Children and Internet Safety

I am not always right.
As it was pointed out to me tonight, my way of parenting isn't set into stone and the ONLY way to do things.

But it's the only thing I know.

I run a tight ship on my kids, with 7 of them I have to. They all know where I stand and know that one wrong step could lend them without the "comforts" they have grown accustomed to.

Sometimes I'm more lenient with them than I was on my oldest, and that trickles all the way down to my tiny little princess who runs circles around me, because I'm a sucker for her.

However, I have never let secrets be kept from me, I'm an open minded mom, with non-traditional ways and will talk with my children about anything. I expect the same in return.

When I grab my 19 year old daughters phone (who is away at college during the week) she doesn't freak out, she doesn't snatch the phone way and yell at me. I would probably toss it into the toilet bowl with that reaction. She laughs and shows me how to get to her messages so I can read them. I want to learn more about her and sometimes that is the only way.





My children were raised like that, on the computer many hours a day, talking to friends, playing WoW or Second Life, interacting with other people outside of our circle of friends.
I taught them to be protective of themselves:

*Don't put your school schedule on your MySpace
*Don't put that bikini photo of you up, there are people in corporate America looking at you over their friends shoulders.
*Don't say things that are rude, Grandma reads your Facebook status'.

I have raised my children to have an open line of communication with me about all facets of their life, because I know that they will one day live in a dorm, with other friends their age and they will be playing Webcam Roulette (heck, I did this during the summer with some friends) and if they don't know the dangers out there because I hide them from sight, how will they know to protect themselves?




Every family is different, every parenting style is different.
Do the best you can, it's all we can do, but talk to your kids about the internet.

There is so much that can go wrong with predators, cyber bullying, password sharing or even just sharing too much information.

Need ideas? Yahoo Safely has a site just for this! Check it out, get involved and stay informed!!

Thanksgiving BEFORE Thanksgiving

I remember hearing the adults in my life say….

“Wow, it’s already the holidays? This year went by so fast.”

I remember thinking they were all nuts.

So fast? Those years moved at a snails pace, I had school, music programs, field day and then summer. There was ballet, swim practice and annoying my siblings. I had months to get in trouble, mounds of homework and a whole library of books to read.

(click photo for photo credits)

I mean my birthday was in July and I felt every single day of that. The holidays were not here too quickly.

If anything, “It was ‘bout time.”

Now I am in my *cough*early *cough* late 30’s and I am looking at next week feeling like it wasn’t that long ago when last year came and flew by. So I know I better enjoy the relaxation I have right now, because it’s going to get blissfully hectic. I have a house to clean, a college kid coming to town, a set of folks coming up from Texas to visit and a Thanksgiving dinner with 18 people at Dave’s parents house. (Yes… the two sets of parents are meeting for longer than ½ an hour. It’s a BIG deal!) (Dave and his nephew last Thankgsgiving)

To welcome my folks into town I plan on:

· Putting themed flowers next to the bed to liven up the room.
· A new runner for the bedside tables
· Fresh water and glasses next to the bed to drink as well as a few snacks
· Flavored creamer for coffee
· Smell good Recipe (Recipe from Cooks.com)

CHRISTMAS "SMELL GOOD" RECIPE
1 pkg. pickling spice

1 pkg. whole cloves

1 pkg. stick cinnamon

1 jar apple juice

Put in crockpot. Fill to top with water. Bring to boil, put on simmer. Last 2 to 6 weeks.

However, before all of that, before the laundry gets the best of me, before I start worrying about the Cowboys lineup and my kids forget what the holidays are about (because I’m sure my teens just associate it with stress), I am going to sit down with them and watch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”, drink hot cocoa and eat some kettle corn. I am going to share the spirit of Thanksgiving with my toddlers just like I did years ago with my older kids.

The true spirit of Thanksgiving is being with the ones you love, and giving Thanks for each and every one of them.

Oh…. And football.

Don't forget to check out the Yahoo! Mother Board page

Pencils, Pens, Chalkboards and Red Apples

School starts randomly in my house.

Jake started school a month ago.

Issa starts 3 year old pre-K on the 18^th.

The teens all start school on the 23^rd and Kara starts her first year of college.

This did not become real until this weekend when I ran into my kid’s kindergarten teacher at the store. How did I recognize her? It’s been 10 years since I last saw her.

10 years is a long time when you are watching your child learn to read and write.

10 years is a long time when you look at your own face and realize it is not as wrinkle free as it used to be. ~traitor~

10 years is a long time when you are sitting in the stands watching your son tower over his teammates during football.

10 years is not a long time when you are standing in front of a woman that knew your three older children 10 years before. She has the same calming smile, the right words and a memory of you that no one else has.

As I watch my oldest daughter pack her bags for her adventure into life that starts with a dorm room and matching plates, I watch my toddler get excited about her Dora backpack and playing school with her little sister.

I know in 10 years, I’ll be walking down the grocery store isle and share a smile with a mom who is wrestling her kids as they swarm to the folders with kittens on them and squealing out, “Oh Mom.. I NEEEED these markers”. Because I’ll still be telling my teenagers that they don’t need a new backpack.

In 10 years my oldest daughter will be 29 with kids of her own that need pencils, paper and lunchboxes.

In 10 years I am sure I will see that same teacher, picking up an apple remembering a time when they were littering her desk.

Images:

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net