Wednesday's Angels ~ Braden Erickson (1992-2005)

~~Braden Erickson (1992-2005)~~

No farewell words were spoken........
No time to say goodbye........
You were gone before we knew it
And only God knows why.

http://braden-erickson.memory-of.com/About.aspx

His family is convinced that he died engaging a particularly lethal type of risky behavior. It is known as "The Choking Game", "Pass Out". "American Dream", "Flatliner", "Space Monkey" and various other names. Kids have been participating in this activity for generations. Frequently, deaths caused by this game are mislabeled as suicides by the authorities. Kids believe it is a safe activity. Obviously, that is not true. The weapon in the campaign to stop these deaths is information. Most adults have no idea that their children are doing this. For more information about this lethal activity, go to   www.stop-the-choking-game.com   

and for more education www.ed4ed4all.com

Click link to view In Loving Memory of Braden Euqene Erickson.  This video was created by Denise Bruckner, Austin Bruckner's Mom.  Austin also died participating in the "Choking Game"   Thanks so much, Denise.

He was such a sweet, funny, loving, intelligent generous person just undergoing the transition from boy to young man. He had started wearing cologne but he still slept with his little brown stuffed bunny. He had endless patience when it came to something he really wanted to do. Fishing for example, or stalking dragon flies or lizards.

He had many friends in Alaska, on the island of Maui where he lived with his family for two years, and in Tolleson, Arizona where he and his family had lived for the past two years. He kept in touch with his friends in Alaska and Maui.

Braden loved life and he loved all of God's creatures. He had a special affinity for reptiles and was the proud owner of a ball python named Squeeze, a monitor lizard and another smaller snake. The family also has a black toy poodle and a pot bellied pig both of which Braden played with and helped to care for.

Braden was born on February 19, 1992. His little brother, Jesse was born on February 20, 2002, ten years and one day later. Braden thought of Jess as his birthday present and watched over him like a guardian angel. Jess misses him so!! He has told his Mom he doesn't want Brady to be in heaven any more. He wants him to come home.

Shortly before he died, Braden used his Birthday money to pay for some of his friends to get into a dance at school. He was always willing to share whatever he had with others. He would not stand by and watch a bully torment a smaller or weaker child, and he would not back down from a bully.

The ongoing theme in all of the letters his family received from his friends and classmates after his death was that he made everyone laugh. He had an off-the-wall sense of humor. which he used to brighten the world around him. The outpouring of affection for him was amazing. His classmates organized a car wash. His teachers purchased and delivered to his family a package of school pictures which he had not yet picked up. His friends in Tolleson and Wasilla had tee shirts made in his honor and wore them to school. There was standing room only at his service. Several of his classmates spoke. The school that he attended in Kehei, Maui sent two fresh flower leis.

Click here to see Braden Erickson's

Family Tree


Our Angel this week reminds us why we are thankful for small blessings

All I Want For Christmas

I know you feel this is the first Christmas without me,

And all these Christmas decorations you can’t stand to see._

I know you keep asking God “why?”,

I also know you sometimes late at night you lay in your bed and cry.

I know this will be hard but there are some things I need you to do for me,

This Christmas do a little make-believe.

I want you to smile, when you want to cry,

I want you to live, even when you feel like you want to die.

When your heart has no song, I still want you to sing,

When your hands don’t feel like cooking,

I want to make that sweet potato pie to bring.

I want you to laugh when the kids sing Jingle Bells,

And I want you to get your Christmas cards done and mailed.

I know this seems like a lot to ask of you,

But in return this is what I will do.

I will be there to wrap my arms around you when you are down,

I will make sure you hear a joke to make you smile instead of frown.

I will help you remember the words to even the hardest Christmas song,

But most of all, I will help you understand that Heaven is where I truly belong.

So this Christmas season, I’ll still be there,

I will be the cold wind that blows you hair.

I will be in the twinkle in the lights on your Christmas tree,

I will be in the sound of the children’s voice as they sing,

And I will be in the giggle you hear when they open the gifts you bring.

I’ll be in the scent of Christmas dinner in the air,

And when you feel that special “warmth” you’ll know I am there.

So this isn’t the first Christmas without me,

Just look around and there I will be……..

by Rachel

Do you have a child or teen that has died and been lost to a senseless act of youth risk behaviors, we would love to have permission to feature their story and help their

legacy live on to help others. Please email me Leslie ernursescare@charter.net and I will be glad to help you.

 

Fact Sheet

Are smart kids more likely to use drugs?

 An ambitious new study suggests a surprising link between a child's IQ and his use of illegal substances as an adult

previously posted on Alltop.com here

Photo: CORBIS
 
Classroom know-it-alls may be more likely to experiment with drugs as they enter adulthood, according to a new study.

Smart kids are more likely to use drugs such as marijuana and cocaine when they grow up — and the likelihood is stronger among females than males — according to a new British study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Researchers have previously posited that children with a high IQ can grow up to be heavier drinkers. Now drugs, too? A concise guide to the findings:

What was the study's methodology?Researchers tracked about 8,000 people across three decades, recording their IQ scores at age 5 and again at age 10, says Makiko Kitamura at Bloomberg Businessweek. As adults, "participants were asked about use of substances including cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, crack and heroin."

And what did they find?
Subjects "who had high IQs when they were aged 5 and 10 were more likely to use certain illicit drugs at age 16 and at age 30," says Denise Mann at Web MD. In particular, women with high IQ scores at 5 years of age were "more than twice as likely" to have smoked marijuana or tried cocaine by age 30 than women with lower IQs. As for men who tested well as kids, 50 percent were more likely to use amphetamines like speed, 65 percent more likely to have tried ecstasy, and, overall, 57 percent more likely to have used two or more illegal drugs by the time they hit 30.

Why are smart kids more likely to use drugs?
While parents may find the results "surprising at first glance," intelligent children fit the "established" profile of drug experimenters in many ways, says Karen Kaplan at the Los Angeles Times. Among the social factors that can lead individuals to try drugs are boredom and a "tendency to be teased" by peers as a child. (Drugs could be used as a "coping strategy.") Moreover, smarter individuals are typically more willing to try new things. As the researchers note: "High-IQ individuals have also been known to score highly on tests of stimulation seeking and openness to experience" — which illegal drugs can provide.

What do you think? 
Sources: Bloomberg Businessweek, LA Times, Web MD

Wednesday blessings ~~ Our angels

~~~Joshua~~~

10/11/97 - 6/13/11  

Another Angel in Heaven because of the Choking or Fainting game, another kid dead, yes, he is really gone! This does not have to happen, Joshua was only 13 yrs old, his entire life was in front of him. News Article about Josh's death with a video

Each Wednesday instead of a senseless picture posting we will feature one of our Angels, kids that we have lost due to youth risk behaviors, poor choices and lack of knowledge. Hopefully this will be an important reminder to parents, teachers and kids that "games" that involve "risk taking behaviors" such as the "Choking Game" , Pharm or pill parties, Self Destructive or mutilation behaviors, Huffing and inhalant abuse, synthetic drugs such as "bath salts" or K2 are only a road that leads down a "dead end" street. Death is not selective, it can sneak up on you the first time you make a poor choice or the 100th time you do, so why play Russian roulette with your life?
Educate yourself, your kids, your students and save a life. Might even be your child's life.

More information and downloadable free educational materials available on our website here http://ed4ed4all.com 

Now there is "Fake weed" with real dangers

We worry about marijuana and other drugs, but now synthetic versions of these dangerous substances tease our kids and send invitations out to party, only to leave
them with an invitation to a Russian roulette party game that they did not plan on playing. Educate yourself on these newer forms of dangerous substances, here is one article about K2 or "fake weed" ........ more to come...

From examiner.com:
There is a new and dangerous “fake weed” drug known as K2 that is becoming popular among America’s teenagers. Although it’s referred to as “fake,” the dangers to teens are very real. The marijuana-like substance can cause hallucinations, vomiting, agitation and other dangerous side effects, according to Fox News.
What Is K2?
K2 is a mixture of herbal and spice plant products, but it is sprayed with a potent drug that is causing many adverse effects. It sells for about $30-$40 per three-gram bag, and is more potent than marijuana. K2 is made to be a potpourri or an incense, and it can be burned in a small burner. However, a growing number of teens are choosing to smoke it. K2 can be purchased in local smoke shops.
The Dangers of K2:
K2 “fake weed” causes the usual side effects of marijuana, like sleepiness, relaxation, reduced blood pressure, and at high doses, hallucinations and delusions. However, unlike marijuana, K2 also produces increased agitation, elevated blood pressure and high heart rates. Leading physicians agree that the “fake weed” is dangerous. "It's like playing Russian roulette. You don't know what it's going to do to you," Clemson University’s organic chemist John Huffman told Fox News. In Missouri, a 14-year-old vomited, suffered seizures, and even quit breathing after smoking a small amount of K2. He remained unconscious for five hours and spent the night in the ICU. Similar cases are being reported across the country, including 14 right here in Georgia. A teen in Atlanta went into a coma and almost died this past weekend. He has since recovered fully, but he considers himself lucky and is telling other teens about the dangers of K2. Georgia legislators are currently trying to ban the synthetic pot.
K2 Usage is on the Increase:
Because K2 is generally considered an “herbal smoke,” reports of its increased usage are cropping up all over the country," explains Dr. Anthony Scaizo, a professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University. "I think K2 is likely a bigger problem than we're aware of at this time," he added.
What’s a Parent To Do?
Be sure to research K2 and become familiar with its dangers. Talk to your teenagers about this latest herbal drug, and why it is so dangerous. Hopefully, armed with information, your teen will choose not to abuse. K2 is no laughing matter.
To read more about K2, click here to read the complete report from Fox News. Click here to read more about the teen from Missouri who almost died from K2.
Click here to view a local report about K2 from WSB-TV in Atlanta.
Sources: Fox News and KY3 TV

Video you need to see:
http://www.wsbtv.com/videos/news/teen-on-ventilator-after-k-2-use/vCcDW/

Stay safe and educate
Leslie~~ Ed4Ed4all.com

A Challenge for YOU! We Can Do this!!

 National Choking Game Awareness Conference for Advocates to convene!! We need to reach far and wide! It's FREE , just takes a second of your time. Placing 2 votes, every day will be my routine for the month - will you take on the same challenge? 2 Votes every day: http://www.refresheverything.com/chokinggame AND Text* 109321 to Pepsi (73774) We can do this! Vote, Share, repeat for 30 days :)

Please Please vote and help us spread the word, working together advocates can help end the deaths of kids by the "Choking Game" and other risky behaviors.

Leslie Block RN - Ed4Ed4all- Injury Prevention Specialist

Our New Website!!

 

 http://www.ed4ed4all.com

 

Our fabulous Lyndi Trost (Network Director of Ed4Ed) has created the new ed4ed4all.com website and it is awesome, page after page of great information, events, videos, alerts and news for parents, free downloadable materials, how to get involved and links to resources.

This organization is dedicated to those young people who have been needlessly injured or killed  as a result of participating in behaviors without adequate information concerning the risks they are taking.  We as a group are aware of about 1,000 such young people and the number is increasing steadily.  To prevent these senseless tragedies,

Education is the essential element:

• Understanding Choices

• Weighing Chances

• Evaluating potential outcomes - Benefits vs, Risk

in guiding our youth to healthy choices ushering in bright futures.

Scientific research and professionals concur:  Youth will take risks.  Scientific research based on youth studies conclude:  Knowledge is the single factor that determines the risks they will choose to take.  Risk experimentation ends in needless tragedy and experience is not the best teacher.

 

Many of our members have been personally affected by these behaviors which include but are not limited to "The Choking Game'. Emo, Dusting and Pharm Parties.

Mission Statement

The Ed4Ed mission is to provide an aid to be shared free of cost with all who care for youth.  The single goal is elimination of youth dying and suffering grave injury due to a simple lack of knowledge. These senseless tragedies can be prevented.  This will be accomplished through awareness of and education about emerging youth risk behavior trends. 

 

To be effective the program must be efficient, flexible, adaptable, accessible, easy to use and offered freely.   

So what are you waiting for? come on over and check out our new website and tell us what you think.

Follow us on Twitter @Ed4Ed4all and @ernursescare

Bullying- what is it? how can I be more aware and help stop it!

Bullying, what is it, and what do we look for,how do we get help? October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and we here at Ed4Ed4all would like to give you the information to help you be more aware of this problem that seems to be spreading like a virus and affecting our children all over the world.

Bullying is a widespread and serious problem that can happen anywhere. It is not a phase children have to go through, it is not "just messing around", and it is not something to grow out of. Bullying can cause serious and lasting harm.
Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying involves:

• Imbalance of Power: people who bully use their power to control or harm and the people being bullied have a hard time defending themselves
• Intent to Cause Harm: actions done by accident are not bullying; the person bullying has a goal to cause harm
• Repetition: incidents of bullying happen to the same the person over and over by the same person or group

Types of Bullying:
Bullying can take many forms. Examples include:

• Verbal: name-calling, teasing
• Social: spreading rumors, leaving people out on purpose, breaking up friendships
• Physical: hitting, punching, shoving
• Cyberbullying: using the Internet, mobile phones or other digital technologies to harm others

An act of bullying may fit into more than one of these groups.

There are many warning signs that could indicate that someone is involved in bullying, either by bullying others or by being bullied. However, these warning signs may indicate other issues or problems as well. If you are a parent or educator, learn more about talking to someone about bullying.
 
Signs and Symptoms of Being Bullied

• Comes home with damaged or missing clothing or other belongings
• Reports losing items such as books, electronics, clothing, or jewelry
• Has unexplained injuries
• Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or feeling sick
• Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
• Has changes in eating habits
• Hurts themselves
• Is very hungry after school from not eating lunch
• Runs away from home
• Loses interest in visiting or talking with friends
• Is afraid of going to school or other activities with peers
• Loses interest in school work or begins to do poorly in school
• Appears sad, moody, angry, anxious or depressed when they come home
• Talks about suicide
• Feels helpless
• Oftens feel like they are not good enough
• Blames themselves for their problems
• Suddenly has fewer friends
• Avoids certain places
• Acts differently than usual

Bullying Others

• Becomes violent with others
• Gets into physical or verbal fights with others
• Gets sent to the principal’s office or detention a lot
• Has extra money or new belongings that can’t be explained
• Is quick to blame others
• Will not accept responsibility for their actions
• Has friends who bully others
• Needs to win or be best at everything

There are things you can do to stop the bullying. Visit pages that apply directly to you:

• Kids
• Teens
• Young Adults

If you are a parent or guardian, talk to the school administration or the adult that supervises your child’s community activities.
Parents: What to Do When Bullying Continues or Gets Worse If the bullying gets worse and you need additional help, consider the following if:

Scenario	Solution
Someone is at immediate risk of harm because of bullying.	Contact the police (911)
Your child is feeling suicidal because of bullying.	Contact the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Your child’s teacher is not keeping him/her safe from being bullied.	Contact the Local School Administrator (principal or superintendent)
Your school is not keeping your child safe from being bullied.	Contact the State School Department
Your child is sick, stressed, not sleeping, or is having other problems because of bullying	Contact your counselor or other health professional
Your child is being bullied because of their race, ethnicity, or disability, and local help is not working to solve the problem.	Contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office on Civil Rights

Please note that though the Federal Departments of Health and Human Services and Education care deeply about bullying, they are limited in their ability to intervene in specific cases; bullying and other discipline policies and laws are set at the state and local levels.

What is Cyberbullying??
Cyberbullying, instead of happening face-to-face, happens through the use of technology such as computers, cell phones and other electronic devices. Cyberbullying peaks around the end of middle school and the beginning of high school.
Examples of cyberbullying include:

• Sending hurtful, rude, or mean text messages to others
• Spreading rumors or lies about others by e-mail or on social networks
• Creating websites, videos or social media profiles that embarrass, humiliate, or make fun of others

Bullying online is very different from face-to-face bullying because messages and images can be:

• Sent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• Shared to a very wide audience
• Sent anonymously.

 LGBT bullying :

 If you experience bullying or violence for ANY reason, YOU have a right to:

• Live your life free from fear
• Be safe and protected
• A supportive home, community and/or school environment
• Thrive physically, psychologically, socially and academically

If you experience bullying or violence because you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), or others think you are LGBT, remember that YOU:

• Matter and have a place in the world
• Are NOT alone - help and support is only a phone call away.
• Can be proud of who you are.

LGBT bullying has the same warning signs and effects as other forms of bullying. 

Risk Factors of LGBT Bullying

Young LGBT people may be more at-risk for bullying. Compared to their heterosexual peers, some LGBT kids, teens and young adults are at increased risk for bullying, teasing, harassment, physical assault, and suicide-related behaviors.
Over a ten-year period more than 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students (aged 13-21), were surveyed. The results were published in The 2009 National School Climate Survey. The survey found that in the preceding year, because of their sexual orientation:

• Eight in ten LGBT students had been verbally harassed at school
• Four in ten had been physically harassed at school
• Six in ten felt unsafe at school
• One in five had been the victim of a physical assault at school

Unfortunately, these types of experiences with violence also occur outside of school and may continue into young adulthood.
Young LGBT people may be more at-risk for sexual discrimination and bias. Young LGBT individuals may be bullied as a part of sexual/gender discrimination and bias by their schoolmates, ethnic or religious groups or by other societal concerns related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Effects of Bullying

Bullying has serious and lasting effects.  While these effects may also be caused by other factors, research has found bullying has significant effects for those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying.

People Who are Bullied:

• Have higher risk of depression and anxiety, including the following symptoms, that may persist into adulthood:
  • Increased feelings of sadness and loneliness
  • Changes in sleep and eating patterns
  • Loss of interest in activities
• Have increased thoughts about suicide that may persist into adulthood.  In one study, adults who recalled being bullied in youth were 3 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts or inclinations.
• Are more likely to have health complaints.  In one study, being bullied was associated with physical health status 3 years later.
• Have decreased academic achievement (GPA and standardized test scores) and school participation.
• Are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
• Are more likely to retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.

People Who Bully Others:

• Have a higher risk of abusing alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults.
• Are more likely to get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school.
• Are more likely to engage in early sexual activity.
• Are more likely to have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults.  In one study, 60% of boys who bullied others in middle school had a criminal conviction by age 24.
• Are more likely to be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses or children as adults.

People Who Witness Bullying:

• Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.
• Have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
• Are more likely to miss or skip school.

Information from the Stop Bullying.gov website visit for more information, credit due to stopbullying.gov for the great info 


Online Resources for more info:

• The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Bullying and Victimization: What Adults Can Do [PDF] (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• COPS Teen Action Toolkit [PDF]
  This toolkit includes a blueprint for engaging youth in community problem solving around the issue of teen victimization. Teen Action Partnership for Teen Victims is a youth-led civic engagement program designed to improve local policies, outreach, and services to teen victims of crime.
• Electronic Aggression (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• “Make Time To Listen...Take Time To Talk...ABOUT BULLYING” [PDF] (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) State School Health Policy Database
• Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along
  Designed for second to fourth graders, this interactive guide helps children work through conflict.
• Some Facts About Bullying Among Children and Young People [PDF]
  This information sheet describes what we know about children and youth who bully, including how much bullying is actually happening, where bullying occurs, and what group bullying looks like.
• STRYVE: Striving to Reduce Violence Everywhere (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• To BullyProof or Not to BullyProof: That is the Question (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• Youth Violence Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Child Mind Institute

LGBT Resources

• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) 
• It Gets Better Project 
  President Obama's video is just one of thousands of videos submitted by people across the country to inspire and encourage LGBT youth who are struggling. You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com .
• Welcoming Schools
• COLAGE
• Matthew Shepard Foundation
• Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
• The Trevor Project
  The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGTQ youth by providing resources and a nationwide, 24-hour hotline. If you are considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

Evidence-Based Programs

• University of Colorado at Boulder: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence Blueprints for Violence Prevention
• U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices
• FindYouthInfo.gov: Evidence Based Program Directory
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Model Programs Guide
• U.S. Department of Education: Exemplary and Promising Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-Free Schools Program [PDF]