Who Represents the Family?

Why does anyone have to "carry on"? Why doesn't a person quit when those closest to him don't seem to recognize any value in his efforts or any true understanding of his motives? After all, the search for some meaning in this confusing world is a fairly noble quest, isn't it. Or, is it? Would those who know us best be more satisfied to find more rewarding behavior within our small, tight circle of family than to recognize its importance in a large scheme of existence? Most would answer that family and close friends should occupy the vast majority of our time, yet what about those who find hope and meaning beyond a small, related group?

From successful experiences and natural inclinations, some people feel a desire to contribute beyond the bounds of close association. Despite resistance and repeated pleas to change and worry about matters at hand, their world is not bound by blood but by restless hearts. As they encounter these gypsy spirits at jobs or at leisure, they feel the need to engage.

Sometimes, the engagement is conversational; other times it is bent toward determined understanding; and yet other times it involves risking a thoughtful personal experience. The universal ingredient is always the sharing of souls. And, to many who live within a tight circle, a simplicity of connection with strangers is beyond simplistic and native understanding, but, the feeling of shared communication for others is almost like a sixth sense.

For those sharing, reaping some enjoyment of personal benefit from such fateful moments is taboo. In fact, most of the times a person extends his soul beyond his tight circle, he has no conscious memory of what, exactly, has transpired.

But, people who connect do recognize and file the experience in their long-term memories. If not at the moment of conception, some people become aware some time later of a unique understanding in their own perceptions of living. Statements that begin with phrases such as "It meant so much at the time" or "I didn't understand that at the time" or "I wish I would have" or simply "I know now" are remarkable memories years after the encounters.

It is very difficult to realize life is comprised of many experiences that have occurred outside the norm. Sadness creeps into close relationships that suffered during time-consuming journeys outside close family. Yet, time being the measured reality of the past, no longing for change can change its passing. And, to be quite honest, who is truly sure where the majority of the hours of our efforts must definitely reside? It is less a matter of caring for people than a matter of delegating the gifts one is given.

So, in closing, my point is this -- a lifetime of public service is a valid, decent measure equal to a lifetime of being a perfect, righteous relative. In the end, who is to say what benefits more? A few saints walk among us, but most of us naturally flow to our stream of least resistance and most good. I only hope people can recognize their talents, exhibit them successfully, and be buoyed by others with offerings that complement ours. Many are quick to judge abilities in all areas of life. And, some live a life completely within their family reference.

Protection and Duty - Sheriff

The Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association

During the reign of Alfred the Great a new unit of government was created known as the "shire".  It was the forerunner of the modern day "county".  Each "shire" was led by a "reeve" (chief).  It was the responsibility of the "shire-reef" to maintain law and order within his own "shire" (county).  In those early days there were no police, no judges, no magistrates, etc ... the Sheriff did everything.  He had the power to arrest, raise armies, collect taxes, preside over courts, deal with traitors, and do everything on the King's behalf.

In the battle of Hastings in 1066 the Saxon King Harold was defeated by the Normans.  The Normans centralized power under the King and it was the Sheriff who became the enforcer of the law throughout the Kingdom.  Even after the despotic King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta restoring basic rights and freedoms in England, the Office of Sheriff maintained its critical importance of keeper of the peace.  It should be noted that the role of Sheriff is mentioned nine times in the Magna Carta. (http://www.lakecountyohio.org/sheriff/history.htm)

The following information is available on the Buckeye State Sheriffs' Association web site and the Scioto County Sheriff's web site. This blog indicates some of the sworn responsibilities and duties of members of the Sheriff's Department in Scioto County. We must be certain that our law enforcement officers are doing their jobs. If the public refuses to cooperate, breakdowns and problems can occur between citizens and enforcement. As activists, we must also be watchdogs over the political process, our elected officials, and our appointed officers.

Scioto County Sheriff 

The sheriff of Scioto County is Marty V. Donini. Here is an address and an active E-mail address.

Scioto County Sheriff's Office 

1025 Sixteenth Street

Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
scso@sciotocountysheriff.com 

Other important numbers for the Scioto County Sheriff's Department include the following:

Emergency...........................911 

Dispatch.....................354-7566 

Corrections/Jail.... 740-355-8277 

Investigations.......740-355-8245 

Civil Division........740-355-8269

Fax.....................740-355-8237
 

The Sheriff, himself, is the only elected law enforcement official in the State. This means that every four years he puts his record out for approval. He is accountable to the citizen and to the voter. Besides the personal accountability required to maintain his post, the Sheriff is a professional, trained in the latest law enforcement techniques and criminal justice procedures.

To be truly effective he must, and does, understand the integrity needed to do the job in a legal and responsible manner and to uphold the public trust placed in him. A Sheriff is more than an individual. He has an office behind him, made up of deputies and support personnel. This office is an organization of men and women dedicated to protecting and serving the people of our county. The deputies are sworn law enforcement officers. They are appointed by the Sheriff to uphold the laws and preserve the public peace.

Being an informed citizen, knowing your needs and the needs of the community, and communicating with your county Sheriff  help him be aware of how best to serve you. Your help can make a difference. Get to know your Sheriff and the men and women of the office.

By law the Sheriff shall have charge of the county jail and all persons confined therein. He must do this in a fair and impartial way.

Sheriffs help to control crime and traffic with specialized DUI enforcement programs, and drug and alcohol awareness programs.

Sheriffs are part of our communities, interacting with adults and students alike. Programs include D.A.R.E., Neighborhood Watch, Explorers, McGruff, and the Speakers' Bureau.

Ohio is divided into 4 districts each containing twenty two counties. Each district has two Sheriff Directors and one Deputy Director who serve on the board.

State Sheriffs' Association

Here is a contact for the State Sheriffs' Association of Ohio and an active E-mail address.

Ohio

Robert Cornwell
Executive Director
Buckeye State Sheriffs Assn
Columbus, OH

rcornwel@gte.net

Sheriff Donini is a member of the RX Drug Action Team in Scioto County. Working in conjunction with the Portsmouth Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the DEA, and the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the Sheriff's Department is vital to the welfare of the citizens in the county. Coordinated efforts by all groups to combat the alarming rate of prescription drug abuse in Scioto County continue to proceed.

It is the sincere hope of the Facebook Citizen's Action Group, "Fix the Scioto County Problem of Drug Abuse," that every effort will be made by the sheriff to combat this health crisis. As a member of our group, you must continue to aid the Sheriff's office by demanding thorough, effective measures to protect the public safety.You must expect the deputies to be honest and accountable to the community. And, you must depend upon these enforcement officers to insure the public peace. The best way to do so is to help them do the best job possible.

Deadly Statistics For Scioto County

Time Period 10/1/2008 through 3/31/2009 (In Grams)

As you can see, Scioto County recently ranked number 10 in the top 100 oxycodone dispensers in the United States. Where do we go from here? I believe the answer to this question lies buried in the piles of filthy drug money generated by this bloodthirsty business. It's obvious that Scioto County is a mecca for prescription drug abusers - both for those greedily benefiting from the huge profits of sales and for those paying for these poisonous chemicals that essentially take their lives, gut their families, and flood our meager addiction facilities.

Believe me, now that our local Facebook group has reached nearly 2,800 members, each day, I hear new horror stories about crippling drug experiences from our members. If all of us merely realized the tremendous toll these drug dependencies and deaths have taken on our community, we would demand that Rx drug abuse became our first priority. Scioto County is experiencing a HEALTH EPIDEMIC.

 

So much of the misery in the county is directly tied to prescription drug abuse -- murder, theft, poverty, child abuse, spousal abuse, malnutrition, lost work time, Hepatitis C, traffic accidents, sexually transmitted diseases... the list goes on and on. 90% of all crime in the county is drug related. 85% of substance abuse treatment requests here are for opiate addiction, a threefold increase in just the past three years.

 

 

HOW ARE NINE "PAIN CLINICS" OPERATING LAWFULLY IN SCIOTO COUNTY?

 

1. An independent person with no medical background files for a LLC with the Secretary of State (costs $100). This is often a convicted felon or person with a criminal background, often a convicted drug trafficker.

2. The "Pain Clinic" is set up anywhere they can rent, and, as long as they accept cash only, they will not be subject to building or any sanitary compliance regulations by HHS, WC, or private insurance. They will not be subject to ADA compliance or codes. They do not fall under the Department of Health as they are not listed as a "Medical Facility" under ORC.

 

3. The Clinic Owner will hire a physician from a "locum tenens" agency. Physicians often end up working for a "temp service" due to past licensing issues or disciplines by a state medical board. The hired physician can be from anywhere, as all he has to do is apply for an Ohio license to practice here. He could even have lost his license in another state for trafficking or substance abuse. The clinic owner will rent a place for the physician, who will stay during business hours and fly home for the weekends or whatever. Sometimes, the clinic owner will rotate several physicians at the clinic to confuse law enforcement, the DEA, or the coroner.

 

4. The clinic owner and the physician will conspire to run a "cash only" business, advertising as a "Pain Clinic." There is no Ohio law that requires a specialty in pain managment. (But, of course, ANY licensed physician can treat pain, so there is really no need for a special clinic, EXCEPT TO SELL NARCOTICS.

 

5. The clinic will employ spouses and relatives and typically charge $200 a monthly visit. 75-100 clients a day is a cash net of $15,000 to $20,000 a day. Cash - so they don't have to report truthfully on income taxes.

 

6. Local pharmacists will usually not honor their prescriptions, so the physician and clinic owner conspire to find a pharmacist that will "work with" them, usually for cash and lots of business. Often, this pharmacy is far away.

 

7. The clinic will often then apply under the physician's name using the DEA # to the Pharmacy Board to be a "Terminal Distributer of Dangerous Drugs," enabling them to start an in-house pharmacy with the physician acting as the pharmacist  (legal in Ohio only if the clinic is owned by the physician). So BADLY (1) The pharmacist is taken out of safeguard loop and ALL profit will go to the physician/clinic owner, (2) The physician/clinic owner  will NOT be subject to inspection or discipline by the Board of Pharmacy, and (3) The physician/clinic owner WILL NOT be required to report prescription distribution in OARxRS as a pharmacist would, so they go completely off the radar.

8. Once they open the in-house pharmacy, the "Pain Clinic" profits triple for each client.

9. Once these steps are accomplished, the "Pain Clinic" is only regulated by the State Medical Board, who only has authority over the physician, not the clinic, the setting, or the clinic owner. As long as the physician is working within the Pain Management Guidelines, he is difficult to discipline, sanction or prosecute.

 

10. . The Policies on the Treatment of Intractable Pain (written in 1997) basically contain language that says that treatment is up to the PHYSICIAN'S OWN DISCRETION, AND TREATING PAIN WITH NARCOTICS (OPIATES) ONLY IN-ITSELF IS NOT A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE.

 

11. OARxRS in Ohio is voluntary, not mandatory. It is a tool but CANNOT IN ITSELF BE USED AS EVIDENCE IN COURT, HARD COPIES WILL BE REQUIRED. 

 

 

YOU MUST TAKE ACTION NOW

At this point, the residents of Scioto County must face a crucial decision. Are we going to wait and wait until we essentially dwindle into an area of holocaust, or are we going to actively change the laws, add new enforcement, prosecute the criminals, and provide new treatment facilities? Folks, the status quo is NOT GETTING IT DONE.

 

Excuses flow like water from all our mouths, but no excuse permits a bystander to watch a neighbor die or watch a criminal make millions. The drain is too much and the cause is too great for a few to react while the rest watch. In order to have far-reaching effects, total cooperation is essential. We must work together, young and old, to stop this insanity. So much pain is being inflicted that Scioto County has become infamous nationwide for its Rx drug abuse.

Who would want pill mills to stain their native soil? Every day is a day that more people die and become lifelong addicts. Talk to the parents, spouses, friends of those who know -- prescription abuse will likely destroy most it touches. This addiction services no one but the undertaker. Demand it stop today, or are we content to say, "It won't affect my family" or "One person can't help do anything to stop it."

And, Just Where Does It Hurt?

I am very concerned that some are buying into a mixed message about pain clinics (pill mills). Why? Some people evidently believe that the mass distribution of an addictive, deadly substance is fine. For example, since Purdue Pharma, a well-known pharmaceutical company, developed OxyContin; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it; and retail sales of it jumped nearly six-fold between 1997 and 2005; many people believe the drug is adequately regulated and taken only by those in severe pain. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I hear person after person relate their stories of personal tragedy concerning these Rx addiction black holes of no return. As I listen carefully to their descriptions of the terrible destruction of livelihood, family, hope, and life caused by the products prescribed by pill mills, I often feel the terrible heartache of a grieving parent, sibling, spouse or friend. These people have lost hope in a system originally designed to correct such anguish.

Many of the friends of addicts on Rx drugs have taken their loved ones through counseling, rehab, and numerous other programs only to find that the loved one's chance for escaping addiction is very slim and often unsuccessful. So, when asked what can be done, I most often regretfully answer, "I don't know." I hold onto hope and ask them to do the same. Then, as the desperate party walks away, my usual sense of grim reality affirms the horror that death will almost surely follow.

No one deserves to suffer the consequences of the crimes committed by those who willfully distribute the means to acquiring illegal prescription drugs. Damn the entire process that allows the profitable bloodletting to flourish. No rule, regulation or ordinance can stand to uphold the gruesome human consumption of each passing day. For a single person to profit from this intentional poisoning exhibits pure evil. As the community condones everyday operations of these careless operations, its citizens turn their backs to State-sanctioned murder.

A certain judgment of wrongdoing is automatically applied to those who become prescription drug addicts. And, some of these people are definitely thugs and dangerous criminals. However, many victims of drug abuse are people who have made one too many mistakes, and, unfortunately, just one mistake may be enough to snuff out a life. Accidental overdoses, recreational and experimental catastrophes, and legitimate pain relief addiction occur all too frequently. A son here, a cousin there, a mother, a friend -- we all know of the great sacrifices made to monstrous addiction.

I think no mixed message can be accepted for so-called "pain clinics." Their shady methods of operation, ties of ownership to convicted felons, cash-only business dealings, sales to out-of-state customers, and unorthodox hours equate to only one thing -- criminal activity. The law and the enforcement of the law, the public officials and the duty of those elected are safeguards for the common good of the law-abiding citizens. When the citizens demand action and change in the face of a health emergency, an official's neglect is inexcusable. In Southern Ohio, we are already known as the new doormat of prescription drug abuse; soon, the network of Rx corruption will become permanent as the door swings wide open.

How Good Is Your Behavior?

Avoiding Rashness

At times, I find understanding resistance difficult. Naturally, exercising resistance is often beneficial. For example, refraining from doing harm to others or preventing myself from engaging in activities that would harm me pays great dividends to any good status I may have accrued. Still, I find many people who simply exercise resistance because they believe that forcefully retarding motion will allow them to benefit from a slow sifting through their potential outcomes in all encounters. Their ego always opposes conscious recall of anxiety-producing experiences.

I assume complete rashness of behavior would be the direct opposite of resisting and, most frequently, rashness does result in many regretful actions. But, impetuous behavior does surface as it springs from a sense of harm in a stimulus-response situation that quickly bypasses forethought and discretion. In such instances, I'm impelled--by a force that's far stronger, far more primal, than my rational adult mind--to strenuously defend myself. Or, sometimes, I attack whoever has (perhaps unwittingly) provoked me. Or, in a sudden state of urgency, I choose to hastily retreat from the situation altogether. Put in colloquial terms, "Someone has pushed all my buttons." I would be the first to admit I have a temper.

An animal-like response to stressful situations prevents positive resistance from surfacing and allowing reasonable, logical, and objective control. I find it difficult to desensitize myself from past experiences that have had negative meanings in my life. To calmly stand in the face of ridicule and evaluate appropriate reactions, much like preventing an instant feeling of self-intimidation by a bully, takes tremendous inner security. I must work on my patience to allow it to serve me best.

Is There a Reason for Quick Resistance?

Some situations can be insufferable, or so outrageous as to be intolerable to the most patient, understanding human. These problematic states are often described in comparative cliche's such as "more than flesh and blood can stand," or "enough to test the patience of a saint," or "enough to try the patience of Job." As human beings, all have been reduced to lashing out at problems when conditions become too stressful.

Yet, still, some wish to negate any immediate action in favor of continuing a seemingly endless negotiation for redress. Committees and individuals talk of solutions, plan tentative reactions, evaluate and re-evaluate outcomes, and eventually table all recommendations of action. The staleness sets in and the goodness deflates over time. Soon, people become disgruntled and stereotypically distrust public officials as everyone lines up on the proper side of the political fence. The honest feel indebted to following nothing in particular that will strike sparks because one tiny arc may stray and sting someone's posterior. And, of course, the greedy want nothing but more power and public face time.


Therefore, the resistance to change falls in watery marbles from a downpour of depressed, disgusted citizens until it washes away all good intentions. Then, any well-meaning officials wish just a little "rash" would have surfaced amidst the sleepy inactives whose heart once felt a very slight beat of potential change. But, by now, these folks are back in their hard shells.


Some people have soft, reflective talents that speak with contemplative, profound voices. Some people have loud, brooding talents what speak with edgy, pointed voices. Unfortunately, many people have inactive talents -- these residents do nothing at all to make a sound. Whoever comprehends that unlocking these resistant attitudes requires equal doses of soft and loud tactics will eventually cause a positive change in direction, but only after many repeated applications. 

"But I'll know my songs well before I start singin'
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall."  - Bob Dylan

Hangman - A New Gallows In Town

Hangman                                                                                                         

by Maurice Ogden

1.
Into our town the Hangman came.
Smelling of gold and blood and flame
and he paced our bricks with a diffident air
and built his frame on the courthouse square

The scaffold stood by the courthouse side,
Only as wide as the door was wide;
A frame as tall, or little more,
Than the capping sill of the courthouse door

And we wondered, whenever we had the time.
Who the criminal, what the crime.
That Hangman judged with the yellow twist
of knotted hemp in his busy fist.

And innocent though we were, with dread,
We passed those eyes of buckshot lead:
Till one cried: "Hangman, who is he
For whom you raise the gallows-tree?"

Then a twinkle grew in the buckshot eye,
And he gave us a riddle instead of reply:
"He who serves me best," said he,
"Shall earn the rope on the gallows-tree."

And he stepped down, and laid his hand
On a man who came from another land
And we breathed again, for another's grief
At the Hangman's hand was our relief

And the gallows-frame on the courthouse lawn
By tomorrow's sun would be struck and gone.
So we gave him way, and no one spoke.
Out of respect for his Hangman's cloak. 





 
2.
The next day's sun looked mildly down
On roof and street in our quiet town
And stark and black in the morning air,
The gallows-tree on the courthouse square.

And the Hangman stood at his usual stand
With the yellow hemp in his busy hand;
With his buckshot eye and his jaw like a pike
And his air so knowing and business like.

And we cried, "Hangman, have you not done
Yesterday with the alien one?"
Then we fell silent, and stood amazed,
"Oh, not for him was the gallows raised."

He laughed a laugh as he looked at us:
"...Did you think I'd gone to all this fuss
To hang one man? That's a thing I do
To stretch a rope when the rope is new."

Then one cried "Murder!" One cried "Shame!"
And into our midst the Hangman came
To that man's place. "Do you hold," said he,
"With him that was meant for the gallows-tree?"

And he laid his hand on that one's arm.
And we shrank back in quick alarm,
And we gave him way, and no one spoke
Out of fear of his Hangman's cloak.

That night we saw with dread surprise
The Hangman's scaffold had grown in size.
Fed by the blood beneath the chute
The gallows-tree had taken root;

Now as wide, or a little more,
Than the steps that led to the courthouse door,
As tall as the writing, or nearly as tall,
Halfway up on the courthouse wall. 




3.
The third he took-we had all heard tell
Was a user and infidel, and
"What," said the Hangman "have you to do
With the gallows-bound, and he a Jew?"

And we cried out, "Is this one he
Who has served you well and faithfully?"
The Hangman smiled: "It's a clever scheme
To try the strength of the gallows-beam."

The fourth man's dark, accusing song
Had scratched out comfort hard and long;
And what concern, he gave us back.
"Have you for the doomed--the doomed and black?"

The fifth. The sixth. And we cried again,
"Hangman, Hangman, is this the last?"
"It's a trick," he said, "That we hangmen know
For easing the trap when the trap springs slow.""

And so we ceased, and asked no more,
As the Hangman tallied his bloody score:
And sun by sun, and night by night,
The gallows grew to monstrous height.

The wings of the scaffold opened wide
Till they covered the square from side to side:
And the monster cross-beam, looking down.
Cast its shadow across the town.

4.
Then through the town the Hangman came
And called in the empty streets my name-
And I looked at the gallows soaring tall
And thought, "There is no one left at all

For hanging." And so he calls to me
To help pull down the gallows-tree.
And I went out with right good hope
To the Hangman's tree and the Hangman's rope.

He smiled at me as I came down
To the courthouse square through the silent town.
And supple and stretched in his busy hand
Was the yellow twist of the strand.

And he whistled his tune as he tried the trap
And it sprang down with a ready snap.
And then with a smile of awful command
He laid his hand upon my hand.

"You tricked me. Hangman!" I shouted then.
"That your scaffold was built for other men...
And I no henchman of yours," I cried,
"You lied to me. Hangman. foully lied!"

Then a twinkle grew in the buckshot eye,
"Lied to you? Tricked you?" he said. "Not I.
For I answered straight and I told you true"
The scaffold was raised for none but you.

For who has served me more faithfully
Then you with your coward's hope?" said he,
"And where are the others that might have stood
Side by your side in the common good?"

"Dead," I whispered, and sadly
"Murdered," the Hangman corrected me:
"First the alien, then the Jew...
I did no more than you let me do."

Beneath the beam that blocked the sky.
None had stood so alone as I.
And the Hangman strapped me, and no voice there
Cried "Stay!" for me in the empty square. 

THE BOTTOM LINE: "...I did no more than you let me do."

Into the small locale of Scioto County came a different kind of hangman. Not a normal entity bent on destroying all scapegoats of stereotypical blame, but a scourge of pharmacological evil just as deadly to the inhabitants of the area. It cloaked itself in the form of a much-touted, safe prescription drug endorsed by order and justice. And, at first, it appeared to be just another "good old boy" looking for good buddies and high times.

So enticing were its qualities to the populace that soon, many people began to believe the Hangman could deliver them from the evils that pained their lives. It thrived with an intoxicating charisma as it began to seize large groups of the desperate, the jobless and the poor. Over time, many relied upon the Hangman and its rush of euphoria in exceedingly high doses. 

Yet, with sober reflection, some inhabitants took note that the Hangman enjoyed inflicting mayhem and lethal destruction as it strengthened quickly throughout the dark hollows and small towns of Appalachia. For many, their association with the Hangman, now ruthless in its abuse, was short-lived  No strangers to suffering, at first, many folks trusted that the hangman's seemingly prescribed proliferation in the community would harm only ignorant outcasts and expendable refuse; however, it became apparent the Hangman had no such consideration for intellect or income, social status or upbringing.

As more and more people began to loathe its noxious presence, the Hangman swiftly tightened its deadly noose of suffocating addiction and defiantly spread its greedy power base throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. It constricted its hold on those seeking pleasure, those craving relief from chronic pain, and those who wished to escape for a few moments of euphoria during their boring existence. Simply put, the Hangman had became a deadly menace of gigantic proportions with mind-altering powers of control.


So, as the glutenous Hangman fed on victim after victim, the community began to understand the inherent evil in its design. This evil, driven by overwhelming greed, had deeply entrenched itself in the very fabric of Appalachian society. Of course, it had delivered on its promise to ease the temporary suffering of many in need. Yet, soon the hangman delivered its own brand of unforgiving suffering to those who abused it. And, in turn, the Hangman's henchmen pillaged neighbor after neighbor to please their master.

After years of watching the Hangman grow dangerously out of control, the good people who remained in the community knew they should eliminate the means of their terrible tragedy. But, who would dare take this dangerous step against such a mighty adversary? The mission was fraught with danger and entangled in graft and politics.


The drug companies that produced the scourge in the first place felt no direct responsibility because the Hangman did help to ease the pain of those who followed it as directed - the terminally ill and the people in the agonies of chronic disease.  But, feeling slightly guilty for some indirect participation, the companies compensated a few lucky souls from their large coffers procured by the Hangman but they still refused to participate in terminating the Hangman and kept marketing its "so-called" beneficial work.

The legislators, after much debate, responded. But being notably gregarious and eager to protect their own interests, they pondered and pondered their options. They did decide to issue new warnings and official statements of restrictions concerning the working conditions of the Hangman; however, realizing too much control might effect their constituency, they eventually distributed stately papers craftily designed with loopholes for those wise enough to worm their way through. After all the alignments and votes and discussions and amendments, the duly elected issued a series of guarded statements of condemnation from the safe halls of the State capitols. As election day ever neared, they hoped this legislation would give glimmers of hope to the voting populace. Of course, without raising taxes.

When the medical boards and pharmacy boards received their official statements, they spent many months weighing the benefits and problems of deciding what limitations and evaluations would fairly judge the hangman. After all, someone had rightfully employed the hangman in the first place, so might not others slightly more qualified want to occupy the position? Who was to decide the morality of the hangman? And, what about the cost of putting the hangman out of business? The business end of the tricky business of ridding the area of the hangman took lengthy calculations of projected margins of profit. In the end, the boards decided to create another board to study the ramifications of the proposed legislative changes.

The enforcement officers, not too fond of using rather questionable legal documents against the all-powerful Hangman in the first place, were undecided upon how to approach the problem. After all, the Hangman was huge; their resources were extremely limited; and they rather liked the way this guy was keeping other crime down with his brute force. Not to mention the added paperwork! The captain knew the HEA (Hangman Enforcement Agency) would be called in to investigate, and who would want those Federal guys nosing into the lawyers' and officers' legal briefs anyway? To err on the safe side, enforcement decided to create a new anonymous public tip line and turn the matter over to the mayor and the city council.

And, the press? Well, the press was eager for huge coverage but secretly hoped that some major snafu would occur with the entire mess because they knew "good news never sells." Reporters were busy talking with influential citizens to create the proper spin, and editorial writers were already lining up to call liberals conservatives, call democrats republicans, and call for the ACLU to defend the Hangman's rights. All in all, the situation presented itself as the perfect opportunity to make a sideshow out of a failed blessing and to offer a golden opportunity for a special report on CNN titled "You Might Be a Pill Billy If..."

The neighborhoods pretty much went on with their daily routines. People went to work (those who had jobs). Others went to Krogers and Walmart while still others rooted for their American Idol, played the lottery, and spent hours on their computers. The Hangman? Oh, he cooled his heals for a few minutes and went back to laying waste to the lives and property of those in Appalachia. Pretty soon, the public forgot about the dangers of living with the menace and rested under false assumptions, assured that their nightmares would not become reality. After all, one person cannot do anything to effect a meaningful change in society. Can they?

Living In a New World?

Brave New World

"...there will be within the next generation or so a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda, brainwashing or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods." ~Aldous Huxley, (1959)

Published almost eighty years ago, Brave New World (1932) by Aldous Huxley remains a classic anti-Utopian novel. In the book, a futuristic ideal world is portrayed: one where human values are eliminated. The characters in Brave New World are all a part of a totalitarian state. They are free from war, hatred, poverty, disease and pain. Each one of the characters are hurt and altered by the huge consumption of a drug; since no one thinks questions or believes, all emotions are not real and any conscious reaction is susceptible to alteration by the effects of the drug,

In Brave New World, mankind exists in an institutional form of happiness, managed by the World State that uses "Community, Identity, Stability as its motto. The World State is a peaceful, stable global society. (Specifically because the population is permanently limited to no more than two billion people) 

The World State is built upon the principles of Henry Ford's assembly line of mass production, homogeneity, predictability, and consumption of disposable consumer goods. At the same time as the World State lacks any supernatural-based religions, Ford himself is revered as a deity, and characters celebrate Ford Day and swear oaths by his name (e.g., "By Ford!"). 


Reproduction is totally controlled through genetic engineering as people are bred into a rigid class system of five castes (The lower castes are treated to chemical interference to cause arrested development in intelligence or physical growth.) and designed for specific purposes. Concepts such as family, freedom, love and culture are considered particularly grotesque as their sacrifice is the price of universal happiness. For example, children, controlled by the state, are encouraged to play "Erotic Play," in which they explore one another's bodies to prevent any feelings of guilt about sex.

In the World State, people typically die at 60, having maintained good health and youthfulness their whole life. Death isn't feared because anyone reflecting upon it is reassured by the knowledge that everyone is happy, and that society goes on. Since no one has family anyway, they have no ties to mourn.

Maturity is totally controlled by State conditioning that reinforces happiness with the roles for which society created the citizens. They, thus, work without complaint or incident. Besides work, the rest of their lives is devoted to pursuit of pleasure through promiscuous sex without remance (repeated in the maxim "everyone belongs to everyone else"), recreation such as the "feelies" (a sensory experience like Cinerama on tactile steroids), material possessions, and, of course, soma. Soma is the cure-all of government choice.

Soma acts as a hallucinogen that takes users on enjoyable, hangover-free "holidays." It is said also to replicate religious experiences, eliminating the need for religion.Yet, soma is more akin to a tranquillizer or to an opiate - or even to a psychic anesthetizing SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like Prozac - than to a truly life-transforming elixir.

The lower caste people get their soma-ration every day and swallow it although it shortens their lives. With soma the citizens of the brave new world can compensate emotional stress. If they feel sorrow, pain, anger, jealousy or other negative emotions, the universal solution always is soma. So, soma is a remedy to reduce aggression and discontent to a minimum, and it helps the State to keep the social stability in the brave new world.

Another purpose for soma usage is for sick and dying people. In hospitals patients get huge concentrations of soma to ease their suffering and pain especially before death. Soma makes death as pleasant as possible for the sufferers. But, the consumption of soma also causes these patients not to be able to think clearly any more, and they stay drugged until they are dead. Of course, exaggerated consumption of soma can lead to the premature death of people who are otherwise well. Overdose is possible without precaution.

Some inhabitants of the World State do take huge portions of soma just to repress memories of their past bad experiences in the less-civilized world of the primitive reservation, where people preserve the outdated ways of the old culture. This is an extreme example of how people escape the reality of the World State by taking soma. But there are far more other drugs offered by the Internal and External Secretion Trust, which is in charge of hormones and medicines to keep people fit, young-looking and happy. 

 

Huxley's View 

Tragically, Brave New World, a satirical piece of fiction, has come to serve as the false symbol for any regime of universal happiness. The drug soma provides a mindless, inauthentic "imbecile happiness" - escapism which makes people comfortable with their lack of freedom. The drug heightens suggestibility, leaving its users vulnerable to government propaganda. Soma is just a narcotic that raises "a quite impenetrable wall between the actual universe and their minds." Their pleasure increases ignorance of self.

Huxley is warning us about becoming duped by science. The majority of people in the book are victims of propaganda and misinformation in their hedonistic society. He shows us how zombified addicts, willing to risk all individuality and self-initiated intelligence, can become slaves -- slaves to a society that freely dispenses pleasure or slaves to a state that completely controls individual freedoms through government. And, the cost in human life is terribly high in either or both cases. What appears Utopian living is anything but such a free and happy existence.

So, what brave new world awaits us in a free-market of psychotropic drugs? Will new medical drug cartels leave smuggling and operating "pill mills" for the Net as a global drug-delivery system? Opiates are quickly becoming the soma of the masses. Many would gladly exchange years of their lives for worry-free, pleasurable lives. These are people who would bend to governmental control for materialistic gain.

As trends of fiction have become obvious traits of 21st century reality, we are confronted with considering  certain limits imposed upon us by the state and by big business. Chief among them is the all too convenient access to prescription drugs and the loss of security in our neighborhoods due to the enormous volume of drug dealing and all the crime and tragedy that accompanies it. We must make the government change the laws in our favor, make the government invest in sufficient law enforcement, and make the government instill programs that effectively curb skyrocketing addiction. This is fact, not fiction.



Social critic Neil Postman (Amusing Ourselves To Death, 1983) finds these startling comparisons as he contrasts America today with the World State in Huxley's Brave New World. 


1. Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.

2. Huxley said of information, he feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

3. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

4. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us.

 

Psychic Numbing -- Indifference

Psychic Numbing

Teachers discuss a tragic current events topic in class while many students either space out or, as if it's old news, they ignore it. Maybe it's something they feel completely helpless to do anything about. People want serious social problems to stop, but herein lies the problem - so many are simply waiting and hoping for a solution, despite the information they have, rather than taking some sort of active stand. (Meredith LaFrance, "The Cost of Human Indifference," Oregon Daily Emerald, March 2 2009) These people are essentially NUMB.

Psychic numbing is a relatively new term, assigned to the phenomenon which shows people tend to feel less urgent compassion, and tend to give less, when the suffering in question is shown to be more systemic and more pervasive, or affecting larger numbers of people. Some psychologists believe it is linked to humans' intuitive sense that if one suffers alone, the suffering is worse, but if one is accompanied, there might be some security in numbers, not just emotionally, but practically. (J.E. Robertson, www.casavaria.com, February 27 2010) What numbs the onlooker out is a sense of powerlessness, helplessness, that nothing in the world will change that particularly broad, complex situation. Of course, nothing will change if everyone is numb.

Psychic numbing may account for the reason people can read numbers like "450,000 dead in Darfur" and "tens of thousands of women and children raped in eastern Congo," and then minutes later walk away and wonder what they want to have for dinner. The effect keeps them us from having any emotional or visceral reaction. Slovic considers this psychic numbing to be a "fundamental deficiency in our humanity." And, writes Boston Globe writer Thea Singer in her article "Why We Don't Care About Darfur, "It's partially why, in the face of repeated genocide, good people have historically failed to act." (Thea Singer, O, The Oprah Magazine, September 19 2008)

"We all know intuitively that humans are more likely to intervene to help a little girl in tears on the street than to help some distant population that is suffering," says Nicholas D. Kristof, the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times columnist known for his pieces on humanitarian issues, "but Paul Slovic PhD. and other psychologists have given us ways to measure these disparate responses and have underscored how difficult it is to generate interest in genocide." ("The More Who Die, The Less We Care: Confronting Psychic Numbing," Science Committee Newsletter, ehealthglobalhealth.com, 2009)

As Mother Theresa said, "If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."  

The personal distance hurts even more as people are constantly bombarded with statistics, but what do they mean? Four hundred and fifty thousand dead - how are they to wrap their minds around this number?

How To Combat Psychic Numbing

Slovic contends decisions in the face of risk rely upon two forms of thinking:

1. Risk as feelings refers to our instinctive and intuitive reactions to danger.

2. Risk as analysis brings logic, reason, quantification and deliberation to bear on hazard management.

Compared to analysis, reliance on feelings tends to be a quicker, easier, and more efficient way to navigate in a complex, uncertain, and dangerous world. Hence, it is essential to rational behavior. Yet, it sometimes misleads people. In such circumstances they need to ensure that reason and analysis also are employed.

Asked what a compassionate person can do to keep her eyes from glazing over when confronted with situations such as Darfur, Slovic suggests that they make a conscious effort to pause and really consider what lies behind the numbers, rather than to rely on intuitive responses. "We do have the capablity to override our feelings," he says, "to step back and say, 'Wait a minute, I don't feel upset about Darfur, but let me think about that for a minute. This is 6,000 times the magnitude of Virginia Tech." 

Famous short story writer, novelist and essayist Cynthia Ozick directly involves people in a story of Christian heroism in Fame and Folly (1997). She asks readers to really imagine how it was during the Holocaust and to explore the ordinary human reaction during that time. By identifying with and pointing out the indifference of the majority, her audience soon learns how rare and magnificent heroism was then and still is now. Ozick recognizes that it may be human nature to be a bystander; however, she urges us to try heroism instead to learn how we can make a difference for mankind.

At the start of her essay, Ozick includes a quote by Herbert Gold to set the tone to show that we live in times where indifference becomes an everyday reaction:

"There is a story about Clare Booth Luce complaining that she was bored with hearing about the Holocaust. A Jewish friend of hers said he perfectly understood her sensitivity in the matter; in fact, he had the same sense of repetitiousness and fatigue, hearing so often about the Crucifixion."

Ozick continues, "Indifference is not so much a gesture of looking away - of choosing to be passive - as it is an active disinclination to feel. Indifference shuts down the human, and it does it deliberately, with all the strength deliberateness demands. Indifference is as determined - as forcibly muscular - as any blow. For the victims on their way to the chimneys, there is scarcely anything to choose between a thug with an uplifted truncheon and the decent citizen who will not lift up his eyes." (Cynthia Ozick, Fame and Folly, 1997)


Although true bystanders did not actively and directly try to cause harm to the victims of the Holocaust, Ozick is concerned with the conscious indifference towards their plight. The bystanders chose not an act of assistance, but instead the shameless act of indifference and lack of compassion for those suffering around them. I can not - and do not want to - imagine desperately calling out and pleading for help only to have someone turn their back to me or pretend that they can't hear me or just don't want to help me - what a terrible feeling! ("Human Action: Indifference or Making a Difference," from Cynthia Ozick's "Of Christian Heroism")


And imagine being the indifferent bystander - what a terrible feeling to turn away from ignoring pleas of help and having to live with the memory of knowing you did nothing. Ozick is showing us how we are accountable for each of our actions towards each other and ourselves. Through doing so, she is asking us to not be indifferent about the events of the Holocaust, but rather to commit ourselves to compassion and understanding each other.

Perhaps a Sales Approach Is Needed 

Businessman Joe Heller ("The Greatest Competitor: Indifference," www.eyesonsales.com, August 6 2004) reminds salesmen that it takes up to five times more effort/energy/cost to win a new customer verses maintaining a profitable relationship with an existing customer. Heller teaches his sales recruits that indifference is such a challenging competitor because, psychologically, indifference is rooted in the human belief system. It's endemic, an attitude, a viewpoint held by customers, that they must change in order to close their sales. In addition, while they are more than able to compete head on against the visible products of their toughest competitor, the balance of power shifts when they are force to compete against the invisible competitor of the human mind.
              
Heller says indifference to a salesman is not based in logic, but lies embedded in the client’s perception. Many factors can contribute to client indifference, including familiarity with an existing product, or “may be” false satisfaction with a competitor's product, or the failure of the buyer to notice additional needs, or their failure to recognize the unique benefits value of your product/service. However, the most prevalent factor by far is simply complacently, the age-old adage, “but that’s what we’ve always bought.” Indifference comes from the clients' opinion that what the salesmen are selling is a commodity-like product with relatively no distinction nor value over their existing product/service.           

Also, Heller contends, "Approaching indifference, the sales professional must understand the psychological considerations that are tied to changing an attitude. Your client needs to be motivated to change." So, raising the customers' awareness about their current level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, helps identify the consequences of leaving things unchanged, promoting the cost of a the need to facilitate change. There must be a more personal connection to get the customers to care and to take action.     

A few examples of questions to ask to gain a mutual understanding of a need between a salesman and his prospect are the following:    

_______________________________________________________

* How do you feel about the results you are getting now? HOW ARE THINGS NOW?  * Are you on plan to achieve your 1/3/5 year goals? DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?   * Are there competitors in the market that are impeding your growth plans? WHO IS HURTING YOUR GOALS?   * How does that affect your business operations/sales? HOW ARE PRESENT CONDITIONS HURTING YOU?   * What impact is that having on your new client acquisition? Customer retention? Your product quality? Your productivity? Your cash flow? ARE YOU GAINING OR LOSING QUALITY, SERVICE, OR MONEY?    

________________________________________________________

      

Conclusions   

__________________________________________

When enough information is given so that the person can comprehend in intellectually resilient terms the scale of a tragic crisis, the real energy of compassion is again motivated, perhaps more effectively than by any other means. As Paul Slovic contends, "A pre-commitment is needed to strengthen legal and political structures to respond rather than to be silent witnesses. Especially now, with such a rampant appreciation of failure of moral intuition, the development of new institutional arrangements is even more urgent and critical to defeating indifference." ("The More Who Die, The Less We Care: Confronting Psychic Numbing," Science Committee Newsletter, ehealthglobalhealth.com, 2009)  

The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.                     

The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.                     

The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.                 

And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.  -Elie Wiesel      

                  
 

Giving Youth Needed Assets

Shaping the Destiny of Scioto County Youth


What if everyone in the the entire community helped shape the destiny of all its youth? According to Search Institute, not only does that power exist but also it has been put into a functional formula that helps create a healthier life style. The formula, "Developmental Assets," has been constructed after nearly fifteen years of research. Now, the Developmental Assets list of 40 different assets a young man or a young woman would have in their life at any given time is sweeping the nation.

Bryan Locke ("Developmental Assets: Building the Youth of Tomorrow," www.associatedcontent.com, January 22, 2007) reports, "The assets are categorized into two main groups of twenty, internal and external assets.These assets have a great power in influencing young adults decisions and can be the difference between one's child becoming jail bait or the building of the next president.

Unlike a community that merely builds parks or offer after school programs, a community that emphasizes all of these assets prevent youth from struggling with their moral foundation.Having these various tools available to them helps improve their decision making abilities.

Studies of more than 2.2 million young people in the United States (Search Institute, www.search-institute.org, 2008) consistently show that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviors and the more likely they are to thrive. Search Institute asserts, "Assets have power for all young people, regardless of their gender, economic status, family, or race/ethnicity. Furthermore, levels of assets are better predictors of high-risk involvement and thriving than poverty or being from a single-parent family."

The twenty Internal Assets are more of an intrinsic quality. Primarily, they analyze the youth's self identity and social ability. These twenty assets are broken down into even more specific categories: Commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity. Locke reports, "These assets begin within the youth, but sooner than later, they affect their immediate world and the decisions they make. Such qualities include their overall mental health, happiness, alcohol and drug abuse habits and even their tendency towards ways of violence." Each asset "ripples out" towards a wide array of different life qualities.

External assets, the other twenty assets, pertain to an entirely different part of the youth's life. Such assets cover a realm of four smaller fields: Support, empowerment, boundaries and constructive use of time. As a whole, these focus on the positive experiences people receive from other the people and institutions such as schools or state ran programs. Locke says, "Such external assets can help shape a person into who they are to become later down the road."

Some other developmental assets taken straight from the list include: Family support, community catering to the youth, adult role models, and spending time at home. To compare Developmental Assets to a tangible object, it would be best compared to a tool shed. The more tools essential available in the shed, the greater the potential for a successful project. If each asset were a tool, imagine the ratio of success producing any work with 38 or all 40 at hand.

According to the Search Institute, "Overall, 59% of young people surveyed have 20 or fewer of the 40 assets." This discovery reveals that youth have only half of the available tools they need to become successful. Surely, many of those in the younger generations are surviving and thriving, but one might wonder if they are living to their full potential. Of course, the more assets people have in their lives, the better their decisions will be for building a stronger life. For example, according to the Health Improvement Partnership, only 8% of teens, with 0-10 assets in their life, succeed in school.

So, how does the power of total community apply? It only takes one of the 40 traits to possible change a life. Perhaps it is the after school program which prevents a young man from joining a gang. Perhaps it is the park where a young girl would meet her friends to escape her tyrant parents. It only takes one thing to change a person's life forever, so the importance of each individual asset is apparent: to improve life decisions of youth, communities must include as many assets as possible. The entire community should be able to harvest and benefit from their investments in youth.

What about a community with no available assets? Few role models, after-school programs, etc.? Each youth would have 0-10 assets in life. According to the book A Fragile Foundation, the community would be overwhelmed with problems. With such a staggering deficiency of assets, on average, 49% of youth would have a problem with alcohol abuse, 61% would have reoccurring problems with violence, 39% would have addictions to various drugs, and 32% would have been sexually active with over three partners.

To discover how many of these assets youth already had in their life, Search Institute in 2003 surveyed close to 150,000 6th-12th graders on a wide variety of things. Locke relates, "The conclusion was that the amount of assets in a young one's life averages out to be 18.6 out of the 40 possible developmental assets. The average young person experiences fewer than half of the 40 assets. Boys experience three fewer assets than girls (17.2 assets for boys vs. 19.9 for girls).Overall, 59 percent of the youth have less than 20 assets available to them in their life." 

According to the survey, even on a national level, only 35% of teens feel valued in their communities. The lack of feeling important in one's community can lead to several issues, ranging from depression, to violence and delinquency.  

Yet, as tested as it may be, these assets are only tools for the youth to make better decisions, and not a mind changing foundation. Even one asset alone can have the power to change a person's life forever. It is difficult to dispute that Developmental Assets offer a road map to creating a healthier community. If an entire community can put children first and recognize their responsibility to provide resources and support, that community will see great things in the development of its youth.

This particular list of Developmental Assets is intended for adolescents (age 12-18). http://www.search-institute.org/

EXTERNAL ASSETS

SUPPORT
1. Family Support | Family life provides high levels of love and support.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONStart family traditions and rituals such as family service, game nights, season outings, or family meetings.
   
   Give kids space and respect their privacy when they need it.
   
   Give each of your kids a hug today, even if they’re really big kids.
   
   Spend time each week with each of your teenagers individually.
   
   Create a small memory book, memory box, photo album, or private Web site for each of your children.
   
   If you don’t live in the same city as your child, create a care package that includes a pack of cards; a book of crossword puzzles, word jumbles, or drawing activities; and some colorful pens, pencils, or markers.
   
   For more on this topic, see Supporting Youth: How to Care, Communicate, and Connect in Meaningful Ways.
2. Positive Family Communication | Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONUse mealtimes to learn about one another’s musical tastes. Choose one night each week as music night and rotate who gets to choose.
   Be willing to talk during times that are comfortable for your children, such as while riding or driving, or on a walk. Sometimes not having to make constant direct eye contact can make the conversation flow better.
   
   Sending e-mail, telephone calls, handwritten cards, photos, children’s art, and personal letters are all wonderful ways to stay connected with your children’s long-distance relatives.
   
   Hang a whiteboard on your refrigerator or in a common area such as an entryway. Use it to write loving messages to one another or to let everyone know where you are, how you can be reached, and when you will be home.
   
   Regardless of your teenagers’ interests and current involvement, regularly sit down with them and talk through their commitments to school, friends, jobs, and so on. Make sure they are making intentional decisions about what they do with their time, and make sure that their choices are respectful of your family’s schedule.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Conversations on the Go: Clever Questions to Keep Teens and Grown-Ups Talking by Mary Ackerman.
3. Other Adult Relationships | Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONSwap a CD or M3P player with a teen. Listen to the music together if you can, and tell each other why you picked that music.
   
   Find a gourmet goodie buddy. Bake brownies, cookies, or other treats with a young person as a fun way to spend time together.
   
   Send cards or e-mail greetings to young people you know to mark holidays, birthdays, and other important milestones in their lives.
   
   As a way to spend time together, invite a young friend to till, plant, and tend a garden patch or create a container garden with potted plants.
   
   It’s not too late to identify a caring adult who can help take some of the pressure off you during the teenage years. Do you know someone you can bring into a mentoring relationship with your teen who shares your teen’s passion? A colleague? Music instructor? Your child’s employer?
   
   * For more on this topic, see Mentoring for Meaningful Results and Connect 5: Finding the Caring Adults You May Not Realize Your Teen Needs by Kathleen Kimball-Baker.
4. Caring Neighborhood | Young person experiences caring neighbors.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONHave neighborhood celebration on the first or last day of the school year. Invite youth, parents, teachers, and other neighbors.
   
   Organize informal activities (such as pick-up basketball) for young people in your neighborhood. Make plans to do the activity weekly if they are interested.
   
   If you live in an apartment or condominium, spend time in gathering places, such as front steps, courtyards, meeting rooms, pools, laundry rooms, and lobbies. Greet people and try to start conversations.
   
   Let the kids in your neighborhood know they can play basketball in your driveway, cut through your yard to get to school, sled down the hill in your backyard—whatever you feel comfortable with.
   
   Organize a neighborhood bake sale or garage sale, or try a barter day—you and your neighbors can gather to trade items.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Tag, You’re It! 50 Easy Ways to Connect with Young People by Kathleen Kimball-Baker.
5. Caring School Climate | School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONIf you find out your child is bullying or being bullied, don't add stress by showing your anger, fear, or disappointment. First listen carefully and respectfully while your child explains her or his point of view. Then work together to make a plan to solve the problem.
   
   Talk with your kids — ask about their friends, about what it's like to ride the bus or walk through the lunchroom. Keep talking and asking questions, even when they don't seem anxious to respond. If you know or find out that bullying is going on at school, in a congregation, or in another organization, be sure to report it.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Safe Places to Learn: 21 Lessons to Help Students Promote a Caring School Climate by Paul Sulley and Great Places to Learn: Creating Asset-Building Schools That Help Students Succeed by Neal Starkman, Peter C. Scales, and Clay Roberts.
6. Parent Involvement in Schooling | Parent(s) are actively involved in helping the child succeed in school.
EMPOWERMENT
7. Community Values Youth | Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONWhen young workers at a grocery store, drug store, or fast food restaurant wait on you, greet them in a friendly manner and compliment them on something (their good work, their unusual hairstyle).
   
   Be patient with young workers! Don’t show irritation if they make a mistake.
   
   Celebrate a young employee’s new job with a lunch date and a tour of your workplace. Talk about your job and the job he or she has been hired to do. Encourage lots of questions.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Empowering Youth: How to Encourage Young Leaders to do Great Things by Kelly Curtis.
8. Youth as Resources | Young people are given useful roles in the community.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONSolicit young people’s input in all decisions that affect them. If you’re on a decision-making board, invite young people to be members—and then really listen to what they have to say.
   
   If you’re in charge of a fundraising or charity event, involve your children or students. They will learn by watching you in action, but they will learn even more if they’re given a meaningful task to complete.
   
   Encourage kids to mentor their peers. Teach them how they can help other youth by listening to them and helping them work through their problems.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Empowering Youth: How to Encourage Young Leaders to do Great Things by Kelly Curtis.
9. Service to Others | Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
   SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTogether with your kids, do something for someone else, whether it’s making a financial contribution, baking cookies, or helping someone out.
   
   Make and send cards to hospitalized children, nursing home residents, or people in the military.
   
   Organize a community or neighborhood “closet-cleaning day.” Deliver everything you collect to a shelter or thrift store.
   
   Provide foster care for a pet through an animal shelter or for a friend or neighbor who is out of town or ill.
   
   Organize or participate together in a fundraiser such as a walk or run. Donate the proceeds to hurricane relief, camp scholarships, or other causes.
   
   * For more on this topic, see Empowering Youth: How to Encourage Young Leaders to do Great Things by Kelly Curtis and The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Group Activities That Help Youth Succeed by Jolene Roehlkepartain.
10. Safety | Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONCreate a loving, violence-free, safe home environment.
    
    If weapons are ever part of a bullying threat, take the threat seriously. The police need to be kept informed.
    
    Talk with your teen about the connection between driving and emotions. Point out that driving while angry, sad, or preoccupied can be as dangerous as drinking and driving. New drivers need to be in control of their own emotions and alert to the reactions of other drivers.
    
    Remove yourself from a situation immediately if you ever feel troubled enough to use physical or emotional violence against your teenager. Leave the room—go for a walk, visit a neighbor, call a trusted friend or counselor—but physically go somewhere else and calm down.
    
    Parents must decide when a teen’s welfare or the welfare of others is seriously endangered, and take action. If your child is engaging in risky behaviors of any sort, it’s time to intervene, monitor behavior closely, and perhaps seek professional support.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Empowering Youth: How to Encourage Young Leaders to do Great Things by Kelly Curtis and Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience by Jill R. Nelson and Sarah Kjos.
BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS
11. Family Boundaries | Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONAlways ask where your kids are going, with whom, and when they’ll be home.
    
    
    The next time your child lashes out at you, try responding with love rather than anger, such as, “I’m sorry you’re feeling that way right now. I love you, but it’s not okay to act this way.”
    
    Learn to be flexible when setting boundaries and to take the long view. Trends come and go and always will.
    
    Invest in high-quality Internet software that can track all activity, including chats, email, and Web access. Let your teens know you will regularly check on what they are doing online (and then be sure to do it).
    
    If possible, keep computers in the common areas of your home, not in bedrooms, offices, or other rooms where kids can spend long periods of time unsupervised.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen and Parenting at the Speed of Teens: Positive Tips on Everyday Issues.
12. School Boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONMake sure you and your children know the school rules about dress and appearance, and know the consequences for violating them.
    
    School should feel safe to children. If your child is being teased or bullied—in the classroom, on the playground, or to and from school—be sure to talk to your child's teacher. Great resources are available for teachers and parents to work through bullying issues, so speak up as soon as you believe this is an issue.
    
    Know the dress codes of your kids’ schools, and make sure your kids follow them, even if they tell you “no one else does.”
    
    *For more on this topic, see Safe Places to Learn: 21 Lessons to Help Students Promote a Caring School Climate by Paul Sulley and Great Places to Learn: Creating Asset-Building Schools That Help Students Succeed by Neal Starkman, Peter C. Scales, and Clay Roberts.
13. Neighborhood Boundaries | Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTell other parents when you see their children being responsible or generous in their actions. Try to find opportunities to praise more often than you report misbehavior.
    
    Make your home one that kids want to come to. If kids get rowdy in your home, be calm but firm in re-establishing order.
    
    Meet the parents of your children’s friends. If your preteen wants to go with friends to a movie or the mall without you, call other parents and agree on pick-up times and movie choices.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen and The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Activities That Help Youth Succeed by Jolene Roehlkepartain.
14. Adult Role Models | Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONIf you parent with a partner, make sure you work on keeping that relationship happy and healthy. You, your partner, and your kids will all benefit.
    
    Know when to tell your children you’re sorry. Keep it honest and sincere, avoiding the temptation to soothe your own conscience by offering gifts or other indulgences unrelated to the situation.
    
    Show them that you are brave enough to try again, even when you feel embarrassed.
    
    Make sure children hear adults solving problems in peaceful ways — not with shouting, angry words, or hitting. If you and your child witness bullying or intimidation by adults or children, point it out, talk about it, and think of alternate ways the situation could have been handled.
    
    Model for your children hard work, a good attitude, and respect for others. Avoid bad-mouthing coworkers, sports teams or players, and others with whom you compare yourself or compete.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Just When I Needed You: True Stories of Adults Who Made a Difference in the Lives of Young People by Deborah Fisher and Mentoring for Meaningful Results.
15. Positive Peer Influence | Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTION* For more on this topic, see The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Group Activities That Help Youth Succeed by Jolene Roehlkepartain and Parenting at the Speed of Teens: Positive Tips on Everyday Issues.
16. High Expectations | Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME
17. Creative Activities | Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONHand down a hobby. Teach a young person a skill, such as quilting, carpentry, or gardening.
    
    Help your children—at every age—find positive outlets for their creative energy. This might include classes, crafts, physical activities, drama, or more.
    
    If you played an instrument when you were younger, take a refresher course. Then set a good example and practice often. Or join a choir, try out for a play, pick up a paintbrush, or write a poem. Share your excitement with your children.
    
    * For more on this topic, see The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Group Activities That Help Youth Succeed by Jolene Roehlkepartain.
18. Youth Programs | Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONScouts and other youth groups are great places for young people to build strong, supportive relationships. Explore youth group opportunities.
    
    Suggest that your kids join a local organization for the summer as a counselor or mentor for children.
    
    Encourage your teens to be involved in some out-of-school programs or activities. If they aren’t interested in options at school, help them identify and research opportunities in your community. Carefully chosen part-time jobs or volunteer situations can also be worthwhile endeavors for teens.
    
    If you think it would help your child, look into a formal mentoring program through your school or a community organization. Many programs can match kids this age with an adult who will be a supporter and friend for years to come.
    
    Many young people have an interest in clubs and organizations at school that do fundraising for causes worldwide. Encourage their leadership and participation.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience, Mentoring for Meaningful Results, Great Group Games.
19. Religious Community | Young person spends one hour or more per week in activities in a religious institution.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONAdapt your religious and spiritual practices to match your child’s developmental abilities. Children this age may only be able to sit 10-15 minutes (or less) at one time. Offer a quiet activity or book to keep your child engaged.
    
    Encourage your child to talk about her interpretations of spiritual or religious concepts, asking questions to clarify comments, rather than judging what she says.
    
    It’s okay for your teen to seek out adult mentors with deep spiritual commitments or practices, even if those practices differ from your own. Exposure to different cultures and belief systems can help him evaluate and define his own.
    
    Keep talking with and listening to your child, even if she says things about religion or spirituality that worry or disappoint you.
    
    Together, read stories and enjoy music and other creative arts that have religious or spiritual themes.
20. Time at Home | Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONMake sure your kids’ time at home is constructive by setting aside at least one evening a week as family time. Play games, have a family book club, make dinner together, or go on walks, taking a different route each week.
    
    Limit their time on TV, computer, and video games. Many young people choose to be active when not glued to a screen.
    
    Set aside media-free family time on evenings or weekends. Play games, read aloud together, toast marshmallows, listen to music, play outside, go on an outing, or plan some other enjoyable activity together.
    
    As much as possible, honor mealtimes as “connecting times.” Don’t watch TV or stand over the sink as you eat!
    
    Many preteens and teens start dropping activities and wanting to spend more time “hanging out.” Be patient, but also encourage your child to find another activity to try and get involved in.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years and A Moment’s Peace for Parents of Teens: 365 Rejuvenating Reflections by Patricia Hoolihan.

INTERNAL ASSETS

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

21. Achievement Motivation | Young person is motivated to do well in school.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONYou can never “overpraise” a child’s abilities. The more able a child feels, the more likely she or he is to continue pursuing ambitious goals.
    
    Use spontaneous rewards with no strings attached. If you expect children to work hard and learn new skills, they probably will. Instead of saying “I’ll take you to the park if you finish your assignment,” say, “You finished your assignment? Great! Let’s go to the park to celebrate.”
    
    Set goals together that will motivate your child. Choose goals that are easy, simple, and doable. For example, goals could include, “I will raise my hand to participate at least one more time a day” or “I will ask my teacher or dad for help when I don’t understand something.”
    
    Monitor your teenager’s stress levels. Some find high school academically competitive and can psych themselves out. Others think high school is a waste of time and try to do the minimum. Talk about how high school is a key part of your child’s life and how he can make the most of it.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Engage Every Parent! Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference by Nancy Tellett-Royce and Susan Wootten.
22. School Engagement | Young person is actively engaged in learning.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTalk with your children about school and learning. Ask them every day what they did in school, what they learned, what they liked about school, what they didn’t like about it. Stay in touch with their school experience.
    
    Some kids complain of boredom in the classroom. If this is the case, talk with your child and his teacher about enriching assignments to add more challenge. Ask for opportunities that add rigor and depth to your child’s education, and look for mentors and tutors who can help him delve more deeply into subjects that he loves.
    
    When you talk about school, stay positive. Let your children know that you think learning and school are fun and important.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Engage Every Parent! Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference by Nancy Tellett-Royce and Susan Wootten.
23. Homework | Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONAsk neighbors to include their areas of expertise (computers, math, English arts) in a “homework helpers” list to distribute to students. Then encourage students to call neighbors when they need specific help.
    
    Sit near your children when they’re doing homework, and do work of your own: write a letter, pay bills, balance your checkbook, or read work-related material. Continue this routine as children grow older.
    
    Encourage children who participate in after-school childcare programs to do at least some of their homework there so that you have more family time in the evenings.
    
    Encourage your children to form study groups with other students when appropriate. Help them outline complex material, and teach them how to read and evaluate arguments with a critical eye.
    
    When your children ask for help, provide guidance (but don’t give them all the answers right away). Remember, children only need to do their best, not your best.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Engage Every Parent! Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference by Nancy Tellett-Royce and Susan Wootten.
24. Bonding to School | Young person cares about her or his school.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONIf you are able, purchase school t-shirts, caps, sweatshirts, or other school clothing that’s for sale. Wearing these items helps children show pride in their school.
    
    Participate with your child in service projects, such as food drives, conducted by the school. Invite one of your child's friends to join you.
    
    Show that you care about your child’s school. Join a parent-teacher organization, attend conferences and special events, and volunteer in any way you can.
    
    Listen to your teenager when he complains about school or talks about not feeling connected. Is there a specific problem?
    
    Don't forget to identify one caring adult at school as your family's "ally." Aim for at least five caring adults in your teen’s life.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Engage Every Parent! Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference by Nancy Tellett-Royce and Susan Wootten.
25. Reading for Pleasure | Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONBring a young person to look for books at garage sales, rummage sales, and second-hand stores.
    
    Ask children to read to you as they learn to read. Show them that you are excited and proud about their reading.
    
    Ask a teenager to recommend a favorite book. Read the book and start a discussion later about the characters’ values.
    
    Give your child books and magazine subscriptions as birthday and holiday presents.
    
    Make it a family ritual to read together in the evening—with the television, cell phones, and computers turned off!
    
    * For more on this topic, see The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Group Activities That Help Youth Succeed.
POSITIVE VALUES
26. Caring | Young Person places high value on helping other people.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONEncourage your kids to donate coins—their own or ones you give them—to good causes.
    
    Investigate volunteer opportunities in your community that you and your teen can do together, such as stocking food supplies at your local foodshelf.
    
    Affirm your teenager when he or she acts in ways that are caring or responsible. Teenagers need to hear that you’re proud of them and that they are making good choices (even when you’re not happy with all their choices).
27. Equality and Social Justice | Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTogether, choose an organization or group you want to support financially. Spend six months saving and then deliver your donation in person, if possible.
    
    Begin teaching your child the importance of thinking of others who might not have as much as they do. Encourage your kids to “hand down” items they no longer use to charitable organizations.
    
    Identify people (past or present) who have worked for social justice. Discuss their impact on their community or the world.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Make a World of Difference: 50 Asset-Building Activities to Help Teens Explore Diversity by Dawn C. Oparah.
28. Integrity | Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONDefending personal values may sometimes mean your teens get intolerant or belittling responses from their friends or acquaintances. Your support for your children is crucial.
29. Honesty | Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy."
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONRealize that asking demanding questions (“Did you throw that at your sister?”), when you already know the answers, may corner them into lies if they think you might be fooled (“No, I dropped it and it hit her.”)
    
    Live honestly, even when it's “no big deal”: Return the extra if given too much change, play fair, own up to fibs or made-up excuses.
    
    Make it a game to find dishonesty in advertising. Discuss why companies might want to mislead people or hide some information.
    
    When your children are honest with you about problems, concerns, or sensitive topics, praise them, even if you don't like what you have been told. Separate honesty from other issues.
    
    Keep in mind that kids usually lie because it seems safer than telling the truth. If you suspect your child is lying, try to get at the reason. Say, for example, “I'm having a hard time believing this story, did something happen that you're afraid to tell me?” Or, “There seems to be more to this than what you're saying, what else is bothering you?”
30. Responsibility | Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONDon’t always bail your kids out of trouble. Help them learn from mistakes.
    
    Don’t nag or rescue your kids when they forget to follow through on a responsibility. Let natural consequences occur (e.g., kids who don’t put their dirty clothes in the laundry basket run out of clean clothes to wear).
    
    Talk about the cost of things you buy and how you make decisions about what to spend.
    
    If you have a pet, encourage your child to take on more responsibility for pet care as he or she matures. If your child is interested in getting a pet, work with her or him to do plenty of research on the care needed for the type of animal you are considering.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Teaching Kids to Change the World: Lessons to Inspire Social Responsibility for Grades 6-12 by Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner and Chris Maser.
31. Restraint | Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTalk with your kids about real-life stuff like drugs, alcohol, and sexuality. Let them know your values and expectations.
    
    Talk to your kids—boys and girls—about how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If you don’t, you can be sure someone will and they may not share your wisdom.
    
    Some teens think that all parties have to be unsupervised and involve drinking or other illegal activities. Help your children plan fun, “dry” parties at your home or another safe location.
    
    Don’t laugh at or glorify the behavior of people who have had too much to drink, even on television or in movies.
    
    Let your teen know it’s so important to you that they don’t drink, that you will always provide a no-questions-asked-at-the-time ride home if they end up at a party where there is alcohol.
    
    Seize opportune moments to talk, such as after watching a movie or show together that contains content about sexual relationships (even those considered “family” shows often do).
    
    * For more on this topic, see Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen, Parenting at the Speed of Teens, and Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience by Jill R. Nelson and Sarah Kjos.
SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
32. Planning and Decision Making | Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONWhen your children receive long-term school assignments, offer to help them plan and make decisions in order to finish on time.
    
    Talk children through planning ahead by asking “what if” questions. This will help them think about what needs to be done and identify possible consequences of their decisions.
    
    Encourage your teen to get involved in a long-term project (one that involves planning and coordination) at school or in the community.
    
    Be intentional about letting kids make plans for a family party or event. Let them help make guest lists, plan the budget, shop for food and decorations, and enlist family members to make the event a success.
    
    Provide your children with daily planners to help them organize their homework assignments, tests, and after-school activities.
33. Interpersonal Competence | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONRemind your children that they need to treat you with respect, such as saying please and thank you, and acknowledging your presence!
    
    Make it a policy to never speak poorly of others in your home.
    
    Use “active listening” with your children: Ask good questions, paraphrase what they say to make sure you understand, and show that you empathize with what they are saying.
    
    Teach your children—through modeling and explanation—how to use “I” statements to express feelings to one another without making accusations (for example: “I feel angry when you say that,” instead of “You make me so mad, or “You are so stupid.”
    
    Encourage your child to develop friendships of all ages in a number of different settings, such as school, a faith community, your neighborhood, or your extended family.
    
    * For more on this topic, see The Best of Building Assets Together: Favorite Activities That Help Youth Succeed by Jolene Roehlkepartain.
34. Cultural Competence | Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
    
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONPay attention to what you say and how you say it about people, the world, ideas, and so on. Your kids are learning from you.
    
    Teach your kids that everybody has personal values, even though others’ may be different from their own.
    
    Attend cultural events and festivals in your community. If you don’t know of any, try asking a librarian or calling your local chamber of commerce.
    
    When you watch television, see a movie, or play a video game with your children, talk about the subtle messages about diversity. Do all the characters look, sound, or dress a certain way? Are there stereotypes that are reinforced or dispelled? What’s implied about the positive and negative aspects of certain characteristics?
    
    Encourage your teens to have “multi-cultural” experiences by visiting museums, cultural festivals or centers, congregations, or other places where people who share a common culture gather.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Make a World of Difference: 50 Asset-Building Activities to Help Teens Explore Diversity by Dawn C. Oparah.
35. Resistance Skills | Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONBe aware that some young people participate in unhealthy rites of passage involving things like hazing, gambling, sexual activity, or substance use. Talk with your children about how their peers mark life changes. Then, together with your children, make some positive plans of your own.
    
    Peer pressure can be a powerful motivator and becomes more so as your child matures. Talk about the importance of thinking for oneself. Encourage your child to believe in the value of her own good choices.
    
    Reinforce nonviolent resistance skills, such as walking away, being assertive (although not passive or overly aggressive), and finding someone such as a trained peer mediator to help.
    
    Teach your children that kids who pressure them to do things they know they shouldn’t do are not true friends at all. Talk about times when you had to let go of a friendship that wasn’t helpful to you.
    
    Affirm your teenagers when they make good choices. They need to hear what they’re doing right.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen and Parenting at the Speed of Teens: Positive Tips on Everyday Issues.
36. Peaceful Conflict Resolution | Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONForgive people of all ages when they make mistakes. Teach young people how to apologize, explain, negotiate, and resolve conflicts peacefully when relationships run into trouble.
    
    If your children hit each other (or kick, bite, and pull each other’s hair), don’t just chalk it up to “kids being kids.” Explain why it isn’t right to hurt someone else, and mediate an apology.
    
    Teach your children about nonviolent resistance by reading about Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, and other nonviolent leaders.
    
    Know when to tell your children you’re sorry. Keep it honest and sincere, avoiding the temptation to soothe your own conscience by offering gifts or other indulgences unrelated to the situation.
    
    Allow family members to leave discussions when they are too angry or upset to resolve conflicts peacefully and reasonably. Agree on a time to try again.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience by Jill R. Nelson and Sarah Kjos.
POSITIVE IDENTITY
37. Personal Power | Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONThe most important piece of the self-esteem puzzle is personal power—the sense your child gets from knowing they can have an effect on their world. Finding ways for your child to set a goal and achieve it is important.
    
    Help your child learn to brainstorm and choose solutions to problems so that he or she learns to be empowered.
    
    A child’s personal power (self-esteem) might come from successful team work, a rewarding service activity, or remembering to do chores without being told. Look for ways to identify and recognize your child’s growing personal power.
    
    As you watch your teen become more empowered and self-assured, have ongoing conversations about the new responsibilities this age brings and about your confidence in their ability to navigate their expanding world.
    
    Help your children understand the difference(s) between what we can and can’t control. For example, we can control what we say and do; we can’t control what other people say and do.
38. Self-Esteem | Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONTalk openly and positively about changes happening in your children’s bodies—growth spurts and puberty. When your son’s voice begins to change or your daughter gets her period, celebrate in a way that suits your child—perhaps a special dinner or outing.
    
    Tell your children how proud you are of them. Be sure to let them know you enjoy their company.
    
    When teen acne appears, help children explore options for effectively treating it with frequent face washing, over-the-counter products, and/or dermatologist-prescribed medication.
    
    Tell your kids what’s special about them and that your love for them will never end. Some parents think children just know these things. They won’t, unless they hear it directly from you.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience by Jill R. Nelson and Sarah Kjos and Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen.
39. Sense of Purpose | Young person reports that "my life has a purpose."
    SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONStock your bookshelves with inspiring books about heroes who have made a difference with their lives.
    
    Tell your children about a time when you really messed up and learned from it.
40. Positive View of Personal Future | Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future. SHOW ME HOW TO TAKE ACTIONEncourage your children to spend time in their high school guidance office, reading through career and college planning materials.
    
    Talk to your teenagers about how they feel about themselves and what they envision for their future.
    
    If your teenager is passionate about animals, encourage her or him to consider education or career paths that involve animals when she or he considers post-high school opportunities. There are many.
    
    Ask your kids about their goals and dreams. Help them think about the resources (financial and otherwise) they will need to make these goals a reality.
    
    * For more on this topic, see Just When I Needed You: True Stories of Adults Who Made a Difference in the Lives of Young People by Deborah Fisher.
This list is an educational tool. It is not intended to be nor is it appropriate as a scientific measure of the developmental assets of individuals.   Copyright © 1997, 2007 by Search Institute. All rights reserved. This chart may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial use only (with this copyright line). No other use is permitted without prior permission from Search Institute, 615 First Avenue N.E., Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; 800-888-7828. See Search Institute's Permissions Guidelines and Request Form. The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets® and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.

 Sources

-www.cde.ca.gov/ls/yd/re/chks.asp

-http://www.search-institute.org/assets/assetcategories.html

-http://www.ymcanwnc.org/asset/how.php

http://www.cfoc.org/Facts/index.cfm?ID=2258&blnShowBack=True&idContentType=666

Nick Webb, Head of "The Chemical People". BA in Sociology with emphasis on Nonprofit organizations.

Justin Day, Head of Youth Outreach Program for Family Planning.

Health Improvement Partnership of ShastaCounty, 11105 Rhyolite Drive. Redding, CA

"A Fragile Foundation" By The Search Institute, 2003 

Institute, "Overall, 59% of young people surveyed have 20 or fewer of the 40 assets". Hence, we discover that our youth have only half of the available tools they need to become successful. Surely, our younger generations are surviving and thriving, but one might wonder if they are living to their full potential