The Bluebird Patch

Kimberly Schonert-Reichl , an applied developmental psychologist at the University of British Columbia wanted to see how performing random acts of kindness can decrease bullying, increase empathy and caring for others in children. She conducted a longitudinal experiment  in 19 classrooms in Vancouver, 9- to 11-year olds were instructed to perform three acts of kindness (versus visit three places) per week over the course of 4 weeks. Students in both conditions improved in well-being, but students who performed kind acts experienced significantly bigger increases in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity) than students who visited places. Increasing peer acceptance is a critical goal, as it is related to a variety of important academic and social outcomes, including reduced likelihood of being bullied. After four weeks, the students again reported on their happiness and identified classmates they would like to work with. While both groups said they were happier, kid...

It’s that time of the year again, and Data-Pandas at  MoodPanda.com have been hard at work creating this lovely infographic summary of Happiness in 2012. How does happiness in 2012 compare to 2011? What have we been posting about? How do males compare to females? Find out more by viewing the whole infographic. 

The president is calling on all Americans to participate in our nation's recovery and renewal by serving in our communities. There are many ways to get involved. America's new foundation will be built one community at a time - and it starts with you.  President Barack Obama will kick off his inaugural festivities with a national day of service on Jan. 19. The Presidential Inaugural Committee is also announcing that the four living past presidents will serve as honorary co-chairs: Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. A slew of other Obama campaign officials and supporters of the president are also joining the inaugural committee, including actress Eva Longoria. She has been named a committee co-chair. Obama will take the oath of office in a private ceremony on Jan. 20, a Sunday.    Volunteering Among Americans Hits Five-Year High . The findings come from Volunteering and Civic Life in America , a r...

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of No nonsense . All opinions are 100% mine. When it comes to fashion, I tend to gravitate for the classic look. I like clothes that are stylish yet comfortable. In fact, I'm more productive if I'm wearing comfortable clothes. I get kind of cranky when clothes have weird shapes and are not easy to wear. This is why I love No nonsense products so much. There are so many ways you can wear No nonsense tights and leggings and still look cool, calm and collected. The new No nonsense tights and leggings are so comfy that you just want to wear them on a daily basis. They look great on me, and they fit to size that is on the package and as a big gal, that is important to me. I also love the way No nonsense Smart Support Pantyhose makes my legs look and feel after a long day or running errands. The patterned tights that I received came with a cute panty top that provides a light amount of control to my tummy, which I always need...

Dr. Mak Arvin, a Trent University  Professor has launched the first issue of The International Journal of Happiness and Development ( IJHD ) .    IJHD is an interdisciplinary journal that seeks to broaden our understanding of 'happiness' and how it may relate to development from economic, political, psychological, and/or sociological perspectives. The journal entertains all definitions of happiness, including 'subjective well-being' or 'life satisfaction' commonly used terms in economics. It welcomes rigorous and scientific papers that provide theoretical or empirical investigations which improve our understanding of how happiness is generated and how it may relate to development interpreted at both micro and macro levels. The IJHD reflects the development of the field and, by taking a truly inter-disciplinary approach to the subject, seeks to broaden our understanding of “happiness” and how it may relate to development from economic, p...

When Stone Mountain Park kindly invited us to bring our family to celebrate the holidays over the weekend, I was over the moon. Stone Mountain Park is Georgia's most visited attraction, drawing nearly 4 million guests each year. With over 3,200 acres of natural beauty, the park is a unique and fun destination where families and friends can enjoy the outdoors together, while experiencing an exciting variety of attractions, entertainment and recreation. It's home to the worlds largest Laser Show Spectacular, tons of attractions, two championship golf courses, a campground and two Mariott hotels. Been able to visit Stone Mountain Park during Christmas is the best gift my family could ever wish for.  Christmas at Stone Mountain is something quite special. This is a place where families create memories that last a lifetime.  From the fried chicken and the hand-tossed rolls at Miss Katie's, singing Christmas songs at the singalong train, tubing down a sn...

Nearly 100 Properties Participate in a Program Dedicated to Helping Children with Special Needs Enjoy a Magical Visit with Santa Simon Property Group’s (NYSE:SPG), Caring Santa event, has emerged this holiday season as a favorite program for customers with special needs children. Town Center at Cobb, Mall of Georgia, Lenox Square and Northlake Mall hosted the event and are owned and operated by Simon Property Group. Featured on such national outlets as ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and www.parents.com , and well-known regional outlets such as The Orange County Register, nearly 100 Simon® properties are participating in this special event dedicated to families that have children with special needs, providing a subdued environment to visit the Santa Photo Experience. Simon’s Caring Santa is the most comprehensive offering of its type in the shopping center industry. Many steps are taken to reduce sensory triggers - music turned off near the Santa set; nearby ...

Epic New Giant Screen Adventure Captures One of the Longest Migrations on Earth and the  Inspiring True Story of One Scientist’s Stunning Discovery Flight of the Butterflies,  a breathtaking new giant screen adventure from SK Films, is flying into the IMAX® Theatre at Fernbank Museum of Natural History on January 4, 2013 Based on a remarkable true story, the epic film immerses audiences in a triumphant journey of perseverance that spans thousands of miles and several generations – tracking real monarch butterflies to their mysterious Mexican winter haven, where audiences will discover a truly spectacular sight:  hundreds of millions of live butterflies in one of the most amazing places on Earth. Flight of the Butterflies  is the awe-inspiring story of two unlikely heroes that share a common strength. Based on true events, it follows the epic journey of the iconic monarch butterfly in one of the most incredible migrations on Earth, and the determined sc...

I love, love, love Starts of Tomorrow talent competition. This  fall, Variety of Georgia announced its 2 nd annual talent statewide competition, Stars of Tomorrow , and eligible hopefuls across Georgia submitted videos of their best vocal performance. After much deliberation, judges have just announced the Top 20 local finalists who will compete in the next round. Stars of Tomorrow hosts the semi-final competition at The Buckhead Theatre on January 13th . This showcase of talent allows judges to pick the top 10 finalists to perform at the final competition at the Fox Theatre on March 17, 2013. The top 20 semifinalists from around the state include: Amanda Shaw, Lawrenceville Jake Smith, Buckhead (Atlanta) Austin French, Cordele Jenane McCulloch, Peachtree City Brendan Taliafeero, Lilburn Julia McClure, Marietta Bria Johnson, Marietta Kirstyn Burkhalter, Snellville Caroline Geckler, Buckhead (Atlanta) Mackenzie Milsap, Lawrenceville Ellie...

Join Macy's for festive holiday fun when Virginia, Macy's Santa and his entourage of elves roll into town on their magical holiday tour bus! Hear Virginia's story as she crosses the country with Santa, then tell Santa what's on your wish list. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the moment, as the Big Man is only at Macy's for a limited time, so catch him while you can!  While you're at Macy's, help make wishes come true! Bring your stamped letter to Santa with you, addressed to Santa At The North Pole, and drop it into Macy's special Santa Letterbox. We'll count up everyone's letters and for each letter received, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish (up to $1,000,000) and deliver them to the Post Office, to be mailed to Santa!  Make-A-Wish is an organization that grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their human experience with hope, strength and joy.    Check out the Macy’s Holi...

  The World may be broken but hope is not crazy... http://pinterest.com/bluebirdpatch/

          National Association of Professional Child Photographers Shares Insider Tips for Parents I love photography, I've always do. I have what they call a "good eye" in photography but that doesn't mean I'm a decent photographer. Recently, I received a new SLR camera (the first one in my life) and I took it to an event. The photo above is one of the first pictures I took. The photo was cropped and I use several filters for a more polished feel. Not too shabby for someone who have no idea what "aperture" is.  Wait, let me rephrased that. I know what aperture is, I just don't know how to do it. I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to sit down in peace and play with my new toy, but  I will figured it out sooner or later, I always do ;)   The National Association of Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP) has a few tricks to help make an at-home photography session painless for everyone while still producing pl...

  When it comes to celebrate the holidays there is no  restaurant  in Atlanta that understand the challenges of dinning out with kids better than Twelve Hotels Lobby Bar and Bistro in Atlantic Station. Lobby at Twelve, understands that young diners make up an important segment of the dine-out population.  On Saturday, December 15th they hosted a very special breakfast with Santa at the ballroom of Twelve Hotel.  During the event, kids and their parents had the chance to interact with live reindeer, and enjoy all kinds of creative activities such as face painting, and holiday games. Lobby Bar and Bistro, recognized on Conde Nast Traveler's "Hot List", "Best Hotel Dining" by Atlanta Magazine and named one of the "Top 50 Restaurants in Atlanta" by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lobby Bar and Bistro is a stylish yet casual modern American bistro that entices guests with its tempting aromas and a...

  If you are spending Christmas in Atlanta don't miss your chance to tour the High Museum of Art for free, on December 24th. All select High Shop merchandise will  be 50% off in case you need to do a last minute shopping. Visitors can enjoy fun family activities along with their current exhibitions, Fast Forward: Modern Moments 1913 >> 2013 and Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial . Fast Forward features 100 years of radical artistic development, from 1913 to 2013, reflected by works of art drawn from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York. The exhibition highlights new ideas and artistic approaches that emerged during six key moments in the 20th century and the dynamic change that resulted.

Sometimes people are beautiful not in looks, not in what they say, but just in what they are.

With the unstoppable rise of social media, nonprofits are quickly learning they need to appear open, authentic, decentralized, collective, and effective to their audience if they want to have a successful fundraising campaign. Becoming a networked nonprofit in 2012 was the number one goal for nonprofits this year. Facebook and Twitter were the most utilized mediums, follow by youtube, blogs and Linkedin. Check out the infographic from MDG Advertising below. Based on statistics from a number of non-profit advocacy groups, rallying people online, combined with the right message can help your organization grow their influence by acquiring new supporters, donors and volunteers.   Thumbnail image courtesy Flickr, Clyde Robinson