The PTA Parent-Wednesday, December 3, 2008

• Teaching Children How to Make a Difference
• Make a Difference in the Lives of Many Children
• Protect Children from Cyberbullying
• PTA Parent Q&A
• PTA Briefs
• In the News
• Member Benefit Provider Messages

Teaching Children How to Make a Difference

Children look at their parents’ examples of generosity, compassion, and selflessness and carry these family values on to the next generation, says author Terri Khonsari. There are many ways to be philanthropic, and everyone can find a way to include philanthropy in their lives, she adds. Encourage your children to give their time, talents and material belongings by doing the same yourself. Go online to learn five ways to teach your children how to enjoy the act of giving.

1. Share Your Talents
   Make a list of different ways that your children can give just by using their talents. If they read well, or are a whiz at math or science, they could tutor a younger sibling or friend. If they have artistic talent, they could help with the artwork for a fundraising poster or flyer. If they sing or play a musical instrument, have them make a CD for a shut-in to brighten their day.
   
   
2. Share Your Time
   Time is often the greatest gift of all. Talk to your children about ways to give their time. They can stay after school to help the teacher organize the classroom, take out the trash for an elderly neighbor, or baby-sit for someone who needs a little time to themselves. This teaches not just caring about others, but responsibility too.
   
   
3. Give to Other Children
   Pack a bag with cookies, hot chocolate, and a couple of nice children's books and go with your family to a children's hospital or rehabilitation center. Have your kids read to the kids who spend their holidays there. You can create memories in your child's mind of being a good friend and giving to those in need.
   
   
4. Volunteer with the Elderly
   Take your kids to the local hospital or retirement community on holidays or weekends to visit. Take some cookies and gifts for those who don't have visitors and listen to their stories. The older generation has so much to offer, and we can teach our children to respect them and their knowledge, and accept what they have to share. Just listening is a great gift to give.
   
   
5. Step Outside National Boundaries
   Sponsor a child in a third world country. Send money on a monthly basis and communicate with them regularly. Tell your kids that this is a new sibling of theirs, and plan together to send him or her toys or clothing every few months. If you can afford it, go visit that child with your children and let them experience the difference of the culture and world in which they live.

Giving your children real world opportunities to practice acts of love and kindness will teach them life lessons of compassion and generosity. You can encourage them to be thoughtful and kind and boost their self-esteem and pride at the same time. Learning that they can make a difference makes them grow in self-confidence and joy!

Terri Khonsari is the author of Raising A Superstar: Simple Strategies to Bring Out the Brilliance in Every Child. To learn more about Terri’s work visit http://www.raisingasuperstar.com/ and sign up for more free tips on raising happy, healthy, and successful children.

Make a Difference in the Lives of Many Children

Six of the world’s top leaders and parenting experts have agreed to join forces with National PTA and YOU to raise $500,000—$7 at a time! Contribute $7 (or more) to PTA via the ParentingGiveaway.com website and get access to the over $800 worth of parenting-related products!

Go to ParentingGiveaway.com and see how we all can make a difference and how you can gain access to these valuable parenting materials from experts like Jack Canfield, Terri Khonsari, Chris Attwood, Janet Attwood, Dr. Bob Myers, and Marie Diamond.

Parents Can Protect Children from Cyberbullying

As kids discover new ways to share information, they have unfortunately also found more ways to harm each other. According to Common Sense Media, a resource to help families teach kids how to be safe and smart with today’s media, cyberbullying has affected 43% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17. As holiday breaks approach and time online is likely to increase, parents can use tips from Common Sense to prevent cyberbullying or limit its damage.

Common Sense suggests giving children a code of conduct. Parents should tell their child that if they would not say something to somebody’s face, they should not text it, instant message it, or post it. Also, parents can ask their kids if they know someone who has been cyberbullied. They might open up about others’ pain before admitting their own. Other age-appropriate tips:

For High-School Kids

• Tell kids to think before they reveal. At this age, kids experiment with all sorts of activities, many of which should not be made public. Remind your teens that anything they post can be misused by someone else.
  
  
• Remind them they aren’t too old to ask for your help. There are things some kids can handle on their own, but sometimes they just need help. Coming to their parents isn’t babyish, it’s safe.
  

For Middle-School Kids

• Monitor their use. See what they’re posting. Check their mobile messages.
  
  
• Tell your kids what to do if they’re harassed. They shouldn’t respond or retaliate. They should block bullies immediately and tell you or an adult they trust. They shouldn’t delete the messages in case the harasser needs to be reported to a cell or Internet service provider.
  
  
• If your child is doing the bullying, establish strict consequences and stick to them. That goes for mean or sexual comments about teachers, friends, and relatives.
  
  
• Remind them that all private information can be made public. Posts on friends’ walls, private IMs, intimate photos, etc., can all be cut, pasted, and delivered.
  
  
• Don’t start what you don’t want to finish. Game chat can get ugly fast. Make sure your kids are respectful.
  

For Elementary School Kids

• Keep online socializing to a minimum. Let them use sites like Webkinz or Club Penguin where chat is pre-scripted or pre-screened.
  
  
• Explain the basics of cyber behavior. Tell your kids that things like lying, telling secrets, and being mean still hurt in cyberspace.
  
  
• Tell kids not to share passwords with their friends.

PTA Parent Q&A

Q: I think my child has strep throat. What should I do?

A: Find out the proper course of action for strep throat cases from Dr. Christopher M. Johnson.

If you have a parenting question, e-mail us at parent@pta.org.

PTA Briefs

PTA Asks You…
How Are You Getting Your Child Prepared for College?

When it comes to college admissions, it’s never too early to focus on what courses, extracurricular activities, and test scores colleges may require. Parents also must consider careful financial planning well in advance. What have you done to get your child prepared for college? What more do you need to do? We want to know.

If your response is selected for publication in the February-March 2009 issue of Our Children, “Preparing Your Child for College,” PTA will send you a $25 gift card.

Deadline for submission: Monday, December 8, 2008.

When submitting your response to forum@pta.org, please include

• Your name,
• The name and town of your PTA,
• Your position in your PTA (if applicable), and
• Your home mailing address so we can send you a gift card if your submission is published.

By sending an e-mail, you'll be granting PTA the right to publish your response, which may be edited for grammar, length, and/or clarity.

PTA Store Offers Discount on Teacher Gifts

To celebrate the holiday season Total Promotions, The PTA Store, would like to offer every PTA member a 10% discount on all teacher gift orders of $5 or more per item.   

This offer is good through December 22, 2008.  Please visit The PTA Store online at PTA.org.  To receive your 10% discount, when you are ready to check out, go to the “Special Instructions” area and type in “10% Teacher Discount.”  The discount will appear on the invoice.

Education.com Offers Resource for Researching Schools

Education.com is a website that gives parents free access to information, tools, and activities designed to help enrich their ability to participate in their children's education. It is now providing an exciting opportunity for PTA organizations to earn $1,000 in the Education.com School Reviews Contest.

Education.com has a SchoolFinder tool designed to help parents research schools. SchoolFinder supplies data such as test scores and student diversity statistics, but relies on parent reviews for a bigger, more personal picture.

You can review your child’s school and encourage other parents to participate in this easy way to promote your school and raise much-needed funds for your school’s PTA.

The contest is easy. From now until December 20, the top three schools that collect the most reviews will win $1,000. The award check will be made out directly to the three schools’ PTA organizations.

Education.com (written by universities, non-profits, and research organizations) is organized by grade, age, and topic. It is constantly reviewed to make sure it's current, well-organized, and easy to understand. Thousands of articles are augmented by hundreds of activities aimed to help families have fun while they learn together. The site also features discussion boards to help parents support and share advice with each other.

Reading Rockets

Amuse, educate, and inspire the kids you care about with the best in children's literature! Reading Rockets offers parents holiday help in choosing and using kid’s books along with a new Holiday Gift Guide featuring books so engaging, the child in your life will delight in them over and over again.

There are many ways that you can help your child succeed! A few small activities each week will pay huge dividends over the course of the year.  Here are a few that you can do this week:

• Start a parent book club to discuss current publications.
  Organice un foro de lectura para padres que constituya un ámbito de debate sobre las publicaciones actuales.
  
  
• Help create and/or contribute to a school newsletter on parenting.
  Contribuya con la elaboración de un boletín informativo escolar sobre la crianza de los hijos o colabore con la publicación de dicho boletín si ya existe en la escuela.

In the News

• Fathers make PTA a 'parent thing' at grassroots level, such as in Riverside County

• Participation is growing among fathers in PTAs and in their children's education

• At school, there's no one like Dad

• Commentary: Michelle Obama is reinventing the stay-at-home mom

The New T-Mobile G1™ Available to All PTA Members

T-Mobile, a National Member Benefit Provider of PTA is offering the new T-Mobile G1™ with Google™ at a special PTA price of $139.99 (for new activations only). To find out more about this and other T-Mobile discounts for PTA, please logon and visit T-Mobile under PTA’s Member Benefits at http://pta.org/member_benefit_providers.asp.

Limited Time Offer from BarnesandNoble.com

From December 1 through December 19, 2008, PTA Members will receive an additional 10% off each purchase every time you shop through the PTA/Barnes & Noble.com custom onlinebookstore – that’s double your standard PTA Member discount!

Plus, now’s a great time to shop BarnesandNoble.com’s Holiday Gift Guide, featuring thousands of titles at up to 40% off list price! It’s their biggest sale of the year, and it’s going on right now!
You’ll also enjoy Fast & Free Delivery in 3 business days or less on qualifying orders of $25 or more. (See site for details.)

Shop now and visit BarnesandNoble.com under PTA’s Member Benefits at http://pta.org/member_benefit_providers.asp.