You see, the foster parent training course was extremely intensive. It really involved letting go of a lot of preconceived notions about parenting and foster care. I had assumed that being a foster parent would be just like being a normal parent but with certain additional issues.  You would have to deal with children with serious abandonment issues, for example, and with a lot of oversight from the state. What I realized during foster parent training, however, was how different caring for foster kids is than caring for your own kids. The foster children have it rougher than anyone. For whatever reason, be it abuse, missing parents, or a drug or behavioral problems, they are shuffled from house to house and kept as wards of the system. This makes it very difficult for them to develop the same kind of meaningful connections that most children have.

That is why foster parents training try to emphasize discipline and compassion in equal measure. Being a good foster caregiver means knowing that you will have to be firm and set limits, but also that you have to give a lot of compassion to kids who have had it very rough. For a while, I almost considered giving it up. I wasn’t sure I was up to the task and, as the foster parent training went on, my doubts accumulated. I ended up sticking with it, though, and I’m glad I did. Taking care of foster children has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.The truth is, no matter how tough the foster parent training course is, it can’t really prepare you for the realities of running a 24-hour foster home. Some of these kids have family and personal problems that will break your heart, and the stress of providing them with what they need can be crippling. Nonetheless, in the long run it is worth it. To make a difference in the life of such a child can make you feel really good about yourself and show you that your life means something.

While kids younger than six rely on you to make their beds and help clean their rooms, by the time they reach the 6-7 age group, they can do these tasks themselves. They can also help you set the dinner table, feed and exercise the dog, or make sure their dirty clothes ends up in the clothes hamper. However, they’re not very savvy about money. Setting up a children’s allowance fund of $5 a week, in exchange for their performing a few chores each day, helps them to understand where money comes from and what they can do with their earnings.

Prior to implementing your children’s allowance, it’s a good idea to spend some time with them, teaching them how to count money and make change. You can make this a game, ‘buying’ and ‘selling’ toys for certain amounts of money. You play the store clerk, taking the amount of money, bagging the item and giving them their change. Say that one toy is selling for $1.95 and another for $3.95. Be sure they see how much of their $5 they have left after each transaction. This helps them understand how fast that $5 can be depleted and how items can be a good buy, or perhaps not. They’ll be able to spend more wisely.When you first establish your children’s allowance fund, make it clear that they may spend their money as they wish (you may want to exclude candy – you’re still in charge of the food!), but, when the money has been spent, they’ll need to wait until the next allowance day before buying anything else. It’s important that this be an absolute rule that’s not bent. If you give in and front them some money against next week, you’re only teaching them to be irresponsible.

Let your kids know that, as they get older and assume more responsible chores, the children’s allowance fund increases. You can set a standard of a $1-2 per week increase each year, depending, of course, on their completing their chores regularly. This gives them something to shoot for and also explains why there’s a difference between your seven and fifteen year old’s allowance.

Finally, before you let them loose with all this cash, get your children a coin purse in which to keep their money. Otherwise, it might end up scattered all over the room, or lost.

Your children’s allowance fund is the first step in learning responsible money management and the concept of a job well done.

When kids are most wholly involved in the ‘me’, it’s time to start making them aware of others. It’s most successful when you use subtle means. If you begin by insisting that your child share his toy with his sibling, you’re just defeating your own purpose. The toddler views this as an affront, a direct attack on the ‘me’, so to speak. A better technique is oblique. For example, you’re bathing your child and he’s got some toys in the tub. Point to his little rubber ducky. “Oh, he’s cute! Can I take a look at your ducky?” You’ve accomplished a couple of things with this strategy. You’ve let him know you understand this is his toy and you’re asking his permission to share it for a moment. You also have the advantage, in that probably he trusts you more than his sibling to give it back.

It’s really funny to watch the various facial expressions and physical responses to this first lesson in children sharing with others. Their reaction may be based in personality or simply the mood of the moment. Some kids will get what might be described as a suspicious, or quizzical look on their faces as they digest your request. Others might snatch that ducky up in a heartbeat, clutching it possessively to their chest, while another may smile lovingly, tenderly and readily offering the prized toy to you. Whatever the response, your message did get through.Another oblique technique in teaching kids to share is to turn it around, with you sharing with them. When you’re reading a bedtime story and one illustration catches your child’s attention, try this: “Isn’t that a great picture? Would you like to take this book, to get a better look before I go on reading?” Possession of objects is at the core of the ‘me’ mindset. By giving your child possession of the desired object for a time, then having him return it to you, he becomes familiar and comfortable with exchanging toys with others.

The smallest of sharing experiences can become another small step down the road. Take a cookie from the cookie jar, announcing, “Hey, let’s share this cookie, OK?”

When you’ve managed to make sharing a non-threatening and fun experience, you’ve accomplished much in teaching your children sharing concepts.

How you handle kid’s responses can affect the process of teaching this particular and important concept to your children. Sharing, or not sharing is the cause of many a happy afternoon of play, or alternatively, scraps between kids. Don’t be heavy-handed at this first stage of teaching. Make a point of letting your child know that sharing is a two-way street and everyone wins.

When you begin teaching children sharing skills at the height of the ‘me’ stage, by the time they reach the age of 5 or 6, they’ll be far more willing to share, with fewer scraps to resolve.

If you find you and your spouse simply cannot resolve your differences, there are a few things you must do to promote a positive outcome for your kids. Children of divorce commonly feel that the divorce is their fault. Unless you handle your divorce in an apparently amicable manner, at least in front of the children, you’re going to fuel a host of problems for the kids, both now and later.

It’s essential that both parents sit down with the kids and make it crystal clear that the situation is not their fault. Let them know that adults are capable of making mistakes, and that both you and your spouse are just no longer able to communicate or get along, due to mistakes on both sides. Perhaps you married too young, before you were psychologically prepared for marriage, or grew apart over the years, developing into your own adulthood, taking different directions. If this is the case, this might be appropriate to mention during your discussion. The most important element of your talk should be to eliminate the blame game. Never bad mouth your spouse to your children. Otherwise, children of divorce often take the blame on themselves, while others blame one parent or the other, leading to some serious problems that will follow them for years.Children of divorce also commonly feel guilt out of their own feelings of loyalty to one parent or another, which may be simply age related. Young girls may still be more attached to Mom, while older boys might favor Dad’s position, blaming Mom for the divorce. This is why it’s so important to nip such thoughts in the bud. Let the children know that you will both love each of them forever and that you know that they love both of you. Explain that, while you and your spouse will not be living together, you expect that the kids will be sharing time in each of your homes.

Divorce is always painful. You never planned on your relationship ending in divorce. However, you and your spouse are the adults and you must give all of your support to the kids now, if you hope for them to continue with healthy relationships of their own, both with friends and their parents. Children of divorce are so vulnerable. It’s up to you to make this transition to a new life as easy as possible, for their sake.

Children of divorce, handled improperly, can lead to childhood anxiety, insomnia and even depression. Discipline problems can creep into the mix as well.

You may find it helpful to obtain a book on child psychology or child development, of the self-help type. If you can afford it, a session or two with a child psychologist may be of immeasurable help in guiding your kids along a healthy path.

You owe this to your kids. With the right care, children of divorce can be happy and well adjusted individuals whose love for each of you is unconditional.

Just a few decades ago, you hardly ever saw a child who looked overweight. In fact, kids were most often considered scrawny, until they were well into their teens and started filling out and gaining weight. Today, children who are scrawny are few and far between. Now, kids still in grade school are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes used to be a condition which didn’t develop until at least middle age. Being overweight is a risk factor for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, along with a host of other health conditions, including heart disease.

It’s not difficult to figure out why a child obesity prevention program is necessary. What has caused this epidemic of overweight and obese kids? A brief look back in recent history and American eating patterns provides some clear answers.

During the Great Depression, people had a hard time putting sufficient food on the table. As a result, there were very few overweight people. Kids were thin, as a rule and remained so into their adult years. The next generation of kids, while growing taller and generally being better nourished, still did not develop weight problems at an early age. What we now call ‘whole’ foods, that is, unprocessed foods which did not contain excessive amounts of salt and sugar, hormones, antibiotics and food additives, were the healthy foods served every day.The term ‘couch potato’ had not yet been coined and people would have thought you were crazy had you mentioned the need for child obesity prevention. These problems simply did not exist. Kids got daily exercise both in school through P.E. Classes and school yard recess, and begged parents to go ride their bikes or go to the playground. Fast food, processed foods and junk food did not constitute the majority of kid’s diets, as is the case today. Soda, candy and chips were considered occasional treats.

Perhaps the most effective child obesity prevention program is to make a return to the general eating and exercise habits of the post World War II era. Sure, you’ll have a hard time prying the kids away from several hours of web surfing and television watching and instead insist that they get out to ride bikes, play a game of basketball, soccer, volleyball or baseball for just an hour each day – anything that keeps them active and moving.

No kid wants to be overweight or obese. While you may initially have to force them to comply with your child obesity prevention program, once they break their old habits, they’ll feel and see the positive effects. They may even come to enjoy their new habits. One thing is for certain. For the sake of our kid’s health, both now and through adulthood, we must address this epidemic of overweight and obese kids now.

While illegal drugs are now readily available, even in grade schools, it should not be so shocking that adolescent alcohol abuse is also a widespread problem. Unlike prescription and street drugs, alcohol is legal and readily available in most people’s homes. While you, as a parent, may have a stock of alcoholic beverages in your home bar inventory, you might never imagine that your kids are imbibing.

You certainly must worry about the drug culture going on in every school, but may not realize how far down this reaches, even to the grade school level. By the time your child reaches middle school, you can be sure that they are exposed to alcohol and drugs. Peer pressure plays a big role in fostering a desire to ‘be cool’ and experiment with both alcohol and drugs. Drugs may scare off some kids, but alcohol is a socially sanctioned, legal, ‘recreational’ step into the world of adult privileges.

Kids don’t seem to distinguish between alcohol and drugs, except that drugs are illegal, while alcohol is not. Perhaps this is why adolescent alcohol abuse is on the rise. “My parents drink, so why shouldn’t I try it?” is a common refrain.One thing does lead to another, and in the case of adolescent alcohol abuse, kids can sneak alcohol right from their own home. They don’t realize that their physiological development is not that of an adults and that alcohol affects them differently. They also don’t understand moderation in all things is the best course of action. While you may enjoy an occasional drink with dinner, or be able to enjoy a simple relaxing effect, kids tend to overdo. They are looking for that absolute high. Alcohol provides such a high. Adolescent alcohol abuse is what ensues.

So how can you help your kids distinguish between moderate enjoyment and abuse? If you, as a parent, choose to drink alcohol in moderation, you must prove, by example, the difference. Talk to your kids. When you pour a glass of wine with dinner, confine yourself to a glass or two.

In European households, children are sometimes allowed to have a few sips, on special occasions. They may get that heady feeling, along with a sense that it’s not some forbidden enjoyment, but is tied to the enjoyment of the food. They are not likely to be tempted to indulge outside the home and may not even enjoy it.

The basis of the show was a group of adolescent friends that call themselves The Midnight Society. Each episode finds them sat round a secretly located campfire in the woods, taking it in turn to tell each other scary tales. These stories never overstep the mark of what is an acceptable fright story for a child and they stay away from anything graphic. A typical plot would involve a haunted house, magic curses, witches, aliens, or ghosts. The episodes would conclude with a happy ending, at least for the main cast.

The storytelling group included Ross Hull as Gary, Jodie Resther as Kiki, Rachel Blanchard as Kristen, Kareem Blackwell as Quinn, and Daniel DeSanto as Tucker.
In addition to the regulars in Are You Afraid of the Dark, there were recurring characters, such as Sardo, who owned a magic shop that the children frequent. Another character was Dr.Vink, who was portrayed as a mad scientist.

For anyone who missed the original run or for those who want to indulge in nostalgia, there are DVDs available of the series. The complete seasons are all there and feature bonus features of episode synopses. The sixth season DVD also has a photo gallery from that season. There is also a compilation of eight episodes called Are You Afraid of the Dark? – Freaky Favorites. Fans of the show can also announce their loyalty with a Midnight Society T-shirt. The fan base isn’t confined to the United States, as re-runs of the shows are watched in the UK, Australia, the Czech Republic and in Latin countries.There is an excellent website, called Are You Afraid of the Dark – The Campfire, that celebrates the show with pictures, games and information. Fans can watch entire episodes, read episode guides and biographies of the characters. They can also read about the actors and what other TV shows and movies they made later. There are fun quotes and bits of trivia. The site began in 2004 and has proved very popular, keeping interest in the series alive. These stories, often taken from existing fairy tales and urban myths, inspired other shows aimed at a horror teen audience.

Computer skills are one of the most popular choices for Academic Summer Camps. Stanford University and UC Berkeley run Computer Camps for children from Elementary, Middle and High School. Small classes cater for different skill levels and each student is given a PC. Instruction is hands on and includes Java Programming, Web Design and Power Point presentation. There are also classes in business and marketing.

The Sally Ride Science Camps for Girls at Caltech and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) offer 5 days of intensive study for girls entering Grades 4 through 9. Students can choose from a list of science majors, including Astronomy, Marine Science, and Engineering. There are workshops, experiment sessions and projects to construct robots, rockets and marine habitats. This Academic Summer Camp also provides recreational activities.

Endicott College in Massachusetts is the place for Prep Camp Excel courses for 9th and 10th Grade students. The 8-day camp is ideal preparation for life in college. There are three major programs, Essay Writing, PSAT Prep and Test Taking Training, and Study Skills. One to one instruction helps students with their math, vocabulary and grammar skills. They take two full PSAT examinations and are given guidance on taking notes and managing their time efficiently. The summer camp for academia also encourages relaxing excursions too. Delphi in Oregon is the location for a camp that combines academic study and sports and recreation. It is the best of all worlds for children aged between 8 and 18. The summer camp has a choice of 4, 5, or 6-week camps. Subjects for study include Math, English, Science, and Computer Technology. There are more than 250 classes, including Photography, Art, Music, Drama, Nutrition or Creative Writing. The 700-acre campus is a welcoming environment for horseback riding, tennis and archery. Students also enjoy trips to the beach, going for hikes, and camping.

Whether students favor Chess Camps, Science Camps, or Computer Camps or they want to focus on SAT preparation, they will have a productive summer and make new friends. Many courses teach them how to relate to their environment. These Academic Summer Camps may help them to decide on which college major to take or which career path to choose. They will also encourage independence and self-reliance, qualities they will need in the future.

One part of protecting children online is deciding when they are old enough to get on there in the first place. My daughter got on very young, but it was to certain websites that I pulled up on my own. These had children’s preschool games, and they were all that she could do. I was not too worried at that point because she could not read, but I do know she could always see things I did not want her to see. For those under five, you can protect children online by only allowing them to go on there if you are with them.

As children get a little older, they are going to be going online at school. Schools are very good about keeping things safe, but talk with your child’s teacher if you are concerned. They are going to want to look online for homework and to learn about things. To protect children online at this age, you have to be watching them. You don’t have to be right over their shoulder, but you should be nearby. Tell them that you have to help them if they are searching for something, as you want to be sure that links are safe.You can protect children online that are older by telling them that you have rules. You can say where they are allowed to go and from where they must stay away. If they have an email account, instant messenger name, or a profile anywhere online, you must have all current passwords and they should know that you are going to be checking up on them. If you don’t want them on any of those to protect children online, check the computer history so that you know they are following your rules. Check up on them by checking their accounts. It is better to be nosy than to be sorry.

You can also find some software that will help you protect children online. This is stuff that will block web sites that you may not want them to see. If they try to go to them, they are going to be blocked. You can set up an account just for them on your computer that only allows certain types of sites to come up as well. In order to protect children online, you have to take precautionary measures, and you have to keep an eye on them.