Every now and then, the words of a stranger profoundly impact my life. I came across the following paragraph the other day and haven't yet been able to clear it from the chambers of my mind.
It truly resonated with this former teenager, who still remembers his own troubled adolescence even though it transpired some seventeen years ago.
These are the heartrending words composed by an ordinary mother after her teenage son took his own life - another senseless victim of cyber bullying.
"October 7, 2003 will always be the day that divides my life.
Before that day my son Ryan was alive. A sweet, gentle and lanky thirteen year old fumbling his way through early adolescence and trying to establish his place in the often confusing and difficult social world of middle school. After that day my son would be gone forever, a death by suicide. Some would call it bullycide or even cyber bullycide. I just call it a huge hole in my heart that will never heal."
Cyber bullying refers to a vicious act of harassment occurring via the Internet - in chat rooms, on social networking sites or through email messages.
Years ago being pushed around on the school playground or teased in the cafeteria was considered bullying.
But this is drastically different.
Cyber bullying quickly and deliberately destroys the character and integrity of a young teenager in a very public forum - one that's hard and often impossible to erase. Isolated incidents are no longer the case as high schools and universities all around the country are plagued by the epidemic - possibly even in your town.
Unfortunately, it's a subject people rarely speak about until a teenager takes their own life.
Whenever the trailblazers of the world create a product or service for the betterment of society, someone inevitably finds a way to use it against each other.
Sites like Facebook, YouTube and MySpace were established to allow people from all across the globe to connect in a positive manner.
Yet now they've become tools for the younger generation to use in their biased assaults against one another.
I'm sure many of you are now familiar with Tyler Clementi - an ordinary college freshman at Rutgers University who possessed an amazing talent for playing the violin.
His young life was filled with promise and opportunity, until a video was released over the Internet of him and another teen in a private, sexual encounter.
Posted by fellow classmates just as easily as uploading photos from their summer vacation, they cared little about the potential consequences.
A day later, Tyler took his own life.
The bullies of the world rarely personalize their victims. Perhaps if they did they might better understand that we're all human beings - someone's son or daughter; a cherished friend or classmate. Those victimized don't deserve the pain and suffering inflicted upon them and their families by individuals who believe tormenting those who are different will make them feel better about themselves.
A group of 12th graders at a Northampton High School were recently asked, "why do people engage in bullying behavior?" Some of the answers were surprising: "There doesn't always have to be a reason. People don't even always dislike the people they're bullying, it's just something they have fun doing..
.
It's not really something they even care about - it's just like something they can do, and then friends join in, and it's almost like entertainment, I guess.
"
Entertainment, huh? Try telling that to Ryan and Tyler's families.
Doctor Richard L.
Gross of the American Academy of Child and Adolescne Psychiatry says, "We are all either bullies, bullied or bystanders.
" Don't allow yourself to become a sedintary bystander. Talk to your teenagers, even if they're not eager to listen.
Remind them that we're all part of the human race - inhabiting the same planet; made from the same flesh and bones.
Because of this, we're all worthy of the respect, compassion and tolerance we desire for ourselves.
As humanity continues to battle each other for dominance, the time has come to change the face of social bullying before another parent is left with a huge hole in their heart that will never heal.
Monday, 29 December 2014
Best Jobs for Teenagers
Are you a teenager currently looking for a job? Or, perhaps you're looking to find your teenager a job? Either way, there are several great jobs out there for them.
The only problem is that you usually have to be around 16 years of age to get hired these days.
If you're looking for the best places to get hired in at, here are a few ideas! Wait staff: There are several waitressing and waiter jobs out there.
Whether you work at a fancier up-scale place, or the local mom and pop shop, you can make some great money in tips! Babysitter: If you love children, there is no better job than babysitting.
Getting to play outside with kids all day, take care of them and make sure they get fed throughout the day are all fun responsibilities of a babysitter! Retail: If you don't like either of those ideas, try retail.
There are a lot of great retail jobs out there.
Whether you work at a large and well known place like Wal-Mart, or you work at a tiny grocery store, it's great experience getting to work with customers. Landscaping: If you're looking for more of a summer job, landscaping is always a great idea! There are several lawn cutting jobs, or more landscaping and decorating ideas. This can be a nice way to get outdoors each and every day! As you can see, there are several different ideas out there. I highly recommend you check your local newspaper weekly or hop online and type in your zip code so you can see what's available in your area!
The only problem is that you usually have to be around 16 years of age to get hired these days.
If you're looking for the best places to get hired in at, here are a few ideas! Wait staff: There are several waitressing and waiter jobs out there.
Whether you work at a fancier up-scale place, or the local mom and pop shop, you can make some great money in tips! Babysitter: If you love children, there is no better job than babysitting.
Getting to play outside with kids all day, take care of them and make sure they get fed throughout the day are all fun responsibilities of a babysitter! Retail: If you don't like either of those ideas, try retail.
There are a lot of great retail jobs out there.
Whether you work at a large and well known place like Wal-Mart, or you work at a tiny grocery store, it's great experience getting to work with customers. Landscaping: If you're looking for more of a summer job, landscaping is always a great idea! There are several lawn cutting jobs, or more landscaping and decorating ideas. This can be a nice way to get outdoors each and every day! As you can see, there are several different ideas out there. I highly recommend you check your local newspaper weekly or hop online and type in your zip code so you can see what's available in your area!
Sunday, 28 December 2014
Inspiring Imagination and Sleep With a Wooden Toddler Bed
Getting a young child to stay in their bed can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish. Unlike a crib, their new bed allows them to get up as they please. However, you can make the process much easier on them and yourself if you provide them with a wooden toddler bed they like.
Just think about how nice it would be for your little boy to fall asleep in a fire engine bed or your little girl in a princess bed.
Of course, when you base your decision on what bed is right for your child, you should consider their own personality.
In fact, for the best results, let them have a say in the decision.
By choosing one that is designed around a subject they enjoy, it can inspire their imagination.
Instead of crawling out of bed every two minutes, they can lay in their bed, pretending they are in a real boat, fire truck, or castle.
When you first start shopping, you may be a little overwhelmed by your choices.
You will probably come across some that are made with plastic and the first thing you should realize about these is they are not going to hold up.
If you remember your own childhood, you probably remember exactly how much you enjoyed jumping on your bed. Before you go out and purchase the first one you see, do a little research.
Is the dealer reputable? Are they known for quality products? The thing is, if you choose one made of quality, it can be used for many generations instead of just the few short years your own child will be in it.
Whether your child is a little girl who likes to pretend she is the princess in her own castle or your little boy dreams of becoming a firefighter, you can inspire their imagination further by choosing a quality wooden toddler bed in a style that will match their interests.
Not only that, you will find this bed will also inspire them to stay in it and actually get some sleep.
Just think about how nice it would be for your little boy to fall asleep in a fire engine bed or your little girl in a princess bed.
Of course, when you base your decision on what bed is right for your child, you should consider their own personality.
In fact, for the best results, let them have a say in the decision.
By choosing one that is designed around a subject they enjoy, it can inspire their imagination.
Instead of crawling out of bed every two minutes, they can lay in their bed, pretending they are in a real boat, fire truck, or castle.
When you first start shopping, you may be a little overwhelmed by your choices.
You will probably come across some that are made with plastic and the first thing you should realize about these is they are not going to hold up.
If you remember your own childhood, you probably remember exactly how much you enjoyed jumping on your bed. Before you go out and purchase the first one you see, do a little research.
Is the dealer reputable? Are they known for quality products? The thing is, if you choose one made of quality, it can be used for many generations instead of just the few short years your own child will be in it.
Whether your child is a little girl who likes to pretend she is the princess in her own castle or your little boy dreams of becoming a firefighter, you can inspire their imagination further by choosing a quality wooden toddler bed in a style that will match their interests.
Not only that, you will find this bed will also inspire them to stay in it and actually get some sleep.
Introducing Kids Internet Safety
The internet is a great time-saving tool.
It allows anyone to access information on virtually any subject 24 hours a day.
It also allows us to communicate with others in varied and expedient ways. Sadly, these advantages also present a severe exposure to our kids and grandkids.
Not only can kids access adult sites of every description, but predators and scammers can access our children.
Chat rooms, social media and email allow a predator to communicate with children and potentially lead them to an in-person sexual contact. The good news is that some things can and have been done to reduce this scary hazard to our children's safety. In 1998, after online predators and scams had aroused the hue and cry of many citizens in this country, Congress passed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
COPPA was designed essentially to prevent web site operators from collecting personal information from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent.
Personal information, in this context, includes name, home and email addresses, mobile and home telephone numbers, and hobbies, interests and other information collected through cookies or other tracking mechanisms when they are tied to individual identification information.
The operator must post a link to a privacy policy statement on the site and again at the beginning of the children's portion of the site if the site is mixed. To share information publicly or with third parties, the web site operator must: obtain a signed form via postal mail or facsimile; accept and verify a credit card number; take phone calls from parents on a toll-free line by trained personnel; receive an email with digital signature; receive an email with a PIN or password obtained through one of the aforementioned methods.
Parents can revoke of refine their permission or request a site operator delete their child's information at any time.
Chat room conversations, including both sides, may be requested by parents as well.
Watch for some basic indicators that might suggest that your child has made contact with an online predator.
Aside from the usual teenage responses, is your child talking less with family members or missing meals with the family? Is your child receiving telephone calls or gifts from people you don't know? Is the child meeting someone you don't know? Discuss the rules you set about internet use with your child.
Limit the amount of time spent on the computer each day. For those six years of age or younger, provide continuous supervision.
Place computers in an open, accessible area such as a living room, kitchen or den so that you can monitor what your child is watching.
Inappropriate sites are much less likely to be viewed while parents are in the room.
Check with school officials, public librarians and parents of your child's friends to determine what controls are in place at each of those locations for internet usage.
Let children know if you are going to monitor their email and internet traffic.
Occasionally, check the cookies on your child's computer to see where he or she has visited.
Televisions and cell phones can have a parental control applied which is operated by the parents.
If you're looking for more effective protection measures, there are both hardware and software controls that can be purchased and added to your family's system.
The software types are easier to install and provide both the opportunity to block certain sites form a child's viewing, and the ability to monitor everything the child is accessing in the way of sites and receiving on email.
The email is a very strong tool that presents many advantages and some exposures to children's safety as well.
Watch for signs that your child has been approached online by a predator or a scam artist.
Talk with your child about these dangers, and apply some machine and software controls to greatly increase your child's online safety.
It allows anyone to access information on virtually any subject 24 hours a day.
It also allows us to communicate with others in varied and expedient ways. Sadly, these advantages also present a severe exposure to our kids and grandkids.
Not only can kids access adult sites of every description, but predators and scammers can access our children.
Chat rooms, social media and email allow a predator to communicate with children and potentially lead them to an in-person sexual contact. The good news is that some things can and have been done to reduce this scary hazard to our children's safety. In 1998, after online predators and scams had aroused the hue and cry of many citizens in this country, Congress passed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
COPPA was designed essentially to prevent web site operators from collecting personal information from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent.
Personal information, in this context, includes name, home and email addresses, mobile and home telephone numbers, and hobbies, interests and other information collected through cookies or other tracking mechanisms when they are tied to individual identification information.
The operator must post a link to a privacy policy statement on the site and again at the beginning of the children's portion of the site if the site is mixed. To share information publicly or with third parties, the web site operator must: obtain a signed form via postal mail or facsimile; accept and verify a credit card number; take phone calls from parents on a toll-free line by trained personnel; receive an email with digital signature; receive an email with a PIN or password obtained through one of the aforementioned methods.
Parents can revoke of refine their permission or request a site operator delete their child's information at any time.
Chat room conversations, including both sides, may be requested by parents as well.
Watch for some basic indicators that might suggest that your child has made contact with an online predator.
Aside from the usual teenage responses, is your child talking less with family members or missing meals with the family? Is your child receiving telephone calls or gifts from people you don't know? Is the child meeting someone you don't know? Discuss the rules you set about internet use with your child.
Limit the amount of time spent on the computer each day. For those six years of age or younger, provide continuous supervision.
Place computers in an open, accessible area such as a living room, kitchen or den so that you can monitor what your child is watching.
Inappropriate sites are much less likely to be viewed while parents are in the room.
Check with school officials, public librarians and parents of your child's friends to determine what controls are in place at each of those locations for internet usage.
Let children know if you are going to monitor their email and internet traffic.
Occasionally, check the cookies on your child's computer to see where he or she has visited.
Televisions and cell phones can have a parental control applied which is operated by the parents.
If you're looking for more effective protection measures, there are both hardware and software controls that can be purchased and added to your family's system.
The software types are easier to install and provide both the opportunity to block certain sites form a child's viewing, and the ability to monitor everything the child is accessing in the way of sites and receiving on email.
The email is a very strong tool that presents many advantages and some exposures to children's safety as well.
Watch for signs that your child has been approached online by a predator or a scam artist.
Talk with your child about these dangers, and apply some machine and software controls to greatly increase your child's online safety.
How to Teach Your Teenager to Drive
In this article, I use the pronouns "he" or "him" when I refer to teenage drivers. I do this only for convenience and to avoid confusion.
If you need to teach your teenage girl to drive, just substitute "she" or "her" for "he" or "him".
Step One: Start out in a very large parking lot that is empty most of the time.
In our location, the Civic Center/Fair Grounds is the perfect spot.
Begin by having your teen drive around the perimeter of the parking lot at least three times. Have him go no more than 20 miles/hour.
Get him used to steering the car and using the accelerator and brake pedal. Then have him practice parking and backing out of one of the parking stalls for awhile.
Then have him drive around the perimeter again, but this time, in the opposite direction. Then you can practice parallel parking.
Next, have your teen make left and right turns.
Have him move up and down the large lot, telling him to turn at irregular intervals. Make sure he uses his turn signals.
Emphasize both hands on the wheel, eyes straight ahead, and the old hand over hand turning style.
Also pretend there are stop lights and stop signs.
Tell your teen exactly where they are and do this well ahead of time. Teach him the difference between four way stops and two way stops.
Tell him how red and yellow lights differ.
Also let him know how long yellow lights usually last and when he should slow down or go through a yellow light. After awhile, this will become a judgment call on his part.
Practice in the parking lot for the first two or three hours of driving time. Your teenager needs to familiarize himself with the car's controls and become confident in his ability to steer the car, use the reverse gear, accelerate, and slow the car down to a stop.
Teach him also how to set the parking brake and use his seat belts.
Once you think your teen is ready for some traffic, it's time to take him on county or lightly trafficked country roads.
Step Two: Find country or county roads that are lightly trafficked and take your teenager out there.
Stop by the side of the road and change drivers.
Then have your teen drive up and down these roads.
Try to locate an area that has at least four or five country roads in a row. Then have him go down one, make either a right or left turn, and go up another road.
Talk about how he should accelerate slowly up a hill and look out for cars he may not be able to see.
Conversely, let him know why he should slow down going down a hill, even if he sees no traffic coming. On country or county roads, you shouldn't run into a lot of traffic. Where we live, we see mostly farming vehicles(tractors, etc) or trucks.
Your teen will get his first taste of speed as you encourage him to go at least 50 miles per hour or a little faster than the posted speed limit.
Have him work on applying the brake far enough in advance so that he can come to a smooth stop at an intersection.
Make sure your teen signals for a right or left turn at least 30 feet before any junction.
Have him also practice looking for cross traffic at two way stops.
Make sure he knows that he should accelerate coming out of a turn so he can leave an intersection as quickly as possible.
Tell him not to worry about cars behind him; if you are on a two lane road, the car behind can usually pass safely, especially if the road is straight.
Practice with your teen at least five hours on these lightly trafficked county roads.
When you feel he is ready, it's time for some in-town driving with normal traffic.
Step Three: We live in a small very compact town.
It's easy to get from one end to another in 15 minutes or so, even if you catch all the red lights.
No matter what type of town you live in, now is the time for your teen to pick destinations and to drive to them.
Have him drive to your favorite grocery store.
Once there, have him park.
Then have him back up and find his way out of the lot.
Next, have him drive to your usual gas station.
He should learn how to fill the gas tank.
Next, have him drive to his school.
If you drive him to school, have him drive there and change drivers as you drop him off.
Be sure to pull completely off the road into the school parking lot before you change drivers.
If you pick him up from school, he can also drive home.
Pick other nearby destinations, such as stores, church, dentist, shopping mall, restaurants, etc.
If he doesn't know how to get to a place, try to give him the easiest way.
Have him drive ANYWHERE you need to go. The whole idea for this step is to give your teen his first taste of having to drive in traffic as well as dealing with stop lights.
Try not to have your teen drive any more than half an hour at a time at this stage. Once he has completed at least another five hours in average traffic, it's time to move on to harder things. By the way, any hour amounts I give in this article are minimal; you can have your teen drive more for each step if you think he needs the experience. Step Four: Depending on where you live, the weather can vary from day to day.
Have your teen drive in the rain, while it's snowing, at dusk/dawn and when it is completely dark.
Make sure he knows how to use his headlights.
Show him how to turn on high beams and his fog lights and when/how to use them.
Emphasize the prime importance of signaling for a turn in adverse conditions.
Work on changing lanes. For example, if you want your teen to make a right turn, suggest he get into the right hand lane.
Make sure he uses his rear view mirror, the appropriate side mirror, and that he takes a quick peek over his shoulder before he makes the lane change. Have him tell you what the speed limit is in a given area and work with him to stay close to that speed. Tell him that he should drive as fast as it is safe, not necessarily the speed limit.
Suggest that he go a bit faster on a straight road with dry conditions and light traffic.
Make sure he knows why he should drive a little slower than the speed limit in wet conditions, in the dark or at dusk/dawn, or in very heavy traffic. By this time, your teen should be able to drive about one hour at a time.
Once he has another five hours or more under his belt, it's time to move on to more challenges.
Step Five: Now is the time to start taking your teen through some traffic challenges.
Be sure to mix these challenges with some easy traffic so he will stay confident in his driving ability.
Find construction zones and work with your teen on how to negotiate his way through these areas.
Emphasize that he must move slowly.
In our town, road construction seems to happen in the spring and summer months.
Also, have him drive in what you know are very heavily trafficked areas.
Have him drive these during morning and evening "rush" hours, if possible.
Also, try lunch time, usually between 11am and 1pm.
Weekend days are good times too.
The whole idea is to get him used to heavy and unpredictable traffic patterns. See how he reacts to unexpected happenings.
What does he do or say when someone cuts him off? How about when he gets behind someone going too slowly? What does he say or do? An important thing to tell him is to expect the unexpected, no matter what.
You have to remember that as long as you are in the car with him, your teen is going to react the way he knows you would approve. But he will drop his "mask" every now and then so you can get an idea of what he will do when he starts to drive alone. Talk to your teen about remaining calm and give him your best ideas on what he should do when faced with a particular driving situation.
Step Six: Now that your teenager has had at least 30 hours(or more) of experience driving within the city or county, it's now time to take him out on the freeway.
Depending on where you live, this may be no big deal.
The closest large cities to us are San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
I wouldn't want my worst enemy to drive in Las Vegas or Toronto(in Ontario, Canada). Those two cities have some of the worst traffic I've ever seen.
Chicago is pretty bad too.
Surprisingly, New York isn't too bad at all.
No matter where you live, your teen needs to get used to entering a freeway, exiting an expressway, learning how to pass a car or truck safely, staying in his lane, moving at a steady speed and so on. Where we live, you don't need the freeway unless you are going out of town.
But if you live in Southern California or Phoenix or any large metropolitan area, you really do need experience using the freeway or you'd never be able to go anywhere.
Bottom line: if you live in a large city, you should concentrate at least 30 hours or more just on the freeway.
Give your teen hints on how to avoid the worst traffic.
Tell him easy ways to get to a certain destination and what times are best.
He'll also figure out his own ways to deal with heavy traffic.
Conclusions: According to most driver education courses, your teen needs at least 50 hours of driving experience during the six months that he holds his learner's permit.
Only then is he ready to take the driver's test to get his regular driver's license. I agree wholeheartedly, except I think 50 hours is a minimum.
The more hours your teen spends behind the wheel, the better off he will be. So get out there with him and drive around.
There is no substitute for real experience. The more your teen practices, the better driver he will be.
Be sure to talk about alcohol abuse, drugs, and any other distractions while he is driving.
Always stress the importance of keeping both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel.
Let your teen know what can happen if he is pulled over for a DUI/DWI.
Encourage him to stay away from alcohol and drugs.
Tell him that if he goes to a party and has a few drinks or smokes marijuana, he should call you.
Of course, you have to be willing to pick him up, no questions asked.
If your spouse agrees, she/he can go with you and drive your teen's car home.
Or you can go back the next day with your teen and he can drive his own car home.
When he does call you, congratulate him on being mature enough to realize when he can't drive safely.
Also talk to your teen about using his cell phone while he drives.
If he likes to text message or talk to people while he is driving, set up his car so that he can pair his cell phone with the car radio.
Now he can talk to someone on his cell phone but can keep both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.
General Motors models can have this ability built in. I've also heard of an after market plug-in for other models.
But this if for talking only, not texting. Tell your teen how dangerous it can be to text message while he is driving.
Let him know that he should pull over to read and especially type a text message.
I've also told my son that he shouldn't eat or smoke while he drives.
Luckily, he does not smoke and I hope he never does.
I've also never seen him trying to eat something while he drives.
I've heard of people who try to do three different things while they drive.
One time my wife saw a woman putting on her make up and brushing her hair while she was driving at freeway speed! Also, suggest that he drive only trusted friends around in his car.
You should know these friends and their parents if possible.
It is vital that the parents think the same way you do.
Hopefully, your teen is not easily influenced by his peers.
Recommend to your teen that he should not drive when he is angry, has a lot on his mind, or is simply tired.
Advise him that it's better to walk up and down for awhile to calm himself down.
If he is tired or sleepy, let him know that he shouldn't drive at all. Here is another time he may call you or a friend.
After at least 50 hours of driving experience, you may feel that your teen is not emotionally mature enough to drive by himself. Let him know why you think that and what he needs to do to correct your impression. Also, if you don't feel he is skillful enough to drive on his own yet, have an independent driving instructor spend five or more hours with your teen.
If he comes to the same conclusion, ask the driving expert what should be done.
I've seen "how to drive" DVD's that are produced by teens for teens.
I'm giving one of these to my son for his 16th birthday.
I can't wait to watch it with him.
Just look online to find them.
.
These are great if you have a teen that doesn't read much or learns better with visual cues. It is my opinion that you should encourage your son or daughter to be as independent of you as possible.
If you know in your heart that your teen will be a good driver, let him drive! Don't hold him back because of your insecurities. Your teen has to grow up and must be able to function and navigate the world without you.
Give him the tools to do so, he'll appreciate it later. Perhaps when he is teaching his own teenager to drive!
If you need to teach your teenage girl to drive, just substitute "she" or "her" for "he" or "him".
Step One: Start out in a very large parking lot that is empty most of the time.
In our location, the Civic Center/Fair Grounds is the perfect spot.
Begin by having your teen drive around the perimeter of the parking lot at least three times. Have him go no more than 20 miles/hour.
Get him used to steering the car and using the accelerator and brake pedal. Then have him practice parking and backing out of one of the parking stalls for awhile.
Then have him drive around the perimeter again, but this time, in the opposite direction. Then you can practice parallel parking.
Next, have your teen make left and right turns.
Have him move up and down the large lot, telling him to turn at irregular intervals. Make sure he uses his turn signals.
Emphasize both hands on the wheel, eyes straight ahead, and the old hand over hand turning style.
Also pretend there are stop lights and stop signs.
Tell your teen exactly where they are and do this well ahead of time. Teach him the difference between four way stops and two way stops.
Tell him how red and yellow lights differ.
Also let him know how long yellow lights usually last and when he should slow down or go through a yellow light. After awhile, this will become a judgment call on his part.
Practice in the parking lot for the first two or three hours of driving time. Your teenager needs to familiarize himself with the car's controls and become confident in his ability to steer the car, use the reverse gear, accelerate, and slow the car down to a stop.
Teach him also how to set the parking brake and use his seat belts.
Once you think your teen is ready for some traffic, it's time to take him on county or lightly trafficked country roads.
Step Two: Find country or county roads that are lightly trafficked and take your teenager out there.
Stop by the side of the road and change drivers.
Then have your teen drive up and down these roads.
Try to locate an area that has at least four or five country roads in a row. Then have him go down one, make either a right or left turn, and go up another road.
Talk about how he should accelerate slowly up a hill and look out for cars he may not be able to see.
Conversely, let him know why he should slow down going down a hill, even if he sees no traffic coming. On country or county roads, you shouldn't run into a lot of traffic. Where we live, we see mostly farming vehicles(tractors, etc) or trucks.
Your teen will get his first taste of speed as you encourage him to go at least 50 miles per hour or a little faster than the posted speed limit.
Have him work on applying the brake far enough in advance so that he can come to a smooth stop at an intersection.
Make sure your teen signals for a right or left turn at least 30 feet before any junction.
Have him also practice looking for cross traffic at two way stops.
Make sure he knows that he should accelerate coming out of a turn so he can leave an intersection as quickly as possible.
Tell him not to worry about cars behind him; if you are on a two lane road, the car behind can usually pass safely, especially if the road is straight.
Practice with your teen at least five hours on these lightly trafficked county roads.
When you feel he is ready, it's time for some in-town driving with normal traffic.
Step Three: We live in a small very compact town.
It's easy to get from one end to another in 15 minutes or so, even if you catch all the red lights.
No matter what type of town you live in, now is the time for your teen to pick destinations and to drive to them.
Have him drive to your favorite grocery store.
Once there, have him park.
Then have him back up and find his way out of the lot.
Next, have him drive to your usual gas station.
He should learn how to fill the gas tank.
Next, have him drive to his school.
If you drive him to school, have him drive there and change drivers as you drop him off.
Be sure to pull completely off the road into the school parking lot before you change drivers.
If you pick him up from school, he can also drive home.
Pick other nearby destinations, such as stores, church, dentist, shopping mall, restaurants, etc.
If he doesn't know how to get to a place, try to give him the easiest way.
Have him drive ANYWHERE you need to go. The whole idea for this step is to give your teen his first taste of having to drive in traffic as well as dealing with stop lights.
Try not to have your teen drive any more than half an hour at a time at this stage. Once he has completed at least another five hours in average traffic, it's time to move on to harder things. By the way, any hour amounts I give in this article are minimal; you can have your teen drive more for each step if you think he needs the experience. Step Four: Depending on where you live, the weather can vary from day to day.
Have your teen drive in the rain, while it's snowing, at dusk/dawn and when it is completely dark.
Make sure he knows how to use his headlights.
Show him how to turn on high beams and his fog lights and when/how to use them.
Emphasize the prime importance of signaling for a turn in adverse conditions.
Work on changing lanes. For example, if you want your teen to make a right turn, suggest he get into the right hand lane.
Make sure he uses his rear view mirror, the appropriate side mirror, and that he takes a quick peek over his shoulder before he makes the lane change. Have him tell you what the speed limit is in a given area and work with him to stay close to that speed. Tell him that he should drive as fast as it is safe, not necessarily the speed limit.
Suggest that he go a bit faster on a straight road with dry conditions and light traffic.
Make sure he knows why he should drive a little slower than the speed limit in wet conditions, in the dark or at dusk/dawn, or in very heavy traffic. By this time, your teen should be able to drive about one hour at a time.
Once he has another five hours or more under his belt, it's time to move on to more challenges.
Step Five: Now is the time to start taking your teen through some traffic challenges.
Be sure to mix these challenges with some easy traffic so he will stay confident in his driving ability.
Find construction zones and work with your teen on how to negotiate his way through these areas.
Emphasize that he must move slowly.
In our town, road construction seems to happen in the spring and summer months.
Also, have him drive in what you know are very heavily trafficked areas.
Have him drive these during morning and evening "rush" hours, if possible.
Also, try lunch time, usually between 11am and 1pm.
Weekend days are good times too.
The whole idea is to get him used to heavy and unpredictable traffic patterns. See how he reacts to unexpected happenings.
What does he do or say when someone cuts him off? How about when he gets behind someone going too slowly? What does he say or do? An important thing to tell him is to expect the unexpected, no matter what.
You have to remember that as long as you are in the car with him, your teen is going to react the way he knows you would approve. But he will drop his "mask" every now and then so you can get an idea of what he will do when he starts to drive alone. Talk to your teen about remaining calm and give him your best ideas on what he should do when faced with a particular driving situation.
Step Six: Now that your teenager has had at least 30 hours(or more) of experience driving within the city or county, it's now time to take him out on the freeway.
Depending on where you live, this may be no big deal.
The closest large cities to us are San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
I wouldn't want my worst enemy to drive in Las Vegas or Toronto(in Ontario, Canada). Those two cities have some of the worst traffic I've ever seen.
Chicago is pretty bad too.
Surprisingly, New York isn't too bad at all.
No matter where you live, your teen needs to get used to entering a freeway, exiting an expressway, learning how to pass a car or truck safely, staying in his lane, moving at a steady speed and so on. Where we live, you don't need the freeway unless you are going out of town.
But if you live in Southern California or Phoenix or any large metropolitan area, you really do need experience using the freeway or you'd never be able to go anywhere.
Bottom line: if you live in a large city, you should concentrate at least 30 hours or more just on the freeway.
Give your teen hints on how to avoid the worst traffic.
Tell him easy ways to get to a certain destination and what times are best.
He'll also figure out his own ways to deal with heavy traffic.
Conclusions: According to most driver education courses, your teen needs at least 50 hours of driving experience during the six months that he holds his learner's permit.
Only then is he ready to take the driver's test to get his regular driver's license. I agree wholeheartedly, except I think 50 hours is a minimum.
The more hours your teen spends behind the wheel, the better off he will be. So get out there with him and drive around.
There is no substitute for real experience. The more your teen practices, the better driver he will be.
Be sure to talk about alcohol abuse, drugs, and any other distractions while he is driving.
Always stress the importance of keeping both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel.
Let your teen know what can happen if he is pulled over for a DUI/DWI.
Encourage him to stay away from alcohol and drugs.
Tell him that if he goes to a party and has a few drinks or smokes marijuana, he should call you.
Of course, you have to be willing to pick him up, no questions asked.
If your spouse agrees, she/he can go with you and drive your teen's car home.
Or you can go back the next day with your teen and he can drive his own car home.
When he does call you, congratulate him on being mature enough to realize when he can't drive safely.
Also talk to your teen about using his cell phone while he drives.
If he likes to text message or talk to people while he is driving, set up his car so that he can pair his cell phone with the car radio.
Now he can talk to someone on his cell phone but can keep both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.
General Motors models can have this ability built in. I've also heard of an after market plug-in for other models.
But this if for talking only, not texting. Tell your teen how dangerous it can be to text message while he is driving.
Let him know that he should pull over to read and especially type a text message.
I've also told my son that he shouldn't eat or smoke while he drives.
Luckily, he does not smoke and I hope he never does.
I've also never seen him trying to eat something while he drives.
I've heard of people who try to do three different things while they drive.
One time my wife saw a woman putting on her make up and brushing her hair while she was driving at freeway speed! Also, suggest that he drive only trusted friends around in his car.
You should know these friends and their parents if possible.
It is vital that the parents think the same way you do.
Hopefully, your teen is not easily influenced by his peers.
Recommend to your teen that he should not drive when he is angry, has a lot on his mind, or is simply tired.
Advise him that it's better to walk up and down for awhile to calm himself down.
If he is tired or sleepy, let him know that he shouldn't drive at all. Here is another time he may call you or a friend.
After at least 50 hours of driving experience, you may feel that your teen is not emotionally mature enough to drive by himself. Let him know why you think that and what he needs to do to correct your impression. Also, if you don't feel he is skillful enough to drive on his own yet, have an independent driving instructor spend five or more hours with your teen.
If he comes to the same conclusion, ask the driving expert what should be done.
I've seen "how to drive" DVD's that are produced by teens for teens.
I'm giving one of these to my son for his 16th birthday.
I can't wait to watch it with him.
Just look online to find them.
.
These are great if you have a teen that doesn't read much or learns better with visual cues. It is my opinion that you should encourage your son or daughter to be as independent of you as possible.
If you know in your heart that your teen will be a good driver, let him drive! Don't hold him back because of your insecurities. Your teen has to grow up and must be able to function and navigate the world without you.
Give him the tools to do so, he'll appreciate it later. Perhaps when he is teaching his own teenager to drive!
Online High School Accreditation
Checking its accreditation could be the most important aspect in your decision-making on which online high school to attend.
While non-accredited schools should be taken out of your list, not all accreditations are acceptable.
The accreditation should include oversight and not just a license to do business.
What is accreditation? It is a process of assessing a school's program and policies to see if it meets the criteria set by an outside agency.
If the school meets the minimum criteria, it is given the accreditation.
The accreditation is actually a safety mechanism to protect students, schools and employers.
Why is a proper accreditation important? This assures you of an online academy's quality and ensures that other schools and employers will recognize your diploma or the courses you have taken. Attending a fake school or a school that is not properly accredited may cost you jobs or opportunities to further your education. How will you know if an online high school is properly accredited? There are some schools out there that go as far as making up their own fake accreditation. In fact, accreditation from the wrong source, such as an accreditation mill, is worse than no accreditation at all.
A fake accreditor may have misleading names that imply that it is a national or regional accreditor when it is not.
It may also have a logo that looks like the logo of a legitimate accreditor. It could also be that its website has too little information and does not include names or contact information aside from a phone number and email address.
You can go to the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website to verify the accrediting agency used by the school is legitimate. The CHEA database includes a list of US accrediting organizations that are recognized either by the CHEA or by the US Department of Education or both.
This includes any of the six regional accreditors, Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation and the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).
You should also consider the difference between a national (DETC) and regional accreditation. While employers accept both types, many regionally accredited schools do not accept transfer credits from DETC accredited schools. This is not a problem if you are studying for personal enjoyment, but if you are planning to further your education at a later date, you will be better off attending an online academy with regional accreditation.
Unaccredited programs and schools are a waste of your time and money.
Moreover, diplomas or certificates from these sources are worthless if it costs you job or educational opportunities in the future.
Whether you are attending an online high school or a brick-and-mortar institution, the proper accreditation ensures that you will be getting quality education.
While non-accredited schools should be taken out of your list, not all accreditations are acceptable.
The accreditation should include oversight and not just a license to do business.
What is accreditation? It is a process of assessing a school's program and policies to see if it meets the criteria set by an outside agency.
If the school meets the minimum criteria, it is given the accreditation.
The accreditation is actually a safety mechanism to protect students, schools and employers.
Why is a proper accreditation important? This assures you of an online academy's quality and ensures that other schools and employers will recognize your diploma or the courses you have taken. Attending a fake school or a school that is not properly accredited may cost you jobs or opportunities to further your education. How will you know if an online high school is properly accredited? There are some schools out there that go as far as making up their own fake accreditation. In fact, accreditation from the wrong source, such as an accreditation mill, is worse than no accreditation at all.
A fake accreditor may have misleading names that imply that it is a national or regional accreditor when it is not.
It may also have a logo that looks like the logo of a legitimate accreditor. It could also be that its website has too little information and does not include names or contact information aside from a phone number and email address.
You can go to the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website to verify the accrediting agency used by the school is legitimate. The CHEA database includes a list of US accrediting organizations that are recognized either by the CHEA or by the US Department of Education or both.
This includes any of the six regional accreditors, Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation and the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).
You should also consider the difference between a national (DETC) and regional accreditation. While employers accept both types, many regionally accredited schools do not accept transfer credits from DETC accredited schools. This is not a problem if you are studying for personal enjoyment, but if you are planning to further your education at a later date, you will be better off attending an online academy with regional accreditation.
Unaccredited programs and schools are a waste of your time and money.
Moreover, diplomas or certificates from these sources are worthless if it costs you job or educational opportunities in the future.
Whether you are attending an online high school or a brick-and-mortar institution, the proper accreditation ensures that you will be getting quality education.
School Ball Corsages - Everything You Need To Know
Traditionally if you go to your school ball, prom, deb ball or high school formal with a partner the guy gives the girl a corsage to be worn on her wrist and to compliment her school ball dress and the girl gives the guy a button hole to wear on the lapel of his suit.
What do you wear for your corsage and buttonholes? Do you want flowers or something else? Did you know you can also have a choice of diamantes/ pearls/ crystals/ feathers? Do I have to have flowers? Times have changed and for today's school ball, you do not have to have flowers, it is up to you.
(unless your school actually requests this). Traditionally, it was expected and required that students - both male and female wore a flower(s) on their lapel or wrist.
Fresh or Silk flowers? Fresh flowers have a certain longevity - from days to a week according to the weather.
Silk flowers last forever as a permanent reminder of your special School Ball.
They come in more colour choices than fresh flowers.
They are very popular and look fantastic. Confused? It is important to know what flower you are going to use as traditionally, flowers have different meanings. Did you know that the colour of flowers also have different meanings? They certainly do!! According to the season the following most popular fresh flowers are available.
Fresh Flowers- can last for up to a week after the event according to the season and the temperature.
Roses - all year round - winter (imported flowers more expensive) Orchids - imported - available all year round.
Carnations - seasonal - field or hot house varieties.
Irises - seasonal Liliums - LA lilies / Oriental lilies (are very big. Great for a single lily in a wrist corsage, or as a single bud for a buttonhole.) Hyacinth - comes in blue/ pink/ white.
Jasmine - sweet fragrance. - not good for asthmatics. Meanings of the Colours Love - red, dark pink Friendship - yellow; orange, green ( orchid/rose) Special Friend - White Romance - pink in various shades Meaning of the Flowers Rose Red - 'I Love You' or Passion Rose Pink - Happiness / joy Rose Yellow - Friendship / peace Rose White - Innocent friendship or Purity of affection Carnation Red - I like you' Carnation Pink - you are special Carnation White - Sweet and Lovely Chrysanthemum Red - 'I like You' Chrysanthemum White - Truth, peace Daffodil Yellow - Joy Lily White - Youth or Beauty/ I find you attractive Lily Purple - Beginning of Love Tulip Red - Love / sincere affection Tulip Yellow - 'Sunshine of my life', happiness Freesia Any colour - Friendship Orchid Any colour - friendship, innocent Love, Beauty, Orchids come in a variety of colours - galaxy blue /red/ white/ pink/ yellow/ green/purple and more.
Some are variegated and look stunning in either buttonholes/ corsages (wrist and brooch style) Most popular today is the use of feathers/ crystals/ gemstones/ diamantes/ pearls either with / without flower of choice.
What do you wear for your corsage and buttonholes? Do you want flowers or something else? Did you know you can also have a choice of diamantes/ pearls/ crystals/ feathers? Do I have to have flowers? Times have changed and for today's school ball, you do not have to have flowers, it is up to you.
(unless your school actually requests this). Traditionally, it was expected and required that students - both male and female wore a flower(s) on their lapel or wrist.
Fresh or Silk flowers? Fresh flowers have a certain longevity - from days to a week according to the weather.
Silk flowers last forever as a permanent reminder of your special School Ball.
They come in more colour choices than fresh flowers.
They are very popular and look fantastic. Confused? It is important to know what flower you are going to use as traditionally, flowers have different meanings. Did you know that the colour of flowers also have different meanings? They certainly do!! According to the season the following most popular fresh flowers are available.
Fresh Flowers- can last for up to a week after the event according to the season and the temperature.
Roses - all year round - winter (imported flowers more expensive) Orchids - imported - available all year round.
Carnations - seasonal - field or hot house varieties.
Irises - seasonal Liliums - LA lilies / Oriental lilies (are very big. Great for a single lily in a wrist corsage, or as a single bud for a buttonhole.) Hyacinth - comes in blue/ pink/ white.
Jasmine - sweet fragrance. - not good for asthmatics. Meanings of the Colours Love - red, dark pink Friendship - yellow; orange, green ( orchid/rose) Special Friend - White Romance - pink in various shades Meaning of the Flowers Rose Red - 'I Love You' or Passion Rose Pink - Happiness / joy Rose Yellow - Friendship / peace Rose White - Innocent friendship or Purity of affection Carnation Red - I like you' Carnation Pink - you are special Carnation White - Sweet and Lovely Chrysanthemum Red - 'I like You' Chrysanthemum White - Truth, peace Daffodil Yellow - Joy Lily White - Youth or Beauty/ I find you attractive Lily Purple - Beginning of Love Tulip Red - Love / sincere affection Tulip Yellow - 'Sunshine of my life', happiness Freesia Any colour - Friendship Orchid Any colour - friendship, innocent Love, Beauty, Orchids come in a variety of colours - galaxy blue /red/ white/ pink/ yellow/ green/purple and more.
Some are variegated and look stunning in either buttonholes/ corsages (wrist and brooch style) Most popular today is the use of feathers/ crystals/ gemstones/ diamantes/ pearls either with / without flower of choice.
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