Web site a resource for young people

In the past few weeks, there have been two foiled high school shootings, one in Camden and the other in Washington State. There was also a fight involving some 15 students at South Plainfield High School that left several people injured, including an administrator who tried to intervene.

Meanwhile, a recent cover story in Time Magazine addressed the mounting epidemic in high schools across the country as one in three students are dropping out. This growing anger among our youngsters is one of the many reasons I started Masterful Kids, www.masterfulkids.com. It's a Web-based subscription program that teaches children between the ages of 8-13 strategies for coping with stress while gaining self-confidence. I truly believe this Web site, which was just launched on April 7, can be a preventative tool for these negative behaviors.

There are proven studies that have shown that children who learn social and emotional skills are not as likely to become involved in drug abuse, adolescent pregnancy and hostile behavior. Children who are self-confident are more resilient in difficult situations.

The Masterful Kids Web site helps children understand, communicate and control their emotions with the help of their peers and their parents in a positive manner. Children using the Masterful Kids Web site can become more self-confident and positive people. I urge parents and schools to use preventive measures like the Masterful Kids Web site so more children don't wind up in tragic situations from which they may never recover.

Robin Schafer

CEO

Masterful Kids LLC

East Brunswick