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new adventure Tips to use for the school year The time for the new adventure has arrived, the beginning of a new school year. Dave Wilbert, center director of the Sylvan Learning Center in Rialto, has some suggestions for parents making that transition from vacation time to school time. Establish a routine for the school day and start using it even before school begins. Also, set expectations for the coming year, but at the same time try to impart an infectious excitement to your child about the months to come. No matter what grade your child may be entering this year, developing good study and homework habits will be an asset throughout his or her academic career. Wilbert views parental involvement as a key to developing those habits and has some suggestions for both students and parents regarding homework and independent study. The time and place for homework should be as well organized and consistent as your child’s study habits should be. The place can be the kitchen table or a desk in the child’s room. "It has to be an organized place that’s conducive to good study habits," Wilbert says. "Try to make it a specific time every day so that the child has a consistent expectation of when to study." As important as it is for a child to learn to work independently, there will always be those times when a little parental help is needed. Wilbert encourages parents to handle those times as positively and patiently as they can. "If it’s something you feel they’ve already learned, don’t be frustrated or discouraged that you’re having to spend time on the same skill. That’s part of the learning process, especially for younger learners," sys Wilbert. "It takes time for young learners to get things into long-term memory." Information: 800.EDUCATE or www.educate.com. In Rialto: 909.562.0234. By Michael J. Medley family finance By Jonathan Fagan Mental Math Examine two financial 'blind spots' Most people are unknowingly misbehaving when it comes to our finances, which can cost us hundreds, even thousands of dollars, annually. Mental accounting and framing are two key "blind spots" that may keep you from reaching your financial goals. Let's look at mental accounting. Research shows that we tend to create "mental accounts" to categorize spending on things like food, clothing or entertainment. Even though all money "spends" the same, people tend to treat birthday or gift money differently from earned money. In a 2003 study conducted by Synovate for the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, two-thirds of the respondents said they would drive 20 minutes to save $8 on an alarm clock, but almost 75 percent would not drive the same distance to save $8 on a new TV. Note how the same amount of money can be regarded so differently - all depending on our mental view of the situation. This is what prompts people to spend more when they use credit cards, even though all money "spends" the same. Another common blind spot is framing, or making financial decisions on how the choices are presented. In the survey, respondents were asked the same question in two different ways to determine if they were susceptible to framing. Roughly half said they could not comfortably save 20 percent of their household's income. Yet, 7-in-10 said they could live on 80 percent of their income. The lesson here is to objectively evaluate financial decisions and compare the best option next to the worst one. The financial behavior study included doctors, attorneys and CPAs, and suggests that people from all walks of life are prone to misbehaviors. Learning about your potential blind spots is the first step toward correcting them. Talking with a qualified financial professional is a good way to understand these misbehaviors and improve financial decision-making skills. Jonathan Fagan is a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network/The Waltos Group in Newport Beach. Information: 949.863.5800 or www.nmfn.com/waltosgroup.com grades matter The middle years stress the young student The next time your 9- to 13-year-old exclaims, "I don't care!" when a questionable grade appears on the report card, don't believe him. A recent survey shows that this age group thinks deeply about doing well in school. Of the top eight causes of worry or stress of those surveyed, the top reason, given by 53% of respondents, was school grades. The KidsHealth KidsPoll survey also listed the other seven reasons of stress, with the percentage representing areas that cause daily or weekly worry: • Looks or appearance (43%) • Problems at home (39%) • Being liked (33%) • Being out of shape or overweight (32%) • Your future (30%) • Being a failure by disappointing loved ones (29%) • Your friends and their problems (27%) Asked, "When stressed or worried about something, what do you usually do?," the answers broke down this way: 25% talk to parents or friends; 24% keep the issue to themselves; 17% do none of the above; and 9% do something about the cause of the worry. Some 42% of respondents go to their parents to "learn more about a topic that is worrying them." Surprisingly, and potentially troubling, some 24% go to the Internet to find the answer. The KidsHealth KidsPoll is a project of the National Association of Health Education Centers, the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, and the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern Illinois University Cardondale. For more information: nahec.org/KidsPoll. Little Voice New coaching program assists parents Imagine having a little voice whisper some advice on how to handle those difficult parenting moments: temper tantrums, sibling fights or the strong-willed child who refuses to budge. Such assistance will become a reality for local families beginning in October when the Child Guidance Center in Santa Ana launches a "coaching" program for parents. Developed by the Department of Pediatrics at UC Davis Medical Center, the approach calls for the parent and child to be seen together in specially designed observation and treatment rooms, each which have a 2-way mirror and a remote-controlled video camera. The parent wears an electronic device in his or her ear and is coached by a therapist from behind the mirror who whispers words of support and tips on how to handle given situations. "It's a different approach. It's very behavioral and it gives you concrete skills in what to do with your child," says Lori Pack, director of child abuse prevention and treatment programs at Child Guidance Center. "So often when our kids go into a screaming- or temper-tantrum (mode), parents give into the child. So the nice thing about this is you're getting a lot of support." Parent Child Interaction Therapy, the first outpatient program of its kind in Orange County, will initially be offered to at-risk families in areas of Santa Ana who have children between the ages of 2 and 8 and have issues of domestic violence and/or child abuse. Next year, the center hopes to expand the program to include other populations. In addition to weekly, 1-hour, "coaching" sessions, which last between 14 to 20 weeks, therapists also visit each family's home to further assist with parenting skills. Daily homework is assigned as well and families report back to a therapist via the phone for about 5 minutes each day. The Child Guidance Center, Inc. was founded in 1967 by a group of concerned parents and mental health professionals. The nonprofit agency serves more than 3,100 children and families living in Orange County each year. For more information, visit www.cgcoc.org or call 714.953.4455. Sandy Bennett is associate editor at Inland Empire Family Magazine. we like them! U.S. adults go easier on perception of children A new study shows that in the past nine years, the American public has gone from general negative thoughts about children to a much more beautific viewpoint. Twice as many adults (43%) use positive terms such as "wonderful" and "great" when describing children than in 1995. And when asked about their own children or those they know well, that number jumps to 78% of parents and 71% of non-parents, according to the Advertising Council. Many more adults today (72%) than in the mid-90s believe that raising children is the responsibility of parents as well as a supportive community. Almost all those polled (97%) believe that one person can make a difference in the life of a child, and that a majority (78%) would like to help. had a drink? Many ages 9-13 are at least offered one Some 29% of 9- to 13-year-olds polled about alcohol consumption say they have been offered a drink at least once. A KidsPoll by KidsHealth this year indicates that of those youngsters, 34% had been offered alcohol by "adults I know" and 29% by "older kids." Some 3% of respondents say they drink alcohol every week; 3% say at least once a month; 4% say they drink once in awhile. Some 72% of those surveyed say they have never tried alcohol and 18% said they've tried it once. The poll reached 700 respondents throughout the U.S.; KidsHealth KidsPoll is a project of the National Association of Health Education Centers, the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, and the Department of Health Education and Recreation, Southern Illinois University Cardondale. Information: nahec.org/KidsPoll. beware, sex offenders Supreme Court rules on registration The California Supreme Court has ruled that a person convicted of possessing child pornography must be registered with the state as a sex offender. Leon Casey Alva was convicted of the misdemeanor of possessing child pornography in 1999 in a Municipal Court trial. Alva appealed on the grounds that requiring him to register as a sex offender violated the "cruel and unusual punishment" clause of the California Constitution, citing the 1983 decision In re Reed in which it was decided that requiring lifelong registration as a sex offender should not apply to one convicted of engaging in, or soliciting, lewd or dissolute conduct in a public place. The court, however, found that Reed was incorrectly decided. By a unanimous vote, the court ruled that registration is a legitimate regulatory measure designed to assist law enforcement and protect the public, and is not a punitive measure. The ruling has been met with both praise and criticism. Although pundits in favor argue that it's a necessary tool and will keep children safer from sexual predators, critics insist that it's ignorant and unnecessary to track those convicted of minor offenses. For instance, a psychiatrist found that Alva represented no danger to children, though he must now register with the local police department at any location where he spends more than five days. Advocates of enforcement believe registration is a deterrent and simply reinforces the need to protect children. Registration is now required for not only possession of child pornography, but indecent exposure, pimping, and pandering as well. -By Matt Susson lunch at school Parents pack 'em, and students trade/trash 'em Does your child eat, trash or trade the carefully packed, nutritionally balanced lunch you've put into a brown bag for school? Sandwiches, fruit, chips and juice boxes are the top four items found most often in school lunches. But what matters to the young student is taste and having fun, says a survey conducted by KRC Research of 1,000 moms and 1,000 students ages 8-12. And having fun most often means hanging out with friends during the lunch break. Only 17% of respondents said that eating lunch was fun. The students say they are trashing (73%) and trading (36%) parts of their school lunch at least once a week. In order of preference, students most likely swap for chips, sweets or candy; other snacks such as cookies; or anything they like better than what's in their own sad sack. The trick is to pack something the child likes that also is nutritionally sound, say 52% of moms. And nearly all mothers (97%) say that nutritional value is important. However, nearly one-third admit to sacrificing nutritional content for convenience. "Well-balanced lunches containing foods from the major food groups don't have to be boring," advises Dr. Jodie Shield, mother and co-author of a book on healthy eating. The Lunchroom Monitor Survey was developed by LUNCHABLES. Family News Bites AREA CODE CHANGES For much of Riverside County, the area code is changing, a reflection of the booming population in the Inland Empire. With a population that is expected to grow by 2 million people, to 5.5 million within 20 years, this may be only the first of more adjustments. The area code changed to 951 from 909; a grace period continues until Oct. 30. ADOPT OLDER CHILDREN Ontario-based Children’s Bureau, a licensed private foster and adoption agency, is seeking individuals and families who can bring an older child into their home. Thousands of hard-to-place older children, ages 14 and older, need a permanent, safe and loving place to call home. Information: 909.983.7171, Ext. 201. LITTLE THINGS IN SCIENCE A UC Riverside summer program took 35 local high school students and teachers to the junction of science fiction and science fact. The two-week program, "Frontiers in Nanotechnology and Engineering," showed the participants from 28 high schools in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties how advances in nanotechnology are expanding other fields, including medicine and engineering. Linda O’Neill, UCR’s director of special programs, said, "The professors enjoyed it as much as the participants. It was a joy to see everyone so excited about nanotechnology and wanting to know more. Hopefully, it will inspire students to pursue science and technology careers." Reported and compiled by Inland Empire Family Magazine staff |
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