Who Are Your Kids Talking To Online?Written by Maria Estarellas
Did you know that 1 out of 4 children were sent pictures of people who were naked or having sex? That 1 out of 5 children were solicited for sex on Internet? About 50% of people on Internet have made phone calls with someone chatted with online. Knowing this, do you know what strangers are saying to your kids? What can you do to protect your children from unscrupulous people in Internet? Nowadays, children and teens spend more time on computer. Even though Internet has become primary source of communication for them, it is also a dangerous place. There are some unscrupulous people out there that would go to any extent to engage in indecent conversations and relationships with your children. A study revealed that 30% of 1,200 teenagers had been sexually harassed online and about 50% had conducted cyber love affairs, visited porn sites and read their parents' e-mails. Curiosity can be very dangerous. Even though this is normal at their age, curiosity can lead to giving out personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, school names and more. Since other person talking to your kids cannot be seen, a 60-year old can pose as a 16-year old and win your kid's trust very easily. I know that we, as parents, are not always watching what our kids are doing online but it's important to know options we have to protect our children and avoid major problems. There are blocking softwares that you can purchase to filter web sites containing sex, sexuality and other adult sites. You can also get a spy software that will let you know everything your kids are doing online. These softwares will monitor instant messages, chats, emails, web site URLs and much more. Not only do you see what your child types online but what is said back as well. They monitor both incoming and outgoing activity.
| | The Great Baby Name DebateWritten by Claire Kolarova
Winifred or Willow? Thomas or Troy? The name you choose for your child will last a lifetime. Whether you’re looking for something original that will stand out from crowd or a traditional name that people will instantly recognize, choosing a name for your new baby is a huge responsibility.It goes without saying that you as parents must like name. Names that hold bad associations for you are out (Jeremy was a bore at school, you can’t stand Bella in Tweenies), and if you consider your own name uninteresting, you may wish to choose something more exotic – or vice versa. Think carefully about combinations of first name and surname. Are they compatible? You may like a mixture of an unusual first name with a more familiar surname (Zara Phillips), but be careful about rhyming two names – Mark Clarke won’t thank you for it. Beware initials that could cause hilarity to your child’s future friends – Ethan Thomas or Peter Oliver Ogilvie won’t be joining in giggles! Trying to be clever can also cause grief – Poppy Fields or Summer Winters may sound cute at time, but can eventually grate on everyone’s nerves! If she’s called Grace, will she turn out to be butter-fingered? Will Maximus grow into a Mr. Puniverse? Is Jordan a boy or a girl? What will Elizabeth grow up as? Lizzie? Beth? Liza? And as for Ashleigh, Ashley, Ashlee, Ashlea and Ashlie – all in circulation at moment – how is anyone supposed to find a name that is both special and appropriate? Fortunately, sources of inspiration can be found everywhere. You can avoid throng of Chloes, Emilys, Jacobs and Jacks topping baby name charts for past few years, and choose from a huge variety of names collected in specialist books and on Internet. Some parents prefer biblical names - Rebecca, Abigail, Joshua, Samuel and Joseph are all very popular at moment. Names inspired by nature include Blossom, Lily or Skye and even Tiger for boys. Place names (Paris, Lamorna), colours (Coral, Ebony), astronomy, music, and sport – all provide a wealth of ideas and choice.
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