Children Behaving Badly

Ellen J. Barrier/

Author/Spirituality Counselor

Somewhere along the path of parenting, many parents of today, have neglected their responsibility to teach and discipline their children. The stories written below will prove my statement to be true.








Student Rejected by University Due to Murder Charges

A 42-year-old female was bludgeoned to death by her 14-year-old daughter. After the killing, the girl and her boyfriend tried to make the death appear to have been a suicide by sticking a carving knife into the side of her mother's neck. The number of blows delivered to the victim's head by her daughter were said to have been at least 13. The daughter reportedly took the time to wipe up pools of blood in the kitchen.

Daughter's Profile:
IQ: 150
Honor Society Member, tennis team co-captain, tutor of underprivileged kids.
At the time of her mother's death the 14-year-old girl was nearly a straight A student and was the head of her student government class.

Mother's Profile:
The mother reportedly was drunk at the time she was murdered.

Court's Decision:
The judge presiding over this case, placed the girl in juvenile detention for a few months, then granted her permission to relocate and begin a new life. She reportedly, lived with an aunt until the age of 16, and moved into her own apartment supporting herself on a modest  trust fund.

Education continued:
At the age of 19-years-old, the university that this student applied to, had accepted her application, but withdrew it after someone sent them a newspaper clipping  about the killing. A question on the application asked if a student had ever been on probation? She being the applicant, had been on probation until the age of 18, as a condition of pleading no contest in the killing of her mother.

Attorney:
Her attorney stated, she was not obligated to disclose something that happened when she was a minor.

The Student's Views About Her Past History:
"I deal with this tragedy everyday on a personal level.  It serves no good purpose for anyone else to dredge up the pain of my childhood".

*Another university accepted the 19-year-old female.

Source:
The Price We Must Pay for Our Father's Sins
Part 2: "The Mirror of Society"
This is a true story: Student Rejected by University Due to Murder Charges
Location and date where this event occurred, will remain in the book.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Does it appear that the 19-year-old was given special treatment by the judge?
2. Do you feel that she was ever punished for the murder of her mother?
3. Does it appear that she is remorseful for the crime she committed?
4. Should she have explained this incident to the university at the time she
    submitted her application? Why?

5. The attorney for the 19-year-old stated, she was not obligated to disclose the
     information involving the killing of her mother, because it happened when she
     was a minor. Do you agree with the attorney? Why?

6.  Was the university's decision not to allow the student to attend college there,
      justifiable? Why?
 
Book Store:  
http://barriersbooks.com/Hot-Items

Obesity in Childhood

                                            

 
Ellen J. Barrier

Published Author/ Marketing Skills/ Medical Professional Musician/ Product Consultant/ Performing Arts/ Recording Artist/ Songwriter/ Spirituality Counselor/ Creative Writing & Public Speaking.  

What's Really Causing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic?
                                                                                                                 

There are preventative measures that parents can take to prevent childhood obesity. Three things that can be watched closely are, diet, exercise and scheduling. These things should begin when the child is brought home from the hospital. The one thing to keep in mind is every time the baby cries, he or she is not hungry.

 Overfeeding is not healthy.  Sticking to a schedule is very important in the early years of childhood, because it prevents snacking in between meals in later years that can lead to overeating. Most family’s meals are Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Preventive measures to take to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Diet:  

Bread

Cereal

Fruit

Milk & Dairy  

Meat (lean meat, poultry, fish)

Vegetables (dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, dry beans, peas, and other nutritionals such as corn and potatoes) Teaching a child to eat in small portions is very important. If they want more after eating the smaller portion, they should be able to have more. Overeating and too many snacks between meals are problems to avoid. A few healthy snacks between meals should be allowed if the child is hungry.

Exercise:

From crib to adult years exercise is very important. When babies are placed on a quilt on the floor, they can move around easier, and have closer contact with the parents and family. This aids in crawling and walking a lot sooner. There are many things parents can do to help their children get the proper exercise they need.

Bicycling

Dancing

Gymnastics

Hockey

Jogging

Jumping rope

Playing balls

Soccer

Swinging

Swimming

Tennis

Tricycle

Walking

Scheduling:

Having a set time for each meal is very important, it prevent snacking before meals that can prevent eating the most important food. If a child is not hungry during the meal because they are filled from snacks, they aren’t going to eat, or if they are encouraged to eat, this will add extra calories and will lead to weight gain.  And it sends a message to the brain to eat, even though the child isn’t hungry, that is carried through teenage years and into adult years.

 How we prepare meals and scheduling are examples we set for our children.  Keeping a cookie jar and candy in the house was never something I have done. It was not a traditional thing in my childhood. As parents, we pass much of our cultural traditions to our children. We have to be careful to determine what is good and what is not. I have shared with you the things that have worked for my family and myself, that prevented obesity in our childhood and in our adult years.

By:  Ellen J. Barrier
Published Author/ Medical Professional

Books on Childhood Obesity

Overweight: What Kids Say:
What's Really Causing the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
By Robert A. Pretlow MD

Book Store:  http://astore.amazon.com/books-247-20/detail/1450534392

Barrier's Health and Fitness Website: http://barriershealthandfitness.com/