Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

On February 4, 2009, thousands of sports educators, coaches, athletic directors, recreation directors, association members, sponsors, students, and parents across the country will show their support of the Day and of this year’s theme, “Look Who’s Playing”
Take a Look at Who’s Playing!

Athletes, like Martina, who played or are still playing, making a difference, overcoming difficult circumstances, breaking records and making things possible.

Despite the stunning advances made in the 35 years since Title IX was enacted, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than do boys, and evidence suggests that the money spent on girls’ sports programs lags significantly behind the money spent on boys’ programs.

Help Support Sports Opportunities for High School Girls!

Despite the enormous progress made in the 35 years since Title IX was enacted, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than do boys, and the money spent on girls’ sports is still far less than that spent on boys’ sports. But unlike colleges, high schools are not required to disclose any data on gender equity in sports, making it hard for schools, students and parents to ensure fairness in their schools’ athletics programs.

The High School Athletics Accountability Act of 2007 (H.R. 901) and the High School Sports Information Collection Act of 2007 (S. 518) would address the ongoing inequalities by requiring high schools to report information (most of which is already collected by schools) on the gender breakdown of their teams and athletics expenditures. This information will allow schools, parents and students to evaluate their athletics programs to make sure that they are treating boys and girls equally. Click here to encourage your elected officials to pass these two important, bipartisan bills that will make a huge difference in the lives of girls.

From our friendly pediatricians at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), come this delightful list of tips for showing your love to your children or grandchildren this Valentine’s Day. What a great substitute for candy or sweets!

1. Use plenty of positive words with your child. Try to avoid using sarcasm with your child. They often don’t understand it, and if they do, it creates a negative interaction.

2. Respond promptly and lovingly to your child’s physical and emotional needs and banish put-downs from your parenting vocabulary.

3. Make an extra effort to set a good example at home and in public. Use words like “I’m sorry,” “please,” and “thank you.”

4. When your child is angry, argumentative or in a bad mood, give him a hug, cuddle, pat, secret sign or other gesture of affection he favors and then talk with him about it when he’s feeling better.

5. Use non-violent forms of discipline. Parents should institute both rewards and restrictions many years before adolescence to help prevent trouble during the teenage years. Allowing children of any age to constantly break important rules without being disciplined only encourages more rule violations.

6. Make plans to spend time alone with your young child or teen doing something she enjoys.

7. Mark family game nights on your calendar so the entire family can be together. Put a different family member’s name under each date, and have that person choose which game will be played that evening.

8. Owning a pet can make children, especially those with chronic illnesses and disabilities, feel better by stimulating physical activity, enhancing their overall attitude, and offering constant companionship.

9. One of the best ways to familiarize your child with good food choices is to encourage him to cook with you. Let him get involved in the entire process, from planning the menus to shopping for ingredients to the actual food preparation and its serving. It is wonderful when families eat together as much as possible. Good food, good conversations.

10. As your child grows up, she’ll spend most of her time developing and refining a variety of skills and abilities in all areas of her life. You should help her as much as possible by encouraging her and providing the equipment and instruction she needs.

11. Your child’s health depends significantly on the care and guidance you offer during his early years. By taking your child to the doctor regularly for consultations, keeping him safe from accidents, providing a nutritious diet, and encouraging exercise throughout childhood, you help protect and strengthen his body.

12. Help your child foster positive relationships with friends, siblings and members of the community.

13. One of your most important gifts as a parent is to help your child develop self-esteem. Your child needs your steady support and encouragement to discover his strengths. He needs you to believe in him as he learns to believe in himself. Loving him, spending time with him, listening to him and praising his accomplishments are all part of this process.

14. Don’t forget to say, “I love you” to children of all ages!

Parenting tips are available in both English and Spanish at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/febvaltips.cfm

I loved the book and loved the movie even more. This heartwarming and empowering story based on the celebrated best-selling novel by the same name, The Secret Life of Bees arrives on DVD and Blu-ray disc February 3. Set during the turbulent Civil Rights era, The Secret Life of Bees stars Dakota Fanning (Charlotte’s Web, War of the Worlds) as Lily Owens, a 14-year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with her caregiver to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother’s past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and is forced to confront her own dark past and discover what it means to be a family. A thought-provoking and emotional film, The Secret Life of Bees explores the undeniable desire for a sense of belonging and the often-daunting journeys that must be navigated in order to achieve it.

Based on the award-winning novel by Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees was on the New York Times best-seller list for two years and sold over 4.7 million copies. The film features a critically acclaimed supporting cast including Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls, Sex and the City), Oscar nominees Queen Latifah (Best Supporting Actress, Chicago) and Sophie Okonedo (Best Supporting Actress, Hotel Rwanda) and 16-time Grammy Award-winner Alicia Keys. A universal story about the powerful discovery of family, hope and love, The Secret Life of Bees DVD includes features with the cast and crew, extended scenes and more.

This is a great film to share with your school age children as it offers excellent talking points about civil rights and American history.

Keep your eyes peeled for some great new DVDs for your youngest – coming to the shelves in early February. Some of my favoriate selections are:

The Doodlebops are one of my favorite music DVDs for kids. Their new title,  JAMMIN’ WITH THE DOODLEBOPS will be released on February 3. For the first them, the DVD comes packaged with a separate music CD. The theme of this DVD is music, from exploring the rewards of practice and patience to overcoming stage fright, to singing a song on a dinosaur hunt. Cast: Deedee, Rooney, and Moe Doodle; Director: Wayne Moss, Jamie Waese, and Steve Wright. http://www.doodlebops.com/

From one of our favorite creators, Jim Jenkins comes: Pinky Dinky Doo: Where Are My Shoes. Featuring mighty metaphors and silly similes, seven-year-old Pinky Dinky Doo loves to make up crazy stories for her four-year-old brother Tyler Dinky Doo and her lovable pet, Mr. Guinea Pig. In her latest adventure, Pinky goes to school with salami on her feet when she can’t find her shoes, encounters a singing guinea pig, harmonizing pets, a gargantuan Pinky and much more! Always prepared to solve any problem with a little imagination, each episode teaches children about working together as a team, improves their vocabulary with the “Great Big Fancy Word” and addresses problem-solving skills. At the end of each story, Pinky’s Cheese Sandwich Game Player switches on, inviting children to play an interactive game.

From Genius Products comes Escape To Chimp Eden – Journey into the depths of South Africa and experience the fascinating events at Chimp Eden when “Escape To Chimp Eden” Season One arrives as a two-disc DVD for the first time on February 3. The heartfelt series follows conservationist Eugene Cussons, a South African rescue director for the Jane Goodall Institute’s Chimp Eden, as he travels throughout war-torn African countries to rescue neglected and abused chimps. Once brought to the sanctuary of Chimp Eden, Eugene works hands-on with these challenging chimps, sometimes putting his own safety on the line to teach them basic skills such as climbing trees and foraging for food. “Escape To Chimp Eden” Season One provides viewers with compelling stories that are both educational and adventurous.

Also from Genius Products is Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht Season 3 – Hardly your typical American family, nonstop chaos returns when Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht Season 3 is delivered on DVD February 3.  Following the super-sized family as they tackle seemingly ordinary activities such as visiting the zoo, vacationing in Utah, going to Disney World or celebrating the holidays, the #1 show on TLC showcases how the Gosselins manage their extraordinary lives raising two sets of energetic multiples. Featuring all-new extended episodes as well as a Gosselin family music video, Jon & Kate Plus Ei8ht  Season 3 continues to offer insight into Jon and Kate’s unique approach to child-rearing. Twins followed by sextuplets were not exactly what the Gosselins expected, but Jon and Kate’s ambitious parenting and dedication to provide a normal childhood for their happy brood has helped the show attract a large and dedicated fan base.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common diagnosis in U.S. school children, and many of these children are treated with medication. In the study, “Hallucinations and Other Psychotic Symptoms Associated With the Use of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs in Children,” researchers analyzed data from 49 randomized, controlled clinical trials as well as postmarketing surveillance data on ADHD drugs. The data show that some people, including some with no identifiable risk factors, can develop drug-related symptoms of psychosis or mania at usual doses. Hallucinations involving visual or tile sensations of insects, snakes or worms were reported in pediatric postmarketing cases. Patients and physicians should be aware that these symptoms may represent adverse drug reactions.

If parents smoke, chances are their adolescents will too. The study, “Parental Smoking and Adolescent Smoking Initiation: An Intergenerational Perspective on Tobacco Control,” looked at 564 adolescents enrolled in the New England Family Study. The authors found that there is a direct link between parental smoking and initiation of smoking by adolescents. The factors impacting the initiation of smoking by teens were parents who were active regular smokers and parents who smoked around their children before age 13. Fathers who smoke are more likely to influence teen boys than girls. The authors conclude that this study can be used to encourage parents to quit smoking as part of an effort to curb the initiation of smoking among teens.