Kids are bound to catch a cold during the winter months. This is just one thing that is completely unavoidable. Parents are usually a child's first teacher and can act as role model when it comes to teaching their children to interact socially with others... Under most state laws, domestic violence is defined as any physical abuse, or threat of abuse, between intimately involved partners, roommates, or family members. POST What is SPLOST? Where does the money go? How is the money used? Let’s take a look. All of Chatham County thrives on substantial sales tax revenues. The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (one penny) and the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (one penny) funds massive capital improvement projects such as roads, drainage projects, detention center expansion, new civic center construction and new schools. What is SPLOST? The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is a voter-approved 1% tax on taxable goods in Chatham County that can only be used for certain kinds of construction expenses. Is that the only sales tax we have? SPLOST is 1% of an overall 7% sales tax in Chatham County. When you go to the store and purchase a $1.00 soda, you pay 7 cents in sales tax. Of those 7 pennies, 4 pennies go to the State of Georgia. The remaining 3 pennies stay in Chatham County. continued on page 2 Every year at Halloween EOA Head Start/EHS host Hallow-Read, a day when children dress up as their favorite book characters and parents visit classrooms to read stories. When Dejah couldn’t find a book for her character her mom, Mrs. Pinckney, sprang into action. “EOA Head Start has instilled in my daughter that the sky is the limit,” said Mrs. Pinckney. “Therefore, when asked what she wanted to be for the character parade she said Supergirl. We could not find a Supergirl book, so we created our own.” So once again Mrs. Pinckney saved the day, because that’s what Supermoms do. continued from page 1 How are our 3 pennies divided? Of those 3 pennies, the first penny goes to E-SPLOST, which is used by the school system for capital projects like new schools and technology. The second penny, called LOST, is divided amongst the County and 8 municipalities for general expenditures. The third penny is SPLOST, and is divided amongst the same jurisdictions for capital projects. How is SPLOST divided? As the County and Cities prepare to go to voters to ask them to renew SPLOST, they must decide how much each jurisdiction will receive. To do this, planners must make certain estimates about how much revenue the sales tax will generate during the six-year collection period. Intergovernmental Agreements between each City and the County include the planned distribution and use of the projected revenue. For more information about these projects and their associated timelines, visit www.savannahga.gov, www.chathamcounty.org, and www.savannahchathampublicscho ols.gov. Kids are bound to catch a cold during the winter months. This is just one thing that is completely unavoidable. What parents can do is prepare themselves for winter colds. This involves making sure that your home is well stocked on all of the items that you need. These items include things that will help to keep your kids happy and comfortable while they are sick. Whether your children take vitamin C, or chewable vitamins prescribed by your doctor it is important that you stay well stocked up on these items. Even if your child gets a cold making sure they get their vitamins can help to keep their body strong to fight the germs. There are plenty of fever reducer and decongestant medicine for children that you should make sure your home is well stocked up on. Be sure that any cold medicine that you use has been approved by your child's doctor. There are some medicines which are not appropriate for very young children. During the fall and winter months you will notice that boxes of tissues tend to go on sale. This is a good time to stock up on boxes of antibacterial tissues. The antibacterial tissues are best because they kill the germs once they hit the tissue. Of course if you use regular tissues they will work just as good. Usually when one person gets sick many others in the house tend to get sick as well. To minimize the spread of germs in the house you can spray disinfectant through out the house. Stocking up on these items ahead of time will help you to have to run out at a later time. Keeping fresh fruit and vegetables in the house is very important during the winter months. When a child begins to feel sick you can make them up a nice fruit drink which kids love, or a warm soup. If you take the time to make these items from scratch you will save yourself some money and you don't have to worry about the ingredients in each of them. The fruit drinks are a great way for young kids to get the vitamins that they need without taking any supplements. When a child is sick you will go through tissues and other items very quickly. Be sure that you are well stocked up on garbage bags so that you will not need to run out for them later. When a child is sick they also get very board, but they do not have the energy to do anything. A few board games or books can go a long way in helping to keep your child occupied while they are sick. Nowadays many parents use digital thermometers. This means that eventually you will have to replace the batteries. Be sure that you check the batteries and buy extra ones when they no longer work. These are just a few basic tips that you can use to get your home ready for the winter months. Taking Caution While Trick or Treating Trick or Treating should be one of the great adventures of Halloween for kids! They can get dressed in scary costumes and go door to door, begging "Tricks or Treats!" from neighbors or at the local mall. Lots of small towns have a Halloween Safe Night at the community center or school so kids can Trick-or-Treat safely but going door to door is the stuff of childhood memories! It should be a fun time, so following some easy tips can keep your child safe every Halloween. Children should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult. If you have a group of kids going, the parents should choose two or three of them to go along and keep an eye on things. Some towns set a curfew for trick or treating which makes it easier for townsfolk to know who's coming to their door. Make sure and stick to the curfew times and stick to subdivisions and areas with a lot of homes so your kids can get in as much trick or treating as possible in a few hours. Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves. Make sure that they have a cell phone. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields if they are out alone. Make sure they know to stay in populated areas and not to go off the beaten track. Let them know to stay in well lighted areas with lots of people around. Explain to them why it can be dangerous for kids not to do this. If they are going out alone, they are old enough to know what can happen to them in a bad situation and how to stop it from happening. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. This way you can check for any problem candy and get the pick of the best stuff! Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car. Explain why this is not a god idea and what to do if someone approaches them and tries to talk to them. Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult. By Dr. Paul Roumeliotis Parents are usually a child's first teacher and can act as role model when it comes to teaching their children to interact socially with others and to do such simple things as understand to wait in line or wait their turn. Children should learn that they are sharing the home with others and they are not the only person in the home. This concept applies to the school environment. These are important skills because at school children will be asked to organize their desks put things away and wait their turn. Having learned and practiced these skills/concepts at home will give them an edge once school starts. Another helpful pre-school activity that parents can practice is giving their children the opportunity to listen to and learn language through story telling. One of the best ways to prepare children for school entry is to read to them. Not only does story reading offer a one-on-one quiet time with children, it can help develop children's listening and language skills. Today, research suggests that pre-school age children watch TV for 3-8 hours a day. Although educational TV programs are also helpful, they should complement and not replace the one-on- one reading time, which is also an opportunity for children to interact with their parents in a calm quiet setting and get used to communicating to each other. Developmental Milestones for Toddlers Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Skills such as taking turns, playing make believe, and kicking a ball, are called developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like jumping, running, or balancing). pencils or crayons in her mouth when coloring or drawing. Do NOT hold hot drinks while your child is sitting on your lap. Sudden movements can cause a spill and might result in your child being burned. Make sure that your child sits in the back seat and is buckled up properly in a car seat with a harness. Because of children’s growing desire to be independent, this stage is often called the "terrible twos." However, this can be an exciting time for parents and toddlers. Toddlers will experience huge thinking, learning, social, and emotional changes that will help them to explore their new world, and make sense of it. During this stage, toddlers should be able to follow two- or three-step directions, sort objects by shape and color, imitate the actions of adults and playmates, and express a wide range of emotions. Begin teaching healthy habits early. Talk with staff at your child care provider to see if they serve healthier foods and drinks, and if they limit television and other screen time. Your toddler might change what food she likes from day to day. It’s normal behavior, and it’s best not to make an issue of it. Encourage her to try new foods by offering her small bites to taste. Keep television sets out of your child's bedroom. Limit screen time, including video and electronic games, to no more than 1 to 2 hours per day. Encourage free play as much as possible. It helps your toddler stay active and strong and helps him develop motor skills. Because your child is moving around more, he will come across more dangers as well. Dangerous situations can happen quickly, so keep a close eye on your child to help keep your growing toddler safe. Do NOT leave your toddler near or around water (for example, bathtubs, pools, ponds, lakes, whirlpools, or the ocean) without someone watching her. Fence off backyard pools. Drowning is the leading cause of injury and death among this age group. Encourage your toddler to sit when eating and to chew his food thoroughly to prevent choking. Check toys often for loose or broken parts. Encourage your toddler not to put 1 2 3 4 Read & Pretend Set up a special time to read books with your toddler. Encourage your child to take part in pretend play. Go Exploring Help your child to explore things around her by taking her on a walk or wagon ride. Sing with Your Child Teach your child simple songs like Itsy-Bitsy Spider, or other cultural childhood rhymes. Handle Tantrums Give your child attention and praise when she follows instructions and shows positive behavior and limit attention for defiant behavior like tantrums. Teach your child acceptable ways to show that she’s upset. What is it and what are the signs? By: A.A.R.D.V.A.R.C. Under most state laws, domestic violence is defined as any physical abuse, or threat of abuse, between intimately involved partners, roommates, or family members. In some states, the legal wording extends to include anyone with whom you have had a child, whether or not they live with you or EVER lived with you. Domestic violence can (and often DOES) happen outside the home - what makes it "domestic violence" is the relationship between the parties, regardless of WHERE the violence occurs. Domestic violence is often thought about as being inflicted from a husband to a wife, but it can also include violence from a teenager to a parent, from a wife to her husband, between siblings and other family members, between your ex and your current love interest (you are the uniting factor in the middle), and between partners in gay/lesbian couples, even if not living together. Law enforcement and the courts use domestic violence as an umbrella term for a wide variety of combinations of other crimes. Most domestic violence charges include at least one "person to person" crime, such as assault (threatening to harm someone either by word or action) or battery (ANY level of unwanted touching). There does NOT have to be injury for a domestic violence charge even pushing or grabbing is enough! If there IS any level of injury, the battery can be charged at a higher level. Other common elements of domestic violence crimes include: kidnapping (which can be as simple as not letting you leave the room), criminal mischief or vandalism (egging your house, scratching up your car), burglary (entering your home or vehicle without your permission, even if nothing is taken), and stalking. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence, when one person believes they are entitled to control another. While the police are concerned with the commission of a crime (assault, battery, kidnapping etc. as noted above), the advocacy community is concerned with the larger picture. Notice that the law enforcement side doesn't look at (and can't arrest or prosecute for) emotional abuse, financial control, isolation techniques, the destruction of the victim's relationships with family and friends; child custody and visitation issues or many of the other ways that are used to terrorize a victim into submission. Fortunately for victims, there are social scientists, researchers, domestic violence programs, advocates and other professionals who can and DO take these factors into consideration. Together, all sides work to bring safety for victims and their children, accountability for offenders, changes in social and cultural attitudes that foster family violence, and support and resources for those caught up in the cycle of violence. Is Someone You Know Being Abused? There is no way to tell for sure if someone is experiencing domestic violence. Those who are battered, and those who abuse come in all genders, shapes, sizes, colors, economic classes, sexual orientations and personality types. Victims are not always passive with low self-esteem, and abusers do not always exhibit frequent violent or hateful behavior to their partners, especially in front of others. Most people experiencing relationship violence do not tell others what goes on at home. So how do you tell? Look for the signs: Injuries and Excuses: In some cases, bruises and injuries may occur frequently and be in obvious places. When this happens, the abuser may be purposefully intending to keep the victim isolated and trapped at home. When black eyes and other bruising is a result of domestic violence, the victim may be forced to call in sick to work, miss school, or cancel social obligations or appointments in order to avoid the embarrassment and making excuses of how the injuries occurred. When there are frequent injuries seen by others, the victim may talk about being clumsy, or have elaborate stories of how the injuries occurred. In other cases, bruises and other outward injuries may be inflicted in places where the injuries won't show. This too is a tactic used by an abuser to keep a victim from reaching out or from having the violence exposed. Absences from Work or School: When violence occurs, the victim may take time off from their normal schedule. If you see this happening, or the person is frequently late, this could be a sign of something (such as relationship violence) occurring. Not only may visible injury or bruising keep the victim at home as noted above, but the victim may need to take advantage of times when the abuser is away, such as at work, to care for themselves, sleep, or to recuperate from the incident or contem- plate the situation and possible courses of action. Extremes of Self-Esteem: Some victims have low self-esteem, while others have a great deal of confidence and esteem in other areas of their life (at work, as a parent, with hobbies, etc.) but not within their relationship. In terms of dealing with the relationship, a sense of powerlessness may exist. A victim may believe that they could not make it on their own or that they are somehow better off with the abuser as part of their life. On the OTHER side of the coin, many victims see themselves in a much more positive light, even to the extent that profess to be able to CHANGE an abuser, if they could just figure out what they, the victim, needs to "fix" in the abuser to get the behaviors to change. In the first case, victims stay because they agree that they are worthy of the treatment the abuser dishes out, while in the second, denial of the seriousness of the violence, coupled with overconfidence in the ability to alter another person keeps victims and abusers together. Both are dangerous. Fear of Conflict: As a result of being battered, some victims may generalize the experience of powerlessness with other relationships. Conflicts with coworkers, friends, relatives, and neighbors can create a lot of anxiety. For many, it is easier to give in to whatever someone else wants than to challenge it. Asserting needs and desires begins to feel like a battle, and not worth the risks of losing. These victims tend to get victimized over and over, not only by the abuser, but by bosses, co-workers, family members, indeed almost everyone around them, who knowingly or not, learns that the victim will give them what they demand. Stress-Related Problems: These often manifest as poor sleep, sleeping at strange times (also a sign of depression), experiencing non-specific aches or pains that are either constant and/or recurring, stomach problems, chronic headaches, and flare up of problems made worse by stress such as eczema. Domestic violence, in any form, should never be tolerated. For help, call Parent & Child at (912) 238-2777.