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SAVE the DATE
Fight the Stigma Casino Night
Saturday,
April 8, 2017
6:00-10:00PM
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January 20, 2017 Issue #39 |
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The turning of the calendar can be a prime time for children to focus on forming good new habits.
Parents may make resolutions to save more money, stop smoking or lose weight in the New Year, but what commitments can children make to improve themselves, too? Turns out, there are plenty of age-appropriate targets kids can set to build skills and habits that'll serve them well into adulthood. Here are some suggestions from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Preschool children
- I'll pick up my toys and put stuff away where it belongs.
- I'll brush my teeth twice every day.
- I won't tease dogs - even friendly pets. I'll keep my fingers and face away from their mouths to avoid being bitten.
Big kids and tweens (ages 5-12)
- I'll drink milk and water and limit soda and fruit drinks.
- I'll put on sunscreen, stay in the shade when I can and wear a brimmed hat and sunglasses - especially playing sports.
- I'll try to find a team or individual sport that gets me moving (like soccer or karate) or activity (playing tag, dancing, riding my bike) I like and do it at least three times a week.
- I'll wear a helmet when I'm on my bike, scooter or skateboard.
- I'll wear my seatbelt every time I'm in a car - or, until I'm tall enough to use a lap/shoulder belt, I'll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat.
- I'll be nice to other kids and friendly to kids who are shy, different or new at school.
- I'll never give out personal information online, like my name, home address, school name or phone number - and never send a picture of myself to anyone I chat with on the computer without my mom or dad's permission.
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DID YOU KNOW?
For more information, read
this blog post by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA)
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KIDS ROCK THE BLOCK!
January Kid of the Month: Valerie Perkins
Valerie Perkins, age 14, loves being a cheerleader, working with student government, and serving as a peer tutor. Valerie loves sports, and she is an excellent student, particularly in math. Valerie was born with spina bifida, a condition that occurs at birth when there is an opening in one or more of the vertebrae of the spinal column. Because she has spina bifida, Valerie has no feeling and her lower legs, so she wears braces on her legs, and she uses crutches to walk.
Valerie displays a positive attitude about her abilities, and she serves as an excellent role model for others. For example, in the program on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Valerie assures her friend Joanne that being cool is not about who others think you are. In "Making the Right Choices", Valerie tells Joanne, "the coolest people I know are people who make up their own minds--not the ones who go along just because everyone else is doing it [using drugs or partying]". Valerie talks about peer pressure, making healthy choices, and being a good friend in the Kids on the Block Program on Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
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Happy 2017! As we plan to maintain our resolutions don't forget that health and wellness includes
mental health!
Mental Health America of Georgia continues to shape our Kids on the Block (KOTB) Curriculum to reflect a wide spectrum of health issues. The topics below reflect two new curriculum changes.
Keeping Preschoolers Healthy
The KOTB program on drug abuse and awareness offers an overview of how kids can make the right choices to maintain health. But how can KOTB address these more mature issues with younger children? Performances for preschoolers and Pre-K students now include a unit called "Being Healthy". This program includes the script "It's Only Medicine", dealing with who should give us medicine, and the effects that medicine cause. The other featured script is entitled "Hand-Washing", and it has been a big hit with our younger audiences for years. In this multi-part script, Nathan and his kitty cat demonstrate the proper way to wash one's hands and discuss how germs make us sick.
Combating Childhood Obesity and Overweight
This is a new program for our KOTB troupe, and the subject provides a way to balance our curriculum with positive mental and physical health components. The goal is for participants to define wellness as both physical and mental health. We hope to have implemented the KOTB Program on Combating Obesity and Overweight by Summer, 2017.
What kids have learned from Kids on the Block:
" I learned you can cheer yourself up by talking to your dog or your counselor."
-Fourth Grader, Dekalb County
"After the show I could talk about bullying from my perspective - both as a victim of bullying and as a former bully."
-Seventh Grader, Middle Georgia
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| WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Kids on the Block is only one of many programs offered by MHA of Georgia to further our mission of enhancing the mental health of Georgians through education, outreach and advocacy. Click here to learn more about our programs. Your support will help us continue our work educating Georgians about mental illness, working to eliminate stigma and advocating on behalf of people with mental illness in our state. Click here to support MHA of Georgia. |
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24/7
Georgia Crisis and Access Line
If you or someone you know are in need of immediate assistance please contact the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) at:
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