margiesblog

Lucinda Williams - Jackson (cover) - Deb Picard

2025-09-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Deb Picard - Hear the Music

2024-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

THE DAY DEMOCRACY DIED - by Founders Sing with Don McLean & Founding Fat...

2024-10-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ex-GOP governor warns Republicans’ Project 2025 mirrors Nazis' manifesto

2024-07-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Deb Picard - Conditional

2023-10-06T16:01:00.001-07:00

Deb Picard - Riverboat

2023-02-10T08:16:00.001-08:00

Deb Picard - Learn to Be

2023-01-03T21:43:00.001-08:00

Deb Picard - Tiptoe

2022-12-30T17:14:00.001-08:00

Deb Picard - Banner

2022-11-12T21:01:00.000-08:00

Deb Picard - November Wind

2022-09-15T16:42:00.002-07:00

2022-07-30T06:54:00.002-07:00

Meet the School Nurse: Marjorie Picard, RN: 9781436314268: Amazon.com: Books

Deb Picard - Broken Bones

2022-05-21T07:46:00.001-07:00

Deb Picard - Learn to Be

2022-04-24T14:21:00.001-07:00

Who is the Transgender Child and What Parents Should Know

2022-04-05T21:08:00.003-07:00

A 3-year-old boy said to his mother, quoted in Parents Magazine, “I’m a girl. Don’t you know I’m a girl? I’m a girl inside. My blood is pink.” He also wanted to know why he was a girl inside but not outside. On another occasion, he said he hoped he would be struck by lightning. In the formative years before school, children pick up from their parents what is expected from them in their gender roles. Boys shouldn’t play with dolls, and girls shouldn’t be too tomboyish. Boys should engage in rough and tumble, and girls should look feminine, wearing pretty dresses and ribbons and bows. These children soon see that there is much about themselves that they have to hide. If they are religious, they may feel that God will punish them. Eventually, they may slip into depression, and anxiety, and become isolated and secretive. There are two paths the young transgender child takes. They hide their preference and continue to pass as their birth sex. Or, they may feel so strongly about their preference that they can’t hide it. If they reveal it, huge problems may emerge. Society can be devastating to their emotional development. They may be rejected by family members and playmates. School time may be fraught with bullying, discrimination, harassment, and lack of support from teachers and administrators. Even the child who wants to hide his feelings can be stunted in his or her emotional development. Being transgender is not a “phase.” Yes, there are boys who play with dolls for a while or girls who love “roughhousing,” but they never think of themselves as the other sex and return to behavior that is normal for their sex. Transgender people have been known in many cultures since antiquity. A transgender person is different than a transsexual person. The latter wants to change physically to the other sex by surgery, hormones or other methods. The transgender may not. They are also not to be confused with gays, lesbians, or bisexuals. The mental health of these children depends largely upon the support of their parents. Early intervention is crucial. Parental acceptance and support have been shown to lower the suicide risk. Parents must listen when their child tries to communicate his or her uncertainties and fears. Parental acceptance can result in problems of its own.

Parents confiding in others can bring disapproval and rejection by family and acquaintances. It has been reported that parents of transgender children have actually been threatened with harm or death. The controversy over which bathroom the transgender child should use has brought out misguided judgment against the children and their parents. Puberty is a particularly difficult time. The usual bodily changes are upsetting to transgender children. A child born as female but identifying as male may be disgusted with breast development, and a boy by birth but a girl inside may be horrified with all the hair growth. These children can’t function well in school or in family life without support. If they go through the “wrong” puberty it can lead to severe problems, including substance abuse, suicidal ideation, cutting and other forms of self-abuse, continuing high levels of stress and anxiety, and eventual poverty. They remain targets of bullies and harassment.

There are medical treatments available to delay puberty. However, the parent must be supportive from an early age and must be on top of the latest advances in this area. With medications and other treatments, they can delay the angst of puberty and function better in school and at home. Parents should seek counseling for their child, if necessary, and perhaps even for themselves.

Religious parents should concentrate on the basic teachings of their faith, which undoubtedly include love, non-judgment, and acceptance. “ Approximately 50 percent of transgender children and youth have considered suicide by the time they are 20 years old, according to the Youth Suicide Prevention Program, and approximately 25 percent have attempted it. And 41 percent of transgenders of all ages have attempted it at some point in life, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Williams Institute. This compares with 4.6 percent of the general public.

"The answer is to love your kids as is. Your love and acceptance are the best medicine your kids will ever get," says Dr. Michelle Forcier, professor of pediatrics at Brown University.

Deb Picard - Banner

2022-03-26T07:50:00.001-07:00

Deb Picard - Broken Bones

2022-03-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

In a Thousand Years

2022-01-09T11:57:00.001-08:00

Deb Picard - Are you listening?

2021-12-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

Deb Picard - Slip

2021-10-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

Deb Picard - November Wind

2021-03-14T19:45:00.001-07:00

Deb Picard - Riverboat

2021-02-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

2021-01-29T13:55:00.005-08:00

Bullying at School: What Parents Should Know and Look For

Bullying can have a devastating effect on its victims. It is, unfortunately, a common occurrence. It is damaging emotionally to the victim and also to the bully. It leaves emotional scars on both. And a witness can be affected also.

Victims suffer emotional damage which may last for many years. The range of reactions can include low self-esteem, difficulty controlling anger, depression, anxiety, loss of trust in others, lack of assertiveness, isolation, and even aggression.

Signs That a Child is Being Bullied

Parents must be sensitive to signs that their child is experiencing bullying.

· Reluctance to go to school

· Complains that he has few or no friends

· Depression that continues

· Major changes in appetite for sleeping habits

· Drop in school performance

There may be no physical wounds visible. Verbal bullying may be going on, and words can be just as damaging as physical injuries. The goal of the bully is to look superior and strong, so he or she will demean and degrade the victim. Girls employ verbal bullying more than boys.

Prevalence

· Between one in four and one in three children say they have been bullied in school. In grades 6 to 12, 28 percent say it has happened to them. In grades 9 to 12, the percentage is 20.

· About 30 percent admit they have bullied others.

· Bullying has been observed by 70.6 percent of students in their schools and 62 percent have witnessed it two or more times in the last month. Another 41 percent say they have seen it at least once a week.

· “Frequent” is considered two or more bullying episodes a month, and 40.6 percent of victims report this.

Kids at Risk for Being Bullied

Some children are more likely to be bullied than others:

· Victims may be seen as different. They may be new at school, overweight, underweight, wear different clothing or wear glasses, or may not be dressed to look “cool.”

· Victims may be perceived as unable to defend themselves or weak.

· They may have low self-esteem or be anxious or depressed.

· They may have few friends and be viewed as less popular.

· They may be seen as annoying, provoking, or antagonizing others for attention and may not get along well with others.

· There may be family problems, learning or physical disabilities, or emotional distress.

· Especially vulnerable are the disabled, LGBTQ, racial, and religious minorities.

The Bully

Children who bully fall into two groups:

· Those who are concerned about their popularity and enjoy feeling dominant and like to control others. They are socially powerful and connect well with peers.

· The other group is less likely to be socially connected. They may have low self-esteem, be anxious or depressed, have little or no empathy, and are aggressive or anxious. They are less involved in school and may have issues at home. There is little parental involvement. They are easily influenced by other students, have other bullies as friends, see violence as acceptable, and may dislike others.

Types of Bullying and Locations

Bullying comes in many forms. Among middle school kids, the methods of bullying come in these varieties:

· Name-calling - 44.2%

· Teasing – 43.3%

· Spreading rumors or lies – 36.3%

· Pushing or Shoving – 32.4%

· Hitting, slapping, Kicking – 29.2%

· Social exclusion – 28.5%

· Threatening – 27.4%

· Stealing belongings – 27.3%

· Sexual comments or gestures – 23.7%

The bullying behaviors mostly occur in schools, outside on the school grounds, on the school bus, the classroom, the hallways or lockers, the cafeteria, the gym or during phys ed, the bathroom, or on the playground or during recess.

“Pack bullying,” being bullied by a group, occurs more frequently in high school. It can be emotional or physical, and it lasts longer. It can be carried out online, where attacks can be anonymous. Cyberbullying can also be in the form of insulting comments, gossiping about the private details of the victim, exclusion from an online group or page, harassment, and impersonation of the victim, falsely creating posts that make him or her look bad.

Suicide

Bullying is commonly blamed for a child’s suicide. However, it is far more complicated than that. The vast majority of bullying victims do not consider or attempt suicide. Children who do consider it are usually involved with complex issues. There may be mental health issues, family problems, school stresses, poor relationships with peers, and romantic circumstances.

Children who witness bullying are also affected by it. They may feel helpless and lose a sense of connectedness. They also need support.

Bullying can be traumatic for many victims. It can produce severe mental distress which can last a long time. Young people should be able to find counseling and support. Parents should consider Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center for professional help.

November Wind

2020-01-07T06:23:00.001-08:00

2018-06-27T18:45:00.003-07:00

Lack of Sleep and Obesity

Everyone knows that eating too much and being a couch potato are the main factors in becoming overweight or obese. But a number of studies are pointing to lack of sleep as a contributing factor. An alarming 65 percent of Americans are now either overweight (BMI of 25-30) or obese (30 or more).

A Harvard study showed that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night have a higher BMI than average, whereas those who sleep eight or more hours have the lowest BMI. This applies to adults and children.

The Nurses Health Study followed 60,000 nurses for 16 years. None were obese at the beginning. They were asked about their diets, sleep habits, and weights as they went along. Short sleepers (5 hours or less) had a 30 percent higher chance of putting on 30 pounds than those who slept 7 hours or more.

Forty percent of adults do not get the recommended amount of sleep, whereas, in the 1940s, only 11 percent came up short. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers this a public health concern. It is interesting that the obesity epidemic in the US has also occurred in recent decades, and the numbers are still rising.

What actually happens in the body that causes weight gain from lack of sleep? When asleep, the body produces hormones that help control hunger, regulate energy levels, and aid in glucose (blood sugar) processing. Poor sleep disrupts the balance of these hormones, which are:

· Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” is secreted when the body is not functioning smoothly due to lack of sleep. It is also connected to insulin which regulates blood sugar and aids in fat storage. Insulin is a factor in weight gain and diabetes.

· Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain when a person has had enough food to eat, giving that full but not stuffed feeling. Lack of sleep can lower the level of leptin and cause the body to want more and more food.

· Ghrelin is an appetite stimulant and higher levels, caused by poor sleep, can make a person hungrier.

When awake, the poor sleeper may not only be hungry but may want sweets for energy, develop food cravings, and a desire for comfort foods, which tend to be high in carbohydrates and fat.

Other reasons contributing to weight gain for poor sleepers are:

· Being awake more hours means that a person is around food more, especially if awake at night. A study of nurses that work the night shift as part of a rotation showed a greater chance of becoming obese and developing diabetes.

· People who lack sufficient sleep are often too tired to exercise. They don’t participate in sports or other activities and rest in front of the TV for much of their time.

Simply sleeping more is not a cure for obesity. Too many other factors are in play. But enough sleep will elevate mood, improve concentration and alertness and raise the quality of life.

Universal Health Care is a Right Not a Privilege

2017-11-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

It is estimated that between 2005 and 2010, 12,000 Americans died because they did not have health insurance. Other estimates are between 20,000 and 45,000 annually, and some say three deaths per hour. And this in the richest country in the world.

The uninsured are 40% more likely to die, according to a Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance 2009 study. Why?

· The uninsured are seen by health care providers about half as often as the insured

· Uninsured women will skip preventive mammograms and pap smears

· Diabetics may cut down or skip necessary medications

· The uninsured are more likely to be seen when their preventable illnesses have reached a very advanced stage.

· Health insurance costs are way out-of-reach for their income level.

· Many have a choice between paying for medications and eating.

Unfortunately, politics is huge part of the problem in the US. When Obamacare became law, states had the option of expanding their Medicaid coverage to more of the poor and nearly-poor. However, 22 of the states, all run by Republicans, refused to do so. This led to several million people remaining without coverage. Hundreds of thousands will suffer needlessly and some will die.

An experiment by Oregon Health Insurance showed that low-income uninsured people will face a greater likelihood of depression, catastrophic medical costs and death. They pay more for care because they have to pay the going rate. The uninsured in these states face loss of financial well-being, access to care, longevity, and mental and physical well-being.

This doesn’t happen in the other industrialized countries. Why? Because they all have universal health coverage. Not only that, they spend much less on healthcare than we do, and the results are far better. Some examples:

· The US life expectancy at birth is 43^rd in the world, according to Central Intelligence Agency 2015 statistics.

· The maternal mortality rate is ranked 45^th in the world (CIA, 2015).

· The infant mortality rate is 167^th out of 224(CIA, 2015). Cuba and Bosnia have a better rating than the US.

· The death rate is ranked 93^rd out of 225 or 8.15 deaths per 1,000.

The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks the US health system 37^th in the world. This, despite the fact that the US spends the most money on health care in the world. In fact, we are almost double the second highest spender (UK). US spending per person averages out to $9086, while the second place Switzerland citizen pays $6325.

The cost being so high is partially attributable to use of high tech equipment such as MRIs. Another reason given is the fact that the prices for health care are set, and there is no collective buying power. In the UK, for example, the government buys the services, and bargains with health providers for the best quality for the lowest prices. This creates competition. The US now has the highest prices for drugs and medical devices anywhere in the world, and other costs are as high as the provider chooses. And it’s all still going up.

Thanks to Obamacare, the uninsured rate dropped to 9.1% of people under 65, the lowest rate in 50 years. That is still almost one tenth of the population and there is no moral reason justifying this situation. Many politicians in the US love to be seen as devout church-goers, yet for politics they ignore the teaching of their religion: caring for the less fortunate. The United States has no excuse for not joining the rest of the world in concern for their citizens.