Showing posts with label campaign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label campaign. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

From The Dept. Of Redundancy Dept.




(... Thanks Stuart Scott for that title)

Stumbled upon a really interesting site recently: Science Blog. The site reports on various scientific studies being done - topics and their outcomes.

Fascinating piece of information on smoking (you'll thank us later): turns out that parents influence their children when it comes to smoking. The more communication against smoking, the less likely a child is to start the habit. Conversely, if the parents smoke, the child is more likely smoke.

And, in a related story, the more exposure you have to the sun, the more likely you are to be hot . . .

Seriously, how much money was spent on this research? Maybe it's important at times to study something we assume to be true, just to be sure . . . But, this one seems all too obvious. What we might want to know instead is what those "guidelines" are that parents should set for their kids (is it "Don't ever smoke" or "Don't smoke in gym class"?). What campaigns have been effective and what ads contribute to youth smoking? What strategies are being given to kids to fight peer pressure?



Thankfully, Science Blog offers a lot more on its site. Parents shouldn't need to be told that their voice matters . . . But, if it helps to remind one parent, we can forgive the study. ;)


Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Caught On Camera


It's crazy. Every time we turn around, there's a new harmful phenomenon grabbing our kids. The trend of posting fights between teens online is growing in popularity. It gained local attention recently, when a video of girls fighting in the Bronx made it to the news. But, it only takes a quick search to find hundreds and hundreds of similar videos.

The consistent dominance of professional wrestling (WWE) and the increasing popularity of ultimate fighting (UFC) should tell us that, as a society, we enjoy watching a fight. Whether we claim to see artistry in the battle, or whether we just like seeing someone get knocked out, something about a fight captures our attention.

But, bullying caught on camera? Then, posted for - what - bragging rights?? What's crazy is that some of these videos are not "meet me after school in the park" fights, but actual bullying and assault cases. And, if you search for anti-bullying videos on YouTube, you will find quite a few - many have been viewed thousands of times. But, search for a good old fight? The viewership these videos get is astounding - and almost instantaneous.



How do we combat this new trend? Kids have been fighting at lunch and after school - probably since school was created. But, the presence of camera phones and the internet add a new dimension to the fold. Now, there is fame to achieve. Now, there are global bragging rights to obtain. And, unfortunately, now there is one less bystander who might have been able to break up the fight . . . because he's holding the camera.


Many are asking questions of YouTube and other free video hosting sites: what is their role and responsibility, and what should their policies be? Schools are also asking questions - what is the reach of school rules? Can students be punished for off-campus fights? These are all worthy questions. But, we may not find solutions until we ask ourselves what kind of society we are that just can't get enough of watching these fights happen...


Ending on a more positive note, an anti-bullying campaign:


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Take a Stand. Lend a Hand.

Stop Bullying Now!



That's the mantra headlining the government's anti-bullying campaign. The website is extremely accessible and kid-friendly (mostly ages 9-13, with information for anyone - including an Educator's Corner and a Family Corner). Kids will be able to relate to the stories and scenarios, which were contributed by the Expert Youth Panel, i.e. other kids. Encourage kids to take the "Do You Bully Others" quiz . . . Examples include:
  • You and your friends have regularly kept one or more kids from hanging out or playing with you. 
  • You've teased people in a mean way, calling them names, making fun of their appearance, or the way they talk or dress or act.
Congrats to the HRSA for creating a great resource for kids. Hopefully, kids will take away some tools for dealing with bullying...