I Like School Uniforms

I am not big on private schools and I have always preferred public school education. However my husband's ex sends her kids to private school. I must admit that I do see the benefits after seeing how her two daughters are thriving by attending one.. First of all there is the smaller class size which is good and there also appears to be more after school activities and programs in the arts.
There is however a lack of ethnicity and culture in the private school that you do find in the public school. For me that wipes out all of the rest because I do not want my children being thrown into the real world after living in some kind of ivory tower.
However I do wish my daughters had to wear the school uniforms like they do in private schools. The children just look so orderly and cute even if they do try to slut it up with stockings and lip gloss. Also I like the school uniforms because it gets rid of the cost of having to outfit your kid for school which can be very expensive . I also like the idea of just throwing two outfits into the washer all the time.
Another reason I like them is because they remind me of when I was young and used to wear them to public school. It was a Catholic school which is why it was mandatory. This reminds me of my own schooldays when life was very simple. I don't like the way kids today look like little versions of burlesque dancers or like little lawyers. Or even worse yet – like gang members with baggy pants and big gold blings slung around their necks.
One thing I do like about the school uniforms is that they promote an atmosphere of learning. They also put every single student on the same plane. You are judged by your intellect and personality rather than by your good looks or what kind of clothes you are wearing. Any mom who has dealt with a crying teen knows the benefits of that. Yes, uniforms can definitely relieve some of the peer pressure to wear Crocs or a certain type of eyeshadow to look cool. Also in that regard your child is less prey to being picked on by a clique or being accused of 'not fitting in.' Everyone fits in when you are all forced to be wearing the same thing every day.
I am not a prude in any way but I kind of wish the dress code for public schools would be a bit stricter. I would not mind if they banned things like strapless tops or mini skirts that are too short. I also don't like seeing young girls wearing a lot of makeup or things like stay up steamed stockings that could make them attractive to older male predators. There are a lot of creeps out there.
I asked my hubby's ex how she could afford the uniforms and she says that she tries to buy them used. These private schools also sometimes hold swap meets where you can trade uniforms that fit different kids.'
You can also get uniform style school outfits at places like Walmart, Land's End and Talbot's.

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What Are Indigo Children?

It is unusual for children to suffer from depression after the loss of a loved one or a traumatic emotional event. Children who have been abused or constantly criticized can also develop chronic depression at an early age.

Unfortunately depression in children is not often seen for what it really is. The feelings of fatigue that go with it can be perceived as laziness. The lack of motivation is often perceived as stupidity or stubbornness. Children also either overeat or undereat just like adults when they are depressed and they develop a dislike of socializing and exercise.

If not treated depression can lead to failing grades, violence, alcohol, drug use and obesity. Here are some ways to detect the symptoms of depression in your child.

A child with depression –

· Refuses to wear clothes that do not cover all of the body

· May insist on wearing the same thing every day

· Covers his or her eyes with hair

· Refuses to look anyone in the eye

· Is possessive of toys and food

· Is easily agitated and irritated

· Prefers to watch videogames or watch television all day

· Falls asleep at school

· Has difficulty falling asleep at night

· Wakes at five am in the morning and is sleep deprived all day

· Has difficulty making decisions

· Loses interest in favorite toys or activities

· Feels guilty even if she or she has done nothing wrong

· Complains of vague physical complaints like headaches and stomach aches

· Lack of enthusiasm in general

· Talks obsessively about death or suicide

The sad fact is that as many as one in every three children and one in eight adolescents living in the United States might have depression. Thesis according to a health study done in 1996 and the number of depressed children and adolescents has probably risen since the specter of terrorism was unleashed as the result of 9-11.

Children that are most likely to experience depression are those who have experienced the loss of a pet or loved one (such as a parent or a sibling and those who already are experiencing some kind of disability or learning disorder such as Asperger's syndrome, dyslexia or Attention Deficit Disorder.

Some other facts about children and depression are:

Teenage girls are more likely than teenage boys to develop depression (according to the National Institute of Mental Health.)

Children who have parents with the disorder are more likely to develop some form of depression (National Institute of Mental Health)

Four out of five runaway/homeless street youth suffer from depression (according to the U.S. Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families)

The consequences of depression in childhood can be very severe. For one thing it is a precursor for all sorts of personality disorders and serious depression in adult hood. It also indicates that the child is at increase risk for such problems as addiction, alcoholism, manic depression and suicide. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for parents, teachers and guardians to detect depression in children early before it becomes a chronic and self-sabotaging chronic condition that last throughout the victim's entire life.

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