avenues to protect students during peak times of the flu season, we are happy to offer a new and exciting alternative to traditional hygiene lessons and educational programs."
The materials, and Germ-Jitsu Mo, will also appear in January 2010 issues of Weekly Reader. Georgia-Pacific Professional's Weekly Reader project is a component of the company's larger Wellness Campaign - a business initiative that will work to improve the health and well being of individuals, businesses and communities across the nation. The campaign will feature an array of awareness and educational programs that promote the benefits of increased hygiene and sustainable practices.
Teachers and educators interested in implementing the new hand-washing lessons in their classroom can access the Weekly Reader resources and materials at www.TheArtOfWashingHands.com. For more information on Georgia-Pacific Professional's Wellness Campaign and ongoing hygiene initiatives, please visit www.gppro.com/HealthSmart.
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The "Art of Washing Hands" Web site features Georgia-Pacific Professional's character, Mo(TM), who represents the hygienic characteristics of the company's notable enMotion® touchless towel and enMotion(TM) soap dispenser line. Included on the site are Germ-Jitsu themed classroom activities, coloring book pages and hygiene tips. The site also includes original hand washing songs students can learn to sing while they wash their hands - they are the right length to sing through twice for ample hand washing. All materials on the site are available for easy downloading and printing as needed.
"As a major supplier of wellness solutions for our customers and end-users, Georgia-Pacific Professional is committed to helping consumers stay well while away from home," said Bill Sleeper, president - Georgia-Pacific Professional. "As educators and parents seek new avenues to protect students during peak times of the flu season, we are happy to offer a new and exciting alternative to traditional hygiene lessons and educational programs."
The materials, and Germ-Jitsu Mo, will also appear in January 2010 issues of Weekly Reader. Georgia-Pacific Professional's Weekly Reader project is a component of the company's larger Wellness Campaign - a business initiative that will work to improve the health and well being of individuals, businesses and communities across the nation. The campaign will feature an array of awareness and educational programs that promote the benefits of increased hygiene and sustainable practices.
Teachers and educators interested in implementing the new hand-washing lessons in their classroom can access the Weekly Reader resources and materials at www.TheArtOfWashingHands.com. For more information on Georgia-Pacific Professional's Wellness Campaign and ongoing hygiene initiatives, please visit www.gppro.com/HealthSmart.
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Spoon Size Matters When It Comes to Safely Dosing Medicine
A properly sized spoon helps the medicine go down without unintended side effects, finds a new study by two marketing researchers, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Prone to error, spoon dosing of medicine is one of the leading causes of pediatric poisonings,” says Georgia Tech marketing assistant professor Koert van Ittersum, who conducted the study with Brian Wansink, a marketing professor at Cornell University. “While the Food and Drug Administration recommends against kitchen silverware to dose liquid medicine, a majority of people still use spoons when pouring medicine for themselves and family members.”
In their study, the researchers found that people dosed 8.4 percent less than prescribed into medium-sized spoons and 11.6 percent more into larger utensils. Yet, study participants (195 university students) had above-average confidence that they’d poured the correct dosage. “Although they were young, educated, and had poured in a well-lit room following a practice pour, these participants were still unaware of these biases,” the researchers write. “Whereas the clinical implications of an 8-12 percent dosing error in a single-teaspoon serving of medicine may be minimal, the dosing error is likely to accumulate among fatigued patients who are medicating themselves every four to eight hours for a number of days.”
Based on their findings, the researchers recommend that patients or caregivers use a measuring cap, dosing spoon, measuring dropper, or dosing syringe for accuracy instead of relying on their estimating abilities. While one might expect more experienced pourers such as nurses and practiced patients to be more accurate in their estimations, this might not be the case, the researchers note.
Wansink and van Ittersum have previously conducted related research showing veteran bartenders are inconsistent about the amount of liquor they pour, depending upon the type of glass used (over-pouring into short, wide glasses).
By Matthew Nagel
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“Prone to error, spoon dosing of medicine is one of the leading causes of pediatric poisonings,” says Georgia Tech marketing assistant professor Koert van Ittersum, who conducted the study with Brian Wansink, a marketing professor at Cornell University. “While the Food and Drug Administration recommends against kitchen silverware to dose liquid medicine, a majority of people still use spoons when pouring medicine for themselves and family members.”
In their study, the researchers found that people dosed 8.4 percent less than prescribed into medium-sized spoons and 11.6 percent more into larger utensils. Yet, study participants (195 university students) had above-average confidence that they’d poured the correct dosage. “Although they were young, educated, and had poured in a well-lit room following a practice pour, these participants were still unaware of these biases,” the researchers write. “Whereas the clinical implications of an 8-12 percent dosing error in a single-teaspoon serving of medicine may be minimal, the dosing error is likely to accumulate among fatigued patients who are medicating themselves every four to eight hours for a number of days.”
Based on their findings, the researchers recommend that patients or caregivers use a measuring cap, dosing spoon, measuring dropper, or dosing syringe for accuracy instead of relying on their estimating abilities. While one might expect more experienced pourers such as nurses and practiced patients to be more accurate in their estimations, this might not be the case, the researchers note.
Wansink and van Ittersum have previously conducted related research showing veteran bartenders are inconsistent about the amount of liquor they pour, depending upon the type of glass used (over-pouring into short, wide glasses).
By Matthew Nagel
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Saturday, January 9, 2010
SpectorSoft “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” Cracks Secret Online Language of Children and Predators
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Simple acronyms like CUL8R and IMHO have rapidly evolved into a complex and often sexually-charged cryptic language, which has now been unlocked in the “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” published by SpectorSoft Corporation (www.SpectorSoft.com).
This ground-breaking Internet safety guide defines more than 100 pages of terms like GNOC, IWSN and PAW used in email, chat, text, instant messages, and in Facebook and MySpace, and condenses them into Top 100 and Top 20 lists for easy reference. Best of all, the “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” is a free download at: www.FreeLingoGuide.com along with an interactive Internet Lingo Quiz to reveal how much you really understand about what they’re saying online.
“SpectorSoft is firmly committed to helping parents keep children safe online and two ways we do this is with the free Lingo Guide and the automatic Lingo Translation feature built in to the new 2010 Spector Pro products”
Today the company also launched Spector Pro 2010 for Windows and Spector Pro mac 2010 at the Consumer Electronics Show, where SpectorSoft is exhibiting (North Hall LVCC Booth #3224B) and speaking on an Internet Safety Panel at the Mommy Tech Summit, January 8 at 12:00 noon (North Hall LVCC, N262).
Internet lingo originated with basic abbreviations like CUL8R (see you later), IMHO (in my humble opinion), and LOL (laughing out loud). It has since evolved into a complex language with thousands of terms and alpha-numeric expressions used to convey affection like HAK (hugs and kisses), covert signals such as PAW (parents are watching), illegal substances like 420 (marijuana), and sexual advances like GNOC (get naked on cam) or IWSN (I want sex now). The “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” defines these and thousands of elusive terms like zerg (to gang up on someone), MIRL (meet in real life), 8 (oral sex), GYPO (get your pants off), and CD9 (Code 9 – parents are around).
SpectorSoft is also the first Internet monitoring software provider to offer a built-in Internet Lingo translation capability in its new Spector Pro 2010 for Windows and Mac. Whenever a parent encounters any email, chat or instant message containing an acronym they don’t understand, they simply roll their mouse over it from within Spector Pro 2010 and the true meaning is instantly revealed. Together, the free Internet Lingo guide and translation capability help parents protect their children from the Internet’s dark side, and shed light on what otherwise might be puzzling activities or cryptic conversations with friends, classmates, school bullies, or even predators who try to befriend them online. By understanding the one-digit difference between JFI (just for information) and JDI (just do it) or LHO (laughing head off) and LHOS (let’s have online sex), parents can know whether their child is acting appropriately or whether critical decisions need to quickly be made to ensure their safety and well-being.
“SpectorSoft is firmly committed to helping parents keep children safe online and two ways we do this is with the free Lingo Guide and the automatic Lingo Translation feature built in to the new 2010 Spector Pro products,” said SpectorSoft President C. Douglas Fowler. “Children can be extremely tech-savvy yet unaware that online actions can have consequences in real life. Parents have a right and a responsibility to know what their children are saying and seeing online, and what is being said to them, and one of the most effective ways to do this is to monitor their PC and online activity with Spector Pro.”
Spector Pro monitors and records everything an employee or child does at their computer and on the Internet, around the clock. It captures all chat discussions, keystrokes typed, web sites visited, what they search for, emails sent and received, programs run, as well as all activity in MySpace and Facebook. Spector Pro 2010 can be set to block access to desired websites and file sharing services, prevent online chat with certain individuals, and email an alert whenever specific keywords are used in email and chat.
In addition to capturing all of this detail, Spector Pro 2010 offers the industry’s most advanced snapshot recording capability for replaying all activity that took place on a computer. A step-by-step recording of screen snapshots can be viewed in a ‘forward and rewind’ sequence, much like a surveillance video of one’s desktop activity. Spector Pro has deservedly earned its reputation as not only the most trusted monitoring software in the world — and the only monitoring solution available for Mac — but also the most feature-rich, easy and intuitive solution ... even for parents who are not as tech savvy as their children.
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This ground-breaking Internet safety guide defines more than 100 pages of terms like GNOC, IWSN and PAW used in email, chat, text, instant messages, and in Facebook and MySpace, and condenses them into Top 100 and Top 20 lists for easy reference. Best of all, the “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” is a free download at: www.FreeLingoGuide.com along with an interactive Internet Lingo Quiz to reveal how much you really understand about what they’re saying online.
“SpectorSoft is firmly committed to helping parents keep children safe online and two ways we do this is with the free Lingo Guide and the automatic Lingo Translation feature built in to the new 2010 Spector Pro products”
Today the company also launched Spector Pro 2010 for Windows and Spector Pro mac 2010 at the Consumer Electronics Show, where SpectorSoft is exhibiting (North Hall LVCC Booth #3224B) and speaking on an Internet Safety Panel at the Mommy Tech Summit, January 8 at 12:00 noon (North Hall LVCC, N262).
Internet lingo originated with basic abbreviations like CUL8R (see you later), IMHO (in my humble opinion), and LOL (laughing out loud). It has since evolved into a complex language with thousands of terms and alpha-numeric expressions used to convey affection like HAK (hugs and kisses), covert signals such as PAW (parents are watching), illegal substances like 420 (marijuana), and sexual advances like GNOC (get naked on cam) or IWSN (I want sex now). The “Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” defines these and thousands of elusive terms like zerg (to gang up on someone), MIRL (meet in real life), 8 (oral sex), GYPO (get your pants off), and CD9 (Code 9 – parents are around).
SpectorSoft is also the first Internet monitoring software provider to offer a built-in Internet Lingo translation capability in its new Spector Pro 2010 for Windows and Mac. Whenever a parent encounters any email, chat or instant message containing an acronym they don’t understand, they simply roll their mouse over it from within Spector Pro 2010 and the true meaning is instantly revealed. Together, the free Internet Lingo guide and translation capability help parents protect their children from the Internet’s dark side, and shed light on what otherwise might be puzzling activities or cryptic conversations with friends, classmates, school bullies, or even predators who try to befriend them online. By understanding the one-digit difference between JFI (just for information) and JDI (just do it) or LHO (laughing head off) and LHOS (let’s have online sex), parents can know whether their child is acting appropriately or whether critical decisions need to quickly be made to ensure their safety and well-being.
“SpectorSoft is firmly committed to helping parents keep children safe online and two ways we do this is with the free Lingo Guide and the automatic Lingo Translation feature built in to the new 2010 Spector Pro products,” said SpectorSoft President C. Douglas Fowler. “Children can be extremely tech-savvy yet unaware that online actions can have consequences in real life. Parents have a right and a responsibility to know what their children are saying and seeing online, and what is being said to them, and one of the most effective ways to do this is to monitor their PC and online activity with Spector Pro.”
Spector Pro monitors and records everything an employee or child does at their computer and on the Internet, around the clock. It captures all chat discussions, keystrokes typed, web sites visited, what they search for, emails sent and received, programs run, as well as all activity in MySpace and Facebook. Spector Pro 2010 can be set to block access to desired websites and file sharing services, prevent online chat with certain individuals, and email an alert whenever specific keywords are used in email and chat.
In addition to capturing all of this detail, Spector Pro 2010 offers the industry’s most advanced snapshot recording capability for replaying all activity that took place on a computer. A step-by-step recording of screen snapshots can be viewed in a ‘forward and rewind’ sequence, much like a surveillance video of one’s desktop activity. Spector Pro has deservedly earned its reputation as not only the most trusted monitoring software in the world — and the only monitoring solution available for Mac — but also the most feature-rich, easy and intuitive solution ... even for parents who are not as tech savvy as their children.
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Responding To Your Child's Nightmare
(SPM Wire) Children often need reassurance after having nightmares. Unfortunately, you may not always be there when they have bad dreams, such as at a sleepover or at overnight camp.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a security object such as a favorite stuffed animal or a blanket can help a child feel relaxed and safe in bed. Another thing that can help is a relaxation technique. For example, having your child imagine a relaxing scene, such as being on the beach or watching a sunset, can help him or her relax after a scary dream.
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According to the National Sleep Foundation, a security object such as a favorite stuffed animal or a blanket can help a child feel relaxed and safe in bed. Another thing that can help is a relaxation technique. For example, having your child imagine a relaxing scene, such as being on the beach or watching a sunset, can help him or her relax after a scary dream.
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009
New Online Program Gives Parents and Schools an Innovative Tool to Prevent Substance Use Among Youth
/PRNewswire/ -- National Institute For Alcohol Recovery (NIFAR®) is unveiling a new online program, Youth Awareness, a practical tool to help concerned parents and educators prevent teen alcohol and drug use. This endeavor is one of several new programs launched by NIFAR, a progressive organization dedicated to alcohol prevention and recovery programs for home use.
Currently, alcohol use is widespread among youth. Surprisingly, 62% of high school seniors report they have been drunk -- and 31% say they have had five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks[1]. Concurrently, each day young people are injured or fatally killed in alcohol-related incidents. Further, a survey of female college students found a significant relationship between the amount of reported weekly drinking and experiences of sexual victimization[2].
Youth Awareness explains what alcohol and drugs are and how they can impact a young person's future. The program is designed to be fun as well as informative. "Today's teens don't want to be lectured. They just want the info so they can make up their own minds", said Kamran Loghman, Executive Director of NIFAR. Further, the program is available at Nifar.com via high-speed streaming audio and downloads for an iPod® or mp3 player -- a modern format kids know and love.
Youth Awareness has received the support of leading experts in addiction medicine, including Dr. Devang Gandhi, a board-certified physician in addiction medicine, and Dr. Thomas Goldbaum, a board-certified cardiologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University.
This program is being launched at a critical time. Alcohol addiction is now the number one health problem in the U.S. and in more than forty countries worldwide[2,3]. Sadly, underage drinking lays the foundation for alcoholism and related health problems later in life, such as heart disease, cancer, and brain damage. Even advanced brain imaging has shown that kids who drink develop a smaller brain than those who do not[4].
NIFAR seeks to reduce the social and economic impact of problem drinking with Youth Awareness and other breakthrough programs in alcohol recovery and family support. To learn more, please visit www.nifar.com. Or contact Kamran Loghman, Executive Director, at nifar@nifar.org.
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Currently, alcohol use is widespread among youth. Surprisingly, 62% of high school seniors report they have been drunk -- and 31% say they have had five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks[1]. Concurrently, each day young people are injured or fatally killed in alcohol-related incidents. Further, a survey of female college students found a significant relationship between the amount of reported weekly drinking and experiences of sexual victimization[2].
Youth Awareness explains what alcohol and drugs are and how they can impact a young person's future. The program is designed to be fun as well as informative. "Today's teens don't want to be lectured. They just want the info so they can make up their own minds", said Kamran Loghman, Executive Director of NIFAR. Further, the program is available at Nifar.com via high-speed streaming audio and downloads for an iPod® or mp3 player -- a modern format kids know and love.
Youth Awareness has received the support of leading experts in addiction medicine, including Dr. Devang Gandhi, a board-certified physician in addiction medicine, and Dr. Thomas Goldbaum, a board-certified cardiologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University.
This program is being launched at a critical time. Alcohol addiction is now the number one health problem in the U.S. and in more than forty countries worldwide[2,3]. Sadly, underage drinking lays the foundation for alcoholism and related health problems later in life, such as heart disease, cancer, and brain damage. Even advanced brain imaging has shown that kids who drink develop a smaller brain than those who do not[4].
NIFAR seeks to reduce the social and economic impact of problem drinking with Youth Awareness and other breakthrough programs in alcohol recovery and family support. To learn more, please visit www.nifar.com. Or contact Kamran Loghman, Executive Director, at nifar@nifar.org.
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Mom, in 2010 I Will... Parents Should Encourage Family Goals, Not New Year's Resolutions
/PRNewswire/ -- Resolutions will be the talk of New Year's parties across the country later this month, and for many people a resolution will provide positive direction for 2010. For children, however, psychologists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center recommend this annual practice be approached carefully.
Because children often mimic their parents, the cycle of resolutions -- make one, stick to it for a few weeks, then forget it -- doesn't always set a healthy example. But Robert Ammerman, Ph.D., and Wendi Lopez, PsyD, agree that structured goal setting can be beneficial to the whole family.
Goal setting can be an annual family activity. This process teaches children about planning ahead and making commitments.
"Children should make New Year's goals that are reasonable, measurable and concrete," explains Dr. Lopez. "'I will go a week at school without any infractions' or 'I will be on the honor roll this upcoming semester.' Resolutions that are overly ambitious and can't realistically be achieved should be avoided. Keep them simple, achievable, and positive," says Dr. Lopez. "Parents should never encourage a goal if it is unhealthy or unattainable," she says.
Dr. Lopez also recommends parents have similar goals to their child. If a child wants to become healthier, for example, parents should encourage healthy behavior and lead by example, such as buying less junk food. A concrete goal could be playing the Wii Fit three times a week together. This will not only help the child from struggling alone, but will also demonstrate the importance of teamwork and support, she says.
Because children like to see results, Dr. Lopez suggests a sticker chart for young children who can measure their goals on a daily or weekly basis. For older children, weekly rewards may help keep motivation up.
"Making New Year's resolutions is not essential for children, and there are many other ways for families to bond," says Dr. Ammerman. "However, the value of goal setting is that we own it and are self-motivated to achieve the goals. When children fulfill a goal or resolution, they feel satisfaction because they have set a goal and met it."
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Because children often mimic their parents, the cycle of resolutions -- make one, stick to it for a few weeks, then forget it -- doesn't always set a healthy example. But Robert Ammerman, Ph.D., and Wendi Lopez, PsyD, agree that structured goal setting can be beneficial to the whole family.
Goal setting can be an annual family activity. This process teaches children about planning ahead and making commitments.
"Children should make New Year's goals that are reasonable, measurable and concrete," explains Dr. Lopez. "'I will go a week at school without any infractions' or 'I will be on the honor roll this upcoming semester.' Resolutions that are overly ambitious and can't realistically be achieved should be avoided. Keep them simple, achievable, and positive," says Dr. Lopez. "Parents should never encourage a goal if it is unhealthy or unattainable," she says.
Dr. Lopez also recommends parents have similar goals to their child. If a child wants to become healthier, for example, parents should encourage healthy behavior and lead by example, such as buying less junk food. A concrete goal could be playing the Wii Fit three times a week together. This will not only help the child from struggling alone, but will also demonstrate the importance of teamwork and support, she says.
Because children like to see results, Dr. Lopez suggests a sticker chart for young children who can measure their goals on a daily or weekly basis. For older children, weekly rewards may help keep motivation up.
"Making New Year's resolutions is not essential for children, and there are many other ways for families to bond," says Dr. Ammerman. "However, the value of goal setting is that we own it and are self-motivated to achieve the goals. When children fulfill a goal or resolution, they feel satisfaction because they have set a goal and met it."
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Monday, December 28, 2009
ParentingCounts.org Provides Parenting Tips for the New Year
/PRNewswire/ -- "Resolution day" (Jan. 1) is almost here. Are you ready? Have you decided on your resolutions? For parents, every year offers new joys and challenges. Here are a few ideas for increasing the joy -- and preparing for the challenges -- of parenting in 2010 from ParentingCounts.org.
Love your child for who they are: Every child is unique with different temperaments and different interests. Every day they are learning and growing - and the new year is a perfect time to take a new look at what makes your child special. You can support them as they struggle to master more difficult skills and celebrate their unique successes with them.
Be a part of playtime: Play is how young children learn about the world and practice new cognitive, emotional, and social skills. A parent can learn a lot about their child's developing skills and interests by participating in their play. Your questions, ideas, and attention support your child's curiosity and creativity. Play interactions with you can also help them to develop skills to use when they are playing alone or with peers.
Talk about feelings: Understanding and managing feelings is one of the hardest skills children under five have to tackle. So respect what they are feeling by recognizing their emotions, listening to their thoughts and helping them to work through their emotions.
Be an example: Though your voice, your expressions, your gestures and your actions, your child learns from you how to interact with other people and with the world. You are in a wonderful position to set a positive example for everything from solving problems to showing compassion to buckling seatbelts.
Create routines and stick to them: Children respond to the expected. If you create a bedtime routine that has three steps and you do the same things every night, your child finds comfort in knowing what comes next and will respond in positive ways as a result of sticking to the plan.
Make mealtime special: Whenever possible, make mealtime a time to be together and enjoy a healthy meal. This not only develops a good pattern for eating, but it creates an opportunity to connect as a family.
Make books a part of your child's life: Make reading fun. Cuddle up. Let your child choose the books. By reading to your children, you are helping them to increase their vocabulary, inspiring their imagination, and setting the groundwork for a love of reading.
For more information on parenting and child development, visit www.ParentingCounts.org.
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Love your child for who they are: Every child is unique with different temperaments and different interests. Every day they are learning and growing - and the new year is a perfect time to take a new look at what makes your child special. You can support them as they struggle to master more difficult skills and celebrate their unique successes with them.
Be a part of playtime: Play is how young children learn about the world and practice new cognitive, emotional, and social skills. A parent can learn a lot about their child's developing skills and interests by participating in their play. Your questions, ideas, and attention support your child's curiosity and creativity. Play interactions with you can also help them to develop skills to use when they are playing alone or with peers.
Talk about feelings: Understanding and managing feelings is one of the hardest skills children under five have to tackle. So respect what they are feeling by recognizing their emotions, listening to their thoughts and helping them to work through their emotions.
Be an example: Though your voice, your expressions, your gestures and your actions, your child learns from you how to interact with other people and with the world. You are in a wonderful position to set a positive example for everything from solving problems to showing compassion to buckling seatbelts.
Create routines and stick to them: Children respond to the expected. If you create a bedtime routine that has three steps and you do the same things every night, your child finds comfort in knowing what comes next and will respond in positive ways as a result of sticking to the plan.
Make mealtime special: Whenever possible, make mealtime a time to be together and enjoy a healthy meal. This not only develops a good pattern for eating, but it creates an opportunity to connect as a family.
Make books a part of your child's life: Make reading fun. Cuddle up. Let your child choose the books. By reading to your children, you are helping them to increase their vocabulary, inspiring their imagination, and setting the groundwork for a love of reading.
For more information on parenting and child development, visit www.ParentingCounts.org.
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Five vital skills for kids and tips for teaching them
(ARA) - It's no surprise that mothers want the best for their children, but are they setting the bar too high when it comes to their own expectations of themselves as parents? One in three mothers admit to setting expectations for themselves as parents that are "unrealistic," according to the Moms Straight Talk on Parenting survey conducted by the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish brand.
The poll of more than 1,000 mothers with children ages 6 to 12 also revealed that 70 percent of mothers surveyed feel pressure to be perfect and 60 percent of moms said that raising kids is much tougher today than when they were growing up. Three quarters of moms surveyed worry whether they can provide the skills their kids need to reach their potential.
"Most moms worry if they're doing all they can to help their children become happy, productive adults," says positive psychology expert and mother of four Dr. Karen Reivich, a teacher and researcher in positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. "It's a surprise, however, to realize that many mothers apparently know they are placing unrealistic and probably stressful expectations on themselves, and that those expectations may hinder their ability to impart important life skills to their children."
Reivich is a top advisor and contributor to the Fishful Thinking program (www.FishfulThinking.com), a parenting resource that provides simple, everyday, fun strategies that parents can use to help raise children with a positive outlook on life and who can confidently handle the challenges that come their way. Fishful Thinking focuses on five key skills that all parents can teach to their children: optimism, resilience, goal setting/hope, empowerment and emotional awareness.
On FishfulThinking.com parents will find activities like the following to do with their children to help strengthen these important life skills:
Optimism
Why it matters: Developing this skill helps children learn to focus on the positive, without denying the negative, and to channel their energy toward what they can control, rather than what is out of their control. Optimistic people work toward creating positive change.
Teaching activity: Host a "savoring party." Invite some kids and their parents to your house and ask each to bring something for the group to savor. It could be food, a piece of music, art, clay, a kaleidoscope - almost anything that brings satisfaction and enjoyment. Place the items to be savored on the floor and provide paper and crayons. Ask each parent/child team to pick an item to savor and write down in five minutes as many words as they can think of to describe what they are savoring. At the end, give each team the opportunity to share their list.
Emotional awareness
Why it matters: A building block for a healthy emotional life, emotional awareness is the ability to identify and express one's own feelings and to empathize with what others are feeling.
Teaching activity: Create a feeling collage. Choose a feeling with your child and then help him or her find pictures from magazines, family photos, drawings or words that illustrate that feeling. Paste them on a piece of paper and post the collage on a wall in your home.
Goal setting/hope
Why it matters: Hope leads to the drive to set and pursue goals, take prudent risks and initiate action. Children who are taught hope learn problem-solving skills and how to develop personal strengths and social resources.
Teaching activity: Create a "My Goal Road Map." Help your child choose a realistic, achievable goal. Print "My Goal Road Map" on a large sheet of paper and have your child write a specific sentence describing the goal beneath the title. Circle the sentence and decorate it so it is clear this is where your child wants to go. Write the word "start" in the bottom right-hand corner and draw a series of footprints between the word "start" and the goal in the upper left-hand corner. In each footprint, help your child write a short description of a step he or she can take toward reaching the goal.
Resilience
Why it matters: Resilience is critical to a successful, happy life. It is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, learn from failure, find motivation in challenges and believe in your own abilities to deal with the stresses and difficulties of everyday life.
Teaching activity: Focus on praising not just your child's successes, but the process he or she followed to achieve success. For example, if they perform well on a test, instead of saying "You're so smart," try "You studied really hard for that test."
Empowerment
Why it matters: Children with the ability to believe in themselves know they are effective in the world. Having learned their own strengths and weaknesses, they rely on their strengths to handle life's challenges.
Teaching activity: Turn everyday activities into a mastering moment for your child. Choose activities like returning a library book or going to the market and give your child a job to do. For example, at the market have your child count all the yellow items in your basket. When cleaning up the play room, have your child pick up everything that is square or blue.
"Parents need and welcome resources that can help them be more confident in their parenting, and thus be more effective when empowering their children to be optimistic and resilient in realizing their own potential for success," Reivich says.
You'll find more parenting tips and tools at www.FishfulThinking.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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The poll of more than 1,000 mothers with children ages 6 to 12 also revealed that 70 percent of mothers surveyed feel pressure to be perfect and 60 percent of moms said that raising kids is much tougher today than when they were growing up. Three quarters of moms surveyed worry whether they can provide the skills their kids need to reach their potential.
"Most moms worry if they're doing all they can to help their children become happy, productive adults," says positive psychology expert and mother of four Dr. Karen Reivich, a teacher and researcher in positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. "It's a surprise, however, to realize that many mothers apparently know they are placing unrealistic and probably stressful expectations on themselves, and that those expectations may hinder their ability to impart important life skills to their children."
Reivich is a top advisor and contributor to the Fishful Thinking program (www.FishfulThinking.com), a parenting resource that provides simple, everyday, fun strategies that parents can use to help raise children with a positive outlook on life and who can confidently handle the challenges that come their way. Fishful Thinking focuses on five key skills that all parents can teach to their children: optimism, resilience, goal setting/hope, empowerment and emotional awareness.
On FishfulThinking.com parents will find activities like the following to do with their children to help strengthen these important life skills:
Optimism
Why it matters: Developing this skill helps children learn to focus on the positive, without denying the negative, and to channel their energy toward what they can control, rather than what is out of their control. Optimistic people work toward creating positive change.
Teaching activity: Host a "savoring party." Invite some kids and their parents to your house and ask each to bring something for the group to savor. It could be food, a piece of music, art, clay, a kaleidoscope - almost anything that brings satisfaction and enjoyment. Place the items to be savored on the floor and provide paper and crayons. Ask each parent/child team to pick an item to savor and write down in five minutes as many words as they can think of to describe what they are savoring. At the end, give each team the opportunity to share their list.
Emotional awareness
Why it matters: A building block for a healthy emotional life, emotional awareness is the ability to identify and express one's own feelings and to empathize with what others are feeling.
Teaching activity: Create a feeling collage. Choose a feeling with your child and then help him or her find pictures from magazines, family photos, drawings or words that illustrate that feeling. Paste them on a piece of paper and post the collage on a wall in your home.
Goal setting/hope
Why it matters: Hope leads to the drive to set and pursue goals, take prudent risks and initiate action. Children who are taught hope learn problem-solving skills and how to develop personal strengths and social resources.
Teaching activity: Create a "My Goal Road Map." Help your child choose a realistic, achievable goal. Print "My Goal Road Map" on a large sheet of paper and have your child write a specific sentence describing the goal beneath the title. Circle the sentence and decorate it so it is clear this is where your child wants to go. Write the word "start" in the bottom right-hand corner and draw a series of footprints between the word "start" and the goal in the upper left-hand corner. In each footprint, help your child write a short description of a step he or she can take toward reaching the goal.
Resilience
Why it matters: Resilience is critical to a successful, happy life. It is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, learn from failure, find motivation in challenges and believe in your own abilities to deal with the stresses and difficulties of everyday life.
Teaching activity: Focus on praising not just your child's successes, but the process he or she followed to achieve success. For example, if they perform well on a test, instead of saying "You're so smart," try "You studied really hard for that test."
Empowerment
Why it matters: Children with the ability to believe in themselves know they are effective in the world. Having learned their own strengths and weaknesses, they rely on their strengths to handle life's challenges.
Teaching activity: Turn everyday activities into a mastering moment for your child. Choose activities like returning a library book or going to the market and give your child a job to do. For example, at the market have your child count all the yellow items in your basket. When cleaning up the play room, have your child pick up everything that is square or blue.
"Parents need and welcome resources that can help them be more confident in their parenting, and thus be more effective when empowering their children to be optimistic and resilient in realizing their own potential for success," Reivich says.
You'll find more parenting tips and tools at www.FishfulThinking.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Monday, December 21, 2009
Winter/Spring Brings Increased Meningitis Risk - Protect Preteens and Teens Now
/PRNewswire/ -- This winter, while many parents are focused on influenza prevention, the National Meningitis Association (NMA) is urging parents to also protect their families from meningococcal disease, a deadly but potentially vaccine preventable bacterial infection. Linda Fryer's 16-year-old daughter Adrienne lost her life in less than 24 hours to what initially seemed like the flu. The killer was in fact meningococcal disease, which can lead to death or permanent disability within hours. Since her daughter's death, Linda has learned that preteens and teens are at particular risk for the illness, and that there is a vaccine available to help prevent it.
Sometimes, the early symptoms of meningococcal meningitis -- fever, aches and exhaustion -- can be mistaken for flu; however, meningococcal disease can quickly become life-threatening. Although meningococcal disease can strike anytime, late winter and early spring is peak season. With students home for winter break, NMA is encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated now against this devastating disease.
"While flu prevention is important, it is also critical that parents are aware of meningococcal disease, which can be easily misdiagnosed as the flu," said Lynn Bozof, President of the National Meningitis Association. "Because it moves so quickly and can be so destructive, the best treatment for meningococcal disease is prevention."
Preteens and adolescents at greater risk
Preteens and adolescents are at greater risk for meningococcal disease, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the estimated 2,000 cases that occur in the U.S. each year. The majority of cases among preteens and teens can potentially be prevented through vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends meningococcal vaccination for all preteens and teens 11 through 18 years of age and college freshmen living in dormitories.
"Parents need to know that meningococcal disease exists and that it can be prevented," said Linda Fryer. "After losing Adrienne, I made sure that my other daughter, Amanda, was vaccinated. I encourage parents to speak to your child's health care provider about meningococcal immunization."
Survivors may suffer permanent long-term effects
Of those who survive meningococcal disease, up to approximately 20 percent will suffer permanent long-term effects, including brain damage, hearing loss and limb amputations. Carl Buher is one such survivor. At 14, Carl lost both of his feet and three of his fingers to a bout with meningitis. He became ill with flu-like symptoms and developed a purple rash, a tell-tale sign of meningococcal disease. Following diagnosis, Carl was airlifted to a children's hospital where he battled the disease, which he would win only after the amputations.
"My parents almost lost their son to meningococcal disease, and I nearly lost my life," said Carl Buher. "Take advantage of this winter break and set up an appointment to speak to your family's health care provider about meningococcal vaccination."
Meningococcal disease is spread through air droplets and direct contact with those who are infected, such as through coughing or kissing. Certain lifestyle factors, such as dormitory-style living, prolonged close contact with large groups of other teens, irregular sleep patterns and active or passive smoking are thought to put preteens and teens at increased risk for the infection.
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Sometimes, the early symptoms of meningococcal meningitis -- fever, aches and exhaustion -- can be mistaken for flu; however, meningococcal disease can quickly become life-threatening. Although meningococcal disease can strike anytime, late winter and early spring is peak season. With students home for winter break, NMA is encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated now against this devastating disease.
"While flu prevention is important, it is also critical that parents are aware of meningococcal disease, which can be easily misdiagnosed as the flu," said Lynn Bozof, President of the National Meningitis Association. "Because it moves so quickly and can be so destructive, the best treatment for meningococcal disease is prevention."
Preteens and adolescents at greater risk
Preteens and adolescents are at greater risk for meningococcal disease, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the estimated 2,000 cases that occur in the U.S. each year. The majority of cases among preteens and teens can potentially be prevented through vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends meningococcal vaccination for all preteens and teens 11 through 18 years of age and college freshmen living in dormitories.
"Parents need to know that meningococcal disease exists and that it can be prevented," said Linda Fryer. "After losing Adrienne, I made sure that my other daughter, Amanda, was vaccinated. I encourage parents to speak to your child's health care provider about meningococcal immunization."
Survivors may suffer permanent long-term effects
Of those who survive meningococcal disease, up to approximately 20 percent will suffer permanent long-term effects, including brain damage, hearing loss and limb amputations. Carl Buher is one such survivor. At 14, Carl lost both of his feet and three of his fingers to a bout with meningitis. He became ill with flu-like symptoms and developed a purple rash, a tell-tale sign of meningococcal disease. Following diagnosis, Carl was airlifted to a children's hospital where he battled the disease, which he would win only after the amputations.
"My parents almost lost their son to meningococcal disease, and I nearly lost my life," said Carl Buher. "Take advantage of this winter break and set up an appointment to speak to your family's health care provider about meningococcal vaccination."
Meningococcal disease is spread through air droplets and direct contact with those who are infected, such as through coughing or kissing. Certain lifestyle factors, such as dormitory-style living, prolonged close contact with large groups of other teens, irregular sleep patterns and active or passive smoking are thought to put preteens and teens at increased risk for the infection.
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Friday, December 18, 2009
Tips For Developing Good Sportsmanship
(NAPSI)-There may be good news for people concerned about what they think is a lack of sportsmanship in America.
A program created to reward and recognize sportsmanship on and off the field has developed a set of practical steps that parents and others can take to encourage fair play in youngsters and adults alike.
Tips To Help
• ABCs of sportsmanship. Teach sportsmanship as part of the fundamentals of the sport. Sportsmanship isn't naturally learned and must be taught daily.
• Go team. Parents should cheer for the team, not just their child, to teach the importance of being part of a group.
• Reward the positive. Give game balls, provide privileges for the "best sport of the game" or give the opposing team an award.
• More than the handshake. Start new end-of-the-game rituals that highlight sportsmanship. From creating a special song to a new ceremony, create an atmosphere that's positive.
• Be a reporter. Call or e-mail the media when witnessing great displays of sportsmanship to spread good news.
• Form a sports support group. Join forces with parents, coaches and community leaders.
Expert Advice
Consider the advice of LaVell Edwards, the legendary former coach of the Brigham Young University Cougars football team and chair of the blue-ribbon panel that selects the winner of the national ARA Sportsmanship Award. The award is given annually to a college senior who excels at sportsmanship on and off the football field.
Said Edwards, "This is an issue we need to address at the grade-school level and with coaches and parents everywhere."
The Good News
A higher percentage of Americans (83 percent) report they have witnessed positive displays of sportsmanship than have seen bad sportsmanship (78 percent).
That's according to a national sportsmanship survey fielded by TNS for the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA), an international trade association whose members are specialists in recognizing people through awards, trophies and other forms of appreciation.
Learn More
To learn more, visit www.arasportsmanshipaward.com.
More Americans say they've seen displays of good sportsmanship at various games than say they've seen bad sportsmanship.
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A program created to reward and recognize sportsmanship on and off the field has developed a set of practical steps that parents and others can take to encourage fair play in youngsters and adults alike.
Tips To Help
• ABCs of sportsmanship. Teach sportsmanship as part of the fundamentals of the sport. Sportsmanship isn't naturally learned and must be taught daily.
• Go team. Parents should cheer for the team, not just their child, to teach the importance of being part of a group.
• Reward the positive. Give game balls, provide privileges for the "best sport of the game" or give the opposing team an award.
• More than the handshake. Start new end-of-the-game rituals that highlight sportsmanship. From creating a special song to a new ceremony, create an atmosphere that's positive.
• Be a reporter. Call or e-mail the media when witnessing great displays of sportsmanship to spread good news.
• Form a sports support group. Join forces with parents, coaches and community leaders.
Expert Advice
Consider the advice of LaVell Edwards, the legendary former coach of the Brigham Young University Cougars football team and chair of the blue-ribbon panel that selects the winner of the national ARA Sportsmanship Award. The award is given annually to a college senior who excels at sportsmanship on and off the football field.
Said Edwards, "This is an issue we need to address at the grade-school level and with coaches and parents everywhere."
The Good News
A higher percentage of Americans (83 percent) report they have witnessed positive displays of sportsmanship than have seen bad sportsmanship (78 percent).
That's according to a national sportsmanship survey fielded by TNS for the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA), an international trade association whose members are specialists in recognizing people through awards, trophies and other forms of appreciation.
Learn More
To learn more, visit www.arasportsmanshipaward.com.
More Americans say they've seen displays of good sportsmanship at various games than say they've seen bad sportsmanship.
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