I gotta tell you something that was really cute.  In each issue, they include an audio CD and on this one was an interview with Hawk.  I had to stop at the house in between errands to drop off something and had the magazine out in the van still.  I mentioned to Caleb that Tony Hawk was in this issue of Success.

I finished what I needed to do and headed back to the van and there the door was open and Caleb's little tootsies were hanging out.  He was fishing for the magazine.  It reminded me of how I would try to filch the current issue of National Geographic from my dad when it would come in the mail.

Anyway, that delighted me.

But back to Hawk.  He was another hyper kid.  And listening to his interview I learned that his Dad gave Tony the freedom to explore his skateboarding passion.  (Often at the cost of driving his boy all over Kingdom Come to find skateparks.)

His dad GOT IT.  He released his kid to be who he was created to be.

And now Tony Hawk passes that legacy onto his kids.  Of his three children, one is pursuing skateboarding.  The other two have passions that lay elsewhere.  Hawk says something like, I just need to get out of the way and see where their interests take them.

Rock on, Tony!

Memiliki anak autis adalah tanggung jawab terbesar yang dapat dipikul oleh kita sebagai orang-tua mereka. Hari-hari panjang yang melelahkan, kurang tidur, rumah yang berantakan terus menerus dan situasi yang sering meremukkan hati akan harus terus kita hadapi sepanjang hidup. Belum lagi kekhawatiran bila memikirkan siapakah yang akan melindungi dan menyayanginya bila kita sudah tidak ada kelak…..

Pendekatan ilmiah kedokteran sampai hari ini tidak membuahkan hasil dalam “menyembuhkan” penderita autisme. Yang mereka lakukan hanya menghasilkan beribu macam teori dan ribuan lagi eksperimen psikologi yang sebenarnya mereka sendiri juga terperangkap dalam kebingungan. Para pendidik autisme lebih lagi bingungnya mau menerapkan standar terapi yang mana yang benar. Teori-teori itu sering bertolak belakang satu dengan yang lainnya. Ahli yang satu berbicara begini, yang lain berbicara begitu. Yang terjadi, kita orang tuanya menjadi orang yang paling kebingungan. Anak autis kita menjadi kelinci percobaan berbagai metode silih berganti, mulai dari diet khusus yang ketat, obat-obatan sampai disiplin-disiplin terapi yang makan waktu panjang dan menguras air mata dan kantong. Tetapi apakah yang terjadi? Anakku sayang, anakku malang tetap berada dalam dunianya yang asing dan tak mampu kita pahami….

Sebagian dari kita putus asa menyerah ditengah jalan dan memilih menyembunyikan keberadaan si anak malang yang dianggap aib keluarga. Sebagian lagi mungkin karena kecintaan? atau lebih karena tanggung jawab? meneruskan upaya pengobatan dengan satu pengharapan suatu hari nanti anakku akan menjadi anak normal seperti anak-anak lain. Tahukah anda berapa banyak orang-tua seperti anda yang pernah datang dan bercerita kepada kami bahwa mereka selalu berdoa memohon kepada Tuhan agar usia anak autis mereka tidak dipanjangkan melebihi usia hidup mereka…… mereka tidak sanggup memikirkan anak malang kesayangan mereka itu tertinggal seorang diri tanpa perlindungan di atas dunia ini….

Kami di sini ingin membagi sesuatu yang berharga kepada anda, silahkan terus membaca penjelasan kami. Mungkin agak bertele-tele tetapi itu semua agar anda mendapatkan gambaran yang jelas tentang apa yang ingin kami sampaikan.

Kita secara setengah-setengah atau secara keseluruhan telah mencapai suatu pemahaman bahwa pendekatan-pendekatan secara ilmiah (kedokteran) dalam penanganan penyembuhan anak autis tidaklah membuahkan hasil yang cukup menggembirakan. Mungkin hanya karena kita tidak mau dituduh tidak bertanggung jawab atau tidak sayang anak maka kita tetap berupaya menjalani semua anjuran-anjuran terapi itu, berpindah dari satu dokter ke dokter lainnya atau berpindah dari satu sekolah autis ke sekolah lainnya dengan suatu harapan yang sebenarnya kita tahu amat samar-samar. Kita menjalaninya seperti suatu rutinitas tanpa harapan pada akhirnya. Kita menjalaninya walau mungkin terpaksa karena rasa tanggung jawab telah tidak sengaja menghadirkannya ke dunia ini…

Kewajiban itu adalah benar, tapi “tanpa harapan” adalah salah besar… Di dunia Barat dimana ilmu kedokteran telah berkembang dengan sangat pesatnya dan hampir mencapai titik puncaknya, ternyata secara perlahan namun pasti mulai menyertakan metode-metode terapi Holistik dari Timur. Praktek pengobatan secara “batiniah” telah mendapat perhatian luas di sana. Banyak dokter Barat juga mempraktekkan metode pengobatan seperti Prana, Reiki, Akupuntur dan lain-lain semacam itu yang nota-bene tidak bisa dijelaskan dengan logika ilmiah yang selalu mereka agung-agungkan. Kenapa fenomena semacam itu mewabah justru di Barat yang biasanya segala sesuatunya harus bisa dijelaskan dan dibuktikan secara ilmiah baru bisa dipercaya sebagai suatu kebenaran? Tidak lain karena pendekatan ilmiah yang orientasinya adalah “tubuh materi” telah gagal dalam menjelaskan/mengerti banyak sekali jenis penyakit konon pula mengobatinya! Hal yang sama yang justru mampu diperbaiki/disembuhkan dengan baik oleh metode-metode terapi penyembuhan Holistik Timur yang tadinya mereka anggap tahyul bodoh.

Kita sebagai orang Timur sejak ribuan tahun yang silam ketika orang Barat masih hidup di goa-goa purba telah mengetahui bahwa suatu penyakit sebelum timbul mengganggu fungsi tubuh fisik (tampak gejalanya) adalah telah terlebih dahulu terbentuk (mengganggu/menyakiti) tubuh non-fisik. Tubuh non-fisik yang dewasa ini kita kenal dengan istilah “aura” (pancaran tubuh non-fisik yang bisa dilihat dan dikenali dengan metode foto Kirlian) akan lebih dahulu terganggu/sakit bila ada sesuatu yang tidak beres pada diri kita bahkan jauh sebelum tubuh fisik kita mulai terasa sakit.

Pengobatan (perbaikan) pada tubuh non-fisik akan serta-merta juga mengobati (memperbaiki) tubuh fisik sekaligus, tetapi TIDAK sebaliknya. Pengobatan HANYA pada tubuh fisik tidak akan menghilangkan penyebab sakit tetapi hanya gejalanya saja. Itu sebabnya, selama tubuh non-fisik belum diperbaiki maka penyakit akan berulang-ulang (kambuh lagi) dalam jarak waktu yang singkat. Perdebatan akan terjadi…. bila penyakit yang disebabkan infeksi bakteri/jamur/virus (yang adalah mahluk fisik) diberi obat yang tepat kan pasti sembuh? Benar, anda tidak salah. Dan anda juga pasti tahu bukan bahwa kuman bisa menginfeksi tubuh kita adalah dikarenakan sistem kekebalan tubuh kita kalah melawan serangan mereka? Tetapi tahukah anda bahwa jauh sebelum kuman mampu menyerang kita telah terlihat sebenarnya “kebocoran” pertahanan pada tubuh non-fisik kita? dan bila kita cepat “menambal” kebocoran itu maka kuman tidak akan pernah mampu berhasil menembus pertahanan kekebalan tubuh kita? Jadi bila HANYA diberikan obat fisik saja maka yang terjadi adalah, kita akan terus menerus “sakit dan sembuh” berulang-ulang (kambuhan).

AURA PADA ANAK AUTIS

Pada diri anak autis, pancaran cahaya tubuh non-fisik (aura) mereka terlihat sangat tidak beraturan dan cenderung selalu berubah-ubah yang tercermin dalam perilaku mereka yang tidak stabil dan sulit ditebak. Anda dapat melihat perbedaan nyata bila membandingkan foto aura dari anak normal dan anak penderita autis. Hal inilah yang selama ini luput atau tidak diketahui oleh para ilmuwan yang mempelajari autisme. Mereka sibuk berusaha mencari-cari kesalahan pada tubuh fisik penderita autis yang tidak pernah mereka temukan, karena autisme lebih merupakan gangguan kestabilan atau gangguan fungsi dari-pada tubuh non-fisik! Pengobatan autisme harus dilakukan pada tingkat non-fisik atau dengan kalimat yang lebih tegas, upaya untuk menormalkan anak penderita autisme harus dilakukan dengan cara “mengatur kembali” ketidak-teraturan (kekacauan) yang terjadi pada tubuh “halus” mereka.

Ketidak-teraturan ini ada yang terjadi sejak kelahiran, ada pula yang terjadi pada awal kehidupan (dibawah usia 3 tahun). Jika bukan bawaan lahir biasanya terjadi karena anak mengalami truma hebat seperti sakit parah atau terkejut hebat yang menakutkannya dan lain sebagainya (kita tidak pernah tahu pasti penyebabnya) pada masa awal kehidupannya itu. Itu sebabnya ada anak yang ketika bayi kelihatan normal saja, mulai pandai berbicara dan beraktifitas layaknya anak-anak normal lain tetapi tiba-tiba berubah drastis dan menjadi autis, tiba-tiba si anak menarik diri dari lingkungan sosialnya, kehilangan kemampuan berbicara dan berinteraksi, mereka seperti menyendiri di dalam dunianya dan mulai bertingkah aneh-aneh. Kita tidak pernah tahu pasti apa yang menjadi penyebabnya.

Tidaklah penting bersusah payah mencari penyebabnya, yang jelas yang harus anda hadapi dan akui saat ini adalah anak anda autis.... Penerimaan dan pengakuan adalah sangat penting karena tanpa itu anda akan tersesat dalam mencari ikhtiar demi penyembuhan anak anda tercinta itu. Hargai dia layaknya manusia yang utuh, tidak kurang dan tidak rusak. Jangan menganggapnya cacat, dia hanya sedang sakit, dan setiap sakit pasti ada obatnya bukan?

HARMONISASI AURA

Upaya untuk “mengatur” kekacauan yang terjadi pada tubuh non-fisik penderita autisme memang tidak selalu mudah. Seringkali “kekacauan” itu sedemikian hebatnya hingga ketika kita pertama kali akan “mengaturnya” timbul perlawanan dalam pola tingkah-laku si anak. Mungkin bisa terjadi si anak yang biasanya tidak menggigit akan menggigit dan memukuli siapa saja yang mencoba mendekatinya, anda harus bersiap-siap menghadapi kemungkinan itu. Karena itu pulalah waktu yang dibutuhkan masing-masing anak autis untuk sembuh sangat bervariasi. Yang menderita hanya sedikit “kekacauan” akan sembuh dan normal kembali dalam tempo relatif singkat, ada yang “kacau berat” akan membutuhkan waktu relatif lebih lama.

Metode terapi yang kami miliki untuk “mengatur” kekacauan dalam tubuh non fisik anak autis bersumber dari khazanah kebudayaan Cina kuno. Ribuan tahun yang lalu sebenarnya pengobatan untuk gejala gangguan peri-laku yang sekarang kita kenal dengan istilah autisme telah mengalami keberhasilan yang menakjubkan. Pada masa itu terapi yang diberikan pada anak-anak atau orang dewasa yang menderita “kekacauan roh” dinamakan Terapi Keseimbangan Langit dan Bumi yang sekarang untuk singkatnya kami namai Terapi Keseimbangan saja.

Dalam metode terapi ini “kekacauan” yang terjadi pada tubuh non-fisik anak autis “diatur” dengan cara “menyeimbangkan” antara kekosongan dan kelebihan - kepadatan dan kelonggaran - kekuatan dan kelemahan pancaran roh yang kita sebut aura itu. Pada anak normal auranya stabil dan harmonis, seimbang dalam besar dan kekuatannya mengikuti pola umum manusia normal dan sehat. Pola aura yang kacau pada anak autis secara perlahan dan lembut “dipaksa” mengikuti pola aura mahluk manusia normal yang telah diprogramkan (diisi/dicetak) pada media Terapi Keseimbangan ini. Perubahan memang harus perlahan dan lembut, bila tidak akan terjadi semacam “luka aura” yang akan lebih sulit lagi untuk disembuhkan. Itu sebabnya dalam melakukan Terapi Keseimbangan ini pada diri anak dituntut kesabaran dan ketelatenan anda.

MEDIA MINYAK ZAITUN (OLIVE OIL)

Terapi Keseimbangan ini mempergunakan minyak zaitun (olive oil) sebagai medianya. Olive oil (minyak zaitun) merupakan media yang sangat baik untuk menimbun energi-energi harmonisasi yang berupa pola aura sempurna. Pemrograman (pengisian) pola aura sempurna (aura pattern) ke dalam media minyak ini dilakukan melalui serangkaian proses metafisik Cina kuno yang berdasarkan kitab I’Ching (kitab perubahan). Anda jangan berprasangka bahwa hal ini menyangkut ritual agama/kepercayaan tertentu, sama sekali tidak. Tidak ada unsur agama manapun yang terlibat dalam proses ini, hanya semata-mata memanfaatkan sumber-sumber energi alamiah yang memang tersedia secara melimpah ruah di dunia ini dengan tehnik tertentu untuk kebaikan umat manusia. Proses yang dilakukan mungkin kira-kira sama seperti proses yang kita butuhkan bila kita ingin memanfaatkan energi listrik untuk penerangan di rumah kita. Listrik telah lama ada sebelum Benyamin Franklin menemukannya dan mengajarkan kepada kita cara menimbulkan, mengumpulkan, menimbun dan memanfaatkan energi ini untuk kemudahan hidup manusia. Pada awalnya, energi listrik adalah sebuah keajaiban. Banyak hal yang tadinya kelihatan sangat ajaib sebenarnya hanya merupakan hal yang biasa saja bila kita telah mengetahui caranya bukan?

CARA PAKAI

Olive oil (minyak zaitun) ini dipakai untuk mandi si anak. Hanya butuh setetes (seoles) dari minyak ini yang dicampurkan dengan air mandi-pagi si anak. Anda boleh mencampurkan air mandi-pagi ini dengan beberapa butiran garam (sebaiknya garam kristal yang bening) untuk memberi semacam efek pembersihan pada kotoran aura yang terlepas ketika proses harmonisasi aura terjadi pada diri anak anda. Ingat, hanya sekali sehari, pada waktu mandi-pagi saja. Usahakan mandi-pagi ini tidak lewat dari jam sembilan pagi, agar manfaatnya tidak berkurang. Setelah selesai dimandikan dan berpakaian, ajaklah anak anda keluar rumah sebentar agar terkena siraman matahari, sebentar saja (5 menit) cukup. Hanya itulah yang anda harus lakukan setiap hari. Bila anda merasa perlu, berdoalah terlebih dahulu pada Yang Maha Kuasa memohon kesembuhan dan penyempurnaan diri anak anda itu. Jika anda tidak lalai melakukan “acara kecil” ini setiap pagi tanpa putus, niscaya anak anda akan segera sembuh dan normal kembali seperti anak lainnya.

PERHATIAN: Ember dan gayung yang dipergunakan untuk mandi ini harus yang baru dibeli dan tidak boleh dipergunakan untuk keperluan lain apapun atau oleh siapapun kecuali si anak! Bila anak anda mandi masih dengan cara direndam seperti bayi, air bekas mandi harus segera dibuang kedalam kloset/got, jangan dipakai lagi untuk keperluan lain apapun juga walau hanya untuk menyiram halaman atau tanaman sekalipun!

KEGUNAAN LAIN

Terapi Keseimbangan ini juga bermanfaat untuk mengatasi gejala anak hyper-aktif, terlambat bicara, anak yang tidak mau bergaul (sangat pemalu), lambat menangkap pelajaran di sekolah (pelupa dan sulit berkonsentrasi), anak yang sangat bandel (nakal), anak yang terlalu penakut atau yang sering ketakutan tanpa sebab dan sering mimpi buruk, anak yang selalu gelisah, mudah terkejut dan lain-lain. Juga tidak ada batasan usia dalam memanfaatkan Terapi Keseimbangan ini. Orang-orang dewasa yang mengalami gangguan emosional atau stress dan gangguan psikis lainnya dapat dipulihkan dengan sangat baik oleh Terapi Keseimbangan ini. Ketentuan pakai untuk orang dewasa sama saja dengan anak-anak, satu tetes - satu hari sekali pada waktu mandi pagi.

Bila anda ingin memesan Terapi Keseimbangan ini harap mengirimkan nama lengkap dan tanggal lahir anda (orang-tua) serta nama lengkap dan tanggal lahir anak anda

Biaya pemesanan sebesar Rp.3.850.000,- ditambah ongkos kirim sesuai daerah tujuan pengiriman.

Ongkos kirim untuk pulau Sumatera, Jawa, Kalimantan dan Sulawesi Rp.50.000,- Wilayah Indonesia Timur Rp.100.000,- Luar negeri Rp.200.000,-

I decided to post about this today because I ran across this new video in the vein of Hyperactive using someones little girl.  Pretty funny and the music is better than I was expecting.   I also caught a commercial for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, found here, emulating Hyperactive.  Great show, great commercial.

Anyone else making stop-motion music well that I should see?

I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy to FINALLY have my CAT scores! :)Hopefully you can see it.

Hasta Luego!

Some sources estimate that approx. 3-5% of the population have ADHD.  Also, only about 1/3 of those diagnosed with it - have only ADHD. Most have a secondary condition such as oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) - up to 35%, conduct disorder - up to 25%, bipolar disorder, or other anxiety disorders (or stress). - This is according to Wikipedia.

ADHD is a disorder that can affect school work performance, relationships at home, or other problems. If you suspect your child or teen has ADHD (used to be called ADD) - please consult your physician or therapist.  This is something that is very treatable and should be caught early. It's better to catch it early... An ADHD child can be exhausting to parents, teachers, or siblings.

Typical treatments for ADHD include medications and behavior therapy.  There is little or no evidence that herbal treatments and at-home treatments work. Your local doctor or therapist can give you more information on Teen ADHD or Child ADHD.

We found some very interesting ADHD statistics in an article on the web.  Including one fact that it may occur up to 2-3 times as often in boys than girls.

So...how do you spot ADHD? Well...you need to speak to your local doctor to get a proper diagnosis so don't automatically think if your child has some warning signs they must have it. There are tests for this and those will be the most accurate. Some of the warning signs include things like losing things, lacking organizational skills, hard time following instructions, fidgets with hands/feet, difficulty waiting, etc. There are so many to list...

A proper diagnosis may include IQ tests, questionnaires, psychological, and developmental testing.

Thanks and good luck!

That's what life's about! Forget it all and dance!

I got a zune from my parents, 2 days ago as a birthday present, as they went to Jutland yesterday. It's so cool, and it isn't even released in Denmark yet. The Zune is microsofts answer to apples ipods :)

While I celebrate the advances of feminism, I worry about a backlash against our boys. I keep coming across more and more situations where our boys are being discriminated against in society, which in turn limits their potential to succeed and be happy. I have seen many examples of this recently, but a letter to the editor in today's newspaper by Brian Cooke and Leigh-Anne King sparked me to research and write this post.

No day care will take our boy

In the last month, we have been rejected by every day-care provider we've contacted once they discovered that we were parents of a boy. They made this decision without meeting us or meeting him. Either by phone or e-mail, each provider welcomed us to an available spot, only to change their mind once we filled them in on his sex.

When I discuss this with other parents and co-workers, they tell us that they have experienced the same prejudice. I call it prejudice because that is what it must be called.

Where might this prejudice be coming from? Is it warranted? If so, how can parents help their boys to be better citizens and people?

Our boys as hyperactive

An increasing number of children, especially boys, are being diagnosed with ADHD and put on drugs to get them to sit still and pay attention in class. But is it really our boys' fault that they can't sit still?

First, a classroom environment is not necessarily the best place for boys to learn. They enjoy being active and moving around. Perhaps teachers should be taking the class outdoors more often or including more gym time into the curriculum (which is needed to fight obesity too).

Second, there is increasing evidence that our diet and lifestyle is to blame. A recent Reader's Digest article highlights the importance of Omega-3 nutrients in fighting ADHD. A WebMD research article speaks to the importance of prenatal health for the mother and nurturing in early years as a preventative measure for avoiding ADHD. Other studies point to the importance of changes in diet to combat ADHD. It is also important to underscore that the drugs that are given for ADHD just treat the symptoms. They do not treat the underlying problems that led to ADHD to begin with.

Third, classrooms are larger than ever. And teachers are having trouble coping. While having one or two hyperactive children in a class of 15 kids would not be that difficult, having 5 of them in a class of 30 kids can be debilitating and keep the teacher from being able to work. Being active is a normal part of being a kid, but we are setting ourselves up for disaster when we expect children to be docile. Our schools need to be set up to harness our children's energy and not to send any child with ants in his pants off to the doctor for a prescription.

Our boys as sexual predators

Sexual abuse used to be taboo. That didn't mean that it didn't happen. It just means that we didn't talk about it. Now we do talk about it, but in talking about it and in trying to prevent our children from getting hurt, we are perhaps unfairly accusing our boys and men of crimes that they are not guilty of.

It is true that most sexual abuse is at the hands of men (75%). But, 86% of the time children that reported being sexually abused by women were not believed, so the extent of abuse by women (as compared to men) might be underestimated. What most people do not realize is that boys are more likely to be sexually abused by a woman than by a man (while girls are more likely to be abused by a man). Also, many male sexual predators are that way as a result of abuse that they suffered at the hands of women abusers. The Canadian Children's Right Council pulled together these and other interesting findings on women as sexual predators.

So when people say that they are not going to risk having a teenage boy as a babysitter or when they worry about an older boy playing with their child when they wouldn't worry about an older girl, they are unfairly accusing a whole gender of something it didn't do.

Another factor we need to consider here is the role that society plays in giving our boys a sometimes unhealthy view of sexuality. The way that sex is portrayed on television and in movies often glamorizes rape and prostitution. It shows men getting their own way and being rewarded for it. It isn't our boys that are inherently sexual predators, it is the media that they are exposed to. As parents, we need to be vigilant about limiting their exposure to this type of media, but also counteracting it with positive images of sexuality so that when they do come across this smut (and they will), that they already know that it isn't right.

Our boys as violent

People perceive boys as being violent. They like to push and shove each other. They like to play with guns. They play war games. They blow things up.

People have a need to feel confident. Confidence is power and boys are told that they should be confident and powerful, but they are not taught appropriate ways to express confidence and gain power, will use physical force to gain power. Also, boys need to be able to engage in physical activity and play and if they are not taught the right way to do this, then they will seek it out through fights.

Our boys as uncaring

Unfortunately, boys are also seen as uncaring. They do not display empathy in the same way that girls do. They avoid expressing emotions and put down other boys when they show their emotions. This is very much a societal issue. To quote Lawrence Cohen in Playful Parenting:

Look at the insults a boy hears if he is connected instead of disconnected. If he has a close relationship with his mother, he's a mama's boy. If he likes to play with girls, he's a sissy. If he wants to hug or hold hands with a boy, he's a fag. If he wants an equal, respectful relationship with his girlfriend, he's henpecked. If he likes school, he's a nerd.

It is disheartening that our society continues to tell men that they cannot be caring individuals and that they need to have a thick skin. If we want our boys to live up to their full potential, we need to create a strong attachment right from birth and not let them slip away from us. I think that the suggestions of Gordon Neufeld in Hold on To Your Kids will be useful to parents in creating more connected boys.

Are boys are girls really that different?

There are two camps when it comes to gender differences. There are those that insist that the differences between boys and girls are biologically hard-wired. And there are those that insist that the differences are learned. Lawrence Cohen, author of Playful Parenting, summarizes existing research on the subject by saying that while inborn differences do exist, they are quite small but they are then nurtured and exacerbated by the way we treat girls or boys. The small difference that does exist is that boys are slightly more likely to seek out power and girls slightly more likely to seek out connection. And then society takes over and reinforces these differences rather than minimizing them. Generally, despite being a girl, I think I have tended more to seek out power than connection. But becoming a mother changed that and I have become very nurturing with my kids. I believe that each human being has the capacity to be powerful and connected and I challenge parents to help their children, both boys and girls, become confident and caring individuals.

How can we help our boys?

Hyperactive, violent, uncaring sexual predators. That is a horrible rap for boys to have. There must be a way that we, as parents, as teachers, as role models, can help our boys to be boys without living up to that prejudice.

I think we need to:

• Teach our boys to be nurturing - give them the power of emotional intelligence.
• Give them a healthy diet, to avoid excess hyperactivity
• Give them opportunities to roughhouse and wrestle in a safe environment by engaging in physical play with their parents
• Give them plenty of opportunities to play outside, run around, to explore and to use their energy
• Limit access to television and Internet and ensure that materials are age appropriate and do not include images of violence or unhealthy sexuality
• Teach them about healthy sexuality and encourage them to ask questions
• Encourage them to express their emotions and rather than keeping them bottled up inside
• Teach them to respect people, including teachers, women and girls, those that are weaker than them, those that are different from them

I don't want my boy to be held back from anything he wants to do based on society's bias towards boys. So I'll try to do my part in raising my boy to be the type of person that I hope all boys and men can become.

As I'm on a big '80s kick right now (something to do with nostalgia for the decade combined with sadness over my lost and wasted youth, I suppose), I thought I'd share my Top Four '80s Songs I'm Crushin' On Right Now (and no, I haven't included mp3 links, so you'll have to go and find these gems on your own):

"Hyperactive" by Thomas Dolby

And you thought Thomas Dolby was all about "She Blinded Me With Science," didn't you? Dolby's lesser-known other single is just the bouncy, manic ride that the title suggests, complete with a funked-out bass line, trippy lyrics, and strange voice modulation. And call me crazy (and I'm sure if this gets out, people on Dave Matthews Band message boards will be doing just that) but I think Dave Matthews Band could knock this one out of the park. They're already covering Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Fallettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)" and Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" on their current tour, so they've obviously caught the funk. Guys, if you're reading, give this one a shot.

"Like to Get to Know You Well" by Howard Jones

I've been grooving on the bulk of the Howard Jones catalogue lately, but this song always gets me. "Like to Get to Know You Well" is a sweet, island-tinged come-on that would probably work well in getting the object of your affection to come home with you. And stay. I dare you not to smile and sway while listening to this song.

And just for the ultimate cheesy '80s reference, "Like to Get to Know You Well" was the song playing over the montage of scenes in Better Off Dead in which the French Girl Whom I'm Assuming Isn't French In Real Life helps John Cusack's Lane Meyer fix up the beater car that's been taking up space in his driveway and thus aides him in taking one more step towards self-confidence. So when I hear this song, I always get an overwhelming urge to ski the K-12.

"Notorious" by Duran Duran

I've waxed enthusiastic before about my love for the boys from Birmingham (England, that is), but I'd forgotten how much I liked this song until it came up in my iPod rotation recently. This song is a true funk jam, with a slamming John Taylor bass line and boisterous horns. And, yes, "I'll leave you lonely/don't monkey with my business" is a line that's probably too cute by half, but as it was written by Simon LeBon, all is forgiven.

I also think that Dave Matthews Band could do something interesting with this song, but I see that happening even less than my Thomas Dolby suggestion as most DMB fans would probably start projectile vomiting at the thought of DMB covering what many consider to be one of the original "boy bands." Too bad. 

"Earn Enough for Us" by XTC

While "Dear God" is usually the song from Skylarking that gets all the props, "Earn Enough for Us" is a catchy, jangly song about a guy just trying to make ends meet that gets my vote (although the whole album is wonderful). The Beatles influence is inescapable on this song as it is on many other XTC tracks.

I'd forgotten about this song (and had, indeed, forgotten about the whole of Skylarking) until the tune popped up on a rerun of an early Gilmore Girls episode (which is always a good place to go looking for songs you'd long forgotten about while you enjoy one of the best written shows ever to grace the TeeVee).

And what great '80s songs will I be crushin' on next? Only the "shuffle songs" setting on my iPod knows for sure. But for now, it's time to get back to work in 2008.

It's a shame that Kate Pierson's involved in this mini-scandal right now (some stupid ex-boyfriend posted a picture of her online... not going to link to it). The B-52s occupy a very special place in my heart.

In 1983, I went to Great America with friends for a birthday party. They had a video jukebox there. I popped in my money and played Thomas Dolby "Hyperactive" and The B'52s "Theme for a Future Generation."

To me, The B-52s always stood for summer. Fun, ridiculous, light-hearted, offbeat, strange, hot summer. Even when they were tackling a political issue, like in "Juicy Jungle," they maintained their element of fun.

Here's "Theme for a Future Generation" (sorry about the intro, but it was the best reproduction I could find), and here's hoping that no damage comes from the photo.

It is pretty bad when you are considering signing yourself into a hospital for anxiety and nervous breakdowns, to get a vacation from all the insanity and craziness that is my life.

I sat down with her aunt, who is also her godmother, and tried to talk about what I can do. She has seen it first hand, how over the last couple of months Brooklyn has gone WILD.

I am going to change around her diet, and try a few different things (BEFORE i have to result in taking her to the Drs.)

I am really stressed out lately, and really... at the end of my patience rope. She is going to be starting school in a few weeks. (we signed her up for summer school before her Kindergarten school year starts in Aug). And I CANNOT send her to school like this.

She is going to have to settle down a little bit, somehow. She was always a little "energetic". The last time this child "napped" was when she was 3. She can go from 8 in the morning till 4 in the morning. I have tried less sleep, I have tried more sleep. I have tried letting her run herself out till she can't run anymore... and somehow, she always finds more energy, in a reserve tank somewhere. I can't keep up. I can't slow her down. I just can't keep going like this.

I am having a rough patch right now, between her hyperactivity, and stress in general, and trying my damndest to get my hubby to step back and see how things are between us, and that they are things we need to (both) change and compromise on. I am being overwhelmed. I am running outta gas, and with the way gas prices are ( HA HA! I MADE A FUNNY) I am going to be running on EMPTY for awhile.

If you don't already know, Girl Talk's new Album is now online. In theory you can pay for it. In actuality it is free. I don't know about you, but my favorite part of the "purchasing process" was the online survey that asked why you paid what you did. I felt guilty for a minute, but then a remembered that when everyone is a dj these days, that it is nothing special and certainly not worth money.  

Link: http://74.124.198.47/illegal-art.net/__girl__talk___feed__the__anima.ls___/

On Another Note. Here is this band from Japan??? called Polysics. 

I will describe their music as this:

Imagine the Ramones and the Jetsons boinking and then their Hyperactive add needing children were raised by the Lead singer of Styxx-during/post the mr.roboto phase. 

I am not going to say I like it, but I am not going to say I hate it either. The synth part is really catchy.

http://alwayladyj.maximind.hop.clickbank.net/

                                                                               give them the time

                                                                              Sincerely  Jackie E 

Years ago, when I ran a daycare (talk about hard work!), we had a young boy who was on a restricted diet - no sugar, no chemical additives. He was ordinarily a well-behaved youngster unless he ate food with food coloring, sugar or preservatives. His mom chose to restrict his diet rather than put him on medication. If he ate something he shouldn't, Katie bar the door! And evey parent knows the effect of the sugar rush that accompanies Halloween.

A study, financed by Britain’s Food Standards Agency and published in the British medical journal The Lancet, concluded that artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet results in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population, not just those diagnosed as hyperactive.

Of course, reaction is cautious, as one specialist indicated that the behavioral changes might not be enough to warrant ostracizing your child because he/she cannot eat the same foods as their friends. What? I guess this same specialist hasn't been up lately trying to get his hopped up child to bed.

Perhaps it is time for parents to choose healthful, natural foods for their children. We can't medicate our children if they are simply over active nor bemoan the obesity epidemic in our children and then turn around and say don't be too hasty about changing our children's diets because we're afraid to be different! 

Resources:

• New York Times Some Food Additives Raise Hyperactivity, Study Finds
• Lancet Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial
• Time Overweight Children: Living Large
• U.S.D.A. How Safe are color Additives?

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Drew

Keep visiting: www.lifechums.com/ more Celebrities featuring Shortly .............

Thank you Anna for all the laughs you bring me.

O stire de pe HotNews.ro:
"Workshop-uri dedicate marketingului online pentru agentii si clienti
de HN HotNews.ro
Joi, 22 mai 2008, 15:44 Economie | Media & Publicitate

HotNews.ro lanseaza, in parteneriat cu Hyperactive si consultantul independent Doru Panaitescu, un program dedicat principalilor cumparatori de publicitate online si agentiilor media de top din Romania. Incepand din 27 mai, Doru Panaitescu va sustine o serie de workshop-uri celor mai importante 10 agentii de media din Romania, urmand sa trateze aspectele relevante ale publicitatii online actuale, cu accent pe proiectele speciale care pot fi realizate in mediul electronic.

[...]"

Continuarea.

Ma bucur ca noi vorbim,
Olivian BREDA (+ tu, care citesti)

_________________
Shape your actions! http://getaresultnow.com/ (English blog)

WATCH THAT^^^ MY SISTER IS THE DEMON!!!!

Okay, So today I was doing a bible study with my family and we read the daily Proverb and this AMAZING verse just stood out to me!! : )

21. The tongue has the power of life and death,
       and those who love it will eat its fruit.

So yeah, We SERIOUSLY need to be careful with what we say! Cuz, you can build someone up with your words or- tear them down. 

Same with yourself, you can build yourself up with your words or tear yourself down.

So you can be Positive or Negative.

Either way, words or powerful!    

So that's my thought of the day.

Have A Nice Week!

And REMEMBER: Be Positive With Your Words!  : )

Snoopy.....<3                                              

So anywhoo, that pretty much sums up what I've been doing-so Until Next Time! :P  <3    

When I said SUGAR-FREE, it mostly meant ASPARTAME (a brain chemical agent) that had been approved as a food additive to improve taste (mimicking sweet taste) and importantly to maintain a certain form of cravings for sustained consumerism addictiveness to sweet taste.

Basically, upon ingestion, aspartame breaks down into several residual chemicals, including aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, and further breakdown products including formaldehyde, formic acid, and a diketopiperazine. There is some controversy surrounding the rate of breakdown into these various products and the effects that they have on those that consume aspartame-sweetened foods.

Although my kid also can rattle off Phenylalanine as one resultant compound when Aspartame is ingested (metabolised) but still not sure what it does. Okay, Phenylketonuria are people who are deficient in an enzyme in their body to metabolise Phenylalanine and when left untreated, this condition can cause problems with brain development, leading to progressive mental retardation and seizures. I am not sure if my neighbour's hyperactive kid should be tested for Phenylketonuria after futile attempts to seek medical help.

Likewise, my neigbour's kid could have been eating too many SUGAR-FREE sweet, prominently display in all supermarkets check-out counters to facilitate access. He is so hyper and easily runs into a frenzy and may have to enrol into a special school. Poor kid, ya, maybe he had been taking too much aspartame without his knowledge (no normal school kid would read the ingredient content anyway).  I am quite sure today (2 May 2008) when I recheck on articles on Phenylketonuria and this news (dated 29 Apr 2008) stated that:

"Phenylalanine also plays a role in the body's production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin and hair color. Children with phenylketonuria often have lighter complexions than brothers or sisters without the disease..."

So maybe kids or newborn should be tested Phenylketonuria so as to abstain from aspartame products to prevent kids from developing athetosis and hyperactivity.

Perhaps this phrases sums up pretty much about the possible dumbing of our masses:

Isolated phenylalanine, neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D. tells us, crosses the blood brain barrier to interfere and kill the neurotransmitters of the brain by “exciting them to death.” (“Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills”)

ASPARTAME, PREGNANCY AND AUTISM

In 1987, Dr. Louis J. Elsas, then Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Division of Medical Genetics at Emory University testified at the hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, concerning “NUTRASWEET”—HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS.”

Dr. Elsas told the Senators, “In the developing fetus such a rise in maternal blood phenylalanine could be magnified four to six fold by the concentrative efforts of the placental and fetal blood brain barrier and this concentration kills such cells in tissue culture. The effect of such an increased fetal brain concentrations in vivo would probably be much more subtle and expressed as mental retardation, microcephaly, or potential certain birth defects.”

Does autism ring a bell? When Dr. Elsas told the senate this significant fact about phenylalanine, in 1987, infant autism rates were 1 in 1500, today they are 1 in 150 and rising.

Comments: The presumably better educated tend to be more health conscious and often resort to suger-free product thinking that it conforms to our "slim & fit" society. I guess the only solace they get is perhaps slimmer brains and lots of fits.

Mentos and Diet Coke/Pepsi (with Aspartame). Beware

For those who had just watch the mass mentos and diet coke display on TV, think carefully before trying this if you intent to consume both simultaneously. Aspartame also interact with MSG to lethal potent effect.

"... A diet high in excitotoxins, such as aspartame, can convert this benign, subclinical condition into full-blown clinical Multiple Sclerosis The amount of excitotoxins consumed in the average American diet is considerable, as shown by several studies. In addition, the toxin methanol is also in the aspartame molecule. Methanol is a axon poison. Combined toxicity of the aspartate and the methanol adds up to considerable brain toxicity and can convert benign, subclinical MS into full-blown MS. Once the MS becomes full-blown, further consumption of excitotoxins magnifies the toxicity, increasing disability and death...." (link)

Finally a hideous aspartame experiments (http://www.myaspartameexperiment.com/index.php?page=1)

I hope that I have not be too bias on this issue. It is because we are part of the Free Trade Agreements, of which our lifeline trade are dependent on that we really have no choice. Nevertheless, consumers do really have much choice, for one, being literate enough to look through various "authoritative" sources in the internet or libraries to come to your own conclusion whether certain foodstuff or utensils for food storage, handling, processing are indeed healthy or are they linked to giant pharmaceutical companies that would "suddenly" found a "cure" for the foodstuff that they were intrinsically linked to in the first place. This is not about any conspiracy theory but actually about being a wise consumerism.

Here are some additional findings or reports or critiques regarding Aspartame:

a. Former FDA Investigator Exposes Aspartame (link)

b. Aspartame harms diabetics and possible pancreatic cancer (29 Mar 2008) (link)

c. Aspartame and lupus (link)

".... In the case of systemic lupus, we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. Also, with methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz. Cans of them per day, some even more. In the cases of systemic lupus, which is triggered by ASPARTAME, the victim usually does not know that the aspartame is the culprit The victim continues its use aggravating the lupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes life threatening. When we get people off the aspartame, those with systemic lupus usually become asymptomatic. Unfortunately, we can not reverse this disease...."

"....  Yes, you are right about serotonin.  The phenylalanine in aspartame lowers the seizure threshold of the brain and depletes serotonin. Researchers say lowered serotonin triggers manic depression, paranoia, panic attacks, anxiety, rage and suicidal tendencies. We have seen all these behavioral problems in NutraSweet victims.  One lady from California was a Diet coke addict and was going to the E.R. every ten days in dire circumstances due to lupus.  When we warned her off NutraSweet she no longer had these serious episodes that took her to the hospital and indeed she became asymptomatic.  Aspartame not only triggers lupus but if they don't know that aspartame is the culprit and continue to use it the disease many times becomes life threatening.  In telling this story to a friend in Florida she admitted her daughter was seriously ill with lupus and also a Diet Coke addict.  I mentioned that aspartame also causes infertiity because it changes the menses and Kathy said her daughter had been trying to have a baby for 10 years.  A year later Kathy told me her daughter had immediately got off Diet Coke, was no longer symptomatic with lupus and had given birth
to a baby boy.  Incidently, aspartame also triggers birth defects.

Steve Skindell wrote about his brother a physician who had lupus and when he got off aspartame all his symmptoms disappeared too. He said that his brother's specialist was going to write a research paper on the connection of aspartame and lupus because he was so impressed.  However, I have not seen that report..."   (link)

=============

(to be updated as and when ........ )