Laws Not Keeping Pace with Today’s Digital World!
Charges dropped against teacher sexting student in the name of free speech! A Texas court dismissed charges against a teacher for sexting a 13 year old student multiple times, 688 times in one week – to be precise. “According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, an appeals court ruling found those text messages to be protected speech.” Apparently, an adult sending inappropriate sexualized messages to young teens is an expression of free speech unless they specifically solicit the teen to have sex or meet or they are considered “obscene.” Clearly the laws have not kept...
Read MoreApps, Apps Everywhere! Are You Aware?
Do you know what apps your kids are using? Recently an app calledPlastic Surgery & Plastic Doctor & Plastic Hospital Office for Barbie was removed from the Apple Store, iTunes (owned by Apple) and Google Play. The app encouraged girls to perform procedures such as liposuction on a doll because as the app described, “This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her.” The app said that “liposuction will make her slim and beautiful once the extra fat is sucked out.” This game gave girls the message that they should do what ever it takes to be slim, and their...
Read MoreStart the New Year By Being a Proactive Online Safety Parent!
What was your New Year’s resolution? I hope you resolved to be a proactive online safety parent! Proactive preventive actions are directed towards a potential problem in the future. They help prevent a problem from ever happening. Parents prevent harm to their children everyday in many ways. Electric outlet covers are installed to prevent little fingers and other objects from being inserted into an exposed electrical outlet. Bicycle helmets are worn to prevent head injury when children ride their bikes. Mom makes sure the bathtub water isn’t too hot to protect against burning and makes sure there is a mat on...
Read MoreTween/Teen Check-List for Computer Use
Does Your Tween or Tween Have a Check-List for Computer Use? Before your new young driver hits the road at 16, you as their parent instill the value of a mental check-list before your child pulls out of the driveway. Seat-belt on √, cellphone put away √, seat adjusted √, mirrors adjusted √, driver’s license √, plenty of gas √ etc. Driving requires a great deal of responsibility and awareness to make sure the experience is a safe one. When kids log-on to the computer, parents also need to instill a kind of check-list. Site child is visiting is safe and parent approved √; child is old...
Read MoreTeach Your Tweens and Teens to Create Strong Passwords for their Social Networking Accounts
Two Million passwords to Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yahoo accounts were recently stolen. The most common password was revealed to be “123456”. Really?? Having an easy-to-figure-out-password puts individuals at risk for having their personal information compromised and could lead to identity theft. In this digital age, it’s important to take security and privacy seriously in order to protect personal information on all of your accounts. This means having strong and different passwords on each account and putting your personal passwords in a safe location that only you can...
Read MoreDon’t Let Your Teen’s Use of Computer Devices Take Over Their Life or Yours!
Please, put your cellphone away! Last evening we sat down to play a game of Apples to Apples for a bit of family time. (love this game!) We were all laughing and very engaged until my daughter picked up her smartphone and became glued to it. Finally, I asked her to put it away. She did, begrudgingly in a way that only teens can do. How do you get teens to part with their computer devices for family time or simply face to face time? There is no doubt that it’s hard to set boundaries with teens. And as a parent especially when you’re playing a game and trying to have fun, you can feel like the bad guy...
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