No Name-Calling Week was inspired by a young adult novel entitled "The Misfits" by James Howe. The book tells the story of four best friends trying to survive the seventh grade in the face of all too frequent taunts based on their weight, height, intelligence, and sexual orientation/gender expression. Hmmm . . . sound familiar?!?!
Motivated by the inequities they see around them, the "Gang of Five" (as they are known) creates a new political party during student council elections and run on a platform aimed at wiping out name-calling of all kinds. Though they lose the election, they win the support of the school's principal for their cause and their idea for a "No Name-Calling Day" at school.
No Name-Calling Week was created by GLSEN and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and consists of over 40 national partner organizations. The first No Name-Calling Week in schools across the nation took place March 1-5, 2004; this year, it will take place the week of January 25-29, 2010. The project seeks to focus national attention on the problem of name-calling in schools, and to provide students and educators with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling in their communities. The focus is on grades 5 through 8 - you know, those awkward middle-school/tween years.
You can get more information on this project on their website,
www.nonamecalling.org, and download free materials on how to stop bullying in our communities. We blogged about bullying before (this is one of
Demi Lovato's big causes), and we also covered this topic during the
Tween Summit last fall. It takes a village, people, so check out this site and get involved!
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Does your tween earn or receive an allowance? Earlier this month there were rumors flying about the amount of allowance Madonna's daughter, 13-year old Lola (or Lourdes) Leon, receives (one Italian newspaper claimed she received the most of any Hollywood celebrity kid - a whopping $11,000/week). Before you jump off the deep end, however, know that there were other reports last Fall that claimed that Ms. Leon's allowance was a more modest 10 pounds/week or $16/week.
When I first got inside what I saw was rows and rows of every American Girl thing I had ever heard of. There was everything from doll clothing to doll food, there was even clothing for you to match your doll! Even that did not end it, upstairs there was even more clothing but there was also a doll hair salon!! At the salon you could get your dolls hair done or even treat them to some special skincare. I had my doll’s hair done; she looked really good afterward. I was really impressed. Across from the salon there was a café where you could order food for you and your doll. It was really good food. I am definitely going to go there again very soon. 
For Kids Clothing Store