Is YOUR Teen out of control?

Is your teen out of control?

During past articles we have discussed problems that parents may have with their teens. One of the hardest "jobs" in the world is to be a parent - it is also one of the most under-paid yet rewarding ones that there is.

The Watchful Eye Foundation does not claim to have all of the answers - however what we do know we are willing to pass onto you what we do know so that you can raise your child to be successful in being a respectable person that you will be extremely proud of.

Raising a child to be successful and respectable does not necessarily mean raising a Harvard law school graduate. It means basically to have a child who regardless if they flip hamburgers at the local McDonald's or wash dishes at the Taquiera that child is honest and respectful as well as kind.

Alot of times something major will occur in a child's life such as running away or getting into trouble with the law and 98% of the time the parents will say - " I don't know what happened"....

This "trouble" Mom and Dad did not suddenly just "happen". Odds are that it has been like a car gaining in speed as it travels down a hill. You might not barely notice it until one day "Bam!" your teens life is full speed ahead and headed for the danger zone.

The key is to become your child's hero and jump in the drivers seat and hit the brakes. It wont be easy going back up that hill, but it can be done. If you really try and want to.

Lets start with a few questions that you can answer privately and honestly....

Is your child an angry child?
Does your child "cop an attitude" when he or she doesnt get their way?
Does your child seem secretive?
How's school? Is your child in trouble at school often?
Is your child skipping school or getting there late alot?
Grades at school - have they gone down to the point where they are failing?

Has your teen had issues with running away?

Do you know if your child is sexually active?

Saying I hate you and/or cussing and other abusive language to you or other family members?

Is your child frequently out late, without your permission?

Does your child have friends who are also making poor decisions?
Does your child associate with troublemakers or have secretive peers?
Has your child started to hang around with older teens or adults?
Is your child frequenting internet chat rooms?

Does your child have new friends and do you know who they are?
Is your child defiant?
Has your child been involved in fights and disturbances in the community or at school?

What kind of music is your child listening to? The words in the music - do they talk about sex, killing and other acts of violence?

Does your child deliberately self-injure, or cut markings into his or her skin?
Has your child withdrawn from family activities and family involvement?
Have there been abrupt changes in your child's personality and behavior?
Have your child's eating habits changed?

Does your child break curfew rules or laws?
Do you suspect your child of using drugs or alcohol?
Has your child stolen money from you?

Does your child have unexplained cash, new clothes, or material items?
Has your child destroyed property in your home?
Has there been a change in your child's clothing style?
Has your child been violent at home?

Does your child listen to music with violent, sadistic, degrading, or gangster-influenced lyrics?
Have you ever needed to call the police for help with your child?
How is your child's behavior affecting your work?
How is your child's behavior affecting your marriage, home and family?
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE?

Take a few minutes to answer these questions - answer them honestly. This isnt a test. This is your child's life. Your ultimate responsibility. People say to me all the time that they just don't understand why their teen talks to them the way they do - saying things such as "shut up or your'e stupid" .....

It's because you let them. Put your foot down and say what you mean and MEAN what you say.

In other words stick to what you say. If your teen thinks that you will simply change your mind in a few hours or so - they will learn that you and your rules are basically pretty flexible.

One day - believe it or not, your teen will appreciate what you have taught them.

I know that often it is necessary for teens and parents both to go to counseling. In the South Sioux City, Nebraska school system for instance there is funding for counseling for those that cannot afford it.

If you are in that school district go to the office or the school counselors and ask for the Cardinal Connections assistance to pay for your childs professional counseling sessions.

This is an excellent opportunity for parents - especially those that cannot afford counseling. Also you can check out Catholic Charities or other non profits that may help with counseling fees. Please do NOT be embarrassed about asking for help. When it comes to your child pride should never get in the way of their mental or physical health.

The other program that this particular school system offers is called Love and Logic. I have heard very good reports on these classes. Check at your own school and ask what if any assistance they can help with.

If you would like to hear about other issues with teens please feel free to email me. watchfuleyefoundation1@yahoo.com.

Take care and stay safe!

Prevent your teen from running away

No Parent wants their child to end up in the streets as a runaway. It happens though - over 100,000 children run away every year often over family problems.

It seems more and more common that teenagers are running away more and more. Parents of all walks of life are asking what it is that they can do.....The answers are never easy. Teens are not the easiest people in the world to deal with - however, there are a few things that a parent can do to possibly eliminate this somewhat if not totally.

Lets start first with criticizing; as a person yourself, you don't want to go to work every day and have your boss or coworker criticize you do you? That would make it virtually impossible to go to work or even want to go to work and try and have a productive day.

So with that in mind why would you want to critcize your teen and force them to have a miserable day?

I am not talking about constructive criticism - I am talking about criticizing every little thing that they do wrong. Everyone of us makes mistakes - your child is going to make mistakes as well.

The key is how you handle the mistake.

Be honest with your teen. Just like you know when they are lying to you - they are keen enough to know when you are lying to them. Admit your mistakes so that your child will be able to see that you as the parent are taking responsibility of your mistakes. What a great lesson to teach your child.

For instance - remember when you were young and you got into trouble? Remember the feeling of not wanting your parents to find out because you were scared? Admit these feelings to your teen. Tell them about a few of the mistakes you yourself made in the past. It will amaze you how your teen will look at you in a totally different light.

Moving along - if you ground your teen to their room or take away phone priviledges etc., dont tell them one day that they are grounded and then feel bad the next day and let them off. If you gave them a week of grounding let them have a week grounding. Losing permission to go out with thier friends or talk on the phone is not going to be the end of their social life for ever - they might think so but it wont be. Stick to your rules on this.

Someday your child will have children and they will use this type of training on their children.

Now one of the biggest mistakes is when parents ignore their teens feelings. Teenagers are moody. They are no different than you when you were a teen. For instance - remember when you were trying to impress a certain guy or girl in school? Or you wanted the other kids to like you so that you could be one of the so called popular kids in school....

Your teen is no different. It may seem a little weird because you forget that they are not the same little kid who you used to have to help them pick out their clothing or remind them to look both ways when they cross the street - it may seem as if while you looked away they suddenly grew up.

As parents we often get so caught up in the adult world. The world that forces us to go to work everyday, pay bills and lose that fun child-like freedom. Live life through your child eyes.

If your child does runaway here are your options:

1. contact law enforcement immediately - you do NOT have to wait 24 hours.
2. contact the Watchful Eye Foundation

At the Watchful Eye Foundation we will assist in the following:

create flyers to post; provide you with flyers that you can use to pass out to your childs friends, hang in stores etc. We want YOU to find your child. We will also assist you with calling in your missing/runaway child to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. Once your information is turned into them your child's information is sent out all over the United States to persons such as law enforcement, and others.

The Watchful Eye has volunteers as well that go out and hang flyers, knock on doors, etc. In addition to that we use the same flyer and post it in an email "blast" throughout the Siouxland area to an established list of persons and businesses in the tri state area of our location.

The Watchful Eye will also let law enforcement know that the parents have come to them for additional assistance and work closely with police on any tips that might come into the Watchful Eye office.

We also will contact news media and/or refer the parents to the media. An example of this is once when we had a missing/runaway boy, the pressure that was put on the public by both the Mundo Latino newspaper and the Watchful Eye Foundation was enough to cause people to make numerous calls tipping off as to where the boy was. That is a perfect example of the collaberation of team work among the media that is required to bring many of these children back home.

If you have a child that has runaway, please contact our office. Regardless if your child is a runaway or not, he or she is still YOUR child and they are missing. We will do everything in our power to help YOU find them.

Our office number is: 402/412-3393 or you may email us at: watchfuleyefoundation1@yahoo.com

Gangs and Bullies

It should be - especially here in this country one of the safest things that our children can do....go to school everyday. It is too bad that it is one of those places that actually holds fear for some kids.

This is not in anyway blaming the school, they have the liason officers, security cameras, teachers on alert, etc.....but still something is wrong and a change needs to happen.

Did you know that when your son or daughter goes to school the pressure is on for them to get involved into a gang?

Did you know that the summer before they enter the Middle school that even though your child is able to show you their regular, normal, everyday face, - inside they are scared to death about what is going to happen in the Middle school....

Did you know that when your teen is in school, to learn things such as math and reading, that anywhere he goes in school, the bullies and gangs are there - pressuring him as to what he claims?

Did you know that your child thinks it is "safer to pretend to claim a gang than not claiming anything? This keeps him or her from being beat up or jumped by the gangs.

Do you know how scary it must be for your kid every day to go to school like this?

For the kids this is only part of their reality.......

It is NOT supposed to be this way.

Here is a small version of how one 6th graders day at school goes....

He gets up and dresses for school, carefully checking his clothing colors to make sure that he is not matching up any gang colors which he has known about since the 3rd or 4th grade.

While eating breakfast he reminds himself not to eat or drink too much so that he dont have to go into the bathroom more than once at school - alot of things happen in the bathrooms.

When he gets to his locker he makes sure to get whatever it is that he will need for the entire day out of the locker. It is much easier to carry the load of books than to risk the chance of going back to the locker and having a confrontation.

Lunchtime - he smiles to himself because he has made it through half of the day. A gangster kid is staring him down in the lunchroom (mad-doggin) and he decides to ease over to some other kids that he knows are in one of the bigger, tougher gangs.

He knows that if something goes down these kids from this bigger gang will help him out - they tell him all the time that if he ever needs something they "got his back".....most of these kids he has known his whole life. He knows that they will "protect" him if he needs it.

That is often how it starts. I know, you are thinking that how could your child even consider being involved with a gang. Maybe you are thinking that what others are calling a "gang" isnt as bad as they think.

Don't think that way please.....this is your wake up call Mom and Dad.

You are probably asking yourself what you can do. The majority of parents cringe at the very thought of someone hurting their child. That is normal. That is your job to protect your child. Here are a few things that you can do.

1. When your teen wants to go somewhere whether it be with a friend or the mall, question them. Ask them - how are you getting there, who all is going, what are you going to be doing, what time do you plan on coming home. Trust me, it is much better to ask these questions BEFORE anything crazy happens so that YOU know what is going on.



2. Ask your teen how their day was at school. If you ask your teen something like " how was school" they will probably respond back " fine" ---they are not going to fill your ears with everything just because you asked. You need to be a little tricky to get them to talk to you. Instead try this:
   
   PARENT: "how was school today"

TEEN: " fine"

PARENT: "anything exciting happen today"

TEEN: "no, same old thing"

PARENT: "really? I remember when I went to school, there was always something different going on either at school or one of my friends doing something - in fact I had this one friend who was always getting into trouble"

TEEN: "really? like how?"

Then this would be your opening to either talk about an old memory of yours from school or make one up. This is your chance to get your teen to open up. Whatever you do - dont let this chance pass by.

Another thing that you can do is to get involved with your teen a little more. Believe it or not - they still need you. If needed become that Mom or Dad that is always the one to give rides or have the other kids over to the house. This allows you the opportunity to witness first hand who their friends are as well.

Just remember, your teen has feelings too. Dont ridicule them or treat them as if their feelings dont count. If they ask if they can have friends over, let them. Tell your teen that the house rules apply to their friends as well. If you treat your child the way that you would want to be treated then they will respect you for that.

And last but not least - remember - you are not their friend. You are the parent and you are the one that sets the rules. Just remember that your child is under an enormous amount of pressure everyday at school. They are trying to survive the bullies and they are trying to keep thier grades up.

Talking to your teen is one of the best pieces of advice. The other would be to listen not only with your ears but with your heart.

Until next time,
Take care and stay safe

Hershey Company states they will cease making Pacs candy

The first words out of my mouth when I read that the Hershey Company has decided to HALT the making of their new candy PAC'S in the look a like drug packaging were ----WOW!!!!

They - this multi billion dollar company actually listened to the consumers. That is incredible!!!

It's in newspapers all over the country but you can also read it here at this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22827806/from/ET/

The one thing that I DO NOT agree with is that they have left what they had on the shelves in the stores that they distributed to. They say it is a limited number - what does that mean exactly - a limited number? I mean basically to a company with the magnitude of Hershey is a limited number a thousand or is it a few million?

It has taken all of us that care enough to call, send in the petitions, write letters, stop buying Hershey products, etc.....to get this changed.

I would think that regardless of the freedom that we have in our country that the food and drug administration wake up a little earlier than the marketing groups that come up with ideas such as this.

Hershey Company is acting the same as a spoiled child. By leaving what product they have on the shelf, so that they do not lose any money, they are trying to act as if they are doing all of us - the consumers a favor.

They think that since they have agreed to STOP making the product, that this should be OK with us -----

Helloooooo?????

It seems as if it is extremely hard for Hershey's to openly admit 100% that yes, they definitely made a poor decision - not just for their company but for the public - who I might add are their customers.

What would I say if I could attend a one on one meeting with the board of directors of Hershey's? In layman's terms it would be relatively simple - it would go something like this....

OK, first lets start off with my gratitude that you have actually seen that this is certainly not one of the brightest moments in marketing that you have had. Thank you so much for making the decision that you will not create this drug look a like "candy" - that is not what we were asking - we were simply asking you to change the packaging of it. Yet instead you yourselves made the decision to insert this latest marketing strategy into the grinder. Good for you.

What I would really like to see is that you go a step further and REMOVE the product from the store shelves. Give it to your employees in the break rooms. Throw it away and write it off on your taxes as a loss. Just get it off the shelves.

Here in our area there have been numerous people going into the stores that have this and requesting it be pulled from the shelves.

People buy your candy. Schools use your services as well to sell candy for you.

Go one step further guys - pull this completely from the shelves.

I am not a bored person with so much time on my hands that I cannot find other things to do. That has been insinuated by some people through their comments on ABC News blog sites. Speaking for myself, I am in fact an extremely busy person. It is when instances such as this come up that issues such as this take top priority.

I personally like everyone else grew up loving Hershey candy products. I plan on my grandchildren loving them as well - as long as there are no further blunders such as this one.

I appreciate your trying to come up with new and insightful ways of marketing however, Hershey is supposed to be something that stays in your mind like a good memory of days gone by. Things like making sure that when you went to the movies there was always going to be a little extra money so that you could buy a box of Milk Duds. Or when your Mom made chocolate chip cookies she always used Hershey Chocolate Chips. Those are the kind of memories that you want your company to have. Not something like when you made a candy look like a deadly drug.

So while I appreciate the decision that you have made to stop making the candy in this form, I would as well as many many others appreciate that decision more if you would also pull the candy that you have made off of the shelves.

Please....it's just that simple.

I continue to urge all of you to keep calling or writing to Hershey's and thank them for stopping the manufacturing of this candy but to now pull this from the shelves and be done with it.

Take care and stay safe

Susie

Contact Hershey's by phone: 1-800-468-1714 Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

PETITION FOR HERSHEY COMPANY

This is the petition that has been issued out by the Watchful Eye Foundation against the Hershey Company. Please print it out, get some signatures, mail it to the Watchful Eye Foundation / P.O. Box 574 South Sioux City, NE. 68776

For those of you that live locally and would like to assist with filling out these petitions - please call our office at 402/412-3393

TOGETHER WE CAN STOP THIS!

BOYCOTT Continues against HERSHEY COMPANY

"Our goal is to recharge growth and take advantage of all opportunities we see in the marketplace"



This is what the NEW CEO - David J. West who took over the management of the Hershey Company stated on December 1st. It looks like he really meant it when he stated "take advantage of ALL opportunities we see in the marketplace".....



Since when has illegal drug packaging become an "ADVANTAGE" in the marketplace???



I wonder about a number of reasons here - lets look at a few and then you - THE CONSUMERS - be the judge of it all....

• approximately a year ago a man by the name Kenneth Affolter was sued by the Hershey Company for selling marijuana laced illicit edibles. These "treats" were elaborately packaged to simulate legal edibles such as "Puff-a-Mint Pattie", "Rasta Reeses", "KeefKat" etc....

For a photo click on this link - http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/sanfran031606_fig1_highres.jpg

Affolter was arrested by the DEA and sentenced to prison. Here is where it gets VERY INTERESTING FOLKS -

The Hershey Company sued Affolter for $100,000 dollars. The reason why? This is what they said is for TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT, TRADEMARK DILUTION, AND UNFAIR COMPETITION!!!!

Yes - they said that - unfair competition.....hmmmm ----OK - now lets go a little further -

Trademark Dilution laws as explained in the lawsuit article forbid the use of a famous trademark in any way or manner that would cause harm to the unique reputation of the company.

So basically if you were to see "Puff-a-Mint Pattie" and you knew that it was laced with marijuana - most people right away would assume the association with Peppermint Patty candy. That of course would be very harmful to the maker of Peppermint Patty - Hershey - because they have stated numerous times through out the years that they thrive on maintaining a positive image in the public.

So now all of a sudden we have numerous directors that have been asked to resign from Hershey's board, a new CEO in place, and stating that he wants to "take advantage of all opportunities in the marketplace"....

As I said before this type of fight is normally not the battle that the Watchful Eye Foundation takes on - however, when something this insane happens, you either do one or two things - do something about it or do nothing about it. We decided to do whatever we could to inform the public and to form a boycott of their products.

This I am afraid seems to go deeper than just the guy in the marketing department trying to impress his bosses with a "new, innovative idea" such as the packaging of the Pac's candy. This seems to actually be starting at the top.

Obviously what Hershey's saying is that in order to recharge growth that they must take advantage of all opportunities and that includes the market of illegal drugs.

I called yesterday to the Hershey Company. Spoke to a very kind woman who had been placed at a phone just to take calls such as all of ours pertaining to the boycott. I felt genuinely sorry for her as I am sure that not everyone had been as polite as I was to her. If I had been allowed to speak with the CEO David West, here is what I would have said....

Mr. West, first let me congratulate you on your new position of becoming the CEO of the number one Candy Company in the world. It deeply saddens me however that you have within a few days of your new post taken the road of destruction for your company by allowing the new candy Pacs to be packaged to resemble an illegal street drug such as crack or heroin.

I live in the Midwest and we battle the drug problems just as everyone else in the world. Maybe more so when it comes to methamphetamine. I am shocked Mr. West of what road you have chosen to go down and you sir should be ashamed of yourself for damaging the Hershey name in this manner.

In addition to that I simply cannot believe that you have taken an opportunity to create havoc for law enforcement officers, parents, school officials, and others just to sell candy.

What in the world were you thinking? Maybe you are listening and maybe not....however, here in the heartland we take pride in doing the right thing and protecting all that is good. You have made a mockery of the school fundraiser program as well as many of your other programs that you state are for the "good of the communities".

I am asking you to do the right thing - pull this product from the market - create a new packaging for it, and be done with it. I don't feel that this is too much to ask for. When Milton Hershey created this company I can almost flat out guarantee that he did not ever intend for this to ever take place. I am sure that he too would be disappointed as well as sickened in what you have done not only to the consumers that purchase your products but to the reputation of the Hershey Company.

Do the right thing Mr. West - pull this off the shelves and replace the packaging. That is all we are asking for. It's just that simple.

Please Everyone - call Hershey Company today!

Contact Hershey's by phone: 1-800-468-1714 Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET

Mark K. PogharianVice President, Investor RelationsThe Hershey Company -Phone: (800) 539-0261

BOYCOTT HERSHEY COMPANY THIS CHRISTMAS

WHAT IS The HERSHEY Company THINKING????

That was my first reaction when I found out about this newest "candy" that they just recently released.

This so called "candy" named PACS, so closely resembles the exact packaging that is used for illegal street drugs such as crack, heroin, coke etc. that the insinuation coming from the Hershey Company is to say the least appalling.

If a small child were to mistakenly get ahold of a package that they thought was the candy Pacs, they could overdose and possibly die from such a mistake.

I have always favored Hershey candies myself, however something has gone haywire there with their marketing strategy. How in the world can a company that promotes so many wonderful things for children all over the world suddenly create a candy, package it completely to resemble illegal street drugs.

I am personally disappointed in the Hershey company for feeling as if they have to somehow come up with a new method to "out-do" the other companies. They obviously have very stupid people working for them who have not pointed out that they are number one in the majority of the worlds love for chocolates.

If I were a shareholder in the Hershey Company I would demand that whoever came up with this idea be terminated immediately as well as the company immediately pull the Pac's candy from every single store shelf. In addition I would also have their public relations persons come up with a public apology for the insinuation of exploiting illegal drug packaging in hopes of benefiting the Hershey Company financially.

I have already sent in a complaint to the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) in New York that handles the reviews for this. I will post the contact information below so that you can all contact them as well. I beg you to please BOMBARD them with emails, phone calls, whatever it takes to get this Pac's candy removed from the market.

In addition to contacting CARU, Please leave a comment or email me back if you would like to sign the petition to get this candy pulled from the shelves before it gains in popularity with the children. It has only been out a week. Together we might be able to convince them that this is just 100% stupid and furthermore that they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

I am informing the Hershey Company that I will be gathering people to boycott their business until this candy is marketed with different packaging that is not in anyway shape or form similar or resembling illegal street drugs.

Email: watchfuleye@cableone.net send me an email if you want to sign the petition.

Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)

70 West 36th Street, 13th Floor New York, NY 10018

Email: caru@caru.bbb.org

Hershey Company

Call Toll-Free: 1-800-468-1714 (Weekdays 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST)

The Hershey Company

PO Box 810100 Crystal A Drive

Hershey, PA 17033

Investor Relations Contact

Mark K. Pogharian

Vice President, Investor Relations

The Hershey Company

100 Crystal A Drive

P.O. Box 810

Hershey, PA 17033-0810

Phone: (800) 539-0261

Kirk Saville

Public Relations Department

The Hershey CompanyPhone: (800) 468-1714

Here is what the Public Relations Director Kirk Saville stated:

"Each pouch is made by two dissolvable mint strips that bears the Ice Breakers logo.

It is not intended to simulate anything"

Look at the picture at the top for yourselves....it sure looks like illegal crack or heroin packaging to me.

Get involved and help stop the Hershey Company from profiting from illegal look-a-like drugs.

Things are difficult enough in this world that we battle to ensure the safety of children. We certainly do NOT need a multi billion dollar company - who may I remind you strongly state that they believe in children all over the world, to create a look-a-like illegal drug package to sell.

I am sickened from this. This is normally not my type of battle to take on as we have so many - however, this is just one of those things that literally turn my stomach. What were they thinking?

Gang Poll

The poll that was recently put out here on this blog asked the following question:
What do you honestly think about the gangs in your area? Is the problem getting worse?
100% of the votes that were cast all stated IT'S GETTING WORSE!

Thank you to all who took the time to vote on this. Now - lets get busy and learn to educate ourselves on the ganglife so that we can better protect our communities and our children.
Take Care and stay safe!