Tips for kids at home

Many children stay home alone for long periods of time during the summer. Here are some things to teach your children:


1. Provide telephone numbers for your children to reach you. Advise co workers your children may check-in.
2. Teach your children how and when to call 9-1-1.
3. Teach children not to open the door to others with out your permission.
4. Teach children to never let a person at the door or on the phone know that they are home alone.
5. You might consider getting caller ID and screen your calls.
6. If your trusted neighbors will be home during your absence, arrange for your children to check-in with them.
7. Teach children how to escape in case of fire and designate a meeting place.
8. Determine which household appliances you want your children to use.
9. Provide activities and chores for your children to help keep them busy.

What can I do about bullying

This Post is for all of the kids out there that are being bullied.

First and foremost No one deserves to be bullied. If it is happening to you, it is not your fault.

Try to ignore the bullying, Try not to show that you are upset or angry. Make a joke, walk off and join some other kids. For example, if a student makes fun on your clothing, laugh and say, "Yeah, I think this shirt is kind of funny-looking, too."
Bullies love to get a reaction - it's 'fun'. If you can keep calm and hide your emotions, they might get bored and leave you alone. As one teenager said, 'they can't bully you if you don't care'. The bully wants you to be afraid and to look afraid and upset. Sometimes when bullies don't get you to be afraid, they will stop.
Try to stay away from the bully. Bullies like power and control. They feel more powerful when you are alone. Avoid areas of the school where there are not many students or teachers around. Don't bring expensive things or lots of money to school. Take a different route through hallways or walk with friends or a teacher to your classes.
If you need help, don't be embarrassed about asking. Everyone needs help sometimes and asking for help to stop bullying doesn't mean that you are weak or a failure.

If you are being bullied, tell a friend, Ask him or her to help you. It will be harder for the bully to pick on you if you have a friend with you for support.
Write down the details of the incidents and your feelings. When you do decide to tell someone, a written record of the bullying makes it easier to prove what has been going on.
Tell a teacher and tell your parents.
Tell Someone! Make people listen to you and don't take no for an answer. It won't stop unless you do. It can be hard to do this so if you don't feel you can do it in person it might be easier to write a note to your parents explaining how you feel, or perhaps confide in someone outside the immediate family, like a grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin and ask them to help you tell your parents what's going on. I know that this does not cover all aspects of bullying but I do hope that it helps some.

Vacation Crime Prevention Tips

Vacation is a time for relaxation and enjoyment. It can also be the time for crime victimization if appropriate crime prevention measures are not followed. The following crime prevention tips are designed to allow the vacationer to enjoy a safe and secure trip and to return to a secure residence.

Before Leaving . . . . Secure Your Residence
· Have good locks on all doors and windows and use them.
· Make sure your residence looks lived in, not empty.
· Leave shades and blinds in a normal position.
· Ask a neighbor to watch your residence while you are away. Leave your vacation address
and telephone number with a neighbor so you can be reached in case of an emergency.
· Test your smoke and burglar alarms.
· Stop all deliveries, arrange for a neighbor to pick up your mail, newspaper and packages.
· Arrange for someone to mow your lawn, rake leaves and maintain the yard to give the
home a lived-in look.
· Have a neighbor place garbage cans at the curb on your normal pickup day(s) and return them after the garbage pickup is made.
· Plug in timers to turn lights and a radio or television on and off at appropriate times.
· Turn the bell or ringer on your telephone down low. If a burglar is around, he won’t be alerted to your absence by a ringing telephone.
· If you have call forwarding on your telephone, forward your calls to a trusted friend or relative.
· Don’t announce your absence on answering machine messages; leave your normal
message on the machine.
· Engrave your valuables with your driver’s license number.
· Close and lock garage doors and windows. Ask a neighbor to occasionally park in your driveway. If you leave your car at home, park it as you normally would. Vehicles parked outside should be moved occasionally to appear that they are being used.
· Consider taking valuables to a bank safety deposit box.