KIDS HELPING
KIDS
PUPILS HELP CHILDREN IN
The Courier
Leamington
img help
Eight-year-olds Niall Thoms, Lilly Horton and Sophie Smith with some of the
books they have collected for children in
They are
among children from 15 schools taking part in a county-wide scheme called Give
Book - Help Build a Nation.
Teacher John Hall, who is co-ordinating St Anthony's collection, said: "My
classroom is better stocked than most schools.
"It really shocked us, the fact that you'd have a school with thousands of
children, and yet their library was non-existent.
"As teachers, we would like to give something back, something we have
here. Books are ideal."
Anyone with unwanted books can take them to Leamington, Lillington, Whitnash,
Kenilworth or
http://www.leamingtononline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=691&ArticleID=722807
KidContest of the Week:
DC, CARTOON NETWORK AND KIDS WB LAUNCH CREATE YOUR OWN SUPER HERO
by Jonah Weiland, Executive Producer
Posted: January 14, 2004
Official Press Release
DC Comics,
Cartoon Network and Kids WB! have partnered with Hostess to offer kids the
opportunity to create their own Super Hero.
This January
and February, kids can go online to www.createyourownsuperhero.com
to electronically create their own Super Hero and enter the "Create Your
Own Super Hero Sweepstakes" for the chance to appear with their Super Hero
in a comic strip created by DC Comics.
As part of
the grand prize the prizewinner plus one parent/family member or friend will
win a trip to
"Kids
today are able to enjoy the action-packed stories and fantasy of their super
hero idols on-air, on-line and, of course, in comics," said David
McKillips, Vice President of Advertising for DC Comics and MAD Magazine.
"This promotion is really unique because it gives kids the chance to
transform the fantasy of their imaginations into reality by creating their very
own super heroes."
"Hostess
is thrilled to partner with DC Comics, Kids WB and Cartoon Network for this
exciting promotion." said Kevin Kaul, Marketing Manager at Hostess.
"Hostess stands for fun, and the 'Create Your Own Super Hero Sweepstakes'
gives kids something fun and enjoyable to do. We think kids are going to
absolutely love creating their super hero, as well as the opportunity to enter
the sweepstakes and win the grand prize."
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=3150
Kids will get
space at the forum too
ROLI SRIVASTAVA
TIMES NEWS
NETWORK[ FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2004 02:26:09 AM ]
MUMBAI: Along with the host of intellectuals, Nobel prize winners and activists
attending the World Social Forum (WSF), over 2,000 children from all over the
world will also be there to discuss grave issues like globalisation and liberalisation.
Child rights
will be discussed as a separate issue for the first time at the forum.
Not just
that, the forum has declared January 20 as Child Rights Day, when the entire
NESCO ground in Goregaon E), the WSF venue, will be used for kiddie events.
Vidya Apte,
core group member of Child Rights for WSF, said children’s issues were not
given a separate space at the first three forums held in
Child rights
organisations, around 20 in number, approached the WSF to include children’s
issues in this year’s forum, a suggestion readily accepted by the forum.
Heartened by
this response, the organisations started hectic networking with both national
and international child rights organisations in September 2003.
Thus around
58 groups came together under an umbrella organisation—Child Rights for World
Social Forum CR4WSF)— and their credo is ‘to bring visibility to child rights
issues in the 4th WSF’.
Alpa Vora of
Campaign Against Child Labour, and also a member of CR4WSF, said that the
special space created for children in the forum was significant as child rights
is mainly about the inclusion of children in decision-making.
"Participation
of children from different parts of the world will be most important as they
will give their perspective on how globalisation, government policies have
affected their lives."
"We are
attempting to highlight the case of this forgotten constituency (children)— one
that accounts for nearly 40 per cent of India’s population and hope that this
focus will help influence pro-child policies at both national and international
levels by bringing children to the forefront," said Ila Hukku development
support director with Child Relief and You (CRY), which is also a member of
CR4WSF.
Activists
assert that children will not be present at workshops and seminars just as
props but as participants.
"Children
need a special place. They know what they want and can voice it if they get the
space," Ms Apte said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/425885.cms
Children are
being asked for their ideas about the future of the BBC.
The government wants to know what kids like or dislike about the BBC, how it
can listen to young people better, and what they think about new technology.
It's part of
the 2007 review of the BBC charter, which every 10 years looks at what it does
and how it is run.
You will be
able to take part and have your say by using a special online document, which
can be seen at www.bbccharterreview.org.uk.
Great
influence
Media
Secretary Tessa Jowell said that children were in a special situation because
of the amount of TV channels especially for them.
She said:
"They have greater influence than ever before."
Children are
also being encouraged to go to town hall meetings in their local area to talk
to politicians directly about their views.
To give your
views:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_3396000/3396143.stm
BOOK NEWS
'Tale of Despereaux' named best in children's literature
By Elliot
Spagat
Associated Press
SAN DIEGO --
The story of a small mouse in love with a princess has won the top honor in
children's literature from the American Library Association.
Kate DiCamillo received the 2004 Newbery Medal for the year's best writing for
"The Tale of Despereaux."
img book
Cynthia Richey, president of the Association for Library Service to Children,
holds up 'The Tale of Despereaux,' written by Kate DiCamillo, as she awards the
book the Newbery Medal for children's literature at the Mid-Winter meeting of
the American Library Association held at the San Diego Convention Center
Monday, Jan. 12, 2004.
The Caldecott
prize, given for the best illustration, went to Mordicai Gerstein for "The
Man Who Walked Between the Towers," the story of a young Frenchman who in
1974 walked on a tightrope between the World Trade Center twin towers.
DiCamillo,
39, wrote her third book after her best friend's 8-year-old son asked for a
story about "an unlikely hero with exceptionally large ears," according
to a note from the publisher, Candlewick Press.
"It's
set in a fairy tale time but it embodies all the universal truths that children
need to understand -- love, friendship, forgiveness, courage, redemption,
perseverance," said Cynthia Richey, president of the Association of
Library Service to Children, a division of the ALA.
DiCamillo's
"Because of Winn-Dixie" was named a Newbery Honor Book in 2001,
Despite that honorable mention, the Philadelphia native said she wasn't
expecting the top prize this year.
"I
haven't been making a lot of sense today," she said in an interview from
Minneapolis, her home for the last 10 years.
Gerstein, 68,
said the destruction of the Twin Towers more than two years ago in the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks reminded him of Phillipe Petit's tightrope walk across the
buildings in 1974.
"When
the Towers went down I remembered it, then sat down and wrote," he said
from his home in Northampton, Mass. Petit's act, he said, "defies reason,
it defies gravity, it defies the law. It's an act of unbelievable courage,
skill, art, optimism and just freedom."
Gerstein, a
Los Angeles native who spent a career animating television films, was at work
in his studio when he received the news.
"At
first I didn't believe it but I'm starting to believe it," he said.
"It's really the big one. I think anybody who makes picture books, this is
what they kind of dream they might get someday."
Gerstein's
book is published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Middlebrook Press.
Ursula K. Le
Guin, whose many books include "The Left Hand of Darkness" and
"The Beginning Place," received a lifetime achievement prize.
Other winners
included author Angela Johnson ("The First Part Last") and
illustrator Ashley Bryan ("Beautiful Blackbird"), recipients of the
Coretta Scott King prizes for the best African American children's writer and
children's illustrator.
Illustrator
Yuyi Morales ("Just a Minute") and author Julia Alvarez ("Before
We Were Free") were the respective winners of Pura Belpre award for the
best Latino illustrator and best Latino writer. Alvarez is widely known among
adult readers for the novel "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their
Accents."
http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/peoplestoryP0114BOOK.htm
ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS
'Corduroy'
proves durable for adults, kids alike
Cuddly 'Corduroy' is in search of jazz
By Alice T. Carter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW THEATER CRITIC
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Whether
they've loved "Corduroy" since they were children or they've only
been introduced to him, this imperfect but ever-hopeful bear has a loyal local
following.
That was
evident at Monday's performance at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, where
youngsters and their adult companions came early to occupy front-row seats --
and a surprising number of adults turned up without tots in tow -- to see the
TheatreworksUSA musical adaptation of Don Freeman's now-classic 1968 kids'
book.
img cord
'Corduroy' tells the story of an imperfect but ever-hopeful stuffed toy bear
Courtesy Pittsburgh International Children's Theater
Corduroy is a
stuffed toy bear languishing unbought and overlooked on the shelf of a
department store. He dares to dream big dreams about being purchased and loved
by someone who will take him on big adventures exploring the deep splashy
puddles of New York City and the greenery of Central Park. Robert Rivera makes
him so winsomely hopeful that you want to take him home yourself.
As in any
good drama, both Corduroy and Lisa must weather challenges and growth before
they find happiness together. Those who like their family theater to come with
morals will find it subtly imbedded with messages about self-reliance, making
friends and looking beyond imperfections to appreciate the person -- or bear --
for its unique self.
Cusi Cram's musical adaptation is also about Lisa Carolina Evalina Brown, who
moves to New York with her mother -- a woman with high standards who expects
her daughter to maintain an uncomfortably steep level of perfection. Naturally,
a bear who's missing a button on his overalls isn't Mom's idea of a worthy toy.
Carey Brown's Lisa and Jasmine Norwood as her perfectionist mom engage in the
sort of prickly but affectionate child-parent tug-of-war arguments that most in
the audience will find familiar.
The
ever-dependable TheatreworksUSA, the country's largest professional touring
theater for young and family audiences, offers a spare yet imaginative and
colorful set designed by Luke Hegel-Cantarella that moves easily through the
story's multiple locations.
Scott
Davenport Richards embellishes the tale with jazzy, peppy music and lyrics that
move it forward. Chief amongst its pleasures are some heavily syncopated tunes
styled for double Dutch jump rope rhymes that border on rap -- but with more
family-friendly lyrics.
"Corduroy"
is likely to be best enjoyed by the same kindergarten through fourth grade
theatergoers who are the book's readers or listeners -- plus, of course, those
adults who have already established a relationship with this fuzzy, cuddly
character.
BUSINESS NEWS
Kids' TV
builds a better foundation
There's more
choice in children's TV than ever. There's just one problem: The channels are
all airing the same shows.
By Gloria
Goodale | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
HOLLYWOOD,
CALIF. – You may be forgiven if you don't know Anne Wood's name. Her biggest
fans, and she has millions worldwide, are just learning to pronounce their own
names.
Flush from the huge success (financial if not critical) of her
"Teletubbies" show, Ms. Wood launches her latest creation stateside
next week. "Boohbah," a show for children ages 3 to 6, airs next
Monday on PBS stations across the US (it debuted in Britain this past April).
img pbs
ATTACK OF THE FLYING PEEPS: In 'Boohbah,' a new show on PBS, five atoms of
energy encourage preschoolers to interact with them.
PBS PHOTO
This
sophomore effort is being watched closely by critics and industry observers, a
fact not lost on Wood. She acknowledges that her latest show offers a
high-profile window into the good, the bad, and the challenging in the world of
children's television today.
"Children's
audiences aren't valued," she says by phone from her production office in
England, "and that's true everywhere, not just the United States. The
shorter the child in stature, the less the budget they're given for
programming."
Compare the
average $1 million to $2 million price tag for an hour of prime-time
programming. Even animation, the most expensive children's programming, costs
roughly half that. Wood, owner and creative director of Ragdoll, a production
firm, sees the rise of large media conglomerates as a big challenge to quality
programming - especially for children. "If ['Boohbah'] is
successful," she ventures, perhaps "it will be the kind of thing that
encourages people to take more risks."
Most creative
folks in the world of children's TV agree that children's television is at the
bottom of the programming totem pole for networks these days. NBC has left the
business altogether, turning over its Saturday morning slot to Discovery Kids
programs, while ABC runs cartoons courtesy of the Disney Channel, and CBS airs
Nickelodeon reruns.
But, perhaps
surprisingly, most also agree that, overall, children's programming is in the
best shape it's been in for a long time - if for no other reason than the sheer
volume of choice. Twenty years ago, children had a handful of shows to choose
from, mostly on PBS. Nickelodeon, the first channel devoted to children's
programming, launched in 1979. Today, multiple channels are dedicated to
children's shows around the clock.
"Kid's
programming is better," says Marjorie Kaplan, executive vice- president of
Discovery Kids. She points to a shift in program development as the biggest
reason for her positive assessment.
"That's
due in part to one of the things that I think is the biggest change [in the
past decade], which is that producers and networks listen to kids, they
constantly talk to kids, they get constant feedback from kids."
Listening to
the consumer: kids
When Ms.
Kaplan began her TV career two decades ago, advertisers were the main source of
information about children, she says. That's not the case today. This attention
to children's desires is in large part driven by the ferocious level of
competition that has blossomed over just the past decade.
"It's
now, 'all kids all the time, 24/7,' " says Deborah Forte, president of
Scholastic Entertainment, an independent production company. The volume of
children's cable programming has exploded in the past 10 years. In addition,
she notes, the industry has gone global. "We see a lot of international
influences now in our country on kids' programming, shows migrating from other
countries to the states, which was really not the case 10 years ago." The
British "Boohbah" is one example, not to mention "Bob the Builder"
and Japan's animé-inspired cartoons such as "Yu-Gi-Oh."
Too many
shows to monitor
Some parents
say all the choices make their job both easier and harder. "I think some
parents are actually stricter today because there's so much to watch,"
says Tod Feuerman of Sherman Oaks, Calif., father of two boys, 11 and 9. But
when it comes time to watch, there's something for everyone. "I've got one
son who will watch any kind of cartoon, any time. And the other likes to watch
the Discovery Channel and nature shows," he adds.
Pressures to
compete are behind NBC's decision to fulfill its FCC mandate by partnering with
the Discovery cable channel (broadcast networks are required by a 1990 FCC
mandate to provide three hours of children's programming per week).
"Cable
absolutely has changed the landscape forever," says Lee Gaither, vice
president for Saturday morning programs at NBC Entertainment. He defends the
decision to lease out the TV real estate, pointing to the vertical integration
of the other major broadcast networks several years ago when the decision was
made. ABC could tap the Disney Channel's programs; CBS could tap Viacom
channels such as Nickelodeon. At the time, NBC wasn't as large a conglomerate.
"We looked at our business and said, 'You know, we aren't in a place where
we can compete on a real level, so let's find a partner who can.' "
Scoring
points for promoting diversity
A new study
from the Oakland, Calif., advocacy group Children Now, "Big Media, Little
Kids," gives the current state of children's programming a mixed report
card. On the one hand, it's content has become richer, says Christy Glaubke,
principal associate of Children Now.
"I've
seen a big increase in diversity," she says. "We've seen a lot more
shows that star female characters, a lot more shows that have characters of
different races and ethnicities." She rates Nickelodeon's "Dora, the
Explorer" high on her list of shows that do a good job balancing
entertainment with social values. "One of the things we've been really pleased
with is the rate at which children's programmers and producers are embracing
the need for diversity," she says.
But the same
study also focused on the impact of media consolidation and found that, as
companies consolidate, they tend to duplicate the same programs on various
channels, thus reducing the number of original shows being produced: 100
percent of the children's programming on KCBS in L.A. is also broadcast on the
CBS-owned Nickelodeon. Another downside is the rise in violent programming
aimed at kids, because action and violence translate more easily to foreign
markets. Prime examples include animé imports "Pokémon" and
"Yu-Gi-Oh!" Even Wood admits that "Boohbah," will be easier
to sell internationally because it's high on action and low on dialogue.
Consolidation
within the industry
The growing
power of fewer companies is bad for everyone, says Robby London, executive vice
president at DIC Entertaiment, an independent production company. "I worry
about the narrowing of choices and tastes that are making the ultimate
decisions," he says. "The number of gatekeepers is getting
smaller."
While more
potential outlets may exist, the need to establish a global brand limits the
types of programs being put on the air.
"The
narrowing focus of each of these brands means that if you have, say, a serious
live-action show, you won't even try to sell it to Nickelodeon, because that's
not their brand," says Scholastic's Forte. "As producers, you are
forced to go to fewer people with a project because there are only a certain
amount of buyers who are even going to entertain certain kinds of
programming."
Wood says she
is less worried about the outright bad programming then she is about corporate
mentality.
"What
you get when you have a world of corporate profits at stake, and lots of
risk-averse people, is a rising tide of mediocrity," she says. "You
have this sameness creeping in everywhere."
Euręka! Theme
Parties offers hassle-free fantasy parties
The
Philippine STAR 01/15/2004
Imagine
beautiful fairies garbed in pixie costumes with golden wings. The entire place
is topped with curtains of bubbles while classical music plays, as your beloved
fairy-child is presented to your guests. How about a parade of princes and
princesses, with the hall streaming with drapes and shields reminiscent of
medieval times, or a world of sorcery and pirates, where magic, potions and
treasure hunts are the norm?
Euręka! Theme
Parties is a one-of-a-kind theme party organizer that creates splendid
activities that entertain, inspire and offer a change from commonplace and
boring gatherings.
Eureka! is the brainchild of partners Stephanie Claire Belmonte and Maimai
Yebes.
Our parties focus on a pleasant mix of personalized games and art attacks that
capture the interest of young and old alike," said Belmonte.
"Also,
Euręka! involves not only the kids in our games and activities," Yebes
said. "Even the adults and nannies are part of the fun, because going to a
party shouldn’t just be about sitting around and doing nothing. A Euręka! party
is about having fun with everyone!"
"One
thing to note, as well about Euręka!, is our staff," Belmonte said.
"Part of our staff is our kids. My son, for example, handles our digital
pictures, stuff we use on our website. On a few occasions, clients even
commissioned him to take their pictures during the affair. Two nieces of mine,
ages 6 and 9, handle registration, as well as some of the activities."
"We’ve
found that teaching the kids the value of fun, as well as work, is very important,"
Yebes said. "It’s unusual to be in a situation where fun is work and work
is fun. That’s something we want the kids to learn at an early age."
"The
rest of our staff are out-of-school college kids or undergraduates.
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Lifestyle200401150902.htm
_________________
JAN 18, 2004
On the heels of trouble
Hospitals say kids have hurt themselves wheeling around in Heelys shoes or
imitations
By Irena
Josoeb
IN SHOPPING
malls, churches and just about everywhere else, kids have been whizzing around
in shoes with wheels, or Heelys.
But two
hospitals say that they have already begun to treat children who got injured using
these shoes.
The National
University Hospital (NUH) reported about a dozen cases while KK Women's and
Children's Hospital estimated that it has handled 10 cases so far.
Among the
more serious cases - a teen fractured his thigh bone and another child
fractured his ankle. Both were treated at NUH.
Dr Wong Chin
Khoon, a consultant at the hospital's Children's Medical Institute, said that
the most common injuries were fractured forearms and ankles, or sprains and
minor head injuries.
Those injured
tend to be from primary school and above and they were hurt because they lost
their balance and fell.
'Often, the
children tried to break their fall with their arms, which could lead to
fracture of the forearm,' he added.
Local
distributor Amazeal, which has sold 30,000 pairs of Heelys since December 2002,
said that injuries can happen to new users who do not know how to balance on
the shoes and don't know how to break their fall safely.
Mr Michael
Tan, the managing director of Amazeal, said Heelys has done all it can to help
new users get the hang of the shoes. When people buy a pair, they can sign up
for as many classes as they want on how to use the shoes.
img spore
Rolling good fun is what (from left) sisters Nelisa, six, and Nuesha Behnam,
10, and Melissa Tan, nine, nine, are having on their Heelys. 30,000 pairs of
which have been sold since December 2002.
The shoes
also come with an instructional leaflet and a how-to VCD, which gives tips on
how to heel safely.
He also
pointed out that the shoes have wheels made of rubber to absorb shock and give
extra friction. They also have hardy soles and gel pads to cushion the heels,
among other features.
But those who
buy the cheaper knock-offs are not getting the safety information. Amazeal said
there may be as many as 30 imitation brands on the market, and it has started
sending out legal letters to these sellers, warning them against selling
imitations.
Mostly made
in China, they cost anywhere from $40 to $130 a pair. The real ones cost $186
to $219 a pair.
Of the six
parents that The Sunday Times spoke to, five said their children have had minor
scrapes while wearing the shoes.
Four of the
parents said they bought imitation shoes because their children could soon tire
of the fad.
But two of
the parents said they would not hesitate to remove the wheels from their
children's shoes if they didn't heel safely.
Mr A. Chan,
44, a sales and marketing director, said he had to remove the wheels from his
children's shoes on two occasions.
'At the end
of the day, kids will be kids. They will tell you okay, they won't play but
when they're having fun, they forget what you said.'
But one
parent said she refused to buy the shoes - real or fake - for her
seven-year-old daughter as she felt the shoes were not safe.
Paediatrician
Mary Koh, who is in her late 30s, said: 'They're too costly and there can be
accidents if we're not careful. We also don't support fads. She won't be
deprived even if she doesn't experience this fad.'
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4386,230719,00.html?
______________________HEADLINES
YOUTH
MOVEMENTS
Kids are
finding a place on the yoga mat
By Lindsay
Boyd
January 17,
2004
CRISSY
PASCUAL / Union-Tribune
Front to back, Michelle Geller at family yoga class with daughter, Cori, 10,
and Cori's friend, Toni Stabile, 10, at Oceanside YMCA.
'The word "yoga" originates from the sanskrit root 'yuj' which means
union," says yoga master, Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. "It means union
of the Individual Self with the Universal Self."
But don't try explaining that to a room full of kids.
"They
come in and it's a bit like herding animals," says Susan Ueland, who
teaches yoga to children at the San Diego Yoga Studio in Point Loma on
Wednesday evenings. "It's remarkable how much they do calm down."
Well, calm is
a relative term. Ueland leads the small group of youngsters, ranging in age
from 4 to 10, into mountain pose (standing in an upright position). She asks
them "What's on a mountain?" "Billy goats," one student
emphatically responds and the group launches into their best billy goat
impressions.
Children's
yoga classes are popping up everywhere – from the local YMCA to the most
traditional yoga studios – perhaps as a reflection of the growing popularity of
yoga.
img yoga
CRISSY PASCUAL / Union-Tribune
Front to back, Michelle Geller at family yoga class with daughter, Cori, 10,
and Cori's friend, Toni Stabile, 10, at Oceanside YMCA.
It's very
new," says Ueland, who has been teaching Iyengar yoga since the early
1990s, and children for six years. Don't expect, however, to see a bunch of
tiny yogis calmly meditating in a headstand. The emphasis of yoga for kids is
entirely different.
"I tell them they're here to have fun," says Ueland. "There are
ways to make them stretch and straighten their legs, but you have to make it
seem like a game. I don't expect them to turn into yogis."
What is
expected is that children will take the physical activity and noncompetitive
philosophy of yoga and carry the healthy habits they learn into adulthood.
"We're
planting the seed," says Jodi Komitor.
Komitor should
know – she wrote the book on the subject, as the co-author of the
"Complete Idiot's Guide to Yoga With Kids." At her Next Generation
Yoga Studio in New York, Komitor has been teaching yoga to kids for about 6˝
years. "Younger kids will do the poses but we'll make it playful,"
Komitor says. "We'll do downward facing dog but we'll bark like a dog and
go for a dog walk.
The idea of
children practicing yoga, however, is not without its critics – and they come
from places you might not expect.
The American
Yoga Association, a nonprofit organization that has provided education and
instruction about yoga since 1968, argues that yoga can be harmful to
children's physical development and should not be practiced by anyone under 16.
"A lot
of people say yoga is just another form of calisthenic," says Patricia
Rockwood, an instructor with the association. "It's not."
She claims
that yoga, when done correctly, combines poses with breathing to create
intensity and changes in the body that aren't meant for children.
Rockwood
admits that AYA's information is not based on medical science but on
information passed down to the association's founder Alice Christensen from
yoga masters. Rockwood is skeptical about yoga that is adapted specifically for
children. "Is that really yoga?" Rockwood asks. "What I'm
talking about is yoga in the traditional form it was made to be done."
Komitor
responds to the critics by saying that children do yoga poses naturally as part
of their everyday movement. She says that yoga is not that much different from
karate or gymnastics, which children have been doing for years. "You see a
baby stretching his foot to his mouth, or a child playing on the floor and then
press up into cobra position (a prone, stretching position)," she says.
The American
Academy of Pediatrics does not have an official stance on the issue, but some
doctors say the stretching and relaxation involved in yoga can be beneficial
for children.
"As kids
get older and their bones grow, they lose flexibility," says Dr. Hank
Chambers, director of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital and Health Center
in San Diego. "This is one of the biggest causes of growing pains."
Chambers, a
pediatric orthopedic surgeon, says he often recommends yoga-like stretches to
his patients. While yoga that is very physically demanding might not be good
for kids, stretching and relaxation, he says, is fine: "I've never seen
one injury from yoga in 20 years."
Heather Lutz
put her kids, Lily, 4, and Forrest, 9, into Ueland's class after finding that
yoga benefited her own life. "I do yoga and it totally calms me down and
makes me feel I can be kinder," Lutz says. "It's an amazing form of
self control. I want them to learn that they're in control."
Lutz says
Lily and Forrest have begun to translate what they do in class at home.
"Now, when they're all hyped up, I say 'savasana' (a pose for total
relaxation) and they calm down."
Lutz is not
concerned about the criticism of children's yoga. "Yoga is so
gentle," she says.
Most of
Ueland's students, however, are not as philosophical in defining why they like
yoga.
"I just
wanted to try something new," says Jesse Garcia, 10, who has been coming
to yoga for four weeks. His favorite pose is warrior pose, which looks like a
warrior would when facing an enemy. The same goes for Ueland's son Jackson, 6,
who also takes the class. Warrior pose, he says, is "really easy and it
helps my side."
Nine-year-old
Cory Geller's favorite pose is "cat and cow," which arches and flexes
the back. "It's really cool how you arch your back bone," she says.
Cory attends
Family Yoga on Tuesday nights at the Mottino Family YMCA in Oceanside with her
mother. The two started going to the class because it was a fun thing to do
together.
Teaching
parents and children together introduces a different dynamic, says instructor
Jenny Ward. Kids often try to perform a little more to get their parents'
attention, so the key to a successful class is "patience," she says.
"It's an open mind and creating a class that empowers kids."
Ward says
that teaching children how to relax and have fun is something she is meant to
do.
"Yoga
helped me as a kid," says Ward, who used yoga to cope with hyperactivity
as a child. "I really feel I'm meant to pass that on."
Both Ward and
Ueland teach their pint-size yogis that having the best yoga position is not as
important as having fun.
"It
doesn't matter how far you can bend. Wherever you are is perfect," Ward
tells her class. "That's the lesson of the night."
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040117-9999_1c17yoga.html
Musical 'andong' keeps children smiling
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Although the
rapid development in the city has taken away what little space was left for
children to play in, some small entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the
situation by putting the smile back on children's faces.
Brightly
decorated carts full of children -- some are pulled while others look like an
over-sized wheelbarrow on a bicycle -- playing non-stop children's songs as
they wheel around, have become a common sight in the kampongs.
"Children
here love the andong. They wait for the andong to pass their house and hop into
it along with a whole bunch of children," said Sono, a resident of Karet
Kuningan, Central Jakarta.
His wife,
Yanti, said the andong usually takes eight trips around the kampong.
"My
neighbor there," Yanti said, pointing at her neighbor's house, "is
sometimes busy cooking dinner for the family, so she puts the children in the
andong for two or three rounds until she finishes her chores."
The andong,
in some parts of the city also known as odong-odong, can accommodate 10 to 15
small children. Each child has to pay Rp 500 (6 US cents) for one round of
about one kilometer. For the kampongs in Jakarta this kind of entertainment has
been around for no more than five years.
Another
andong owner in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, said he could earn up to Rp 75,000
a day.
"I earn
more money if my neighbors need some odd jobs done, but actually my family's
main income comes from the andong ... which is enough for us," said
Hanafi, a father of three.
Hanafi bought
parts of the andong from Cirebon, West Java, for Rp 1.5 million, built it in
Jakarta, and added a colorful gigantic head of a bird made of
half-centimeter-thick styrofoam.
img andong
http://www.kirkwood.cc.ia.us/esl/transpor.htm
For that price he was able to build a two-wheeled cart with a bicycle attached
to the back of the cart, three benches inside the cart, a loud-speaker, a tape
player, and a battery.
"But if
you buy an andong in a good condition, with pretty decorations and all, the
price can reach Rp 3.5 million."
Locals in
Muara Angke said there were andong decorated with a dragon's head and a
rooster's head. Such andong were not produced in Jakarta, but bought from
craftsmen in Indramayu or Cirebon, West Java, they added.
"Almost
all the parents here know my face, some of them know me personally, so they
trust me with their children to go around in the kampung," said Hanafi.
He added that
sometimes worried parents waited for their children and his andong at a regular
spot.
"The
route is only one kilometer around the kampung, forming a full circle, and
taking only about 15 minutes until the andong comes back to a house. Besides
there's only one driver who controls this route," said Sono.
"Sometimes
there are children who do not hop off the andong when they reach their houses
or the driver forgets the children's houses, so he will just drive around until
the parents come out to look for their children," Sono added. "Of
course, the driver would probably charge more."
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailcity.asp?fileid=20040117.G06&irec=4
We're twice as fit as city kids
PAUL WESTON
18jan04
RURAL
children are twice as fit as their fatter city colleagues, according to
research conducted on the Gold Coast and in the hinterland.
The major
reason is most rural kids play sport rather than visit shopping centres, and
they can walk or ride their bikes in safety to school each day.
The nine-month study by international nutritionist Michael Georgalli surveyed
two rural schools – Beechmont State and Canungra State primary schools – and
several tourist-strip schools.
The findings
contradict previous international research, which suggested there were no
differences between rural and urban children. And, importantly, it points to
obesity being caused by environmental factors rather than genetics.
"The
difference is huge but I wasn't surprised by the result," Mr Georgalli
said. "I just didn't think it would be that big."
Mr Georgalli
will launch a workshop on obesity at Robina High School on Saturday.
His research,
which weighed 500 children and put them through fitness tests, found one in
three urban children was likely to become overweight or obese compared with one
in six rural kids.
The
disadvantages of urban living were further highlighted by the exercise data,
which found 48 per cent of city kids achieved the minimum required fitness
level for their age compared to 90 per cent of rural children.
"It
suggests children are influenced to a greater extent by environmental factors
as opposed to genes as they get older, confirming the theory that children are
not born fat," Mr Georgalli said.
He agrees
with Beechmont Primary School principal David Murphy who credits the fitness of
his students to their interest in sport and the opportunity to walk to school.
Mr Murphy
said: "I'm ecstatic with the results. It really shows, for some reason,
that they're a different breed up here."
With only
nine dairy farms now operating on the mountain, most of the 180 students do not
come from farming families, which suggests their fitness is due to reasons
other than property work.
"Each
day, during the trial, the kids were going out for 15 minutes and doing some
physical activity," Mr Murphy said.
"There's
that feeling of safety up here. They're riding their bikes, walking.
"And the
soccer club next door – it's incredibly popular."
img australia
ONE JUMP AHEAD: Country kids Holly Miller, Joshua Dean and Riley Noakes
Three of the
students who were tested, Holly Miller, 10, Joshua Dean, 11, and Riley Noakes,
8, told The Sunday Mail that they all played sport.
"I do swimming and horse riding – I have to go to Nerang and Miami to
swim," Holly said.
While the
girls received a lift to school, Joshua rode his bike or walked from his
neighbouring property.
"I
either walk or ride; if I go the long way, it takes me about 10 minutes,"
said Joshua, who plans to play rugby league this year.
http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,8416196%255E2765,00.html
HEALTH NEWS
Three-year-old
couch potatoes Jan 16 2004
By John Von Radowitz, The Journal
Obesity researchers have identified an alarming new British phenomenon - the
three-year-old couch potato, it was revealed yesterday.
Tests showed
that the children were so inactive they risked becoming grossly overweight.
Similar
results were found when the youngsters were tested again at the age of five.
Experts
recommend that children of this age engage in at least an hour of moderate to
vigorous exercise a day.
But the 78
Scottish three-year-olds who took part in the study were typically active for
only 20 to 25 minutes. Their average energy expenditure put them in the
"sedentary" lifestyle bracket that increased the risk of obesity,
said the scientists.
Study leader
Dr John Reilly, from the University of Glasgow, said: "We have provided
objective evidence that present recommendations for physical activity are not
being met by many young children.
"Low
levels of physical activity might have been predicted, but directly measured
objective data have not been available and there is a widespread perception
among parents and health and educational professionals that young children are
spontaneously active.
"Prevalence
of childhood obesity in the UK has increased strikingly in recent years.
"Public-health
interventions are needed urgently, and these must involve population-based
strategies that increase physical activity, reduce sedentary behaviour, or
both, in early life."
Unlike their
parents and grandparents, today's under-fives have a plethora of TV programmes
aimed at their age range featuring characters like the Tweenies and Fimbles.
At the same
time they are subjected to advertising for fatty foods, sweets and fizzy
drinks.
Neville
Rigby, of the International Obesity Task Force, said: "Many more children
are playing with computers and electronic games and watching TV.
"They
are also exposed to a lot of junk food advertising. Children are being
programmed at a very early age into being consumers of fatty and sugary
food."
Parents were
often to blame for seeking a quiet life at the expense of their children, he
said.
"One way
of dealing with a fractious child is to sit it in front of the TV with a bag of
crisps, but that's wrong," said Mr Rigby.
"Given
the chance, children like to go out to play. They should be allowed to enjoy an
active life. "
Local
authorities were also partly to blame for selling off parks and recreation
grounds. "We need a completely different approach to this whole
problem," said Mr Rigby.
Dr Reilly's
team measured the total energy expenditure (TEE) of the children, as well as
looking at their levels of physical activity. Average TEE was found to be about
200 calories a day lower than the UK estimated average requirement for expended
energy.
The findings
were reported yesterday in The Lancet medical journal. In an accompanying
article, James Hill from the Centre for Human Nutrition at the University of
Colorado in Denver, US, said: "It is time for the UK to take action to
prevent the excessive weight gain that is likely to occur in its young
children. Increasing physical activity must be a part of any national
prevention efforts for weight gain. Changing behaviour to prevent weight gain
will be easier than treating obesity once established. It is time to get
serious about prevention of weight gain in the UK."
http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/lifestyle/health/content_objectid=13822938_method=full_siteid=50081_headline=-Three%2Dyear%2Dold%2Dcouch%2Dpotatoes-name_page.html
Morningside alum, 11, returns to help kids
By Kathy Lu
Archives
Reprint
By the end of the 45 minutes, Angie Harvey had more glue and
glitter on her sweat shirt than the first-graders she was helping.
But the sixth-grader from Jackson Middle School didn't care. It was all part of
the fun of working with younger children.
"I like helping kids," Angie, 11, said. "I just like being with
them."
Angie is one of a small group of Morningside Elementary alumni who return to
the Roanoke school Tuesday afternoons to volunteer.
Morningside Elementary is just down the street from Jackson Middle. Regardless
of weather, Angie tries to never miss a Tuesday.
"She's always so eager to help out," said Melanie Newton, a teaching
assistant at Morningside who also coordinates the Jackson Middle volunteer
program. "She's a great role model for the kids."
This past Tuesday, Angie was busy helping Shanan Coughlin's first-grade class
make glitter snowflakes. Coughlin was Angie's third-grade teacher and had
requested Angie for her classroom.
"She is such a hard worker, and she really does love working with
kids," Coughlin said. "It's nice to see your kids come back and give
something back."
The project involved having the children cut snowflakes out of regular paper
and then glue glitter onto them.
Angie was at a back table that had been covered in newspaper. She was in charge
of sprinkling glitter onto the flakes and saving the excess glitter.
It was a messy task, especially because each of the children got to make two
snowflakes.
Besides art projects, Angie - who is an aspiring teacher and also has a sister
in the fifth grade at Morningside - tutors pupils individually or reads to the
class. She is sometimes joined by other Jackson Middle volunteers.
This is the third year of the Jackson Middle tutoring program, which was
created by Morningside Elementary's principal, Annette Shupe.
"It gives them an easy way without a huge commitment ... to have a first
step into volunteerism," Shupe said. "And to feel the power of
working with others and giving back to a place where you've come from."
Laurie Borslien suggests plenty of "get out and do" activities for
20somethings.
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story161274.html
Poll: many
kids worried about weight
Nemours study shows many children have tried dieting
By LAURA UNGAR
Staff reporter
01/16/2004
A majority of
9- to 13-year-olds questioned in a survey released this week said they worry
about how heavy they are and have even tried to lose weight.
The poll,
conducted in November by a group that includes the Nemours Foundation and
Kids-Health.org in Rockland, asked kids to weigh in the issue of childhood
obesity.
Researchers
surveyed 1,168 boys and girls while they visited health education centers and
children's museums in Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin. The National Association of Health Education Centers and Southern
Illinois University, Carbondale, collaborated in the poll, which was not a
random survey and has no margin of error.
Slightly more
than half of respondents said too many children were overweight, and many kids
knew that the failure to eat right or get enough exercise were big reasons.
Although most
respondents described their own weight as "about right," 54 percent
said they worried about their weight, and 59 percent reported having tried to
lose weight. In fact, more than half of the children who described themselves
as the right weight or slightly underweight said they have tried to lose
weight.
"We were
kind of flabbergasted with the 9- to 13-year-olds who have tried to lose
weight," said Madeleine Boyer, of KidsHealth.org.
Thirty-eight
percent of children tried to lose weight by eating right and exercising. Ten
percent said they went on a diet, 8 percent said they ate out less often, and 3
percent said they took medicine. Girls were more worried about their weight
than boys, and were more likely to have tried to lose weight.
Kathy
Migliocco of Wilmington said her children, 10-year-old Amanda and 12-year-old
Courtney, are aware of the issue of obesity. She said she tries not to stress
the issue of weight too much, but wants to make sure her children stay active
and eat right. Amanda takes steps to keep from gaining weight. She has been
involved in cheerleading, basketball and dancing.
"Sometimes
I do look at myself and say I am a little overweight," Amanda said.
"Then I get active and I think that I'm fine."
Sandra
Hassink, director of the pediatric weight management program at the
Nemours-owned Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, said she is not surprised
by children's concern about their weight. Kids are heavily influenced by media
messages about being thin, she said.
"In the
early elementary age group, girls are talking about their weight," Hassink
said. "We underestimate the impact of cultural messages on children."
The good
news, Hassink said, is that children also are getting the message about the
importance of eating right and exercising. According to the survey, 69 percent
of children thought these were the best ways to control body weight.
"You
want them focused on a healthy lifestyle," Hassink said.
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/01/16pollmanykidswor.html
Super Kid!
14-year-old child prodigy begins studies at Drexel University
By ERIC TUCKER
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - Alia Sabur uses words like "nanoscale" and
"protein folding" without so much as a stutter. She can explain
complex concepts of science as confidently as other teens converse on MTV and
Britney Spears.
Algebra,
calculus and ninth-grade physics? Elementary subjects for a girl who graduated
from college at the age of 14 and is on pace to receive a Ph.D. around the time
her peers receive high school diplomas.
Sabur, a
preternaturally gifted teen, a science whiz and a virtuoso clarinetist,
graduated summa cum laude in May with a degree in applied math from Stony Brook
University, part of the State University of New York.
The Long Island
teen recently enrolled in a doctoral program at Drexel University in
Philadelphia, continuing an advanced, if unorthodox, pursuit of knowledge that
began when she was less than a year old.
Sabur
continues to travel back and forth between her home in Northport, N.Y., where
she still lives, and Drexel, where she specializes in "nanophotonics"
- in her words, the "study and creation of electronic devices using
optics, at the nanoscale." She expects to get her Ph.D. in 2007.
Selcuk
Guceri, dean of Drexel's College of Engineering, recalled receiving an inquiry
last year from Subar and her parents about enrolling at Drexel. He said he met
with her and her family several times to "assess how doable" it was -
and came away impressed.
"It's
kind of unusual to see someone so young and so well-balanced in life,"
Guceri said.
Sabur said
she has no difficulty relating to other teens or her older classmates, citing
her age-appropriate interests of chatting online with her friends, shopping,
in-line skating and going to the movies.
"It's
different, but it's not that big of a deal," she said in a telephone
interview. "I'm comfortable socially with all different age groups."
And, with a
hint of modesty, Sabur empathized with her friends in high school, saying she
has "more spare time" than they do.
"They
have no time at all," she said. "They're so busy - up till 1 in the
morning doing homework, just swamped."
In academic
terms, Sabur has always been ahead of the curve. Her Web site boasts of a
series of achievements: able to read and talk at 8 months, able to walk at 1
year, a black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 9, a clarinet prodigy at 11. See it at
http://www.aliasabur.com/
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-01142004-227236.html
Recovering Kids
Art therapy
helps Iraqi children recover from war
By Fiona O'Brien
BAGHDAD
(Reuters) - At the Seasons Art School in south Baghdad, the goal is not to
teach or learn but to give back Iraqi children their lost childhood.
There are no
classes and no exams. After formal lessons at other schools, about 180 children
from five to 18 come here for a few hours a day, and teachers help them use
art, music and drama to unlock emotions which they may have suppressed during
years of war.
"Music
or painting can help the children by making them forget their real life,"
staff member Iyad Hadi said on Tuesday, as a class of girls and boys scribbled
happily with wax crayons on paper.
"When
they get here, they play, that makes them psychologically happier."
Set up last
October by a new Iraqi non-governmental organisation called Childhood's Voice,
the school welcomes disabled and deprived children among an intake from a wide
range of backgrounds.
"We
believe in the inherent creativity and loving potential of all children,"
reads a poster drawn up for a small art exhibition of the school's paintings at
a Baghdad hotel.
The pictures
displayed are bright drawings of brick houses and fir trees and sunshine which
could hang on any classroom or fridge door worldwide. But teachers said that
when the children first came to the school, their images were darker.
"A lot
of kids used to draw tanks, airplanes, guns," Husni Mohammad said.
"We used to tear them apart, say it's over, it's OK now."
One of the
psychologists, Rasha Imad, said she had seen significant improvement in many
children since starting work there three months ago.
"They
have started to be calmer in the classroom, to mix better, to recognise letters
and numbers and understand the meaning of play," she said.
The children
are taught computers, art, music, drama and English but the idea is not to pass
tests or gain qualifications -- the school runs two sessions a day, but its
students are primarily educated at government-run schools.
"This
school is like a small oasis in a large desert. Children can come to take what
they need. We hope the oasis will grow...We want to reach more people, we want
the world to help."
The students
say it is good to meet new friends and be the centre of attention.
"Here we
can play with freedom," said Ayid Wathiq, a young boy. "They teach us
computers, music, English. Everything is good here."
http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4119529
Afghan kids run own radio shows
Pak Tribune
KABUL,
Afghanistan,January 14 : Children living in Afghanistan are finally being
allowed to have their say on a special radio show made by kids.
Reporters,
Qais, Shagufa and Ilyas work on the station Good Morning Afghanistan, which is
listened to by over 12 million people in the country.
They plan and
write their own stories, choosing subjects they think are important for young
people to hear reports CBBC Newsround.
Learning with
Youth goes out three times a week and the children work on it in the mornings
and evenings.
They're paid
Ł31 a month, which is about the same, as an adult would earn in Afghanistan.
Qais, Shagufa
and Ilyas all lived in
For years
television and radio was shut down and life was very strict.
During
Taleban rule Qais, 14, was arrested and spent three months in prison when he
was only 12.
Eleven-year-old
Shagufa's family went into hiding and Ilyas, 11, lived in a refugee camp for
six years.
Since working
on the radio station Shagufa's done an interview with
http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=51468