Saturday, February 15, 2014

@Sophie Takes a #Selfie - Rules & Etiquette For Taking Good Care Before You Share

By J. J. Cannon

“Sophie” symbolizes every young girl, tween and teen (maybe even Mom or Grandma) in possession of a smart device, which the Author likens to a stick of dynamite if used without proper guidance. The whole wide world opens up to Sophie who can now be in constant communication with friends and share anything in an instant on her favorite social media site…but should she?

Sophie loves KiK-ing it and snapping selfies on Instagram but realizes that things can get complicated in a hurry! Why are people leaving mean comments? How come she wasn’t invited to the party she’s seeing pics of in her feed? Why are kids bullying each other with hateful and humiliating words? Sophie is not perfect. She is going to make mistakes but, together, we can try to guide her in a healthy direction.

With her own young daughters in mind, the Author gives us the #SweetSixteen, thoughtfully written “Rules” with a touch of humor, starting with #Keep It Classy. This first rule encourages young people to consider the many alternatives to overused, less than lady-like acronyms. “All of this LMFAO and OMFG-ing is worn out” Cannon writes, and laments the poor letter ‘F’ being needlessly dragged through the mud. The incredibly adorable illustration accompanying this rule is “My Fair Sophie”, a nod to the timeless brilliance of Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady”. #Be Kind, asks readers to refrain from using, liking or sharing hate speak of any kind and includes suggestions about what to do if you see it. #Beware the Over-Share asks young people to think about the kind of digital footprint they want to leave and consider future colleges and/or bosses who will likely Google first and ask questions later.

The overall message throughout the uniquely named, positive reinforcing rules like #Take 5, #Worry Not, #Practice Perception, #Be Queen Bee, #Find Your Balance, #Protect Your Privacy, and the rest is to stop and think before you react to anything online. “@Sophie Takes a #Selfie” is about self-love, self-respect and self-worth.

Sophie learns the proper etiquette for sharing, reposting or tagging photos or artwork without permission, along with the age old, still relevant “if you can’t say something nice…”, and stresses that it is not ever, under any circumstance, necessary to tell someone he or she is ugly. “You should just go kill yourself.” The sad fact is that some kids do.

This book includes some eye-opening social statistics and invites readers to continue the conversation with the Author on the site she has created specifically for this book. She shares current information pertaining to kids and Social Media and, should you find yourself in a sticky social situation, feel free to “Ask Sophie”.

Order today on Amazon.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

It's time to talk about this topic, although many parents and youth think that it can never happen to them.

Talking about it and raising awareness are the first steps to ending it.

3 in 4 parents have never talked to their children about domestic violence.
 
What are some of the warning signs of a potential abusive relationship?
 
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationship. While there are many warning signs of abuse, here are ten of the most common to look for:
  1. Checking your cell phone or email without permission.
  2. Constant put-downs.
  3. Extreme jealousy or insecurity.
  4. Explosive temper.
  5. Isolating you from family or friends.
  6. Making false accusations.
  7. Mood swings.
  8. Physically hurting you in any way.
  9. Possessiveness.
  10. Telling you what to do.
It's important to remember that no two relationships are the same and these behaviors occur across what LoveIsRespect call the "Relationship Spectrum."  If you or someone you know sees the warning signs in their relationship, help is available.


 

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Community Empowerment Series 2014

Our children are our future leaders, we have to empower them.

St. Johns County, Florida is listed as the number one school district in the state of Florida. They are also home to The Community Empowerment Series.

St. Augustine High School, on Saturday March 29th, will be the place to be!

Starting at 9:00am will be National speakers and authors that teachers, parents, students and the entire community will be learning from about topics that are important today.

These topics are:

Bullying, cyberbullying, cyber safety, stranger danger, body image and peer pressure.

This event is FREE to the public!  Online registration is now open!