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What Would You Do? A Kid's Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers

What Would You Do? A Kid's Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers
Keeping Children Safe

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Kids and Elevators

“If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button.” (Sam Levenson)
What is it about kids and elevators? Kids love to ride elevators, and they really like to push the elevator buttons. Any of you who have more than one small child have witnessed the mad dash of your children to be the first to reach the elevator so that he or she can push the button to summon it to your floor. Pushing the buttons inside seems to be even more fascinating. At least that has always been my experience with my children when they were small. And it seems my granddaughters are the same way. They love to be the one to get to push the elevator button.
Children should really never ride in elevators alone. But have you ever considered what your child would do in the event he or she was in a circumstance which necessitated riding the elevator without you and a stranger  who made the your child feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened in any way was on the elevator with your child? Do you know what precautions your child should take? Does your child know what precautions he or she should take to be safer from such risk on an elevator? Does your child know what to do if he or she is on an elevator with someone who begins to make him or her feel threatened or afraid?
There are strategies that children should learn to take precautions on an elevator. There are strategies that children can employ to escape from an elevator when someone who makes them feel frightened or threatened gets on with them. Such strategies are explained in detail in my book, What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers. To empower your children to take precautions from any type of risky scenario involving potential abduction or predator harm, acquiring the book for them could be the most important purchase you could make on behalf of your children. Detailed information about the book, endorsements of the book, and useful information for both children and parents can be accessed at the book website – www.AuthorMelissaHarkerRidenour.com.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Cell Phones to Help Keep Kids Safe

“The relationship is the communication bridge between people.” (Alfred Kadushin)


Having a child is like having your heart walk around outside your body. It is natural for parents to be concerned about their children’s well-being and safety when they are not with them. Parents can’t be with their children all the time. That’s why my book, What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers, (available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Follett, Ingrams, and Baker & Tayor) is such a useful resource for empowering children to stay safe from abduction or harm when they can’t be with their parents. The book mentions the option of parents purchasing cell phones for their children so that they can communicate with them when they are apart.

A distinct advantage to children having cell phones is that parents can keep in touch with them, not only for practical purposes, but especially for emergency situations as well. Parents who get their children cell phones with a GPS have the additional security of keeping track of where the children are at all times. Security and safety are the most important reasons for allowing children to have cell phones.

One risk, however, to children having cell phones is the controversial and potential radiation hazard that cell phones present. If parents opt to supply their children with cell phones, they must weigh the advantages against the potential radiation risks. They must teach their children to use the cell phone with the speaker-phone option, keeping the phone away from their ears. They should teach their children never to use the cell phone while driving, and teach them to use the cell phone responsibly, abiding by their parents rules for cell phone use.





Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Energy Drinks are Unsafe for Children

“The greatest wealth is health.” (Virgil)

Many parents and children mistakenly think that sports drinks and energy drinks are the same, when, in fact, they are not. Sports drinks are drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, and others. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and water and carbohydrates that replenish the body during vigorous sports activities. Sports drinks can be used safely by children and adolescents.
Energy drinks are drinks such as Red Bull, Jolt, and others. Energy drinks contain caffeine, sugar, and other ingredients that are unhealthy for a growing child. Such drinks can increase the jittery effects of caffeine, cause nausea, diarrhea, and other symptoms that could be potentially dangerous.
Energy drinks are not regulated as strictly as alcohol, tobacco, and prescription medications, but they should be. The journal, Pediatrics, advocates stricter guidelines for regulating the ingredients in energy drinks.

Hydration is necessary after vigorous sports activities. Plain water for hydration is a safe choice. Children playing sports don’t necessarily need something extra to avoid dehydration. Children who play sports can get the needed nutrition and hydration by consuming healthy food and drinking a plentiful supply of water before, during and after sports activities.
 

Monday, September 5, 2011

Starving Children in Somalia


“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” (Mother Teresa)

The U.N. announced that a famine spreading through Somalia is killing more than a hundred children each day. The U.N. warns that that hundreds of thousands more people may die in the coming months unless they receive immediate relief and assistance.
The starvation, unfortunately, is mostly taking place out of sight of the world media, in areas of southern Somalia under control of violent Islamist insurgents. You know what they say, “Out of sight, out of mind.” The world needs to take notice and provide assistance to the tragic situation in Somalia to save the starving children and their starving families – indeed to save lives.
AmeriCares is responding to the crisis in Somalia and refugees fleeing into Kenya, as hundreds of thousands of Africans struggle to survive severe drought, famine, and brutal civil conflict. You can donate by going to the following link:
https://secure.americares.org/site/Donation2?df_id=9781&9781.donation=form1&utm_source=google-pd&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=somalia&utm_campaign=africa-relief&s_src=google-pd&s_subsrc=africa-relief