"Bully" Documentary loses "R" rating appeal (Video)

The Weinstein Company lost an appeal to have MPAA rating of its upcoming documentary Bully changed from a R to a PG-13.  The film, about the epidemic of adolescent bully in America, was rated R for "some language."  The film is due for release in Canada on March 9th. - View the trailer. 

Go Directly, Digitally to Jail?  Classic Toys Learn New Clicks

Classic toys are becoming much less classic because of upgrades meant to entertain technology-obsesses children.  Where they once tried, unsuccessfully, to complete with digital devices, toy makers are co-opting them.  Read More Here.

Exceptional Students in Ottawa Paint a Mural (Video)

On the first week of December 2011 ... 15 students and their teachers from a Special Ed. Class in Ottawa came together to prove one thing.  We are all unique...We are all the same...We are all worthy...We all have challenges...We all have strengths...We all have weaknesses...We all need help sometimes...We all contribute...I guess we proved one more things...But in the end we proved the most important thing of all...We all Matter.

Inspirational music and a great effort from some special students and their teachers.  

Alcohol in Movies Influences Youth Drinking

Children who watch a lot of movies featuring alcohol are twice as likely to start drinking compared to other kids who watch relatively few of such films, according to new research.  The study, published in the online journal BMJ Open, also reveals that these children are significantly more likely to progress to binge drinking.  

Rights Commission Wants Database on Foster Parents

The Quebec Human Rights Commission is calling for the province to create a central database to keep track of foster parents.  The call follows an investigation into how allegations of sexual abuse at a Quebec foster home were handled by Batshaw Youth and Family Centres.  The social services network places English-speaking children in foster care across the Greater Montreal area.  

Half of all Canadians are Bullied as Children: Survey

Half of all Canadians were bullied as children or teens, according to a survey conducted for Big Brothers Big Sister of Canada (BBBSC). An overwhelming majority of Canadians (85%) believe that providing children and teenager who bully others with a volunteer mentor is an effective way to reduce bullying.  

Children's Advocate Received 2 299 requests for Office's Services

Manitoba's Office of Children's Advocate Darlene MacDonald said during the period 2010-2011 her office received 2 299 requests for her services.  The number of requests is almost the same as those reported in the same period as the year before.  Read More.

Study Identifies Mental Health as a Primary Concern for Canada's Youth

26 078 young Canadians aged 11 to 15 from 436 schools participated in this cycle of the survey, which focused on the mental health of Canadian school-aged adolescents.  This year the researchers also asked a number of Canadian youth to comment on the study findings.  These reflections have been incorporated into the final report.  

Canadian Foster Care in Crisis

Some children are placed in foster care without full safety checks while others wind up in supervised apartments or overcrowded homes, say child advocates who warn of a deepening crisis across the country. "There are problems when you hear people from the front line talking about the fact that we're placing kids in homes where the study hasn't been done," said Peter Dudding, executive director of the Child Welfare League of Canada.  "We've got kids being placed in homes where the home is over the allowable number of children.  This is just wrong and it's dangerous."


Mean Teens Online: Most Ignore Them or Defend Victim - Study

More than two-thirds of teens who use social networking sites say their peers are mostly kind to one another in the remarks they make on such sites.  But 88% say they have seen examples of mean and cruel behaviour to others, and 15% say they themselves have been the target of such behaviour.  Read More.  

New From Taking It Global: Youth Movements

Youth Movements - a new website launched by TIG to provide a common platform for youth to share, learn and amplify the role of young people in creating positive social change.  The site features a map to display events, organizations and projects across the global issues areas allowing young people to discover more about the opportunities to get involved in their own communities or about global developments across the issues that matter to them.

Canada: New Crime Bill May Violate Child Rights

Canadian child rights advocates are raising the alarm over the fact that Bill C-10 will increase mandatory minimum sentences, essentially evoking much harsher sentences on young offenders for relatively minor, non-violent offences.  Read More here.

Amateur Videos: Best of 2011 Compilation

A three minute time waster.

Seriously -- the Kid can Really Bang it out

17-year old Norwegian drummer Baard Kolstad amazes passersby on the streets of Oslo with his incredible display of musical prowess.



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Bullying or Depression - which comes first?

A new study that followed 486 children through Grade 4 to Grade 6 found little indication that being bullied increased a child's risk of depression in later grades.  For kids who are already depressed, however, the earlier grades can be dark times.

Do Mothers Matter?

Not many would disagree that adoption must exist in order to find loving homes for children in need of them, but some of the kids, growing up without a biological mother is not all right.  Recommended item from the Atlantic.

Researchers: Let's Scrap Spanking

A new review by Canadian researchers looking at studies spanning two decades found that the physical punishment of children can increase aggression and antisocial behaviour.  The UN looks on corporal punishment as being against child rights.

THE LINK IS NOW WORKING!  - One Town's War on Gay Teens

In Michele Bachmann's home district, evangelicals have created an extreme anti-gay climate.  After a rash of suicides, the kids are fighting back.  This is a powerful article from the current edition of Rolling Stone and not an easy read.  It should be read by all who have a connection to youth and education.  It should be a read by all...be prepared to be angered and nauseated.  Apologies, last week's link didn't work.

First Nations Confront Ottawa over Discrimination, Child Welfare Funding

"Canada will treat First Nations kids with the justice and equity they deserve," says a determined Cindy Blackstock.  "The only question is, how embarrassed do they want to be."  Read Article.

BC Child Care Advocates in Geneva to Complain to UN

Frustrated with a lack of development on provincial and national childcare programs, advocates are taking their concerns above the British Columbian and Canadian Governments and going straight to the United Nations.

Talking Dog

We've Watched it a hundred times and still laugh...You will too!!

You Raise Me Up

A young blind Korean girl sings...and she sings like a lark.

Poverty, The Scouts and Twitter

One Town's War on Gay Teens

In Michele Bachmann's home district, evangelicals have created an extreme anti-gay climate.  After a rash of suicides, the kids are fighting back.  This is a powerful article from the current edition of a Rolling Stone and not an easy read.  It should be read by all who have a connection to youth and education.  It should be read by all...be prepared to be angered and nauseated.

Bullying Link to Suicide Rate

A bullying prevention charity has called for more official data on child suicide and research into its causes.

Teens Slowly Migrating to Twitter

That's been the prediction for a while now, born of numbers showing that fewer than one in 10 teens were using Twitter early on.  But then their parents, grandparents, neighbours, parents' friends and anyone in-between started friending them on Facebook, the social networking site of choice for many - and a curious thing began to happen.  Read Article.

Children Who Get Physical Punishment Tend Toward Aggression

Spanking, yelling at, or shaking children could tend to make them more aggressive towards others, a review of 20 years of studies into physical punishment according to Canadian Research.

Convicted Leader Continued With Scouts Movement

A twice-convicted pedophile was welcomed as a member of a Scouts alumni association for decades, even after officials became aware of at least one of his convictions.  Read Report.

Canada Needs Strategy for Aboriginal Children

Canada must develop a comprehensive plan to improve the lives of Aboriginal children, says a national coalition of youth advocates.

Poverty Costs in Alberta

An economic case for a preventative poverty reduction strategy in Alberta.  Excellent video.

Take on Me

for those with a soft spot for the accordion!  Spoiler alert, you may end up humming this for the rest of the day!