Before you magically transform your child into that lion, tiger, or bear of his dreams, consider the following caution from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

“Ghosts and goblins are not the only scary things at Halloween. As children across the country paint their faces into all sorts of characters, they may be unknowingly spreading harmful substances on their delicate skin.”

According to independent research undertaken by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of non-profit organizations addressing women’s, environmental, health, consumer, faith and worker’s safety issues, many products used to create fun costume effects—face paints, hair colors, etc.—contain metals and toxic substances that are potentially dangerous, especially when applied to the delicate skin of young children. For details including a link to the report, “Pretty Scary,” check this story.

Getting up and out in the morning is difficult for many kids, but for those who are easily distracted the challenges are formidable. Smart Kids parents share their tips for starting the day off right:

1. Prepare Ahead

Get organized the night before. Depending on your child’s age, you or she can lay out her clohes, make lunch, gather homework and other papers, and place books, instruments, backpacks, gym clothes, etc. next to the door.

2. Take Care of Business

I devote the first 15 minutes we’re together after school to reviewing all teacher communications, signing permission slips, and filling out forms. It avoids the last minute hassle—or worse, having my child be the one to sit in the library because I didn’t give permission to take health that day.

3. Keep It Simple

The morning routine is always the same. Structure is very important: Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, and out the door.

4. Eat and Run

On really crazy mornings we grab breakfast from the stash of nutrition bars and juice boxes I keep for just those occasions.

5. Don’t Fight It

Instead of rushing to get out, set the alarm 30 minutes earlier.

6. Start with A Snooze

Because our son doesn’t like to jump into action right away, he sets his alarm to allow enough extra time so that he can hit the snooze button twice.

7. Be First

I get up earlier than the kids to have some time for myself because when I’m less stressed I find they are too.

Share your family’s hints, tips, and strategies for stress-free school mornings.

The new HBO documentary airing Tuesday, October 26^th doesn’t flinch from testifying to the pain that children with LD and ADHD endure in school: “They said I was stupid, so I thought I was stupid,” says Abby, a bright and articulate nine-year-old who struggled to read, write, and spell. But after receiving appropriate help for her dyslexia, Abby regains confidence in herself, declaring, “Now, I love books!”

“I CAN’T DO THIS BUT I CAN DO THAT:  A Film for Families About Learning Differences” is an account of 8 children who speak movingly about their hard-won understanding that they have very real abilities along with their learning problems–and, like Abby, have learned to use their strengths to compensate for their difficulties.

I Can Do That!

The film highlights the resourcefulness, creativity and strengths that schools frequently fail to acknowledge when students with LD are viewed as less capable than others, and are not given the help they need to succeed.  As director and producer Ellen Goosenberg Kent notes, the film “encourages students, families, and teachers to look beyond labels and discover the gifts each child possesses.”

An engaging 12-year-old, John used to hate school. Like many of the children interviewed for the film, he was often humiliated in class: His third-grade teacher called on him to do math problems in front of the class, and published his failing grades in the school newsletter. Today John attends Denver Academy in Colorado, a school that acknowledges and supports instruction for children with learning difficulties, and expects them to excel. John says, “I have problems with handwriting, but I can still play guitar!”

And as he notes with wisdom beyond his years, “It’s not a learning disorder, it’s a learning difference.  If people think you have a disorder, their expectations drop tremendously.  I can do better than that.”

Joey, also 12, is a talented artist, whose room-sized mural of knights fighting dragons reflects his efforts to contain his anger when he has trouble understanding what he hears, or expressing himself clearly—the result of his auditory processing disorder. “I didn’t think I had a very bright future,” Joey says. But after receiving help from trained instructors and the support of his school principal, he says now, “I realized I could change that future.”

Viewing times

I CAN’T DO THIS BUT I CAN DO THAT:  A Film for Families About Learning Differences” debuts Tuesday, Oct. 26th (7:30-8:00 p.m. ET/PT) exclusively on HBO.

HBO2 playdate:  Nov. 23 (6:00 a.m.)

HBO Family playdates:  Oct. 30 (6:30 p.m.) and Nov. 3 (8:30 p.m.), 12 (10:30 p.m.), 18 (6:30 p.m., 2:00 a.m.), 21 (noon) and 29 (8:30 p.m.)

A trailer for is available for viewing at http://www.hbo.com/#/documentaries/i-cant-do-this-but-i-can-do-that-a-film-for-families-about-learning-differences/synopsis.html

By Marcia Brown Rubinstien, MA, CEP

Although an estimated 7,000,000 people have a learning disability, the diagnosis continues to generate more fallacy than fact. Below are some of the most difficult myths for students to overcome.

1. People with learning disabilities are stupid.

By definition those diagnosed with LD must have measurable intelligence ranging from average to high average. In fact, most have average or above average intelligence, and some have cognitive skills that distinguish them as gifted.

2. Students with LD are lazy.

It is safe to assume that some people with LD are indeed lazy. However, this characteristic is neither limited to, nor diagnostic of LD. Dr. Mel Levine claims in his book, The Myth of Laziness, that it is the natural inclination of every human being to be productive. After struggling to understand their differences and acquire compensatory skills, many students with LD work harder than those for whom learning does not require special accommodation.

3.  LD can be cured.

Although the market for new interventions seems infinite, science has not yet found a way to reconfigure the neurological programming that causes LD. Students, however, can eliminate many difficulties by using alternative pathways to learning. Embrace accommodations, but be wary of claims that offer a cure.

4. Students with LD get unfair advantages.

There will always be those who believe that people with accommodations are cheating the system. Some find learning disabilities hard to acknowledge because they are invisible. Nevertheless, it is important to stress that, just as a wheelchair ramp provides access for people with physical disabilities, learning accommodations give students with LD equal access to knowledge and education.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about this — please note your comments in the box below!

GreatNonprofits has launched the 2010 Disability Awareness Campaign, in partnership with GuideStar and a number of major organizations addressing disability issues, including Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities. The goal is to identify top-rated nonprofits in this area – and we’re asking you for your help!

Tell us about YOUR experience – and how Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities has impacted your family. Your participation helps identify the nonprofits affecting change in our communities through efforts aimed at learning disabilities, as well as other kinds of disability services.

Visit http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/profile2/smart-kids-with-learning-disabilites-inc. To write a brief review: Under “Share your experience” on the left-hand side of the page, click on Write A Review, then share your comments.

Benefits:

• Recognition: Every organization that gathers 10 or more positive reviews during the month of October will make the GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Disability Nonprofits List.
• Community Engagement: This is a great opportunity for nonprofits and their community members to interact and engage directly.
• First-person stories: Clients, volunteers, donors and others share with the public, in their own words, how this nonprofit serves its community. Nonprofits can use this resource of powerful and authentic stories to engage donors and volunteers.

Deadline: October 31, 2010

Last year’s campaign: In 2009 over 450,000 people read reviews of thousands of nonprofits at www.GreatNonprofits.org – written by donors, volunteers, board members and by the general public. These reviews are also visible on GuideStar.

So please take just a few minutes to write about your experience for this year’s campaign!

Other partners in this campaign include ABILITY Magazine, American Association on Health and Disability, CURE International, Disabled World, IndependenceFirst, Exceptional Parent, and United Cerebral Palsy.

By Sheryl Knapp

The beginning of a new school year offers the opportunity to establish positive relationships with your child’s teachers and special education team. That may seem obvious, but there is no shortage of parents and teachers who treat each other as adversaries rather than allies. When a situation deteriorates, it often comes down to personality—not policy.

A small investment in civility at this point in the semester is likely to pay handsome dividends as the year progresses. Let’s face it: educators, like everyone else, are more apt to go the extra mile if they want to—and your behavior has everything to do with creating an environment that encourages helpfulness. Here are some reminders of what works when trying to establish a solid working relationship with your child’s team.

1. Be reasonable

School districts are required only to do what is appropriate for students with disabilities. Although you may think that your child would benefit from every service under the sun, it is unreasonable to walk into a meeting demanding—or expecting—everything. Recognize that you may have to compromise and come prepared with a prioritized list of what you think will help your child most.

2. Be respectful

You don’t have to agree with your child’s team on every issue, but you can disagree respectfully. Let others finish their thoughts, and tailor your comments to their concerns. Remember also that each team member arrives at the meeting with a unique perspective, presumably one that adds value to your child’s education. They deserve to be heard, just as you do.

3. Be a listener

Parents often walk into IEP meetings with lots of information to present and a list of issues to discuss. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “waiting your turn” to speak as opposed to really focusing on what others are saying. Make sure you are sending the message that you value the comments and opinions of others at the table.

4. Be knowledgeable, without being a know-it-all

Teachers and administrators respect and appreciate parents who take the time to understand their child’s diagnosis and challenges. However, it’s important to maintain your role as parent and allow your child’s teachers to be his educators. There is a big difference between offering information and telling teachers how to do their job.

5. Be gracious

It’s easy to focus on what is wrong with your child’s program while disregarding what is right about it. Although you should never have to apologize for extra support your child requires, it’s nice to acknowledge it. Make sure that your child’s teachers and administrators know that you appreciate any effort they make to help your child succeed, even if it falls short of what you would like it to be.

Team meetings do not have to be contentious. Most educators want to do what is best for your child, but sometimes encounter obstacles that take more than good manners to fix. Finding ways to overcome those obstacles involves a strategic approach that parents often overlook in their desire to get what they think their child needs. Winning Over Those on the Front Line offers tried and true strategies for building partnerships—true collaborations—that will serve your child’s interests.