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The INDEPENDENT, October 5, 2011
Report says kids need more sleep
by Chris Thomas, Oregon
News Service
Youngsters in Oregon and
around the nation are not get-
ting enough sleep, according to
a new report that examines the
amount of time children spend
indoors on electronic devices –
and how this over-stimulation
affects their sleep.
Report author Kevin Coyle,
vice president for education
and training at the National
Wildlife Federation, says a
generation ago, children spent
hours outdoors playing and in-
teracting with others. Today,
the average Oregon child or
teen spends seven to eight
hours per day between com-
puters and cell phones, playing
video games or watching tele-
vision. “This has a number of
implications for the kids; their
health, their overall fitness lev-
els. There are a number of rea-
sons why we think that this new
‘indoor child’ phenomenon in
American society has really af-
fected the ability of children to
get a good night's sleep,” stat-
ed Coyle.
The report indicates that, on
average, kids ages 8 through
18 are losing from 10 to 14
hours of sleep per week be-
cause they are over-stimulated
by electronic use. Coyle says
parents can help children ob-
tain more balance by making
sure they get regular exercise
and spend at least an hour a
day outdoors, because natural
light helps promote sleep.
He also suggests trying to
get kids to “unplug” from com-
puters, cell phones and TVs at
least an hour before bedtime –
an idea he knows could meet
with some resistance, “About
half of all the kids in America
now have a TV in their bed-
room. And the other (rule) is,
particularly for older children, to
park their cell phones some-
where other than in the bed-
room, because these kids will
often text each other in the
middle of the night.”
For more tips to prompt chil-
dren to spend more time out-
side and reduce their “screen
time,” a new online guide is
available for parents and care-
givers, at beoutthere.org.
The full report, “Green Time
for Sleep Time,” is at nwf.org.
Census data has implications for kids
Oregon’s working families
continue to face a painful strug-
gle to provide basic needs like
food and health care, new
numbers from the census bu-
reau show.
According to data released
by the Census Bureau Septem-
ber 13, the poverty rate for both
children and families in the
United States rose between
2009 and 2010, with 9.2 million
families now in poverty. The
child poverty rate hit a record
high of 22%, a level not seen
since 1994. For children under
age 6, the poverty rate be-
tween 2009 and 2010 in-
creased to 25.3 percent from
23.8 percent, while the number
in poverty increased to 6.3 mil-
lion from 6.0 million nation-
wide.
“A financially stable family
gives children the best chance
at a healthy, safe and success-
ful life,” says Children First Pol-
icy Director, Regan Gray.
“These numbers show that
now, more than ever, it’s critical
that legislators continue to fund
programs like Employment Re-
lated Day Care and Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families
(TANF), which allow parents to
find work while providing for
their children’s most funda-
mental needs.”
Children who grow up in
poverty suffer higher rates of
health, and developmental set-
backs than other children. Ac-
cording to the non-profit advo-
cacy group, Children First for
Oregon, children’s physical
health, cognitive ability, school
achievement, and behavioral
and emotional well being suffer
as a result of growing up in
poverty. With Oregon’s unem-
ployment rate still above the
national average and SNAP
/foodstamp enrollment at an all
time high, many families in
Oregon are living on the brink.
“A small amount of assis-
tance with the cost of food,
child care, or a doctor’s ap-
pointment can protect a fami-
ly’s security and all of our chil-
dren’s future success,” says
Gray. “At the same time, this
assistance can prevent costly
child-welfare
interventions
down the road. In this gradual
economic recovery, families
needs all the help they can get
to provide a safe and stable en-
vironment for their children.
Having these basic needs met
allows parents to focus on im-
proving their family’s situation,
and can help us balance our
budget as a state.”
More detailed information on
the state of Oregon’s children
will be released Thursday, Sep-
tember 22, when the American
Community Survey state-by-
state data is made available.
Children First is an Oregon
nonprofit, nonpartisan child ad-
vocacy organization, commit-
ted to improving the lives of
Oregon’s vulnerable children
and their families. More infor-
mation on Children First is
available at www.cffo.org.
Play bingo to help end violence
503-901-1705
It’s true! The Ol’ Pastime
Tavern, in Rainier, is partnering
with the Columbia County
Women’s Resource Center
(CCWRC) in our work to end
violence.
Come out and enjoy bingo
every Friday night, from 6:00 to
8:00 p.m., at the Ol’ Pastime to
benefit the work of the Re-
source Center. This is also the
first event during Domestic Vio-
lence Awareness Month, which
is observed every year in Octo-
ber. All of the fun and prizes are
back, so come out for fun and
help us work for healthy rela-
tionships!
CCWRC is the only agency
of its kind dedicated to serving
survivors of domestic and sex-
ual violence in Columbia Coun-
ty.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office to
offer two parenting classes in October
The Washington County
Sheriff’s Office will offer two
free Parent University classes
in October:
• Bullying and Aggressive
Behavior Among School-Aged
Children – On October 12,
learn about the types of ag-
gression that constitute bully-
ing, the reasons kids bully,
warning signs, the scourge of
cyber-bullying, and prevention
strategies and solutions that
work!
• Social Networking – Rais-
ing Safe and Responsible Digi-
tal Citizens. This class, on Oc-
tober 19, offers general infor-
mation about technology and
the Internet, and explains how
youth move seamlessly be-
tween their “real” and “online”
lives. It will also cover social
networking sites, sexting, other
risky behaviors, and finally,
ways to protect our youth.
Classes are held at the
Washington County Sheriff’s
Office in Hillsboro in the train-
ing center on the second floor.
To RSVP, contact Christine
Rouches at 503-846-2579 or
christine_rouches@co.wash
ington.or.us .
Columbia County
Domestic Abuse
Mental Health
Hotline
800-294-5211
503-397-6161
-----------------
or
Suicide Hotline
866-397-6161
1-800-
-----------------
784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)