ChildControls.com - Keeping one step ahead!

Leading children's charity Barnardos is recommending early intervention and education as the most important factors in preventing young people from falling into crime or drugs.

The group says the first few years of a child's life are crucial in fostering the positive attitudes necessary to become a fully contributing adult citizen later on.

(Adapted from IOL)

The US Department of Education conducted two studies which looked in to the usefulness of computer software to improve student's math and science skills. The first recently released report found no evidence of improvement in the children's math skills after using the software. The study involved 33 districts and 132 schools.

Yahoo Movies has both the user and critic ratings at B-. However, I found the movie to be more C level. The idea was a good one and like many other movies, the preview were more exciting than the actual movie. It just seemed to drag on and on. On the good side though, my kids seemed to be engaged throughout and although agreed that it was not as good as it could have been, did not think too badly of it either.

Susan Paynter of the Seattle PI writes, "after interviewing countless parents, child-development specialists, psychologists and practitioners of juvenile justice over the years, I am convinced of this: Kids learn nothing at the other end of a hand, fist, belt or backscratcher except a sense of impotent rage that they are highly likely to pass on like an ugly, poisonous hand-me-down."

Full opinion piece at nwsource  

Recently, we saw a study claiming no direct connection between violence in video games and agression in children. Now 3 new studies done on the violent effects of video games on kids by ISU professors claim otherwise.

The vast majority of bicycle accidents are low-speed, single participant accidents, and these rarely produce more than just a scratch or scrape. However, some accidents can include multiple riders, high speed, cyclists and pedestrians, or even bicycle versus motor vehicle. These accidents have a great potential to be dangerous, and certain safety measures should be taken to reduce the risk of serious injuries while cycling.

Via Game|Life, an article in the Syndey Morning Herald discusses a new study indicating most children are unaffected by videogame violence.

Kite flying is a great family activity and is fun for kids of all ages. Kites can be had for as cheap as $1. They should be flown only in parks and never near power lines. Its best to fly on slightly windy days for ease of flying. The following is an excerpt on kites from wikipedia on the history of kites .

The plotline goes something like this. A good-hearted but bumbling security guard at the Museum of Natural History accidentally trips an ancient curse which causes the animals and gigantic insects on display to come to life, causing havoc in the city.

Right across North America, injuries due to falls are one of the main reasons for children being admitted to hospitals. It may be a fall from a change table, slipping on a kitchen floor or a fall from a window.

At the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, Maryland, young patients are finding hospital visits easier to deal with, thanks to a test program called the Hospital-based Online Pediatric Environment (HOPE).

A study released this week found the more time a child spent in daycare the more likely they were to be disruptive once they started school. If parents do not have a choice, how can they make sure their daycare is the right one?

Most American children watch too much TV, so experts have come up with seven ways to turn off the trend.

Amongst the suggestions,

# Pay attention to kids' "screen time," including TV, computers, and video games.
# Don't put a TV in a child's bedroom.
# Turn the TV off if no one is watching it as their main activity.
# Limit TV on school days.
# Don't put a TV in household eating areas.
# Don't tie TV viewing to eating, including snacks.
# Find other in-home activities that don't involve screen time — playing, for instance.

Two new studies spotlight both the difficulty parents often have in keeping children away from the TV and also the potential health rewards for kids in cutting down on TV and other media.

For example, one study found that 9-to-12-year-olds who were barred from watching R-rated movies on television also had lower risks for smoking and drinking.

Dear Amy: I really need a sane opinion. My 16-year-old daughter recently requested that I allow a "friend" to sleep over at our house.

The friend is a boy whom she is getting to know.

He lives about 30 minutes from our house. I said absolutely not and told her that I would be happy to drive him to our house and back.

She said that all of her friends' parents are allowing these sleepovers. Some are even allowing the boy to sleep in the girl's room.

Am I out of touch with reality or are these parents crazy?

Pet ownership could be the key to improving family stress levels. According to new research by Masterfoods, over a quarter of pet owners admit that they have been less stressed since having a pet in their lives.

Sounds like a match made in heaven!

Spurred by reports of suicidality in pediatric antidepressant users, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration two years ago slapped a "black box" warning on popular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs such as Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft, warning of the possible risk.

But now a new study has found that this class of drugs may actually reduce the risk of suicide in troubled children and adolescents.

Halloween is an exciting time for kids as they go trick or treating. However, some basic rules should be followed to ensure the safety of your kids.

Flame resistant costumes, costumes which do not cause the kids to trip, arming kids with a flashlight and giving kids a cell phone can all enhance their security.

Research has shown that what kids and adults eat is inconsistent with the U.S. dietary guidelines. Good intentions at home, where parents offer milk, juice or water most of the time, haven't been the same at school.

Once kids hit middle and high school, healthy choices compete against sweetened drinks and other nutrient-light, calorie-laden snacks. Chances are the child will push the button for the jingle that comes to mind, rather than the milk mustache.

Recently Brevard Public Libraries developed a system whereby parents could restrict their kids online access at the library using the library card. While the idea itself is not novel, it is interesting that the system actually required parental authorization for the kids to be able to use the internet.

Is this something that holds promise? Or is requiring parents to be involved in their kids' lives asking for too much?