You know how some parents look forward to going back to work to get a break from their children and spouses? I’m not one of them. I hate going to work in the morning. Absolutely hate it. I hate leaving my family - especially on Monday after I have spent so much time with them during the weekend. To make matters worse, my twin 19-month old children hate it, too. Sometimes they will cry and scream when I lean down to say goodbye. Other times they cling to me when I give them a hug and refuse to let go - as if I really want to leave in the first place.

My children have developed different ways of dealing with my leaving in the morning. Jordyn, my little girl, has somehow learned on her own to keep her connection to me throughout the day. She will point to pictures of me and yell out, “Da-Dee!” Or, and this just broke my heart, she will pick up my sneakers, take them to my wife and say, “Da-Dee shoes.” When she started to do this, my leaving in the morning wasn’t as hard on either of us.

But for my little boy, my leaving was much harder on him. When he gets excited, he sometimes actually has to back away from what got him so excited while his whole body shakes with emotion. He is already quite attuned to his emotions; he just doesn’t have the tools yet to deal with all of them. To deal with my leaving, he either would cry or scream or remain distant. When I came home at night he would barely acknowledge me, while his sister would scream out “Daddy” and lift up her arms for me to pick her up. I felt hurt and angry - mostly at myself - thinking about how much I was hurting Elijah every morning.

This continued until my wife observed that somehow Jordyn was able to remain connected to me during the day, while Elijah wasn’t and that was why he had such a difficult time. The challenge became how to help Elijah feel connected to me during the day.

My first thought was maybe a piece of clothing, like one of my shirts. I also took a lunch hour to look around at different stores to see if there was something I could buy that could better tie us together in his mind. While I was trying to find a long-term solution, I decided to give him the towel I use when I ride my bike in the morning. I asked him to take care of it for me during the day as I gave him a hug and a kiss goodbye.

The second day I gave it to him, he said “Tow-a?” The third day, my wife told me that he had been in our bedroom while I was at work and had found one of my work shirts on the floor. He then laid down and put his head on it and said, “Da-Dee.” He got it! He connected to me while I was not there. When she told me about that, I had tears in my eyes.

This morning, a few weeks after we started the “interim” solution of the towel, he was reaching out for it because he couldn’t wait to hold it. During the day, he tries to put it on his shoulder and wear it like I do. Now, not only do they not get too upset when I leave, but they even wave “Bye, Bye” to me as I drive my car in front of the house on my way to work. Work, where I have pictures of them all over my wall and have a slideshow of them as my screensaver - trying to keep that connection to them during the day so I don’t get too upset.

Jeremy G. Schneider, MFT, currently sees clients and conducts workshops in New York and Long Island. He has written a series of articles on his experiences as a father, published in his monthly column, A Father’s Voice. For more information, visit http://www.jgs.net or to contact him directly, email him at jeremy@jgs.net. Feel free to check out his Father blog at http://www.jgs.net/twookapis

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Yes, water covers about 70% of our planet, but only about 3% of that water is fresh water, and 2% of the fresh water is in the polar ice caps! What should this mean to you? It means you need to start conserving water. You do not have to completely change your lifestyle to conserve water. Just changing a few things can help. For instance, do not water your lawn in the heat of the day; turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth; and use a more efficient, low flow showerhead.

The problem is, while there is a government-backed program to help both businesses and individuals with energy efficiency - Energy Star - there is no such program for water efficiency, yet in the United States. Whereas you can go out and buy a refrigerator and know that it is energy efficient because it has an Energy Star sticker, buying a water efficient showerhead is not so easy.

You need to look for a low flow showerhead, but not all showerheads have any special stickers to tell you just how efficient they are. What you need to do, instead, is to check out the flow rate. Make sure that you get a showerhead with a flow rate of no more than 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm). A showerhead with a flow rate of 1.5 gpm is preferable.

In truth, any showerhead that you buy today in states like California will not have a flow of greater than 2.5 gpm (the Californian Energy Policy Act set the maximum flow at this level). But if you have older showerheads in your house, they very easily could be using 5 to 8 gpm! Also, no such act has been passed in most other states, so such water-wasting showerheads are still available.

Realize that using a more efficient showerhead will not just save water, it will also save energy. Just think: most of us like our showers to be hot, right? Well, heating up all of that water uses a lot of energy. Therefore, you should realize that using an efficient showerhead will not just save water and energy, it will also save you money! You will have lower energy bills when you use a more efficient showerhead.

Perhaps this is not enough of an enticement for you. Perhaps you think that low flow showerheads sacrifice the wonderful and relaxing shower that you crave. This is not necessarily true. Many low flow showerheads actually have excellent pressure and scope. If yours does not, it may not be a matter of the showerhead itself - rather, it could be because of mineral build-up. Also, be aware that showerheads with the same flow rate may have different spray patterns and water pressure - if you do not like one type, you might like another. Do not give up so easily.

The Environmental Protection Agency is coming up with a better rating system for showerheads and other appliance and items that use water. Currently, Australia has set up an excellent plan. Every water-using appliance, etc. in Australia has a water conservation rating that goes from A to AA to AAA. AAA is the best possible rating. With these ratings, it makes it easier for consumers to choose which showerhead (or other item) will save the most water (and energy!).

Because of these water conservation ratings, there are many more available efficient showerheads in Australia, and they are of better quality. And companies are more willing to provide ever-better showerheads - showerheads with air bubbles in every drop so that your shower will not feel “water efficient,” for instance.

Buying and using a low flow showerhead may seem like a small step toward water conservation, but any step helps. There are many more, in-depth reasons to conserve water that this article did not have time to list. For more information, check out the Environmental Protection Agency or other such useful websites.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, the environment, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on showerheads, please visit Showerheads.

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Is a single-axis golf swing the best way to hit a ball? Fueled by the success of the Moe Norman, who popularized the single-axis approach and was widely known for power, consistency, and correctness at impact, the debate rages on. He introduced a concept called “Natural Golf” many years ago. It’s not likely to stop anytime soon.

Norman is among the best ballstrikers ever. Even the great Ben Hogan admired his swing. Hogan was once quoted as saying, “Moe is the only guy that I would walk across the street to watch hit balls.” Hogan was not alone. So what’s behind the debate? Let’s take a closer look at the single-axis swing.

While the single-axis swing isn’t something I talk about in my golf lessons and golf tips, it still intrigues. Taking away and returning a club on a single planenot the two planes of the modern approach, simplifies the golf swing. At the very least, as I explain in golf instruction sessions when asked about it, it improves the most important part of the swingimpact.

Key Difference Between Swings

The key difference between the conventional golf swing and the single-axis swing is the relationship between address and impact. With the conventional swing, the player sets up with his arms and hands directly below the shoulders, forming two separate lines that create an angle between the arms and clubshaft.

With the single-axis swing, the address position aligns the club on the same plane as the impact plane. In other words, the single-axis swing starts the club on the same impact plane and stays there throughout. Thus, the golf swing is simplified. Solid ballstriking, which I emphasize in my golf lessons and golf tips, is facilitated.

Address:

With the conventional swing, the player takes a narrow stance with the lead arm on a different line than the clubshaft. The trail hand is on top of the club and the hands are behind the clubhead. With the single-axis swing, the hands are positioned in front of the clubhead with every club. This position forms a straight linethe same line that occurs at impact when the lead arm and clubshaft align. Moe Norman called it “the rod.”

Backswing

Since the conventional swing starts on a different plane at address, the player must hinge his or her wrists to get the club back on plane. The address position also creates a steeper shoulder plane. Also, the spine tilts forward a little, away from the original spine angle going into the downswing. Since the single-axis swing starts on the same plane, the player keeps the club on plane by maintaining the relationship between the lead arm and the lead shoulder established at address. The spine tilt remains the same as at address and the shoulder remains on plane.

Top of the Swing

The traditional swing forces a steeper, more vertical arm movement to the top of the backswing. The spine moves toward the target, in a reversed C position, and the right elbow (for right-handers) has been lifted and will need to drop down to get the club back on plane in the downswing. With the single-axis swing, there’s no need to drop the arms into the slot. They’re already there. The wrists are cocked and ready to deliver as much power as possible into the back of the ball.

Downswing

With the conventional swing the lower body rotates with the lead leg straightening and the back foot lifting to create room for the lifting of the clubhead into impact. The trail elbow is slightly behind the trail hip, which can “trap” the arm behind the body. With the single-axis swing, the head remains behind the ball, the trail foot is on the ground, and the player’s spine tilt maintained. The lead leg remains flexed and stable. Nor is there any need to move the body to make room for a steeper shaft.

Impact

The impact positions of both the conventional and single-axis swing are similar at impact, as they should be. The key difference is, as we have pointed out, how they arrived therethrough multiple planes or on a single plane. What’s more, the single-axis swing produces minimal movement throughout the swing, compared to the traditional swing.

Release

The conventional swing requires a full release of the entire body, with excessive hip rotation and the need to lift the trail foot off the ground. Also, the forearms must cross to square the clubface. That’s unlike the single-axis swing, where the arms power past a flexed, yet posted lead leg and moves straight toward the target, like a pendulum.

That’s the single-axis swing in a nutshell. Many of the fundamentals of the single-axis swing can be seen in today’s Tour players, like Craig Perry, Tom Lehman, and Mike Weir, while Mark O’Meara is almost a carbon copy of Moe Norman in the release position.

So the debate rages on. The conventional swing has many proponents, but the single-axis swing also has its share of advocates. If you struggle with consistency, you may find it worth while to investigate, what is at the least, a simpler way of achieving a solid impact position. It certainly can’t hurt.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

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Most of us regard a sundial as an attractive ornament for
a park or garden. Their effectiveness as time keepers is
highly variable

That’s unfortunate, because it is not at all difficult
to ensure that your garden sundial will be an accurate
timepiece, provided, of course that the sun is shining.

But that will be covered in another article. For now,
let’s see what a sundial is, and what it is capable of.

Sundial History

We forget in this modern age that accurate, affordable
watches and clocks have been around for much less than
200 years.

Before then, sundials were one of the few ways to tell
the time with reasonable accuracy.

Shadow clocks dated at 1500BC are known from Egypt, but
the first dials appear to have been Babylonian. The
Greeks adapted the idea, the Romans developed it further,
and by about 100BC had perfected the horizontal sundial
(and placed it in their gardens).

Even in ancient days some people had schedules to keep,
and both agriculture and religion required knowledge of the
seasons and the movement of the sun to determine planting and
the timing of ceremonies.

The sundial was an important means of providing that
information, and considerable advances in mathematics,
geometry and astronomy were made while it was
perfected. The knowledge gained forms part of the
foundations of modern science.

Types of Sundial

There are four reasonably common types of sundial.

They all have two things in common. Each consists of a
raised structure, called the gnomon (silent “g”)
which casts a shadow onto a plate called the dial.
The dial is divided into hourly or shorter time divisions
and may also show other information.The part of the gnomon
whose shadow indicates the time on the dial is called
the style.

The most abundant form is the horizontal sundial,
happily sitting on its pedestal or column and adding beauty
and interest to the home garden.

Related is the equatorial sundial, with its dial
oriented at the same angle as the latitude. It works slightly
differently, and is easier to use when properly calibrated.

Thirdly, there is the vertical sundial, ideally located
on a wall facing due south in the northern hemisphere, and
north in the southern hemisphere. The principle is much the
same, but the sundial only occupies a semicircular area.
Vertical sundials displayed the time to the public, and were
used to correct unreliable public clocks.

And the most elegant of all, the portable sundial.
George Washington had one - at that time pocket watches were
most unreliable. Modern examples can be a work of art.
They combine a compass with an adjustable dial. The dial is
tilted to correspond to local latitude, and the compass
defines north. Pretty neat!

Sundial Accuracy

A properly designed and installed sundial can be a very
accurate means of telling the time, down to intervals of
less than a minute.

I won’t go into the mathematics, but on a sundial 16 inches
(40cm) in diameter, the shadow of the gnomon will move about
1/30th of an inch, or just under 1mm, in a minute. This may
be small, it’s enough for our eyes to see.

Two Major Problems

Apart from the frequent absence of sunlight (Problem 1),
all sundials show time by calibrating outwards from the
position of the sun at noon. If you live east or west
of me, your noon is different to mine.

Although the earth moves around the sun, we see it the other
way. The sun appears to move from east to west across the
sky, and local noon is when it’s vertically overhead.
But if you live 100 miles west of me, my noon is still your
late morning, and your noon is my early afternoon. This
would be inconvenient if we used our sundials to arrange a
lunch date, but a real problem if I had a plane to catch in
another city.

Solar Time and Official Time

People managed to live with this problem until communications
and transport became faster. Imagine calculating train
timetables when Boston, New York and Buffalo all worked
on different local times.

The answer was the development of local time zones.
US Railways did this in 1883, but in 1914 the world’s
governments agreed to divide the globe into 24 zones,
each 15 degrees of longitude in width, and each one
hour different in time to its neighbours. Boundaries
were altered slightly to account for state and national
borders.

There are four time zones in the contiguous 48 states of the
USA: Eastern, centred on 75 degrees W longitude; Central, on
90 degrees; Mountain, on 105 degrees; and Pacific, on 120
degrees. Noon was identified astronomically for each of these
meridians (now it’s done by atomic clocks), and accepted
everywhere else in the zone.

Noon on sundials in places very close to these longitudes
will correspond to official noon. For every degree east
or west of the central meridian, for 7.5 degrees either
side, you will need to add or subtract four minutes
respectively to correct your sundial.

A few other adjustments are necessary to compensate
for irregularities in the earth’s path around the sun -
not too difficult to make but the theory is beyond this
article.

They add to the inconvenience, and that’s why sundials have
been superceded by more convenient and reliable forms of
time keeping. But problems with time zones and orbital paths
can be corrected, and there’s no reason why you can’t find
the correct time from your sundial.

No reason, that is, provided it has been properly installed in
your garden. And that’s the subject of another article.

Copyright 2005, Graham McClung.

A retired geologist, Graham
McClung has had a lifelong interest in the outdoors. And
where there’s outdoors there’s weather. He is the editor of
http://Home-Weather-Stations-Guide.com, where you can find reviews
and advice to help you choose and use your own home weather
station. You can contact him by email at
information@home-weather-stations-guide.com

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As a track star in High School and College we use to talk a lot about the kick at the end of the race. We would talk about runners from certain schools and how you had to watch them closely as if you let them get too close towards the end of the race they would run you down and take the tape and the trophy.

Well I was such a runner they use to talk about like that and yes I would run my opponents down and blow by them like they were a paper cup on the track at a NASCAR event. I would literally leave them in the dust like they were standing still. I would become one with the track and tunnel vision was all I felt.

I knew I would win and I never looked back. Of course as you get better you notice there is no one around you to destroy at the end of the race, but you nevertheless turn on the juice and show everyone who owns the track and why.

So when it comes to running and foot races do you have a kick? Do you know what the secret is? Never save anything for the last few seconds of the race, spend every ounce of your fiber and existence prior to the end and then when it is all about human will and strength of character dig deep and find who you really are and what you are really about. Show yourself what you are made of because that my friends is worth more than any awards ceremony, trophy or title. That is about who you are inside. Think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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With all of the books, counseling, and classes to help us parent better the simple truth is children need T.I.M.E. (Time wIth M E) What do you remember about your parents? Is it the family chores? Reading together? Missed ball games? Coming home to an empty house? Playing ball with your Mom or Tea party with your Dad?

If you think about your happy childhood moments most likely they will have one thing in common - The presence of one or both of your parents. I remember playing baseball in the backyard and playing cards while camping. Sure I experienced happy moments outside of my relationship with my parents but these moments are the ones that stick out the most to me. Why? T.I.M.E. My parents took the time away from work and family chores to spend time with me. Time that they chose to say ‘I care about you. You are valued.’

How do you find T.I.M.E.?

You are given 24 hours to spend each day. This is the same amount of time parents have always had and most likely it will not increase any time soon. The key to finding the time to spend with your children is setting Priorities.

Children used to come along Mama and Papa to work but somewhere along the line work took over and children were shipped to schools, daycares, after-school programs and so on. We in America have put our children in a ’safe closet’ so that we can build a kingdom for the future only now that they are adults they have no desire to spend time with their parents. They were taught that work, property, and recreational activities are more important than family. What went wrong?

No relationship was formed. Relationship with anyone is always built on time. Think about how you and your spouse met. Did you spend time with him/her? Did you want to know everything they liked? Did? Cared about? Time and communication are the backbone to any relationship without it no bond is formed. Children don’t form relationships with parents simply on the fact that they share the same bloodline. T.I.M.E. is needed to get to know one another - to laugh - to cry - to share - and even to argue.

The Toolbox

A simple yet effective tool to get you started is an activity jar. Write down some activities that you can do with your children. Make sure they are activities that they enjoy. When your together time comes and if you are a parent it could be six in the morning or just before bed choose an activity from the jar and do it.

Everyday Time

Finding time for your children is really about making time for them. Make time in the morning before they go to school, make time in the middle of the day by adding a special treat to their lunch, or spend some quality time together just before bedtime. When your children ask a question STOP what you are doing, look into their eyes and really listen with your heart to what he/she has to say.

Get Down and Dirty

Get down and dirty with your children. Really get into their world. Build along side them. Let them lead the playtime. If they want to slop in the mud put on your boots and do the same. If they want to pretend to have a tea party be their guest of honor. When baking or preparing a simple meal bring them along side you.

Life is too short to spend Working 24/7. Start making memories today.

Sara Duggan is the mama of 2 active boys. She and her husband live in California. For more tips on developing a relationship with your children join Sara at http://mommie-care.com Mommie-Care News for Moms.

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Do your mornings feel more like a push and pull contest rather than a smooth preparation for the day ahead? Finding items that need to be taken to school, feeding pets, walking dogs, last minute planning on who will be home when, getting everyone dressed, coping with the child who’d rather be sleeping, making breakfastthese are just a few of the commonly reported challenges facing parents every morning.

There are tips and tricks to alleviate the morning crunch. Try the following for a smoother morning routine.

The thirty-minute prep. If morning feels more like a racetrack than a time of controlled preparation, practice the 30-minute prep. Ease morning responsibilities by preparing all you can the night before. Have children set their clothes out, put toys away and pack their school bags before bed. Set your own clothes out. After dinner, routinely set the breakfast table complete with cereal boxes, bowls and silverware. Set up your coffee maker so you can simply press the “on” button in the morning. Bag lunches. Whatever you can do in thirty minutes at night will be thirty minutes less awaiting you in the morn-ing when people aren’t running at their best.

Keep it simple. While television may glamorize a gorgeous family sitting down to pancakes made in the shape of hearts, the practical parent knows the value of simplic-itycereal or toast. Save time consuming breakfasts for a weekend treat or assign one night a week as “breakfast for dinner” night.

o Listen to the weather ahead of time to guide children in clothing choices.

o Have children lay out their clothes and pack their own lunches.
This can be a good re-sponsibility for a chore and reward system.

o Place your clothes out the night before. Place your keys, briefcase, etc. near the door.

o Give “warnings” that the bus is leaving 30 minutes, 15 minutes and five minutes prior to departure to keep kids on track.

o Make sure kids have clocks in their bed-rooms to monitor time.

o Take it one thing at a time. Instead of wres-tling with getting both yourself and your chil-dren ready in the morning, get up an hour early so that you are dressed and showered before your children arise.

o Encourage children’s promptness with a mark on their reward chart or, if you give allow-ance, let morning preparation be one of the responsibilities that helps children earn it.

o If you have only one bathroom, prepare a bathroom schedule and let kids be responsi-ble for getting in and out on time.

The Change Your Life Challenge
http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com
Take control of your home, finances, relationships, clutter, time-managmenet and more with this 70 Day Program. Sign up for the free Challenge Weekly Newsletter and the motivational daily Good Morning.

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In the hip hop fashion world, few things are the same as in other clothing lines. Because everything in the hip hop world is out of this world, it just makes sense that it has its own clothing line. And, it is one that is fast becoming a hot seller. Sometimes, items sell out faster than they can be put on the shelves. Because of the huge demand and the great looks of hip hop fashion, people just have to have it and wearing it, just means that you know what you are talking about. There are very few other fashion industries that have such a hardcore following. Look for hip hop fashions to keep popping up and becoming more and more available.

But, who says what look is the right look to have? Hip hop fashion is largely based on what the hip hop artists are wearing. Through the use of media such as their videos, concerts, and interviews, they convey the look that is hot. Hip hop clothing, like many other types, is often designed and produced under labels of some of the hottest artists in hip hop. One such example is the G-Unit clothing line. This clothing line was designed in part by 50 Cent, a very well known and often considered on the best artists in hip hop. But, hip hop fashion also incorporates quite a bit of jewelry, the flashier the better. All of this jewelry, from spinning belt buckles to iced out watches can be purchased on the web.

Hip hop clothing can be purchased in a number of different locations. Many times it can be found right on the web as well. In fact, to make sure you have the look you want with the right brands, you need to look on the web because often times stores either do not carry enough and run out or they simply do not carry the full line of clothing. Hip hop fashion is highly valuable and great looking. This comfortable, laid back look is one that is here to stay.

Hip Hop Capital is the home of online hip hop fashion. The place where you can find TONS of AMAZING fashion. Hip Hop Capital has been a force online for years and only continues to grow. Go to http://hiphopcapital.com and see for yourself why thousands choose Hip Hop Capital.

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Bullying in no way shape or form is acceptable. Bullying should never happen and yet we know it does and sometimes our sons suffer in silence. If you are being bullied please get help, break the silence and tell someone. This will help to stop you being bullied and perhaps others being bullied in the future.

What is bulling?

Bullying can mean many different things to different people. Some examples of bullying will include: name calling, being hit, having your possessions snatched, being attacked or teased because of who you are in terms of your colour, religion, sexuality etc. The truth is bullies will attack for whatever twisted reason they choose.

Bullying is never right and you never deserve to be bullied. Bullies must be stopped and you can get help to do that. Never suffer in silence. Always tell an adult who you think will be able to help: a parent, a teacher, a school nurse, etc.

Bullying can also take place via a cell/mobile phone, with nasty messages being left. With the support of an adult it’s best to tell the police about this.

1. Make sure you tell someone immediately, preferably an adult

It’s best not to choose to suffer in silence. The bullying won’t stop just because you don’t tell someone. It’s more likely to stop if you do. The bully will bully you into not telling someone. Things will just go on for longer if you don’t. I know it’s really hard sometimes to speak out and yet it is so important that you speak to someone who you feel can and will help you.

2. Be fanatical when gathering information about the bullying - times, dates, places

You know what it’s like to be bullied because you’re on the receiving end of it. To make sure as far as possible the bully is made to stop bullying you, gather as much evidence as you can about what happened, when and who witnessed what happened.

Bullying, in the past, and probably will in the future cost lives.

3. Become intimate with the details of the school bullying policy

It’s important that schools have bullying policies and many of them do, knowing the policy will help you and your parents deal with the bullying more effectively.

Your mom could ask the school to lay on special activities that look in detail at what bullying is and how to stamp it out. Some schools have a zero tolerance policy around bullying, that is; if someone is a bully they will be excluded for a certain period of time and if they continue bullying they may be excluded for good.

Some schools put on plays that look at the horrible effects of bullying and the students are then able to discuss how they feel. Bringing the whole issue of bullying out in the open will help to stop it. You can get an adult to help make sure the school is active about promoting their anti-bullying policy.

4. Nothing beats the company of trusted friends

Individual bullies very rarely attack individuals who are with a group of trusted friends. If you are with a group of people whom you trust to `have your back’, then at least they will go and get help if a bully starts on you.

There is nothing worse than being left isolated with no one to help you in your moment of need just because you are with a group of people who you thought were your friends.

5. Get them to run a bullying campaign (ask an adult for help with this)

This campaign can take a number of forms such as is already mentioned, having a play performed to help students and bullies alike understand the impact of bullying.

The school may ask certain teachers to act as anti-bullying champions, these teachers would continually make sure that anti-bullying is at the fore front of the school ensuring they keep everyone safe in the school. These teachers would also be the first point of contact if you wish to report a case of bullying in the school

6. Stand up and be counted

If you see someone being bullied, don’t stand idly by watching, report it immediately. If you decide to stand and simply watch the bullying take place, then that is almost as tragic as the person doing the bullying. (It’s also important to make sure you keep yourself safe.

7. Moms can take a stand too

Here are some ideas about what you as a mom can do.

Get more involved in your son’s class/school
Make a point of getting to know his friends
Volunteer to be a parent/governor
Speak to the head teacher about what you see as the concerns in your son’s school
Believe your son when he says he’s being bullied, rather than dismiss him as some kind of `softy’ who needs to learn to stand up for himself
Talk to your local educational authority about the bullying that is taking place
If the bullying is taking place in the local community, talk to the head of the local community group/church/synague/temple etc to find out how they will resolve the situation

Hyacinth Fraser
Author

Do you know someone who would be interested in reading this article? Then do please feel free to email it to them.

For more coaching and personal development ideas, including some freebies please do visit me at http://www.coachingforapurpose.blogspot.com Please do contact me via motivationallearning@yahoo.co.uk

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts” - John Wooden

Hyacinth is a Master Practitioner of NLP and a Master Hypnotherapist, Trainer, Consultant and Coach.

Hyacinth, an independent consultant and trainer for fifteen years. Highly regarded and ensures that her training is informative, exciting and presented in such a way to ensure all learning styles are catered for. She has shown herself to be more than happy working with personnel at the highest levels in the private, public and voluntary sectors, up to and including members of the board as well as front line staff.

Hyacinth has worked as a consultant/trainer within a number of large public sector organisations, including: Home Office, Probation Service, DfES, DfT, CPS, OfCom, NICE.

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Another off the Argentine assembly line of “New Maradonas”, Lionel Messi may be the first to live up to that unfair comparison. Where Javier Saviola, Juan Roman Riquelme and Pablo Aimar have unsurprisingly failed to match HIS high standards despite initial promise, Messi has shown that even at a young age he is able to carry the weight of expectant teammates and a nation on his shoulders.



Credit must also be given to his Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard for not rushing him into a starting place at Barcelona he is more than ready to hold.



“It is clear Messi is a talent, a future player, but I ask that everyone continues supporting him when he is out of the team because he is still very young.” Rijkaard said in a recent interview. He continued:



“I’m convinced about him because I know he isn’t paying attention to all the speculation in the media.”He prefers to do his talking on the pitch.”



In fact his three goals and one assist in nine league starts for Barcelona this season to add to his goal and assist in the UEFA Champions League back up his coaches claim, and at 18 years young we are only just starting to see glimpses of his enormous potential. Messi states:



“I want to keep on learning and I hope things go well for me. The thing is to help the team as much as possible.”



These are the words of a young man with a focused head on his shoulders and more importantly good advisors around him. How many times have we seen the vultures swoop in on young prodigies sweet talking them and their parents into committing career suicide by sulking and demanding more playing time only to become no more than a trivia question five years down the road.



With the World Cup in Germany swiftly approaching Lionel Messi will definitely be one to watch if selected for national duty.



Enrique Dom

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