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Do you turn off the lights when you leave a room?  Do you conserve water?  If so, you are already doing good things to help the planet and building a better future for our kids.  If you have encouraged your family to also adopt these practices, you are doing even more.  Earth Day is April 22, 2010. Today!  During Earth Week, thousands of people will be doing things to help the environment and “go green.”  There are many little things that each of us can do to help the Earth.  However, every day can, and should, be Earth Day.  Try these activities and tips to help your family go green and build a greener future.

Living Green Around the House

1. Plant a tree or grow a garden.  Plants act as natural filtration systems.  In short, they keep the air fresh and oxygenated.  Keep them inside your home too to keep the inside are fresh.
2. Turn off the lights.  CO2 is the main contributing factor to global warming.  Every time you use something electronic, use electricity, fire up your car or even take a shower (you water has to be heated) you are emitting CO2.  Turn off the lights, take shorter showers, turn down your hot water heater and don’t let your car idle for more than one minute.
3. Stop using plastic water bottles.  You can recycle your plastic water bottles, but after being recycled several times, the plastic downgrades.  Get a reusable canteen and go with glass jars for storage.
4. Unplug.  Electronic devices still use energy, even when they are turned off.   Unplug your radio, stereo, blow dryer and television to save more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.  This amounts to around $256 a year.
5. Turn off the water.  By simply turning off the tap when you are washing the dishes or brushing your teeth, you can save as much as 2.4 gallons of water – per minute. I admit, I am bad about this one but am working on it! I brush my teeth with my kids and they are now helping to keep me stright
6. Dispose of batteries, paint, bleach and nail polish the right way.
7. Stop getting junk mail.   Junk mail in your mail box can generate a lot of paper waste.  Remove your name from lists on www.donotmail.org and get a paperless version of the yellow pages at www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org.
8. Go green with your laundry.  Wash your clothes in cold water and hand them out to dry.  You will save energy, cut down on CO2 and your clothes will last longer!
9. Here is one I am guilty of. Do you have a cell phone? When you take it off the charger make sure you unplug the cord from the wall. The charger is still using draining and using electricity! I learned that at http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/11/treehugger_home_2.php
10. Try composting.  You can start your own bin for around $20 or even less.  You will prevent hundreds of pounds of waste (40% of which is food) from making it to the landfill.  This is better because in a landfill, everything is compacted so most of the items do not biodegrade due to lack of oxygen.
11. Create art for your walls.  Use pictures of old calendars and magazines to make art for your walls or put fun appliqués on old tiles to make wall decorations.
12. Use “green” cleaning products.  You can use “green” household cleaning products, but they can be a little pricy.  White vinegar, salt and lemon are items that you probably already have in your home, are not petro based and do a great job.  Also, vinegar, applied with old newspapers work great for washing your mirrors and windows.
13. Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!

Living Green when Out and About

1. Don’t litter.  Discarded plastics, trash and even cigarette butts can wind up in our beaches and oceans.  In case you were wondering, in the Pacific Ocean there is a patch of garbage plastic that is 300 feet deep and twice the size of Texas.
2. Take public transportation.  Taking the subway or city bus saves energy and you can relax while enjoying the ride.
3. Ride your bike or walk.  It is good for you and good for the environment.
4. Shop at thrift stores.  You can find great deals and you can help the environment by recycling clothing.
5. Pay your bills online.  You cut out the paper bills.  Less paper means less waste. This equals to a healthier, cleaner environment!
6. Freecycle!  Visit www.freecycle.org and find your community in the list.  Join and begin freecycling!  You can get things that other people are getting rid of, and you can freecycle things that you no longer want.   This reduces the amount of waste that winds up in the landfills and you can wind up with some really cool stuff.

Eating Green

1. Eat local fruits and vegetables.  On the average, vegetables and fruits have to travel more than 1500 miles to get to your grocery store.  If you eat local produce you not only cut down on the energy that is required to grow and transport your food (by 1/5), you also support your local farmers.
2. Buy organic, grass fed meat.  In January 2008, the FDA approved cloned meat.  There are no requirements that this meat be labeled or marked, so you have no way of knowing whether or not your meat is cloned unless you are buying organic.
3. Read your labels.  Just about 60% of the foods that you find on your grocery store shelves is genetically modified.  Read the labels and look for hidden ingredients such as sugar and high fructose corn syrup.  Basically, if you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want it in your body.
4. Eat fresh.  Frozen foods require ten times more energy to produce.  They also offer less nutritional value than their fresh counterparts.  What’s more, they are usually packed with preservatives.  Fresh is best.
5. Buy natural foods.  Many brands are responding to their customers’ demands for natural foods and are introducing natural versions of old favorites.  Smucker’s (www.smuckers.com) has a line of natural peanut butter and fruit preserves.  Cascade Fresh (www.cascadefresh.com) has a line of natural yogurts with active cultures.  Whole Foods brand 365 has many natural foods from salsa to chocolate to sodas.  You will find the taste is better and there really isn’t that much of a difference pricewise from the less healthy versions.
   There are many things that you and your family can do to live greener.  Don’t try to do it all at once.  Take baby steps, incorporate one or two practices at a time and eventually your family will be living green full time!

HAPPY EARTH DAY FROM ALL OF US HERE AT MORE4KIDS!!

Top of the mornin’ to ya! There’s nothing like a green St. Patty’s Day to get everyone in the spirit of the day of the leprechaun! This St. Patrick’s Day, make the day extra-special and fun for your kids with these fun crafts and great activities!

Looking for the gold!

The night or day a few days before, be sure that ya make some of those Leprechaun Foot Prints and giant shamrocks for ye children!

To make leprechaun feet, take a pair of your child’s old shoes and trace them on to pieces of plain white paper or to really make them “authentic”, use green construction paper!! Make a lot of them because they will take your children on a hunt for the rainbow and the pot of gold when they wake up!

Cut out some huge shamrocks that you can place between the footprints, making a St. Patrick’s Day treasure path of sorts.

Early on the morning of St. Patrick’s Day, place the feet from their bedrooms to where you have hidden the pots of gold. If you want to make it more fun, have the feet lead them to places where they only find a note.

Rainbows with pots of gold

If you don’t have time, just use a regular cereal bowl and tape a little paper handle to it- be sure to make the handle in different colors of construction paper making a rainbow!

If you have even more time, go to a local crafts store and look for some small plastic pots.

To make the treasure at the end of the rainbow even more special, fill the bowls or pots with chocolate foil covered candy coins or butterscotch discs. If you don’t have coins or prefer your children not eat chocolate first thing in the morning and they are old enough to know they shouldn’t eat them put in pennies or other coins!

Hanging rainbows

Rainbows are a good addition to your treasure hunt! You can make them two different ways.

Use a paper plate. Color one side as a rainbow. Cut out and hang from ceiling or light.

Use another paper plate. Cut out streamers of different colors and attach to the paper place with the “rainbow” hanging downward. Punch a hole it top and hang from appropriate place near leprechaun pot.

Table decorations sure to please any leprechaun!

Using small paper cups, make up side down St. Patrick’s Day hats! Make them similar to the way you made the wearable hats, except you can glue the stovetop top to a circle you cut out for the bottom.

Or if you prefer, cut out the inside and fill with candies or treats!

Draw shamrocks and rainbows on white paper plates with crayons or non-toxic markers.

Buy green napkins or paper towels that have a green print on them.

Festive St. Patrick’s meals

For breakfast and for every meal of the day if possible, make sure that every menu includes mainly green stuff or stuff that has a touch of green! Buy a shamrock cookie cutter that you can use for each meal, cutting bread into shamrocks or even cutting fruit into shamrock shapes!

Suggestions? For breakfast, buy the cereal that includes shamrocks! Put green food color in their milk! Have kiwi fruit, green grapes, green apples or green melon instead of the usual bananas!

For Lunch see if you can find bread that is dyed green at the grocery store! Make their sandwich from this special bread and be sure to cut it into a shamrock shape! Put green food color into peanut butter! Serve with green pickles and green celery sticks and green cottage cheese! For dessert, how about some and green jello and green whipped cream or a green milkshake or some krispy treats, cut into shamrocks iced them with green icing!

Dinnertime can be a bit more challenging, especially if you are serving corned beef and cabbage- while the cabbage is green, you don’t want to dye the corned beef! But you can the mashed potatoes! Green cake, green tinted ice cream (or green mint ice cream), pistachio pudding or green jello are also dessert hits for St. Patrick’s Day!

Festive wear

One of the most fun things to wear on St. Patrick’s Day is a BIG leprechaun hat! If you have time, finish the round container of half-gallon you now have. Clean it out and cut the bottom off. Place it on green construction paper and trace it for a pattern to cover the sides of the container. Make a big circle to make the brim of the hat. Be sure to cut the inside out a wee bit smaller than the “hat” so you can push the brim onto the hat. Make a “buckle” with gold construction paper.

If you don’t have any ice cream containers, just make the hats from construction paper. Cut a huge rectangle to make your ‘stovetop” leprechaun hat. Glue or staple together to make the top hat. Cut a circle to make the brim, being sure to cut out the middle which you will push onto your or your child’s head. Add a gold buckle made from construction paper, and you have a hat!

Bow tie or tie- From a paper plate, cut out a bow tie shape or with construction paper, cut out a long tie. Let your child color the tie green and add decorations such as buttons or glitter. Punch holes in the plate and attach pieces of string to attach around their neck. (Be sure to NOT do this with very young children who could become tangled in the string!)

St. Pattys Day is one of our favorite family Holidays! All of us at More4kids wish you and your family a happy Saint Patricks Day.

Valentines day should be a very special day for families. It is a time to express our love for our spouse and especially for our kids. It is a time to say "I love you" to grandma and grandpa. It is a time to forget about fights or disagreements and let your kids know, above everything else how much you love them and show them how much you love their mommy or daddy.  Valentines Day is a day to be thankful to God for all we have. From all of us here at More4kids, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

by Stacey Schifferdecker

My husband tells a story about an ice cream social on his family’s farm when he was a boy. His family and some friends were sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather and eating delicious homemade ice cream – the kind made with an old-fashioned wooden churn that you had to crank for hours. It was high summer, but this was Bible belt Kansas and the conversation turned to God’s blessings. Everyone began sharing what he or she was thankful for, just like many of us do around the Thanksgiving table. The adults were all thankful for the big bowls of ice cream, the good weather for crops, jobs that paid well, healthy kids, and other big stuff. When it was little David’s turn, he said, “I’m thankful for the water!” The adults all got a good laugh at the little boy who was enjoying a bowl of homemade ice cream but was thankful for the glass of water he was drinking with it. But to David, that water made his enjoyment of the ice cream even greater by cleansing his mouth between bites.

We adults may think we have the whole thankfulness thing figured out, at least when compared to kids. After all, we know (for the most part) to say “thank you” when someone gives us a gift or does something nice for us. We know the proper etiquette and wording for thank you cards. We know the kind of things we are supposed to be thankful for every Thanksgiving when we are counting our blessings around the dinner table. Children, on the other hand, often have to prompted into saying thank you. And they generally need to begged, cajoled, and bribed into writing thank you cards. If they receive a duplicate gift, they are likely to let everyone know (loudly) that they already have said item (and don’t really like it that much anyway).

Obviously, adults have it all over kids when it comes to the manners of thankfulness. But isn’t there a lot more to thankfulness than manners? Kids may not know all the right words and the proper etiquette, but they generally have a much greater grasp of the feelings behind thankfulness. When a child says a spontaneous “thank you,” you really feel thanked! You usually get the joy of hearing exactly how much the child loves what you have done or given. You may even get a lovely hug as part of the deal, and you will surely get the pleasure of seeing bright eyes and a big smile bestowed upon you. What could be better?

The fact is, children are typically more sincere and enthusiastic in their thanks than adults are. Adults say thank you because it is the right thing to say. We are restrained and polite. Even if we are truly delighted by a gift or act of love, we often don’t show our happiness fully.

Adults can teach kids a lot about thankfulness, especially when it comes to etiquette. But there is plenty kids can teach us too. Let’s take some guidelines for the kids and let our thankfulness really overflow this Thanksgiving season!

Biography
Stacey Schifferdecker is the happy but harried mother of three school-aged children—two boys and a girl. She is also a freelance writer, a Children’s Minister, a PTA volunteer, and a Scout leader. Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and French and a Master’s degree in English. She has written extensively about parenting and education as well as business, technology, travel, and hobbies.

No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © 2007 All Rights Reserved

by Laura Page

Executive Director – Kids Helping Kids
www.kidzhelpingkids.org

Kids Helping Kids is a unique organization that evolved from a simple idea by a big-hearted 10 year old boy to raise $240 in order to save one Ghanaian child from the cycle of human trafficking into a fund-raising and leadership movement for global transformation.

Kids Helping Kids Leadership Academy…

Besides fund-raising for children in need locally and globally, Kids Helping Kids focuses on developing core leadership skills that not only raises their self-esteem but teaches them how to recognize behaviors that strengthen it.

Statistics show that early sexual activity, obesity, memory loss, violence, suicide and eating disorders are a direct result from low self-esteem.

Defined simply, self-esteem is the sense of being lovable and capable. When these two qualities are in sync, a child has high self-esteem. Children need first to know that they are loved and accepted for who they are. Then, with this as a basis, their natural impulse is to take that love and learn to contribute it to the world in constructive ways. It’s not hard to see that self-esteem is the best gift you can give your children.

How self-esteem is crucial to a child’s life….

• It sets the stage for one’s entire life.

• Self-esteem is built, it doesn’t come naturally

• Having good self-esteem correlates with success later in life – good grades and confidence can allow a teen to start out with scholarships and other opportunities.

• Helps teens deal with emotional stress

• Important in making good choices

Statistics on self-esteem in kids…

• 70% of girls ages 15-17 aren’t even bothering to participate in normal every day activities due to a lack of self-worth

• Obesity is the leading cause of low self esteem

• Today’s beauty ideals create appearance anxiety for 86.9% of all teenage-aged girls.

• *92% of the young women in the USA want to change some aspect of their physical appearance

Kids Helping Kids believes leadership is the foundation to strengthen self-esteem through social, emotional and educational curriculum. We focus on discovering and developing core principals to create the self-confident child by teaching integrity, honesty, self-esteem, communication, time management, conflict resolution and giving back, to name a few.

Integrity has become the backbone not only for our leadership academy but for every class and fundraiser we have. Our main focus of integrity is “doing the right thing even when no one is watching” teaching them three key elements that they can apply to their everyday thoughts and actions.

1. Integrity is a victory, not a gift.

2. A charismatic personality may draw people, but only integrity will keep them.

3. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

These components are introduced by explaining that integrity is like a muscle, it’s there to do an important job but it has to be used on a daily basis in order for it to grow. The more they think about and use integrity, the more developed and natural it becomes which then becomes a part of who they are.

We teach them about what leaving their “Legacy” means. This provokes thought about what they want to be known for, which translates into how people perceive you. This element is particularly important for our jr. high group whose every waking thought is about fitting in, from what they say, to what they wear and who they are associated with. This, in turn affects every decision they make, good or bad. When they have a greater sense of self, their self-esteem gets stronger. We read a poem called “The Dash” by Linda Ellis that talks about the line between your birth date and death date on your tombstone, and what it represents. They are then asked do an exercise where they come up with the words that they would put on their own tombstone that they get to take home and put up in their room. This opens the door for them to start thinking about their legacy every day and what they really want to be known for.

More recently we taught “Cell Phone Etiquette”. This was eye-opening, even for the parents in the room. I had recently seen an episode of Oprah that inspired this class. It made my jaw drop and the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

They showed the story of a mom on her way home from a doctor’s appointment and as she pulled up near her house she saw lights flashing and fire trucks around. She saw a child laying on the ground and a child's mangled bike. She had no idea that it was her 9 year old daughter that had been struck by a 5,000 pound SUV. The driver of the SUV said she was distracted while talking on her phone when she hit the little girl head on, killing her.

Do you have a cell phone? Are you a texter? Do you do this while driving? Did you know that texting behind the wheel is like having FOUR drinks or shots of alcohol? Even if you are on a blue-tooth!

This was a SHOCK to me, I am the first to admit that I actually save phone calls I have to make for when I'm in the car so that I can make good use of my time. I have not texted or talked on my cell phone, not even once since I saw this. How many times have we all been messing with our phone, reading emails or texts or dialing a number when we catch ourselves swerving for a minute and have to pull back. That's all it takes, is a second and a life could end, my son's, my neighbors or my own.

6,000 people die every year caused by driver distraction from being on the phone or texting. The sad thing is, they are not teaching this in drivers ed. So it is our responsibility to make this change. What are we teaching our kids? If you think you are one of those that is a good driver and that this could never happen to you then you need to see this: See The Oprah Episode By Clicking HERE. It will definitely change the way you think about your cell phone and how you use it.

Technology is A Beautiful Thing…or is it

The rapid advancement of the technological world in the 21st century has been nothing short of astounding. From rotary phones and library cards to talking to someone from an airplane and roaming the world wide web, we literally have everything at our fingertips. I can be driving down the road, hear a song on the radio that I like and with a few taps on my iPhone I can have that song downloaded to my music library for just .99 cents. Amazing! It's 2010 and we are all but flying around town in our Jetson’s space crafts.

I can't help but wonder what long term effects this is having and will continue to have on our children. All this technology has made it easier and easier to disconnect from human interaction and socialization. The biggest reason teens get involved with the wrong group or turn to drugs and alcohol is because they feel a disconnect and a lack of belonging, which equals a low self-esteem. If we are always talking on the phone, texting, checking email and playing games then most of our conversations with our kids are over and around the devices we are using. These are half-conversations and our kids are getting jipped from having all of us. As well as you are when they are half-talking to you while texting a friend.

This has become an epidemic of large proportions. It comes up in many conversations I have had with people and I always hear, "Yeah, I do it and I need to stop." but they don't. In a world driven by success coupled with mini computers in everybody's hands, this is a recipe for disaster. The temptation to get one more thing marked off of their "to-do" list is too great for most so they miss that opportunity to be 100% present while their child is telling them about what happened at school that day.

I have a friend who is such a poor manager of their phone that I have stopped hanging out with them. We will set an appointment to spend time together over coffee to catch up and they spend the entire time answering calls and sending emails/texts during our appointment together. That is not my idea of nurturing our friendship, in fact it makes me feel as though my time is not valued and neither is our friendship if they would rather be doing something else. The sad thing is, they see nothing wrong with what they are doing.

I believe we need to take control now before we have to start spending billions of dollars on the technology boomers and all the therapy they are going to need to fix the feelings of inadequacy because they were second to their mom's iPhone or dad's crackberry.

How do we do this? Set boundaries! For yourself and your kids. Agree not to use your phone while you drive and stick to it. Pull over if you need to make or take a call or text. Set times that you will accept phone calls and answer emails. Just because you receive one doesn't mean you need to answer it or read it right away. Don't bring your phone to the dinner table and turn it off when you are at a restaurant. If you are expecting an important call or email while you are meeting someone, tell the person about it and ask if they wouldn't mind if you take it.

It's really important to set these boundaries for your kids but you can't unless you walk the talk first. I personally feel like I only have my kids for a few more years so their time left with us is valuable to me. As it is I have to compete with the PS3 player. We play a lot of card and board games in our house. Sure they may not always be excited to play at first but that's our sacred family time with no interruptions and in the end we always have a great time.

Little Eyes…

There are little eyes upon you

and they're watching night and day.

There are little ears that quickly

take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager

to do anything you do;

And a little boy who's dreaming

of the day he'll be like you.

You're the little angel's idol,

you're the wisest of the wise.

In his little mind about you

no suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly,

holds all you say and do;

He will say and do, in your way

when he's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little boy

who believes you're always right;

and his eyes are always opened,

and he watches day and night.

You are setting an example

every day in all you do;

For the little boy who's waiting

to grow up to be like you.

- Kimberly Sedlacek

Sometimes being a parent isn't easy, whether you're a mom or a dad. There are challenges that occur every day, and there are times when you don't know where to turn. Sometimes you wonder if you're doing the right thing or if you are even a good parent. Every parent goes through that. It's perfectly normal. Maybe you feel that if you could just vent your frustration, have someone to talk to, and get a bit of advice, that parenting would be a bit easier. Today you can find that help through a new parenting resource, known as the Parenting Assistance Line, or PAL. Here is a closer look at this excellent resource for parents and how it can help you.

What is PAL?

First, you may be wondering what exactly PAL is. Well, it is a Parenting Assistance Line that has been developed as a collaboration between the Alabama Children's Trust Fund and the University of Alabama Child Development Resources. The First Lady of Alabama, Patsy Riley helped to create this special resource for parents. There is a special toll free number that can be called by parents, and when you call, a specialist in parenting resources answers the phone. They will listen to your problems or difficulties and they can also offer you some support and information. When you call, you also can ask for free literature that is related to the specific concerns you are dealing with as a parent.

Who Can Use PAL?

So, who can use this Parenting Assistance Line? This line is designed for parents – any parent that needs some support or information on becoming a more confident and better parent. Not only can parents use this line, but grandparents and other relatives can use the line to get helpful information on the children in their lives. The specialists on the line can help with information and support regarding children from age birth all the way through adolescence.

Why Use PAL?

Why should you use this Parenting Assistance Line? The answer is simple.

Parents have a tough job. There are days when you may feel like you can't go on. Sometimes you may just wish you had someone to talk to that would understand. In fact, you may even feel that you are being a bad parent. It is at these times when you really need someone to talk to that will listen and help remind you that you are a good parent. In some cases, if you just have someone that you can talk to, cry to, or someone to ask questions of, it can make a huge difference.

You'll also find that PAL has a wealth of experience dealing with all kinds of parenting issues. They have answered over 8000 calls already, and they are trained in all manner of topics. Just a few of the issues they are qualified to help you with include divorce, potty training, stress, child development, your own self esteem, and more. If you have issues that are more serious, those taking the calls can refer you to another specialist or service to give you the help that you need. The great thing is that this resource is totally free and when you call, you can know that everything you say is confidential.

More Information

The phone number to cal to reach the Parenting Assistance Line is 1-866-962-3030. When you call, your call will be answered by a parenting resource specialist that is trained to deal with your parenting questions and problems. There are certain times when you can call. The line is open 8am through 8pm every Monday through Friday, although you can call and leave a message at anytime. You can also visit the PAL website to find out more about what they have to offer.

They also provide on the site a contact page where you can submit questions and choose whether you want to be answered by mail, phone, or by email.

Many times teens in crisis prefer to talk to someone who understands their feelings and can relate to their issues, another teen. However, numerous teens cannot confide in their friends due to trust issues and a fear of embarrassment. TEEN LINE, an anonymous and free hotline, trains volunteers to listen to their peers’ feelings, educate the caller about options, and encourage positive decisions.

Teens worldwide call in as they struggle with problems involving pregnancy, abuse, depression, drug abuse, relationships, eating disorders, sexual orientation and homelessness. Every year more than 10,000 teens call TEEN LINE and over 30,000 individuals attend TEEN LINE outreach presentations. Elaine Leader, Ph.D., the executive director of TEEN LINE says, "Our program provides a safe, confidential way for teens to talk things out with a peer who can understand and who will listen, but not judge."

As listeners, we aim to promote individuality and help the caller distinguish between the right and wrong choice. At TEEN LINE we do not give advice; we firmly believe that callers, themselves, know the answer to their problems and have the capability to make their own decisions. Opening myself up to others has influenced me in ways I never could understand if not for TEEN LINE. I have gained the skills and capability to strengthen others in times when they cannot see their own potential. TEEN LINE has educated me on how to help my peers battle the difficulties in their lives in a non-judgmental and trusting manner. I’ve learned how to listen with an open heart and I now can better deal with issues that I formerly found more difficult.

By listening to and educating callers, TEEN LINE saves the lives of suicidal teens, teens that are being abused, or teens that are just hurting themselves. Some teens call back later thanking us for being there when they needed help. One teen said, “You make me feel comfortable and allow me to talk about what is going on. I have tried calling other hotlines, but it isn’t the same because you guys are teens”. Little comments like this let us know that we are making a difference, one call at a time.

-TEEN LINE LISTENER

Biography of TEEN LINE

TEEN LINE is a non profit organization that is open from 6-10 pm PST every night. The national hotline number is (310) 855-4673 and our toll free California number is (800) 852-8336. If a teen prefers not to call in, other alternatives are available for teens to access TEEN LINE such as email and online live chat available on our website. For more information about TEEN LINE, how to make a donation, or how to arrange an outreach please visit our website at www.teenlineonline.org

In today's world acts of charity seem to be rare. However, one little 10 year old girl can teach us all a lesson in heroism and charity. It is unusual to see such a spirit of giving in one so young, but in spite of all she has been through, Leigh Maria Dittman focuses her energy on helping others in spite of the tough times that she is going through herself.

Leigh Marie suffers from a very rare disease, known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta. This disease causes the bones in the body to be very weak and brittle, and it also stunts the proper growth as well. Unfortunately, just a small bump or fall can lead to a broken bone with this disease, and this 10 year old has gone through many broken bones as a result of the disease. She has also gone through many surgeries to help straighten the bones in her body as well.

Since she was only three weeks old, Leah Marie has been getting the treatment for this disease from the Shriners. She has spent plenty of time in the Shriners hospital, and when she was only three years old, she had the idea to start up a new fundraising to help out other children and the Shriner hospital that had helped her through her medical problems.

For seven years now, the Leigh Dittman Foundation has been raising money. Each year there is a special fundraiser that is done to help out the hospital. The fundraisers vary, from offering raffles, live auctions, silent auctions, and more. This year, the annual fundraiser for the Leigh Dittman Foundation will be held at the India Cultural Center in Tampa on September 11th at 6:00pm. This is the 7th annual fundraiser that has been held to raise money for the Shriners hospital.

Both of her parents have been very involved in this fundraiser and have helped to push it to success as well. They are very proud of how she has taken the difficult disease that she deals with and turned it into something that is positive to help others.

With her bubbly personality and selfless outlook on life, Leigh Marie has become popular with professional athletes and local business owners, becoming a local hero and an ambassador of sorts for the Shriners hospital. Her mission is to not only help raise money, but to also help raise awareness about this hospital and what it is doing to help children.

The Shriners Hospitals for Children is a special system that focuses on improving children's lives by offering teaching programs, innovative research, and specialty care for children. They provide care for no charge to many children who are dealing with cleft palates, cancer, spinal cord injuries, burns, and other conditions. This system has provided the care needed for Leigh Marie, and this little girl found it in her heart to want to give back to the hospital for all they have done for her.

Not only is she helping now with her fundraisers, but her goal for the future is to become a nurse so she can work in a Shriners hospital to help other children. For her charity and unselfishness, recently she won the $1,000 Kids Who Care scholarship from Kohl's Department store.

This young girl definitely is an inspiration at how one person can make a difference. Her charity is making a huge difference, raising more than $200,000 over the past few years. We can all learn from this little hero. No matter the challenges that we may face, we can look at them in a positive way and still find a way to help others.

You can learn more about Leigh Marie Dittman and the charity foundation she has started by visiting her website: http://leighdittman.com/.

Most people have heard of Alyssa Milano, a household name for years. Starting out as a child actor, she has become well known as an incredible adult actress today, staring in a variety of television shows along the way. Although many people may be aware of her celebrity life, many are unaware of the other side to Alyssa Milano. You may be surprised to find out what an incredible ambassador for good this woman has been and is today! Using her fame to make a difference, she is involved in many foundations and charities, always working to help those less fortunate than herself. Here is a closer look at a side of this actress you may have never seen before.

The Actress

First, let’s take a look at Alyssa Milano the actress. She started acting when she was a child, and has gone on to be on some very popular series’ on television. Most people know her for her performance as Phoebe Halliwell on the “Charmed” show, aired on the WB. This show has been popular around the world. Other shows that she has starred in include “My Name is Earl,” “Who’s the Boss,” and “Melrose Place.” She has also recently started a new role on television in “Romantically Challenged,” on ABC.

Beyond Acting – Milano the Philanthropist Although doing an incredible job as an actress, there is much more to Alyssa Milano than the glitz and glam that comes along with Hollywood. Beyond the acting that she does, she has become an avid advocate for those in need, a philanthropist, and a humanitarian in every sense of the word. To show you the other side of this actress, here is a closer look at some of the many things she has been involved in within the past few years.

National Ambassador for UNICEF

Back in 2003, UNICEF invited Alyssa to become a National Ambassador for them. This was a result of all the charitable work she had already done for children. Since she became the National Goodwill Ambassador for this country, she has traveled to work in a variety of other countries, including Kosovo, Angola, India, and more. Alyssa has also been working on the “Trick or Treat” campaign to help raise money for children in other countries and has been a spokesperson for that cause, which is a UNICEF project. According to Milano, she plans to continue working on projects with UNICEF in the future as well. Please visit Unicef and learn more of the great work they do helping children and families: http://www.unicefusa.org/

South Africa Fund Raiser

Back in 2002, Alyssa Milano also would get involved in relief work, working to raise money for South Africa. She had a photography auction and exhibition to help raise this money. Her own work was displayed at the event and the work of children from the arts program at L.A. Venice were also displayed. Almost $50,000 was raised with this event, which went to a special organization in South Africa that cares for mothers and children who have AIDS.

Founding Ambassador of Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control A closer look at her life also finds her being made the founding ambassador of Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control. After becoming the lead ambassador to this cause, she quickly donated $250,000 herself to this charity, helping to battle a problem in Myanmar known as lymphatic filariasis. She has commented on the incredible horror that neglected tropical diseases cause and she is determined to help make the public aware of this problem as well. Currently she is working to raise the awareness of this problem to the public and the media.

2009 Birthday Donation

In a very selfless act, Alyssa Milano gave up her birthday in 2009. This was her 37th birthday and she decided that she would donate it to a charity. The charity was designed to bring Ethiopia clean water. As she was working to make this money for her birthday, she ended up coming in well over her goal, which allowed her to make sure that 18 different communities got clean water. Instead of making her birthday all about her, like so many celebrities do, she made it all about people in need. In the end, she felt that it was the most wonderful birthday present she ever had, which is a true testimony to the heart and compassion that this actress has for those who are less fortunate. Every Child, every person should have clean water to drink. You can learn more about Charity Water Here.

Humanitarian Awards

Through all of the humanitarian work that she has done, Alyssa Milano has been awarded a variety of different rewards. For her work and fundraising for South Africa, she was given the Peace Meditation Award from Sri Chinmoy. She also was awarded the Spirit of Hollywood Award back in 2004 by the John Wayne Cancer Institute. This award was given because of her work and commitment as a celebrity to using her power to make a difference in the world.

Other Foundations and Charities She Supports Of course, this is only a brief look at the many different charities and foundations Alyssa Milano has been involved in recently. There are many others that she has supported as well. Just a few of the other charities she has been involved with include Rock the Vote, Common Ground Foundation, Believe in Dreams, Global Network, PETA, Global Network, Clinton Global Initiative, Creative Coalition, and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project.

As you take a look at the life of Alyssa Milano, you begin to find out that there is more to this incredible woman than a beautiful face and a wonderful career as an actress. She has taken the fame acting has given her and turned it into something that truly helps other people. Her life has been one of service and selflessness. By taking a look at this incredible young women, we all can learn some lessons in charity and giving to others.

When it comes to helping Children, helping Families, or helping Anyone for that matter, borders, and countries should not matter.

I hope people will be motivated from this article. Whether or not you are famous, we all can make a difference.

To paraphrase Alyssa,"One Love, One Peace, One World."

Finally, Here is Alyssa in Kosovo for World Children's Day, doing what she does best, helping and inspiring people.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

**Note: photo used in this article courtesy of Alyssa.com

Fathers Day is a day to celebrate being a Dad. For me the best gift is just spending time with my family. As Fathers our role is very important and studies have shown the more time we spend with our kids the more well adjusted and successful they will be.

Having a great relationship with our kids also has many benefits for us Dads as well. There is no better stress relief after a hard day of work to come home and have your kids run into your arms or be glad to see you.

There is a also a special bond that forms between Father and Son, a bond that starts at birth and lasts a lifetime. As Dads we bring joy to our family and help set role models for our kids. Father's day is a time to remember and thank our own Dads of if we are a Dad, a time to rejoice in our own family.

From all of us here at More4kids, we wish you a Happy Father's Day and thank all Dad's out there for their love and sacrifice.

Here is a very special video the YMCA did of kids telling their Dads how great they are:

Great Father's Day Quotes:

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland

One father is more than a hundred Schoolemasters. – George Herbert

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. – M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter

I talk & talk & talk, & I haven't taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week. – Mario Cuomo

A wise son maketh a glad father. – Proverbs 10:1

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection. – Sigmund Freud

A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child. Knights of Pythagoras

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons-Johann Schiller

Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown -Author Unknown

The greatest gift I ever had Came from God; I call him Dad! -Author Unknown

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!-Lydia M. Child

It is much easier to become a father than to be one.- Kent Nerburn

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever – Unknown

A father is a man who expects his children to be as good as he meant to be.-Carol Coats

Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers and fathering is a very important stage in their development.- David Gottesman

For thousands of years, father and son have stretched wistful hands across the canyon of time.- Alan Valentine.

You feed me and need me To teach you to play, So smile 'cause I love you On this Father's Day. Author Unknown

Fathers = "F" aithful. "A" lways there. "T" rustworthy. "H" onoring. "E" ver-loving. "R" ighteous. "S" upportive!!

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. – Author Unknown

Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys -Author Unknown

Finally, this quote sums things up, in the end words will be forgotten, but being their for your kids, and how you made them feel will last a lifetime.

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.- Anne Sexton

Happy Father's Day!!

More than likely you have heard a whole lot in the news lately about the oil spill that took place in the Gulf of Mexico. Chances are that your children have heard about it as well. This is the perfect time for you to teach your children about the importance of taking care of their environment. Most kids that hear about the BP oil spill are concerned about this problem. Instead of just allowing them to stand by and hear the bad news all the time, maybe it is time that you allow your kids to get involved. Sure, it is important that they learn as much as possible about this disaster, but giving kids a chance to do something about this problem teaches them about helping in a crisis as well as empowers them to feel that there is something that they are able to do to help out.

The great news is that even if you don't even live near the areas that have been affected by this BP oil spill, you still can help out. You don't have to be right there to take measures to help. Recent news reports are telling us that this spill is covering miles and the cost of cleanup will be in the billions. Still, there are small things that you and your kids can do to make a difference. When many parents and kids start helping, it will make a huge difference in the way this oil spill gets cleaned up.

Collect Items for the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary

You will find that the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, which is in Indian Shores, is in need of some items. They need more cash than they do volunteers at this point, and there are some particular items that they need. You may want to encourage your kids to work on collecting items that are needed by this sanctuary. Perhaps organize a local drive at school or in your neighborhood to collect items need. Some of the items that Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary needs include paper towels, bottled water, toothbrushes, Gatorade, moving boxes, bleach, gas gift cards, shovels, trash bags that are heavy duty, and kennels of all sizes. You can find out more about what they need and how to get these items to the sanctuary by visiting their site at http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/.

Donate to the National Audubon Society

Another group that is working to help cleanup the spill, especially focusing on helping birds that are victims of this spill, is the National Audubon Society. They are not only help to clean up, but trying to preserve habitats that have been affected too. Kids and adults can help volunteer with this society by filling out their volunteer forms for more information. Even if you are too far away to volunteer, you can always help by donating. Maybe hold a bake sale or have your kids pool their allowances together to make a dontation to the Audubon society to help out, which you can do by going to their website at http://www.audubon.org.

Pet and Human Hair

Helping out with the oil spill that occurred in the Gulf may be as simple as donating some hair. When you groom your pet, save all that hair that you get. It can be used to help clean up the oil spill. Both pet hair and human hair can be used to help keep the spills contained. The way it works is that hair from dogs and humans will be combined together, then put into nylons, which makes booms that are very absorbent so the spill can be contained. Check with pet salons and hair salons in your area, since they may be sending hair to the area affected. Matter of Trust is one organization that is collecting hair and you can find out more about them and this program by visiting http://www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmatsinfo.html.

Volunteering Opportunities

There are many volunteering opportunities out there, especially if you live near areas that are being affected by the BP oil spill. For those in Florida, there are many volunteer opportunities available and events that will require volunteers in this cleanup effort. VolunteerFlorida.org is the place to go to find out about local opportunities. Many other organizations can use volunteers as well, so if you live in the area, check with local organizations to find out if there is a way that you and your kids can volunteer to help out with this crisis.

Fundraising
Another idea is start a fundraising effort. Have your kids contact their friends, and work with other parents, or your local schools, churches and organizations.

Think Outside the Box

Brainstorm with your child on other ideas to help. Sometimes kids can have the greatest ideas! Check out this 11 year old girl who is painting to help save the Golf –> Bird Lover, 11, Painting to Save the Gulf

The great thing is that a difference can be made if everyone works together to clean up this oil spill. It is a huge disaster and is threatening more of the Gulf and may spread further to affect even more areas. If there was ever a time to work together, it is definitely now. Sure, the government is doing some work on this spill and BP has people working on the cleanup effort, but this is a big disaster that will take a lot of work and money to cleanup. Instead of sitting around hearing the gloomy news reports on the spill in the Gulf, why not take action. Let your kids learn more about taking action and helping when there is a problem. With all of these opportunities to help, you can get your kids involved, and when everyone is working together, a huge difference can be made.

Parenting at More4kids: More4Kids Inc © and All Rights Reserved

Recently NBC came out with a brand new drama series. The show's name is "Parenthood" and the show was inspired by Parenthood, the movie, which came out some time ago. The show is an hour long, and as a parent myself, I found the idea of a movie all about parenthood to be quite intriguing. The premiere of the show just aired on Tuesday, March 2^nd 2010, and what an interesting show it turned out to be.

Based upon the movie, the show is all about the ups and downs that a family goes through as they struggle through different phases of parenthood. The Braverman family is featured in this drama, which is a large family that is very imperfect and quite colorful.

The parents of the family, Zeek and Camille, have four grown children. Adam, their son is married to Kristina and they are the parents of two children, Haddie and Max. Then there is Julia who is married to Joel, and they have one daughter, Sydney. Sarah is a single mom, parent to Amber and Drew. Then there is Crosby, who is with Jasmine, although not married, and they are the parents of Jabbar.

The cast of "Parenthood" includes quite a few names that you'll definitely recognize. The matriarch of the family, Camille, is played by Bonnie Bedelia. She's known in the series as keeping the family together, but she has a great resolve that she has developed working with her children and husband, all of whom are quite willful.

Craig T. Nelson is playing the patriarch, Zeek, and as an Emmy Award winning actor, he brings a lot to the show. IN the show he was a Vietnam vet and has not stayed with anything for more than a couple years, except he has been a father for many years.

For the four children, Adam is played by Peter Krause, Julia is played by Erika Christensen, Sarah is played by Lauren Graham, and Crosby is played by Dax Shepard. Other names in the show include Joy Bryant, Sam Jaeger, Monica Potter, and Mae Whitman.

The show has the 10:00pm time slot, and it gives parents a chance to check out the show. For many viewers, especially parents, this show is show to strike a chord. Although it seems a bit typecast, the situations are definitely realistic and most will appreciate seeing life through the eyes of other parents as they go through various challenges.

The pilot show basically introduced the characters, and hopefully as the show goes on, it will continue to evolve, showing off the characters and going beyond the predictable. There are quality actors involved and great producers behind the show, so it definitely seems like a promising one.

This first episode was all about Sarah Braverman coming back home to where the rest of the family lives. She is in a tight place financially, and she has to uproot her kids and bring them with her as she moves back to Berkeley so she can be closer to the rest of the family. She's be greeted by the rest of the family, all dealing with issues of her own, and so the show begins.

After watching the pilot show, I truly hope that this show will continue to air. I'm looking forward to the next episodes and how the show progresses as we all get to know the Braverman family.

If  you go to www.nbc.com/parenthood you'll find a lot of great information, videos, bios, games, and more that have to do with this new show.

The good news is that even if you missed the "Parenthood" pilot this past Tuesday, you can still see it. In fact, you can view the full episode below with your family. Clicking on the Video below will open up a movie player. You can than change it to full screen. So get the popcorn ready, gather your family around the computer and enjoy.

If you have teens, probably one of the heavy things on your mind is whether they are going to make the right choices. Today's teens deal with more choices than teens in the past. There are many issues that teens face, and that can feel scary as a parent. How can you make sure they are going to make the right decisions in life? Well, first you need to realize that even if you give them the best upbringing possible, teens don't always make decisions that are right. After all, even adults don't always make the right decisions. There are things parents can do to help teens make good decisions. They might still make the wrong decision every once in awhile, but with these parenting tips, you can really help to influence your teen in the right way.

Parenting Tip #1 – Keep Talking to Your Teen

One important tip to help your teen make good decisions is to keep talking to your teen. Often teens begin to go silent on you, but keep on talking anyway. Even if they act like they're ignoring you and they don't talk back, keep on talking to them. More than you think is getting through to them when you're talking, so keep it up.

Parenting Tip #2 – Show Them By Your Example

Show your teens how to make good decisions by example. You cannot expect that your teen is going to behave better than you do. Make good decisions in your own life. If you mess up, own up to it and show your teen that mistakes happen but you can learn from the mistakes and go on. Remember, your teen is watching you, and what you do is going to be at least as important, if not more so, than what you say to them.

Parenting Tip #3 – Share Examples From Your Life

Another great idea to help your teen make good decisions is to share examples from your own life. Of course, you need to be careful about this. You don't want to encourage them to make bad decisions either. Some situations though can be used as examples and you can let your teen know what kind of consequences occur when you make choices that aren't the right ones. Allow them to learn from your own mistakes so they will make the right decisions in life.

Parenting Tip #4 – Avoid Being Judgmental

Whenever situations come up with your teen where one of their friends has made a wrong decisions, don't be judgmental about the situation. You can take the bad choices that their friends of made and use them as a way to open up conversations on these topics and what the right decisions should have been. If you are judgmental, you'll end up cutting off open conversation, losing an opportunity to talk to your teen more about the right decisions.

Parenting Tip #5 – Encourage Honesty

Encourage honesty from your teen. Let them know that they can talk to you, no matter what is up. Make sure that they know that you are going to love them no matter what. This helps to keep the lines of communication open so you can help them to make the right decisions, and aid them with fixing things if they make a wrong decision. It's a good idea to let your teen know that you are going to be even more upset if they lie to you. You'd rather know about a bad decision they made than to have them make it worse by lying to you. Just make sure that you don't react harshly or your teen won't want to talk to you about things.

Parenting Tip #6 – Accept Times When They Make Mistakes

It's important as a parent to accept the times when your teen makes mistakes. There will be times when they make the wrong decision. Everyone makes the wrong decision from time to time. Don't use this time to berate your child, but use it as a building block to help them understand why making the right decisions is so important. Examine the decision, what was behind it, and how they could have made a better choice for a better end result.

Parenting Tip #7 – Remember Your Teen Isn't Perfect

It's so important that you remember that your teen isn't perfect. Don't expect perfection from them or you won't have the opportunity to help them make good decisions. You'll only alienate them if you try to make them act perfectly. Teens have to learn, just like you did, which means they'll make some mistakes and have to deal with the consequences of bad decisions along the way. Remember this and it will make this a lot easier for you as you work with your teen to help them come up with the right answers and decisions for their life.

As a parent, you really do have a lot of influence over your teen, even if it doesn't seem that way. You can help to teach them very important lessons if you do it the right way. With these tips you can work with your teen to help them make good decisions. You can only do your best with your teen and work to help make sure they have the tools needed to make the right decisions that will provide them with a happy and well balanced life.

No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © and All Rights Reserved

by Aubree Bowen

Flashback: I’m riding in the car with my family.  Through the windows we see an old airplane sweeping across the sky, not a cloud or bird in sight. I hear a chuckle from my step dad in the driver’s seat. “Now there goes a happy guy,” he says.

A deep love and respect for aviation and airplanes has been pumping through my veins since I can remember. Almost my entire family has been involved in that world in some respect, whether you look at my dad, an aviation photographer, or my grandfather, who was an engineer for McDonnell Douglas.  Even my sister and I, who swore we would branch out and do something different, have gotten drawn into professional jobs surrounding airplanes. Aviation has been one of the strongest, neatest bonds to experience in my family…it’s truly an interest that can span across generations and bring families together. My step dad recently passed away from leukemia, and I will always cherish that tie we shared.

My relationships with my family members have been enriched by this common interest. And the more involved I get with aviation, the more I realize just how many people are affected by it. Everyone dreams of flying when they’re a kid…airplanes make it possible. Their freedom and power strike a chord in all of us, no matter what age.

I feel like too few parents realize and expose their kids to the beauty and history behind airplanes, particularly old warbirds. To date, there are over 400 air shows in the US each year. Chances are there’s an air show near you, and a chance to introduce your kids to an important and enthralling part of history. It’s also a chance to give them something to share with other generations of their family.

Because aviation was such a huge part of my life growing up (and continues to be), it’s my hope that kids everywhere will be exposed to this wondrous world of flight. A company called Air Show Buzz (ASB.TV) has created a new animated series called “Mike DA Mustang” that is geared to get kids excited about airplanes and bringing back the thrill of flying to all ages.

“Mike DA Mustang” is an exciting and heartfelt look at the world of performance aviation. It follows the dysfunctional “family” of Mike, a P-51 Mustang, and his buddies at the airport. Mike, Buzz, Axel, Angel, Max and a host of other non-human characters give the viewer an insider view of life in the clouds—the lessons learned, the bonds formed, and the challenges faced. The dialogue is smart, the animation is great, and the lessons taught are fun and invaluable.

So please, take a few minutes to sit down with your kids and introduce them to the thrill and beauty of flight. It’s a pastime that has truly enriched my life, and I hope that it will do the same for all of you.

Blue skies, my friends.