Sue Scheff: Doohiki - FUN is Learning! Meet this labor of love!

This is a wonderful, engaging and educational website for you and your family.  Check this out!

About Doohiki:

Doohiki.com, the Wubbalum Club™ and the Wubbalum Friends™ are truly a labour of love.

I’ve noticed through my coaching efforts in both baseball and archery that there is an atmosphere of change upon us, a kind of anti-technology backlash. First, you need to know that in no way am I against the use of technology in the education of children but I do understand a parent’s desire to provide a variety of opportunities and influences. This site, the club and the friends came about as an answer to that call.

My mission is to provide as much downloadable content as I possibly can with only one goal in mind… “Kids must have fun while learning.” To that end, rather than sell individual items, although it is an option, interested parents, teachers and educators can purchase a 1-year Membership for a nominal fee.

Members can download previously and newly posted content FREE of any further charges for an entire year. In the long run, the Member can save hundreds of dollars.

I am open to suggestions and will do my best to take requests wherever I can.

I hope you enjoy the site and find it a useful tool in the education of your children.

Regards,
PerseusGrump

Visit http://doohiki.com/welcome/ and pass it forward!  Follow them on Twitter too!

Sue Scheff: Enough IS Enough - Making the Internet Safeer for Children and Families

Enough Is Enough (EIE), a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, emerged in 1994 as the national leader on the front lines to make the Internet safer for children and families. Since then, EIE has pioneered and led the effort to confront online pornography, child pornography, child stalking and sexual predation with innovative initiatives and effective communications.

Mission Statement

The Enough Is Enough (EIE) mission is to Make the Internet Safer for Children and Families. We are dedicated to continue raising public awareness about the dangers of Internet pornography and sexual predators, and advance solutions that promote equality, fairness and respect for human dignity with shared responsibility between the public, technology, and the law. We stand for freedom of speech as defined by the Constitution of the United States; for a culture where all people are respected and valued; for a childhood with a protected period of innocence; for healthy sexuality; and for a society free from sexual exploitation.

The Problem

The Internet has become a powerful educational and communications tool, placing vast, new worlds of knowledge and information, literally within our fingertips. Unfortunately, this vehicle has also been hijacked by the sex industry and sexual predators. The two primary Internet dangers today are children's free and easy access to all types of pornography, and sexual predators' easy and anonymous access to children.

The Solution

EIE has a three-pronged, preventative approach to create and sustain a safe, entertaining, and informative Internet environment, free from sexual predators and the intrusion of unwanted sexual material:

1.Raise public awareness of the threat of illegal pornography and sexual predation on the Internet in order to empower and equip parents and other child caregivers to implement safety measures.
2.Encourage the technology industry to implement viable technological solutions and family-friendly corporate policy to reduce this threat.
3.Promote legal solutions by calling for aggressive enforcement of existing laws and enactment of new laws to stop the sexual exploitation and victimization of children using the Internet.
EIE has recently expanded its mission to include a new, faith-based initiative, "Recovering Hearts". In addition to prevention awareness, the initiative's focus is to educate and equip the church to minister recovery and healing to lives already sexually broken by pornography, sexual addiction, and victimization.

Visit their website at http://www.enough.org/ and join them on Facebook and Twitter.

Sue Scheff: ChildNet - Leading Abused Children to Safety and Stability

In Broward County every year, several hundred children enter the child welfare system due to abuse, abandonment or neglect. As the local Community Based Care lead agency, ChildNet manages the local system of services and supports for Broward's most vulnerable children. Our mission is to protect Broward's abused, abandoned and neglected children, to ensure their safety and to promptly provide them with a loving home.

ChildNet is the private, not for profit organization selected by the state through a competitive process to serve as the local Community Based Care lead agency. As the lead agency, ChildNet manages the local system of services and supports for Broward’s most vulnerable children and their families. Our mission is to protect Broward County's abused, abandoned and neglected children, to ensure their safety and to promptly provide them with a permanent, loving home. ChildNet’s system of care was developed with extensive input from local stakeholders and its effective implementation depends upon their continued support.

Learn more at http://www.childnet.us/about.aspx

Sue Scheff: Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Mission Statement

MADD's mission: to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.

History
Since 1980, MADD has grown into one of the nation’s most widely respected non-profit organizations.

Frequently asked questions - Click here.

Learn more.

Sue Scheff: Toe-to-Toe with Your Teen: Successfully Parenting a Defiant Teenager Without Giving Up or Giving In

Toe to Toe with Your Teen by Jimmy Myers

Defiant, out-of-control teenagers are holding families hostage to their selfish demands. It would be easy to judge the parents of these teens as ineffective and even easier to label the kids as bad seeds, the symbols of a self-centered generation. But the truth is that even solid, Christ focused families are not immune to the turmoil created by rebellious teenagers. Every day, family counselors across the country see well-intentioned parents who are driven to their wits end by the daily struggle against their children's unmanageable behavior, desperate for a shred of hope that things can change. They also see teenagers whose lives hold great promise, but who need help navigating their way to maturity. In Toe-to-Toe with Your Teen, Dr. Jimmy Myers offers fresh hope to disheartened parents who are doubtful that they can make a difference in their teen's life. He lays out proven, specific strategies to help parents put a stop to unruly behavior, exert their God given authority and parent their teen to success.

Order on Amazon today!

Sue Scheff: Google Holiday Logo's

With all the new Internet toys, gadgets, and more we can always rely on Google to bring us fresh and innovative designs. For many of us in Florida, the palm tree holiday logo feels personal. It is great the way they brought sunshine into a whisper of winter.

Times of the Internet reported today: Google is famous for their innovative logos that commemorate major events. Today is no different. Google has unveiled a number of Holiday Wishes logos that they plan on rotating for the rest of the Holiday season.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year to everyone!

Remember, Twitter is also keeping up with times. Have you seen how Twitter is helping one county keep drunk driving to a minimum? Click here.

Want to see the new logo's? Watch the slideshow of logos.

Also on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: Central Florida Animal Pantry

Calling all animal lovers, Zach Wilson is a little boy with a huge heart! His love for animals is contagious and what a perfect time of year to spotlight this wonderful story.

On Tuesday, December 22, 2009 Zach Wilson and his goal to feed and take care of pets was featured on NBC Nightly News, Making a Difference and that he is! (Watch video).

Fourth grader Zach Wilson, along with his mother, Erica, created a food pantry for pets. Many kids his age are anxiously waiting for Santa to visit them, and there is nothing wrong with that (we were all excited little tots once), however to see this expression of generosity is nothing short of inspirational.

Zach has even bigger plans for the future, he wants to build a sanctuary for animals!

With today's economy, many people are having to cut back on expenses. Zach's mission is to help as many of them as possible so the pets don't miss their shots or in need of food. Here is Zach's dream:

We need some place that can help people keep their pets, some place that we can have the pantry, discounted veterinary care, a home for disabled and elderly animals to live out the rest of their days safely with people who love them, and can care for them, some place special.

Can you help build his dream? Learn more about Central Florida Animal Pantry and if you can help, please donate. Donations needed are not only monetary, there may be a skill you have or even office supplies! Check out their list. Central Florida Animal Pantry is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. Your donations are tax deductible.

Follow Zach and his mission on Twitter and Facebook!

Watch the video and learn more about this 9 year-old that radiates inspiration.

Sue Scheff: Operation SAFE - Helping Children of Trauma

Jonathan Wilson, founder of OperationSafe, has spent over 20 years in humanitarian efforts. Currently, his latest project, OperationSafe, has been involved with helping children who have been in trauma either because of wars, natural disasters, poverty, or abuse.

OperationSAFE teaches children five important principles to emotional recovery and even survival. A proverb states “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” With stories, crafts, songs, and games, children learn at their level, make friends, share their experiences and regain hope. Easily run by volunteers and short-term teams, OperationSAFE frees up professional counselors to work with the most severe cases and helps to identify which children need the most help.

Follow OpSAFE on Twitter @OperationSAFE and join the forces to help children all over the world!


Watch their inspiration videos and join them on Facebook.

Sue Scheff: Tomorrow's Rainbow - Helping children deal with grief

Losing a loved one is difficult. During the holiday season this loss can seem overwhelming for many adults, however can we imagine how children must feel?

Tomorrow's Rainbow is an organization and ranch located in Coconut Creek, Florida that strives to help children that have lost a parent or loved one. Their mission statement is:

Tomorrow's Rainbow is committed to guiding children and their families through the grief process. By combining miniature horse interactions with camaraderie, compassion and guidance, they will begin healing and will be led toward a more joyful future.

Tomorrow's Rainbow is a special place for children that have experienced the death of a loved one. By incorporating miniature horse interactions with therapeutic play areas and facilitated peer support, children are given the tools necessary to take their own personal grief journey in a way that is meaningful to them. Tomorrow's Rainbow is a safe place where children feel, often for the first time, understood.


The founder, Abby Mosher, knows first-hand how a loss of a loved can affect a family and especially children. Several years ago she lost her husband in a tragic car accident and her children lost their loving father. Recovering from this devastation took time and counseling. During this time, she meet an acquaintance that used miniature horses to help encourage sick children. Abby immediately thought how these same horses could help bereaved children.

She envisioned her dream and created a safe and compassionate environment with her love of animals, especially her miniature horses. Soon 10,000 Teens for Tomorrow's Rainbow will be introduced. South Florida teens are changing the way grieving children, teens and their families are supported in our community.

Do you want to find out more about Tomorrow's Rainbow or how you can help? Maybe you are interested in volunteering? Contact Abby Mosher at abby@TomorrowsRainbow.org  and you can follow her on Twitter @AbbyMosher and watch the 2 minute video.

Tomorrow's Rainbow is guiding children back to joy....

Also read more and watch video on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: Charity Gift Cards - A Perfect Gift for Many

During the holiday season many struggle with gift ideas, especially for those that either have everything or difficult to buy for. Charity Gift Cards have become a growing and successful way to not only give the gift of kindness and generosity, but allows the recipient to choose the charity of their choice.

According to MSNBC: There's a reason why gift cards are so popular this time of year - they fill a need. You don't have to worry about giving something the recipient doesn't want or need. You provide the money and they do the shopping.

Charity gift cards take this concept to the next level. You make a charitable donation but the recipient chooses which charity receives it.

"It's a meaningful gift," says Joan Barbieri of San Luis Obispo, Calif. "Everyone already has so much stuff and doesn't need any more."

Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan and MSNBC Contributor, recently wrote a column about TisBest.org.

"We don't want to get rid of gift giving," says Erik Marks, TisBest's founder. "But once people get material wealth, giving each other more stuff just doesn't make a lot of sense."

Recipients can "spend" the TisBest card at 250 national non-profits. About half are familiar names, such as the ASPCA and UNICEF. The rest are what Marks calls "unique charities" that are doing "new, exciting and innovative stuff" but are not high-visibility. These include Girls on the Run, Jacob's Pillow Dance, and the National Hospice Foundation.

This does make sense and also inspires you to get into the spirit of paying it forward and giving back!

Visit http://www.tisbest.org/ today and order your gifts that give! Also on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: Messenger - Amazing story!

Messenger

By Jeni Stepanek (author) with Larry Lindner (collaborator)

An inspiring look at a young man who embodied the best of human nature, touched millions, and worked tirelessly for peace-told through the eyes of the woman who raised him.

Oprah Winfrey has called him "an inspiration," Maya Angelou saw him as a kindred sprit and fellow poet, and Jimmy Carter described Mattie Stepanek as "the most remarkable person I have ever known." When Jerry Lewis received his lifetime achievement award at the Oscars, footage of Mattie played behind him. Five years after his death from a rare neuromuscular disease, Mattie is still being celebrated for his indomitable spirit and message of hope. Now the world will get to know the full story of the poet, the peacemaker, the philosopher, and New York Times bestselling author in the first book to share all of the intimate details of his incredible life.

In Messenger, Mattie's mother, Jeni Stepanek, recounts the years before Mattie got sick; how he handled the loss of his siblings from the same disease he had; his decision to spread the message of peace and hope; and how, when he became a celebrity, Jeni helped to keep him grounded, and remember to embrace being a kid. Including never-before- seen poems, journal entries, photos, and correspondence with famous friends, Messenger is an inspirational book about a life lived to the fullest.

"Not a day goes by when I don't receive e-mails and letters saying that Mattie's poetry and speeches are not enough-people want to know about him directly and intimately. I am thrilled to have joined with Dutton so that I can now tell all his fans the full story behind my son." - Jeni Stepanek

Order on Amazon today and visit http://www.mattieonline.com/ for more information.

Sue Scheff: Parenting Teens - Thank You Cards

Holiday time is perfect opportunity to teach your kids and teens how to express their gratitude for the gifts they receive.

Taking the time to show how much you appreciate a gift or simply wanting to thank someone for inviting you to a holiday party you attended is a practice both adults and children should do.

Teach your child that although they don't have to write an essay, they need to be descriptive and write with excitement about the generosity someone gave them. Of course, even if you didn't care for the gift, it is not about the material item as it is about appreciation. Someone thought of you and extended a present of thoughtfulness.

Here is a quick template that could help you get your kids started. Of course you can use your own adjectives and words, but this can give you an idea. Holiday can be substituted for Christmas or Hanukkah.

Dear [ Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Friend, etc],

Thank you so much for the ___. It is [beautiful, just my size, useful, helpful, will be handy for __, perfect, exactly what I wanted, just what I needed, etc.]

Our holidays were [fun, quiet, exciting, lots of food, enjoyable, wonderful etc.]

I really appreciated your [kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness, consideration, visit, etc.]

[Love, Sincerely, Much Gratitude, Cordially, Warmly, Yours, etc.]

There, wasn't that easy! So while you are out shopping for those gifts, don't for the thank you cards!

Click here to subscribe to my articles on parenting and Internet safety.

Sue Scheff: Art Possibilities - Empowering Adults with Autism

Art Possibilities is a not-for-profit organization founded by Mayra Ron. She is an author, however first and foremost she is the mother of Christian Early. Mayra started this wonderful organization when she became frustrated by the lack of resources for her adult son with autism. She soon realized she was not alone.
Her mission statement:


"To create an art studio to help adults with autism and related disabilities integrate into society. Through art methodology, we will discover each student's strength, and develop that strength while at the same time modifying his or her character, self-esteem, social conduct, and providing vehicles of employment and economic sustenance for these adults. In addition, one hour of physical activity will be provided each day."

A bit about Christian:

Christian's first book as an illustrator is Can You See Me? A View of Our World by an Adult with Autism. It's the story of a shark who encounters him on the beach and through his friendly probing, manages to "see" Christian past his label and wonders why society doesn't. His paintings and cartoons are also featured in his mother's second book, Diary of a Crazy Woman: One Woman's Fight to Help her Son with Autism Find a Place in the World.

Yet it's important to recognize painting for this 25-year-old adult with autism did not come easily. Christian began his painting career at 17 with mere awkward lines.

Learn more about this wonderful organization and Christian at http://www.artpossibilities.net/ .

Watch the introduction video by Mayra Ron.

Sue Scheff: Little Red Hoodie - Kids and Online Safety

Little Red Hoodie by Adrianna Kruse


Little Red Hoodie is a modern twist on a classic tale, which
features a tech-savvy youth, Little Red Hoodie, an online
predator, the Big Bad Wolf, and a not-so-ordinary Granny
who rides motorcycles and takes karate. This delightful
picture book teaches children and families an important life
lesson, while keeping them laughing and entertained along
the way.
 
Visit http://www.pagesofwonder.com/kruse for more information and order from Amazon today.

Sue Scheff: Books that Give Back

Cartoonist and author, Tom Wilson, also known as Ziggy, is generously contributing 100% of his royalties to LIVESTRONG in memory of his wife, Susan. She passed away of breast cancer on November 18, 2000.

From today until Susan's birthday, January, 19, 2010 when you order any books from Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) through this affiliate link, http://zigzagging.hcibooks.com/  a percentage will be donated to LIVESTRONG.

Health Communications Inc. offers a wonderful library of self-help books, inspirational books, Memoirs and so much more. HCI is the original home of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and is now continuing their heartfelt generosity to LIVESTRONG.

I am privileged that HCI is also my publisher and able to add my books to the list that will be giving back.

Check out the slideshow for a few of the titles and explore HCI's website. Be sure to enter HCI through http://zigzagging.hcibooks.com/  to order the books. It is holiday time and books make a perfect gift for everyone! From children to grandparents, you will find the perfect title to fit your holiday list!

Also on Examiner

Sue Scheff: The TurnAround Mom

The TurnAround Mom - How an Abuse and Addiction Survivor Stopped the Toxic Cycle for Her Family--and How You Can, Too!

By Carey Sipp

If you grew up in a dysfunctional, abusive, or addictive home, you are intimately familiar with violence, uncertainty, and suppressing your feelings. What you may not know, though, is how to create a sane, structured, and serene home for your own family when you never experienced these things yourself. Now you can.

Part courageous memoir, part influential how-to guide, The TurnAround Mom offers the tools you need to end the legacy of toxicity. With chilling vignettes from author Carey Sipp's own abusive past, plus the tips and techniques she used to turn her life--and thus the lives of her children--around, this stirring story will be the daily touchstone that you and your family deserve.

Carey Sipp is a parent-education advocate, an addiction and abuse survivor, and the mother of two children. Visit the author at http://www.turnaroundmom.com/

Order on Amazon today!

Sue Scheff: Holiday Gifts of Virtual 'Presence'

Giving a "virtual presence" this holiday season.

The who:

* Help jump-start your potential college applicant/application.
* Out of work? Learn to promote your skills online.
* Professional or small business owner? Learn to own and manage your virtual image.

The why:

•53% of Americans Google each other. Pew Internet & American Life

•26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates. University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research

•64% of teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn't want their parents to know about. anti-drug.com

•77% of executive recruiters use search engines to research applicants. CareerBuilder

The how:

Tip 1: Check out your social networking sites. If there is information or photo's on there you wouldn't share with your grandparents, chances are they shouldn't be on the Internet. Keep it clean!
Tip 2: Sign up for personal branding services. This is free. Services such as Naymz, Ziggs, LinkedIn and LookUpPage offer free online profile set-ups. Take the time to create your cyber resume. It is important to own your own name and your own background.

Tip 3: Create your own Blog. There are many free Blog sites such as Blogspot and WordPress. Take the time to let your potential college or employer see that you are enthusiastic about your interests and motivated to be all you can be. If you are a professional or business owner, let your future and current clientele see that you are up-to-date and knowledgeable about your products and services. [For example http://www.suescheff.blogspot.com/ and http://www.suescheff.wordpress.com/]

Tip 4: Create Google Alerts for your name, business name and nicknames. This is free. Find out when, how and why your name is being use online. This vital for small businesses especially. If there is a disgruntled client or customer, you want to know and hopefully can rectify the situation before it gets worse.

Here are three tips that have limited fees:

Tip 5: Buy your own URL with your name. For example mine is http://www.suescheff.com/ . This can be as little as $7.99 a year through GoDaddy. Build yourself a small website and share with people surfing and researching the web about yourself.

Tip 6: Place your name. Literally you can give the gift of PLACE YOUR NAME with a professional service for as little as $49.95 one time fee. Let them position your name in the search engines, write a press release for you and more. All for one low fee.

Tip 7: Hire an online management service. Although there are many to choose from today, my personal experience is with ReputationDefender. If you know someone that is struggling with online slime, or simply needs a virtual presence or "online make-over" and doesn't have the time or the computer savvy to create their cyber image, consider giving them a gift of relief with an online management service. PS: This is also a great gift to give yourself. In my opinion and experience, Reputation Defender is the pioneer of online reputation management services and number one in my book. (I am not a paid sponsor for them and I don't receive any referral fees from them) I am simply a satisfied client. Costs vary according to your needs. Visit http://www.reputationdefender.com/ for their many services, as well as NameGrab, their latest addition.

Do you want more tips and practical guidance to help maintain your cyber profile? Don't forget to purchase Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (Health Communications, Inc. August 2009). This book makes the perfect gift for everyone and anyone that uses the Internet, owns a business, has a reputation to protect, applying to schools, looking for jobs and more.

No one is immune to having their Internet image ruined. So for this holiday season, give a present that gives you or the recipient a 'presence'.

Remember it can take 20 years to build up a solid reputation and today it can take 20 minutes of a few vicious keystrokes and a click of the mouse, and those 20 years are history.

Read more on Examiner.com

Sue Scheff: April Showers - Film on School Violence and Safety

Today we hear about school violence, bullying, cyber-tragedies, teens hurting teens, and more. Do we need a tragedy or the news to remind us to be nice to each other? Do we need another teen suicide to help us better understand that sticks and stones can hurt your bones, but words can also break your spirit and your bones. Emotional damage that needs to be addressed before it escalates to a bad ending.

April Showers is a film that will take you through the horrific events of a school tragedy through the eyes of a survivor. Based on actual events, this film acts as both a tool and a story to help educate parents, teachers, teens, kids and anyone working with children. This excellent film outlines how bad things can happen to good people. How no one is immune to tragedy, however everyone has an opportunity to make a difference and make their school and community a safer place.

One of the last lines in the film is, "I'm sorry, I just always thought we had more time...." Don't wait until you are saying this line. Be proactive; learn about school safety and take the time to be a friend to someone who needs one.

Your can order April Showers on Amazon, Netflix, and most places were DVD's are sold.
Learn more about School Safety Partners.

Visit the official April Showers website at http://www.aprilshowersmovie.com/ and be sure to watch the trailer on Examiner and follow them on Twitter @AprilShowersMov.

Sue Scheff: Trees for Troops

The Trees for Troops program donates thousands of Christmas trees to military personnel.

Trees for Troops weekend starts December 4th through December 6th.

What: Consumers can buy a tree to send to the troopsWhere: At participating farms and lots. Click here for a list (pdf). (If this link doesn't take you directly to the list, go to Charitable Programs, Trees for Troops page for FAQ and scroll down to see if there is a location near you.

Note: If there are no locations near you, you can make a donation on-line or by mail.

Why: Consumers have been asking how they can help with the Trees for Troops program

If you are in Broward County, those who purchase Christmas Trees at Calvary Chapel Sawgrass Church in Davie (1775 S. Flamingo Road) will be able to donate trees to the cause. For more information visit www.treesfortroops.org or call locally (754) 422-2861.

Reminder: Holiday Safety Tips

Cards That Give is another charitable organization to help others.
Click here to subscribe to my articles.

Also on Examiner.com

Sue Scheff: Cards that Give

Welcome to CardsThatGive.org, the non-profit site that makes it simple to select greeting cards sold by charities.

Americans spend more than $2 billion on Christmas holiday cards each year.* If it were easy for individuals and businesses to buy their greeting cards from non-profit organizations, card sales could generate millions of dollars for worthy causes.
That is the idea behind CardsThatGive.org.

CardsThatGive.org directs you to more than 100 effective non-profit organizations that sell greeting cards to help fund their charitable work.

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.®

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Every U.S. organization that we include is a 501(c)3 charity. In addition, if the non-profit has been evaluated by Charity Navigator, a respected charity watchdog organization, the non-profit must have received at least two stars out of a possible four.

Listing on CardsThatGive.org is free to qualified charities.

To learn more about our criteria for including charities, click here.

Also read on Examiner.com

Sue Scheff: School Safety Partners

As part of being a Parent Advocate, I always like to bring you educational and informational websites and books. Yesterday I learned of School Safety Partners and competely impressed with their dedication to keep your children safe in school as well as educate schools about bullying, cyberbullying and other forms of violence and negative behavior. Learn more visit http://www.schoolsafetypartners.org/

About School Safety Partners:

School Safety Partners is dedicated to creating long-term funding partnerships to support school safety best practices.

We are both a community of interest and a facilitator of joint research projects, reaching out to the general public as well as stakeholders in the public, private, non-profit, and academic sectors. Our purpose is to create a space for stakeholders where true partnering can occur in order to make school safety sustainable beyond Federal funding.

Since our start in January, 2008, our projects have addressed the legislative, training, compliance, funding, and public awareness sides of school safety.

1.We created a reference library documenting all aspects of Colorado Senate Bill 08-181, a first-of-its-kind measure introduced by Senator Tom Wiens to modernize emergency planning in schools, so students, teachers, and first responders can act fast in an emergency.

2.For the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy, we produced the national media event, "Colorado Rising," focusing on the future of school safety in America, and our guests and speakers were covered by NBC-TV, CNN, NPR, FOX, Oprah Radio, Channel One News, Associated Press, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, German Public Radio, the Guardian, and dozens of other news sources.

To read more about this event and download the documents distributed, go to
www.SchoolSafetyPartners.org/colorado_rising.html

3.We assisted in the 2008 Symposium and the 2009 Symposium on the Prevention of School Violence at Johnson & Wales University, and in the tabletop exercises on interoperable communications conducted for these events by one of our partners, SchoolSAFE Communications.

4.We produced over 4 hours of video footage, with 2 video crews, covering a full-scale active shooter and multi-hazard school exercise that involved 18 agencies and over 1,200 persons, and tested interoperable communications in several school-related settings.

5.We co-created the School Response Framework Fund in support of the National Incident Managment System (NIMS) and to help Colorado schools become NIMS-compliant as quickly as possible.

6.In cooperation with Senator Wiens and noted school safety expert, Michael Dorn, we developed a toolkit for schools to introduce them to NIMS, the Incident Command System, and the School Response Framework spelled out in Senate Bill 08-181.

7.At the beginning of the school year, we began offering mini-conferences for schools and school disricts in Colorado to discuss school safety legislation, new developments and requirements, training and other resources, interoperable communications, and school safety funding.

8.We also developed a virtual campus that schools can use as an online training site for their safety teams, and as an action center where schools can build strong relationships with community partners, or local responders.

9.We are currently developing with ABC-TV a nationwide community awareness campaign, giving recognition to educators as first responders, and calling for the creation of public-private partnerships to make school safety sustainable in communities across America.

10.We are also currently developing with the creators of the feature motion picture, "April Showers," the educational and school safety materials to accompany the film as it is released to the worldwide educational market.

For more details, see http://www.schoolsafetypartners.org/Communications/176.html

11.Other states have shown an interest in what we have done in Colorado about school crisis response, and for them we have designed webinars and information kits about improving school safety legislation and finding long-term funding solutions.
We hope that you find our information useful and our contacts productive. We invite you to explore all parts of our website, and also share with us your views, experiences, lessons learned, best practices, and innovations. Please register with us online in order to access all of our sections. Registration is free.

School Safety Partners could not have taken shape without the extraordinary consensus-building process that led to a united Colorado General Assembly in support of Senate Bill 08-181. To read about the many individuals who participated in this effort, we invite you to check out the narrative, Model Law: Coordinated Response, in the Quick Tour section of our site.

Sue Scheff: Learning Curve Dollhouse

Many are struggling financially this holiday season, however it is difficult for the younger children to understand the stress of purchasing pricey gifts.

When considering gifts, I always believe in finding items that offer learning experiences with the fun of the product. Recently I purchased for my granddaughter (2+ years old) an educational dollhouse designed by Dr. Michele Borba to teach and entertain your little princess. Needless to say, my granddaughter loves it! She received it for her birthday this past summer. I cannot say enough about this dollhouse chock full of learning and fun.

The best part is there are always discounts, coupons and specials from the manufacturer, Learning Curve. Mrs. Goodbee Interactive Caring Dollhouse encourages sharing and caring and preparing children for real life activities. Follow Learning Curve on Twitter for specials at @LCShop.

A closer look inside the dollhouse - click here. Also watch the video below, you will see that this product is a perfect gift for your little girl!

Holiday Gift for Parents and all working with children from Michele Borba: click here.

Holiday gifts for teens - click here.
Holiday Safety Tips - click here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my latest articles, and you won't miss the up to date information.

Also Examiner.com

Sue Scheff: SchooGo - Website full of EDUCATIONAL Information!

What a fantastic new website I found - all about education, schools, articles, tips, resources and more!

About SchooGo:

SchooGo is an online resource that provides information regarding pre-k, elementary, middle and high school across the US and allows parents to evaluate public schools based on academic performance, student and teacher statistics, and parent and teacher reviews.
We maintain a comprehensive nationwide database of more than 125,000 public, private and charter k-12 schools and 100,000 preschools across the 50 U.S. states. The data on the site about the schools is very useful to the parents who need to evaluate several potential schools for their children.

Information is key, and putting that information in front of parents gives families the necessary tools to make the best school decisions for their children. SchooGo allows parents to do the following:

Find: A comprehensive database that gives parents the ability to easily search hundreds of school in a community, whether public, private, or charter. Parents can search in a number of different ways including: searching by city, state, zip code; searching by school name or school district; or searching by proximity to an address

Compare: SchooGo allows parents to compare schools side by side. You can compare the public schools on academic scores, student and teacher statistics and student demographics.
Evaluate: Evaluate public schools based on academic performance, student and teacher statistics, and parent and teacher reviews.

SchooGo also lets parents to share ratings and reviews of their children’s schools which in turn help other parents to make the best school decisions for their children.

Follow them on Twitter @SchooGo

Sue Scheff: NET CETERA - Chatting with Kids About Being Online

In Net Cetera: Chatting With Kids About Being Online, OnGuard Online gives adults practical tips to help kids navigate the online world.

Kids and parents have many ways of socializing and communicating online, but they come with certain risks.

This guide encourages parents to reduce the risks by talking to kids about how they communicate – online and off – and helping kids engage in conduct they can be proud of. Net Cetera covers what parents need to know, where to go for more information, and issues to raise with kids about living their lives online.

OnGuard Online encourages you to use this guide with your kids, in your school, at your PTA meeting, or anywhere else parents might gather. Feel free to order as many free copies as you’d like, put your own sticker on it, reprint sections in a newsletter or on a website, download a button or link to it, or even reprint it with your own logo. These materials are in the public domain.

To order free copies of Net Cetera, visit bulkorder.ftc.gov. To find out more about reprinting the guide, contact OnGuardOnline@ftc.gov.

OnGuard Online is seeking to partner with school districts on a pilot program using this guide. If your school district might be interested, please contact us at OnGuardOnline@ftc.gov.

LIVESTRONG and Ziggy join to help fight Cancer

With the recent news of the controversy of breast cancer early detection, there isn't a better time for you to learn more about how breast cancer effects so many lives.

Tom Wilson II, cartoonist of Ziggy, lost his wife, Susan, on November 18th, 2000 to her battle with breast cancer. Last spring he bravely released his memoir of this painful and spiritual journey through Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Loving Badly...How Ziggy Saved My Life (Health Communications, Inc 2009).

Tom Wilson recently announced he is donating 100% of his personal royalties of his book from November 18th (Susan's death) until January 19th (Susan's birthday) to LIVESTRONG.

From Tom Wilson:

Dear LIVESTRONG Friends,

My wife, Susan Shephard Wilson, died in my arms on November 18, 2000. She was forty-four years old. From the moment she was diagnosed with Stage 3b invasive breast cancer, Susan, who had always been my strength, began to teach me what it truly means to LIVESTRONG.

"From the first day we discovered this arch villain called cancer had struck at the very heart of our life together, I witnessed the one constant in my life, my beautiful, sweet, gentle "Tweety Bird" become a hawk so fierce that General Patton himself would have saluted her. Susan went into battle with more strength and courage than any fictional superhero could possibly muster…"

Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly…How Ziggy Saved My Life, came from the journaling I did in an effort to make sense for myself of the seven years my family battled the consuming, insidious disease that is cancer. The decision to publish the raw, emotional, and painful story of our personal war against cancer and my personal struggle against the crippling grief, was in the hope that telling it might bring comfort to someone else struggling along a similar path of cancer diagnosis.When I recently had the opportunity to meet with the staff at the LIVESTRONG Headquarters in Austin, Texas, I saw an extraordinary chance to allow this terrible tragedy in my family's life to do something truly positive for fellow survivors and co-survivors.

ZIGGY's MILLION DOLLAR LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE is OUR opportunity to come together to make a real difference! Through this campaign starting November 18, the anniversary of Susan's death, to January 19, her birthday, I am donating 100% of my personal royalties to LIVESTRONG, and coupled with the HCI affiliate program, that averages out to roughly $4.50 from every purchase of Zig-Zagging to the LIVESTRONG organization when ordered from this link. My HOPE is that together we will raise a MILLION dollars (or more!)for LIVESTRONG over the next two months!

With love,

Tom Wilson…and Ziggy

I have read this wonderful book. If you haven't, isn't now the time to do so? It is not only a gift to yourself, it is a way to give to a wonderful charity. Holidays are almost here, I am confident there is someone on your gift list that will benefit with a gift from Ziggy. After all, who doesn't love Ziggy?

Read an excerpt from Zig-Zagging - click here.

Order Zig-Zagging today!

Click here to subscribe to my articles and read more.

Also on Examiner.com

Sue Scheff: Help Take Action Against Hunger

Hunger - How is it possible in today's world?

By Christoper Burgess

Are you hungry? Hunger is a sensation millions experience, daily. We can do something about it, we can do more than you think, you can do something today (right now). Please read on - there is a hungry person and family near you and in this truly tumultuous economic year, every single dollar, minute or food item you donate can put food in to the mouths of those who hunger.

When I was a child I'd sometimes fuss with my food at dinner (the all time fuss-bucket winner was brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea - Gemmifera Group) my mother loved them, they just weren't my favorite). My mother would have none of it, and would admonish me to clean my plate, eat my veggies and add, "Don't you know, there are starving children in China?" Clearly I didn't and the impudence in me probably offered to envelope and send the food to China vice my stomach, but what I didn't understand is, while there may very well have been starving children in China we didn't have to go so far, there were starving children much closer to home.

Read entire article here - and please consider donating.

Sue Scheff: NameGrab - Do you own your name?

What Can I do with NameGrab?

• Control and protect your name across the web.
  Own your name on hundreds of social networking sites
  Prevent impostors from posing as you
  Dominate search results for your name
  Ensure that people find the real you

Why Grab My Name?

There are countless websites that allow individuals to sign up, create a profile, and build virtual relationships with people around the world using any name they want. What happens when someone decides to take your name?
It's all you. Make sure it's all yours.

Identity thieves use lax verification codes to masquerade as real people while cyber-squatters hold social networking domains for ransom, effectively blocking your name from its rightful home on the internet. NameGrab prevents identity theft and cyber-squatting and ensures permanent ownership of both your personal and professional brands.
Harness the power of your brand.

Looking after your name online is a full-time job. By using the latest in deep-search technology, NameGrab checks websites for the names you want and then claims them for you. With NameGrab, you can rest easy that both your personal and professional brands stay where they belong - in your hands.

Check out ReputationDefenderBlog and get involved in the chatter!

Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef

Recent Press Release on NameGrab.

Sue Scheff: Agents of Change Against Bullying

Source: Connect with Kids

Connect with Kids Agents of Change: Bullying and Beyond multi-media program outlines a five-step process that helps create a climate of change. School teams learn to understand the problem, identify solutions, create and use tools for change, implement ideas and take action, and measure their success. Accompanying DVDs for both students and parents, and Resource Guides provide tools for change, program ideas, discussion questions, age-appropriate classroom lesson plans, fact sheets and tip sheets for parents.

Learn more: http://connectwithkids.com/educators/pro_agents_of_change.html

Sue Scheff: The Kid's Doctor

What a fantastic website for parents!

The Kid's Doctor offers a wide variety of valuable information for your child's health and wellness.

Everyone can use a little advice on the best ways to raise their kids, and there is only one radio show, website and newspaper column dedicated to the health and well-being of children and their families. The Kid's Doctor is an award-winning, trusted resource for all your parenting questions.

Follow The Kid's Doctor on Twitter @TheKidsDoctor

Sue Scheff: The Friendship Puzzle

The Friendship Puzzle

Helping kids learn about accepting and including kids with autism

Review from Louise Sattel

I know that many of you have joined SIGNING FAMILIES as a fan because you have an interest in learning more about sign language. However, I know that many of you are here because you have a child with learning challenges or differences, such as Autism. This note is for all, but especially for my friends who have their hearts in the "land of autisim".

I met Julie Coe and Sondara Brassel at the 2009 Autism Expo in Maryland. They were sitting at their exhibitors table with a very engaging book- The Friendship Puzzle. When I saw that this book was based on a true story, had an endearing and important lesson about acceptance and unconditional friendship and was supported by the incomparable Dr. Rebecca Landa from the Kennedy Krieger Institute, I knew that I had to read it and share with you my thoughts.

The Friendship Puzzle is devised to help children learn about the disorder of Autism. Also, in a very wonderful way the story also acts as a teaching lesson for adults as group activities and discussion questions are added to the end of the story. The illustrations are beautiful. The story flows effortlessly as you learn about little MacKenzie and her new friend, Dylan.

As a School Psychologist I would truly recommend this book for any child and adult to read together. A wonderful "tool" for starting discussions whether at home, in a classroom or even a scout troop.

I have read many children's books that address the topic of making friends from different backgrounds, etc. I have not encountered one that has a well developed story followed by added information and content in the form of proactive activities and discussion questions. Also, there is additional information for adults to read and learn, including about the IAN Project.

I highly recommend The Friendship Puzzle. I believe this book will make an excellent addition to libraries, family support centers and of course, your home.

For more information about the book visit either http://www.friendshippuzzle.com/ , or the FACEBOOK fan page for the Friendship Puzzle

For more information about the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) Project go to http://www.ianproject.org/

Thanks for reading this note. Now go and enjoy The Friendship Puzzle.

Order on Amazon today.

Sue Scheff: Perfectly You

By Julia V. Taylor

Through a wonderful story and colorful illustrations, Perfectly You will teach young readers (and listeners) to accept themselves; treat one another with compassion; and embrace their uniqueness. It provides children with the message that character comes from within while focusing on the importance of self-acceptance, tolerance, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle. http://www.ncyi.org/

Order today on Amazon.

Sue Scheff: Act Against Bullying's CyberKind Campaign

Source: Act Against Bullying

Helping Children who are bullied at school

Against Bullying (AAB) was founded in 2003 by Louise Burfitt-Dons formerly Louise Byres. She is also a director of the The Global Warming Alliance.

Our adviser on criminal law is Detective Inspector (retired) Hamish Brown MBE, retired London Fire Commissioner Brian Robinson CBE and on the effects of bullying are top forensic psychologist Glen Scott Lipson, Ph.D., A.B.P.P., CGP (US), Ivor Burfitt MSc, PhD MBBS and Professor Helen Cowie.

Our physical defence advisor is Grandmaster Sid Sofos, Grandmaster of the Year 2006/2007 American Black Belt Hall of Fame, who has been helping children cut crime in one of London's most deprived areas. We are also supported by Britain's Got Talent Finalist's 2008 martial arts performance team Strike! who are touring schools raising awareness of how martial arts can help develop confidence and improve coping skills.Act Against Bullying founder trustees were Louise Burfitt-Dons, Katherine Scholfield and Margaret Louden Clark. Our current trustees are Mark Garrity, Helen Hewitt and Debra Pearce.

After conducting research during which time she met parents of children who had taken their lives as a result of bullying at school Louise Burfitt-Dons was determined to establish a charity which would help alleviate the suffering and meet the needs of children and parents who face the same difficulties. AAB’s purpose then, and now, is to provide confidential assistance to vulnerable children exposed to bullying and unable to escape their circumstances.

"Bullying can affect anyone, at any age. It causes long lasting psychological damage. It also results in at least 20 child suicides a year. Children will always be the most vulnerable members of our society. Act Against Bullying is the UK’s appointed charity helping children who are bullied at school."

"We are doing this through research into causes, analysis and preventative measures, promotion of the serious affects of systematic bullying through the media, education of public and health professionals, provision of drama material to schools and local community drama groups and promotion of training in anti-bullying provisions for teachers students, parents and carers.

We believe that lack of awareness of the seriousness of the problem, the stigma attached and the repercussions that follow the reporting of incidents has led to the epidemic of psychological bullying that exists in schools today.Within this type of environment children cannot flourish and achieve their full potential during their academic years. We strongly support the Government's anti-bullying campaign.

AAB’s first initiative was to publish a set of monologues for teachers to use in classroom situations highlighting the characteristics of potentially bullying situations normally overlooked by members of staff.

The success of the monologues meant that we were swamped with calls from teachers, parents and children asking for advice on how to cope when in these situations. With the help of many different and diverse authorities we have come up with a whole range of innovative advisory steps for children and parents and are continuing to research new initiatives.We have received an overwhelming response to our positive advice and encouragement.

Building on the success of the AAB monologues and our advice centre, the AAB has become involved with a number of incentives to counteract the growing problem within our society. The Cool to be Kind™ Campaign with its simple message ‘Don’t be rude, Don’t exclude, Don’t push in, Don’t hurt to win’ is up and running and has met with enthusiasm and encouragement from all. We have been invited to speak at Forums and address schools. We have established our web presence and have begun to attract partners and supporters both commercially as well as in the voluntary sector. We have received sponsorship and donations from businesses, individual and schools.

Our current work is focused in three areas; public awareness through our Cool to be Kind campaign and our web site, education of school children, teaching personnel and social workers by way of advisory material, talks and research into the causes of bullying. We are attracting offers from other youth organisations to work in conjunction with themselves and are actively pursuing partners in the self-defence and martial arts areas in order to further our work in the most cost effective and efficient way to help as many vulnerable children as possible as quickly as can be achieved.

In our work Act Against Bullying is seeking to help children that find themselves the unwitting targets of the bullying at school. These young people can be victims for a plethora or reasons as indiscriminate as is the random nature of our evolving society.Your support in our venture will provide the moral and financial necessities required to restore their faith in the world that belongs to all of us."

Louise Burfitt-Dons

Sue Scheff: Volunteer Spot

About Volunteer Spot

Karen Bantuveris, a management consultant working-mom, became a Girl Scout leader and PTA board member once her daughter entered school. Shocked at all the ‘little things’ that made volunteering a hassle, and fueled by frustration with reply-all emails, clipboards, Online! Groups, and late night reminder messages…she decided to do something about it.

VolunteerSpot launched in 2008 with the mission of enabling ANYONE to quickly mobilize and coordinate volunteers in their community, congregation and social network. VolunteerSpot’s simple sign up application makes it easy for community members to participate and say YES to volunteering. No waiting for approvals and passwords, no software to install, just easy, free scheduling and sign up tools for everyday heroes making a difference.

Make your next activity easier than ever before. Try VolunteerSpot today!! Watch their video and learn more.

Start today: http://www.volunteerspot.com/getstartednow

Follow them on Twitter @VolunteerSpot

Sue Scheff: The Butterfly on my Shoulder - A Grief Journey of Love and Growth to Inspire Healing

The Butterfly on my Shoulder: A Grief Journey of Love and Growth to Inspire Healing by Helene Levin

Suicide is a subject that is not easy to talk about.

The Butterfly On My Shoulder is an inspiring book composed of poems and commentary about the grief process. Its purpose is to share the love, pain and growth that so many have lived through and to inspire healing by all who grieve.

This book lets mourners know that they are not alone and they are not going crazy, they are grieving and they can heal. It was written over a 22 year period by a mother after the death of her 24 year old son by suicide in 1986. Many of the poems have been previously published in newsletters, brochures and on the internet.

They have proven to be very encouraging to those who grieve by helping them to deal with and understand their grieving journey. The book offers a clear explanation of the grief journey and grief process as experienced from the perspective of all family members, friends and fellow grievers in fourteen chapters. The chapters are divided by the stages and the friend or family member's perspective. The poems and commentary offer suggestions and information about helpful methods and modalities that a grieving person can use to better negotiate the different stages of grief.

The author uses her experiences and education as the Executive Director/CEO of the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention, Inc. and a member of the Florida State Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council to explain and share the experiences of thousands of grieving individuals which she has come in contact with over the last 22 years. The commentary and poems express the perspective of both the author and survivors with which she has worked and describes their pain and ultimate healing. This book is a useful tool for anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one including those dealing with a death by suicide.

Order on Amazon today.

Sue Scheff: Place Your Name

PlaceYourName.com is a self promotion tool that allows you to be seen in the major search engines such as Google™, Yahoo ® & Bing™ (MSN). Our unique service creates a positive online image and gives you a solid Internet presence when someone searches your name. PlaceYourName is ideal for:

Job Seekers
Award Recipients
Authors
College Applicants
Small Businesses
Actors, Artists & Musicians
Graduates
Athletes
Lawsuit Defendants
Newlyweds
Entrepreneurs & Inventors
Military Veterans
New Parents
Real Estate Agents
Anyone Who Has Ever Searched their Own Name Online

Read my Examiner article on this new service.

Sue Scheff: The Boy's Store

So true - it is harder to buy clothes for boys verses girls! Having both a granddaughter and a grandson, it seems my granddaughter has more to look forward! Recently I found this website and meet the owner on Twitter (Social Networking at work!). Check this out http://www.theboysstore.com/

From The Boys Store:

We are proud to be one of the very few online shopping destinations exclusively for BOYS. Our goal is to provide you with fabulous, functional boy's clothing, and accessories, PLUS make your shopping experience simple and easy. Our store is designed to bring you more boy's clothing options for great style, from traditional sportswear to the trendiest gear, in a wide range of sizes.

Check them out today!

Follow on Twitter: @TheBoysStore