Is Your Child Being Bullied?

Signs your child is being bullied by Dr. Michele Borba:

What are some signs your child is being bullied according to Dr. Borba?

• Unexplained and reoccurring physical marks, cuts, bruises and scrapes
• Unexplained loss or damage of toys, school supplies, electronic items, clothing, lunches, or money
• Doesn’t want to go to school or other activities with peers
• Fears riding the school bus
• Afraid to be left alone: wants you there at dismissal, suddenly clingy
• Suddenly sullen, withdrawn, evasive; remarks about feeling lonely
• Marked changed in typical behavior or personality
• Appears sad, moody, angry, anxious or depressed and that mood lasts with no known cause
• Physical complaints; headaches, stomachaches, frequent visits the school nurse’s office
• Change in eating or sleeping; nightmares, cries self to sleep, bed wetting
• Begins bullying siblings or younger kids. Bullied children can sometimes flip their role and become the bully
• Waits to get home to use the bathroom. School and park bathrooms-because they are often not adult supervised-can be hot spots for bullying.
• Suddenly there are fewer friends or doesn’t want to be with the “regular group”
• Ravenous when he comes home. (Bullies can use extortion to steal a victim’s lunch money or lunch)
• Sudden drop in grades. Bullying can cause a child to have difficulty focusing and concentrating
• Blames self for problems; noticeable decline in self-esteem; feels “not good enough”
• Talks about feeling helpless or about suicide; runs away

Watch video above.

This is Abuse: Relationship Abuse

Spot the signs of when your relationship is abusive:

• Abuse in a relationship can happen to anyone.
• It's never ok.
• It can destroy your self-confidence, have a negative impact on your
  health and wellbeing and leave you feeling isolated and lonely. 

What is relationship abuse?

Abuse is not normal and never ok. If you are in a relationship with someone, you should feel loved, safe, respected and free to be yourself. There are different forms of abuse, which you can find out about here, but if your relationship leaves you feeling scared, intimidated or controlled, it’s possible you’re in an abusive relationship. Find out more about the issue, have your say and seek help here.

Small Voices Silenced

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By Sherrie Clark

Darryl and Sherrie Clark had never intended to become foster parents; they didn't think they could handle becoming attached to a child and then having to give her back. But they took a chance with their hearts and became foster-to adopt parents. Their lives changed forever. * * * They couldn't be happier when they learn they'll be adopting the two little girls they had been fostering. Then unexpectedly, everything changes. The Clarks race against time to save their foster children, who are "positioned" to become sacrificial lambs.

They're surprised to discover how the system silences the voices of the foster children. But it doesn't stop there. When they struggle to expose the deceit, manipulation, and corruption occurring within this powerful establishment, it silences their voices as well. In Small Voices Silenced, author Sherrie Clark reveals her family's experiences after being inducted into this secret society where even some of its members are unaware of its existence.

She shares her suspenseful journey into this unique world where laws designed to protect children are twisted, leading to further victimization of these same children. When this appalling practice is applied to their small foster girls, it shakes Darryl's and Sherrie's faith to the very core. Then they're given a second chance. But will it lead to another heartbreak, or will it be an answer to prayer?

Order on Amazon today.

That's Not Cool

Your cell phone, IM, and online profile are all digital extensions of who you are. When someone you're with pressures or disrespects you in those places, that's not cool. That's Not Cool provides tools to help you draw your digital line about what is, or is not, okay in your relationships.

That's Not Cool is a national public education campaign that uses digital examples of controlling, pressuring, and threatening behavior to raise awareness about and prevent teen dating abuse. That's Not Cool is sponsored and co-created by Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund), the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women, and the Advertising Council.

For more information on That’s Not Cool, get in touch with Futures Without Violence here.

Be Prepared Period

I recently discover a truly cool site for parents of daughter and young girls.  I think of how great this would have been when I was young!

Did you know that today girls are hitting puberty at a younger age than ever before?

A site about periods, you say? Is that really necessary? After all, isn’t that what parents and sex education classes are for?

The truth is that nothing can be further from the truth. 

In fact, for girls and their parents, no matter how loving and involved, ‘growing up’ can be a difficult, confusing albeit beautiful phase of life - that is often misunderstood and laced with silent shame. Especially when it comes to sexual development and periods.

So one intuitive and determined mother, finding herself in the midst of puberty with her own daughter decided to do something about it. She found it conflicting that there was nothing on the market that she could give to her daughter, to mark this special time in her life. So she created one, and she made a vow to go one-step further!

To also educate. 

To make resources for parents and girls readily available and easily accessible, as they SHOULD BE. To ease the transition so it becomes one of empowerment rather than shame – of celebration rather than confusion.

And most importantly, to spread the word, so that ALL girls and ALL parents could benefit from the truth about menstruation and puberty, which starts with the fact that it is 100% normal and completely natural. (And these days, starting earlier than ever)

Branching Out – How Be Prepared Period Has Grown –

What started out as a homegrown business to provide girls with a special gift that they could be given when they started their periods has turned into a full throttle platform to raise period awareness and ensure that girls and parents readily find the information and resources that they need, when they need it.

Since development, Be Prepared Period has added the following enhancements to their site, with many more planned in the future!

• Constant flow of new and accurate information for girls and parents throughout all pages of the website. With girls now experiencing puberty at younger ages than ever before, many parents and children are completely unprepared. The information on the site is compassionate, and designed for everyone involved.
• Specific areas for parents and other women to share their personal stories about puberty and menstruation, which can be the best way for young girls, women and parents to feel like they are not alone in their worries and struggles.
• The steady introduction of new products, many of which are organic, natural and eco friendly so parents, young girls and women can find the best products for them.
• Convenient monthly subscription offers for the delivery of feminine hygiene products which avoids ‘embarrassing’ trips to the store and ensures that all girls (of all ages) have what they need.
• Availability of gift certificates, which makes supplying a loved one with supplies discreet and easy.
• Blogs, Monthly Tweet Chats, Giveaways, and Savings all geared to empowerment and education.
• PeriodTalk, an online Question & Answer forum covering all period and puberty related topics.

Another extremely important aspect of Be Prepared Period’s growth and mission is to reach as many girls, women and parents as possible – on a global scale, so that nobody feels alone, anguished, or confused when it comes to menstruation.

In so many cultures around the world, menstruation is seen as a momentous and celebratory time, in which a young girl takes her first step across the bridge of womanhood.

Be Prepared Period is determined to bring that same sense of sanctity about puberty and menstruation to girls across the globe. We strive to work with like-minded individuals and organizations who believe in helping others. If you are one of them, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Most recently, we have partnered with You-ARE-Loved, a non-profit, which is helping to save the lives of girls around the world by raising awareness about Toxic Shock Syndrome. Through this alliance, monthly tweet chats have been launched which expand our ability to reach and educate parents and girls about everything they need to know to not just ‘get through’ this phase of life….but to blossom.

Learn more at http://www.bepreparedperiod.com/.d you know that today, girls are hitting puberty at a younger age than ever before? 

Did you know that today, girls are hitting puberty at a younger age than ever before?

PureSight Online Safety

What a fabulous website and resource to educate parents and youth about Internet safety!

PureSight:

Online Child and Youth Safety - the internet can be a dangerous place! Protect your kids from cyberbullying, sexting and other online dangers.

PureSight Technologies Ltd. was established in 1998 with the mission of providing a safe online environment for the world’s children. We aim to help parents protect their children in this world of technology by becoming involved in their online lives. We believe this involves education and information as well as software tools. 

Visit PureSight at http://www.puresight.com/ and join them on Facebook.

PureSight Owl provides the best available protection for your children from the possible hazards of Facebook, Instant Messaging and chat programs, first and foremost - the threat of cyberbullies. Our multi-layered approach provides the first evasion-proof, truly effective Social Networking protection!

Safety on Facebook:

PureSight helps you identify any suspicious contacts your kids may be associating with on Facebook, so you can protect your child from potential cyberbullies BEFORE they get a chance to harm your child! 

And much more..... click here.

Data Privacy Day 2013

Data Privacy Day is held on January 28th every year. It is an effort to empower people to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint and escalate the protection of privacy and data as everyone’s priority. 

Most of our kids and teens are on social networking sites.

Talk to them about securing their privacy settings weekly as well as the following tips from StaySafeOnline.org:

Social Networking and Privacy

• How to Update Your Facebook Privacy Settings offered by HowStuffWorks.com
• Recommended Facebook Privacy Settings for Teens from Connect Safely.
• Tips and questions you should ask to help protect you when using social networking sites provided by the National Cyber Security Alliance.
• Learn about Facebook’s Data Use Policy and view interactive tools and other resources.

 Follow Data Privacy Day on Twitter with hashtag #DPD13.

Being a Teenage Boy: The Things You Should Know

Order today!

I just LOVE PaperSalt Books!!!! Now they have just released a new one,

Being a Teenage Boy: The Things You Should Know

This is a “living book” for teenage boys to reference, write in, and refer back to often. Topics include respecting girls and women, walking away from fights, self-confidence, taking care of body and mind, and simple things to remember during the stressful teenage years.

Learn more at www.papersalt.com.

Follow them on Twitter and join them on Facebook.

Once you have started with their books, you will be hooked!

Microsoft: Always Putting Safety First!

Encourage your teens to participate in the Safer Online Teen Challenge!

Exactly how much do your teens know about Internet safety?  Let's find out and they could win big!

Every parent worries about their children both online and off.

Who are they talking to online?  Are they chatting with strangers?  What information are they sharing?  Does your teen or child know the boundaries?

Let’s face it, you can never be safe enough or secure enough–there is always something new to learn!
Encourage your teens to participate in The Safer Online Teen Challenge by Microsoft!

The Challenge is an interactive contest where teens can teach others how to manage their digital lifestyle by creating a song, video, skit or other original work. It’s a perfect way for teens to put their own spin on how they navigate digital safety.

Here’s how it works:

• Teens ages 13 to 18 (where applicable), select an online safety topic from either the Microsoft Safety & Security Center or the “Resources” tab of the Safer Online by Microsoft Facebook page.
• They create their work of art (using one of Microsoft’s five categories: skit/presentation, video, story/cartoon, song, survey) and submit their entry by April 12 on the Challenge website.
• Then, Microsoft’s Safer Online Facebook fans will vote to select the winners of each category. Microsoft will post the winning entries on their website and the winners will receive prizes like tablets, gaming systems and more.

Check out the prizes!  Follow the Microsoft Safety Team on Twitter!

You have the opportunity to win cool prizes! One first and one second prize will be awarded in each category.

Thinking Teenagers

A new site for parents and teens!

Thinkingteenagers.tv is all about helping to inspire positive living, we see this as a good addition to great parenting. Think of it as giving your teenager a book of life, for insights, direction, and inspiration.  Most people like the idea of a good book, this is a slightly different form with more of an edge. 

Why not look at some of the chapters with your teenagers? It's different, informative and a great way to pick up on past conversations.

There are lots of great video interviews inside, some sad, some shocking, some informative and some inspirational.  Life’s diverse and we’ve tried to capture some of the important parts that might be relevant to your teenagers growing up.

Thinking Teenagers would be a great addition to your family for 2013.

Click here to view the chapters.

Follow Thinking Teenagers on Twitter.

A Platform for Good

A Platform for Good (PFG) is a project of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) designed to help parents, teachers and teens to connect, share, and do good online! 

At FOSI we work with leaders in the field of online safety and, regularly, we hear about incredible stories and exciting opportunities in our digital world. We hear stories of parents, teens, and teachers using technology to raise social awareness, encourage activism, enhance our education system, and of course, have fun!

What we have noticed, however, is that the stories reported in the news and infusing public conversation are focused heavily on the negative notions that don't support the research that says the majority of people's online experiences are positive. Given this climate, it is our hope that PFG will create a place to have a more balanced discussion about the role digital technology can play in our lives.

Our vision for A Platform for Good is to start a dialogue about what it means to participate responsibly in a digital world. While recognizing the potential risks, we will celebrate technology as a vehicle for opportunity and social change.  We hope to achieve this goal by providing parents and teachers with the resources to learn about and interact with new technologies, and by giving teens the ability to engage and teach their peers, family members and educators. Through this approach, we hope to encourage good digital citizenship, responsible online behavior, and the use of technology for positive change and making a difference.

Visit http://www.aplatformforgood.org/ - Follow them on Twitter and join them on Facebook for more educational and valuable resources. 

Community Empowerment Series: Session One Stacey Honowitz

Tickets on sale now!

Tickets on sale now!

State Attorney R.J. Larizza will be presenting Celebrity Speaker Stacey Honowitz on February 2nd at the World Golf Village IMAX Theater!

This is a must attend event.  The Community Empowerment Series is being presented by St. John County Education Foundation and Community in Schools of St. Johns County and sponsored by The St. Augustine Record and First Coast News.  This event is supported by the St. Johns Sheriff's Department.

In the light of the recent event in Newtown, CT, it proves no towns are immune to bad things happening in them.  Opening our CES with a topic of stranger danger, sexual predators and talking to our kids about private parts is critical today.  These can be difficult subjects for parents, however our expert, Stacey Honowitz, will give our community the tools we need to help empower us to be safer and stronger as a community.

St. Johns County is privileged to be featuring celebrity parenting experts that will be speaking on topics that will empower us to continue to have one of the best counties in Florida. The three forums will be held in February, March and April and will feature some of the leading experts in the field of parenting, cyber bullying, online predators, and much more.

Tickets for the three events can be purchased online at www.communityempowermentseries.com.
Parents are encouraged to bring their children, and grandparents, school counselors, educators and anyone that wants to make our community a safer place for kids should attend the series.

The purpose of the Community Empowerment Series is to strengthen our community and enrich our parents, teachers and everyone working with our children to be safer and kinder- both online and off. This series is providing parents with how-to’s on some of the most important issues facing children today.

The three part series will be held at the IMAX Theatre in World Golf Village. Stacey Honowitz, who has been featured on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and Dateline NBC, will be speaking on February 2^nd about the media and sex cases, along with how to talk to young kids about private parts. Session two will take place on March 9^th and will feature Dr. Michele Borba speaking on peer pressure, bullying and cyber-stalking. Dr. Borba has authored dozens of books and has made appearances on Dr. Phil, The View, The Doctors, FOX News and many more. Theresa Payton will lead session three on April 27^th and will talk about internet safety. Payton is a former White House Chief Information Officer and has a weekly segment on North Carolina’s WBTV about protecting your cyberturf.

For more sponsorship information and more information visit www.communityempowermentseries.com.

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The St. Johns County Education Foundation is recognized as the direct support organization for the St. Johns County School District.  The SJCEF leads efforts to provide funding opportunities, support initiatives that enhance public education and recognize and inspire teachers and students within St. Johns County.  For more information, please visit www.sjcef.com or visit Facebook and Twitter pages.