Goal Setting for Teens

Teaching financial literacy has been my passion. Over the years I’ve had an opportunity to speak to parents who want to know how to talk to their children about money and want tips to help them become more independent before they go off into the real world.

For many parents it seems like just yesterday that your children were on their way to kindergarten, but now that they’re in middle school things seem to be happening way too fast. Tweens seem to go from having play dates to group movie dates right in front of your eyes.

And they’re fashion conscious and brand sensitive far earlier than we ever were. This is all the more reason for us to help them get a financial grip on money and the need for saving by talking to them early and often about ways to save and spend money responsibly.

Here are a few things you can do to get your tween ready for the day when you’ll need to cut the strings and watch them spread their well-prepared financial wings.

Giving your tween an allowance is a great money move. It will help you as a parent reign in their budget-busting requests while teaching them the value of a dollar and saving for the things they really just “must” have.

In her book, “Kids and Money: Giving Them the Savvy to Succeed Financially,” author Jayne A. Pearl says this about giving your children a fixed spending budget. “Allowance is an effective way to start transmitting to your kids financial literacy, values, and decision-making skills.”

When tweens have access to money they can better understand the meaning of it and the proper ways to use it. Trying to help them understand the basics of money management using something that they have earned and saved for is powerful. Often that new “thing” they just had to have when you were paying for it becomes less important to them when they come to realize that it will greatly reduce the amount of money they will have left.

If your family doesn’t embrace the allowance concept but still wants to help your children have first-hand experience with money management, another way to teach tweens about money is through interactive learning experiences and board games such as:

Life
Payday
Monopoly Jr.
The Allowance Game and
Cashflow for Kids

These are all wonderful ways to teach lasting lessons in an entertaining way. Not only will these games help your child strengthen their math and problem solving abilities, they’ll also understand basic money concepts.

Finally, encourage your children to save with a purpose and if possible offer to add a small percentage to whatever they have saved. This teaches the lesson of compound interest and how money grows if left untouched.

The next time your child wants a new bike, skateboard or series of Karate lessons use it as a chance to challenge their desire for what they want by having them save for it. As an extra incentive agree to match their savings dollar for dollar up to a set amount or a specific period of time.

The benefit of this to you is that your child will develop discipline and a habit of not spending every dime they get their hands on. Plus, when you make the goal one that’s reachable even if they fall short, you can assist them so they will be encouraged to try again next time.

The biggest thing to remember is to encourage their new saving habits and find ways to support them so they’ll actually think of it as something fun. Once that happens you’ve created a situation that will develop a positive attitude toward saving for a lifetime!

Although it is typically high school students who are encouraged to participate in organized sports, children of all ages do participate. Participating in organized team sports is a great way to achieve physical benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and a sense of well being. Organized sports are also a great way to develop camaraderie and character building.

In addition to the positive lessons of teamwork, work ethic, and social skills, the heightened sense of competition which sports develops can be a negative strain on a child’s life. The obsession with winning, emulating their heroes in professional sports, or reaching the professional level can lead to steroid use. While the encouragement of children to strive to be the best is a positive guideline, some can turn it into a negative by experimenting with substances that can harm their bodies and their minds.

It is perhaps because of these extremely high standards that dangerous practices begin to take hold of young athletes. Also, it may be due to increases in news coverage of professional athletes using steroids. These are athletes who are idolized by kids. They are athletes who used steroids and achieved great success within their respective sports, albeit at a price. It is the responsibility of parents and coaches to make sure that all children, especially teenagers, are training in a safe and healthy way without the use of steroids.

Steroids are drugs that can help athletes achieve certain physical goals such as increased muscle mass, strength, and endurance. However, these drugs are extremely dangerous and illegal when used in competitive sports ranging from the professional level to even high school competitions.

Drug use, however, even the use of steroids, is sometimes glorified in movies and the media. Children may see an athlete set a record only to be accused years later of using steroids. America’s youth can interpret this as an easy way to achieve success.

The American media tends to report only on steroid use among professional athletes mainly in baseball, football, and basketball. What is missing, many times, in these reports is the rampant use of steroids among the nation’s youth. The use of steroids within the United States is increasing in dangerous numbers and should be a focus of the media in order to bring attention to parents, coaches, and teenagers.

As recently as 2003, it was found by the Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance System that 5.3% of females and 6.8% of males have used anabolic steroids at least one time. These statistics are more than double of a study conducted almost a decade prior.

Steroid use, as well as other drugs, is an ongoing problem among America’s youth. Steroid use not only can become addictive, but can also have long-term health risks associated with it. First and foremost, extended steroid use can lead to kidney failure, high blood pressure, and electrolyte imbalances. Additionally, steroids can lead to increases in harmful cholesterol and risk of heart disease and even strokes, which can ultimately lead to death.

Any teenager using steroids is at risk of altering his or her growth patterns and development as well. Steroids in the system can lead to premature closure of growth plates thus preventing the teenager from achieving his or her full grown form. Even more upsetting is the cessation of menstruation in girls combined with the deepening of the voice, baldness, and growth of facial hair. Steroids are particularly dangerous for young adolescents and young adults because their bodies are going through natural changes which can be severely altered or hindered by the use of these drugs.

In addition to these physical effects, steroid use can also affect a teenager’s mental well-being. Use of steroids, as we know, can alter the amounts of growth hormone in the body as well as other hormones and neurotransmitters. This can lead to wild mood swings which can materialize into depression and even suicidal thoughts. It has been reported that teenagers who had stopped using steroids had fallen into depression (which is a common feeling among teens but can be exemplified by drug use), and taken their own lives.

Many parents and coaches today agree that something must be done to deter today’s youth from using steroids. The best way to do this is through education, so many schools and sports programs today are incorporating drug education into their curriculums. However, much more is needed to encourage steroid avoidance. According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, only 45% of high school seniors believe that using steroids can be physically harmful. The media can also do its part to help America’s youth as well. More coverage on the risks associated with the use of steroids would go a long way, especially among today’s impressionable teens.

The word Gang causes a great deal of controversy and fear every time it is uttered. There is a great deal of myth and misconception about just what is a gang, how they recruit/operate and the danger they pose to our society, our families and children. Working with gang members for a great number of years, I’ve watched as they have become more sophisticated and violent as time has passed. What was once given short shrift or ignored as an anomaly is now recognized as an incredibly complex problem, not only for law enforcement but for our society as a whole. This article is a good starting point for parents and youth who want to see the truth about what gangs are, and are not.

When we hear the term “Gang” it conjures images of drugs, bullet ridden bodies, money and fear. The reality is; gangs are not new. In fact there is documented evidence of gang related activity going back as far as 1400-1500 AD. What is changing is the increased communications and cooperation on joint criminal ventures between gangs that would traditionally be at war or in competition for the same drug territory. Expertise and even technology are shared in an attempt to evade law enforcement and increase the bottom line. If it’s beginning to make gangs sound more than just a little like a business, it’s because they are. The only difference is that their products are crime, fear and death. 

When you take a close look at how many gangs operate, patterns begin to emerge. Gangs want the same thing as any corporation. They want to grow and expand in their territory/target niche. Profit is the bottom line and ruthless business tactics are often employed in the name of gaining a competitive edge. To further the corporate analogy, gangs also use brand recognition and targeted advertising to reach their target demographic. Every gang member I’ve ever known describes himself as a “businessman”.

We won’t be discussing the different types of gangs in this article. That’s a whole separate discussion and best left for another time. Nor will we examine the complex social problems that allow gangs to flourish. These issues are far too large to explore in one article and are best digested in small doses.  Instead in this article we will examine some risk factors for young people being targeted for recruitment or victimization by gang members and the some of the myths and misconceptions that abound with this topic in general.

Young people become involved in gangs for a lot of different reasons; a sense of belonging, family/friends involved in gang lifestyle, money, protection, etc. The point is; everyone is potentially vulnerable to or affected by gangs on some level. As parents we need to recognize the potential warning signs of attempted recruitment and acknowledge that while we can’t reduce all of the risk factors in our children’s lives, but we can give them enough resiliencies to deal with the problems when/if the time comes.

Parents always ask how they will know if their children are becoming involved with gangs. You will notice changes in their behavior and interactions with family, authority and society in general. Some of the changes that parents would notice immediately would include;

I think it’s important to note that these indicators are not definitive. I know a lot of teens who display several of these identifiers and are no more affiliated to criminal gang activity than I am. What these warning flags should do however is alert parents/teachers and anyone working with youth that there is a potential for recruitment/association if early intervention does not occur. There are other risk factors that cannot be controlled such as;

For every risk there are also resiliency factors. Resiliency is the product of a set of influences and circumstances that would pre-dispose youth away from negative lifestyle choices. Strong family ties, involvement in organized activities and strong adult role models and community involvement can go a long way to helping young people keep from becoming involved in gangs and other negative activities. It’s important for parents to realize that in many ways they are the ones on the front lines in the war on gang/criminal activity.

There are a great number of myths and misconceptions around gang culture. Some of them are loosely based in reality, but utilized by gangs to increase recruitment and perpetuate the fear/respect and “silence through intimidation” they need to operate. One of the biggest myths is;

Gangs will protect me from my enemies. The facts would indicate otherwise. It is physically impossible for any gang to protect their members 24/7. The United States Secret Service spends billions of dollars and has tens of thousands of agents to protect a very small number of individuals. Gangs, no matter how much money they are making from the sales of drugs and other criminal acts have neither the financial resources, the training, nor will to protect a lowly foot soldier on the street. Replacing them when they are killed or incarcerated is easy. Finding and training a new foot soldier is a much more cost effective business decision than paying lawyers. Secondly your risk of death increases dramatically when compared with actuarial tables of youth not involved in gangs. A police officer well known for his expertise in these matters summed it up beautifully. He said;

“The moment you join a gang, you automatically gain one hundred new enemies you never even knew you had.”

Gangs also rule by fear and intimidation of their own members. This means that in addition to the risk of being kidnapped, assaulted or killed by rival gangs; gang members often face the same risks from their own group.

Joining a gang will give me respect. This is one of the most common misconceptions in gang culture. When gangs talk about respect what they really mean is fear;

“Respect is earned and always there. Fear is generally present only when the object of the fear is nearby. Fear often coincides with hate. It is the power of illusion.”

We need to understand and convey to our young people that they are not the same things. Gangs must rule by fear in order to maintain their control over a very competitive drug market and other crime related activity. If their enemies don’t respect/fear them, then their drug markets will be taken over and their runners “jacked” and assaulted. If their members don’t respect/fear them, then they could potentially rip off the gang by running independent operations and skimming profits. Let’s face it; one of the best ways to control a violent criminal is to be a bigger and more violent criminal yourself. 

Gang members are my friends. Over the years I’ve come to know a lot of young people involved in gangs. Many of them had friends and family involved in the gang lifestyle. Unfortunately many of them are also dead, or know a lot of other young people who are. Although there is the perceived loyalty to the gang and its members it is always interesting to note that the loyalty only goes one way. An average gang member who is working as a runner/soldier for any gang is not making a lot of money. Don’t let all of the cash you see them being arrested with confuse you. That money is the proceeds of crime and the property of the gang’s hierarchy. Foot soldiers no more get to keep the proceeds of their criminal activities than the salesman at car dealership gets to keep the money for the sale of a new BMW. In fact those arrested are likely on the hook and fined by the gang for the loss of the drugs and money. Gang members are paid a salary like any other employee; they just get the added privilege of needing to wear body armor to work and going to jail and/or being shot at as a condition of their employment. Secondly if gangs are so loyal to their members, how come they never seem to use any of the millions that they are making on drug sales to get incarcerated members the best lawyers possible?

I will be at the top someday. Realistically there is next to no possibility of this happening. An average foot soldier would likely have no opportunity to become the leader of a large gang. In order for this to happen it would involve surviving; the street, jail, internal dissent, rival gangs, etc. Then potential leader would actually require some business acumen and organizational talent, because as mentioned previously gangs are in the business of making money period. They are just involved in a huge array of criminal offences and operations to fulfill this goal. The facts are that sometimes gangs are controlled by larger criminal organizations much as a subsidiary company would be controlled by a large corporation. They have the ability to engage in independent action, but the overall organizational vision is determined by the more powerful entity (Organized Crime).

I can’t get out now that I’m in. Not all gang members are created equal. Don’t get me wrong, gangs are a huge problem and need to be dealt with. We can’t treat every gang member like they are the head of a Triad and spend inordinate amounts of money protecting society from them after they have caused untold damage to people’s lives. It is counterproductive, costly and mostly ineffective. Most gang members are not members of the leadership or upper management whose knowledge of the groups operations and intelligence would make them a liability to the gang should they attempt to leave. Most gang members are foot soldiers who are involved in the day to day operation of a small part of the organization as a whole and likely not in possession of any knowledge that could seriously damage the gang’s leadership or operations. Many times gang members simply walk away with no repercussions whatsoever.

In other articles we will explore the world of gangs and gang culture and look at topics such as;

In the meantime, take the initiative to find out what resources are available in your community and avail yourself of their time and experience in educating yourself on this issue. Believe it or not what you don’t know can hurt you. There is a lot of excellent free literature available online to give you an overview of general information on this subject. Talk to you children about the dangers of gangs and know their friends. Know who/where they are hanging out and any potentially dangerous areas to avoid. Educate yourself and your children on Personal Safety and basic Self Defense and teach them how to reduce as much risk in their lives as possible. The best you can do is provide them with as much Resiliency as possible and hope that it can outweigh the risk.

Kerry Sauve

StreetSense Safety and Security Inc

http://www.streetsensesafety.ca

Is this an epidemic fuelled by parents?Is life too easy?

Life is so easy for too many children; they don’t know what it means to work hard to acquire their desires. They ask for and are given just about everything they want far too easily. We are in a generation of excess. They want it all, and they want it now!Watch this with your teenagers

Take as little as 5 minutes to watch this YouTube “Teenage Affluenza” video by World Vision with your teenager. The video does a great job juxtaposing the problems of young people in a rich country vs. the monumental difficulties young people in poor countries face, but in a sarcastic way that isn’t too overbearing or preachy.Results of over indulgence

Some psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids may be setting them up for future anxiety and depression. Recent studies show that kids who were given too much too soon often have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments as adults. They have a distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of successful relationships at home and in the future – the workplace.What the experts say

Experts also warn that parents are spoiling their kids; not just with material things, but by failing to set limits, not requiring that chores be done on a regular basis, not making the child wait or earn money for items they want, and smoothing away all the child’s frustrations in order to keep them happy, no matter what. According to experts, this type of parenting can lead to lack of motivation, low self-esteem and irresponsible behaviour.What happens when you don’t say no

Parent’s who can’t say no is an unexpected legacy of the affluent 90’s. This generation of parent has always been driven to give their teen every advantage. Now a growing number of psychologists, educators, and parents have come to the realisation that all this overindulging is producing lazy, self-involved, and irresponsible teenagers that are prone to drop out of school, continue to live with their parents into their mid to late twenties and beyond, and may develop a dependency on drugs and alcohol.Be their parent

What children need most at this time is for parents to be a parent; not their best friend. Today’s parents put in more hours on the job; at the end of the work week it’s tempting to give in to the guilt for not spending quality time with their kids, or to buy peace with a “yes.” Overindulged children often have lower self-esteem, a direct contradiction to what most overindulgent parents are trying to achieve with their coddling, Instead of having a sense of self- confidence they have a sense of knowing that their parents will take care of things for them.Saying No

According to psychologists parents need to find is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving, and working hard to achieve goals. Don’t confuse permissiveness with love. In your quest to keep your child happy, you may forget to impart the ethics and values you really want to teach.The Marketing Phenomenon

Susan Linn, an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, believes most parents are doing their best in the struggle against what she calls a marketing maelstrom. Corporate America is largely to blame for our overindulged society, she said. “Parents and children are living in a commercially driven culture that glorifies conspicuous consumption, and that’s harmful,” said Linn, author of Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood “Children are just inundated with very sophisticated marketing messages by companies that encourage them to nag their parents (to buy them things).”Those messages persuade parents and kids they can’t be happy without certain brands or products, she said. “People are buying into that belief that what makes a child happy is buying them things,” Linn said. “But the research tells us that things don’t make us happy.”Remind yourself and your children: The best things in life aren’t things!

For the most part, a teenager’s communication skills get worse every day as they submerge themselves in their world of text messages and abbreviate everything.  They have no idea how to look someone in the eye, shake hands or even speak up with something other than “wassup”.

With budget cuts getting worse every day and class sizes getting bigger, how can we get to these kids and teach them what they need to know about survival?  The teachers can’t do it, they’re stuck with curriculum that must be taught and then tested.  The curriculum is old and for the most part outdated.  The teachers are underpaid and have no incentive to inspire. The kids are bored and don’t listen and as a result our drop out ratio is higher than ever.  This is our future folks – these kids will one day be running our country and making decisions that will affect a lot of us as we enter the later years of our lives.  If you think life is scary now – just wait!

I’ve been taught that when you see a challenge, find a solution.  So that’s what I’ve done.  I’ve created a series of “classes” to teach life skills to teens. I’ve been fortunate, in that I have found a way to relate to teenagers, and they to me. Coaching and mentoring these kids feeds my soul, but more importantly gives them a new outlook with which to face life.  I’m not saying that they’re all a mess, but there are way too many who are.  I realize this is pretty brutal, but then, the truth usually is.

It starts with self esteem.  Who are their role models?  Who do you think are their role models and why?  Is it Eminem and his rap or Tiger Woods and his focus?  Are they listening and doing, or just doing without listening?  Are they aware of consequences?  Do they care?  Do they know what a goal is?  If so, do they know how to set and reach it?  These are just the first few questions and answers that we dig into when I’m coaching.  What makes a teenager tick?  How can we motivate them to think and do something positive?

Teenage is a tough time, but we can help them to develop a sense of self and future goals.  They can learn to think, act and even accomplish things they never thought about.  One of my first students was a 16 year old high school mother with absolutely no self esteem or thoughts that she could accomplish anything other than just getting through school, and even that would be a first in her family of 14!  She grew into a confident, skilled, smart young woman and worked for me personally for 10 years!  I’m so proud of her and who she has become, the family she is raising and the life she is enjoying.

If we can work together to produce a better curriculum for life then that’s what we must do.  Contact me! Tish@talk2tish.com or direct 310.822.1978!

Let’s work together to create a better life for your kids!  I know we can do it!

The date is set, the invitations are out, and now you’re preparing yourself for a house full of active, energetic children to entertain. Have no fear! With a few simple, well planned out innovative game ideas, you can not only throw a fun and memorable party, but actually sit back and enjoy the interaction and entertainment yourself. There are several great game ideas for kids of all ages that won’t break the bank, can encourage teamwork and bonding, are exciting, challenging, and educational, and are sure to put smiles on the faces of all of your party goers, whether it be at the next birthday party, slumber party, family get-together, class party, holiday party, or other event. To get you started on your way to hosting a great party, we have suggested just a few of our favorite easy-to-set-up and fun-to-play party games for kids.

Guess Who I Am: This is a simple but fun game that will have the children interrogating each other to discover each others’ identities. Make a list of identities – enough so that each of your guests can pick one. For example: Sponge Bob, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Scooby Doo, Batman, Jimmy Neutron, Power Ranger, etc. Make a master list of all of the possible identities for the kids to view. Then prepare slips of paper each with a single identity printed on it to be drawn from a central grab bag. Have each child draw an identity and keep it secret. Then let the questioning begin. Choose any child to begin. That child should choose another player to ask a yes or no question about their character, but they can’t ask directly, for example, “Are you Sponge Bob?” Once the other player has answered “Yes” or “No” to the question, any of the children can try to guess their identity. The asking of questions moves from child to child in a clockwise direction. When a child guesses correctly another’s identity, they win and collect their identify slip from them. If you like, you can put a prize or treat associated with each of the identities acquired. This is a great game to encourage interaction, memory skills, and lots of laughs. The best part is that its an easy game to play again and again simply by starting over with each child drawing a new identity, or change the topic for the next round and make each identity an animal, a job, a food, a toy, a super hero, etc. — use your imagination and have fun with it.

Plan a Treasure Hunt: All kids love the thrill of a hunt — solving clues and tracking down lost treasure. You can make a treasure hunt simply at home with a little time and creativity. First, look around your house (just the areas where the party will be gathering) and find some good hiding places. Then write clues on pieces of paper of a difficulty level appropriate to the group you will be entertaining that will lead them to those hiding spots one by one. For example, one clue might be “You’ll have to be nimble, you’ll have to be quick, to find the next clue hidden under this stick” The next clue of course would be found hidden under a candle or candlestick. Prepare at least ten different clues to lead the children on a hunt all about the party area, which can include outdoors, such as at a picnic or park. Hide the clues ahead of time before the children arrive. The first clue should be handed or read to the children, and the second hidden in the answer location, where the next clue can be found, and so on until, at the end when the last clue is solved, the final “winning treasure ticket” is found. You may want to provide a reward, such as goodie bags, party favors, sweets, presents, give certificates, or other treats both along the way or at the end. One variation is to attach a piece of gift wrap to each ticket, and the one who finds that ticket gets the gift that matches the wrapping paper. Of course, prizes are not necessary, and solving the final clue and knowing you won can be satisfaction enough. Just be prepared — this game often brings the “Can we do it again!?” request. If you lack the time or creativity to create clever clues and a treasure hunt on your own, there are great inexpensive pre-made custom printable treasure hunt games available online designed around common household or outdoor objects that come with hiding guides that you can purchase online, download, and print and play instantly, such as at Treasure-Adventure.com.

Truth or Do Balloon Stomp: This is the traditional truth or dare game with a new twist that will have children choosing their own fate one balloon at a time. Prepare a bundle of balloons filled with pre-made rolled Truth or Do questions or commands. Each child takes turn choosing a balloon, and stomping it open to reveal their Truth or Do hidden tab within. Be appropriate to your age group. Some Examples of “Do” tabs might say “Act like a dancing Monkey”, “Walk the length of the room with a book on your head”, “Sing the National Anthem”, etc. Some Examples of “Truth” questions might be “Tell your most embarrassing moment”, etc. You can print one “Truth” and one “Do” on each ticket to give children the choice of which they will do.

Double or Nothing: This is a fun, competitive game that kids love, that any number of players can play, and that all different ages can play together. Have the party guests form a circle. Place a pile of small, wrapped party favors or suitable gifts in the center of the circle, typically numbering at least double the number of players. The host decides on how many times around the circle play will go, but it should circle completely before ending a game so all players get an equal number of turns. If a birthday, start with the birthday child. Otherwise, the host may choose or start with the high roller of two dice. Put the two dice into a shallow metal pan or other container with a flat bottom. The first person rolls the two dice once in the pan. Each child that rolls doubles gets to choose a prize out of the center pile or steal one from someone else who already has one, but they must not open any presents they win until the end of the game, and must place all presents in front of them unopened during the game. If they roll doubles, they get to roll again immediately, and each time they get doubles, they get to choose another prize. If they do not roll doubles, they must pass the pan and dice to the next player to their left, and so on. There are two variations to this game. A less competitive option that ensures that all children get the same number of prizes follows the same rules as above, except that enough prizes are placed in the middle to allow all children to get the same number of prizes, and the first child that reaches that maximum number of gifts wins, take their gifts, and leaves the game. Play continues as each subsequent child reaches their maximum number of gifts and leaves the game. This is a great way to make sure everyone goes home happy!

Spoons. This is a fast-paced, hilariously fun party game similar to the game of “horse,” and the more the merrier! It is best for ages 8 and up (adults love it too!), but can be played by sharp younger players also. Have the kids again form a circle. Arrange metal spoons (numbering one less than the number of players) either in a close circular formation or in a pile so they make noise when they bump together in the center of the circle. Shuffle two decks of cards well, and have one of the players deal out four cards to each player face down. Leave them face down until the game is ready to start. All players must keep four cards in their hands at all times. The goal is to get four of the same cards (not same suits), such as all 4s, 10s, Jacks, etc., and when you get them, sneak one spoon. The dealer starts by putting the deck face down and drawing quickly one card from it at a time. He may keep the card if it matches ones in his hand and discard one of his own face down in a new pile for the next player to pick from, or pass on the card he just picked by placing it face down in the new pile of discards for the next player to pick from, again, one card at a time. The dealer keeps picking quickly and passing cards until all cards are gone, and may then pick from new cards passed to him when the cards have come full circle. All players should go as fast as possible, all the while keeping four cards in their hands, keeping count of the spoons, and watching carefully for anyone attempting to sneak a spoon while they are picking cards. Once the first spoon is taken by someone who has all four of the same cards, everyone else must try to grab a spoon before they are gone. The one left without a spoon gets a letter. The first person who spells “SPOONS,” is out of the game, and a spoon is removed from the center to ensure there is always one less spoon than the number of players. If the person who sneaks the spoon is not noticed by anyone else, he should sit the spoon in his lap, and keep passing cards until someone notices one is missing. Watch out for people pretending that they have four of a kind – they may reach out towards the spoons, but not touch them to fool someone else. If they touch a spoon accidentally on such an attempt and do not have four cards, they get a letter. If someone else is fooled and thinks they are going for a spoon, but they don’t, and touches a spoon when they don’t have four of the same cards, they get a letter. Only the first person who touches the spoon when they shouldn’t have gets the letter – the rest who follow do not. They simply put them back. Play continues until one person is left and wins the game.

Charades: This is a classic party favorite that is always good for a few laughs. Prepare ahead with some charades to act out that are appropriate for the group and age level. If you’ll be entertaining younger kids, give them simple words to act out, making it clear that they cannot speak. For example, sing, happy, monkey, dog, guitar, sick, hungry, bounce, flower, climb, draw, etc. For older children, prepare a couple of categories of clues and write the category on a piece of paper or white board. For Example: Movie Titles (The Lion King), Sayings (You win some you lose some), Songs (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star), etc. Prepare the charade tabs ahead of time. Divide the group into two teams. Team #1 will draw a random charade tab and try to act it out for their own team (give a set time limit). When time is up, if the first team hasn’t solved it, the other team can take a guess to try and steal the point. Then Team #2 takes their turn, and so on. Be sure to rotate the charade actor on each team each time. Decide on a set number of points to be reached, and the first player or team that reaches that number of points wins!

The Cotton Bowl: Another fun team party game for all ages that is hilarious to watch and play. Split your party goers into two even teams. Place two chairs back-to-back, with a player from each opposing team in each chair. Blindfold both players well and ensure that they cannot see. Hand them each a large spoon, and place a bowl containing equal numbers of well-separated cotton balls on their lap. The host stands between the two holding two paper plates on each of their heads. A timer is started. Each seated competing player has 30 seconds to scoop as many cotton balls out of their bowl using their spoon and carefully raise the cotton balls and place them on the plate over their head. When the buzzer is up, the number of cotton balls on each plate gets added to the respective team’s score. One point for each cotton ball successfully placed on the paper plate that does not fall off. Typically, the first team that collectively reaches 50 points wins, but you can set the goal to whatever you wish.

Pass it On: A great get-to-know-you game. Have the children gather in a circle to share their favorite things. Start with one child (the party boy or girl preferably) who should announce, for example, “My name is John and I like Football.” Then, the next child in line might say, “John likes football. My name is Matt, and I like candy,” and so on. Set a prize if the kids can make it all the way through without slipping up. If they get stuck, they can start again at the beginning with the child who got stuck going first, and then working their way back through the other children. This is a great memory game that will have children concentrating, interacting, and getting to know each other at the same time. It can easily be played over and over again by changing the fact to be shared, such as favorite candy, cartoons, books, foods, animals, games, etc.

Prize Balloon Stomp: This is not a game, but an innovative way to keep kids in anticipation, not knowing what is inside their balloons. Simply prepare a bundle of balloons with rolled prize tabs inside of each one that announces some special treat or reward. They may receive a balloon for finding a treasure clue, solving an identity, or guessing correctly in charades, etc. Or just place them at their assigned seats. Kids will have a blast stomping the balloons to retrieve their surprise reward.

For more treasure hunt and party game ideas, party supplies, and fun tips, visit Treasure-Adventure.com at http://www.treasure-adventure.com

Many people want to lose weight and if you’ve ever tried then you should already realize just how difficult this can be. This is equally difficult for children. Any successful weight loss program will concentrate not only on losing weight but also improving confidence levels. It can be very difficult to make overweight individuals feel good and confident because of years of teasing from peers. There are quite a few motivational techniques which can be applied to your life in order to make you more committed to losing weight.1. ProgressYou will want to know how your weight loss plans are working for you and to make this possible you should track your progress. Any good weight loss camp should weigh you every week; this will give the kids an indication of how much they have managed to lose. If they actually see that they are losing weight then they will feel much better about themselves. Some campers will keep a small journal which can be used to record your experiences and also to record how much weight you have lost each week. Even when you go home you can carry on weighing yourself, seeing that your hard work has resulted in some weight loss will help to keep your kids motivated.2. EnjoyWeight loss camps are successful because they make exercise fun and enjoyable. Exercise only seems like hard work if it is a chore, if however it is something that you enjoy then you won’t even realize that you are losing weight or doing any exercise. There are a whole host of different activities that can be considered as a form of exercise including swimming, drama, kayaking, and horseback riding. Weight loss camps will also make food choices much more fun and interesting. They teach kids that healthy foods can be fun and can taste great too. These camps will teach how to choose foods based on calories and show that by making a few good decisions in terms of your diet you can still enjoy the things that you like to eat.3. Getting HelpWeight loss camps are a great way of getting the help and support that you need to change your life for the better. The counselors aren’t the only people who offer the support. Everyone else is in the same boat as yourself and that means that they are much more likely to offer you extra support. Many kids find that this extra support is a great way to stay motivated and actually shed some pounds. Children love this support because they’re not used to it. At school they often get teased and tormented. As you manage to lose weight you will be able to improve your life and start looking better, you can also make yourself feel more confident. Getting in touch with some great new friends who have a similar problem to yourself will help with your goals.4. GoalsYou need to set yourself goals so that you can make sure you are on track. You can keep yourself motivated by looking at the positive effects of weight loss. You will have more energy, feel more confident and live a longer and happier life. You can use these goals to keep yourself motivated even when you leave the camp. If you are ever tempted to eat anything unhealthy then you can convince yourself that it’s not a good idea to eat it by reinforcing your goals. Set yourself long and short term goals to help motivate you.5. Education

You should learn about the consequences of eating certain types of food. If you eat greasy foods or lead an unhealthy lifestyle then this can have a huge toll on your life. This education should provide you with plenty of motivation to help improve your life and get your life back on the rails. Kids and young adults all need to learn about nutrition and exercise. This education will help you to understand about the differences between healthy and unhealthy foods and the consequences.

If you are a teen seeking an alternative to public or private schools with an accredited diploma, then an online high school program is a terrific option!
Are you looking for a program that grants the freedom to learn creatively, to take charge of your own education and to pursue the future in your timing?
Are you searching for a flexible education for any of the following reasons:
The desire to work at your own pace with the option to graduate early
The freedom to determine your own courses
The need to study in a less distracting environment
The ability to work from home for health reasons
The need for more challenging courses
The need to go back and establish a stronger academic foundation
The need to schedule your learning around a career
The need for more time to pursue your excellence in athletics or another field
If any of these apply, you must consider the freedom of online high school.
In many cases, you are ready to consider a homeschool program for high school, but convincing your parents that they can do it can be a daunting task.
They are struggling with the knowledge that high school is crucial to your future and they don’t want to risk making mistakes.
How will they ensure that you are on the right track?
How will they teach high school math and science courses?
How will they know that you are producing quality work?
What courses will you need for college?
What about a high school transcript?
What about an accredited diploma?
All of these are valid concerns and definitely should be considered as you research the option of high school at home and the right online high school program can and will meet those needs.
So what do you need to know as you consider the options and search for the right online high school program? What questions should you ask? How do you know that the online high school or homeschool academy you choose will prepare you for your future?
Some basic considerations:
Ask about accreditation. You want to be sure that the online high school you choose is accredited and that you will receive an accredited diploma.
Ask about college placement. Can they provide a list of colleges and universities where their high school graduates have gone?
Ask about flexibility. Do they offer a “one size fits all” curriculum or do they cater courses to your specific needs and goals? Do they offer both vocational and college prep high school programs? Can they meet the needs of both struggling learners and advanced or gifted students?
Ask about support. Are you able to call for help or get help online when you need it?
Ask about freedom in scheduling. Are you required to be online for a specific time period during the day or for a set number of hours per day or do you have the freedom to determine your own schedule?
Ask about AP courses. Are you able to take online advanced placement courses that prepare you for AP Exams?
Ask about dual enrollment courses. Does the school offer the opportunity to take online college courses for both high school and college credit? This is a terrific way to get a head start on college while taking more rigorous courses and preparing yourself for the transition to college level academics.
Ask about graduation. Can you participate in a graduation ceremony with other graduates?
It is important to ask the right questions before choosing an online high school. Be sure it is recognized, has been in operation for several years and has a good reputation. This is your future, you want to do it right.
How to get started.
Start by looking at the various online high school options out there. Be sure to ask the questions listed above and compare programs.
Some online high school programs to consider:
Bridgeway Academy Online High School, http://www.homeschoolacademy.com. In operation for 20 years, you can be confident in the fact that their high school graduates have attended colleges and universities all across the country-many with scholarship funding. Choose to take all courses online or mix and match your preferences for a truly customized program.
With introductory grants available, you can take advantage of the most cost effective online high school program out there. You can enjoy a program that offers more freedom and customization than any other online high school. You can be confident in a course load that is catered to your needs and abilities, whether you are struggling with academics or searching for more challenging and advanced classes. You can be sure that you will receive exactly what you need to succeed. And, if you are looking for a jump start on college, you can find it at Bridgeway Academy where dual enrollment courses (in partnership with Davis College) offer you the ability to take online courses for both college and high school credit.
Stanford University Designed, http://epgy.stanford.edu/ohs/, for gifted students, this is a costly online high school but may be one to consider if you are seeking the prestige of Stanford University. Its web-based courses are designed to challenge students and prepare them for the rigors of an Ivy League university like Stanford.
Keystone High School, http://keystonehighschool.com/. Keystone is an online high school that admits both teenagers and adults with proof of completing eighth grade. Students may choose from a variety of online or correspondence courses to find a program that meets their needs. As with all other programs listed above, students can opt to take one course or enroll in the full program.
So don’t be afraid to ask your parents to consider a home school option for you, but do be sure that you have researched it well and are prepared to offer an answer to their concerns.