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Posts published in “Children”

Charmin Bear Charms Autistic Boy

By goodblacknews on May 17, 2013
Grace Clark and sonThis is a story about a boy, a bear and bathroom tissue. When a giant corporation took time out to send a token of affection to a small admirer, it made a family’s day.  First, meet 9-year-old Cash’an Clark, a happy, easygoing kid who also faces some big challenges, his mom Grace Clark said.
Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was 2, Cash’an has problems communicating and socializing. He talks very little, he doesn’t play with other kids and he fixates on certain things, Clark said.

Enter the Charmin bear – the cuddly cartoon logo featured prominently on packages of Charmin toilet paper and in the company’s commercials. While so many aspects of life make Cash’an withdraw into his own world, something about that bear speaks to the little boy. Even his family has a hard time explaining it.

Grace Clark says she saw her son’s fascination for the Charmin bear start when he was 4.

“Autistic children are very particular, very precise in the details that they take in,” Clark, who lives in Manchester, Conn., told TODAY Moms.
“It’s got to be something about that bear that is just staying with him and I honestly don’t know what that precise detail is. I can’t ask him because he can’t verbalize it for me.”
She still remembers the moment when she realized Cash’an was fascinated by the logo. They were at Target one day when he was 4 and he suddenly bolted away from her and ran to the bathroom tissue section.  “This little kid is looking at this big aisle full of toilet paper rolls with a bear, and he started putting all these packages in my cart that I did not want. And then he climbed in the cart and he looked at them,” Clark said.

5-Year-Old Nathaniel Dancy Jr. Uses ABCs to Save Dad's Life

By goodblacknews on May 15, 2013

Nathaniel Dancy jrA 5-year-old Newark, NJ boy became a hero after he used quick thinking and A-B-C skills to save his father’s life last week. 
The two were driving home from buying Nathaniel Dancy Jr. school shoes when Nathaniel Sr. suffered an aneurysm and stroke, making him violently ill, according to a report by New York’s NBC Channel 4 News.  He was able to pull the car over, but then got out of the car, vomited, and became paralyzed by a seizure. That’s when Nathaniel Jr., who is in kindergarten, sprang into action, grabbing his dad’s phone and calling his grandmother.
“He said, ‘Come and help me and my daddy. We’re in trouble,’” Susan Hardy-Blackman told NBC New York. She asked him where they were, and, though her grandson was unable to read the sign on the store they were in front of, he spelled it for her: F-U-R-N-I-T-U-R-E. But she was still confused. And that prompted the young boy to be persistent well beyond his years.
“He said, ‘Grandma, use your active listening skills,’” she said. “‘Listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth.’” He gave her another clue, that they’d just gone through a tunnel, and Hardy-Blackman was able to go to them, where they were parked in front of a furniture store, and send an ambulance there, too. 
Brett Baker, director of operations at Nathaniel’s North Star Academy, told Yahoo! Shine that young Nathaniel is “a very caring individual,” and that he was proud to know the school’s emphasis of core values “really helped him seize the moment, as it were.”  Doctors say that Nathaniel Sr., who remains hospitalized, is lucky to be alive.
article by Beth Greenfield via shine.yahoo.com

Happy Mother's Day! An Open Letter to Moms from Kid President (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on May 12, 2013

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ4Rnba85o8&w=560&h=315]
kid-presidentKid President, the cute 10-year-old boy who inspires us to “make the world awesome,” has released a new video tribute for all moms this Mother’s Day. Kid President, whose real name is Robby Novak, said his message was “on behalf of all the kids on the world.”  Enjoy!
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

WWE and Sean "Diddy" Combs Team to Fight Bullying Globally

By goodblacknews on May 9, 2013

DiddyWWE and Sean “Diddy” Combs today unveiled a new global anti-bullying public service announcement encouraging kids to stand up to bullying. It will begin airing tonight during Monday Night Raw.
“Bullying is a very serious issue and needs to stop now,” says Diddy in the release. In the video, he says, “In this digital age sometimes it just doesn’t stop when the days end. … If it’s not you being bullied, help someone who is. … Stand up to bullying.”
The music mogul will serve as an ambassador for Be a Star, the anti-bullying initiative co-founded by WWE and The Creative Coalition to encourage young people to treat each other with tolerance and respect.
Combs is also trying to encourage an end to bullying with his Invisible Bully clothing line. The motto there: “The mind is the most powerful tool you possess. Thoughts are invisible and only those that believe in the invisible can achieve the impossible. The dream is real if you believe.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Pr1XMJUDw&w=560&h=315]
article by Ann Oldenburg via usatoday.com 

Camden Sophisticated Sisters Drill Team Performs on "DWTS" (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on May 7, 2013

Camden Sophisticated SistersIn case you missed it last week, here is the inspiring story and performance of Camden, New Jersey’s drill team, the Camden Sophisticated Sisters, formed twenty-six years ago by Camden native and CNN Hero Tawanda “Wa-Wa” Jones, on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars”:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VARCjIF1zhY&w=560&h=315]If you’d like to help, donate or follow the Sophisticated Sisters, click here.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Documentaries 'Girls of Daraja' & 'School of My Dreams' to Air on PBS May 9th

By goodblacknews on May 5, 2013

Educate GirlsTwo short documentaries directed and produced by Barbara Rick about Daraja Academy in Kenya air back-to-back on PBS on May 9th, “Girls of Daraja” followed by “Schools of My Dreams.”

Girls of Daraja:
A boarding secondary school for Kenyan girls with top academic scores and exceptional leadership skills but no means to continue their education. The academy provides shelter, food, healthcare and counseling services which allows students to focus on their academic and personal potential, without being hindered by the everyday barriers of poverty.
School of My Dreams:
An engaging portrait of students of Daraja Academy, a free Kenyan boarding school for exceptional girls living in poverty. In their own words and art, Daraja’s first graduating class demonstrates how education is expanding their vision and unlocking their dreams. They commit to transforming their communities and the world.  Watch the trailer below:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfHTRrk8FEc&w=560&h=315]Click here for more info about Daraja Academy and the films.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Tia and Tamera Mowry Launch Line of Herbal Tea for New Moms

By goodblacknews on May 5, 2013
Tamera Mowry with son Aden Housley and Tia Mowry with son Cree Mowry-Hardrict host the Milky launch event. (CHARLEY GALLAY/GETTY IMAGES)
Tia and Tamera Mowry have both experienced the joys of motherhood and have teamed up to create an innovative herbal supplement to help new moms boost the quality and quantity of breast milk. The supplement is called Milky and the sisters recently celebrated the launch of their new brand at A Pea in the Pod in L.A. 

Mom-to-be Tamar Braxton was just one of the famous faces who came out to support Milky at the VIP launch event. 
There’s no word yet on when Milky will be available for purchase, but consumers can sign up for exclusive notices via the Milky website. If you’re wondering if the supplements really work, Tamera, mother of 6-month-old Aden Housley, uses them and gives them her stamp of approval. 
“Believe me — it works!” Tamera told People. The twins also dish on Milky and their adventures in motherhood on their blog, Tia and Tamera.
article by Nicole Marie Melton via essence.com

BET's Centric to Premiere Autism Awareness Documentary Featuring Tisha Campbell-Martin, Nicole Ari Parker & Blair Underwood

By goodblacknews on April 26, 2013

April marks Austism Awareness Month, and in support of the cause, Centric will premiere, Colored My Mind: The Diagnosis, a short documentary that tackles the impact of the disorder on families.  Spearheaded by Attorney Shannon Nash and LaDonna Hughley, wife of comedian D.L. Hughley, the 30-minute documentary was inspired by the mission of their Los Angeles-based non-profit of the same name.
Nash and Hughley, alongside actress Tisha Campbell-Martin; Tammy McCrary, sister and manager of Chaka Khan, and administrator Donna Hunter, share their stories of raising children with the disorder.  Each woman’s candid story is paired with dramatizations featuring noted actors Blair Underwood and Nicole Ari Parker.
One in 70 boys has autism, with African-Americans and Latinos being diagnosed later than Caucasians. Boys are also four times more likely to have autism than girls.
Director Nia T. Hill provides a captivating and emotional look into the often overlooked world of autism. The documentary addresses and uncovers the truths about why some Black and Brown children are not receiving the same medical diagnoses or are misdiagnosed. The narratives explore “sadness, strength, joy, and the ultimate hope that binds us all to fight for a better tomorrow.”
Colored My Mind: The Diagnosis premieres April 28, at 11A/10C only on Centric.
article by Justin D. Joseph via blogs.centrictv.com

Nearly 55 Percent of Black Women Breαstfeed, Up from 35 Percent in the 70s

By goodblacknews on April 21, 2013
African American women are encouraged to breast feed.
Photography by NHophotos.com

There are a wealth of benefits that are associated with breαstfeeding. In addition to bonding with the baby and providing it nutritional health, you quickly lose that “baby fat” acquired from pregnancy. Although African-American women breαstfeed less than any other race, the percentage of African-American women breαstfeeding today is nearly 55 percent, in comparison to just 35 percent in the 70s.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched “It’s Only Natural” this week, which is a new national public education campaign aiming to provide more backup and boost awareness among African-American women of breαstfeeding’s importance and associated benefits. HHS will provide the women with tips, practical information, emotional support from peers and education on breαstfeeding’s’ benefits and how it fits into daily life. The information is relayed in video testimonials, myth-busting education, radio spots, fact sheets and more. High-risk neonatal registered nurse and lactation specialist Cheryl Lloyd at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s (UMC) Weiser Hospital for Women and Infants says understanding the process does not happen overnight. “It takes a little bit of time. It’s a process,” Lloyd said. “Breαstfeeding doesn’t always just happen overnight,” with habits to learn, growth spurt changes and other things expected down the line.

A cultural background in breastfeeding is a key ingredient for comfort in new moms, Lloyd noted. Not all new moms come armed with that; some even face family barriers to breαstfeeding. “You’re not just giving the infant a good start. You are giving this baby benefits for a lifetime,” said Lloyd, who is also president of the Mississippi Breαstfeeding Coalition. It’s not a guarantee, but research shows in comparison with formula-fed babies, breαstfed babies have fewer doctor visits, hospitalizations, less upper respiratory problems and more, she added.

article by Maria Lloyd via naturallymoi.com

GBN Community: Help Kickstart "The Flyers and The Crawlers," An Anti-Bullying Children's Book

By goodblacknews on April 20, 2013

Flyers and crawlersAuthor and daycare practitioner P.B. Jeffrey recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to publish a children’s book, “The Flyers and The Crawlers,” as part of an anti-bullying education initiative for kids.  Once her goal is met, Jeffrey intends to donate 200 copies of the book to daycare facilities, school libraries, and anti-bullying conventions across the country.

Author PB Jeffrey and Family
P.B. Jeffrey, husband Lennox and daughters

Bullying is an issue that affects the African-American community, and is fast becoming a multi-cultural epidemic, both in person and online.  Since bullying may begin as early as preschool, and because young children best learn from stories, books, and other educational media, a children’s book series about bullying is an effective tool for preventing the onset of bullying in the next generation.
Jeffrey is trying to raise $4,000 by May 24. Donations of even $5 make a difference. To donate or learn more about the campaign, please go to http://kck.st/ZWYR8K.  
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOQ3v2AR6Wc&w=560&h=315]