MANNERS FOR TOTS
By Michelle Fix

As you page through magazines or flip through television channels lately, there is a disturbing trend frequently in the headlines: bullying. Whether on-line, in text messages, or face-to-face, there seems to be a marked increase in behavior that is not only uncivil, but downright cruel.

Human beings experience a range of emotions from love to joy to annoyance to rage. And have done so since the beginning of time. But over the centuries we have instituted a code of behavior to mollify the most heightened of these behaviors. We agreed to a social contract of civility by instituting laws, codes of conduct, and mores to which we are all held accountable.

This social contract has eroded of late – and is having deleterious effects on our personal relationships: rudeness is increasing, selfishness on the rise. How are we to combat this trend and reclaim our gentility and politesse?

By teaching kindness, respect, and value for others in a very simple format: good manners. To me, good manners are to reintroducing civility what eliminating squeegee guys were to Mayor Giuliani. They are quality of life issues. The way to build a society that is respectful of one another is to start small. And…start young. With toddlers.

From their first moments on earth, babies are influenced by the sights, sounds, smells, and energy surrounding them. And as adults, it’s our collective responsibility to ensure those surrounding influences are positive. Parents are the primary source of all teaching – by example and instruction. But it’s up to the rest of society, i.e. us! to reinforce those positive behaviors and values.

The time to start inculcating good manners is the minute a child starts to engage with their world – if it’s people, pets, or even things, they need to know that you must respond with patience and an understanding of how your response is received by the other being.

But this should be fun! After all, they are kids. We can’t harangue and berate them for misbehaving when they are just learning to “beehave”.

That’s where media can play a helpful role. Where we can introduce children to characters like the Glamour Bees! Honey Bee and Dew Bee are two adorable schoolbees who live and play in Florafauna and much like human children, are constantly exploring and learning.

But they also have special powers of the inner glamour of extra kindness and use those powers to help children learn to be kind and respectful through good manners. With a show like the Glamour Bees, kids can learn by watching – how to share, to let someone go first, behave at the table, respect their pets (no tail grabbing!). Honey and Dew just love to see good manners – their mantra is “Bee Kind! and Bee Polite!” and they want to share that with everyone.

My friend Dominique told me her 3-year old “started encountering situations that really upset her. For instance a little girl at her school called her a name and pushed her away. It would be great to have a show centered on being nice and respectful so that Gaia does not take what non-respectful kids say and do personally and has something that helps her (on her level) learn the right lesson. Your show can help our children become good people. Please let me know what I can do to help you make this a reality.”

You can actually all get involved to help make it happen! Glamour Bees was accepted on a funding site called Kickstarter. Please check it out www.glamourbees.com. Honey and Dew want to help children be kind, good little people – and hopefully stop the bullying trend in its tracks. Please join them!

MANNERS FOR TOTS
By Michelle Fix

As you page through magazines or flip through television channels lately, there is a disturbing trend frequently in the headlines: bullying. Whether on-line, in text messages, or face-to-face, there seems to be a marked increase in behavior that is not only uncivil, but downright cruel.

Human beings experience a range of emotions from love to joy to annoyance to rage. And have done so since the beginning of time. But over the centuries we have instituted a code of behavior to mollify the most heightened of these behaviors. We agreed to a social contract of civility by instituting laws, codes of conduct, and mores to which we are all held accountable.

This social contract has eroded of late – and is having deleterious effects on our personal relationships: rudeness is increasing, selfishness on the rise. How are we to combat this trend and reclaim our gentility and politesse?

By teaching kindness, respect, and value for others in a very simple format: good manners. To me, good manners are to reintroducing civility what eliminating squeegee guys were to Mayor Giuliani. They are quality of life issues. The way to build a society that is respectful of one another is to start small. And…start young. With toddlers.

From their first moments on earth, babies are influenced by the sights, sounds, smells, and energy surrounding them. And as adults, it’s our collective responsibility to ensure those surrounding influences are positive. Parents are the primary source of all teaching – by example and instruction. But it’s up to the rest of society, i.e. us! to reinforce those positive behaviors and values.

The time to start inculcating good manners is the minute a child starts to engage with their world – if it’s people, pets, or even things, they need to know that you must respond with patience and an understanding of how your response is received by the other being.

But this should be fun! After all, they are kids. We can’t harangue and berate them for misbehaving when they are just learning to “beehave”.

That’s where media can play a helpful role. Where we can introduce children to characters like the Glamour Bees! Honey Bee and Dew Bee are two adorable schoolbees who live and play in Florafauna and much like human children, are constantly exploring and learning.

But they also have special powers of the inner glamour of extra kindness and use those powers to help children learn to be kind and respectful through good manners. With a show like the Glamour Bees, kids can learn by watching – how to share, to let someone go first, behave at the table, respect their pets (no tail grabbing!). Honey and Dew just love to see good manners – their mantra is “Bee Kind! and Bee Polite!” and they want to share that with everyone.

My friend Dominique told me her 3-year old “started encountering situations that really upset her. For instance a little girl at her school called her a name and pushed her away. It would be great to have a show centered on being nice and respectful so that Gaia does not take what non-respectful kids say and do personally and has something that helps her (on her level) learn the right lesson. Your show can help our children become good people. Please let me know what I can do to help you make this a reality.”

You can actually all get involved to help make it happen! Glamour Bees was accepted on a funding site called Kickstarter. Please check it out www.glamourbees.com. Honey and Dew want to help children be kind, good little people – and hopefully stop the bullying trend in its tracks. Please join them!

Dear Glendale Register –

When my Dad Pat turned 50 (Glendale born and raised, a St. Pancras boy in his youth), he decided that in order to celebrate it in a special way, he would take us (my Mom, me, and my brother and sister) on a cross-country trip to check out each of the 50 states. The Great American Drive we’ve called it, and we are hitting 50 states in just 25 days (and will be back just in time for school!) We are somewhere around New Mexico right now, and if you want, you can check out our travels, photos, etc at pverrone.wordpress.com. Collecting postcards, state pens, stuffed animals, etc has really been quite an adventure, but I guess it’s something we’ll always remember, especially because this is the most we’ve ever been together all of us! My Dad’s usually pretty easy to spot, mostly because he’s always got some kind of METS stuff on, Queens boy that he is! Okay, thanks for listening, and hopefully, you will check us out on pverrone.wordpress.com. We loved our time in NYC and that marked, fittingly enough the half-way point. Almost home now!

Dear Glendale Register –

When my Dad Pat turned 50 (Glendale born and raised, a St. Pancras boy in his youth), he decided that in order to celebrate it in a special way, he would take us (my Mom, me, and my brother and sister) on a cross-country trip to check out each of the 50 states. The Great American Drive we’ve called it, and we are hitting 50 states in just 25 days (and will be back just in time for school!) We are somewhere around New Mexico right now, and if you want, you can check out our travels, photos, etc at pverrone.wordpress.com. Collecting postcards, state pens, stuffed animals, etc has really been quite an adventure, but I guess it’s something we’ll always remember, especially because this is the most we’ve ever been together all of us! My Dad’s usually pretty easy to spot, mostly because he’s always got some kind of METS stuff on, Queens boy that he is! Okay, thanks for listening, and hopefully, you will check us out on pverrone.wordpress.com. We loved our time in NYC and that marked, fittingly enough the half-way point. Almost home now!

NEW YORK CITY– March 31, 2010 – In honor of April being National Safe Digging Month, DigNet of New York City & Long Island is reminding homeowners and excavators of the importance of calling 811 or 1-800-272-4480 before they dig. DigNet is a non-profit organization that enables its members to mark the locations of underground facilities in planned dig sites to prevent incidents of damage. Accidents involving underground power, gas, water or other utility lines may result in service outages, leakage of dangerous materials into the soil and air as well as severe injuries.

Beginning in April, DigNet is launching a contest to further encourage area residents to practice safe digging. Between April and October 2010, people who call DigNet at either 811 or 1-800-272-4480 to request location service will be entered to win Home Depot gift cards.

New York state law and Code 753 requires professional excavators within the five boroughs of New York City and the two counties of Long Island to notify DigNet at least two working days prior to beginning any mechanized digging or excavation on a site – and failure to do so is punishable by fine from the Public Service Commission.

Although not required by law, homeowners in New York City and Long Island are also encouraged to call DigNet before beginning any digging projects on their properties due to the safety concerns. Home improvement projects that may warrant a phone call to DigNet include the installation of mailboxes or fences; landscaping, tree planting and any other renovation project that involves digging. Homeowners are also encouraged to verify that professional excavators hired to dig on their properties have followed the law and placed a call to DigNet before beginning work.

“National Safe Digging Month provides us with the opportunity to remind our neighbors throughout New York City and Long Island of the dangers often associated with even the simplest of digging projects,” said Roger Sampson, president of the Board of Directors, DigNet. “Placing a simple, toll-free phone call to DigNet at least two working days before you begin to dig is the best way to ensure that the locations of underground lines are properly marked ahead of time so that they may be safely avoided.”

To request location service, please call DigNet at either 811 or 1-800-272-4480. For more information about DigNet’s services, please visit www.dignetnycli.com.

About DigNet of New York City & Long Island
DigNet of New York City & Long Island is a member-funded, non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of underground facilities from damage due to excavation and demolition. DigNet’s services include receiving notices of intent to perform excavation and demolition and transmitting them to its members in the specified dig area within the five boroughs of New York City and the two counties of Long Island. Upon receipt of the planned excavation notification, members including utility companies and other operators of underground facilities must properly mark their underground facilities to minimize the risk of damage and injury. Located in Queens, DigNet accepts requests 24/7 and is easily contacted by dialing either 811 or 1-800-272-4480. For more information, please visit www.dignetnycli.com.

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NEW YORK CITY– March 31, 2010 – In honor of April being National Safe Digging Month, DigNet of New York City & Long Island is reminding homeowners and excavators of the importance of calling 811 or 1-800-272-4480 before they dig. DigNet is a non-profit organization that enables its members to mark the locations of underground facilities in planned dig sites to prevent incidents of damage. Accidents involving underground power, gas, water or other utility lines may result in service outages, leakage of dangerous materials into the soil and air as well as severe injuries.

Beginning in April, DigNet is launching a contest to further encourage area residents to practice safe digging. Between April and October 2010, people who call DigNet at either 811 or 1-800-272-4480 to request location service will be entered to win Home Depot gift cards.

New York state law and Code 753 requires professional excavators within the five boroughs of New York City and the two counties of Long Island to notify DigNet at least two working days prior to beginning any mechanized digging or excavation on a site – and failure to do so is punishable by fine from the Public Service Commission.

Although not required by law, homeowners in New York City and Long Island are also encouraged to call DigNet before beginning any digging projects on their properties due to the safety concerns. Home improvement projects that may warrant a phone call to DigNet include the installation of mailboxes or fences; landscaping, tree planting and any other renovation project that involves digging. Homeowners are also encouraged to verify that professional excavators hired to dig on their properties have followed the law and placed a call to DigNet before beginning work.

“National Safe Digging Month provides us with the opportunity to remind our neighbors throughout New York City and Long Island of the dangers often associated with even the simplest of digging projects,” said Roger Sampson, president of the Board of Directors, DigNet. “Placing a simple, toll-free phone call to DigNet at least two working days before you begin to dig is the best way to ensure that the locations of underground lines are properly marked ahead of time so that they may be safely avoided.”

To request location service, please call DigNet at either 811 or 1-800-272-4480. For more information about DigNet’s services, please visit www.dignetnycli.com.

About DigNet of New York City & Long Island
DigNet of New York City & Long Island is a member-funded, non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of underground facilities from damage due to excavation and demolition. DigNet’s services include receiving notices of intent to perform excavation and demolition and transmitting them to its members in the specified dig area within the five boroughs of New York City and the two counties of Long Island. Upon receipt of the planned excavation notification, members including utility companies and other operators of underground facilities must properly mark their underground facilities to minimize the risk of damage and injury. Located in Queens, DigNet accepts requests 24/7 and is easily contacted by dialing either 811 or 1-800-272-4480. For more information, please visit www.dignetnycli.com.

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