How to Protect Your Children From Cyberbullies

Bullying is a growing epidemic in today’s world and has now surfaced through the internet as well. This has become so prevalent that it is now better known as cyberbullying. More than 50 percent of kids have revealed that they have been bullied through some sort of virtual platform.  Believe it or not, almost all the children that experienced cyberbullying never told their parents. Because kids are connected today in so many different ways to the internet, it’s important that we keep them safe. What do you do about this? Talk to your kids. Be involved with your kids. Set (internet) limits with your kids. Below are some ways you can protect your kids from cyberbullying that have worked for my family.

Talks

Just like any relationship, it’s good to have open and honest communication with your children. Talk to them about the seriousness of cyberbullying. Tell them you know what it is and want them to tell you if it happens to them. Tell them that it can be stopped, and that you will never judge them, no matter what has taken place, to help them get this resolved.

Furthermore, you must explicitly tell your kids that harassing others is not right and explain to them what cyberbullying is. Cyberbullying can be threats or remarks sent through the internet by ANY source (facebook, twitter, message boards, email, etc), usually for other people to see. Anything they say that is hurtful to others can be considered cyberbullying. Naturally, your child could very well be a bully and not even know it. Protect your children from cyberbullying and protect them from doing it themselves. Both are your responsibility.

Involvement

An interview with children's author Kathy Parra.

After reviewing Kathy Parra's new children's book, Love Is The Color Of A Rainbow. We knew we had to interview Kathy and share her with all of you. You are going to love her. She's down to earth and speaks from her heart.

Kathy Parra, or Kap, by her nickname, loves gardening, talking with nature, especially with dolphins, vegan cooking and baking, bike riding, and skipping for joy where she lives in Mesa, Arizona with her partner Tony and their 3 girls.

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: What made you pick a blind child for your main character? Do you have experience working with the blind?

Kathy Parra: When I was in sixth grade the teacher asked if anyone wanted to assist with the special needs students, I raised my hand and said, “Pick me!” I was paired up with many children but one in particular who we will call Willow, Willow explained to me that she had been blind since birth, each day I went in there to assist her with her Braille reading, which I might add she so wanted me to learn, but I never did. She would sit flitting her tiny fingers over the bumps in the thin translucent paper at rapid speed and I would pencil scratch my stories just at furiously, one day she asked me “what are you writing?” I told her I like to write stories about nature, she asked me to read them to her, she would delight in my story making and I would delight in her listening, we spent many a lunch hour eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as I read my nature stories.
One day out of the blue Willow took out her pear from her lunch bag, and said “I wish I knew what my pear looked like” “Kathy” she asked “what does a pear look like?” I started with well it’s green on the outside; she said, “what does green look like?” I knew then and there I was to take her in nature to share what the pear looked like, so I took her under a beautiful mulberry tree on the schoolyard as she stood under the tree I took her hand and let her feel the green leaves I said these are leaves and they are green and it is the same color as the outside of the pear, she said oh it is smooth-warm, then I ran her hand over the branch to which would be the sense of the stem of the pear, I said this is the stem and it is a brownish green, oh she said this too feels smooth yet strong, yes-yes! I was excited that she was associating the feel-sense of what I was sharing in a feeling sense, putting feelings to the colors, then I took her to the sand box and ran her fingers through the sand, I said the inside of the pear, it a soft white color yet as you bite into the pear there is just a bit of grit, she ran her fingers through the sand, then taking a bite of pear, she said oh it feels like life, like it has energy, when I feel the sand and then bite the pear I feel life-energy! Needless to say Willow quickly began to associate most everything in her daily life with a feeling for a color, she even made up her own colors! Willow often told me I was like a lot of colors put together, saying that all those colors were love. In that short amount of time that we spent together I was grateful for her friendship and she for mine, I think we both knew it was transient and as they say a reason- season or a lifetime. I had never had “experience” with blind children, but since then as an adult have assisted with Special Olympics only one other time.

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: Do you have any children and were they an inspiration for your book?

Kathy Parra: Yes, I have three children - all girls! And they are 21-17 and 13. Yes, they were an inspiration to and for me and continue to be so; they have been my greatest teachers! I am honored and blessed to be in the presence of such wisdom! Namaste!

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: How long did it take you to write Love is the Color of a Rainbow?

Kathy Parra: Well, the actual writing of Rainbow only took me 30 minutes, but the journey to publish it took 10 years, perhaps more if you count from sixth grade. Ha…

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: Any advice for other children's authors?

Kathy Parra: Have fun, if you have something you are passionate about share it-be it-love it-nurture it-nourish it and allow it to bloom as it wishes, don’t try too hard or force the book to bloom, it will all blossom when the flower is ready to “be”…

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: Are you writing another children's book anytime soon?

Kathy Parra: YES! I have dozens in the works. Many are already written, but as far as soon in publishing, one never knows, but yes for sure another children’s book, a few in particular, but I am allowing them to bloom and blossom as they wish to. I am currently enjoying sharing Rainbow and I really want to soak it all in, relish in the journey. I also want to start a Sensory Garden based on the book, intention has been put forth, seed planted and is “being” watered and nourished, waiting for the seed to emerge until blossom. I am also working on another book for all children of the world whether new to the earth or have been with the earth for many moons, it is titled One Love, surrounding the aspects of dolphins/whales and their presence in and of healing to and for us all! A short synopsis will be shared on http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.com on May 16th, 2012.

Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten: Have you always wanted to write a children's book? Has this been a life long dream of yours?

CALL of the DOLPHINS~One woman's healing journey with the dolphins.

Original version was published by OCEAN Magazine, in which Diane Buccheri is the publisher and also the publisher of Love Is The Color Of A Rainbow. Dolphins are like a best friend in which they will always be there for you no matter what! ~ Kathy Parra

CALL of the DOLPHINS 
by Kathy Parra
I sat in solitude for several months asking why. I did not share my pain with anyone. 
One night while lying in bed my body felt light. Light illuminated from the corner of my eye, a sense of complete peace came over my mind, body, and soul and I drifted off to sleep. That night I dreamed of dolphins. I considered it a lovely dream, and left it at that. That next day I went to see my hairdresser friend. He sensed my imminent concern yet, “Hey, what’s up with you? You look different.” I sat there and started to pour my heart out to him just like all people do with their hairdressers.

Approaching thirty, I, like many other mothers, so very much wanted to start my family, but somewhere something was not right with my body. I, like some women, could not conceive. I went to my physician and he ran a series of tests, which concluded I had endometriosis. “What is that?” I inquired. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus, the endometrial stroma and glands which should only be located inside the uterus, is found elsewhere in the body. 
“So what does that mean?” I asked him, “And how do we cure it?” 
“There is no cure and most likely you will not be able to bear children because of the severity.” 
I was taken aback and said I would like to get another opinion, and so I did. The second physician said the same thing. I could not stop there. I went to a third physician who said, “You know you really need to think about not having children. It is never going to happen for you Kathy. For some people it is just not in their cards.” 
“That’s absurd Kathy, of course you will have children,” my hairdresser responded. “Look here at this article. People are healing today from all kinds of alternative healing methods. I just read about people swimming with dolphins in the Florida Keys to receive healing.” 
My first thought was my dream. “I dreamed of dolphins last night.” 

Great parenting conversation about teaching children about law of attraction, universal laws and feelings.

Check out these new conversations from our parenting community

From the Beginning . . . Hi, glad to be starting this conversation and I hope some of you jump right in with your thoughts.  I'm reasonably new to this site and so glad I found like-minded people to share with :-) I chose this group because the 'law of attraction' or similarly,'cause and effect' is something that I... read more... Powered by BlogFrog

10 Reasons Thunderstorms Are So Scary to Kids

Thunderstorms can be scary and fun at the same time. Living in a canyon allows us to experience very loud storms as they roll through, quite often in the middle of the night. 

"I personally love the energy that comes with storms and find myself in a state of gratitude for the rain, the cleansing, and purging that takes place in the area the storm is rolling through." ~ Carol

One thing we've found is children and pets will often react depending on how we react. 

Excitement or fear is contagious. Children and animals will feel/read your energy and react accordingly. Demonstrate how to stay calm and supportive. 

Here are some of the reasons kids are afraid during thunderstorms. 

The Crossroads Of Humanity. By Carol Lawrence

         

Humanity is at a crossroads. An unfolding of many collective layers.

       
           A cross-roads in time that will determine the fate of our species.

We are making choices right now that will determine the path of our collective future. Mother Earth is changing at a rapid rate. As she speeds up, we speed up too. Our pulse rate increases, we might become dizzy or short of breath. We are generating a large amount of heat. There are 7 billion people on planet earth right now. Many souls have chosen to be here at this time to witness and become apart of the change. Our magnetic field is lessening.

In planetary history. When the magnetic fields have lost their magnification the polls have shifted. Are the poles going to shift again. It's quite possible. To learn more about magnetics and the possibility of our poles shifting follow Gregg Braden. He is one of the leaders in this field and comes from a very open minded perspective backing his knowledge with science.

As we are leaving the “iron” age and begin transmuting and changing as we move into the “golden” or “intuition” age things are beginning to look different. Many are at this point now. Many are not. Many will leave. It's ok for each and every one to transition or change as they need to, to be able to fit in with mother's earth new plan. Mother earth is a thinking, living, breathing being. The time of living on such a wonderful being with disconnect is ending.

Humanity as a whole is waking up from a long slumber. The intuition age has arrived.

What are some of the wonderful attributes we have to look forward to in this new age that is dawning on our planet?

• A deepening connection to our planet is unfolding.
• More telepathy. People are going to speak more with their minds. Secrets will not be able to be hidden like they once were due to this enhanced ability by many. Many children arrive with this ability already.
• Leading more intuitive based lives. Does this job feel right for me? Does this way of eating feel right for my body at this time? Does this way of learning benefit my child?
• Parenting takes on a whole new role. Parents are becoming more aware of the intelligence that is right before them and realizing they are also students in life as much as their children. Prioritizing their children, building solid foundations, growing unbreakable connections and living more sustainable lives will become the focus. Life and her wonders become the teacher again.
• A disconnect from consumerism and the need for “stuff” will be replaced with adventure, connections and deeper relationships.
• Sustainable living that is conducive for all not just one. Boundaries are dissolving. It will become more about the we instead of the me. “If I dump this into my landfill or blast it into the air who will be effected by it?”
• The comprehensive realization that the air we breath is shared all around the world will engulf many. What I do matters!
• Doorways to new worlds will open. Manifesting is becoming quicker and easier with more focused thoughts and feelings.
• Life can and will be lived fully with intent by many.

Life as we know it is changing. What kind of life will you be manifesting and co-creating for you, your family, your planet? The choice is yours.

Written By: Carol Lawrence 

Carol Lawrence is an energetic practitioner, blogger, children's author, social media manager, author interviewer, book reviewer, intuitive parenting adviser, and co-host of The Intentional Conscious Parenting Show. She has been happily married for twenty-five years, a mother of two Indigo sons, has several animals and loves nature, exploring the human mind, spirituality, reading, writing, mother earth, walking around in the forests of Montana and doing her part to make the world a better place.