YOUNGSTOWN Judge: Parents, talk with your kids

Children shouldn't be pushed to grow up too soon, the judge said.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR HEALTH WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- "We need to teach our parents to be parents ... to give loving support and structure to their children," Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick said.
Judge Dellick, speaking at Wednesday's Kids and Community Breakfast, sponsored by Mahoning County Children Services, told of a teacher who asked her pupils to rework the old saying: "Children should be seen and not heard."
Some of the pupils came up with humorous answers, such as "Children should be seen and not be made to practice the piano."
But one wrote a more serious response, "Children should not be hurt," the judge said.
"We have to get down and look them in the eye, and never have off-limits topics. If children don't turn to you, they'll turn to someone else," Judge Dellick said.
Observe behavior
"When children are hovering around, they want to talk about something. We need to introduce them to the neighbors and get to know their friends.
Children need to see other families and have relationships with other adults. We need to be role models because children do what they see," she said.
She urged that children not be pushed to grow up too soon. Let them do age-appropriate things. If they skip that step, later in life they may want to go back and do it, Judge Dellick said.
The theme for CSB's 2002 Child Abuse Prevention Poster Contest for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils was "Help Paint Ohio's Future Bright, Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect."
Winners included:
UMahoning County schools: Juliana Seelman, 1st, St. Charles; Allison Sklenar and Patrick Durkin, tied for 2nd, both from St. Charles; Nicole Reynolds, 3rd, South Range Middle.
UYoungstown city schools: Marlene Candelaria, 1st, and Ashley Carter, 2nd, both of Bennett Elementary; Shanita Jennings, 3rd, Sheridan Elementary.
Special recognition was given to Kaitlyn Kupferer, a fifth-grader at St. Charles, who read a poem she composed and included on her poster.
The Springfield High School Concert Choir performed patriotic numbers under the direction of Georgeann Pavlinic.