Document 6516757

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