Balanced Life Skills Martial Arts

The summertime offers more free time and our kids are going to want to do things online more than ever.  So what are some guidelines that we can set and how do we keep them safe.  This article that just came out covers this material very well.  It is at the Common Sense Media website.

As for Balanced Life Skills we will be covering age appropriate reminders for students on internet safety in our Focus on Friendship summer workshops for kids.  In this part of the workshop we will be talking to each group about defining the term cyber-bullying, and helping them to see healthy ways to use the computer and safety rules for them to be aware are necessary.   Each age group will be treated appropriately.

Announcement: Balanced Life Skills introduces the first in a series of public websites that will address issues that our children, parents and teachers will be interested in following.  The first of this series is Bully Prevention Partners.  This public site will have information for all on it, but will also invite everyone to become a partner in changing the culture of our schools and communities.

Here is the link to Bully Prevention Partners.  Please take a look and let me know what we might be able to add to it to make it more useful for all.  Future sites will cover a number of subjects that we are looking for partners in educating and bringing awareness too.  We look forward to the coming weeks.

QPR Gatekeeper Training Flyer

QPR Gatekeeper Training Flyer

Ask a question, Save a life

Student Workshop: Bully Prevention & Healthy Relationships

We are pleased to announce that this summer Balanced Life Skills will be conducting workshops for students on bully prevention with a focus on relationships and friendship.   Each workshop will be gender specific and age specific.

For Today’s Parents:

Creating a Culture of Peace in our Schools and Community

Information every parent should have on what is bullying and why we must not ignore it.  We will discuss the effects on every child, and why children do not tell their parents it is happening.  We will also discuss what to do if your child is the bully, bullied or is a follower.

Dates for this workshop are Monday May 7th or Wednesday May 16th at 6:30 PM

If you are interested please call us at 410-263-0050

Parent workshop will be FREE

For Today’s Girls & Young Women:

It’s not just girls being girls.  It has a name: Relational Aggression

This workshop will be age appropriate  and focus on relational aggression.   The lessons will equip girls with an understanding of the language of peer aggression, including the roles that are played out, and the steps needed to develop healthy, inclusive friendships.  Our goal is to raise awareness about the nature of and the impact of relational aggression on the lives of young women.   This is a great program for girl scout groups from Daisy to Senior & Ambassador.  Here are the dates and age groups for the girls program.

Monday – Wednesday July 9-11  10 AM to 1 PM     Kindergarten and First grade girls and boys combined

Monday – Wednesday July 16-18  10 AM to 1 PM     Second and Third Grade Girls

Monday – Wednesday July 30-August 1  10 AM to 1 PM     Fourth and Fifth Grade Girls

Monday – Wednesday August 13-15  10 AM to 1 PM        Middle School Girls

They will explore how aggression affect their lives, how social norms impact decisions, what is friendship, what makes an effective leader, and digital citizenship.  Each workshop will be $75

For Today’s Boys & Young Men:

Reduce Aggression, Increase Self Empowerment

This workshop will be age appropriate  and focus on relational aggression and bullying.   The lessons will identify the roles of bullying situations, assess the importance of the bystander, determine the positive qualities of friendship and leadership.    This is a great program for boy scout groups from Tiger Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.  Here are the dates and age groups for the boys program.

Monday – Wednesday July 9-11  10 AM to 1 PM     Kindergarten and First grade girls and boys combined

Monday – Wednesday July 23-25  10 AM to 1 PM     Second and Third Grade Boys

Monday – Wednesday August 6 – August 8  10 AM to 1 PM     Fourth and Fifth Grade Boys

Monday – Wednesday August 20-22  10 AM to 1 PM        Middle School Boys

They will explore how bullying affect their lives, what does it mean to be a man, what is friendship, what makes an effective leader, and digital citizenship.  Each workshop will be $75

Contact us Today and reserve your spot for any of these workshops.

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We all know that too much screen time is not a good substitute for play and interaction with our children.  The majority of us though have been guilty from time to time of using screens – tv, ipad, computer – as a babysitter.  So what is the right thing to do?  How much screen time should our youngest children, under 2, be exposed to?  You may be surprised by the recommendations of the the American Academy of Pediatrics makes.  One of my favorite resources for media advice is Common Sense Media.  Here is a great article on How Much Screen Time Should Young Children Have?

This year in 2011 we are commemorating the 30th anniversary of Peace Day.  The video below is a live stream of activities and thoughts about creating peace in the world that we live.

The Fourth of July is rolling around again. This is a great time to celebrate with friends, have a cookout, and be patriotic in general. But before the festivities begin, it is important to know how to make sure they are safe.  This post includes information on fireworks, barbecues, boating, pool parties, and the sun. It’s only fun until someone gets hurt, so lets try to make sure the fun lasts all through the day injury-free.

Fireworks

The first area of safety concern is the obvious: fireworks. Fireworks are beautiful, fun, and patriotic displays, so we should learn how to incorporate them into our celebrations safely. Here are some things you should not do : Read the rest of this entry →

Balanced Life Skills Emergency Response to Drowning Children Can Learn

Each year according to the CDC 750 children will lose their life to drowning. It is important that children and adults be aware of what they should be looking for and know what they can do to assist.

It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Dr. George “Doc” Thompson. For 27 years, as founder and CEO of the Verbal Judo Institute, Doc led the charge to elevate the professionalism and communication skills for crisis professionals, such as law enforcement and all first responders. His work gained many followers, in both the public and private sectors.

“The entire basis of Verbal Judo is to treat people with dignity and respect, most of all your family and close friends,” Thompson wrote in the forward to his book, “Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion.” (This book sold 250,000 copies and is scheduled for re-release later this year.) “Be ever so careful how you speak to them, as words can cut deeper and fester longer than sword wounds,” he continued. “Ironically, we often spend less energy being kind to those closest to us. Change it!”

Dr. Thompson has given us the strategies and the language to make the world a better place.

Knowing that words can cut deeper and wounds from words can last longer is the reason that Balanced Life Skills has learned from “Doc” Thompson to teach our students how to communicate when others are less than pleasant to us. Verbal Self Defense is the communication skills that everyone can learn and practice including children. It is this self defense that is the number one way we can teach our children to defend themselves from those that would like to pick on or tease them. It starts with understanding our own worth and having confidence along with “mushin”. If you do not know what “mushin” is visit us at Balanced Life Skills to see how this ancient Asian philosophy can affect how we deal with others.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. George Thompson here is a link to a summary of his life. If you would like your children to learn Verbal Judo, please contact us at Balanced Life Skills. We would love to have you be a part of our continued efforts to build a culture of peace in our schools and community.