The Fire Challenge, And Other Poor Choices #firechallenge #passoutchallenge

I know as you read the title you are asking yourself " how can anyone be so crazy to set themselves on fire"?

This is not fun or funny! This is deadly!

Not only are these kids setting themselves on fire, they are using rubbing alcohol as an accelerant and video taping each other to prove they did the #firechallenge.

I just want to scream right now!

Several challenges are circulating the internet & video airwaves right now that are very dangerous for your children to even think about. Search these hashtags :

#firechallenge

#passoutchallenge

#gtschallenge

#passoutgame

#chokingchallenge

#gotosleepchallenge

#chokinggame

#spacemonkeychallenge or game

 

Educate yourself, your kids and others about these deadly risk behaviors!

Save a life!

For more info and education visit http://Ed4Ed4All.com

 

 

 

 

SAFE HALLOWEEN : make it great!

 

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Feel free to excerpt these tips or use them in their entirety for any print or broadcast story, with acknowledgment of source.

ALL DRESSED UP:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost.

CARVING A NICHE:

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.

• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.

HOME SAFE HOME:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves or snow should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.

• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.

• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.

• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters.
• Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.

• Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.

• Carry a cellphone for quick communication.

• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.

• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.

• Never cut across yards or use alleys.

• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.

• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!

• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

HEALTHY HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween.

©2013 American Academy of Pediatrics

- See more at: http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx#sthash.Fdb2FMGW.dpuf

Be safe and have fun! Return home alive.

 

 

 

Heat Stroke : Kids in Cars Never Alone!

So you think you are not one of those parents that would leave their kid in the car and walk away unknowingly? Think again? This can happen to anybody!

So don't be so judgemental when it happens to others and children die, lets work together to educate each other about the problem and try to find a fix to keep it from happening to someone elses child. Make sure to watch the video below, it will make you stop and think about it. These tragedies are so completely preventable.

 

Heat exhaustion starts slowly and if it is not quickly treated can progress to heatstroke. In heatstroke, a child's temperature reaches 105 degrees F(40.5 C) or higher. Heatstroke requires immediate medical care and can be fatal.

 

Heatstroke is the common cause of death when children are left in the car by accident. Young children are particularly at risk, since their tiny bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult's.

To help parents not leave their kids in the car by accident, the organization “Kids and Cars” have created a helpful acronym (Be Safe) to assist parents:

 

Back seat: Put something in the back seat whenever you strap a child in, so you have to open the back door, or at least turn around to find that item, when you get out of the car. Your handbag or briefcase, cellphone, or employee badge.

Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal: Keep a brightly colored one in the car seat when your child isn’t there. Then move it from the car seat to the front seat after you strap your child in, to remind you when your baby is in the back seat.

Ask your baby sitter or child-care provider to call you within 10 minutes if your child hasn’t arrived on time.

Focus on driving: Avoid cellphone calls and text-messaging while driving.

Every time you park your vehicle—every single time—open the back door to make sure no one has been left behind.

Hopefully the PSA and the helpful tips for parents will help decrease the number of child deaths we see each year from vehicular heat strokes.

*Please note that Red Castle Productions have stated that this video is “a reenactment and no one was harmed in the making of this film.”




Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. On average, every 10 days a child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle.
Top Tips from Safe Kids USA:

Reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT.

A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.

C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.

T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

Teach children not to play in cars, make sure to always lock your vehicle, including doors and trunks when not using it. Keep keys and remote entry fobs up and out if sight, do not use them as toys for your child.

Teach children that trunks are for carrying cargo only and are not safe places to play. Anytime your child is missing, check pools and car trunks, call for help.

If your children are ever locked in a car, get them out quickly as possible and dial 911 immediately. Emergency personnel are trained to evaluate and check for signs of heat exhaustion.

 

Please stay safe today, watch for more Summer time tips coming soon.

Stand Up, Speak Out and Do Something! #stopbullyingnow

A repost from my family blog Chipsofftheoldblock.blogspot.com
What can you do about bullying? 
Teach your kids what bullies are, what cyberbullies are. Respect for others begins at home, teach your kids to respect others, that way they don't become the bully.
Have a plan if your child is ever bullied, they already know it is ok to come to you and tell you about the activity. If a friend is being bullied it is ok to tell a parent or another adult, just standing by and doing nothing will not help the problem go away. 
Educate yourself and your family about violence. Do it now!

I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies Psalm18:3
Psalm 55:22  Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

 

11 Facts about Bullying that just tear my hide up! As a mom especially. 

• Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year.

• 1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene 4 percent of the time.

• Approximately 160,000 teens skip school every day because of bullying.

• 1 in 7 students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying.

• 56 percent of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school.

• Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective.

• 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school.

• 90 percent of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying.

• 1 out 10 students drop out of school because of repeated bullying.

• Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75 percent of school-shooting incidents.

• Physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school.  Verbal abuse, on the other hand, remains constant.

• A 2009 survey found that 9 out of 10 LGBT youth reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

These statistics are sickening and embarrassing to me, I can not believe that in America we can let this kind of activity go on in our school systems, systems that our tax dollars pay for!!
Another reason I will continue to homeschool my children until they graduate high school. Now I do realize that they can be bullied anywhere at anytime, even online, but they have been educated enough to know that it is wrong and will not be tolerated. This momma bear would not be happy if she found out her child had been bullied and somebody stood by watching and did nothing.
As a parent, I can not believe that other parents let bullying occur in schools without raising the roof off the school building.
Just my personal opinion. They say homeschool kids are not socialized, my teen daughter told me she did not want to socialize with bullies and drama, she wants to learn, that is why she is happy at home. 

                        Source: infographicsarchive.com via Joann on Pinterest

Green Tea~ 11 Reasons why you should drink more

 

A simple thing you can do to boost your health and wellness, try a cup in the morning instead of your coffee, start the day off to a great one!