By Shelby Strong

It is troubling and disheartening to see girls and women being bombarded with images and attitudes of immodesty, and immorality. This destruction of female self-worth begins at a shockingly young age. Not only does this cause young girls to believe they have to look a certain way to be accepted and liked it teaches boys a lack female respect.

At times, parents may feel that the job of teaching their children the value of modesty and virtue is overwhelming and perhaps even impossible. However, through patience and persistence parents can indeed teach their children how to respect themselves and others through their appearance and their actions. This will result in your girls growing in to happier more confident women who demand the respect of others.

It is never too early to start stressing the importance of suitable dress. You may think that because your little girl doesn't have hips and breasts is shouldn't matter what she wears. But, remember that her current body shape is only temporary. Before you know it she will have turned into a young woman. It will be much easier for her to understand and appreciate moderate dress if those values were instilled when she was a child. By setting the standard at a young age, your daughter will continue to know and appreciate the importance of dressing appropriately as she grows and matures.

Parents need to lead by example. Keep in mind that your daughter has been watching you her whole life. You may not realize it but she looks up to you and expects you to set the example for her actions and behaviors. This includes the way you dress. By showing her that you value your body by wearing appropriate clothes you are setting a precedent for her future wardrobe ideals.

Teach your child to be a leader rather than a follower. No doubt, her friends and acquaintances will be sporting the latest fashions, including some scantily clad apparel, but that doesn't mean she has to. She doesn't have to look to her friends for fashion ideas--help her blaze her own trail and set her own fashion trends. This will teach her confidence in her choices and decisions. Her independent attitude will win the respect of those around her and will help her steer clear of dangerous pitfalls including those of sexual compromise.

Monitor what your daughter watches, listens to, and participates in and help her steer clear of inappropriate material. The media would have every little girl believe that in order to be a true princess she needs to flaunt her body by dressing immodestly, buying the most expensive name brands, and participate in worldly and immoral behaviors. However, you can show your daughters that true happiness comes from practicing appropriate, practical, and quality behaviors. By avoiding music, movies, and peer groups that degrade womanhood and demean motherhood, your young child will have a healthier attitude about herself and her role in the world as a strong and confidant woman.

Parents have their work cut out for them when it comes to teaching young women how vital it is to respect themselves, their bodies, and their self-worth. The world has bombarded them with ideas that would have them believe that frugality, modesty, and virtuous living are old fashioned and even unacceptable. However, parents are ultimately responsible to teach them correct principles of decency and virtuosity that can help them enjoy the happiness associated with self-respect and the appreciation that accompanies these principles.

Shelby is the mother of 3 kids and lives in Orem, Utah. When not chasing a baby or driving kids to dance and swimming lessons, she is at the office educating people about the benefits of pretend play. She owns an online toy store boutique at https://www.playfullyeverafter.com/ and sells everything from Little Adventures and Disney brand princess dresses to backpacks and quality puzzles and toys. Check out her blog as she often gives away free products. Her Amazon store has free shipping and so does her website. If you would like to read more articles from Shelby please subscribe to her feed here http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Shelby_Strong

By Esmeralda Carvalho

Bullying is a real concern and increasingly a problem that most schools are addressing albeit, some more effectively than others. Bullying is affecting all levels of education, from public to private schools, from kindergarten to high school.

Children or youth who claim to be bullied say it's because they are overweight, underweight, are short, or are extremely shy, a large percentage claim it's because they are gay or lesbian or are perceived to be. Suicide rates among teens and even younger children are on the rise, much of the cause can be attributed to bullying related to the fear of homosexuality or simply, homophobia.

Children and youth who bully are not secure individuals, to bully they must feel insecure in some way. Some children put themselves down on a regular basis, emulating what they see adults doing. Often it is at home within their families that they feel most insecure. When parents tease their kids, put them down by calling them "stupid", or by saying "you can't do anything right", they are in fact putting that child down, and in a sense bullying their own children. They may take the position that they are the authority and therefore can use their power as they see fit. However, being a parent does not give anyone the right to mistreat a child. No one owns anyone else. Once a child is born, he or she becomes an autonomous individual, with a unique sense of self and self expression.

When children feel judged by their parents they feel a sense of great injustice. As many children have no healthy outlet to express those feelings of injustice, they become angry and often take that anger to the school yard; either leading them to become bullies or to become the bullied.

The teaching of morals and values in the home can have a serious impact on children and youth. If the family's values center around not accepting homosexuals, teasing overweight people, or talking negatively about people of different racial and cultural backgrounds, then in effect, that is educating the child, however prejudicially. Children are engrained with family values from a young age, they grow up and integrate these values into their psyche as if these are shared by everyone. When others don't reflect the same values, these children can become angry and resentful. Negative messages, even when normalized in the home resonate injustice in a profound way to the child. The signs can be withdrawal form school activities, extreme shyness, mild to severe depression, ADHD type symptoms, outbursts, fighting and bullying behaviour, either as victim or victimizer.

The question 'If mom and dad hate gays, do they hate me too,?" will inevitable arise in the child's mind.

Curbing negative talk, avoiding racial, homophobic and other types of slurs will definitely improve your child's mental health. In the long run, children will end up respecting their parents more when their parents show respect for themselves and others. Beginning a trend of positive reinforcement in the home that will bring back health and wellbeing is key.

Bullying can also be a direct result of your child's repressed homosexual nature. Parents are not always aware of what is really going on in their child's mind. The child could be feeling that he or she is gay or lesbian, but have no one to talk to about it. Repression of feelings can lead to depression or suicide, as well as to bulling. Read: Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together by Robert A. Bernstein. Talk about gays and lesbians directly, mention cases in the news, give your child a book about it, for example: It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living.

Steps to take to ensure your child doesn't become a bully or get bullied:

• Begin to improve your own level of self-confidence and sense of compassion. Start a journal and track your negative thinking. Begin to write daily affirmations that are positive and inspiring.

• Read up on the issues that most disturb you, if homosexuality is one, read up on it.

• Build your own self-respect, read The Monk Who Sold His Farari, or similar books on self-improvement.

• Stop yourself from making judgmental and offensive comments, especially in front of your children. If you do make them, apologize immediately and try not to say them again. It shows your child you have self-respect, even though you can make mistakes.

• Do not offend your child, if you do, apologize and rephrase the sentence to mean the exact opposite. For example, if you say "You can't do anything right", change to - "You do most everything well, next time you'll do this better too." Read the book "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

• Go to the library and choose books to read to your children that address inclusiveness and promote team spirit. Ask the librarian to help you. If you do not read to your children, begin now, it's never too late.

The Bully

If your child has been singled out as a bully, make sure there are consequences and that you implement them to the fullest. Consequences should not be based on punishment, rather they should have the intent to educate your child.

Here are some ideas:

• Have your child (if old enough) volunteer at a center for disadvantaged youth

- Volunteer at a local LGBT community centre

- Volunteer at a crisis phone hotline to give others support

• Write a letter on bullying and its harms. Then send it off to the injured child

• Write a story on the harmful effects on bullying, help them edit it and have it published in the school's newsletter

The Bullied

• Make time every night to talk to your child alone and ask him or her about their day

• Probe by asking what happened during the day, ask about their friends. If they don't have any, it's a cause for concern.

- Asking questions during your special time alone will help your child open up and show him or her that you care.

- Listen intently, without trying to resolve the problem, help them come up with their own solutions.

• Let your child express his or her pain, anger and frustration in a physical way. Punch a pillow, scream outside, let them release that tension somehow.

• Ask them to draw or write down what they are feeling (regarding a bullying incident) and how they could resolve it.

• Brain storm with your child how to resolve the problem, create a list and have it posted somewhere in your child's room

Many of the points mentioned in the Bullied and the Bully can be interchanged. If a child is bullying, he needs to talk about pent up anger and find an outlet for it. Be there to help your child through it.

Implementing some of these strategies will help you and your children become healthier and more secure. Bullying is not a private matter, it is one that affects children, schools and families. Help your children heal from whatever ails them. They will be grateful to you in the long run and you will feel proud of them and yourself.

Esmeralda Carvalho is a writer for Lesbian Mom Today, http://www.lesbianmomtoday.com/ a website for lesbian moms and their families to connect, talk about parenting, family, relationship, healthy living, films, travel and events.

She has an Honours BA in Sociology and Psychology, has founded a lesbian/gay association and has chaired various committees on lesbian/gay issues, parenting and health.

By Billy Oatey

Metal detecting is a wonderful hobby for children and an excellent learning opportunity. But where to begin when starting out with a hobby never tried before? A few simple preparations and precautions will make the introduction to the fascinating world of treasure hunting much easier. Use these 5 tips to help you get started.

1. Buy the Right Kids Metal Detector

Many people equate the price of a metal detector with its ability to find treasure. In many cases this may be true, but not always. The temptation is often to spend more money on a metal detector than you have and sometimes that additional cost may not provide a significant enough functional improvement to justify the extra money. So consider carefully based upon a balance of budget and needs. This is especially important when purchasing a children's metal detector, since you want to find a rugged and reasonably low cost unit, but still have something that the child can use. If the unit is so inexpensive that it cannot find any metal, the child won't play with the toy for long. On the other hand you might be reluctant to let a younger child play with a very expensive locator. Electronic treasure hunting devices, like almost all other electronic devices, are breakable if you abuse them enough.

A number of different websites publish reviews of various metal detectors and those can go a long way toward helping make a decision and saving money that otherwise might be better spent on accessories such as digging tools and bags.

2. Learn to Use Your Metal Detector

A kids metal detector should be fairly simple and easy to operate. Even so, it is important to learn to use the metal detector yourself so that you understand what the gauges, readouts, and sounds mean and can help your child learn to use the metal detector efficiently. Different manufacturers will use different methods of signaling the operator when an item of particular interest has been passed over by the search coil. Beginners can usually pick these signals up fairly easily, but to become really proficient with the metal detector expect to spend some time practicing. Time spent learning to use the metal detector can be an important parent-child bonding time during which everyone can have a good time.

3. Metal Detecting Accessories

When considering accessories it is important to think about the area or location where the metal detector will be used. Hard soils and rocks will require different digging tools than soft sandy soils or mud.

For beach searching, a sand scoop is very helpful. The same item would not be of much use at all when working in most backyards. For working in the backyard a probe, garden trowel, or one of the newer digging tools specifically designed for treasure hunting is highly useful. One unfortunate accident that occurs frequently to beginners is to damage the object you have found while trying to dig it up. Often, in the excitement that comes when the metal detector beeps beginners may begin digging rapidly and without considering what may lie beneath the ground. In most cases a minor scratch or 2 on a found object may not make much difference. But if the object is jewelry or something fragile, it could easily be damaged by the wrong digging tool and technique. So consider carefully which tool will be used for which soil type, and remember to dig slowly and carefully that you can replace the side without leaving any marks. These 2 steps should help avoid damaging any treasure found before it is dug up.

A small box or pouch for carrying found items is very useful. Scuba divers frequently carry mesh "goodie" bags to bring back things that they find while diving, and such an item might be useful for treasure hunting with a metal detector at the beach as long as the mesh in the bag was small enough to prevent small items from falling out.

One very handy accessory is a carrying case for the metal detector. This can keep a metal detector clean and free from dust when stored in a closet waiting for use, and it can also help carry some of the other accessories necessary for the hobby.

4. Learn How to Research

One easy method is to visit the local historical society, Museum, or library. These places often have a wealth of information about the location of old buildings, factories, stores, homes, schools and other places where people may have congregated in the past. Generally, places where people have congregated are places where you will find treasures lost.

Children may find researching is as easy as asking neighbors questions. Often, longtime residents of the area may remember the locations of stores, houses, or parks that are no longer in existence. These can be great places to treasure hunt just remember to ask permission. Consider starting with neighbors and family members, and ask them to reminisce about things they remember the community from years ago.

5. Ask Permission

There are many places that are open to metal detecting, but whenever you are searching a location that is off your own property, it is wise to seek permission to search. In many cases this is as easy as asking the property owner or the person in charge. For the most part, people will allow you to search as long as you are not destroying lawns or flower beds. So be prepared to carefully remove and replace sod when searching on someone else's lawn, on public land, or in a community park. The idea is to remove the side so carefully but afterward no one knows that you have even been there. Sometimes public parks will have limitations or restrictions on metal detecting and these are often in reaction to hobbyists who have misused the park by not properly refilling holes, so it is always a good idea to check the rules specific to that park before beginning to dig.

A kids metal detector is a great gift, and metal detecting itself is an enjoyable hobby for both young and old alike. With a little research, a little practice, and little luck, almost anyone can be successful. You only need to find the right kids metal detector and the right place to search to turn almost any kid into an adventurer.

Billy Oatey invites you to visit his blog kids metal detectors for even more tips for young treasure hunters. http://discovermetaldetecting.com

By Casper A Labuschagne

Raising and educating children in our modern society are complex and challenging. However, it is not something that parents can ignore. Once you are a parent, you have a responsibility towards your child that is beyond food, shelter and love.

The point to realize is that your child starts life with a clean slate, so to speak, and you, as parents, are the most important teachers in your child's life. Most parents understand and accept the fact that they are responsible for raising their children and many parents, particularly those who await the birth of their first-born, plan every detail ahead of the baby's birth. They read books on the subject, seek the best medical care, and prepare the child's room. Everything is in place when the baby is born, and these parents are ready to raise the child to the best of their abilities.

However, many parents do not realize that "raising" a child is not the same as "educating" a child. Most parents love their children and provide them safe and loving homes. This takes care of the first and most important aspect of early childhood development, establishment of a bond with your child. But this is just the first step. A properly defined and implemented development plan is necessary to build on this bond. Otherwise there is no guarantee that actual education will take place. The next step is to define a development plan to make sure you cover the following developmental areas.

(1) Your child's vocabulary

(2) Your child's fine motor muscles

(3) Your child's large motor muscles

(4) Your child's imagination

(5) Your child's social skills

An example of a plan to develop all five areas is as follows:

(1) Vocabulary: read the same nursery rhyme or fairy tale on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to your child. On Thursday, do not read the story, but ask your child to tell you the story. This will show you how much your child has learned and if there are words and/or concepts your child did not understand.

(2) Imagination: On Thursday, also ask your child to draw a character from the story.

(3) Fine motor muscles: On Friday, read the story again and let your child color in a coloring picture.

(4), (5) Large motor skills and social skills: on Saturday, pay Grandma a visit or go on a field trip to the mall.

Creating a development plan is easy. Just use a calendar and decide what to do each day. This is such a simple step, but it really sets you up to succeed. Remember that we are discussing 2-year old kids here: the plan is not complicated.

At this age, the most important thing is to read stories to your child. This takes just 20 minutes a day! Most parents do such reading with their children in any case. Few parents however, read with a specific purpose in mind.

With your child's development in mind, you will read to your child with the specific goal to develop your child's vocabulary. You will include assessment days to assess what your child has learned. Most importantly, developing this plan ensures that you develop all areas adequately.

Conclusion

For best results, treat your child's education as a project. But incorporate into this project fun and laughter so that learning becomes "play" for your child. Create a properly defined development plan that will cover all aspects of early childhood development, and then implement the plan by doing a little each day.

By Jade Jennison

Whether you are a child, boy or girl, or even if you are an adult, you never tire of Winnie the Pooh and the rest of his gang. Entering the magical world of these cartoons will keep children entertained for hours with the bright, bold colours and cute characters, and you can bring some of this magic to their bedroom.

The first ever book about Winnie the Pooh was published in 1926, so it has been around for over 80 years and is still massively popular today! Back when it first began Pooh was very much the main character but over the years and more recently, the other characters have become more popular and even starred in their own movies and in 2005 a new character was introduced, so even after all these years they are trying to bring in new ideas to this famous 'family'.

Children are full of energy and never stop, some days you just cannot keep up with them, but as soon as you turn the TV on and put on their favourite cartoon the madness stops as they stare engagingly and get lost in a fantasy land. Winnie the Pooh has spread across a wide range of products for children, from books to drinking cups and everything in between, and every child has their own favourite character, my personal favourite is Eeyore, even though he looks a bit down sometimes!

Christmas time is most children's favourite time of year, filled with joy and excitement and the anticipation of running downstairs to see exactly what Santa has left behind! Every year from kids being little, family buy them countless amounts of toys and they end up usually more interested in the big cardboard box that it came in, then by the time they get round to playing with all these new toys they have a new favourite character. Winnie the Pooh will never go out of fashion and children will love them for many years to come, so even if they do not appreciate something like a Winnie the Pooh rug on Christmas morning and push it over to one side, they will appreciate and cherish it for a long time to come afterwards.

Another great thing about Winnie the Pooh is both genders will love it equally, your little girl will love the cute cuddly characters such as Piglet and Eeyore and the bright coloured flowers that surround the forest, and your little boy will loved the interesting adventures that take place in the wood and are bound to have Tigger as his favourite! The products made for kid's bedrooms are not in just pink and blue they are a mixture of all the colours of the rainbow, so if your little boy and girl share a bedroom you will not have the hassle and problems of separating the room off for one side to be princesses and one side to be tractors.

If you want to bring these characters out of the big screen and into your home there are many household objects that can be transformed by Pooh, and a favourite choice is a pretty children's rug to put across the floor, and turn your child's dull, crayon covered carpet into a little piece of Ashdown Forest!

Jade Jennison is an enthusiastic writer in subject matter including children and babies in such areas that enhances their ability to grow. The websites recommended by Jade have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. Take a look at Mail Order Rugs for the best Winnie the Pooh rugs to add character to your children's bedrooms.

By Ben C Stidham

There are some ideas that help run events without adding extra effort. As the common saying goes "those who don't plan, plan to fail". Youth group activities is no exception to that rule. After spending a lot of time creating value added team building exercises, it has become apparent that planning is one of the most important keys to success. After all, planning is probably the most time intensive part of the process, but the rewards can be tremendous.

Think about all the different team building activity ideas that you have already used with students. Then start to consider all the youth group activities that you have seen others create and implement. Many of the team bonding ideas were probably developed with thought and consideration to the audience in mind. That is not to say that off the cuff spontaneous and fun indoor team building games aren't important, but the most interesting and long-lasting ones have some plans and preparation involved.

Recently, there have been numerous public speakers that have just started their adventure of providing relevant data at conferences on the subjects they know best. They continuously bring up that attending and speaking at these events requires upfront thought about what the topic will be and often times also includes the various practices to ensure that the presentation goes without any major hang ups.

It is important to consider this when you are teaching youth and teenagers. Kids are looking for some level of structure in their lives. With fragmented families and churches or schools that may not be teaching them to the detail they need, it is critical that they get a good amount of support and structural activities through other areas. Their friends may also be a source of their influence, and if the friends may be leading lives that are unhealthy, it is possible that their pressure may be affecting the others.

Children still have a mindset that is able to be molded in positive and moral ways. Using this opportunity to teach youngsters is a best practice and encouraged. Preparation for youth group activities should begin several of days before the activity. This provides lead time to think through possible alternatives or develop your schedule so that it meets the most effective and wide audience possible.

Teenagers especially may have other things on their mind such as how to fit in the group appropriately. Involving some of the teens in preparation may give them more of a feeling of usefulness and a belonging to the group. It is important to have positive role models in youth leader positions and those leaders should be peers to the kids. As a role model, they also can help build up the event and participate in many ideas that create a welcome atmosphere.

Beginning early and planning through youth group activities has benefits in developing the upcoming generations. There are many things that you can develop early in the week that will best manage a useful and rewarding time. Meetings are usually time sensitive and providing the most value is smart organizational skills.

What if you haven't spent anytime planning for a youth group event? I know how difficult it can be to try and create special events that bring together young adults in a meaningful way, but if you really want to make a big impact at your place of work you'll need to learn a single method that works amazingly well. This method is simple to pick up and it doesn't take much practice, you can read how to do it in my free report here: Important Youth Group Activities Message. Don't give up on trying to have a positive influence on kids, it's NOT impossible to raise them the right way. Learn more ways to incorporate Youth Group Activities in your schedule by clicking the link.

By Vaiv Jais

You must be amazed to know that the baby care products contribute towards a million dollar industry. Numerous manufacturers around the world supply products like baby soaps, baby skin creams, baby shampoos, baby powders and baby diapers to the market. However, it is equally surprising to know that many of these products need to be discarded.

Many research works and studies have thrown light on the harmful ingredients and materials that have been used in some of these products. If you have a baby product store, you must consider it as a responsibility to supply safe baby products to the parents. Here is a discussion about baby care products that actually help in taking good care of the young ones.

No Talcum for Baby Rash

Few years back, talcum powders were quite popular among parents to cure baby rash caused by the use of baby diapers. However, many of these products have been found to cause respiratory issues. It is suggested to buy powders that contain natural and herbal ingredients as they are free from side-effects and take better care of the baby skin.

Shampoos with Healthy Scents

Shampoos that contain synthetic scents are no more worthy for the health of the little ones. These products are actually allergic to the soft and sensitive skin of the babies. You must choose baby shampoos that contain natural components for producing scents. Going further, unscented shampoos are also available in the market if you are not too inclined towards scents.

Aloe Vera Soaps

Aloe Vera is no hidden secret when it comes to the maintenance of skin health. The baby care product manufacturers have started using this wonderful natural ingredient in organic baby soaps. Aloe is also used in other baby care products like skin creams and in remedies used for treating rash caused by baby diapers.

Natural Oils and Moisturizers

A number of baby oils and baby moisturizers few years back used mineral oil as the main ingredient. The oil has been proved to be harmful for health, particularly for baby skin. As a result, the focus has been shifted to prepare products using natural oils like those obtained from chamomile and sunflower.

Organic Cotton Diapers

The baby diapers prepared from synthetic materials are slowly being withdrawn from the lists of baby care products. These diapers have been held responsible for causing discomfort to babies and pollution to the environment. You should look for baby diapers that are made from certified organic cotton and other such organic materials.

Check for Chemicals to Avoid

Certain chemicals used in baby products have been declared as unsafe. These include octinoxate, polyethylene glycols, triclosan, ceteareth and diethyl phthalates among many others. You should always check for the ingredients before choosing baby care products to avoid choosing products containing these harmful chemicals.

There are organic baby care product manufacturers around the world that can be easily found on the internet using business directories. Obtaining safe baby products from them should bring more customers to your store.

Author has wide knowledge of B2B Marketplace and Business industries. View details of companies which are involved in production of baby care products like baby diapers in India at online products directory, Catalogs.indiaMART.com

By Dana S Johnson

Any mother of a boy will tell you that there are certain things with little boys that don't need to be taught. First is the mimicking of motorized vehicular sounds. The lip buzzing-low rumble of a dump truck or the light hum of a race car is inherent within a boy's genetic make-up. With a little age the talent of turning anything into a gun comes forward. It doesn't matter if the parents are wanna-be hippies or card carrying NRA members, boys don't need an introduction to guns. It is completely within a boy's nature to shoot the cat with his doughnut if that's all he has at his disposal. My boys are 5 and 6 years old. Recently I discovered more machismo is lurking under the surface of their "Y" chromosomes. Apparently boys, like men, can't help but spout off football statistics.

My family was recently riding in the mini-van when my youngest decided it would be fun goad his father. He began chanting, "Packers BOOOO, Vikings Rule!" Needless to say this got our attention. Turning off on to a less traveled street, for fear that someone may hear our little traitor, we confronted him about this new allegiance. When asked why he didn't like the Packers he began by saying, "I don't like the Packers. They lost 40 sacks in 2 minutes. I mean, what kind of a team loses 40 sacks in 2 minutes?"

My husband, defending his green and gold, came back stating that the Vikings and the Packers each won eleven games. To this my son said, "So, in like 5 days the Packers are going to lose 150 points. Then the Vikings will be the winner and they have NEVER lost 40 sacks in 2 minutes."

Resorting to complete male undermining, my husband then said, "Well, you must want to be a girl because the Vikings wear purple and isn't purple a girl color?"

My son replied, "I was just kidding Daddy, I really do like the Packers."

Observing this male interaction was fascinating. As a woman I have never understood the ability to remember all of those worthless stats. How is it husbands everywhere can remember the number of sacks an obscure defensive end has, but can't remember his own wedding anniversary date? Batting averages over birthdays and victories over vacations...it all completely baffles me.

Looking to the future in my all male household, I am trying to prepare for what's to come. Will the lighting of noxious rectal gases come before or after the first hole in the wall? Should I be ready for girls calling or athlete's foot? How many days should I go before I remind all three of them that they forgot my birthday? Is there a way to block ESPN on one's TV?

I now understand how the phrase, "Boy oh Boy...."got its connotation. I've never heard someone say "Girl oh Girl." There must be a reason.

Dana Johnson is a spunky mother of two trying to figure it all out. Running her own business, volunteering at school, trying to keep the family unit clean and fed, and finding time for her are just some of the challenges Dana faces. Like most moms she is tired, underappreciated and overworked. But in her truly unique style, Dana is the first to laugh at the mishaps of life and loves to write about the humorous side of Mom-dom.

A native cheese-head, whose passions include mt. biking, whitewater kayaking, cross-country skiing, reading and writing, Dana has performed some stand-up comedy and storytelling in the Milwaukee area and hopes to one day find the time to write a book. She currently resides in Waukesha with her husband Charlie and her two little boys and runs her own company, http://www.openleafexcursions.com. She also moderates a community forum on which people can share and discover places in the outdoors. http://www.adventuregroove.com

By Jennifer Little

Very young children idolize their parents, because parents provide everything for them. Parents seem to know everything and are omnipotent. Older children rarely think about choosing a role model. What they do think about are "heroes", the fantastic beings with superhuman powers who rescue or save those in trouble. Pre-teens and adolescents think about the seemingly superhuman possibilities among sports, movie and music stars, because they envision the glamor, media hype and luxurious lifestyles that exist only in the child's fantasies.

Fantasy role models are just that: fantasies. They are not people who can function in the world with the more limited talents or skills the rest of us have. Role models are people we can hope to emulate, to pattern our lives after, to mimic at times when we hope to gain similar skills. The rich and famous are insulated from the "daily grind" of having to pay rent, utilities, costs for food, clothing and transportation.

The problem is that most children or adolescents consciously choose their role models. Typically, children either grow up to be just like one of their parents or determined to be totally unlike either or both of their parents. Their parent or parents become the role models of what they refuse to be like. Unfortunately, most children and teenagers are limited in people who could be role models for them. They are in contact with family members, neighbors, and school personnel.

Children and adolescents learn to develop the social skills to fit in with others. Adults become people to remove as influences from their lives. Wise adolescents begin to think about careers they might want to have as an adult. They find people in those occupations and talk with them, find out what the educational requirements are, the specific demands and skills for the career, and opportunities that may be similar in nature. They learn about how well their interests and skills fit with those particular jobs.

Many adolescents and young adults will observe those who are socially skilled, well-liked by peers and adults, and mimic their mode of dress, speech patterns, and/or interests. By seeming to copy those individuals, they are actually "trying on" skills to determine whether or not those skills "fit" with them as individuals.

Those who do not emulate others or think about possible career options will struggle when they leave high school and/or college. They do not have any goals, so there is nothing for them to work toward achieving. They waste time and resources. While this may not seem important to someone 16, 20 or 25 years of age, it becomes important later (when they are 30 or 35 years of age) if they have not early-on achieved some of the foundational steps for acquiring a job with potential for advancement into a career that can support them well.

Role models are more than "heroes". They are people who show us the skills and know-how of achieving responsible lives, performing work to benefit others as well as earn a living. They are people who demonstrate what is possible for us, individually and as sub-groups in society. They are people who teach us how to solve problems that can seem insurmountable, how to make good decisions, and live productive lives surrounded by others whom we value, love and respect.

Role models are people who give others hope of overcoming obstacles in their lives and achieve goals they set or modified so they could achieve them. The sooner children or adolescents determine who their role models are, the less time they waste and the sooner they can meet all the requirements for the goals they establish for themselves.

Jennifer Little, Ph.D.

All children can succeed in school. Parents can help their children by teaching the foundational skills that schools presume children have. Without the foundation for schools' academic instruction, children needlessly struggle and/or fail. Their future becomes affected because they then believe they are less than others, not able to succeed or achieve or provide for themselves or their families. Visit http://parentsteachkids.com to learn how to directly help your child and http://easyschoolsuccess.com to learn what is needed for education reform efforts to be successful.

By Kathy Pavone

Are your children bored or watching too much TV? Would you prefer them to be learning and using their imagination and having more fun then you could ever imagine? Your answer may be a fun one. Help them enjoy activity and imagination again with ride on toys. Fostering development and confidence with these toys will help your children advance now and into the future. Imaginative play will allow your children to be the race car driver or fireman they wish to grow up to be. The play of today for our little ones always translates to the business of their future. Lend a hand for their dreams to begin.

I am reminded of a time when my three daughters were small. For Christmas one year the oldest one received a scooter and the other two had a toy they could sit and push with their feet all around the house. They pretended they were a train and their track was around the dining room table through the kitchen then into the living room. They made many stops to drop off a doll and pick up another passenger somewhere along the line. They were the cutest things. Their imaginations went wild. Every day was a different trip, they went shopping, or to the movies, to a friend's house, on a picnic, to the library, a tea party or any number of other exotic places to visit. It was a long winter with lots of snow, so we were in the house for what seemed a very long time.

By the time the weather was nice enough to go out and play the girls were very proficient with their Ride on Toys. It was amazing to see how much their coordination and balance had improved and how safe I felt they were with all the practice they had in the house that winter. This type of play also increased their desire to play outdoors and in later years kept them fit and very active. I think I enjoyed watching them as much as they enjoyed riding them.

Now my children are grown and I see confident young people who have grown up with all the wonder of the imaginations and adventures of an active, sport filled life. Now they have their own child which makes me a grandmother and what a thrill this new adventure is for me! Getting the opportunity to see my granddaughter playing with her toys, using her imagination and going into her dreams for the future brings joy to my world. With all of this she is being physically active and mentally alert. It can't get any better than that. The utter excitement and happiness I see on her face as well as the memory of the same from my children years ago is just priceless."

Kathy Pavone is the author and can provide you with the coolest kids on the block and the happiest faces that you will cherish for years to come. Visit [http://myrideontoyshop.com] for top quality and great prices for battery powered ride on toys [http://myrideontoyshop.com], scooters and skateboards.