Problem: Article: There are certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a young person becoming violent. By becoming aware of these risk factors, you can better recognize when a young person needs additional support, guidance, or therapy to prevent violent outcomes. These factors include:   A history of violent victimization A history of early aggressive behavior Low IQ Poor behavioral control Involvement with drugs or alcohol Exposure to violence and conflict within the family Rather than focusing on discipline, punishment, and negative reinforcement, put your efforts toward the positive. Praise good behavior, encourage individual growth, and work towards emphasizing positive attitudes. When you foster strong problem-solving skills, you give children the skills to handle all sorts of situations. By helping kids evaluate and identify problems (and brainstorm solutions), role-modeling good problem-solving behavior, and allowing for natural consequences you can encourage and strengthen problem-solving skills.  Evaluating problems: When a problem occurs, help your child to identify it and think about ways it could be solved. Role-modeling good problem-solving: Openly discuss strategies with your child. For example, if your child brings home a bad grade, don’t rush to punish them. Instead, talk with them about how you can work together to bring up the grade. Allowing for natural consequences: Rather than always preventing negative consequences from affecting your kids, children will learn more if they experience the true consequences for their actions. For instance, if a teenager spends all of their money on the first thing they desire (and you refuse to give them more), they will learn the effect of blowing their money without thinking. Allow students the space to work out problems and conflicts on their own, but also be available to offer support when needed. Offer support for conflict resolution at home, and make sure there are additional resources for character building, conflict resolution, and psychological support in schools. Troubled individuals often have a history of social problems, and identifying and helping them resolve these issues can prevent school violence. Educational programs that focus on self-esteem, self-control, and strategies for solving conflicts without violent action can provide a positive influence. Such programs have been proven extremely effective in encouraging empathy and decreasing instances of violent activity. Advocate for the implementation of such programs in your school. The way that you speak has a profound effect on your children or students. If they hear you using pejorative language about women, for example, they will internalize the idea that women are “less than.” Check in with the way you speak about others, particularly marginalized groups, as well as your attitude toward violence. Whenever you discuss violence with children, you should be as honest as possible without disclosing graphic details. You should always emphasize that violence is not the answer.
Summary: Become aware of individual risk factors. Provide encouragement and praise. Strengthen problem-solving skills. Offer support. Implement educational programs. Check your language.

Problem: Article: For best results, use sidewalk chalk instead of chalkboard chalk. It is much more pigmented. The more chalk you use, the more paint you will have. Use two different colors to create a new color! Place the bag with the chalk inside of it on top of a hard surface, such as a wooden board or a sidewalk. Hit the chalk with a hammer several times until it turns fine and powdery.  Take this time to create more colors. Use one color of chalk per bag. If you are using a thin bag, such as a sandwich bag, place a paper towel under it, and another one on top of it. This will keep the bag from ripping. Make sure that the jar is big enough to hold at least 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water. If you smashed multiple bags of chalk to create more colors, use a separate jar for each color. Use If you one piece of chalk, use ½ (120 milliliters) of water. If you used two pieces of chalk, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water. Stir the paint well until the chalk dissolves. If you need to close the jar tightly and shake it to help mix the water and chalk.  If you smashed additional bags of chalk, you will need another ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240 milliliters) of water for each batch. You can thicken the paint by adding 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of white glue to it. Keep in mind that this will make the paint permanent. Apply the paint using a paintbrush. When you are done using the paint, close the jar tightly. If the paint starts to turn too thick, add some water to it to thin it out again. You should be able to dilute it 5 to 10 times before it becomes too thin to use.  The chalk may settle in the water. If that happens, stir it back up again. If you added glue to the chalk, use it on paper—unless you want it to be permanent!
Summary: Place 1 to 2 pieces of colored chalk inside a resealable plastic bag. Smash the chalk into a powder with a hammer. Pour the powder into a jar. Stir in ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240 milliliters) water into the powdered chalk. Use the paint on a sidewalk or driveway.

Problem: Article: The letter will have at least 3 pieces of critical information: why you were denied, a description of the appeals process, and deadlines for bringing an appeal. You must identify these pieces of information and underline them.  Workers’ compensation claims are denied for a variety of reason. The most common are: you did not report the injury within the required time, the injury is not severe enough, or the injury was not sustained on the job.  Pay particular attention to deadlines. You often will be given only a month to bring the appeal, if not less. If you want to appeal, you should begin immediately. Being denied workers’ compensation benefits when you are injured is a stressful experience, and bringing an appeal only adds to the stress. The appeals process is complicated, varies by state, and requires that you learn confusing rules of evidence, which could take months. Hiring an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer can streamline the process and bolster your appeal.  Bring a copy of your denial letter as well as all of your medical information to the lawyer, who will need copies of this information for your appeal. And promptly gather any other information your attorney needs. Delays will only delay the appeal process. Private attorneys will work on a contingency basis. This means they are paid only if they win your case. Generally, the attorney will take around 20% of your benefit amount. The amount is often capped by state law.  Under a contingency arrangement, you will still have to pay for costs. Typical costs include filing fees, expert witness fees, and money spent on photocopying and mailing. Try to get an estimate of these costs upfront. This goes by various names, depending on the state. In Michigan, it is called an “Application for Hearing.” In Arizona, you must file a “Hearing Request form.” Your denial letter should tell you where to locate this form.  Federal workers may appeal in three ways: by requesting a hearing, by appealing to the Appeals Board, or by applying for reconsideration. Each federal appeal requires different things from the employee. In a hearing, you simply request that the hearing representative review the claim. The hearing representative may agree to give you benefits or confirm the initial decision. When appealing to the Employee’s Compensation Appeals Board, you may not provide new evidence; rather, the Appeals Board makes a determination based on the claim’s record. With a Request of Reconsideration, you and your attorney submit either new evidence or new legal arguments. You should always send by certified mail. In this way you will have a receipt for your records.
Summary:
Read your denial letter. Hire a lawyer. Find the form to appeal. File the form before the deadline.