September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Do you know the statistics? Suicidal ideation is common. In CT, the suicide rate has been rising. Do you know how to talk to someone you’re worried about? Check out the video from the QPR Institute, below, to learn more.

As you’ll see, we ALL have a role to play: parents, teachers, friends, colleagues, elected officials. In Ireland, taxi drivers are among those who work to identify people at risk and prevent suicide: clickhere to read about the TaxiWatch program. 

So, what about you? If you’ve never taken a suicide prevention training, now is the time! A “SafeTALK” training is being co-sponsored by Mid-Fairfield Substance Abuse Coalition, Positive Directions, and Southwest  Regional Mental Health Board on Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 from 5:30-8:45pm at the HSC Building, 1 Park Street (corner of East Wall), Norwalk, CT. There is a $10 materials fee. Please RSVP to transformativetrainings@gmail.com. Click here for the flyer.

Looking back over the years, I must say that one of my favorite toys was a pair of chou chou doll twins that I received from a donation center one Christmas when I was about 7 years old. I loved how my mother would always say she thought my babies were real because they sat up just like real-life babies did. Of course, that to me meant that I had the best of the best, and I used to dress them up in real clothes and all.

Also, I can recall a hot pink Barbie car that I would drive around our apartment all day long, picking up “passengers” at their “bus stops” and taking them to their destinations. I guess public transportation has always been a very important part of my life.

What were some of your favorite childhood toys?