by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Aug 31, 2011
“SQUAWK! SQAWK!” One afternoon last week, Poelleke, an Ameraucana hen who faithfully lays an egg a day, suddenly sounded the alarm by raising a ruckus. Her humans came running out of their house to see a bobcat that had climbed inside their six-foot wire fence, stalking Poelleke and the nine younger hens.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Jul 28, 2011
Dr. Amy Tiemann, Kidpower North Carolina Center Director and my co-author on our new book project, Doing Right by Our Kids, points out that the public safety message “If you see something, say something” is equally relevant for child safety.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Jul 20, 2011
I have felt both heartsick and inspired by the Diane Sawyer interviews with Jaycee Dugard. These interviews and Jaycee’s brave book tell the hard, courageous story about how Jaycee got assaulted with a stun gun and kidnapped from a country…
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Jul 15, 2011
The courageous, heartbreaking story of Jaycee Dugard – and the tragic murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzy – have brought the terrifying reality of kidnapping to the forefront for millions of parents and other caring adults.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Sep 19, 2010
Kidpower North Carolina Center Director, Amy Tiemann, Ph.D., did an excellent interview on ABC News Now, Parenting with Ann Pleshette Murphy about how to teach children to be safe with strangers – and with people they know.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Sep 6, 2010
An article titled “Child-abduction study finds capable kids are their own best defense” in the September 5 on-line edition of the Washington Post describes a recent study of 4,200 kidnapping attempts by non-family members.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Jun 17, 2010
This recent Education Week News commentary describes the tremendous under-reporting of levels of school violence in the US. My guess is that this might be true in other countries as well.
by Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director | Jan 17, 2010
During our Fullpower and Teenpower self-defense workshops for adults and teens, we have students practice setting boundaries in role-plays about someone approaching them for help on the street.