Defend our Children Blog

May 23, Special Offers

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:44:01 -0400

Special offers from our valued partners

May 23, Leadership Reflections After a Tornado

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:34:57 -0400

Excellent blog post about the after affects of the tornado's in OK. Here is an excerpt: But just like after 9-11 or other disasters, many adults aren’t sure how to have a conversation about it with young people. So, they avoid it altogether. I believe we must understand how to not only talk about events like this, but to transform them into “teachable moments.

May 13, 10 Ways to Prevent an Abduction

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:50:16 -0400

Any and all parents need to read this excellent article! Here is an excerpt: In a 2009 horror story also out of Cleveland, a convicted rapist lured a 21-year-old woman to his bedroom back in 1989, spent 15 years in jail and then got a free pass in 2005. And, of course, he did it again. Why? Because that's his brand of normal. It's not OK, but it's normal in that it's his nature. A psychologist said to me years ago, "You would be amazed at how many levels of normal there are."

May 9, 16 Percent of U.S. High Schoolers Victims of Cyberbullying

Thu, 9 May 2013 13:32:55 -0400

About 1 in 6 reported being targeted within past year. That is pretty scary! Might be time to talk to your kids about the dangers!

May 9, The Secret to Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids

Thu, 9 May 2013 10:51:52 -0400

This is an excellent article! Here is an excerpt: Today, more kids struggle with depression and anxiety than at any time in modern times. In The Price of Privilege, Dr. Madeline Levine argues America’s newly-defined at-risk group is preteens and teens from affluent, well-educated families. In spite of their economic and social advantages, they experience the highest rates of depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders and unhappiness of any group of children in this country. Adolescent suicide has quadrupled since 1950.

May 6, One Gap That’s Bigger Than the Generation Gap

Mon, 6 May 2013 12:16:32 -0400

Here is an excerpt from an excellent blog post: It’s called a “generation gap,” and it’s nothing new. Adults experienced it in the 1960s when the Baby Boomers were growing up. After careful reading, however, it seems I’ve found an even larger gap that exists today. Social scientists call it: the skills gap.

Apr 25, Three Huge Mistakes We Make Leading Kids and How to Correct Them

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:05:12 -0400

This e-book was built from a blog post that went viral. It's been re-tweeted thousands of times and shared hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook. Interestingly, the comments continue to come in from readers to this day. We knew the topic was relevant, but didn’t’ realize how much it struck a cord with our readers. There’s an growing sense among parents and teachers in America that we’ve done something wrong as we raised our kids, but now…we are not sure what to do to correct it. People seem to be looking for insights at every turn. We hope this book will be part of the solution. Three Huge Mistakes We Make Leading Kids…and How to Correct Them outlines what we believe are three of the greatest, most counter-intuitive mistakes we've made as parents and teachers. In our desire to protect their self-esteem and safety, we've harmed them and crippled them from being ready for adulthood. The majority of them return home after college and many don't know what to do with their life or how to navigate their future. They're dumb…but we adults might just be. In this short book, you'll understand these mistakes, why they're harming our kids from growing up and what to do to correct those errors.

Apr 22, When to Call Your Pediatrician

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:29:17 -0400

Is it OK to call my child's pediatrician even if I'm not sure my child is sick?

Apr 22, Youth Unemployment—Three Ideas to Address a Global Problem

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:35:31 -0400

An interesting article. Here is an excerpt: Two years ago, former Prime Minister of England, Gordon Brown warned us saying global youth unemployment has reached “epidemic proportions.” He challenged the U.S. to lead the way in getting kids back to work. “Unemployment is an international time bomb for both the developed and developing worlds,” Brown said.

Apr 20, A small step toward safeguarding Facebook privacy

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:16:46 -0400

Here is a good article. Here is an excerpt. Our view: Gansler deserves credit for his public information campaign on Facebook privacy, but it hardly solves the problem

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Apr 19, LeaderTip #2: How to Lead a Productive Team Meeting

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:40:08 -0400

How to lead a productive meeting. Here is an ecxcerpt: A survey was given to executive level leaders. They were asked: in what subject could you most use help? Two-thirds of them replied: A book about how to work with boards, teams and committees.

Apr 18, Tips for keeping your kids safe on the Internet

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:59:10 -0400

Before your children use the Internet, you should sit down and have a discussion about what is appropriate and what is not. It is important to keep open the lines of communication as children are often afraid of talking about what they have seen. The child may be afraid of sharing what they have seen because they are afraid of losing internet privileges. Here are some tips to discuss: Understand where children can gain access to computers including at school, friends’ houses, community centers, or libraries as these may not have the proper filtering programs. Encourage your child to come to you if he or she encounters inappropriate material. Install blocking, filtering, and monitoring software in order to block pop-ups, restrict access to sites with adult content, and see which sites your children visit. Lastly and most important, educate your child about family values and what content you feel that is appropriate and what is not. Communication is always the key. Trust that your child will feel comfortable talking about how they feel about what they have seen and encourage their input! Hopefully your child will be receptive to your communication

Apr 18, A Model to Develop Student Leaders

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:33:50 -0400

An excellent blog by Tim Elmore on building student leaders. Here is an excerpt. It’s my privilege to teach leadership, facilitate leadership projects and answer questions from thousands of teens and twenty-somethings each year. As you well know, they’ll face a challenging world (and economy) once they graduate.

Apr 17, Measure provides school police!

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:04:01 -0400

This is the type program, as well as fences, that I feel will be the best way to protect our children!

Apr 17, Sexually Violent Predators or SVP's

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:10:47 -0400

Most of us would like to never have to engage in a conversation about sexual predators. However, by educating ourselves we find that we are in the best position to protect our most valued resource, our children. Today, I would like to focus on Sexually Violent Predators or SVP's for short. SVP's are the most are the worst of the worst, evil and vile predators who prey without conscience. All SVP's have been convicted of a sexually violent crime, usually more than once and often include rape and child molestation. They have all be imprisoned at least once before. During their time in prison, the Corrections Department makes a preliminary assessment as to which of these predators are deemed to be a menace and unsafe to be released into a community. They are examined by mental health experts and a full background check is done. The experts look for a mental disorder such as paraphilia (a compulsion to commit sexual offenses) or pedophilia (a sexual interest in children). If the experts deem these SVP's have a mental disorder and finds that this disorder renders the SVP is unsafe if they are released into a community, they can petition a District Attorney requesting a trial to determine if the prisoner is a SVP. If the judge or jury decide that the prisoner is a SVP, then and only then is the SVP tagged with the designation. Every two years it is reviewed by the courts. As a result of being given that SVP tag, the predators future is changed. Instead of being released they can be transferred to a state mental hospital in a secure facility where treatment is available. Treatment can take years and is aimed at recognizing and controlling high risk behavior. If and when they are released, they are monitored closely and are often fitted with GPS ankle bracelets. Law enforcement needs to know where these predators live and make sure they are in compliance and to ensure public safety. By annually requiring those who are released to update their status and they have to pay an annual fee. We have seen recently that some of these sexual offenders, as well as other offenders, have been cutting off these GPS trackers. This is a huge problem that needs to be fixed immediately. These offenders are not worried by the lack of punishment. Law enforcement needs to make the cutting off of bracelets an offense with much stiffer consequences! For example, why not make the penalty a mandatory 10 year prison sentence? My feeling is that these SVP's should never be allowed to prey again! If they have done it once, history tells us they will do it again.

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Apr 17, Boston’s Terror Attack: Three Musts for Leading in a Crisis

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:57:17 -0400

American’s are on the alert again, much like we were after September 11, 2001. Two blasts went off during the Boston Marathon, killing at least three people and injuring over a hundred others. While experts say it was unlike the magnitude of 9-11, and more like the horror of a bad bus crash—those who were there might beg to differ. Explosions hurled shrapnel into onlookers, some losing arms or legs, making Boylston Street look like a war zone. Our hearts and our prayers go out to them.

Apr 16, Snapchat App

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:44:44 -0400

This is a dangerous new app! For many of us, social media has become an integral part of every day life. We tweet, update and share information. Being able to do all that and more is a prime reason why some parents refuse to give children a cell phone. There are so many ways of sharing information and much of it with people you may or may not know! Many parents, rightfully so, are terrified of what kind of information is given and and how predators prey on this info. Now there is a new app that is not only gaining attention of teens but also law enforcement. It is called Snapchat and is becoming a huge concern with with the Internet crimes against children task force. There have been many teens sending inappropriate and sexually explicit images to each other. How does Snapchat work? You take a picture of yourself, set a timer for how long you want that picture to stay on another persons phone and hit send. Usually the image disappears within 10 seconds That is what the app says it does, however, in some cases the image is being saved to the phone and the person sending the image is not aware. Now you have a potential problem. That image you sent can end up somewhere you do not want it to. Once it gets into circulation it can lead much embarrassment and concern. You may thing you are being vigilant as a parent but teens are finding apps that allow them to text and share photos without you even knowing! They are finding creative ways around your watchful eyes and they have even created new codes for the texts you can see, codes you need to know. Also, they are coming up with new lingo. An example is LMIRL, lets meet in real life, or GYPO, get your pants off. Would you know what that meant? How about IMEZRU, I'm easy are you? As parents, we may think we are being vigilant, however there are always clever teens and even more clever sexual predators! You can do everything right and still end up with your child being exploited. Snapchat is just one of those apps that you need to be aware of!

Apr 16, Your Child's Personal GPS Locator

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:34:52 -0400

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Apr 15, Bolingbrook Man Wants Neighbors to Know He's Not a Sex Offender

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:16:28 -0400

Wow! This is a disturbing situation for this homeowner. This is a reminder for everyone to make sure that they include sex offender registries before they move into a new home. Sadly, it has come to this in todays society!

Apr 12, Spark Nano 3.0 GPS Tracker

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:08:50 -0400

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Apr 12, LeaderTip #1: How to Break Free From a Performance Trap

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:45:31 -0400

At Growing Leaders, we’ve decided to post a helpful article each week continuing through the summer on our blog page, geared especially for student leaders. You can expect it on Fridays. They’ll contain practical tips for leading meetings, communicating a vision, choosing priorities, dealing with difficult peers, bossing your calendar, effective planning and more. You can find today’s tip below.

Apr 11, Technology: Two Ideas to Move From Enduring It to Employing It

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:29:20 -0400

An excerpt from the excellent article: It’s a complaint we hear from both teachers and parents today: the kids are getting lost in technology. Once they start a video game, they wander into another state of mind. Once they peer at their smart phone screen, they get lost gazing at the glow. Many educators question whether technology has made education more difficult. Maybe it’s the enemy. Maybe…but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it can be a dear friend.

Apr 9, Free Online Tool Prevents Tracking, Manages Kids' Web Visits

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 17:06:07 -0400

Santa Barbara, CA, April 9, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtual World Computing, developer of the Cocoon online privacy solution, has partnered with child safety advocate Marc Klaas of The KlaasKids Foundation to develop CocoonKids for KlaasKids. After months of testing by parents and child safety advocates, this free online tool will be released in beta on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, and available at www.getcocoon.com/kids. Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter was kidnapped and killed nearly 20 years ago, explains, "When we started the KlaasKids Foundation in 1994, the Internet wasn't a major factor, but today it is the new frontier for child safety. I thought this partnership was a wonderful opportunity to create a product that protects children from the many threats that exist today on the Internet." (Video of Marc Klaas explaining the need for tools to protect kids online is available at: http://blog.getcocoon.com/2012/11/08/cocoon-for-klaaskids/.)

Apr 8, Watch as a School becomes a Prison!

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 11:08:18 -0400

This interesting article by Lenora Skenazy raises some good points. However, it seems to me that these schools are better served by doing something as opposed to nothing. She is correct when she says that throwing money at something without a solid plan. But I applaud the schools for trying to do something! Are these programs all going to get it right the first time? Maybe not but they are setting examples of what is possible to do to insure the safety of our children. Students will always whine and complain about something. What if a fence was THE deterrent that prohibited a monster from creating havoc at that school. I am sure they would feel much different! Personally, I feel that money should be spent on fences, security cameras and most important off duty police officers to monitor activities. All doors should remain locked during business hours. Visitors should be met by security at the front door and escorted to the office. These measures as well as other good security measures would help deter another Sandy Hook nightmare. Our children should be more understanding when it comes to their safety!

Apr 5, How Adults are Stealing Ambition From Kids

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 11:00:22 -0400

This is an excellent blog about how our children feel entitled. Here is an excerpt: "We are raising a generation of kids who are used to receiving recognition for participating. It started back in the 1980s, when moms and dads were determined to boost their kids’ self-esteem and encourage participation over conquest."

Apr 4, Parents in danger of having six-year-old daughter taken away for letting her walk to their local post office on her own

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 12:07:33 -0400

This is a very disturbing story! The parents seem to have a clear picture of how they want to raise their home schooled child to be independant. Personally, I find it outrageous that the parents have been submitted to persecution by seemingly everyone! These parents are doing what they feel is in the best interest for their child. The only suggestion I would make would be to ensure that the child had a GPS tracking device in order to monitor her. What do you think? Overzealous or fair?

Apr 3, Ohio man who killed 6-month-old girl seeks mercy

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 14:41:24 -0400

This is a sick and perverted man who deserves nothing but the death penalty! How in the hell can he assault a 6 month old baby and claim he did not intend to kill her! This guy is a sick pervert and no way should the taxpayer have to pay for his incarceration for the rest of his life which I would imagine would be short anyway once he is in prison! This is a death penalty case if there ever was one!

Apr 3, 5 Inexpensive Ways To Keep Your Home Safe

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 11:17:18 -0400

Everyone wants to live in a safe environment, but to be frank, everyone does not have a thousand dollars or more in order to buy a nice security system for their home. There are ways however to keep your home safe and it does not have to cost very much to do so. Here are 5 tips you can use. 1. Have a roommate. Having a friend live with you. The more people that live in a home leaves less chance for a burglar to break into your house. If you are the only resident it is easier to track your daily schedule. Having more than one person in a residence doubles the trouble for a would be burglar. Also, it makes it easier to take a vacation without having to worry about a burglar. 2. Ask neighbors to help out. If you are going to be gone for awhile, ask your neighbors to pick up your mail for you. Stop the paper from coming while you are out. Ask a neighbor to park one of their cars in your driveway. 3. Beware of dog. Maybe your landlord will not allow pets. A burglar does not know this. A simple “Beware of Dog” sign on your front gate may help deter a potential burglar. 4. Set your timers. An inexpensive and easy way to help to deter a potential burglar is to get a timer for a few lights or your TV for your home. Most timers cost less the $20 and help make it difficult to track your schedule. 5. Get a cheap alarm. Again, for about $20 you can get a door alarm that makes a loud noise and is inexpensive and easy to set up. These are some of the options you can consider. If you have other tips, please feel free to share them with us! .

Apr 3, Eight Things to Know Before You Start Mentoring a Kid

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 10:31:57 -0400

An interesting blog about the differences between Gen iY and Baby Boomers!

Apr 1, Making Decisions with the End in Mind

Mon, 1 Apr 2013 11:08:59 -0400

“School Principal Cancels Honors Night to Not Hurt Feelings”. Say what??

Mar 30, The Internet Predator and Your Children

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 11:34:25 -0400

Very informative article of how a internet predator can gather information on your child!

Mar 29, What to do with violent sexual predators?

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:57:58 -0400

There is considerable commotion in a neighborhood when Sheriff's deputies go door to door to inform residents that a convicted violent sex offender is going to be living there. This is the predictable and understandable response when a convicted sex offender is released into the general population to try to live his or her life. Especially in a small and close-knit communities. That the response is so predictable suggests that society needs to rethink what it does with sexual offenders in general, and particular what it does with the violent ones, as well as those whose crimes are committed against children. Now, I am of the general opinion that when a convicted felon serves his time that he ought to be left alone to live his life—however slimy of a life that is. I think that once you pay your debt to society that, unless you violate the terms of your parole, you should be left alone. I also believe that a neighborhood should be notified when a sexual predator moves in. I do not believe he should be persecuted for it though. However, it is also obvious to me that sexual predators in general are not punished nearly enough for their crimes. I think that given the severity of a crime against a child or of a violent crime against a woman, that society ought to consider adding the death penalty or life imprisonment without possibility of parole to the penalties given out for these heinous crimes. Death or life imprisonment seems perfectly reasonable to me in such cases. That way we can worry less about released offenders committing another heinous act. Even if this were to happen, we would still have to remain vigilant in educating our children. The danger will always be there no matter what we do.

Mar 29, Less Rules, More Equations

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:54:04 -0400

Excellent article about how to educate our children with equations and not rules, which children hate anyway. This worked for me as a parent and have well adjusted children who have become successful!

Mar 28, Distracted by the Mirror

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:31:51 -0400

Interesting article on the next generation possibly being narcisstic! When I look back, I can see some similarities in my children, however aren't all children narcisstic to an extent? Peer & family pressure to succeed pretty much guarantees it!

Mar 27, Encourage Kids to Help in the Kitchen

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:59:47 -0400

Encouraging children to help in the kitchen is a great way to start building healthy habits and teach them about nutrition. Always make sure that while anything is cooking, an adult is closely supervising a child. Teach your child to point sharp edges away from himself or herself. Teach your child how to properly measure and weigh ingredients. Always cook on the stove's rear burners and turn pot handles inward. Instruct your child to always use potholders. When finished cooking, be sure to turn off stove burners and the oven. BUT DO NOT EVER LEAVE THEM ALONE!

Mar 27, Nanny or Babysitter - A Valuable Resource to Families in Need of Care for Their Loved Ones

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:54:09 -0400

Having two, three, or more children certainly multiplies the amount of things that need to get accomplished in order to keep the household running smoothly. Having a nanny or babysitter can help in all of these ways. There really are countless ways that a nanny or babysitter can pitch in and take on responsibilities that would typically fall solely on the parent or parents.

Mar 27, Resourcefulness: The New Meta Competency

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:27:25 -0400

This is a follow-up article from yesterday's blog post. Bottom line? You get what you pay for!

Mar 26, I didn’t sleep for a week after my kid was ‘friended’ by online stranger

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:28:05 -0400

Another scary story of how sexual deviants find ways to get info from your child!

Mar 26, Top Grading Your Organization

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:06:07 -0400

Here is an excerpt from an excellent blog by Tim Elmore: You don’t necessarily save money by hiring less expensive team members. They may cost you if they don’t generate both mission and money by their performance.

Mar 25, Sexual Abuse Of Our Children

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:31:30 -0400

Many parents are unsure or squeamish about bringing up sexual matters, especially with their children. Yet, there are ways of laying the groundwork so that you can talk to your child without scaring them. Establish an open dialogue about sexual issues early on. If you introduce the subject of sex in a discussion of abuse, there is the danger that the idea of sex may become automatically linked in your child’s mind with danger and anxiety. If you have fostered in your child a sense of ownership regarding their body, they will likely have an instinct about what is okay for their body and what is not. You build on their natural sense of ownerships of their body by letting them pick out her own clothes or wash themself in their own way. Also, avoid pushing them to kiss or hug other adults when they clearly do not want to. Finally, when parents treat their children’s bodies with respect, children tend to demand that others treat their bodies in a similar manner. Children who are consistently hit, grabbed, or physically punished at home may feel that adults are entitled to misuse their bodies simply because they are bigger.

Mar 25, Social Media Gone Awry: Tips for Teens to Stay Safe

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:25:03 -0400

Here is another very good article about social media and your children!

Mar 23, McAfee Total Protection

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 17:13:18 -0400

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Mar 23, An illness or a crime?

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:21:07 -0400

My Father was a Catholic, and like a good boy I followed, having a good voice (I was an alto soprano) I was soon in the choir. Unfortunately I also had

Mar 22, Scary Facts About Internet Predators

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:21:56 -0400

The astonishing speeds with which internet predators strike was brought to light in the recent three day child sex crime sting that apprehended 17 arrests. It only took 15 minutes to get their first response. 13 more names or online identities after two hours and within four hours they had 23 potential suspects. Wisconsin's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force focused on the Encounters section of Craigslist and targeted those seeking to solicit underage children for the purpose of sexually explicit contact. The sting was to get predators to believe they were meeting with a 15 year-old's they had met online. The volume of traffic, 500 chats that led to 17 arrests, and the complexity of surveillance led to long hours as investigators tried to keep track of the contacts, requests and suggested liaisons. This information should be very scary to parents whose children rely more and more on electronics for contact. Your child could post something suggestive and get responses within minutes! Then they receive invitations to meet. This should serve as a reality check for parents. Parents always need to remain vigilant with their children's online activity even to the point of snooping. There is software that you can install on their cellphones and computers that will keep track of their activity. Parents, wake up and realize that there may be a whole lot that they do not know about your child's online activity! Education and vigilance is the best way to keep your child safe from these monsters!

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Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:12:55 -0400

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Mar 22, Join The Heroes' Circle

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:47:48 -0400

This is a great way help in the fight to find Missing Children! You can donate 2 ways, monthly or quarterly! Join the Heroes' Circle and become a hero in the fight against child abduction and sexual exploitation by donating automatically on a monthly or quarterly basis. Your ongoing contributions will help the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® realize a world where these crimes do not exist.

Mar 22, Keep your Children Honest!

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:36:05 -0400

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Mar 21, Setting an Example for our Children

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:16:34 -0400

I have been most impressed this week with the way Pope Francis has gone about his daily business. In my opinion, he has expressed great leadership, not just for what he is saying, but in his actions. On that first day, he didn’t sleep in, when the entire world would have forgiven him for doing so. Then, as he led mass that day for the Cardinals, he gave an off-the-cuff homily on the need to walk with God, build up the people in the church and confess. While in the chapel, Francis was to sit down in the Papal chair, a sort of throne for the one who holds that office. He declined, wanting to stand instead. In fact, before greeting anyone else he walked to the back of the room to greet a Cardinal who was confined to a wheelchair. He wanted to meet everyone on their level. Instead of taking the Vatican limousine, He simply said, “I’ll take the bus since that’s the way I came here.” He retrieved his belongings in his dorm, then stopped by the front desk to pay his own bill. Upon climbing into the bus, he asked to stop several times along the drive to greet well-wishers and to encourage them. What a humble, authentic and fresh way of being the Pope. And do you know why he did this? When asked, he said simply, “I want to be sure to set a positive example.” The leader of 1.2 billion people—the one who doesn’t need to pay his own bill at the dorm or take a bus anymore—has not forgotten the power of being a role model. This would be a good lesson for parents, to lead by example. Even though we may not think that children are watching, you can believe they are.

Mar 21, Violence against children

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:28:01 -0400

A comprehensive study about violence against our children. Here is one of the topics: Interpreting the situation as requiring intervention, realising that a child needs help and assuming responsibility to intervene

Mar 20, Pope Francis and Pedophilia

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:47:10 -0400

In a 2012 interview Pope Francis expressed his ideology on pedophilia. I was very pleased to read his opinion as adamantly opposed to it. Here is an excerpt from that interview: Question: I would like to clarify that a priest who falls in love with a girl and then confesses is one thing, and a case of pedophilia is quite another. Pedophilia has to be cut off at the roots. It's very serious. Two adults who love each other having an affair is something else. Bergoglio: The idea that pedophilia is a consequence of celibacy is ruled out. More than seventy percent of cases of pedophilia occur in the family and neighborhood: grandparents, uncles, stepfathers, neighbors. The problem is not linked to celibacy. If a priest is a pedophile, he is so before he is a priest. Now, when that happens, we must never turn a blind eye. You cannot be in a position of power and destroy the life of another person. In the diocese it never happened to me, but a bishop once called me to ask me by phone what to do in a situation like that and I told him to take away the priests' licenses, not to allow them to exercise the priesthood any more, and to begin a canonical trial in that diocese’s court. I think that's the attitude to have. I do not believe in taking positions that uphold a certain corporative spirit in order to avoid damaging the image of the institution. That solution was proposed once in the United States: they proposed switching the priests to a different parish. It is a stupid idea; that way, the priest just takes the problem with him wherever he goes. The corporate reaction leads to such a result, so I do not agree with those solutions. Recently, there were cases uncovered in Ireland from about twenty years ago, and the present Pope [Benedict XVI] clearly said: “Zero tolerance for that crime.” I admire the courage and uprightness of Pope Benedict on the subject.

Mar 19, Four Ideas to Lead This EPIC Generation of Students

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:51:53 -0400

Excellent blog!

Mar 18, Finally an Apology!

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:24:26 -0400

New statement: South Africa Cardinal Wilfred Fox Napier apologized for the 'botched' interview. The cardinal now says pedophilia is "a heinous crime." When I first wrote about this I was stunned by the lack of outrage to this ridiculous statement! (See previous blog). Finally, people have come to their senses and expressed their outrage! But what took them so long? And I have yet to read any comment from the Vatican. The pope has only said that the church should be poor and remember that its mission is to serve the poor. Try telling victim's of exploitation that it is not a crime but an illness! Again I reiterate that a pedophile makes a CONSCIOUS CHOICE to commit heinous acts and the damage done lasts a lifetime! I am sincerely relieved to hear his new statement, however I am still wondering what he REALLY thinks. Does he really think it is a disorder and not a crime?

Mar 18, Don’t Sell These Students Short

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:20:35 -0400

A good blog post about the differences between today's kids and previous societies.