January 2013
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01/31/13Kid President Shares His Awesomeness on the Today Show & CNNIf you were watching the Today show or CNN this week, you might have seen this young man. His name is Robbie Novak, better known by his online presence, Kid President. This 8-year-old's uplifting messages have been exploding on the Internet recently. This week, his Kid President Pep Talk video went viral. News of the video eventually made it onto Huffington Post and from there was picked up by the networks. We first interviewed Brad Montague, Robbie's brother/writer/producer, back in August. Read that interview here. The two are from Somerville, Tennessee, where Brad works as an aspiring comedian and musician. At that time, their videos were catching fire, but certainly hadn't exploded the way they did in January. At last count, the Pep Talk video had 5.5 million... |
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01/23/13Read This: I See WinterMost young children love the thought of one good blanket of snow each winter. Many adults feel the same way too, provided it doesn’t fall on a work day. Of course, here in Memphis, there can be long gaps before we are able to dig that sled out of the attic for its “twice-a-decade” run, and even then, we have to hope the snow is deep enough to use it. I recently had the embarrassment of explaining to someone in Minnesota that a quarter-inch of icy mix shut down Memphis; as you can imagine they were not impressed and muttered something about 40 inches! Our mild climate means most children born here never get much chance to experience winter the way it appears in children’s books, so it seems to be a mythical place indeed that has thick snow and skating... |
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01/21/13Respect Program Aims to Help Reduce BullyingDr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” How profoundly true this statement is when it comes to bullying. Bullying happens in schools and communities every day. It may come in the form of physical, verbal, or relational abuse. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ anti-bullying website, children who are bullied have a greater risk of struggling with anxiety and depression while children who bully have a higher risk of abusing alcohol and drugs. Bystanders have an increased risk of both. “It takes an entire community to build a positive social culture that... |
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01/18/13Make Your Rules About Smart Phone UseLots of families started the new year with tweens receiving smart phones for Christmas. But as with all phases of childhood, crossing this technology threshold brings much to consider. Yes, your child is now more readily available. And yes, you can find him in an instant (provided he answers your calls or texts). But if your child has a smart phone, this new gadget is about way more than texting friends or calling home. It's about data use and downloading material without your knowledge and racking up some serious phone bills until boundaries are established. So what kind of guidelines have you worked out with your tween? Kids at this age aren't very good at thinking through the consequences of their behavior. You need to consider what you will — and won't... |
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01/16/13What It Means to Be a HeroWe hear the word "hero" so often anymore that we forget its true meaning. In my mind, a hero is someone whose selfless, courageous act lifts up the life of another. That sums up Connor and Cayden Long, two brothers from White House, Tennessee, who were recently named Sports Illustrated's 2012 Sports Kids of the Year. The boys compete in triathalons. But here's the catch. Since 7-year-old Cayden has hypertonic cerebral palsy, he's unable to talk or walk. Yet 9-year-old brother Connor wanted a sport they could compete in — together. When their mother read about a triathalon for kids, Connor begged her to let them enter. That's how their racing began, with Connor swimming while pulling Cayden in a raft, with Connor running while pushing Cayden in... |
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01/11/13Come Downtown for the Memphis Train and Trolley MuseumIf your kids love to ride the downtown trolley, don't forget to pay a visit to the Memphis Train and Trolley Museum (545 South Main at the Central Train Station). Opened in April 2012, this interesting museum celebrates the importance of the railroad to Memphis' development. The space houses artifacts, photographs, and three model train sets that kids love to watch chug around the miniature towns. The museum will be open on two upcoming holidays: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 21st), and President's Day, Monday, February 18th. Admission is $3/adults, $1/ages 3 to 12. Regular hours are: Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. & Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Though currently small, museum officials are developing plans to fund-raise for the... |
