Today’s Sweet 16 parties: rising dollars, dilemmas & drama ~ Teen Girl’s Perspective

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

A recent story told of a girl turning sixteen, whose parents paid almost $300,000 for her party. Yes, for a Sweet 16 party; not for a wedding, honeymoon, and down payment on a new house.

It’s not uncommon these days to hear people talk about spending at least $20,000 on their Sweet 16 parties, even during the current economy.

But, many teen girls have decided to avoid the rising dollars, dilemmas and drama that oftentimes go along with the planning of an extravagant party.

Some girls are taking a simple more “old school” approach to celebrating their 16th birthday with a handful of some of their closest friends. Some are even limiting their celebrations to include only their family members.

Things like movies and sleepovers, or spa pampering days are becoming more and more popular for girls who don’t want to break the bank with a Sweet 16 party, and then possibly need to give up the chance to have a major celebration (including a new car and a HUGE vacation someplace!) for their upcoming high school graduations right before college tuition kicks in.

Choosing to tone things down and think carefully about budgets and the costs to throw a big party may not always come easy for teen girls; but it might be the better choice in the long run.

Danielle M. Biggs
High School Student
Trustee & Administrative Assistant ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Trick-or-Treat safety tips & reminders

The thought of collecting mounds of candy can get any child or teen excited, but parents and guardians always want to make sure their children take necessary precautions to stay healthy and safe if they go trick-or-treating.





Help your children stay safe this season ~ “children are the globe’s most precious commodity.”™


Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.
(View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.)

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."   (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Discipline vs. punishment being used with children

For years, child experts, child educators, parents, and children have talked about the difference between discipline vs. punishment being used with children who engage in inappropriate, negative, and unacceptable behaviors.

Definitions have been offered for both terms; however, there hasn’t been a consensus to date regarding which approach may be more effective in correcting inappropriate child behaviors.

Discipline is considered to be the more positive approach designed to help children understand what they’ve done wrong, what they could and should have responsibly done instead, and how to correct any inappropriate behaviors and move forward from that point. It is said that discipline allows for long term improvements in behavior.

Punishment has been described as a short term, negative approach to controlling inappropriate child behaviors; and has been said to be a way of making a child suffer for having done something wrong. Critics of this approach also express a lack of changed behavior in children as a result of punishments being rendered.

“If you’d like to be able to keep your cell phone for the rest of the school year, you’ll want to make sure you don’t use it during any of your classes since there’s a school rule about not using cell phones in school” might be described as a form of discipline parents might use with children.

In contrast, “Don’t even think about using your cell phone during class time, or I’ll take it away from you in a second” might be described as a form of punishment parents may use with children.

For more information and helpful tips about discipline vs. punishment being used with children, see:

Using Time-Outs Effectively
It’s Never Too Soon to Discipline
Positive Discipline
 
 

 

 

 
Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.


Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

That SAHM I am! That SAHM I am!

Title:  Professional SAHM  (or SAHD) 

Key Accomplishments:   Provide senior leadership in the collaborative and coordinated logistics; public relations; activities; security; medical treatment;  meal preparation; facility improvements, upgrades, and maintenance; budget development and administration; scheduling; goal-setting; daily instruction, and other varied functions as the need arises for the husband (or wife) and children I am happily responsible for.

Stay-At-Home-Moms (SAHMs) and Stay-at-Home-Dads (SAHDs) have no gaps in their work experience…

Traditions

With the holiday season approaching, family traditions have been on my mind.

The family traditions I’m about to talk about might not be talked about on the evening news.  But holiday traditions aren't about what other people want to hear; they're about the special and memorable moments shared with your family.

Growing up, our holiday traditions focused on food. 

Halloween was about how much candy you got.  Thanksgiving was about stuffing yourself silly, napping, and then eating lots of desserts.  Christmas included a special dinner the night before and a huge breakfast after opening mounds of gifts on Christmas morning. 

I have fond memories of these holiday traditions, but we don't want our children to think holidays revolve around food or getting presents.  We’re always looking for ways to involve them in helping those in need, and focusing more on the giving aspect so that giving becomes natural for them.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

"It's better to give than to receive" is not a natural thought for some people, but when we practice giving we feel a sense of inner-contentment knowing we’ve done something good for another person.

When my husband and I got married, I found out that my in-laws serve at a soup kitchen on Christmas Day every year.  They not only help those in need early in the day, but later in the day they get their three children, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law and seven grandchildren to themselves for uninterrupted family time.  Our kids are still very young, but we’re hoping when they’re a little older we, too, can become involved in some type of charitable work on Christmas Day. 

What family traditions have you started with your own families, or maybe enjoyed when you were growing up?  Post a comment if you can and share your ideas with us.  Speak with you next month.

Stephanie Evans

Professional SAHM

Stephanie Evans and her husband, Bill, live in New Jersey with their three daughters who are ages five, three, and one.  Stephanie has a B.S. degree in Music Education and taught Music for 11 years in the public school system.  She loves children and enjoyed being a teacher, but she loves being a SAHM even more!

 Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at www.examiner.com.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Are some of today's kids being stressed into lives of obesity?

Current studies have shown that people experiencing stress tend to eat more “comfort foods” to help them temporarily deal with the stress.  Some comfort foods are known to be high-calorie, high-fat, and extra-sweetened/sugary; and can easily lead to additional weight gain.

Both adults and children have been noted to follow similar stress-related eating patterns.

Are some of today’s kids possibly being stressed into lives of obesity?

Childhood stress factors are usually external in nature and related to school, lack of money and resources, home, friends, etc.  Children can also experience internal stress caused by issues like poor self-esteem, concerns about physical stature or physical/athletic competencies, etc.

It is said that 80% of adulthood obesity begins in childhood, and that America has the highest population of obese and overweight individuals; with the number having doubled within the last 20 to 25 years.

Placing focus on childhood obesity has become a priority for some states in the U.S., and revised nutritional guidelines for schools and restaurants has been on the rise over the last several years.  Efforts to inform and educate children, parents, and educators about health & wellness strategies to reduce childhood stress and increase awareness and fitness levels of children can now be seen taking place all around the country.

Adults are stepping in to help children become de-stressed so the children are able to live healthier, more physically fit, and better quality 21st Century lives.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

FREE on-line homework tutoring help offered by some public libraries in New Jersey

Students in New Jersey and in other states around the country don’t need to dial 9-1-1 to get help with challenging homework like the child in this now-famous "9-1-1 Math Homework" video did.

In some New Jersey towns students can access real-time tutors on a site called “Homework Help NJ,” provided by the New Jersey State Library Association.

The FREE on-line homework network offers live tutors who cover Math, Science, Social Studies, and English homework help for students in grades K-12 and college, and for adult learners.

Homework tutoring assistance is provided by one tutor working with one student at a time to ensure that individualized attention is given, with most tutoring sessions averaging 20 minutes.

The screened and certified tutors are available from 2-10 p.m. on Sunday through Saturday of each week, and tutoring for Spanish-speaking learners is available from Sunday through Thursday from 2-10 p.m.

Currently, four states in the U.S. offer the Tutor.com homework assistance on a statewide basis – Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, and Rhode Island.

In New Jersey, the following public libraries participate in this free on-line homework tutoring program:

Camden Free Public Library, Elizabeth Free Public Library, Franklin Township Library, Gill Memorial Library, Gloucester County Library System, Gloucester City Library, Jersey City Free Public Library, Monroe Twp Public Library, New Brunswick Free Public Library, Newark Public Library, Paterson Free Public Library, Pitman Public Library, Township of Washington Public Library, West Deptford Free Public Library, Wenonah Public Library, Westville Public Library, Willingboro Public Library and Woodbury Public Library.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Helpful tips to prevent homework stress

                                                                                                            Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Some children start receiving homework assignments as early as Pre-K or Kindergarten.  This enables parents and teachers to begin communicating and collaborating to provide homework guidance to the children responsible for completing regular homework assignments.

The issue of homework can stir up lengthy conversations among parents of children at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.  Discussions are about assignments that are too numerous, too long, too brief, too confusing, too easy, etc.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Here are helpful stress-free tips to consider when guiding children to complete homework assignments:

• Observe how your child gets the most work done – Does he/she need a completely silent environment? Need music through headphones or playing in the background?
• Provide an optimum work environment where your child will produce the most high-quality work – keep in mind this can differ for children from the same family.
• Encourage your child to complete the most difficult work first – his/her mind will still be crisp and more alert to deal with challenging concepts, etc.
• Make sure your child has all needed supplies and materials -- make periodic checks to be sure these items don’t need to be replaced. The younger the child the more frequent the need for replacements...
• Encourage your child to eat a light snack before starting homework; then, set a timeframe based on the start time and expected finish time – include 5-minute breaks between assignments. This helps with time management.  In general, the “10-minute homework rule” still applies in many cases: multiply your child’s grade-level by the number 10 to help determine how many minutes he/she should spend on nightly homework (this doesn’t include time spent on projects, etc.).
• Remain positive about homework assignments even if the directions are unclear to you and your child.
• Encourage your child to make his/her best attempt, but stop him/her if the assignment causes frustration or feelings of failure.  You can then write a short note on the homework page to the teacher requesting clarity about the assignment expectations – this helps the teacher know what your child understands and what he/she might need to have re-taught.  Older children can e-mail teachers on their own to ask for clarity.

One of the most challenging things for all parents to do is to stay back and allow their children to complete assignments independently, particularly when a child seems stuck on a question or problem.
Encourage your child to come to you when clarification or help is needed.  If and when a request for help is made, be sure to guide your child to figure out the answer on his/her own and avoid simply providing answers.  Giving your child the opportunity to feel successful about completing homework on his/her own also serves as a good self-esteem and confidence booster.
Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Yoga can help kids & teens reduce stress caused by school and other activities

Namaste.

Originating in India, the 20,000 plus year old ancient practice of Yoga remains popular in many households today for being a great way to exercise, stay physically fit, reduce stress, and maintain mental balance.

Yoga is not only effective for adults who want a strenuous but peaceful workout. It’s become one of the primary non-competitive exercise recommendations for kids and teens who are trying to reduce stress caused by school and other activities.

 

In addition to increasing flexibility, the breathing and balancing techniques and poses in Yoga provide added benefits during periods of time requiring prolonged concentration and focus (i.e., block periods during the school day, assessment & standardized testing situations, etc.).

Yoga is also said to help improve confidence and self-esteem levels in children and teens.

Studies have shown that children and young people laugh an average of 300-400 times per day. Laughter Yoga for Teens & Children has become an ideal way to help children and teens “laugh off” any stress they may be carrying around. Additional research reveals evidence of increased student performance and achievement in school.

With a reduction in stress levels, increase in flexibility, concentration, focus, confidence, self-esteem,
school performance, and overall achievement levels; exposing children and teens to a daily Yoga exercise routine might be an excellent way to guide them toward improved health, wellness, and balance in their very busy young lives.

Namaste…

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc. This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Parental “need to know” or “right to know” about student discipline issues

The term “Need to Know” has been assigned to information that is considered highly confidential, private, and sensitive in nature. This limited and restricted data is designed and framed to be shared by and with certain prescribed individuals if it will directly impact their obligations, responsibilities, and duties.

“Right to Know” is commonly referred to as the “Open Public Records Act” (OPRA) in New Jersey (2002 approval of legislation), and refers to public communications, data or information: on public records, related to legislation, regarding budgetary and fiscal matters, etc.; which are not exempt from the provisions made for public access.

Student records and confidential student information maintained by schools and school districts do not fall under the auspices of OPRA, and may not legally be shared with the general public.

The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), enacted by the U.S. Department of Education, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student records.

Student discipline issues in schools and districts around the country often lead to the question about what parents of other students need to know vs. what they have a right to know regarding these confidential and sensitive issues.

According to the guidelines of FERPA and OPRA, the amount and type of information school and school district officials and employees have the latitude to share with the general public remains restricted and limited in order to protect student privacy and student identity.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Commitment carries a lot of power and weight in the world ~ A Teen Girl’s Perspective

 Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

“Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't.   It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.”

(President Barack Obama)

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.”  (Mary Kay Ash) 

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do
The something that I can do.
(Edward Everett Hale)

“You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.”  
(Marian Wright Edelman)

According to Merriam Webster’s On-line Dictionary, commitment is:

2 a) an agreement or pledge to do something in the future; especially: an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date… b) something pledged… c) the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled ~ a commitment to a cause ~

From a teen girl’s perspective, commitment means sticking to something and doing what you said you’d do even if it takes all the energy out of you for a while.  In the end it will be worth it.  Just the feeling of knowing you made a positive difference in someone else’s life is enough to keep you going. (Danielle M. Biggs) 


Danielle M. Biggs
High School Student
Trustee & Administrative Assistant ~ Lifeline Foundation, Inc.
  

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View Sharon's other published works at www.examiner.com.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Teaching children about sharing involves teaching them about respect

                 Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

 

 

SHARING ©1996

by Shel Silverstein

I’ll share your toys.  I’ll share your money,
I’ll share your toast, I’ll share your honey,
I’ll share your milk and your cookies too –
The hardest part’s sharing mine with you.

When a child enters pre-school, one of the behaviors childcare providers begin observing and assessing is the child’s ability to share space, toys, time, etc., with other children (and with the adults) in a group situation.

Demonstrating the ability to independently share without the need of constant prompting or reminders from adults is considered an area of strength.  It is understood that young children will sometimes forget how to share or show respect, and will need reminders from others.

Children sometimes have a natural tendency to be self-centered and selfish; requiring the ongoing help and guidance of adults so they learn how to share early on.  Children who are naturally inclusive and empathetic may be more inclined to freely share and show respect for others on their own.

Investing the time and energy to help children understand the “how” and “why” of sharing also helps teach children about respect.

It’s expected that lessons are taught at home to children about how to share and show respect to others.

Ways to teach sharing and respect to young children are:

•    Provide social opportunities for children in small groups so they can naturally practice taking turns, sharing toys, etc.  Make observations and provide calm and immediate guidance if disrespect or an inability to share is noted.
•    Adults can play with children to model for them how to share by verbally describing sharing and respectful behavior as it’s being done (i.e., “And, now I’m going to let YOU have the yellow crayon so that you can color your Mr. Sun yellow,” etc.)
•    Engage your child in charitable giving.  Easily do this by recycling slightly used clothing and giving the clothing to a younger relative or friend.   Arrange to have the other child photographed wearing a favorite giveaway outfit; or bring the children together for a play date where a recycled outfit is worn.

These early lessons about how to share and show respect will help children demonstrate healthy social skills during the elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and beyond years.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at www.examiner.com.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

October provides a number of health & safety awareness opportunities

The month of October offers several health and safety awareness events and activities for anyone who is trying to encourage or maintain a balanced life of health, wellness, and overall safety.

Schools, districts, companies, and other organizations looking to promote health and safety can do so by providing promotional items and materials to individuals affiliated with the organization and to the general public:

Photo: Copyright Biggs

Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Liver Awareness Month
Family Health Month
Better Speech & Hearing Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Lupus Month
World Blindness Awareness Month
World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10)
Depression Screening Day (Oct. 11)
Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5-11)
YMCA Week without Violence (Oct. 14-20)
Global Handwashing Day (Oct. 15)
International Infection Prevention Week (Oct. 16-20)
National Mammography Day (Oct. 17)
America’s Safe Schools Week (Oct. 21-27)
Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23-31)

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity."  (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Giving is the true test of the human spirit

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Despite the depressed condition of today's global economy, giving has proven itself to be the tried and true test of the human spirit.

Organizations and individuals around the world instinctively step up to the plate when a need is made known to them.  Just because.

When a need is satisfied, filled, or even surpassed; the true giver expects nothing external in return. 

No pats on the back.  No fanfare.  No parades.

The internal reward for engaging in the act of giving provides the true giver with a sense of inner-contentment and inner-peace.

Photo: Copyright Biggs

Lifeline Foundation, Inc. and LifelinelineExtensions.blog began sharing the above June 2009 photograph of the school library at La Escuela Farallon in The Republic of Panama soon after the photo was taken. 

An invitation was offered to anyone who wanted to participate in LFI's 2009 Book Collection & Donation Drive to collect 1,000 children's books written in English to donate to the school.  The book drive runs through October 30th.

The book drive donations are being added to the 110 books donated in June, and all of the books donated will be used to develop the first Clifford & Ivy Greaves Library Collection in an impoverished community in Panama.

As a result of giving being the true test of the human spirit, 1,094 used & new children's books have been donated to the book drive as of September 30th; and the book donations continue pouring in!

Every giver's charitable act of kindness will travel over 2,000 miles in November 2009 to help put more smiles on the happy faces shown below; and to help improve Literacy Development, Bilingual Education, and ESL Education at La Escuela Farallon.

Photo: Copyright Biggs

Thank you.


Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 23-year educator is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog. View Sharon's other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.

Contact Sharon directly for more information: sharonbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)