Rexanne's Web Review - Issue #29

Shopping

There is now a poll on spanking on the Web Review archives page. Please, please take a moment to cast your vote! The results will be used for research and I will post the weekly numbers in this newsletter. Your vote counts very much! You can access the poll here: Spanking Poll

Halloween is approaching quickly! In our house, the deadline for having costumes and accessories in place is October 20. If you have a tiny one to dress up for the holiday, be sure to check out our sponsor, Harrison's Halloween, for adorable infant costumes before it's too late to order. And to get you all in the mood, here's a link to my Halloween site, with everything spooky and fun on the Web: Rexanne's Halloween

"Just had to respond to your article about 'School-Over-placement.' I went through this with my first child. When he started kindergarten he was one of the last to turn five in the class. Never did the teacher let me know he struggled every day. The last week in school she let me know he would be in a special reading class in first grade, due to the problems he had in kindergarten. In first grade it got worse and we decided to hold him back a year. It was the best decision I've ever made.

I now know there were signs at home of his struggles at school. His grades really didn't show it until 1st grade. I could not get him to eat breakfast ... nothing I chose would be RIGHT! I could not chose the RIGHT clothes for him. He did not want to brush his teeth, he just didn't want to get ready to go to school. He would cry almost every night over doing his homework!

I'm glad to say he is now a great student! He receives great grades and enjoys school! Does his homework without being asked. What a great role maturity plays in learning! Thanks for addressing this topic. As a new Mom, with my first child in school, I wish I was more aware!"

There are so many valid points to consider in your words, Bev. Thank you for sharing your story!

Vi was on top of it enough to send this warning to everyone who read my tip about gargling with apple cider vinegar for sore throats in last week's newsletter:

"DO NOT USE UNDILUTED unless you don't like breathing without choking! Dilute it with purified water. I use distilled water, since I always have it on hand. I use the portions 1 part apple cider vinegar to 2 parts water. I have used it half-and-half, but it is a bit on the strong side. You can use it as many times a day or night as you wish, without worry about overuse."

Thank you for pointing the dilution fact out, Vi. Geesh ... hope no one choked on an undiluted dose of apple cider vinegar because I forgot to mention that rather important fact! LOL! Thankfully, it's good for you ... if you did OD on it straight, I am so sorry! But you won't die ...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Two lawsuits filed last week accuse the makers of the drug Ritalin and the American Psychiatric Association (AMA) of encouraging overdiagnosis of behavioral disorders in children to boost sales of the drug. Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. and the American Psychiatric Association promoted the belief that a large number of children need to take Ritalin for attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the lawsuits filed in New Jersey and California allege. A similar suit against the East Hanover, N.J.-based maker of the drug and the AMA was filed earlier this year in Texas. The latest suits were filed Wednesday in state Superior Court in Hackensack and in San Diego federal court by some of the same attorneys who filed huge lawsuits against gun makers and the tobacco industry. See the rest of the story here: Ritalin

Wow. Scary stuff. Don't get me started on the AMA ... just don't! ;-) I remain gagged ... I promise ...

However, both sides of the story need to be examined in this case. Deanna wrote this about our parenting topic of the week in the September 12 issue:

"My oldest grandson was A.D.H.D. When he was younger it was almost impossible to enjoy his company and he did very poorly in school. They finally put him on Ritalin. He is like a different person and does great in school. It took a while to get the dosage regulated, but now it is a pleasure to be around him. I know a lot of people don't approve of Ritalin, but it worked in his case."

Thank you for sharing this with us, Deanna. I also know two children who have benefited enormously from Ritalin. I believe it is over-prescribed however, I think parents need to weigh the benefits and risks of Ritalin carefully.

Karen wrote this in reference to our wonderful sponsor last month, FunMail4Kids:

"I liked the idea of having a service for sending mail to kids. It made me wonder if the same thing should be done for senior citizens. My father has been in the hospital for the past 6 weeks. It's very sad to see the number of elderly patients who have no visitors or phone calls whatsoever. I hope that people who normally just throw away their old books and magazines will consider donating them to a hospital or nursing home."

Great idea, Karen. I passed this information on to FunMail4Kids and they LOVED the idea! For those who missed FunMail4Kids in past issues, here's the link: FunMail4Kids

Michelle sent this information to share with Rexanna (NICE name!) who asked for shaving information for her son last week:

"You may want to tell Rexanna and the rest of your readers about EHow! You can find out how to do anything on this site. It has a step by step instruction sheet as well as pictures. Hope this helps!"

Thank you to Elaine, Dennis, Vicky, Jan, Penny, Sam, Sylvia and Jo for sending links and helpful messages for Rexanna's son, too! You are ALL the very best!

Quote of the Week: Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked. - Unknown

This Week's Web Review is Sponsored By: Bargainchildrensclothing.com
Offers more than 1500 name brand apparel items for kids from size newborn thru size 18 for both boys and girls priced at 20% - 70% off retail prices. Pants, shirts, tops, bottoms, shorts, dresses, pajamas, outerwear, short sets, pants sets, baby apparel items, preemies, underwear and much more.

Bullies ... Just writing the word makes my blood run cold. Bullies are an ugly but very real part of childhood. There's not much we can do to protect our children from these cruel and brutal kids except teach them how to defend themselves from an otherwise unprovoked attack of the bullying kind.

Bullies are kids who have tremendous low self-esteem. They feel better about themselves by tormenting another, usually smaller or weaker child. If a bully decides to pick on someone that is not smaller in size but otherwise imagined as weak, they will usually have a gang around to further ensure the unfairness of the battle. They do not fight fair, nor do they understand compassion, dignity or basic integrity. Gee, wonder where they learned all these lovely qualities?

A child who feels the need to bully another smaller or weaker child has most likely been bullied by a larger, stronger individual. Parents or caretakers who regularly torment or abuse their children are teaching these children to torment and abuse others who are not able to stand up to their size, strength or perceived power. These parents or caretakers are bullies themselves. Adult bullies are spouse beaters, verbal abusers, child abusers and the type of person we see personified in fiction as the menace to weaker, gentler people everywhere. They are the ones we love to hate in movies and books. Sadly, they are merely carrying on the tradition of their upbringing.

All we can do is teach our children to stand up for themselves in this situation ... to avoid kids who have nothing better to do than torture other children and how to defend themselves if they ever do become the target of a bully.

We do not regularly teach our children to kick someone's teeth down their throat or fill their ears with a vicious verbal attack but I do believe that, under extenuating circumstances, children should be taught to fight back, to do whatever it takes to stop their attacker. Children might ignore a name caller or walk away from an instigator, but to do nothing when physically hurt by another child (or adult) leaves them defenseless. I have told my daughters to never start a fight but to always finish one, if possible. They have my total approval in defending themselves, whatever it takes. As much as we don't want to tell our kids to hurt another, do we really want to see our kids get hurt themselves? Of course not.

My older daughter was tormented last year for the first few months of school by a group of boys who clearly had no idea how to relate to a cute girl. ;-) She was pretty freaked out ... at first. Then she fought back, giving them a dose of their own medicine. She stood up for herself with dignity and more smarts than the boys were capable of responding to. They are now all very good friends. These boys would fight to the death for her if she were threatened. They huddled around and comforted her when she didn't make the cheer leading team. They still apologize for having tortured her! LOL! Yes, she is a strong-minded kid. A lot of kids aren't. Those are the little darlings who need to learn to defend themselves the most.

Sometimes, enrolling a child, especially a boy, in a self-defense class works wonders for their self-esteem. They are instructed from the first day that they are not to use their newfound talent on another human being, however, the inner strength and physical control they learn can do wonders for their shy and reserved natures. Other good avenues for a child in need of a boost are sport lessons, gymnastics or possibly acting or dance classes for a child who expresses a desire to learn the arts. The better kids feel about themselves, the less likely they are to become victims or bullies in life. A good heart to heart conversation, where the child is heard and understood, can also work miracles in healing a wounded spirit.

A child who bullies other children needs to be stopped. They are in desperate need of instruction on caring for and nurturing others. Sometimes, a simple "How would you feel ..." can jar a recessed nerve in their brain to awaken compassion and respect. Naturally, these lessons are best learned at home but a child who is on his way to becoming a sociopath needs help wherever he can get it.

Approaching the parents of a bully is probably one of the most unrewarding encounters you might have. They most likely have taught their child to be a bully, albeit unconsciously through a variety of abusive behaviors. I think it is imperative that these parents be made aware of their child's antisocial problem, whether from the school or another parent whose kid has become a victim of the bully. In so doing, we might indirectly encourage some of these parents and caretakers to reevaluate their family values and environment.

Link #1 is a very good article on identifying a child who might be the victim of a bully: My Child is Being Bullied

Link #2 gives us an in-depth look at what it's like to be bullied: I Was Bullied

Link #3 is a somewhat disturbing interview with a bully. It gives insight into the heart and soul of a victimizer: The Mind of A Bully

---

Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

---

This article is available for reprint at no charge providing the resource box with the writer's information is included and remains intact.

Have an opinion about this topic or a story to share? Please send it: My Opinion

The first thing I noticed about In the Kitchen With Lucy was that Lucy put candy recipes at the top of her page. I like that in a person! :-)

This is a terrific, bright and cheerful cooking site with so many wonderful recipes, you'll be inspired to cook more than you should. Actually, Lucy has created a site around various other cooking sites. She brings you some of the best links for specific food items online. Each click will drag you from her pretty page but you'll be on a culinary journey worth packing for. Don't miss Bill's Tips. He has some great ones for cooking! The link to Pie Recipes boasts a list that will have the stove fired up past midnight. Mmmmmm!

Have fun in here, click away ... be sure to bookmark it first or you might never find your way back.

This is a very cool, awfully cute site for kids to learn about money, banks, interest rates and checking accounts.

Beginning with Penny, a sweet little coin, the characters will guide the kids through an all-about-money journey. Also found here is Mr. Dollar, Interest Ray and Mr. EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer). :-)

After the munchkins have had a chance to absorb all the facts about finance, Kid's Bank offers a fun and educational game to test them on what they've just learned.

"Here is a tip I came across for a special snack for kids that is so cute! Give them some goldfish crackers, and pretzel sticks (these are the fishing rods). Then have them dip their rods in peanut butter (the bait) and 'go fishing.' They can eat the fishing rod and the fish they catch."

I love that one, Elaine! Thank you! I now have crunchy things littering the peanut butter but it's OK ... We'll make that jar the designated fishing pond. ;-)

Got a tip or trick your fellow readers would enjoy or could use? Please send it here for possible publication in one of the next issues: Tips

OK, relax! I am not giving you a link to the latest Internet adult amusement. ;-)

This is a wonderful application, especially for my readers who send jokes and copy forwarded email. This program will remove those annoying << or >> from the text in a snap. Very cool and a very necessary application. There really is nothing more annoying than trying to read something that has a million <<<<< things in it!

Just download this program, copy the text to be forwarded, paste it into the Email Stripper and hit clean. Instant clean up! Then, paste it back into a new email and send it off. Nifty, huh? :-)

Oh boy ... git yer boots on mama cuz we're writin' country western songs tonight!

Greg's Country Western Song Generator is a great time waster. Pick a title, a location, an attitude and whip yourself into a frenzy of country western angst. After you've made your selections, you'll hear the background music you picked and you can sing along to the lyrics you chose. These can get pretty silly and some of the lyric choices are a tad on the raunchy side but it's all in good fun. If you think you'll be offended by references to cheap booze and less-than-pristine antics, you'd best skip right to the Home Page of the Week ... ;-)

There is such a lovely sentiment on this page, I wanted to share it with you all, even though it is written for a woman. For my male readers, this would be a good one to pass on to a female who you feel deserves to hear these words of empowerment and praise. Gee, you can even take these words to heart and replace the word woman with man! ;-)

Advertisement: Happythots - Almost guaranteed to make you smile! Happythots are humorous anecdotes, funny sayings, and motivational messages delivered to your email for FREE. See the testimonials! Subscribe now and see for yourself why people like Happythots at: Happythots

Advertisement: Join ClubMom today! It's FREE! ClubMom has one mission: to celebrate and serve Moms by asking what they want and giving it to them. When you join ClubMom, you are a member of a place to share, communicate, and, most important, celebrate all the joys and emotions of being a mom. Money saving specials, giveaways and so much more. Click to learn more about the benefits of your free membership: ClubMom

Advertisement: MsHealthy.com You are invited to join the fastest growing community on the Internet! MsHealthy.com is a friendly, informative site filled with the latest ideas on women's (and men's) health, welfare and happiness. Our state-of-the-art search engine makes it easy to find any medical information you need. Beauty guides, relationship advice, free email, message boards, chat, more than 1000 greeting cards and much more! All FREE for you! Visit us today for a healthier outlook on life!

To subscribe to Rexanne's Web Review click here and request to subscribe: Subscribe Click send and the next issue will be sent to you.

To unsubscribe: Send a million dollars cash in unmarked bills ... nah! Click here and request to unsubscribe: Unsubscribe Click send and you won't ever receive another issue. No guilt trips, either! :-)

To sponsor an issue of Rexanne's Web Review or to advertise with us, click here and request sponsor or ad info: Sponsor/Ad Info Click send and we'll get back to you!

The fine print: This newsletter is copyright - 2000 - in its entirety. Please pass it on, but also please leave it intact. :-) You are receiving this email because you sent a specific message asking to be placed on the mailing list for this newsletter. If you wish to be removed from this list, see the unsubscribe notice above. This is NOT SPAM, nor will you ever see a recipe featuring SPAM in this newsletter! ;-)

I have personally checked out the links provided here but they could possibly lead you to any number of bizarre and/or offensive sites. Surf at your own risk. The DIRECT links on this page are all family friendly unless stated otherwise. While this newsletter is family friendly, it is not necessarily intended to be read by children. Parents should always monitor their children while they are on the Internet.