What Parents Must Know When Children Steal

A painful and embarrassing, common problem that parents encounter is when their children steal. Quite a number of criminals today began stealing from a very young age due to poverty, neglect and peer pressure. However, it is the responsibility of parents to see to it that their children are educated about what is right and wrong and most of all about stealing. Nevertheless, whatever the reason may be for children to steal, parents must approach the problem wisely and not react to natural inclination.

When grade school aged children steal, it often is due to lack of self control and this can still be controlled with parental advice and discipline. But when high school children steal, the results are usually more uncontrollable. Often, children of high school age, tend to make it a hobby and even carry the habit into adulthood.

Why Do Children Steal?
Children's needs are not met - There will be times when children feel that their needs are not being met by their parents, they tend to take matters into their own hands. Our needs are subjective, so when parents' feels that their child wants something unnecessary and their child feels differently, the child will try to get what he or she wants by stealing.

Amount of attention needed - Even if parents provide their children with all the material needs they feel necessary to make their children comfortable and happy, sometimes attention and personal care is needed instead. As a result, children misbehave and steal to get the attention they need.

Peer Pressure - Children love to experiment and quench their curiosity. This is often a problem in groups of friends who experiment with stealing. With all the excitement and desire to fit in, a child will steal to prove that he or she is brave, to show these friends that he or she belongs in the group. This is most crucial because your child must know how to choose the right friends.

What Do You Do When Your Child Steals?
The first reaction you will have when you suspect your child of stealing is to become angry and immediately confront him or her. This is something you must learn to avoid because you are not 100% certain if it is true. If stealing is done at home, you must be sure to catch your child in the act before jumping to conclusions. Never allow your feelings to dominate you and make matters worse.

Children need to know the difference between right and wrong. A firm but loving reminder of the consequences is always healthy, but never give your child the feeling that he or she cannot be trusted. If they do something wrong, they must learn to correct it. They must understand that even stealing can hurt others and it will not only affect their lives but the lives of others as well. The fact is, there is no excuse for stealing, but your child is innocent until proven guilty and once there is evidence, your child must learn responsibility such as returning whatever was stolen, owning up and apologizing. But don't condemn your child as it will only make matters worse and lead him or her into stealing again.

Teenagers Who Have a Habit of Stealing
When children grow up with the habit of stealing and parents fail to control it, the outcome can be disastrous and disappointing as they will end up being a threat to the community. Teenagers who steal have to pay the consequences with the law and this is a serious matter that must be acted upon quickly. Based on the severity of the crime they committed, their age and state the crime was committed in, they can be detained and imprisoned with large bails that will affect their lives completely.

Valerie Howards is a freelance writer and mother who specialize in theft and other criminal cases. She regularly contributes articles to a number of law firms and Bail Bonds Direct websites.

Signs of Elder Abuse

Identifying signs of elder abuse is sometimes trickier than it may seem. Elder abuse comes in all shapes and forms. In additional to physical abuse, withholding essential care is considered elder abuse as is not providing adequate nutritional intake to an elderly person in someone’s care. Financial abuse is also considered a form of elder abuse.

To determine whether an elderly person is being abused, you must consider not only the physical manifestations of abuse but pay attention to non verbal cues as well. A physical exam of any bruises, abrasions or cuts and their explanation can give you clues to what abuse is happening. Is the caregiver constantly at the elderly person’s side? Does the caregiver answer for the elderly person? Do the explanations match up to the kinds of marks displayed? Does the elderly person seem to be of appropriate weight? Ask them what they had for breakfast this morning or dinner last night. In some instances, a social worker could be of assistance to help provide meals on wheels, food stamps or other elder assistance. Large bedsores are also an indicator of poor or negligent care. Pressure ulcers, or bed sores, are avoidable but require vigilance by turning and repositioning someone frequently if they are unable to do it themselves. If you feel that an elderly person is being physically abused, contact your state department of children and families to file a report. An agent will then be dispatch to perform an investigation.

When assessing for elder abuse, attention to non verbal cues is important. How does he or she interact with their caregiver? Is the caregiver constantly hovering over them? Does he or she flinch at sudden movement of the caregiver? If so, make note of this. Although not a determining factor, flinching, along with deferring answers to questions regarding home life could be indicators of abuse.

Financial abuse is as important a factor as physical abuse. If a family member is continually borrowing money to finance their own lifestyle, not leaving enough money to provide necessities such as food or medications constitutes financial abuse. This is found a lot when adult grandchildren take up residence with their grandparents. In addition to the financial abuse, theft of necessary medications is also a consideration. Theft of narcotic pain medications occurs frequently and with doctors becoming stricter with prescribing and refilling narcotics, having pain medication available when needed is just as important as blood pressure medication or insulin.

Caring for the elderly can become a consuming ordeal. What starts as good intentions can deteriorate over time with what is called caregiver fatigue. Caregiver fatigue occurs when a caregiver is overwhelmed with the level of care and attention an elderly person needs. This develops more severe over time with incidents of verbal abuse, refusal to provide care and ultimately, physical abuse. Most times, just as in incidents of domestic abuse, an abuser regains control of themselves and resolves to “do better next time”, with multiple apologies thrown in for good measure. Over time, the incidents occur more frequently and ultimately result in outbursts of physical abuse. In some instances, the caregiver has no other source of income or place to live therefore it is important for them to keep the elderly person in the home instead of placing them in a skilled nursing facility.

Depending on the state you reside in will depend on who is legally obligated to report abuse. All healthcare workers, whether in or out of a facility have a legal obligation to report elderly abuse. In some states, members of the clergy have a legal obligation to report suspected abuse. People who report abuse in good faith are protected from prosecution if their report turns out to be untrue. However, failure to report carries a fine and jail time in some states. If you have a suspicion that an elderly person is being abuse, report it to your state department of children and families.

Pete Wise is a Content Marketer. If you or a loved one has been involved in elder abuse and neglect, you should also seek an elder abuse attorney to represent you. An elder abuse lawyer can help walk you through what legal options are available and which course of action should be taken. If you liked the article, check out his site for Denver SEO: PeteWiseSEO.com

PRODUCT REVIEW: PottyCover ~ Disposable Toilet Seat Covers for Kids~!!

PottyCover is a disposable toilet seat cover for children that covers the sides and the front of the toilet, to keep away germs and wetness.

It is made of soft non~woven fabric on top, coated with a layer of plastic on the bottom, creating a waterproof barrier between the toilet and the child.  Each PottyCover is individually packaged in a small easy to carry bag for the on~the~go parent.

This is a must have product for parents who are potty training their kids.  Once the child starts getting potty trained it is very important to be consistent and encouage them to sit on the toilet, even when away from home.  But using a public rest room could be very stressful for parents as they try to keep the child from coming in contact with anything, especially the toilet.

PottyCover has the largest coverage among similar products on the market.  The extra large front flap keeps legs and clothes from touching the front of the toilet.  The side flaps cover the sides where kids hold on to maintain their balance, keeping their hands away from germs.

ARV ~ $5.99

If you are a germaphob then you will enjoy these PottyCover's~!!  They are definitely something you would wish to have~!!  They are pretty durable and easy to put onto any toilet seat surface.  I tried them on my own toilet, an public toilet and a potty chair and while it was a tad big on the potty chair, they worked perfectly and did what they purported to do.

My kids loved using them and had no problems putting them on the toilet themselves.  I love how each PottyCover comes in its own individual baggie for easy storage if you are taking them with you on your travels.  They are thin enough that you can tuck them into just about any place in times when they are needed.

How many of you have been in public restrooms that left you feeling absolutely disgusted~??  I know that I have and you loathe to use them as you hover over the toilet seat, knowing its either that or have an accident because this isn't another rest room around for miles.  I found that even I could use them and I seriously have issues about using public washrooms, I mean, you don't know who used it before you nor when they were last disinfected.  

Honestly, if you have issues with toilets outside your own home, then these are definitely an item your going to want to stock up on.  They come in a package of six and your basically paying a $1.00 for each one which truly isn't a bad deal to save on your stress and sanity over unhealthy and unsanitary toilets.

Grab yours at Amazon Today... PottyCover - Disposable toilet seat covers. (6 individually packaged seat covers in each bag.)

** I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. **

10 Safety Tips for Using a Facebook Site for Kids

There will come a day when children may ask their parents if they can set up a Facebook profile.  Although many parents will be fine with this, there are others that have some concerns.  Facebook is not meant for young kids and there are age restrictions to prevent children under the age of 13 from using this site.  It is possible that there are adults out there that use Facebook with the wrong intentions.  Young children may not understand what is safe and what is not safe to post.  Many times kids give up information too freely.  Facts such as where kids live, where they are going throughout the day, who they are going to be with, and if they are going to have adult supervision will enable someone to track down these kids. 

Even though Facebook may not be the right choice for the entertainment of a child, there are sites that are specifically created for kids under the age of 13 that have the strictest security.  Parents need to do some research and understand how the website works before allowing their child to set up a public profile.

Creating Safe Online Profiles
There are a few things that kids can do to ensure safety while using a social networking site for kids without giving too much information away. 

1. Do not use real name – Kids can make up a nickname or alias.  That way their friends will know who they are but it will keep their identity private from people trying to find or contact them.
2. Keep personal information private – Do not reveal information about yourself or family members that would not normally be revealed or information that may be used to find out your location.
3. Do not post a photo of yourself – Instead upload a picture of something else or use an avatar such as a cartoon character to keep your identity private.
4. Do not give out an address or phone number – Giving out your address or phone number can give a stranger the ability to find or contact you.
5. Do not post inappropriate photos or videos – a rule of thumb for deciding which pictures should be posted is to consider if your parents would approve of these pictures. 

Networking Safety
After creating a profile there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure all content stays age appropriate.

1. Do not talk to strangers – if a stranger approaches you online, tell your parents.  Some friend requests are fine because they are from other children but it is best to let your parents determine who it is safe to network with.
2. Do not trust that a message is from who it says it is – websites and accounts can be easily hacked to send messages to other people.  Contact that friend to make sure the message is from them.
3. Type the social networking address into the browser – If you log into a fake site then you are giving your personal information to someone who could potentially steal it.
4. Be selective about friend requests – Accept friend requests form only people you know.  Identity thieves have been known to create fake profiles in hopes that they might get information from you.
5. Choose a social network carefully – Determine which Facebook site for kids has a privacy policy and which ones are monitored frequently.  Some sites even allow parents to create a profile to monitor what the child encounters online. 

Enjoy spending time on a social networking site just make sure it is safe and secure for all users.

Kids Social Network is a safe social networking site for kids that is constantly monitored to ensure that it is the safest kids social networking site out there.

No More Tears? Johnson & Johnson Hears a Cry

Johnson and Johnson lavender baby shampoo smells pure in my daughter's hair. The bottle says the scent will soothe her to sleep, plus the company's slogan is "No More Tears." Smells good? My baby won't cry? It'll help her sleep? That's a trifecta few mothers could resist. But my pediatrician told me that J&J, the company beloved for baby products, actually puts poison in its suds.

I wondered if she was just being hippie dippy, then I went online. What I found taught me an old lesson again: Trust your doctor. Activists have been pressuring the health care manufacturing giant since May 2009 to remove cancer-causing chemicals from its iconic baby shampoo.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an international coalition of consumer and environmental groups, finally made -- pardon the pun -- headway. J&J has agreed to change the formula of its shampoo by removing the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane and quaternium-15, a compound that releases the chemical preservative formaldehyde.

All of this comes on the heels of more than 25 recalls from Johnson & Johnson over the past two years. Problems have ranged from glass shards in medicine to nauseating odors in product bottles and painful, defective hip implants.

J&J is wise to take proactive measures and publicize them, says Manhattan public relations executive Eleanor Lapman. "Here's a company whose name was once synonymous with precious safety -- baby products and band-aids are their bread and butter." Facing a PR disaster, the company now has a window of opportunity to be proactive, address the problems honestly, and receive some positive attention.

"They left themselves open to law suits with so many product recalls," says Daniel R. Rosen, a personal injury lawyer in Denver. "But this is a case of consumer activism done right. J&J received scores of letters from customers around the world, threatening to boycott its products. Now the company is taking measures to restore its once sterling reputation and keep consumers safe."

All of this has caused me to reevaluate my brand loyalty. When it comes to my baby, I don't cut corners. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I'll continue to use Johnson & Johnson baby products. Am I willing to pay a little more for organic products if I believe they are safer for my child? Of course I am. I once trusted the J&J brand implicitly, but now I feel duped. Sure, they changed their formula to save their bottom line and their image, but I take little comfort in that. I'm glad they heard the cry of concerned activists, for whom I am increasingly grateful, but, for me, it's too late.

Pari Chang is a lawyer and professional journalist for SixEstate. She is the lead writer for the Law Offices of Daniel R. Rosen, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, Glamour, SELF, and many other renowned publications.

The Great Parenting Show

Your hostess...Jacqueline Green

Speaker Schedule for LIVE events:

Tuesdays & Thursdays 9pm PT/ 12pm ET

Hal Runkel

A world-renowned expert on helping families face conflict and create great relationships. A licensed therapist, relationship coach, international speaker, and organizational consultant, Hal is the bestselling author of ScreamFree Parenting, and the newly released ScreamFree Marriage. Hal is Founder and President of The ScreamFree Institute, an international training organization dedicated to calming the world, one relationship at a time. Here he has applied the most advanced approaches to family relationship theory in his practice, and developed the revolutionary ScreamFree Living methodology. Hal now presents the ScreamFree relationship programs to audiences around the world through live training events, teleconferences, webinars, and publications. 

September 20th

9am PT/10am MT/ 11am CT/ 12pm ET

Topic:  Scream Free Parenting. Is it Possible?
http://www.greatparentingshow.com/event.html