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On a Sunday in April 1999, the lifeless body of a newborn girl was discovered in a Dumpster in an alley in North Hollywood. In Pocatello, Idaho, on a recent Monday morning, police found the body of a baby in a Dumpster behind an apartment complex. On a Wednesday in May 2000, in Kingman, Ariz., a local resident awoke to find a baby, umbilical cord still attached, in a small cardboard box next to a residential trash can set out for pickup. Typically you'll read about a young, single mother who decides she can't handle the responsibility of a child, panics and attempts to dispose of the newborn as discreetly as possible. In an effort to reduce instances of child abandonment, the state of California has in place the Safely Surrendered Baby Law. The law, which went into effect more than two years ago, allows a parent or person with lawful custody to relinquish their baby confidentially and/or anonymously to a hospital within three days of birth, without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment. In the subsequent 14 days, the parent or person who surrenders the child can return to reclaim the child if they so choose. The law is a helping hand to parents not yet ready for the responsibility of parenthood. It's an attempt to save a life and prevent the prosecution of a panicked parent who is struggling to make the right decision. This issue, however, is two-sided. Those in opposition fear that the law provides an after-the-fact safety net, which is not a solution to the problem of unplanned pregnancy or the inability of a parent to care for a child. They also believe that every case of infant abandonment is a red flag, indicating that the social service system has failed the woman or teen by not enabling her to terminate her pregnancy safely and early, keep the child, or place the baby up for adoption. In addition to concerns over the morality or rationale behind the law, there is concern about its effectiveness. In California, as of September 2002, 20 babies had been safely surrendered. This is, in part, due to a $500,000 initial campaign launched by the California Department of Social Services' Child Abuse Prevention program and its "No Shame, No Blame, No Names" campaign. The law, however, has yet to receive extensive media coverage and remains unknown to many females in the campaign's 14-to 38-year-old target audience. To date, 42 states have enacted such protections, although the laws vary from state to state (in Minnesota, for example, newborns up to 3 days old may be surrendered). Child abandonment will inevitably occur as long as unplanned pregnancies do. But states across the country hope that safe haven legislation will be effective in curtailing any upward trends. Although the issue has, and will, spark debate among various interest groups, religious affiliations and the general public, it is becoming more widely known. The important thing is that discussion is occurring, because with discussion and debate come reform and progress. Hopefully the issue will be brought into the forefront in coming years so that more women are exposed to options they may not know they have. No Shame. No Blame. No Names. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than one-third of all babies in the United States are born to unmarried parents. But despite the prevalence of out-of-wedlock births, a sizable percentage of Americans believe that having a baby outside of marriage is morally wrong. Gallup's May 2003 survey of moral values in the United States found that 51 percent of U.S. adults believe having a baby outside of marriage is morally acceptable, but 46 percent believe it is morally wrong. Big Spenders Britney Spears syndrome: Teens don't save Nearly three in four teens, some 72 percent, plan to work this school year, but more of their windfall will be seen by Britney Spears than by banks or brokers, according to a Junior Achievement/Harris Interactive Poll. In all, 57 percent of those polled said they will spend their money on entertainment such as movies, CDs and games, 50 percent will buy clothes, and 41 percent will spend their proceeds on a car. Coming in fourth was saving for college at 33 percent, while investing was near the bottom of the list, 16 percent. Taking up the rear were school supplies and helping the family (14 percent each). Other expenses accounted for 21 percent of the answers. The survey of 624 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 was conducted in August. "The encouraging thing is that at least a third of teens plan to save or invest their money," says Darrell Luzzo, senior vice president of education for Junior Achievement, Inc. "That's better than a lot of adults are doing. This is why it is important for parents to talk to their teens about saving and investing so they build upon these positive habits." Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and free enterprise. Information: www.ja.org. Turn the Page One world reading together on Dec. 5 A global read-a-thon will take place in classrooms around the world on Dec. 5 as millions of children participate in the fifth annual Scholastic Read for 2004. The goal of the event is for parents and teachers to set aside a special day to celebrate the joy of reading. Since 1999, the first year of the program, 5 million children and 27,000 teachers from all 50 states and throughout 60 countries have been connected inter-continentally and culturally through this event. Last year, 31 spouses of governors led statewide reading celebrations and delivered messages on the importance of reading. Information: www.scholastic.com/ReadFor2004. The website offers free resources to parents and teachers such as reading tips, book lists, downloadable bookmarks and reading certificates. Say It Isn't So Rationale for a national kids day Surely your children have asked, probably somewhere around Mother's Day or Father's Day, "Why isn't there a KIDS day?" The standard answer from most parents? "Every day is kids day!" Our lives revolve around them: helping with homework, carting them to practice and music lessons, acting as guardians of their health. Who needs a national kids day and how would it be different from any other day? Apparently, there IS a need for a special day dedicated to our children. At least, that's what the First Annual Meaningful Check-up on U.S. Children and Families reports. The survey of 1,000 parents and caregivers with children under the age of 18 living at home was conducted by the Boys & Girls Club of America, KidsPeace, and National KidsDay. It revealed that many parents believe they don't have the time, the internal capacity or the external resources to do as much for their children as they feel they should be doing. In fact most parents believe that collectively, U.S. parents have earned only a "C" grade in parenting. Among the surveys findings: More than half of parents say they have no time, little time, or wish they had more time to spend in physical activity with their kids. More than 40 percent claim to have no safe playgrounds or parks nearby. Almost half (49 percent) of parents admit not talking to their children about sexual activity and sexual pressure within the last year. (Those responding to this question had children age 3 or older that could be told in some fashion about inappropriate touching, etc.) 27 percent of respondents claimed that their children had limited, little or no access to health care. Slightly more than half of parents report that their children eat some, but not nearly enough healthy food. Nearly a quarter of all parents reported that their children have displayed sadness and worrisome or troubling behavior. Unfortunately, 57 percent feel that they need more guidance and information on how to communicate with their children when they feel unsafe or threatened. Half of all parents surveyed say they don't have enough time to read to their children, take them to cultural events or help them with their homework. Almost one-fourth admit to attending sporting events or parent-teacher conferences "infrequently." Overall, while giving parents a "C" grade, most parents gave themselves a "B." Perhaps a national kids day, which was launched in 2001 on the first Sunday in August, will take off as more parents become aware of the importance of spending time and communicating effectively with their children. Just Scratch No How to 'head off' head lice With the new school year well under way, it's possible you've already received a note from your child's school about head lice. As many as 12 million cases of lice (medically known as pediculosis) are reported each year, mostly among children, according to Hawthorne-based Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center. Many parents, however, are misinformed about effective treatment methods for this condition. Here are the facts. • Lice does not "jump" from one child to another. Direct contact, including sharing hats, combs or pillows with infected children, are typical ways lice is transferred. • Fumigating the home or classroom is not necessary. Lice feed off human blood and will die within 72 hours without it. Vacuuming is recommended to pick up fallen hair containing nits (lice eggs) from furniture, rugs, stuffed animals and car seats. • Lice can survive up to 30 days and a single female can lay as many as 100 eggs. Immediate and vigilant attention is required to eradicate a lice infestation. • Manual lice removal is essential, in combination with prescription shampoos and other topical treatments in order the remedy your child's discomfort. Combs and brushes should be soaked for one hour in a solution of water and anti-lice shampoo. • A shower cap or plastic wrap at night to keep the lice from spreading can actually cause harm to your child by accidentally wrapping around the child's nose and mouth during sleep. • All clothing and bedding should be washed in hot water and dried at high heat. By methodically inspecting your child's scalp and removing nits and lice, washing with anti-lice shampoo and being careful not to have direct contact with another carrier, you should soon be able to rid your child of this annoying and embarrassing problem. |
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