Wood County Prevention
Eastwood Local Schools- March 2017
School Based
JTI Retreat 2017
Who Has The Best Promposal?
Wood County Youth Olympics
OSA Members become JTI Leaders
Students in One Step Ahead have started taking leadership roles. Every Junior Teen Institute meeting will be lead by two to three OSA members. The leaders pick out the activity, run the group, and process the activity afterwards. The JTI members look up to the high school students and love seeing what they are up to.
Ashley Heskett and Daniel Mackay had members do an activity called "Decide Early". They were partnered up and on the count of three they had to hold up a number using their hands. They had to guess the total number of fingers up before their partner did. Those who make a decision not to use a substance before being asked, have a much better chance of resisting than do those who wait to make a decision until they are confronted with the choice.
Ashley Heskett did a competition of Zen Counting. Students were spilt into 2 groups to see who can count to 34 without having to restart. The trick was students couldn't stand or say it at the same time or they would have to start over. After many failed attempts, groups were allowed to discuss a strategy to get through it.
One Step Ahead
One Step Ahead (OSA) is a drug free leadership program for high school students. Through the program, students develop the skills to become a positive leader within their schools and communities. Students are also equipped with the knowledge and abilities to not only make positive choices for themselves, but also to encourage their peers to make healthy decisions.
JTI is the middle school version of OSA.
OSA April Meetings:
Tuesday April 4th, before school
Wednesday April 12th, before school
Tuesday April 18th, before school
Tuesday April 25th, before school
JTI April Meetings:
Thursday April 6th, AA
Tuesday April 25th, AA
Community Based
Start Talking: Know! To Stop, Drop and Breathe
“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” ― Ambrose Bierce
Even as adults, anger can be a difficult emotion to control, especially when it involves a child who continues to defy his or her parents. No one can push our buttons like our own children. However, the importance of exhibiting self-control in order to discipline a child appropriately, is monumental.
An angry parent is scary enough. An angry parent who is in the habit of yelling and screaming, swearing and/or calling their child names, is likely to cause even more harm, since a child’s very sense of ‘self’ depends so greatly on mom and dad. As for hitting, slapping or other physical force toward a child; it is likely to not only cause fear and hurt in the present, but can leave lasting, negative impressions that follow the child into adulthood, including relationship problems, as well as increased risk for substance abuse, among other issues.
We love our children more than anything, but we all get frustrated and angry with them at times – that’s human nature. We are the adult in the relationship, however, so we must behave like one to express that frustration and anger properly. We must also keep in mind that we are our children’s role models. They, of course, get angry too. And how they handle their anger will depend a great deal on what they’ve learned by watching us. So think about the qualities and characteristics you want to create and nurture within your child, and the type of person you want your child to become. Dr. Laura Markham, clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids, offers these tips as effective, positive ways to discipline your child, that encourage better behavior, while keeping your emotions in-check:
Set limits and expectations BEFORE you get angry: Make sure the rules are clear and clearly known.
Calm down BEFORE you take action: Anger causes us to lose our ability to think clearly. So if your heart is beginning to race and your body is starting to tense, it is time to STOP, DROP (your agenda, just for a minute), and BREATHE. This is like hitting the pause button on the situation.
Take five or 10: You may need to step away for a moment to gain your composure and harness your self-control. Exiting does not let your child win. Instead it lets them know how serious the situation is, plus it models self-control. Just say, as calmly as you can, “I am too mad right now to talk about this. I am going to take a moment and calm down.”
WAIT before disciplining: Make it a point NEVER to act while angry. Nothing says you have to hand out a punishment on the fly. In fact, when we do, it is more likely to be irrational. Give yourself time to think; you can say something like, “I want to think about what just happened, and we will talk about it later. In the meantime, I need to make dinner and you need to finish your homework, please.” The suspense will be much more powerful than a list of empty threats that are not enforced because they were said in the heat of the moment.
AVOID PHYSICAL FORCE, NO MATTER WHAT: This is an instance where hands-off parenting is a must. According to Dr. Laura, getting physical may make YOU feel better temporarily because it discharges your rage, but it is bad for your child, and ultimately sabotages everything positive you do as a parent.
Monitor your tone and word choice: Nothing positive comes from swearing and/or speaking disrespectfully to children. It will only cause upset and further escalate the situation. Speaking in a calm tone, using appropriate language, helps us to remain calm and helps our children to respond more calmly.
Consider that you’re part of the problem: Angry parents are more likely to produce angry kids. Be open to emotional growth, take responsibility to manage your own emotions first, and seek assistance if needed. Your positive example will bring your child closer to you, make them want to please you more and it will set the foundation for them in knowing how to appropriately deal with negative emotions.
For the full article, How to Handle Your Anger at Your Child, and more detailed tips on peaceful parenting by Dr. Laura, click here.
In the Media
Here are a couple of news articles to keep you updated of what is going on in our society. It is important to know this type of information when it comes to educating your youth.
Ecigs:
https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov
Marijuana:
http://www.koaa.com/story/34680967/cdot-survey-pains-grim-picture-of-risky-driving-behavior
Wood County Educational Service Center
Want to learn about the Wood County Prevention Program? Check out the links below to learn about different programs that are offered here in Wood County.
Want to stay connected via social media? Check out the WCESC Prevention Facebook Page.
On-Site Prevention Specialist
Hannah Madaras, LSW
I am the On-Site Prevention Specialist for Eastwood Local Schools. I am in the district every Tuesday and Thursday.
My responsibilities:
- Problem Identification (Referrals: Behavior, ATOD use, social support)
- Life Skills Education Classes in HS
- Class Action Education Classes in HS
- Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainer
- One Step Ahead Advisor
- Junior Teen Institute Advisor
Email: hmadaras@eastwoodschools.org
Location: Eastwood High School, Sugar Ridge Road, Pemberville, OH, United States
Phone: 419-833-6411
Twitter: @ewprevention