A fight for kids' sake

Politicians must help parents control the violence their kids watch, hear and download, warns a London anti-violence activist also pushing for a ban on hockey fights. Peter Jaffe, a psychologist and Thames Valley school board trustee, was backed by a coalition of teachers and parents in demanding tighter checks on all media violence. At a Queen's Park news conference, the group called for age-based restrictions on music sales, similar to existing systems to prevent minors from obtaining inappropriate movies and video games. They also called for controls that would prevent radio and television stations from airing violent content before 9 p.m. "We have listened to the research, and cigarette packs now carry large and graphic warnings about the dangers of smoking," said Jaffe, a professor at the University of Western Ontario.

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Rockland proposal would ban smoking in cars with kids

RAMAPO - Add automobiles to the growing list of places where smokers might soon be banned from lighting up. The Rockland County Board of Health adopted a resolution yesterday recommending that the county "study the possibility of prohibiting smoking in automobiles when children under the age of 18 are present." "It makes a great deal of sense to prohibit smoking in cars," said Dr. Jeffrey Oppenheim, a neurosurgeon and the member of the board who proposed the ban. "Children don't have a choice when someone lights a cigarette in a car with closed windows." The county's health commissioner, Dr. Joan Facelle, said she was in favor of the idea. "The time is right to address this," said Facelle, a pediatrician. Facelle said she would propose the idea to County Executive C.

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Cards can help kids manage money

John Baumann knows how important it is to teach kids how to manage money. He's a parent volunteer at Chase Finance Park, a role-playing facility operated by Junior Achievement in Louisville, Ky. The kids usually figure out pretty quickly how to handle a pretend budget, he says, paying bills and trying to save just like their parents. .

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