Tips on How to Find a Free Turkey in Your Area
This article offers tips on what organizations, grocery stores, or services provide Turkeys for the less fortunate or those folks who just need a helping hand because of a financial setback due to a loss of job or illness.
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Free Webinar is Next Monday Evening! What Every Parent Needs To Know About Child Care

Next Monday Night's Free Webinar: November 9, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EDTWhat Every Parent Needs To Know About Child Care In America (But Might Be Afraid To Ask)

Every year, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) conducts research on the state of child care in America, as well as surveys about the perceptions of parents who purchase that care. Looking at the same system through these two lenses reveals a fractured picture of disparity between what parents believe is being done to protect their children while they are in child care and the reality of child care regulations and oversight in our country. Join NACCRRA’s Executive Director, Linda Smith to connect the dots between child care funding, legislation, licensing, regulation, and the ultimate impact on your child’s child care setting. Learn more about how you can begin new dialog about child care quality.

Learn more about this session here!https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/366176394

Building Your Child's Self-Esteem

Self-esteem—a person's sense of worth—is important for success. When children feel confident and secure, they're more likely to succeed in school and achieve personal goals. As they get older, they learn to confront problems and resist peer pressure. More important, having a positive self-image helps a child feel happy and capable of maintaining personal relationships.

Building children's self-esteem is an ongoing part of parenting. Letting children do things for themselves helps them acquire needed skills. When parents respect their children, the children learn to respect themselves. And when parents show affection, kids learn how to share their feelings with others.

Parents' actions influence the way children feel about themselves. When a parent holds a child, the child can feel how important he or she is. Parents who can't be with their kids on a daily basis can call them, write them notes or send e-mails. Parents should talk to their kids, listen to what they have to say and show them that their opinions count.

Children need their parents' unconditional love and support. The love of a parent should not depend on the good behavior of a child. Even as they set limits and enforce discipline, parents should reassure their kids that they love them. Withholding love from kids when they misbehave will make them feel bad about themselves. Parents sometimes tell a misbehaving child, “You're a bad boy (or girl)!” This tells the child that he or she is bad, not the behavior. Instead, parents should explain to the child what he or she did was wrong and then impose a consequence. For example, if the child hit someone, explain that hitting hurts and remove the child from the room.

Praising children when they behave well makes them feel good and motivates them to continue the good behavior—a win-win situation for parents and children! Parents should praise kids' efforts and their successes. If a child's team loses a game, for example, a parent could say, “You tried hard. You should feel proud of yourself!”

Some people worry that praising kids too much will spoil them. Yet as a child's self-esteem grows, so does his or her sense of responsibility and competence. Assigning chores and praising accomplishments makes children feel valued. Their self-confidence and independence grow, and their increasing sense of security helps them confront the many challenges that are a natural part of growing up. Studies show that children who feel confident are better able to stand up to bullies.

Parents should give kids the tools they need to stand up for themselves and help them learn to solve problems. As they get older, they will be able to handle difficult situations on their own.

The way parents interact with their children influences the type of people they become. Nurturing parents who share their love help increase their children's sense of self-worth. Kids learn to feel good about themselves and to care about others. When parents build their Children’s self-esteem, a foundation for a strong, loving relationship is laid.

Article obtained from: http://integratedcare4kids.blogspot.com/2009/11/building-your-childs-self-esteem.html

News on todays election from the Indianapolis Star

Today's special election is all about ballot questions, not candidates.

All registered voters in Marion County can vote today on whether to give the Marion County Health and Hospital Corp. -- which owns Wishard Memorial Hospital -- the authority to issue taxpayer-backed bonds to build a new $754 million hospital complex on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus.

Find your polling location for today's special election
Recap of the debate on the Wishard bond vote

The Wishard question: The three-part ballot question, which was crafted by Health and Hospital Corp. officials, has no references to plans to build a new hospital. It focuses on whether Wishard will be able to continue its mission of providing indigent care and specialized care and serving as a teaching hospital.

Other ballot questions: Voters in the Franklin Township, Beech Grove and Perry Township school districts have referendum questions.

Franklin Township school district
Voters going to 25 of the 590 precincts will answer “yes” or “no” to two separate questions:

Question 1 reads, “For the next seven calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall the Franklin Township Community School Corporation impose a property tax rate that does not exceed thirty-three and one third cents ($0.333) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to the school corporation’s normal tuition support tax rate?”

Question 2 reads, “For the next seven calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall the Franklin Township Community School Corporation impose a property tax rate that does not exceed sixteen and sixty-seven /one-thousandth cents ($0.1667) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to the school corporation’s normal tuition support tax rate?”

Beech Grove school district
Voters going to 10 of the 590 precincts will be asked “yes” or “no” to this question:

“For the next seven calendar years immediately following the holding of the referendum, shall the Beech Grove City Schools impose a property tax rate that does not exceed thirty-five cents ($0.35) on each one hundred dollars ($100) of assessed valuation and that is in addition to the school corporation’s normal tuition support tax rate?”

Perry Township school district
Voters going to 60 of the 590 precincts will be asked “yes” or “no” to this question:

“Shall the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township, Marion County, Indiana, issue bonds or enter into a lease to finance the Building Futures Project—Initial Phase, which is estimated to cost not more than $98,885,000 and is estimated to increase the property tax rate for debt service by a maximum of $0.2641?”

Retired officers push early childhood benefits to help national security - TheHill.com

Retired officers push early childhood benefits to help national security - TheHill.com

Autism Workshop

INDATA Project Sponsors Free Assistive Technology Workshop on Autism

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Autism affects more than one million Americans and is the fastest-growing developmental disability, according to the Autism Society of America. It will be the highlighted topic for a free assistive technology workshop.

Sponsored by the INDATA Project, this quarterly workshop will take place Thursday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Easter Seals Crossroads, 4740 Kingsway Drive, 5th Floor Conference Room, in Indianapolis.

People with autism benefit from assistive technology in areas such as social interaction skills, expressive communication and overall understanding of the environment. In some cases, the assistive technology provided can ultimately determine whether someone is able to work outside of their home or attend a public school. In addition, that technology can be used to help better the interaction and communication between individuals and their families or friends.

Several assistive technology vendors will be present with information on their products and services. There will also be a tour of the Autism Family Resource Center and INDATA Loan Library.

Admission to the workshop is free but, because seating is limited, registration is requested. To register, visit http://assistivetechnologyandautism.eventbrite.com/ or contact Sara Croft, 317-466-2013 or 888-466-1314. Online registration is encouraged.

The INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads provides information and access to assistive technology, at no charge, for Hoosiers with disabilities. These statewide services are derived through the Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA) state/federal grant and include: device demonstrations, device loans, recycled computers, reutilized assistive technology equipment, alternative financing resources, and educational trainings and conferences.

Easter Seals Crossroads is a community resource working in partnership with children and adults with disabilities or special needs and their families to promote growth, independence and dignity.