Spiritual Crisis- Self Aware Kids - Part 7

PARENTS can teach children how to become self aware! We become good or bad role models...depending on how we interact with our whole family at home. Children learn by watching their parent's behavior!

Ideas to strengthen families so children make good decisions for themselves. For more information: www.safekidsnow.com

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE!

For decades, politicians have tried to break the cycle of violence by hiring more police and implementing new laws. Those strategies and other penalties have limitations because they do little to prevent the next generation from following the same destructive path.

City officials seem stumped on how to stop violence. In San Francisco, violence claimed 98 lives in 2008. Mayor Gavin Newsome said: “Nothing that I have tried to resolve has been more frustrating and vexing than solving the issue of why a 14-year-old would take the life of a 15-year-old with a weapon of war.”

The U.C. Berkeley School of Law researchers recently reported gangs terrorizing the same neighborhoods over and over again.

As a crime and violence prevention consultant, I know that gang leaders and drug dealers intimidate neighbors and instill fear against the police so they can control neighborhoods and continue, “business as usual.”

Police often focus on “hot spot” neighborhoods. However, after a sweep to eliminate criminals, neighbors need immediate follow up with “hands on” help to get organized. Without support, new criminals fill the void.

So how can the cycle of violence be broken?

BE A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
Community activists can play an important role to end the social isolation that fuels crime, drug abuse and violence.

Activists can promote the simple act of neighbors working together which reduces fear and restores hope. Community activists can identify neighborhood leaders and enlist businesses, civic and church groups to support neighbors. They can assist neighbors in running meetings, planning an agenda and motivate neighbors to help strengthen family support.

When people feel connected and develop confidence, they stop the “no snitch” attitude and stop tolerating burglars, rapists, gangs, predators and drug dealers.

KEEP FAMILIES SAFE!
Ideas to keep neighborhood groups going and growing:
1. Neighbors need good communication to stay connected with regular meetings, phone trees, emails and, possibly, a newsletter.
2. Community leaders (neighbors, churches, civic groups) can help plan social gatherings, block parties, establish block parent programs, map neighborhoods for safety, create community gardens, plan youth safety day, implement emergency preparedness and help other neighbors form “Neighborhood Watch” groups.
3. Local officials can promote citizen involvement and reward neighbors for creating safer neighborhoods with trees, benches, swings, improved lighting, etc.
4. Neighborhood and civic groups can sponsor youth poster or essay contests.
5. Business groups or agencies can promote healthy competition between neighborhood groups. They might promote jump rope, basketball, skateboard, singing and dancing contests.
6. Local officials can honor and recognize neighborhood leaders!

Together neighbors provide a check and balance and reduce the social isolation that tolerates bullies, domestic violence and destructive youth behavior. When neighbors work together, they become role models, mentors, speak up and help solve problems.

Citizen involvement creates healthy, safe neighborhoods for families – and helps to reverse the cycle of violence.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Talk to your local representative and your police chief.
- Offer assistance to help your community.
- Make presentations to local civic, business and youth groups. Get their input.
- Encourage community leaders to focus on community support for families.

Follow the example of Rebecca Kimbel, Area Governor of Toastmasters’ International. She joined Safe Kids Now and became a community activist. She makes presentations throughout Northern California and writes articles for her local newspapers.

By Stephanie L. Mann
For more information: www.safekidsnow.com

YOU Make a Difference: Positive or Negative?

Frequently we hear,” if I had power, position or money, I’d make a difference.” We placate ourselves with desires that seem to be out of reach. We imagine we are powerless to affect noteworthy change because the desires we feel would empower us, have not been met. We forget cause and effect is a law of physics, not a law of size and it is constant on every level, all the time, everywhere, with or without our desires being met.

We react or don’t react to circumstances. Our reactions or lack of them set into motion other reactions. Sometimes we fail to realize that what we do or don’t do makes a difference. We affect the lives of others even when we don’t realize it. Consider your smile or lack of it, your understanding or lack of it, befriending someone who needs you or turning away. Everything has an effect. Few of us analyze the effects we cause. Determining their positive or negative value and to whom, isn’t always considered.

Are we strengthening the self confidence of the people in our everyday lives, or are we weakening it? Are we building honesty and dependability in those who learn from us or are we undermining it? Are we helping others find their purpose and seek their dreams or are we siphoning off their energy to strengthen our own desires?

Each situation finds us either adding or subtracting quality in the immediate intellectual, emotional or physical environment. Emotional climate can be joyfully spontaneous and loving or rigidly fearful from the dominance of a hot or cold war whose brewing storm overtakes everything in its path.

Acceptance is respect. Acceptance can die a slow death from the continual bullets of criticize, or passive aggressive confusion.

Making a difference doesn’t start with power, position and money. It starts within you. It starts with desire to make life better, which is done through positive daily human contacts with family, friends, coworkers, and community. It is the people that make up the nation.

If you want to make a difference, be the difference you want to make. You have an effect as you walk through this life. Consciously or unconsciously, you leave your footprint. You can make life better by the path you chose or you can make it worse, but your being here leaves it’s mark. Your personal quality or lack of it will be reflected in the lives you have touched and you do touch them each and every day, with or without power, position and money.

Wittingly or unwittingly, you are making a difference. The question is, is the difference you are making the difference you really wanted to make?

Rebecca Kimbel DTM, MsCD and CEO

DTM: Distingished Toastmaster
MsCD: Dr. of Metaphisical Science, the great religions and philosophies of the world.
CEO, Corporate Executive Officer, Tio Inc.