This issue This issue has stories and poems from Australia, Tasmania and America. One story is written by a 10 year old. All the stories are fun to read. the games are fun to play. Give a child a Bumples subscription for only $15.00. They will remember you, every time they read a new issue.I still remember the yearly gift my aunt gave me.They will receive 10 new issues and can read 10 back issues. Bumples Subscription only $15.00. Give us the child's name, age and your relationship to them. We will send them a special letter from a Bumple animal. http://www.bumples.com

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• 4 issues a year with 6 new and exciting games, plus sub-games.
• Each game will have an easy version and a harder version.
• Go to 6 special animal homes in Bumpleville to play a game. (For instance, to play a sports game you will go to Griffy Giraffe’s home.) 
• Every child will become a Bumples, receive a letter from a Bumple animal and a page to color
• Subscribing to the games also allows you to read the magazines.

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I caught up with Virginia Welch, three time author, for a fastastic interview that gives us a peek into this amazing woman's life.  Check it out...

Tell us about yourself (family, kids pets etc.)

I was born at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, the second of four daughters of Carl and Mary Hull. When I was about eight months old my father was transferred to Ft Eustis, Va.; my family lived nearby in a small brick rambler in Lee Hall. In 1962 my dad retired from the Army and the family relocated to Santa Clara, Ca. to be near my mother’s clan in San Francisco. My parents purchased a new home in the Killarney Farms suburban development of Santa Clara, where I was raised. My father found work as a mail carrier at the Santa Clara Post Office, my mother was hired by Santa Clara Unified School District as a secretary. I attended now-closed Emil R. Buchser High School. I majored in English at Santa Clara University, married, and then earned a Master of Communications at California State University, Chico, where I also taught a business writing course.

During the next twenty years I followed my FBI agent husband around the United States, writing freelance articles for various publications and taking on all types of contract editing assignments. I brought four children into the world during that time, two boys and two girls. While my husband was stationed in Birmingham, Ala. I contracted as a weekly freelance foods writer for the Birmingham News. Also in Birmingham I served a short stint (before my husband was transferred again) as associate editor in the crafts division at Oxmoor House, the book publishing arm of Sunset/Southern Living magazine.

In 1991 my husband’s job took the family to the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area, where I made the switch to technical editing and writing but continued to dream of producing something with a larger reach. In 2005 I was inspired to write The Lesson.

In 2006 I followed my husband’s government transfer one final time when we moved to Virginia Beach, Va. There I wrote Crazy Woman Creek. Sometime after this I wrote What to Do When the Blessings Stop – When God Sends Famine. It required several years to write, mostly because my time was occupied with child-raising.

Have you always been a writer?

I started writing for pay in 1984 while in graduate school, but I have always written. If not on paper, I’m writing something in my head. I can’t remember a time when I was not writing. I believe that some people are called to write. I’m one of them. Do you have a specific writing style?

Others describe it as direct and breezy. For my nonfiction in particular I strive to use as few words as possible to make a point. I’m a huge fan of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. I learned much about cutting the fat from his book.

Though I’ve been writing professionally since 1984, it wasn’t until after I attended a Christian writer’s workshop at the Billy Graham conference center, The Cove, outside Asheville, North Carolina around 2003 that my self-concept crystalized. By the time I returned home I felt strongly compelled to quit waiting for someone else to call me a writer, to validate my gift. I am a writer because God designed me to be one, not because I’m published.

What was the very first thing you had published?

Ah, I remember this like it happened yesterday, though it was nearly 30 years ago. I wrote a two-page piece for a secretarial magazine. The message: It’s easy to get a full-time, permanent job if you start as a temp. I was paid $25, which my husband and I promptly spent on a steak dinner. I was in graduate school at the time and my husband was in college. We never ate out. I can still remember my husband bragging to the waitress about his wife, the published writer. His enthusiasm makes me smile.

Tell us about your books

The Lesson, published in March this year, is a romantic comedy based on my own true falling-in-love story. During my sophomore year in college I was followed home from a meeting by a stranger, Mr. Geeky Sailor, while I was in love with another man, Mr. Suave Attorney. A lot of funny things happened on the way to the altar.

Crazy Woman Creek, an inspirational historical romance set in Wyoming Territory, 1880, was released in April. This book was inspired by a cross-country car trip in 1999. I came upon a highway sign marking the bizarrely named creek that stretches over the northeast corner of Wyoming. When I learned that no one really knew the story behind the strange name, I decided to write one.

But there’s a little more to that. I grew up in the heyday of TV westerns. I love them. I spent many summers as a small child with a plastic gun and a leather holster, running around the neighborhood with my friends playing cowboys and Indians, so writing a western is not a stretch. And there was this picture in my head for a long time. I saw a woman waiting at the edge of her ranch, looking into the horizon, pining for her missing husband. Crazy Woman Creek also stemmed from this mind picture. So when I drove across the actual creek by that name in Wyoming in 1999, I was seriously intrigued. The seed was planted.

Finally, there’s the difficulty of finding good western fiction—not necessarily inspirational—that doesn’t slam the reader with smut. I like the sexual pull in a good romance. I don’t like the graphic sex. I wanted to write the kind of book I like to read.

I’m also in the process of writing another historical romance, which I hope to release at Christmas this year. It’s set in the California Gold Rush camps, 1851. And I’m revising a nonfiction book, The Hiss from Hell Only Women Hear, Is It Truth or Is It Tradition? I had hoped to have that out by Christmas too, but the work on the Gold Rush romance is taking up all my time.



A young homesteader wife in 1880s Wyoming Territory becomes distraught when her husband goes missing and she realizes she is falling in love with the deputy assigned to find him.

Can you tell us a little bit about What to Do When the Blessings Stop – When God Sends Famine?

It’s my first nonfiction to be published and my shortest book, about 100 pages. I released it May 2013. It deals with severe spiritual chastening and how to respond based on the steps that Haggai (and Joel) outlined for the Jews, who were chastened by God with lack and frustration because of their indifference and spiritual sloth.

What else do you like to do?

Bake, cook, sew, quilt, and machine embroider. And read. I read constantly.

How/what do you do to feel empowered?

Empowerment begins in the mind. It’s not so much about what you have in the way of the world’s goods but how you think about yourself. This is what I think about myself that empowers me:

1. 1) No one can fulfill the calling on my life but me; 2) I’m equipped to do the thing I’m called to do; 3) The fact that I’m female is no accident. Female by design. I glory in that knowledge. I love it.
2. I read the Bible daily. Nothing sets us free (as women or otherwise) like standing on the promises of God.

If you could have coffee with any actor or famous person who would it be? What would you love to ask him/her?

I’d have coffee with a whole bunch of famous people, not just one! I’d ask to sit and chat with the entire crew of the Longmire (A&E) series. The modern-day law enforcement program is set in the fictional little town of Durant, Wyoming, which is based on the real little town of Buffalo, Wyoming, the town where my story, Crazy Woman Creek is set. I love the Longmire series, the Great West: good guys, bad guys, horses, guns, cowboy hats, and all in a contemporary setting. One night when I first discovered the series, I commented to my husband, who was watching with me, that the backdrop for the program looked exactly like Buffalo, which we had visited together in 2010 when I was researching Crazy Woman Creek. Turns out the author of the Longmire series, Craig Johnson, did indeed base fictional Durant on Buffalo. Johnson lives just outside of Buffalo.





What would you love to do, but haven't yet?

Live 6-12 months in a Spanish-speaking country, on my own, working and traveling so that I could once and for all get fluent. I’ve taken 9 years of college-level Spanish and still speak the language with slowly and stupidly.

Favorite color? Book? Food?

Red, which is one of the reasons I love the cover of The Lesson so much. I have a zillion favorite books, but a historical romance, Beloved Enemy, by Mary Schaller comes to mind. I’ve read it three times. Food? Oh my, let’s not start. There’s only so much space on this Internet page.

What do you indulge in?

Sweets, way too often. Hmm. I also have a kitchen some women would kill for. Like I said, I like to cook and bake. Never met a high-end appliance I didn’t like.

Anything else you would like to add?

My most sincere desire is that my fiction entertains and encourages someone. And I hope that my nonfiction books inform and bring hope.

Check out Viginia's web site at; http://www.ginnywelch.com/

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Jenny and Henry continue on their separate journeys through life.  Henry is soon graduating from high school and still carries his love for Jenny.  But will there be another to take her place?  Henry is reluctant to date, but with not a peep from Jenny in years he knows he must move on.

Jenny on the other hand has found a new boyfriend, but can he really take the place of Henry in her heart and soul?  James is a lot like Henry, but not where it really counts - the way he treats Jenny.  Sure James will have money and a bright future, but to what cost?

Find out in the continuing saga of book two in the Angelic Letter Series; Another Angel of Love. 

Based on true events of the author, Henry Ripplinger, this book is a wonderful and inspirational read.  Ripplinger not only weaves a wonderful love story packed full of page-turning drama, but he reminds the reader what life is really all about - our relationship with God.

Grab the second installment of this fabulous series, Another Angel to Love, on Amazon or visit the authors web site at; http://www.henryripplinger.com/another_angel.html

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After a heated argument with his wife, James Rose storms out of the house and doesn't return.  Three days later his horse turns up, but still no James.  Lenora, his devoted wife, is now left with a massive ranch and little money to help her get through the tough times ahead.  But is he dead?  Lenora refuses to believe the worse without her beloveds body to bury and she holds out for the hope that he will return. 

Lenora seeks help from the handsome, young deputy, Luke Davies, to find her husband, even though the Sheriff believes there was foul play and Mr. Rose is gone forever.  However, the time spent between Lenora and Luke are set with perils and rumors of their own.  Are they falling for each other, despite the taboos and town talk?

Set in the 1880's on the Wyoming praires, Crazy Women Creek by Virginia Hull Welch is a historical look back to a time when women weren't repected and the times were rough.  The book is a wonderful read, with just enough mystery and romance to keep you turning the pages. 

This is a great summer read so grab your copy today at Amazon. 

5 Star!!

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Gina had her life planned out.  She and her fiance, Michael, were on the college path to being attorneys and one day they would have the perfect life in a law practice together.  However, Gina's expectations are cut short as her perfect, handsome fiance suddenly breaks it off with her.

Gina is devastated and to add to the trauma her parent's are no longer speaking to her.  Gina turns to the help of a Bible study group where she briefly meets Kevin - an ordinary Navy guy without all the looks and charm that Michael possessed.  But when Kevin follows her home and she let's him into her apartment, little does she know then that this quirky guy is going to change her life.

The Lesson by Virginia Hull Welch is based on true events.  It's heartwarming, funny and definitely a page-turner.  Grab your copy today - it's the perfect beach book.

I LOVED IT 5 Stars!

The Lesson is available at; Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other book retailers.

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Molly Marbles struggles with her weight, but when she wins a scholarship to Armstrong University on the Moon she accepts and instantly goes from 287 earth pounds to 47.6 moon pounds. 

However, when Molly gets dumped by her boyfriend, Drew Barron, she thinks her life is over.  That is until she's him trim and fit and working for a company that makes calorie reduced food supplements.  Not only that, Molly's favorite food, Chocolate Moons have been poisoned.  Molly jumps on the mysterious band wagon with the help of friends and her new husband. 

Where will it all end?  Find our in Chocolate Chocolate Moons by Jackie Kingon.

This book is a fun romp between the planets of our solar system that are all inhabitable.  Kingon uses references to famous people (with slight changes) to add a delicous flavor to her novel.  The book is quirky, yet you can't wait to find out what happens next.

Check out Chocolate Chocolate Moons on Amazon.

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In 2012, PDF awarded a $10,000 grant to SDF to sponsor a new search dog team that is currently in training and based in Albany, New York. “The search dog team we fund will not be deployed to Oklahoma so we decided to award SDF an emergency grant to support the search dog teams that are assisting the recovery efforts,” says Smith.

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Fifteen year-old Henry is a simple kid, but when he catches a glimpse of Jenny walking towards the country store his life changes forever.

Jenny just moved in down the road from Henry and he is instantly struck by her beauty and poise.  Henry jumps on his bike and follows Jenny to Mr. Engelmann's store where he blunders and trips.  Mr. Engelmann's kind nature and gentle personality helps the two and soon Henry finds himself, not only in love, but employed - Mr. Englemann is aging with a sick wife, so Henry feels he should help out after school and on weekends.  Little does he or Mr. Engelmann know this is about to have a very profound effect on the whole town.

Do you believe in guardian angels?  Pewter Angels is a must-read book about young love and self-discovery.  The author, Henry Ripllinger, has woven his own real-life experiences into a thought-provoking and magical tale.

This is one of the best books I've read this year - and I read a lot!  I can't wait until book two comes out.  Will Jenny and Henry find their way back to each other after Jenny's parents rip them apart?

Bravo to Ripplinger for weaving a story that not only speaks to the heart, but speaks to our very souls.

Check out Henry Ripplingers web site for more information on Pewter Angels and his other works of art and literature.

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Enhance Science Learning through Art Activities

Does your child love to draw?  Does your child love science?  Draw Plus Science, by Freddie Levin,  is an unique book that lets your child learn about basic science and breaks down the drawing process to the simple basics.

This book is based on concepts which include;

• Classification
• Measuring and Recording
• Life Cycles
• Seasons
• Variety in Nature
• Adaptations
• Inherited Traits
• Characteristics of Organisms

This would be a great educational tool, as well as a fun way to learn to draw and to discover.

Draw Plus Science is available on Amazon

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“Up until Annie, there had never been an animal that played a character in a play,” said Berloni. “No one thought that you could train an animal to do the same thing eight times a week. You could do a film with an animal, but not a theatrical event. But we were young and naive and we didn’t know that, so what I devised was a way that they [the dogs] would look forward to coming to the theatre.”

Currently, director James Lapine has once again resurrected Annie to the big stage with a newly turned 12-year-old, Lilla Crawford, as the feisty Annie and a newcomer to the stage, Sunny, playing the role of her shaggy tagalong pet pal, Sandy.  

When the perfect pup was required for this onstage musical, Berloni once again turned to the pound to find his next big shaggy star.  It was a good thing for Sunny who was only two days away from euthanization when Berloni snatched her up and began her training for Sandy.

However, taking a dog from shelter to star isn't always an easy task.  Berloni shares his insights and secret of being one of the best in his field;

“I think what differentiates me from most of my contemporaries, other animal trainers, is that I don’t demand or force the animals to do anything. I don’t think any of us have the right to dominate anything else. When you think about the lead, dominance, all of that is about man controlling nature. And I never wanted to do that with animals. I use positive reinforcement to create a situation where the animal wants to do something,” said Berloni. “That can come in the shape of a treat, or a ball, or it can be a hug and a kiss -whatever motivates an animal the most is what we’ll use.”

However, before Sunny's big debut, Sandy was played by Mikey.  A source close to Berloni tells us; "Mikey was on tour for 4 years.  He was neglected for 2 years when we found him in a pen in a backyard."  





So what happens to these lovable pouches when they retire?

They go to a big farm in Connecticut.  Truly!  Berloni and his wife, Dorothy, care for dogs, cats, horses, llamas, a donkey and a pony.  "He's not just a trainer, he takes them all in as his family."

Fortunately, many many animals have found their way into the Berloni family over the years, in fact, "the number is too big to count."  

Even after the curtain closes on Annie, Bill Berloni and his handlers will continue to rescue tossed-away animals of all species and sizes in shelters, humane societies and rescues for Broadway and off-Broadway, regional tours, theatres, special events the New York City Ballet, motion pictures, television and commercials.

For more information, check out Bill's website at; http://www.theatricalanimals.com/



 

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Is this really what the world is coming to?  Roadkill for dinner?  I personally would not want to pull over on the interstate and strap the poor deer, moose (or skunk) to the roof of my vehicle, then drive off with recipe ideas dancing through my head.

For most of us this sounds like a disgusting alternative to "real" food, but it is actually legal in places like Alaska, Wisconsin, New York, Florida, West Virginia and Illinois.  And in places where it is technically illegal to haul your dinner off the side of the road, law enforcement is willing to turn a blind eye to it.  



Senator, Larry Jent, told the Montana Public Radio, "It really is a sin to waste that good meat when there’s no reason to, when it could be salvaged and somebody could use it."  

Granted, Americans do waste on average of 23 pounds of perfectly edible food, per person, every month, but roadkill?  The pro-roadkill argue that whether it be a bullet or fender, what difference does it make?  But how do you know it was a vehicle that was the underlying cause and not a poison or disease?

“The risk is relative depending on the condition of the animal and how it was killed,” said Benjamin Chapman, a food safety specialist with North Carolina State University.

“In roadkill if you happen upon the animal, you don’t know its condition, which makes it riskier than eating regulated food or an animal you’ve hunted.” Chapman added.

If there is no flies, maggots or sign of spoilage it is generally thought that by thoroughly cooking the meat to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees, it should eliminate any chance of illness.

This still seems like a crap-shoot and would question why anyone would want to take the risk.  Plus, I think most folks may not want to put a face to their meat-feast and all of the other yucky tasks that accompany the preparation of taking your dinner from the side of the road.

What do you think of this and hunting in general? Feel free to leave me a comment.

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The Bumples animals have joined forces with the Easter bunny and all things Spring. 

We offer lots of giggles and laughs, plus stories that use your imagination. The three little pigs are in trouble again, but they are luckier than the wolf. Can you guess which hare or rabbit is the Easter bunny? How about an artist's portrait that comes to life. Last but not least is the story about a boy that wants a pet gorilla. This month, our favorite game is the Bingham Hondo game. It is just plain silly.

Do you have a friend that would enjoy Bumples? Give them a subscription. It is only $15.00 for 10 months.

If you write, please send us a story. We love putting in children's stories. Also, let us know what kind of stories you would like to read or what kind of games you would like to play.

Happy Spring to everyone. Give your family and friends a special hug.

Thanks for being part of our family,
Miss Bumples and crew
www.bumples.com

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Spring in to March with Bumples all new issue.  Available now; interactive games, poems, storys and so much fun.  Check it out at; http://www.bumples.com

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If you tweet on Twitter, you will see many #Thighgap. There is always something new, and it appears thigh gap is the new way girls are comparing themselves with one another to feel thin and pretty. Thigh Gap is the space between your legs, and our tweens and teens are starving themselves to achieve it. In a recent TED lecture by a popular Victoria's Secret model, she states that 58% of all thirteen-year-old girls report disliking their bodies! And by the time girls are seventeen years of age, 78% of them don't like their bodies. This model goes on to explain that outside of plastic surgery and lighting, there is little anyone can do to alter their body. Genetics basically determine our looks, our bodies and whether or not girls have thigh gap.

Websites such as thinspo, and thinspirtation promote starvation. However, the body is more vulnerable to bad nutrition especially during the tween and teen years. Social media has made it possible for girls to compare their bodies, makeup and hair twenty--four hours a day, and Pinterest helps them pin only the best looks on their Facebook page. It's become a game or way of life for many girls to try and achieve what lighting, makeup artists and genetics do for models. Parents don't become concerned until their child becomes ill, and a pediatrician/doctor tells them that their child is suffering from severe malnutrition.

Beauty is power, and no one can deny that we judge and treat people based on looks. However, when achieving "the look" means you are willing to forfeit your health, social life, and school, it becomes a sickness. Girls who starve themselves and feel bad about the way they look cripple themselves way beyond their school years. Their body image suffers through much of their adult life as well. One of the underlying causes of addictions is due to a poor self-esteem due to body image.

The key to helping girls deal with their self concept, self esteem and distorted body image is being aware that it is happening, listening to your daughter, and talking to her about it. As a parent, you don't have to help them starve, but you do need to be in touch with the pressure they are feeling, and offer healthy options as a way of coping with their stress. Below are a few more suggestions that can help build your daughter's self concept and help repair her distorted body image.

Ask your pediatrician or doctor for a consultation with a dietician who works with teens. A dietician can help your daughter understand what she needs for her body, and will also help guide her with healthy weight management. Join a gym or seek help from a trainer together if possible. Working out at the gym is more fun with someone else, and it will help build your relationship with your daughter. Begin looking for role models who are good looking, and educated. Remind your daughter that she can be both. The gap between her ears is more important and interesting than thigh gap. Watch what you say about your own body. Daughters listen to their moms and many complain about the same body areas as their moms. Girls who obsess about their bodies may feel that is the only area they control in their lives. Encourage your daughter to engage in sports, and other school activities to help build confidence. Studies have revealed that children in sports suffer less with eating disorder.

Feeling pretty and popular is important during the teen years. Self-esteem isn't stagnant it continues to be built throughout children's teen years and on into adulthood. Helping your child build a healthy self concept is part of parenting, but their friends and the community at large influence what makes your child feel better about themselves as well. Telling your child that they are beautiful and shouldn't worry will not repair a distorted self body image as much as listening to them and helping them make a healthy plan. Moms struggle with their distorted body image no matter how old they become. Taking the opportunity to help their daughter heal may have the additional benefit of helping them heal.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist and co-author with Janine J. Sherman, of Start Talking: A Girl's Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever. Read more about the book at www.StartTalkingBook.com and more about Rapini at www.maryjorapini.com.

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In the age-old “cat people versus dog people” debate, the votes have been tabulated and the results show that your household is a “dog family.” The only problem is that you don’t actually have a family dog. Remedying the situation provides everyone in the household with companionship and entertainment, helps to teach kids about the responsibility of caring for another living thing and puts a stop to the endless begging, cajoling and whining for a dog. The only thing left to do is choose your dog, but how do you make such a big decision?

Do Your Research

Before you make a selection, you’ll need to have a bit of basic knowledge at your disposal. Purebred dogs purchased from a breeder may have a genetic disposition for certain health problems, but their personalities can be predicted more precisely when they’re still puppies. Mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier than their purebred counterparts, but may be a bit more difficult in terms of personality and predictability.

Visit a Shelter or Breeder

Choosing to adopt from a shelter rescues a dog that may otherwise be euthanized, allows you to brag about making a socially-conscious choice and gives you the option of adopting an adult animal, rather than a rambunctious youngster in need of training. Purchasing a puppy from a reputable breeder allows you to select a particular breed and bring home a young animal that you can train to suit the needs of your family. Whichever route you choose, you should make a few kid-free visits before making a decision so you can observe the environment the dog is accustomed to, learn more about their individual personalities and make an informed decision before the younger members of your family become attached to a dog that’s ultimately a bad fit with your collective lifestyle.\

Think About Your Family Routine

Choosing the right dog for your family will require you to carefully examine the routine of your household. If everyone is away from the house for hours on end, you may want to select a more independent animal that requires less affection and dedicated play time. If you homeschool, have kids that haven’t yet reached school age and one parent stays home, you can comfortably select a dog that requires more attention.

Consider the Age of Your Youngest Child

If you have a toddler or infant that doesn’t yet respond well to verbal direction, you’ll need to make sure that the dog you bring into your home is patient and mature. In these situations, an adult dog may be more suitable than a puppy. Breeds that are known to be anxious, like Chihuahuas, will almost certainly be too nervous when the boisterous attention of a very young child is focused on the dog.

Realize That Babies and Puppies Don’t “Grow Up Together”

The idea that your baby and your puppy will “grow up together” is a charming one, but it’s just not feasible most of the time. Juggling the demands of an infant with those of an untrained, excitable puppy can easily prove to be overwhelming, which is why so many great dogs find themselves in a shelter. An adult dog may be a better choice for families with very young children, while a charming puppy is fine for households with older kids that can understand the proper handling and treatment of a fragile, high-energy puppy.

Keep Size in Mind

The adorable pup that fits in the palm of your hand will one day grow up, and its size will have an impact on how you care for it. Remember that even Saint Bernards start off relatively small, but they grow quickly and can be too much for a small household with young children. Before you fall in love with a puppy at the shelter, try to determine how big it will be when it reaches adulthood. A Great Dane-sized animal simply won’t fit in a small apartment.

Choosing a dog is an exciting milestone, but it’s not a trial-and-error situation. Surrendering a dog because he isn’t right for your family will almost always endanger his life, a situation that simply isn’t fair to the defenseless dog in your care. Rather than making an impulsive choice that you later discover was a bad one, take your time and determine exactly what sort of dog will be best for your family. When you’re patient and committed to making the right choice the first time, you’re making a wonderful addition to your family and are not risking the life of an innocent animal.

Article reprinted with permission from;  http://www.hireananny.org

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by Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC

Recently, a loyal reader of my blog and viewer of my segments on Fox 26 sent me a note of concern about the new Samsung Galaxy commercials. The commercial portrays a husband leaving for a business trip. His wife says to him, "Now here is a video especially for you, but you better not watch it on the plane," and she winks at him as they clink their phones together, which passes along the video (a new feature of the phone). Their two daughters stand behind her seeing this event but not saying anything. The person who mentioned this was concerned that this commercial was actually promoting sexy video sharing. To help calm the situation, I did mention that the couple in the commercial were married, and this was adult communication. But her concern is real. Are we prepared as parents for what this technology will be able to access for teens or younger children? Thinking we can keep this sort of technology out of their hands--or not buy this type of phone--is like burying our head in the sand. Our child may not have it (yet), but some will, and if it's extremely popular, every teen will have access.

Fast forward. A new app called "Snapchat" was launched on iTunes. This app allows you to take a picture, hit send, and control how long friends can view your message by setting the timer to up to ten seconds. Recipients have that long to view the message and then it disappears forever. The app says it will let you know if the recipient takes a screenshot. What, what and WHATT????!!!!! Why are we promoting the sharing and sending of inappropriate photos and videos?

Have we forgotten the many lessons we have learned in this area? We know that many of these sites aren't as secure as claimed, that settings sometimes don't work as we think they will, or that we lose our technology and those photos and videos are found by someone else! As adults, I am sure we haven't forgotten, but my concern is that kids have no idea what forever means, and they are way too trusting of advertisers making false claims to sell their product. Keeping sexy and/or naked photos or videos on your phone, tablet, or computer is not a good idea ever. It doesn't matter if you are an adult or a child; it is never in your best interest. I have seen negative effects of people sharing and sending private videos and photos. It can ruin job security, career opportunities and the ability to attend the college of your child's choice. Kids are bullied due to inappropriate sharing of information, and perhaps the worst situation is when something inappropriately shared leads to destroyed reputations and the suicide of the child victimized by classmates who didn't understand the destruction of their sharing.

It has never been easy being a parent, but technology, along with the benefits, presents challenges that make parenting more challenging than ever. If you have a child with a cell phone, your child is at risk because of what advertisers think will sell. There is an app for everything, and since teens are technologically gifted, they probably know more of them than you do. My concern is enhanced with teens' stage of development. They don't have full development of their frontal cortex until they are twenty-two, which means they don't have a full grasp on consequences, future concepts or an understanding of forever. Parents must step in and go over and over rules of the phone, and have a check in process with their child. The more engaged the parent, the better the child is with being responsible and having a vision for their future that they will protect.

Here are a few suggestions that can help you keep your child somewhat protected with their phone use. These tips are provided by connectsafely.org. This company, along with truecare.com, helps parents protect their children. Mobile safety in general. Just as in chat rooms and social sites, kids need to think about who they text and talk with. They should never text/talk about sex with strangers. Phones should only be used to communicate with people they know in the real world.

Bullying by phone. Since young people's social lives increasingly include cell phones as well as the Web, cyber-bullying and harassment have gone mobile too. Talk with your kids about how the same manners and ethics you've always taught them apply on phones and the Web the same as in "real life." Mobile social networking. Many social sites have a feature that allows users to check their profiles and post comments from their phones. That means some teens can do social networking literally anywhere, in which case any filter you may have installed on a home computer does nothing to block social networking. Talk with your teens about where they're accessing their profiles or blogs from and whether they're using the same good sense about how they're social networking on their phones.

Social mapping. More and more cell phones have GPS technology installed, which means teens who have these phones can pinpoint their friends' physical location--or be pinpointed by their friends. Talk with your kids about using such technology and advise them to use it only with friends they know in person. Media-sharing by phone. Most mobile phones we use today have cameras, and some have video cams. Teens love to share media with friends on all types of mobile devices. There is both a personal-reputation and safety aspect to this. Talk with your teens about never letting other people photograph or film them in embarrassing or inappropriate situations (and vice versa). They need to understand their own and others' privacy rights in sharing photos and videos via cell phones.

'Smart phones.' We've already been over many smart- or 3G-phone features, but remember they usually include the Web. That means more and more people can access all that the Web offers, appropriate or not, on their phones as well as computers. Mobile carriers are beginning to offer filtering for the content available on their services, but they have no control over what's on the Web. Parents of younger kids might want to consider turning off Web access and turning on filtering if they're concerned about access to adult content.

With parenting none of us gets a second chance. We do the best we can with what we have. If you are a parent with tweens and teens, you need to understand technology and what your child is exposed to via the Internet, social networks, texting, and commercials. We all grew up wanting to be an adult. This feeling of wanting to be older is a common theme, but teens today achieve this acting older much differently than they may have when you were their age. Society is sexualizing our children more, which is demonstrated not only with clothing but with texting, sexting, and social networks. It all begins at home with discussions between parents and their children. The greatest gift we give our children is our time, and getting to know their world (that includes their virtual world as well). *Mary Jo is an expert for truecare.com which helps parents begin the dialogue with their kids about safety with Internet, phone, and social media use.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist and co-author with Janine J. Sherman, of Start Talking: A Girl's Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever. Read more about the book at www.StartTalkingBook.com and more about Rapini at www.maryjorapini.com.

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Check out this amazing book on all things Wolves.  Your kids will be fascinated by fun facts and learn all there is to know about these lonesome, howlers and prowlers.

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by Susie Monday

Is your child’s art always full of shapes? Cut out cookies! Make the process easier and faster by using dough from the grocery store refrigerator case. Find imaginative cookie cutters and combine shapes and words to say I love you in new ways.

SOUND:
Let sound-oriented kids make a Valentine’s wind chime with metal, glass and wooden craft store finds. Throw in everyday household items like bowls and plates to create loving symphony.

COLOR:
Make "stained glass" cookies with color-loving kids, using bread stick dough. Shape it to make the "leading" on a cookie sheet topped with foil. Use crushed colored sugar candies in the spaces, cook at 350 degrees and let the candies melt. Let cool before peeling off the foil. Experiment with the colors and explore what else can represent love besides red.

MOVEMENT:
Have your kids spell out the letters of "I Love You" with their bodies, and then take pictures. These can be used to create a sweet card or frame.

LIGHT:
Appoint the light-loving child as the official photographer for holiday events. A lesson in digital app photo editing (PhotoPad is free for the iPad) or in designing digital slideshows or print-on-demand books puts this creative eye into action.

TEXTURE:

Make a Valentine’s card that focuses on touch rather than sight. Use bows, ribbons, homemade tassels and other textured embellishments. Feathers and sponge-and-paint prints are fun to cover things with.

SPACE:

For little builders, create a giant heart using recycled boxes wrapped in plain paper or Popsicle sticks. Decorate it with stickers, markers, doilies and colored paper. When it’s done create a set of keys, and have your child give them to family and loved ones.

RHYTHM:
With your rhythm kid, fill small glass jars (such as baby food jars or small jelly jars) with a tablespoon of different shake-able items such as beans, rice, red-and-green beads, and metal washers. Decorate the lids with foil tied around the tops and stickers for patterns. Shake along to Valentine’s songs.

LINE:
A linear thinker loves stories. Put him or her to work making handmade Valentine’s books using photos that tell a story about the great love stories in your family. Start with folded paper with a construction paper cover, hole-punched and tied with string or stitched down the center on the sewing machine for the binding.

Matching a creative thinking strength to the right set of materials and a fun challenge can make it more fun -- and help your child build from his or her strengths.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susie Monday, educator and artist and co-author of The Missing Alphabet, A Parents’ Guide to Developing Creative Thinking in Kids, with Susan Marcus and Dr. Cynthia Herbert. http:/www.themissingalphabet.com

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