Dating Safety: Seven Valentines Day Safety Tips

If this is a first date, or you have meet someone online and you decided that Valentine’s Day was going to be your first in person “real” date then you should follow these simple rules. But you still have to always be on your guard when going out with someone you barely know.<br /><br /><ol><li> <strong><em>Arrange to meet your date -</em></strong>Never allow your date to pick you up from your home. In fact, you shouldn’t share your home address period!</li><li><strong><em>Meet in a public place -</em></strong>For a first meeting, always meet in a public place where other people are close by. You may always want to consider going out with a group of people.</li><li><strong><em>Go Dutch- </em></strong>Pay half your bill so neither you nor your date feels like you’re obligated to “return” the favor.</li><li><strong><em>Don’t drink - </em></strong>Alcohol affects your judgment and lessens your inhibitions. If you are of legal age and going to drink, keep your drink in sight at all times. It is always recommended to not drink to the point of intoxication. We suggest you don’t drink at all. Even as a young adult of non-legal age, you should watch any beverage that you drink. Teen Dance Clubs and parties are always prime places for someone to attempt to place a “date-rape” drug in your drink. </li><li><strong><em>Use your own car - </em></strong>Provide your own transportation to your public meeting place and make sure you have more than enough for gas.</li><li><strong><em>Don’t assume your date is safe - </em></strong>Don’t let your guard down. Tell a friend where you'll be and when you'll be back. And never assume a guy/gal is safe just because he/she claims to be religious or a gentleman.</li><li><strong><em>Don’t let him/her know where you live - </em></strong>If you want to see him/her again, arrange a second date and take it from there. One date doesn’t guarantee he/she's not a creep.</li></ol><br /><div><strong><u> Remember the Fives These five can get you into trouble.</u></strong></div><ol><li>Avoid secluded areas</li><li>Stay in a public place where people are around. Avoid secluded areas like parks.</li><li>Listen to your gut!</li><li>If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Leave immediately!</li><li>Give your date your cell phone number. It’s safer to give out your cell number than your home number. Why? Because someone can easily find out your home address online by entering your home number! This can usually be done in less than 20 seconds.</li></ol><br /><div> </div>

Dating Safety: Seven Valentines Day Safety Tips

If this is a first date, or you have meet someone online and you decided that Valentine’s Day was going to be your first in person “real” da...

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6 ways to prevent kids from becoming the bully, the target or a bystander.

Because of recent events in the news about bullying, in particular involving gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender youth many adults are now treading into difficult territory, to say the least. For educators that this can be even more difficult because of the personal nature of the issue. However, the basic issues that surround all youth who are targets of bullies do not change. Therefore the methods that we need to impart to them is the same also.<br /><br /><div> </div><ol><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdSf1SRLpbsNfralIrBKvfF_nelFVygjcZ6ewQS1exh4dRRXvtKsorimN4MuEoyh3q1E5Po4tqupXspxtrmgUWBWbQudfofk-yxvwwDyp7E-F0wa3o8Y_9aYUYsZ4i70UuNOyp_NZLjMk/s1600/bully.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdSf1SRLpbsNfralIrBKvfF_nelFVygjcZ6ewQS1exh4dRRXvtKsorimN4MuEoyh3q1E5Po4tqupXspxtrmgUWBWbQudfofk-yxvwwDyp7E-F0wa3o8Y_9aYUYsZ4i70UuNOyp_NZLjMk/s200/bully.bmp" width="200" /></a> Understand bullying which is a pattern of behavior where one child uses physical or mental tactics to belittle another.</li><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Know why kids are bullied—children are targeted due to their physical appearance, passive behavior, the belief that somone is different than themselves, such as GLBT issues. Even possibly that the target just stand out to their peers for a reason only known to the bully.</li><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Know the signs– Bullied children often suffer from absences, poor grades, violent behavior and low self-esteem. Children may exhibit trouble sleeping, wanting to stay home from school and withdrawing from friends.</li><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Model Appropriate behavior— We must walk the walk, by teaching our youth that nobody has the right to hurt another person. Foster behaviors that reduce the risk of raising a bully, target or bystander.</li><li>Talk about it — Teach parents to make regular discussions about school, friends and social issues. </li><li>Address the issue—As educators it is important that we address the problems at school quickly, fairly and with appropriate punishment.</li></ol><br /><div> Remember as educators we need to be role-models for our youth. We should not be bullying or peers or disrespecting them in front of youth, it only sends mixed messages and foster acceptance of the bullying type mentality.</div>

6 ways to prevent kids from becoming the bully, the target or a bystander.

Because of recent events in the news about bullying, in particular involving gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender youth many adults are no...

Read more »