YOUTH AS RESOURCES - February Asset of the Month

Young people are given useful roles in the community.

This document is designed to help adults throughout Silicon Valley develop materials and activities to promote the asset of adult role models.

Newsletter Content

The following text may be used in organizational newsletters. Please include the attribution at the end of the article.

The Importance of Youth as Resources

People of all ages want to feel that that they make a contribution and play a meaningful role in their community, whether at home, at school, or in the neighborhood. Research shows that youth who feel valued and useful have higher self-esteem, a greater sense of personal control, reduced delinquency, greater social and personal responsibility, reduced substance abuse, and better social skills.

Most youth in Silicon Valley don’t feel that they have opportunities to contribute to their community. In Project Cornerstone’s 2011 survey, only 53% of 4th- 6th graders and 35% of 7th-12th graders reported that they are given useful roles. To help address this  problem, February is Youth as Resources month in Silicon Valley. This asset focuses on including youth in decisions that affect them and creating participation and leadership opportunities where their contribution makes a difference.

The following discussions can help youth recognize opportunities to serve as resources

· What would you like to share with adults about your experiences in your home, school, neighborhood or faith community?

· Who are some adults that you could talk to about making positive changes?

· How will you know when these changes happen?

· How would you like to be recognized for your contribution?

Keep in mind that serving as a resource doesn’t have to be a large effort. Adults can help youth serve as resources simply by asking them to share their opinions, skills, or knowledge, such as how to play a game or use technology such as text messaging. Remember, it’s important that young people’s efforts be recognized and celebrated! Be sure to create opportunities to show that you value each individual’s unique contributions.

This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.  

Activities

For Families

· Hold family meetings. For example, one meeting can focus on discussing which kinds of tasks each household member is best at and enjoys the most. Then, review everyone’s current chores and make changes based on each other’s skills and interests.

· Involve children in planning events such as holiday celebrations or trips. For family events, young people can help plan menus and cook, or plan games and activities for younger children; for vacations, they can research destinations and activities.

· Ask children what they do or don’t like about their daily routines, and find ways to improve them.

 For All Adults

· Ask a young person to teach you something new—a game, a hobby, a computer skill, etc.—or to share their favorite music or YouTube videos with you. It’s empowering to be able to introduce adults something that they don’t already know.

· Ask a young person for advice on solving a challenge or completing a task. You’d be surprised at the quality of suggestions you receive.

· Be sure to notice young people’s contributions and talents in every aspect of their lives.

· Help a young person find age-appropriate opportunities to serve as resources in their community. For example, many cities and towns have a youth advisory committee or other group of young people who provide input regarding issues affecting youth.

For adults who work directly with youth

· Does your organization allow young people to sit on boards and committees that affect its mission and programs? Including youth input at the highest levels not only creates valuable opportunities for young people but also helps your organization ensure that it’s in touch with the needs and desires of the youth you serve.

· Be sure to create opportunities for all youth to feel like valuable resources. For example, a county sheriff’s office found that youth with low grades wanted to volunteer in the community as much as better students, but the community rarely asked those underachieving students to contribute. All young people deserve the opportunity to feel that their opinions and contributions are valued.

At school or in youth programs

· Create leadership and contribution opportunities in your classroom or programs. Groups such as student council, playground peace monitors, traffic safety patrol, and others are great ways for young people to feel like their contributions are valued, especially if they have some responsibility in making decisions for the group. In younger grades, classroom responsibilities like line leader help  students feel like their contributions make a difference to the class. Middle and high school students can even help interview new staff and participate in school improvement teams.

· Invite students to share their opinions and suggestions about activities, and incorporate their suggestions in the future. Give young people choices about which activities they take part in.

· Encourage young people to write letters to the editor, to companies, or elected officials to share ideas or express opinions. Help them develop and share constructive suggestions to address their concerns.

About the Asset-a-Month Program

The goals of the Silicon Valley Asset-a-Month program are to help align adults

throughout our diverse community in their efforts to promote positive youth

development by fostering developmental assets. For more information about the

Asset-a-Month program, contact Project Cornerstone at (408) 351-6482 or

info@projectcornerstone.org.

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.

President, Sacred Foundations, Inc.

revmulvany@sacredfoundations.net

www.sacredfoundations.net

877-877-4275

Energetic Self Care

Spiritual Gathering January 13, 2019
Notes from Service

Energy Field

An electromagnetic field of energy that surrounds all living things.  Many philosophies believe that for the human the aura is comprised of energy emanating from the four bodies (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual).  

Components of the Field

Spiritual Body = Intent

Mental Body = Data

Emotional Body = Expression

Physical Body = Manifestation

Aspects of the field

Male = Active Energy  

Female = Creative Energy

 Clear, Balance, Ground, and Protect

Clear

“Clear”, suggests a freedom from cloudiness, haziness, muddiness, etc., either literally or figuratively.  kyrillion photography has shown that the human body, plants, and animals, have an energy field around their bodies.  In many cultures it is believed that this energy can be transferred from one individual to another, consciously or unconsciously.  The theory is that if you collect other peoples’ emotions, feelings, etc., your energy field acts like a sponge and you begin to mirror others’ emotions and challenges.

Balance

A state of equilibrium or equipoise; equality in amount, weight, value, or importance between two things or the parts of a thing.  Many of the early spiritual and physical philosophies looked at the human being, as a series of components that must be maintained in balance or disease, “dis – ease”, would occur.  The focus of any healing modality is to support the parts of the human essence to stay in a state of fluid balance just like nature.

Ground

Ground represents the lowest part, bottom or base of something.  Many Eastern, Celtic and American Indian philosophies believe that the physical body is the base of the soul.  They also believe that when you bring the physical body into harmony you are actively manifesting your soul purpose within the physical.  Ignoring the physical body thus can cause disturbance in all other aspects of your life.  A house not built on a solid foundation “Ground” will fall. Being grounded also affects the amount of energy you can run through your physical body.  

Protect

To shield from injury, danger or loss.  To guard or defend. Everyone is aware of taking care of the physical body, but how many of us are aware of taking care of the emotional, mental or spiritual bodies?  If scientist and philosophers are correct, and if we do have some sort of energy around us that can be recorded by specific photography, can we lose this energy or change or adulterate it?  In early cultures, Celt, Eastern, and American Indian, it was believed you could.  It was also taught that each individual was responsible for maintaining this life force or personal space for themselves, and for others who were weak due to illness.

Clearing your Electro Magnetic Field

Smudging

Burn Sage, Lavender, sweet grass, or other clearing smudge stick or leaves. You can smudge yourself but it is easier if there are two people so you can smudge each other. Consciously allow the smoke to remove any negative or unwanted energy, and any energy that is not your own, from your energy field. Work from the feet up allowing the smoke to take the negative energy up and away from you.

Clearing Spray

Use a glass mister bottle, preferably colored and not clear to keep algae from growing, fill it with purified water and a few drops of essential oils.  Mist yourself to clear your aura. It can also be used to clear the energy in your home, office, car, etc. The most commonly used essential oil used for clearing energy/purification is Sage. I prefer Clary Sage and Eucalyptus. You can make different spays for different purposed.     

Essential Oil Properties

Anise – Clairvoyance, Protection

Basil – Love, Wealth, Harmony

Bayberry – Protection, Control

Benzoin – Purification, Prosperity

Bergamot – Money, Uplift Spirits

Carnation – Protection, Strength

Cedarwood – Purification, Unhex

Cinnamon – Purifying, Stimulating

Citronella – Cleansing, Warding

Clove – Pain Relief, Stimulant

Eucalyptus – Healing, Purifying

Frankincense – Astral Strength, Protection

Frankincense/Myrrh – Protection, Healing

Ginger – Love, Money, Success, Power

Honeysuckle – Money, Psychic Powers

Jasmine – Love, Money, Dreams

Lavender – Healing, Love

Lemon – Call Spirits, Love, Energy

Lemongrass – Psychic/Mental Clarity

Lilac – Healing, Uncrossing, Spirit

Lotus – Opening, Elevating

Musk – Aphrodisiac, Prosperity

Myrrh – Hex-breaking, Meditative

Neroli – Confidence, Princess, Insomnia

Sweet Orange – Peace, Power, Luck

Patchouli – Mastery, Growth, Love

Pennyroyal – Purifying, Water, Gout

Peppermint – Energy, Mental Stimulant

Pine – Grounding, Strength

Rose – Love, Blessing, Fertility

Rosemary – Energy, Remembrance

Rue – Break Hexes and Jinxes

Sage – Wisdom, Clarity, Purification

Sandalwood – Spirituality, Healing

Tea Tree – Increase Harmony

Vetivert – Unhexing, Money, Peace, Love

Ylang Ylang – Euphoria, Harmony, Love

Epsom Salts

Epsom salts baths are known to help cleanse the aura.  Use one to four cups of Epsom salts in your bath water.  Twenty minutes of soaking is optimum. While in the bath state the intent; “all energies which are not mine or not in my highest and best good be released now. * Hot baths are not recommended for pregnant women and people whose bodies are unable to sweat.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is known to be helpful in removing toxins from the tissues of the body. Put a cup into you bath water to remove chlorine, metals, chemicals, etc.

Rainbow Clearing

Imagine a shower of rainbow rays over your head.  As the rainbow rays (energy) flow down through and about you, allowing all stress and tension to leave your body and be washed away by the rainbow rays.  Each color represents a specific energetic frequency and will automatically flow to wherever it is needed. You may want to concentrate releasing from each of the bodies, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.  You may also cleanse the room by imagining the rainbow rays are raindrops that cleans the energy of the entire room as they fall from the ceiling.

Note: I don’t like dumping negative energy into the earth so I like to hold the intent that anything I release or cleanse be transmuted into loving, healing energy for Mother Earth to use as she wishes.  

Vortex Clearing

Standing; imagine a vortex over your head swirling down through and about you, all the way to the center of the earth.  Release anything that is not yours, not in your highest and best good, or any attached spirits.  (Send them away with love and light so they may go onto their next destination) Do this for each of the bodies, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.

All systems on optimum

Imagine you are within your body’s control room, wherever that is for you. You see a control panel with lots of switches and knobs. Notice the physical, emotional, mental, psychological, and spiritual settings.  If they are not set on optimum then either move them to the optimum setting, or make a mental note so you can work on that area of your life at a later date.  

Chakra Balancing

Sit or lie comfortably, take a few deep breaths releasing any tension as you exhale.

Starting at the red base chakra turn your chakra three time to the left and three times to the right.  Pay attention to the shade and clarity of the color.  How is it turning, slowly, quickly, wont stop, not at all?  

Move to the orange spleen chakra, turning it three times to the left and three times to the right.  

Move to the yellow solar plexus.  Turn three times to the left and three times to the right.

At the heart chakra you can turn the green and rose separately or blend them together turning them three times to the left and three times to the right.  

Move to the translucent blue throat chakra, turning three times in each direction.

Indigo third eye, moving three times in each direction.

Violet crown chakra, turning three times in each direction.

Gold right foot chakra, turning three times in each direction.

Silver left foot chakra, turning three times in each direction.

White right hand chakra, turning three times in each direction.

Black chakra above the crown, turning three times in each direction.

Clear left hand chakra, turning three times in each direction.

Note: difficulty turning or stopping your chakras is an imbalance.  Clockwise is masculine energy and counter-clockwise is feminine energy.  

Grounding Your Four Bodies (Mental, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual)

Grounding Ball

Imagine a large ball of pure black or gold energy above your head with handles on either side.  (Use any color that feels grounding to you)

Beginning at your crown chakra, pull the ball down through and about you, all the way to the earth.  Release anything that is not yours or not in your highest and best good into the ball as it passes through you.  As the ball reaches the earth, allow it to dissipate carrying with it anything you have released as unconditional love and healing energy.  

Do this four times, once for each body. (Mental, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual)

Grounding Cord

Visualize your grounding cord which extends down from the base of your spine. Allow it to drop down into the earth and wrapping around a large stone to secure it firmly inside the earth.  

Tree Grounding

Visualize yourself as a tree.  Allow roots to grow from your feet deep into the earth. Feel your roots absorbing nutrients and grounding energy up into your body.

Extend your arms up above you as branches and leaves.  Feel the nourishment from the sun on your leaves flowing down into your body.   

Crystals

Black obsidian and black tourmaline are also known to be grounding. 

Protection

White Light

Visualize while you say the following:  

I ask that the White Light of God surround and protect me.

Payer of Protection

The light of God surrounds me

The love of God enfolds me

The power of God protects me

The presence of God watches over me

Wherever I am, God is

So be it

Affirmation, Alignment, and protection

I acknowledge, I bless, I align all parts of me

I am yesterday, I am today, I am tomorrow

I am wrapped in the wings of the angels of the four corners of the earth

I go forth this day in light and love, free will and balance

Knowing who I am and what I represent

Bubble protection

Imagine you are surrounded with a pearlescent bubble. Fill the bubble with rose energy for unconditional love.  Create second bubble around the outside of the first bubble, filling it with rainbow energy.  Create a third bubble around the second bubble, filling it with white light.  

Divine Energy Projection

When you have worked with your own energy long enough,  have become more clear and balanced,  and can tell the difference between your energy and another’s,  you can change your protection from surrounding yourself with a protective energy shield to running Divine Energy down through you and out into your surroundings. This will create an aura of light and love all around you that radiates out to everyone you meet. This is the most powerful way to protect yourself and it also helps create positive energy that raises the vibration of your surroundings.

Spiritual Gatherings 

Please join us at 10:30 AM

on the 2nd & 4th Sunday's

of the month at

Laughing Giraffe Therapy

100 O'Connor Drive #14

San Jose CA 95128

Adult Role Models - January Asset of the Month

Parents and other adults model positive, responsible behavior

When we reflect back on the experiences that shaped us when we were young, we often remember a special adult in our lives. It might have been a teacher, coach, older relative, community member, or other caring adult that made a big impact on us. We see these role models as being important in shaping our lives. And that’s no surprise—research shows that positive adult role models have a tremendous impact on young people and can have the following benefits:

• Higher levels of self esteem

• Reduced use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs

• Improved high school graduation rates

• Greater aspirations and expectations for their careers

Unfortunately, many youth in Silicon Valley don’t have the adult role models that they need to thrive—in Project Cornerstone’s 2011 survey, only 52% of 4th-6th graders and 30% of 7th-12th graders reported the presence of positive adult role models in their lives. To help address this problem, January is Adult Role Model month in Silicon Valley.

A positive role model doesn’t have to have any special skills—you don’t have to be a sports hero or a billionaire for youth to look up to you. In fact, most youth who said that they had role models identified them as caring friends and relatives. Every single one of us has the potential to make a difference in the lives of young people—all that matters is being willing to take the time to get to know a young person and let them get to know you, and to share your experience and knowledge. The following discussion topics can help young people recognize the role models that influence their lives:

• What’s the difference between a hero and a role model?

• Are celebrities like sports stars, actors, and musicians good role models? Why or why not?

• Which adults whom you know do you admire? Why?

• What have you learned from adults that has helped or inspired you?

• What would you like to be able to talk about more with adults?

Activities For all adults

• Make a point of talking about people you admire or who had a positive influence on you, and why. Ask a young person to do the same.

• Share stories and experiences that reflect positive values, such as when a friend treated you with honesty or a coworker behaved responsibly. This can help young people develop a better understanding of their own values and how to act in different situations.

• Take the time to pass on your special skills. Youth often appreciate the opportunity to learn new skills, even if they’ve never been exposed to them before.

• In conversation, provide opportunities for youth to discuss their view of the world.

• Model integrity by following through on any commitments that you make, especially with young people.

• Demonstrate positive responses to difficult situations, such as offering a sincere apology when appropriate, or trying again when you fail to achieve a goal.

 Activities for adults who work directly with youth 

Adults who work with young people are potential role models; it’s up to you to demonstrate the positive behaviors that will be expected of adults:

• Model hard work, a positive attitude, and respect for others. Avoid making negative comments about coworkers, sports teams and players, and others with whom you compare yourself or compete.

• Be sure that you and your staff “walk your talk” by modeling respect and trust among coworkers.

At school or in youth programs

• Throughout the month, discuss the importance of role models and what qualities are important

• Have youth make a role model collage: First, have participants collect or create pictures and drawings of their role models. Then, have them cut out words or phrases that describe these role models from magazines and newspapers, or write the words or phrases themselves. Finally, glue the images and words onto construction paper or poster board, and hang the collage where the youth can be inspired by their creation each day.

• Help youth identify the difference between positive and negative role models in the media: First, hang two pieces of newsprint or poster board on the wall. Label one “Positive Role Models” and the other “Negative Role Models.” Hand out different kinds of recent magazines and newspapers, including teen, news, sports, and entertainment magazines. Ask youth to cut out pictures of newsmakers and celebrities, and tape or glue the pictures under the appropriate category. Discuss who they chose and why; whether some of the people could appear in both categories; and how to judge whether a celebrity or newsmaker is a good role model.

• Discuss ways that the youth can be role models for younger children at school or in the program, and create opportunities for the older youth to spend positive time with the younger children, such as reading together or working together on projects.

This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program.

Project Cornerstone is the Silicon Valley initiative to train and mobilize adults countywide to intentionally develop healthy, caring, and responsible children and youth. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.

President, Sacred Foundations, Inc.

revmulvany@sacredfoundations.net

www.sacredfoundations.net

877-877-4275

Sunday Gathering January 13, 2019

Energetic Self Care

Please join us Sunday, January 13, 2019, from 10:30am-12:00pm

The topic is Energetic Self Care. We will share different ways to clear your energy field, balance chakras and energies, ground to the earth, and energetic protection, along with why it is important to do this. All skill levels are welcome. Come learn new skills or just practice with the group. We’d love to have you.  

Location:
Laughing Giraffe Therapy Center
100 O'Connor Drive #14, San Jose CA 95128
RSVP @ https://www.meetup.com/Sacred-Foundations-Inc

Sacred Foundations, Inc.
Spiritual Center and School of Divinity
www.sacredfoundations.net

Sunday Gathering 12/9/18

We invite you to join us this Sunday, 12/9/18, at 10:30am
Topic: Energetic Self Care 

Spiritual Gatherings held at
Laughing Giraffe Therapy Center
100 O'Connor Drive #14, San Jose CA 95128
RSVP @ https://www.meetup.com/Sacred-Foundations-Inc

Sacred Foundations, Inc.
Spiritual Center and School of Divinity
www.sacredfoundations.net

What is Christmas?

So what is the history of this holiday?

Let's travel back in time and see.

Photograph by Reverend Steve Waites

After solstice on December 21^st . the darkest night of the year, the renewal of light and the coming of the new year was celebrated in the later Roman Empire as the “Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun,”  also known as Saturnalia, around December 25^th .

In a nutshell, Saturnalia, associated with Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, liberation and parties was a 10 day period of wine, feasting, gift-giving, and song held across the Roman empire where literally anything was okay and laws were suspended for a brief stretch of time................

Yule

Now lets move on to Yule, the festival of the Sun's rebirth. The Yule log represented the sun and was lit on the eve of Solstice for good luck in the coming year. Other important symbols were Holly wreathes and Mistletoe.

Mistletoe was considered very sacred to the Druids who called it the Healing Bough and believed that it processed great healing power. access to the unseen realms and a sense of immortality to those who hang it over a doorway during this season.

Let's look at other favorites, the Christmas tree. It is said that the lights and ornaments hung on the tree represent the Sun and Moon and stars as they appear on the Cosmic Tree of Life and therefore may help us symbolize and remember the souls of our ancestors at this auspicious time. 

Just gotta like Santa Claus

He’s said to be primarily based on St. Nicholas, a Fourth Century bishop from modern day Turkey. As far as one can tell the modern version of Santa first appeared as a chubby guy in a fur coat in a poem written in 1823 by Clement Moore. I'm sure we all remember the following snippit:-

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse'.........

Things really took off in 1931 when a popular soft drink's company designed a fat, jolly chap dressed in read and white, their corporate colors, and the rest is history and marketing.  

On a personal level this might be the only time of the year that we allow ourselves the luxury and perfect opportunity to reach out to long-distance friends, relatives and loved one's and show them that we care very much about their well being. 

Reverend Steve Waites, M.Th

Sacred Foundations, Inc.

Trustee, Instructor

Reverend Waites has spent a lifetime studying sacred geometry,

leylines and indigenous cultures and rituals.

Family Support - December Asset of the Month

Family provides high levels of love and support. This document is designed to help adults throughout Santa Clara County develop materials and activities to promote the asset of adult role models. Newsletter Content The following text may be used in organizational newsletters. Please include the attribution at the end of the article.

 The Importance of Family Support Family support refers to the ways that parents, siblings, and extended family show love, encouragement, and comfort to each other—families are the cornerstone of the social support system for youth. A 2011 survey of Santa Clara County youth reveals that while younger youth generally experience and are aware of family support, teenagers do so much less often: 88% of 4th-6th graders reported family support, while only 69% of middle- and high school students reported the asset. Because adolescents require greater autonomy and independence than younger children, effective family support for older youth takes a different form than in earlier years; however, their need for their families is still strong. Adults are challenged to find a balance between giving youth the support they need to navigate their adolescence and the independence they need to develop as individuals. In their book Parenting Teens with Love and Logic, Foster Cline, M.D. and Jim Fay discuss the transition from parenting younger children—who typically require guidance and firm limits—to parenting adolescents, who benefit most from the freedom to make their own decisions within the boundaries of safe, reasonable limits.

According to Cline and Fay, effective parenting in the teenage years requires clearly communicating expectations and consequences while allowing youth to make their own decisions and “own” the results…even if their choices are not the ones that we would have preferred. The following discussion topics can be used to open a dialogue with young people about the ways that they experience family support:

• Does your family provide support in a way that’s meaningful and easy for you to recognize? Why or why not?
 • Do you and your parents treat each other with the same kindness and dignity that you’d expect from your friends?
 • Does your family do things together on a regular basis? Are there any activities that you’d like to share (or be willing to share) with your family? One of the most important things to realize about providing family support to older children is that they need the love and support every bit as much as younger children do, even if they claim that they don’t.

Although it can be challenging to remain connected to preteens and teenagers, the benefits of doing so are immense. This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org

Activities
The activities below offer a starting point to help build and strengthen the asset of family support





For families 

• Make family rules together, and agree on rewards for following the rules and consequences for breaking them.
• Try to eat at least one meal together every day, and set aside at least one evening or weekend day for the family to spend together in a pastime that everyone enjoys or finds valuable. Make the effort to maintain these traditions and rituals even if your children complain about them when they’re older.
• Be sure to recognize your children’s unique talents and encourage their interests, even when they don’t match yours. For example, if they’re interested in animation, check to see if there’s a convention or film festival in your region that you can attend together.
• Look your children in the eyes when you talk to them, and give them all of your attention in conversation.
• Be empathetic about their struggles and concerns—no matter how silly or trivial their problems seem to you, they are significant to your children.
• Praise your children for doing a good job and point out when they’re being helpful.
• At least once a day, try to express that you appreciate and care about your children.
• Be affectionate, but respect their space; older children especially may be uncomfortable about displays of affection in front of non-family members.

For Adults









• Talk with young people about their families and point out the ways that the children are supported and loved. Similarly, when you speak with parents, take time to notice and praise their efforts at providing family support for their children.
 • If you’re an employer, help your staff provide emotional support for their families through release time, sick leave, and creating a positive environment where employees don’t feel that having children is a liability at their job.
• Sponsor activities and events in which the entire family can participate—for example, a picnic or carnival instead of a happy hour.

In schools and youth programs 

• Deliver a unit on families to help young people appreciate and respect all kinds of families.
• Schedule events that bring families together, like open houses or family game nights.
• If possible, schedule speakers and workshops on family life and associated issues.
• Be sure that your staff recognition and acknowledgement of non-traditional families in which a child’s primary caretakers may not be their biological parents.

Resources 

• Project Cornerstone’s Take It Personally is a six-week workshop for adults that focuses on ways that parents and all adults can be more effective and intentional in building assets in young people’s lives. For information on scheduling Take It Personally at your site, contact Project Cornerstone at (408) 351-6482.
• “Family camps” are a great way for families to spend time together in a relaxing outdoor environment. Check with your city, YMCA, or faith community to see when family camps are offered.
• Some good books about providing meaningful support to older children include Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years by Kate Thomsen, M.S., C.A.S.; Why Do They Act That Way? by David Walsh, Ph.D.; How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish; and Parenting at the Speed of Teens, published by Search Institute.

About the Asset-a-Month Program The goals of the Silicon Valley Asset-a-Month program are to help align adults throughout our diverse community in their efforts to promote positive youth development by fostering developmental assets. For more information about the Asset-a-Month program, contact Project Cornerstone at (408) 351-6482 or info@projectcornerstone.org.

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.

President, Sacred Foundations, Inc.

revmulvany@sacredfoundations.net

www.sacredfoundations.net

877-877-4275