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What's happening under the shield?

January-June 2008

The Salvation Army Keest Center provided 105 Logan County families (259 individuals) with assistance during the first six months of 2008.

The assistance given ranged from helping to pay different types of utility bills, rental costs, lifesaving prescriptions and food from the Salvation Army food pantry. Some individuals were given counseling and other miscellaneous forms of assistance.
The numbers receiving assistance have increased considerably over the first six months of 2007. At that time, 68 families (167 individuals) were served.
The Salvation Army expresses great appreciation for the support given to the work of The Salvation Army by generous Logan County residents.

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UNSCD/ "I'm Glad I'm a Mom," multiple authors share stories in Hearts at Home book/ LEISURE

Hearts at Home Presents Compilation Book, I’m Glad I’m a Mom

Chenoa, IL -- I’m Glad I’m a Mom, a Hearts at Home logo book published by Harvest House Publishers has recently been released. The book, authored by more than 50 moms - including Liz Curtis Higgs, Julie Barnhill, and Jill Briscoe - is edited by Hearts at Home founder and Chief Executive Officer Jill Savage. The stories showcase the triumphs and trials of everyday moms. Sometimes hysterical and sometimes heartwarming, the personal vignettes will connect the hearts of mothers, give them a sense of community with one another, and remind them they are not alone.

Book Includes Local Woman’s Story

Christie Todd, Inspirational Speaker/Author, from Chenoa, IL is among contributors to be included in the book. Christie’s story, titled “The Birthday Surprise” is about how a child’s disobedience opened her eyes to her own.

The book is available for purchase at Hearts at Home’s website www.heartsathome.org, your favorite online retailer, bookstores, or you can request a signed copy from Christie.

Hearts at Home is a Christ-Centered organization that encourages, educates and equips women in the profession of motherhood through various resources and events.

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unscd/ roylogan / UnkVIP

Roy Logan - What Makes This Lincoln Park District Program Director Cook?

by Geoff Ladd

Roy Logan is the type of person one can't help but like, and he, as well as his boss, Marsha Greenslate, will inevitably make you laugh or - at least - smile.

Logan has been program director at Lincoln Park District since 1999. The park district was formed in 1961, after previously having been voted down by the citizens of Lincoln four different times going back to 1925.

Roy works for Marsha Greenslate, who has been with the organization for 26 years, and has served as director since 1995. Marsha started as a part-time ceramics instructor and advanced through the ranks. Today the park district is it's own separate entity, and owns some parks while maintaining and overseeing others.

Both Roy and Marsha have also been very active in serving on the Lincoln Heritage Days committee by planning activities and helping to coordinate the event. In fact, they usually can be seen out and about together, working as a "brother and sister" team. Roy self describes their working partnership by comparing them to "Laurel and Hardy" due to their complimentary irrreverent sense of humor, and the fun and energy they create in the presence of others.

It really is infectious. "We have a good time," says Roy. That philosophy carries over to the employees and volunteers they work with.

"We knew each other a little," says Roy of Marsha before they started working together. "We were the baby boomer generation - we were raised a certain way and we had the same sense of humor," says Logan.

Roy is a descendant of the Logan family tree that dates back to the early settlers in the area, and he is also a second or third cousin of County Board Chairman Dick Logan. Roy's undeniable hobby is cooking, and he has been featured on cooking shows that have aired locally on CITV. Roy started in the restaurant business at age 16. Although he is not a classically trained chef, he does cook for staff get-togethers and private parties.

Over the past several months, Roy has spearheaded the effort to construct a skate park on the park district grounds. Roy was approached with the idea by the parents of the late Cash Tapper, a local elementary school student who died in 2003. The Lincoln Skate Club was formed in 2007 and included both parents and students. They have worked together to raise $30,000, including a generous donation from Wal-Mart, and these funds will be sufficient to build the park. The plan is to start the skate park out as a "smaller footprint", and potentially expand the park as interest grows (the original cost of the planned park was $100,000).

True to his job, Roy also wanted to be sure we mentioned all the great summer programs that are about to get underway, and so, thanks to the efforts of Roy and Marsha, here is the fun-filled schedule. Come on out to the Lincoln Park District and start your fun today!

Lincoln Park District Summer Program Schedule
(www.lincolnparkdistrict.com)

May 31 - Labor Day
Swimming
Season passes, swimming lessons, special events and parties.

June 1-22, 2:00-3:30pm (Sundays)
Dance Lessons (4 All Occasions)
Mike & Julie Bieser, Instructors
Includes the very popular swing dance, a night club two step and the ChaCha.

June 2-6, 9am-9:45am (K-2nd grade), 9:45am-10:45am (3rd-5th grade), 10:45-11:45am (6th-8th grade)
Tennis Lessons
Julie Harris Larson, Instructor
Larson has been ranked #1 in Central Illinois her entire competitive career. Lessons are geared toward beginners to intermediate level.

June 2-6, 9am-4pm (age 6-10) & July 7-11, 9am-4pm (age 11-14)
Creative Drama Camp
Chris Gray, Instructor
Gray is a theatre instructor at Lincoln College. Weeklong camp includes improvisation, theatre games and warm-ups, arts and crafts, and rehearsing for a performance starring you!

June 3 (6:30pm-7:30pm) & June 7 (9am-12pm)
Fishing Clinic & Derby
Herb Drier, Instructor
Drier is with Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources. Derby on Saturday located at Hickory Lane Campground near Atlanta, IL. Sponsored by Lincoln City Police D.A.R.E. program.

June 6 (6pm-10pm) & June 7 (9am-3pm)
Hunter Safety
Valid 10 hour Hunter Education Course needed for State of Illinois Certificate of Competency. Sponsored by Logan County Quail Unlimited and Logan County Whitetail Unlimited.

June 10, 9am-11am Tues & Thurs for six weeks
Exploring Sports
Fundamentals of Tee Ball, Volleyball, and Basketball

June 14, 8:30am-10:30am Saturday for six weeks
Tee Ball League
Learn the fundamentals along with sportsmanship and teamwork. Plyed at Breezy Field.

June 16-20, 9am-9:45am (3rd-5th grades), 10am-11am (6th-8th grades)
Rockets, Kites & S'Mores
Marsha Dahl, Instructor
Dahl is a retired teacher and currently a tutor at Lincoln College. Kite making, boomerangs, and solar s'more baking.

June 23-25, 9am-11am
Funny Business 101 - Syndicated Cartooning
Julie Larson, Instructor
Larson is a nationally syndicated columnist from Lincoln and is creator of the comic strip, The Dinette Set.

June 23-27, 8am-11am (age 9-12), 12pm-3pm (age 13-adult)
Golf Camp
Jim Dunovsky, Instructor
Dunovsky manages The Links at Carillon GOlf Club in Plainfield, IL.
Primary focus on fundamentals of the golf swing. Includes a nine hole round at Four Willows Golf Course in Mason City.

July 16, 9am-1pm (1st-3rd grades), 9am-3pm (4th-6th grades)
Bugs, Bats & Butterflies
Carol Thompson, Instructor
Thompson is Park Interpreter at Weldon Springs State Park. A day at Memorial Park in search of bugs and butterflies with some birding thrown in for good measure.

July 24 & 25, 9am-12pm (ages 6 and up)
Introduction to Dance
Audra Turley, Instructor
Turley is owner of Audra's Studio of Dance and is amaster graduate of Dance Educators of America. Three styles this year - Jazz, Ballet and Clogging. Also a section on Choreography.

August 17
Youth Football Games Begin
Larry Booth, commissioner
Signup from May 1-31. Practice begins July 14.

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Rerun from http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2006/Sep/30/Features/features093006.shtml:
From callow to sallow to tallow

For release on or after August 27, 2008

Home Country

Slim Randles


The problem with having morning coffee at the Mule Barn coffee shop’s philosophy counter is that there are simply no requirements for sitting there, other than having the price of a cup, of course. That’s why the conversation sometimes gets out of hand.
“Do I look callow this morning, Doc?” said Dud as he pulled up the chair and flipped over the cup.
“Callow? Can’t say as you do, Dudley,” Doc replied.
“Sallow, though,” said Steve, the tall cowboy. “There is a twinge of sallowness around the jaw line on ol’ Dud there.”
“Is that serious?” Dud said, grabbing his jaw.
Doc started to laugh, but Steve bumped him with a knee and stifled the laugh while it was still in the chute.
“Serious? Dud, you mean to tell me you’ve never heard of encroaching sallowness? It begins with just a semi-sallow look to the jawbone, followed by shallow breathing and ending up in a callow attitude.”
“I didn’t know attitudes could callow up on a guy, Steve,” Dud said. “When do you know you’re getting the callows?”
“Usually your friends will let you know,” Steve said, covering his smile with his cup of coffee, “unless of course you discover it for yourself by checking it out in the mirror.”
“How can you tell if it’s gotten that far?”
“Simple,” said Steve. “Your tongue will begin to resemble tallow.”
“Tallow tongue? Oh darn…”
“Let’s see the tongue, Dud,” said Steve. “Nope. Hasn’t gotten to that point yet.”
“What can I do, Doc? Hey, I’m too young for all this.”
“Only one possible cure for it, Dud,” Doc said, breaking into a laugh. “If you should come down with the callow, sallow, shallow tallows, you’d better be making some new coffee-drinking buddies, ‘cause these around here will just make you sick!”
Brought to you by the dogs and cats at your local animal shelter. Pay them a visit and take home a new best friend.
 

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For release on or after September 3, 2008

Home Country

Slim Randles

“This whole election process just doesn’t work for me,” Dud said, sipping his coffee. “There’s no way we can tell who is best for the job.”
Doc, being the senior member of the Mule Barn truck stop’s world dilemma think tank, looked kindly at Dud. “Well, haven’t you been reading what each guy stands for, Dud?”
Dud shrugged. “Sure. But I firmly believe they only tell you what you want to hear. They’re the best, and the other guy is going to take you straight to ruined aspirations.”
“Ruined aspirations?” piped up Steve, the cowboy with the owlish look of pure bowlegged intellectualism. “That’s why I’ve always thought we need a contest. A real contest. Have them put their aspirations where they’ll do the most good.”
“A contest?”
“Bull riding,” said Steve, nodding sagely. “Just put them on bulls and the first one to fall off loses.”
“But what does bull riding have to do with taxes and warfare and education and all that stuff?” asked Doc.
“Nothing at all,” said Steve, “but you can bet it will separate the serious candidates from the oh-what-the-heck guys.”
“I like what I’m hearing here,” said Dud, with a grin. “Only problem is, if they ride bulls, one of them might get killed.”
Steve grinned, “Simplifies the selection process, doesn’t it?”
-----------

Brought to you by 3Rivers Archery for your traditional bowhunting needs. Visit them at 3RiversArchery.com.




For release on or after September 10, 2008


Home Country

Slim Randles



It just happened, you know? One of those serendipitous coincidences that occur when planets line up or you foolishly store oily rags together. It just … happened.
Ardis Richardson was looking through the Soup ‘R Market for an egg beater for her mom. Not the electric kind. The turn-the-handle kind. She picked one up and tried it out, causing the friendly little metallic whir that good egg beaters make. What was serendipitous, however, was Anita Campbell not six feet away in the next row thumping pumpkins. As Anita thumped and Ardis whirred, they got in time with each other and Sarah McKinley was checking out kitchen timers and gave one a friendly ding. This got the thumper and whirrer going even more enthusiastically and caused the market’s owner, Annette George, to walk over to the three percussionists, grin, and pick up a brand-new stainless steel funnel, purse her lips, and begin to blow a blues tune on it. It was okay, since she owned the store.
Annette, it turns out, played trombone back in high school.
While she was bluesing and Anita was thumping and Sarah was dinging and Ardis was whirring, a kind of blissful harmony began and filled the vegetable aisle with music.
When they finally stopped, and between gales of laughter, Annette said she could put a regular trumpet mouthpiece in the funnel and get a better tone. Anita said not to say anything to her husband, Dud, as he thought his accordion playing was the only music in the family.
They agreed to get together each Wednesday afternoon and practice until they got good enough for a concert.
But they never did.
Serendipity just … happens … in its own good time.

Brought to you by 3Rivers Archery for your traditional bowhunting needs. Visit them at 3RiversArchery.com.


For release on or after September 17, 2008


Home Country

Slim Randles


Dud was heading home in his pickup truck when he saw the strange goings-on at the Bahdziewicz place. Abraham Lincoln Bahdziewicz was out in the family’s large garden with a full compliment of kids who were happily hopping around. Some of the kids came from the neighborhood, but most of them were homegrown Bahdziewicz kids.
The Bahdziewicz family had a great garden, and went at the whole thing scientifically and in great fun, because this is one family that runs short on cash but long on kids.
Dud pulled over and watched for a minute as Abe laughingly directed the family dancers doing the vegetable boogie through the various rows of the huge garden.
“What’s going on, Abe?” yelled Dud.
“Squash bug stomping time,” Abe said, turning over another board lying next to the vegetables. As soon as the board was flipped over, a plethora of Bahdziewicz kids stomped the bugs flat. “It’s the kids’ favorite time in the garden.”
The third-grader, John Kennedy Bahdziewicz, said, “Flip another board, Dad.”
“Hold it!” Dud yelled. “Not another move until I get back, okay? I’ll be back here in five minutes. Five minutes!”
Abraham Lincoln Bahdziewicz looked at his oldest son, Woodrow Wilson Bahdziewicz and they both shrugged. The rest of the family stopped, too. Dud peeled out in the pickup and was back in less than two minutes.
“Okay,” Dud yelled. “Let’s do the squash bug stomp the right way!”
And he strapped on his accordion and fired up a grand polka as boards were flipped over and the exposed squash bugs were dispatched in record polka time.
Sometimes just living here can be an awful lot of fun.

Brought to you by 3Rivers Archery for your traditional bowhunting needs. Visit them at 3RiversArchery.com.


For release on or after September 24, 2008


Home Country

Slim Randles


Bring me the cool snap of a fall morning now. Let me crave a jacket. I’ll gladly hang up the bicycle and fly rod if you’ll let me start shooting that bow and taking the rifle to the range. It’s fall. Oh … thank you … it’s fall.
It’s the time of perfection for each of us. Fall is when the deer have scraped and polished the velvet off their antlers and sharpened them against trees so they can be in perfect shape for the rut and the fighting.
Fall is when the trees, in their autumn mini-deaths, put on a display of color that makes us glad to be alive and dreaming of treasures and perfection.
Fall is when we have our county fairs, so the harvest can be shown off and shared, and we can look at each other and say, “Hey, was your summer good? Great to see the kids back in school again, isn’t it? How do you think the football team will do this year?”
Fall is when we do more than just worry about how we’re going to cool off and we think of mountains and tents and a fire to stare into with friends at the end of a wonderful day.
And fall is when we think of ways we can perfect ourselves a little bit more, too. Hey, winter’s coming on. Should we learn a new language? Take a course at the college? Should we start planning a spring trip?
Fall is what we get for being good all year.

Brought to you by 3Rivers Archery for your traditional bowhunting needs. Visit them at 3RiversArchery.com.

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features/ Culture Artist Column, January 6, 2008: Nature Deficit Disorder/ unscd

Nature Deficit Disorder

by Chuck Hall


If you grew up in a rural environment like I did, you probably remember the joys of playing in the woods. Building forts, taking hikes or collecting plants not only allows children an opportunity for fresh air, it also stimulates their imagination and curiosity. But as video games and television become more important in the lives of our children, they have less and less time to spend in nature.

Author Richard Louv thinks that our children are suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder. In Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder (2005, Algonquin Books), he argues that kids are so plugged into television and video games that they've lost their connection to the natural world. Louv believes that the hunter/gatherer is still very much a part of our collective psyche, and that people need nature in order to develop fully as human beings.

While video games and television may have some educational purposes, they do not allow for full use of the senses. The sights, sounds, smells and textures of the woods allow children to experience the world in ways that video games cannot. There is a growing body of evidence that children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), a disorder in which children misinterpret signals from their senses, may benefit from sensory integration training. SPD can lead to symptoms like lack of coordination, difficulty in concentrating, and behavioral problems. A growing body of evidence suggests that allowing children to experience nature stimulates all of the senses, and therefore facilitates sensory integration, decreasing symptoms of SPD.

Parents may be fearful of visiting state or national parks, due to perceived dangers of abduction or assault, but those fears are probably exaggerated and exacerbated by the media. John Winters supervises 350 safety officers for the Department of Natural Resources. These safety officers are the uniformed rangers who oversee 96 state parks and recreation areas and 600 boating access sites. According to Ranger Winters, of about 1,000 incident reports that visitors filed with rangers last year, just 16 were technically classified as assaults. Compare that to the estimated 10,000 annual assaults that occur in homes, towns, and city streets, and you can easily see that the woods are a far safer place to be!

You don’t have to take the kids to Yosemite to reap the benefits of nature. Most cities and towns have parks. You can even find nature in your back yard. An Ecotherapy exercise I do with my children in therapy is called ‘A Closer Look.’ I mark out a six-foot in diameter circle on the ground, then have them sit in it with a notebook and record what they see inside that circle for fifteen minutes. Many tell stories of insects interacting. Others describe blades of grass or leaves in great detail. Some talk about the wind and the sun. In every case, they use their imagination to examine the world around them more closely.

The opportunities to help your children overcome ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ abound. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination, so teach your kids to put down the X-Box and explore the world around them!

Chuck Hall’s latest book, Green Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is now available at the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org. You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org.

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High-tech reliability a key for workers who do business outside the office

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Workers want top-of-the-line technology to take care of business while they’re away from the office, but only if they can count on it, according to research by a University of Illinois professor.

“It sounds like such a straightforward finding, but it’s really a key success factor,” says Judith Gebauer, a professor of business administration. “If people can’t depend on the technology they won’t use it. And if they do use it, it may be counterproductive.”

Gebauer, who has studied mobile technology in the workplace for five years, said surveys show workers who do business on the road want cell phones, hand-held computers and laptops loaded with bells and whistles, from spread-sheet programs to cameras and games they can use in their leisure time.

Workers are just as concerned with reliability, lamenting sometimes-dicey e-mail connections and other high-tech glitches that add time and frustration to their jobs, she said.

“These new technologies need to work from the perspective of the user. And what we found with mobile technology is that a lot of times simpler is better. Even though the task might require something more complicated, think about alternative ways that might be simpler and then use the technology at a level where performance is satisfactory to the users,” Gebauer said.

As an example, she says on-the-road employees plagued by spotty Internet connections could use cell phones to work through colleagues in their main office rather than going online to handle the chore themselves.

Gebauer said her ongoing research has yet to explore in detail whether available technologies are a good fit to manage out-of-office work in a business world that is becoming increasingly mobile.

“In our recent studies, we asked only the users themselves. We didn’t ask the people who work with them, we didn’t ask managers. I would like to get a better handle on the impact of mobile technology on the performance of individuals, be they mobile or non-mobile, and on organizations,” Gebauer said.

Her future research also will seek to pin down a definition of mobile business that has expanded beyond just workers whose jobs require them to be out of the office for travel or other duties. An ever-increasing number of workers, particularly managers, now want instant links to their desks while in meetings, commuting or even when they’re on vacation, she said.

“It seems that this line between being in an office and working and being out of an office and working is blurring,” Gebauer said. “More people want to be reachable all the time and check information wherever they are. It’s more convenient for them and being able to stay on top of things makes them worry less about work.”

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Study shows parenting styles have similar effects in China and U.S.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study from the University of Illinois puts to rest the idea that overly controlling or manipulative parenting styles are less destructive to a child’s emotional and academic functioning in China than in the U.S.

The study found that “parents’ psychological control” – the use of emotional manipulation such as withdrawing love, inducing guilt or shaming children for not behaving in accordance with the parents’ wishes – has similar negative effects on children in China and the U.S. The study appears in the September/October issue of the journal Child Development.

The researchers also found that setting reasonable limits on children’s behavior (behavioral control) and supporting children in making decisions on their own (autonomy support) had similar positive effects on children’s academic and emotional functioning in the U.S. and China. The positive results were significantly stronger in U.S. children, however.

Previous studies have compared the effects of parenting styles in China and the U.S., but have not settled the debate over whether cultural differences meant that Chinese children were less affected by parenting practices shown to have negative effects on children in the U.S. No other study has examined the effects of parenting styles over time and in socio-economically equivalent families in the two cultures.

“The finding is the first to definitively show that the effects of parents’ control and autonomy support are quite similar in the two cultures, but that there are some differences, and these seem to revolve around this issue that autonomy support is more beneficial in the U.S. than in China,” said psychology professor Eva Pomerantz, one of the principal investigators. “This suggests that there’s a basic need for autonomy, but its fulfillment appears to be more important in the U.S. than in China.”

Pomerantz and graduate student Qian Wang examined parenting styles and the emotional and academic functioning of 806 American and Chinese seventh graders. The students were from working- and middle-class families and were enrolled in academically similar public schools. The six-month longitudinal study included children’s reports of parenting styles as well as the students’ assessments of their own emotional and academic functioning. For example, the children reported on their experience of happiness or sadness as well as their studying strategies. The researchers also obtained records of the children’s grades.

“Psychological control had a negative effect on children’s emotional and academic functioning in both countries and the strengths of the effects were similar,” said Wang, who conducted the research for her dissertation.

“Satisfying children’s need for autonomy is important in both countries. It matters for children’s academic and emotional functioning,” Wang said. “But it was more so in the U.S.”

Pomerantz said that the heightened response to autonomy support in American children might be a result of U.S. culture being more supportive of children’s independence.

“Everybody has a basic need to feel autonomous – that is, for self-determination,” Pomerantz said. “But America is this very individualistic, autonomous society; we really value being unique and doing things on our own.” Other traits, such as harmonious social relations, may be valued more in China, she said.

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FEATURE/ Culture Artist Column, July 12, 2007: CFLs and Mercury/ unscd

Culture Artist Column, July 12, 2007: CFLs and Mercury

by Chuck Hall


Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can greatly reduce the amount electricity used to light your home. An average CFL uses only 15 watts of energy to produce the same amount of light generated by a 100-watt incandescent bulb. However, several readers of this column have written to express their concern about the fact that CFLs contain mercury.

While it is true that CFLs contain mercury, and that mercury is toxic, there is no danger of the mercury escaping as long as the bulbs remain intact. That means that unless you break the bulb, the mercury is safely contained. In the event that a bulb breaks, a few basic precautions should keep your family safe: first, open doors and windows in the room so that any potential mercury vapors may escape; next, sweep up the fragments (don’t vacuum, as the blower in the vacuum will vent the mercury into the room and disperse it into the atmosphere); finally, secure the fragments in an airtight container (a tied plastic bag works well) until they may be properly disposed of.

To reduce danger of mercury contamination, never dispose of your CFLs in the trash. Instead, find a recycling center that will accept CFLs for reprocessing. If you are unsure if there are CFL recycling centers in your area, Earth 911 maintains a database of recycling centers at: www.earth911.org.

How serious is the danger from mercury contamination in CFLs? A standard CFL contains about 5 milligrams (mg) of mercury. There are several other common household items that contain more mercury than a CFL. Here are some examples:

A standard lithium watch battery contains about 25 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 5 CFL light bulbs.

Older dental fillings contain about 500 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 100 CFL light bulbs.

Old-fashioned home thermometers contain up to 2000 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 400 CFL light bulbs. If you use the new battery-powered ones, these usually run off of lithium batteries, so you’ve cut the mercury down to the equivalent of 5 CFL light bulbs.

Automatic safety shutoff switches in steam irons (the ones that shut off the iron if it’s accidentally knocked over) contain about 3500 mg of mercury. That’s equivalent to 700 CFL light bulbs.

Some other common household items that may contain mercury include greeting cards that play music, shoes with lighted soles, pilot light sensors, electric switches, barometers, analog blood pressure devices, stoves, ovens, water heaters, space heaters, clothes dryers, furnaces, ball point pens, latex paint manufactured before 1992, pesticides manufactured before 1994, older children’s chemistry sets, batteries, and anything with a safety shutoff switch.

This is not to suggest that mercury is a safe thing to have around your household, but if you are concerned about mercury contamination, there are plenty of other items around your home that pose a greater risk than CFLs. If CFLs are properly handled and properly disposed of, there is less risk of exposure to mercury than posed by other household items.

One final thing to consider with CFLs is the energy savings. Since CFLs generate the same amount of light as a 100-watt bulb for only 15 watts of power, they save a tremendous amount of energy. Most energy generated in the United States comes from coal-burning power plants. Burning coal releases mercury into the atmosphere. So it is conceivable that using incandescent bulbs poses a greater risk of mercury contamination than using CFLs,

Chuck Hall is a Sustainability Consultant and author. His latest book, Green Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is now available at the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org. You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org.

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May 2006

Column #197 - Perfectionist son

Q: I have a nine-year-old son. He is very structured and doesn't handle mistakes very well. If he gets an A-, he frets about not getting an A. If he gets an A, it should have been an A+. We have never pushed him, but he always wants everything to be perfect. How do I help him be a little more relaxed and less anxious?
A: Trying for excellence is healthy and motivating. Insisting on perfection is unrealistic and stressful. Perfectionism can rob kids of self-esteem and take away their courage to try new things.
Give your son's self-esteem a boost by making it a family ritual that whenever family members give themselves a put-down, which focuses on what they CAN'T do, they must give themselves two “put-ups,” which focus on what they CAN do.
Children like your son may fear mistakes, for they see each mistake as proof that they're not good enough. Teach him that mistakes don't mean he's a failure. They mean he's human. They also can mean that he's trying to learn something.
To reduce this fear, take the time to talk about mistakes frequently. Invite other members of the family to join your discussions. Begin by mentioning a mistake you made at the office. Describe what you did, how you felt and how others reacted. Your son needs to learn that despite his fear that everyone will see and make fun of his mistakes, in reality most people don't take much notice of someone else's errors.
It may take several of these discussions before your son becomes comfortable about his own mistakes. Once he begins to share his own errors, you can expand the discussion to include exploring solutions: “Here's what I can do so that I don't make this same mistake again .” Such talks will teach him that mistakes are simply a natural and correctable part of the learning process and need not be feared.
You may also want to check with your son's teacher. Tell her what you have observed. Ask what she has noticed in the classroom and how you can work together to help your son.
If you continue to be concerned and your son is increasingly anxious, check with your family physician.
For more information about helping children learn or to submit your own question to The Learning Advisor, go to http://advisor.parent-institute.com. All questions will receive a prompt answer by email. Copyright © 2006, The Parent Institute.

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August 2006

Column #213- Starting school

Q: My son will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks. I can sense that he's a bit anxious about the “big day” coming up. How can we make this experience as smooth as possible for him?
A: You're right. It is a “big day” and exciting, too! Every child gets a little nervous about starting school. Some simply don't want summer fun to end. But there are some things you can do to make this transition as smooth and easy as possible. To get the school year started off right:
Talk about his concerns. If he's not exactly sure what it is that he's anxious about, read some books about starting school. You'll find many titles available. Ask your librarian for suggestions. Talk with your son about some of the concerns discussed in the books.
Acknowledge his fears. Describe your own first day of school. If you were afraid, remind him that this feeling didn't last long.
See if you and your son can visit the classroom before school starts. Ask for the principal's help in arranging the visit.
Have your son practice getting up at the new time for a week before school starts.
Find out where the school bus will be picking him up. Together take a few walks to the bus stop.
Take several walks to the school and back if he won't be riding the bus.
Let him know that there will be a bathroom nearby and he can use it when he needs to. Include this on your visit to the classroom. Children often worry about using the bathroom while they're at school.
Be encouraging. Don't let him hear you say things like, “I'm so sad. I wish you were staying home!”
Plan something special for the first day of school—his favorite breakfast, a new outfit or a trip to the park after school.
Assure your son that you will be waiting for him at the end of the school day, and so will his favorite stuffed animals and toys.
After school, ask about his day. Show how excited and interested you are. You've made sure he's off to a good start. Now set up a home routine with regular times for dinner, homework and bed. Limit his TV time and set up family reading times. Your son will thrive on this routine and get the school year started right!
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—For more information about helping children learn or to submit your own question to The Learning Advisor, go to http://advisor.parent-institute.com. All questions will receive a prompt answer by email. Copyright © 2006, The Parent Institute.

Column #214 - Responsibility

Q: I'm tired of picking up after my child. My daughter doesn't put away her bike, her toys, her dishes, her books or other things. How can I make her be more responsible?
A: Like many children, your daughter has grown conveniently deaf to reminding, nagging, scolding, and lecturing. Save your words and energy for a more effective strategy. Children can't learn to be responsible unless their parents give
them responsibilities. If you are constantly reminding and nagging about a responsibility—or sometimes doing the task for your daughter—you are still assuming that responsibility.
Daily checklists are a good way to teach kids responsible work habits. Adults use them. Some of us even have multiple lists—one for the office, another for shopping and still a third for home and family chores. Checklists help organize our busy lives and make sure our responsibilities are met. Here's how you can teach your daughter to do the same:
Sit down with your daughter and decide which responsibilities she's ready to handle on her own.
Define her responsibilities clearly. It's easier for children to plan and complete tasks if they understand what's expected of them.
Make a list of all her daily responsibilities. Leave a couple of blank lines at the bottom of the list for things that come up at the last minute. Make multiple copies by hand or on a copy machine.
Spend a minute or two, once a day, to have her mark the items she needs to take care of that day. As each item is accomplished, she can feel good about checking it off!
Go over the list when there's still time for her to take care of forgotten items—an hour before bedtime, for example. After using this checklist for a few weeks, many tasks, like putting her bike away, will probably become second nature.
Be consistent. Make sure everyone understands that responsibility is important in your home.
Feel good about giving your daughter duties. Sometimes parents feel guilty about asking their children to help out at home. But it's important for children should to share the family work load. It builds a feeling of family. Even more importantly, teachers say that children who have learned to accept jobs at home are better able to accept being in charge of their own learning. When children help out at home, they develop a sense of responsibility that will carry over to school—and later life.
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—For more information about helping children learn or to submit your own question to The Learning Advisor, go to http://advisor.parent-institute.com. All questions will receive a prompt answer by email. Copyright © 2006, The Parent Institute.

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