Child Internet Protection

It can have adverse effects on the child. In fact such information may spoil the child. Today internet is easily accessible to children. Parents need to keep on what their children are doing when they are surfing the net.

The child internet protection act is a law that is passed by Congress to restrict children from accessing offensive content. This federal law was passed in December 2000 to address the problems that may arise due to precarious information that is available on the internet.

According to this law schools desiring internet connection through “E rate” program are required to satisfy some conditions. E rate programs make internet technology available to eligible libraries and schools in an affordable manner.

Under this act a school will get internet connection through E program if it has an internet safety policy and a technology protection measure such as internet software that blocks or filters pictures that are obscene and harmful to minors. The school is required to enforce a police for monitoring online activities of students. Schools need to implement a policy that addresses issues related to access of inappropriate internet mater.

The policy also needs to address issues about the security and safety of children when they are using chat rooms or any other form of electronic communication. The policy should also be aware of unauthorized access in the form of hacking and other illegal activities. The policy also needs to restrict access of minors from any kind of harmful material.

Schools wanting E rate funding are required to have a certificate stating that they are having safety internet policies. This act mentions that there is no need to keep a track of internet use as long as the school has installed the child internet protection software.

It is necessary to implement child internet protect in every school so as to protect children from unpleasant content. Future of the world lies in the hands of children. Hence, for a healthier environment in school, this law needs to be implemented. Child internet protection is possible by using child internet protection software. There are many companies offering child internet protection software. You can always take the help of internet to find the websites that provide list of companies offering child internet protection software.

Child internet protection software blocks successfully any garbage content. So if you have children in your house and you don’t want your kid to watch any precarious information on the internet then this can be achieved by installing child internet protection software. You can block offensive emails and instant messages with the help of child internet protection software.

You can also stop unauthorized access to your private information using this software. Generally, hackers try to access your private card number through the internet.

Happy Kids

Bob Weinberg, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for KB Toys, the nation’s largest mall-based toy store, offers a few fun ideas:

Burn Some Energy-Encourage children to bring the whole neighborhood together with a friendly sports game. Baseball, basketball, badminton and soccer are great team sports for children of any skill level. In addition to team sports, tennis is a great way to spend time with your children while teaching them coordination skills. Kids will benefit from the personal attention and everyone will benefit from the great workout.

Keep Cool-On a hot day of outdoor play, there is no better way to cool off than with water play. Spice up a game of Marco Polo by using squirt guns such as the Shield Blaster 1000 or add them to a game of capture the flag to add some excitement. Kids generally won’t mind being active on a hot day when a cool splash is in their future.

Take the Fun With You-If there’s a vacation in your plans, pack some entertaining travel toys to avoid hearing “are we there yet?” Minitravel games, such as electronic Sudoku puzzles, offer hours of fun with unlimited puzzles and millions of test questions. Video travel activities such as the Disney Dream Sketchers inspire creativity and allow kids to draw on the touch screen and create lines, shapes, colors and patterns.

Don’t Take a Vacation From Learning-Keep your child’s mind sharp with fun educational toys such as VTech’s V. Smile Learning Systems, which offer a combination of television and video games to create an educational experience for children ages 3 to 7. Tweens can enjoy LeapFrog’s Fly Pentop Computer that can do anything from solving math problems to recording your own tunes with a drum and keyboard.

Lastly, on a rainy day, visit a museum, nature center or even a toy store that encourages interactivity and a chance to try the newest toys of the season. Stores like KB Toys encourage kids (and kids at heart) to spend time playing with favorite toys, such as the popular Bubble Bellies Bubble Maker-Bubblesaurus. Store associates can be a great resource and can help direct you to unique and popular toys, as well as provide activity ideas to help prevent children’s boredom and parents’ headaches.

Kids can have a bubbly good time with some of today’s delightful toys-sometimes right in the store.

Grateful

Here are some easy ways to incorporate instilling the virtue of gratitude in your children. As you go through your day, show them, the wonderful events going on behind the scenes that we all most usually take for granted.

1. Set the Right Example.

It is better if you teach them by using the appropriate words at the right times yourself.  How many parents do you see saying “Thank You” to there two or three year old children. It is through example that kids learn best, and teaching gratitude is no different than anything else in that respect. “Children Learn What They Live!”

2. Teach It Through Role Playing.

You can play games with your children that implement the virtue of gratitude. Play the second chair and practice showing them how it feels to be on the receiving end of an unexpected, “Thank You!”

3. Teach by Showing Them How to Be of Service to Others.

Even simple things such as holding a door for an elderly person, are small ways we can show them how others appreciate us and our actions. It is also a way to put a smile and a lift into a strangers day, which always creates a good feeling within the person who is doing the kind act as well.
You would be surprised how many times a simple gesture like this can occur in your normal day activities, in places like grocery stores, doctors offices, or shopping trips.

4. Make a List.

An easy way to get them to make lists of what they are thankful for is to use “The Daily Gratitude Journal Software” You will find a link to this software in the resource box at the end of this article. There are two versions, one written in “kid language and displaying an output of “kid fonts” and an adult version as well.
5. Teach Gratitude While Going Without Things.

Recently my single family of three kids and myself had to deal with a full 24 hours of no power. This outage caused by a wind storm, was an ideal opportunity for me to teach them what we had to be thankful for that we normally took for granted. Simple things like, lights, heat, and being able to watch Tv, were just a few that quickly came to mind.

6. Show them How to Be Thankful for the Little Things in Life.

As in the previous example, although, most of us would not consider heat and light little things, they are things that are always there for our kids, so they are simple things that they usually don’t pay much attention too.

Other simple examples could include; having food to eat all the time, friends to play with, and having plenty of toys and school supplies. Showing them examples of third world country children who go without these things is a way of teaching them appreciation for what they have, too.

7. Teach them to see the good in someone they don’t like.

You can even use a negative experience to teach them the value of being grateful. When I think of this, immediately what comes to my mind is the Walt Disney movie, “PollyAnna” where she played the “Glad” game and found many things to be grateful for in every situation she encountered. Renting this video, watching and discussing it with them would be a great, gratitude building quality time family activity.

As you go through your day, show them, the wonderful events going on behind the scenes that we all most usually take for granted. Things like the police, who protect us, the firemen who are there for those who need them, and the clerk at the grocery store doing her job to help us get our food. Simple thank you comments to all of these daily activities is the easiest way to role model appreciation that they will learn and emulate.

Disciplining Child

There are many books with varying opinions on how you should discipline your children.  However, I believe that the person that knows your child best is you.  Articles and books can give advice, but it is important to understand your child and what will work for them.
Not all children are the same, and this applies to children in the same family.  Using time out for one child may not work for another.  It’s important to understand this and not try to force the same discipline on a child that it won’t work for.

A friend of mine has a child who defies all the rules of discipline and parenting.  He had a problem biting and she asked me for advice.  I told her every method I have ever heard of to stop a child from biting, and she had tried them all.  She had to take the time to understand him and find out what works for him.

Disciplining children is important.  They need to understand that there are rules, and when they break the rules, there are consequences.  However, understandably, the discipline should not use force that could be harmful to the child.  When properly disciplined, a child will learn tools that will help them throughout their lives.

The discipline should also relate to the act.  If a child colors all over a wall, they should have to clean up the mess.  If they are too small, give them some time to try alone and then help them.  Make sure it isn’t a game to them, they need to understand that they are in trouble.
Understanding your child and finding out what discipline works for them will help them become well adjusted as they get older, and help your household to run smoother.

My daughter used to be great about trying and eating just about anything…and then she turned 2 ½. Now it is pretty much impossible to get her to eat anything other than corn when it comes to vegetables. So I had to come up with some fun and sometimes sneaky ways to get some veggies in her. Here are a few of my favorites.

1) Make big pot of vegetable soup, and then add some fun noodle shapes. You can use alphabet noodles or look for some fun novelty shapes. You may be able to find some cartoon characters, toy and sports shapes etc. I have even seen pumpkin and Christmas tree shapes. With a little luck your kids will be too busy spelling words, or identifying the shape to notice all the veggies they are eating in the soup.

2) If you can’t make them eat it, make them drink it. Pour some vegetable juice over ice and add a straw, a cocktail umbrella or a stick of celery and watch them drink it up. Your kids may not get as much fiber as eating the entire vegetable, but getting them to drink their vegetables is better than not getting any vegetables in their system.

3) Have you tried offering them some raw vegetables with some ranch dressing to dip them in? Many kids who don’t care much for cooked vegetables will eat them up if they can dip them. Just grab a bag of baby carrots and cut up some red and yellow peppers and some cucumber. Arrange them on a plate with a little bit of ranch dressing or your favorite vegetable dip on the side.

4) Take it even a step further and let them create artwork out of their vegetables. Offer raw vegetables in different colors and shapes and encourage them to make a vegetable collage on their plate. You can easily make a face using slices of cucumber as eyes, a baby carrot as nose and a slice of red pepper as a mouth. You can use watercress or shredded carrots or even some cheese as hair. Before you know it, you’ll find them sampling their “art supplies”.

5) To get them to eat more vegetables at dinnertime try a little salad bar. Put out some lettuce, some sliced or chopped tomato, slices of cucumber, shredded carrot, slices of red and yellow peppers, small broccoli flowerets and anything else you can think of. You may also want to offer them some choices when it comes to salad dressing. Favorites in our house are Ranch, Italian, Catalina, and French. To top it all of set out some croutons and shredded cheese.

6) Get the kids together and make a cold vegetable pizza. Start out with a can of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough, but don’t pull the triangle shapes apart. Instead push the seams together and bake on a baking sheet according to the package directions. Let the sheet of dough cool completely, then spread with some crème cheese (we like a vegetable or herb flavored one) and top with some thinly sliced raw veggies. Cut into squares and serve.

7) Get them involved in the kitchen especially when it comes to cooking. Ask them to wash the vegetables, if they are old enough let them cut veggies (under your supervision of course), let them help you stir, or anything else you can think of that would be age appropriate. You’ll be amazed at how proud they will be of their finished product. Believe me, they’ll try just about anything if they made it.

If everything else fails, hide the vegetables in other food. My mom used to make us some special orange mashed potatoes. We thought it was very fancy, but all she did was to cook some carrots with the potatoes and mashed them right in there. You can also cover broccoli with tomato sauce or cheese. Think of a dish your child really enjoys and sneak a little bit of vegetable in there.

Give a few of these ideas a try and see which ones work best for your children. Keep at it and sooner or later they will start to develop a taste for vegetables.

Teaching Kids about Money

My younger sister can’t save money for anything.  If she gets $20, she goes out and gets her nails done, without any idea how she will pay for the upkeep.  Watching her made me realize that I needed to teach my children about money.

Give your children an allowance that is age appropriate.  For our kids, they get half of their age in allowance.  So, on their birthday, they always get a 50 cent raise.  We provide chores during the summer and expect them to help out when needed during the school year.  Set some rules for earning the allowance and an amount for your children.

Now that they are earning some money, teach them about saving it.  Many banks have savings accounts for children.  Help them decide how much money they want to have to spend and how much to put away.  Make them a chart that keeps track of their money so they can watch it grow.

Let them spend some of it and be silly.  Part of the fun of having money is spending it.  I had a friend who would not allow their child to spend any of his money.  He had over $100 in the bank but couldn’t use it.  Letting your kids spend their money teaches them the value of things and how to use money wisely.      Make sure your kids only spend what they have.  Don’t loan money against the allowance they will receive.  Our boss doesn’t give a paycheck advance, kids need to learn this too.

Teaching your kids about money will provide them a valuable tool for when they are older and get their first job.  Make spending and saving money a success for them.

Related Posts:
1. Toddler Craft : Video Teaching Kids about Money

Online Predator

We hear of online predators all the time.  You hear about things you can do to protect your children.  Have you done them?  We have two children that use the internet every day.  Below are some of the rules we use that can help you make sure the internet is a safe place for your own children.

Make sure an adult approves adding an email address.  Don’t allow your kids to send emails to people they don’t know, or subscribe to emails on websites.  This can send junk mail to your children’s email box.  Junk mail can contain information you do not want your children reading, as well as links to websites.

Keep the computer in a visible place in your house.  If your children are surfing in private, you don’t know what they are viewing.  It’s so easy to find bad stuff on the internet.  Make sure you can see what your kids are visiting.

Go in after your child has gone to bed and check the internet history to see what websites they have visited.  If you feel like they have been sending inappropriate emails, you can check their email also.  You can see what they have sent and what they have deleted.
Provide a list of favorites for the websites they are allowed to visit.  If they have heard about a new website, check it out first to make sure it is kid friendly.  Don’t allow them to search through Google or another search engine.  Making sure they stick to the approved list increases the odds that their internet viewing will be safe.

Following a few suggestions can help ensure that your children are safe when online.  Our children live in a different world from the one we grew up in.  Make sure they are safe.

child internet protection software.

Getting a Pet for your Child

I’ve never met a child that hasn’t wanted a pet of some type.  There are many different pets you can chose for your child, depending on their age and what you would like in your home.

Hermit crabs are an easy pet to begin with.  They aren’t messy, require little care, and still give your child a pet of their own that they can care for.  You can take them out of their cage and let them crawl around, and they can change to larger shells as they grow.

Hamsters or guinea pigs require a little more care.  Their cage must be cleaned every week, and they need fresh food and water every day.  They can be messy, and they are a nocturnal animal, which means they want to play while you are sleeping.  If you put a hamster wheel in their cage, they will get their exercise at night, which can be noisy.

Cats and dogs are less messy to care for, but require more care in other ways.  Dogs need regular baths and combing.  Both need food and water several times a day.  Dogs need to be walked and taught to be house trained.  If you decide to give your child a dog as a pet, be prepared to assist in the training, puppies are a lot of work.

There are several other types of pets you can choose.  Reptiles might be a good option if you want a pet with low maintenance.  Fish are a great pet to begin with, although they tend to die easily.

Giving your child a pet is a great way to teach them responsibility.  Make sure you choose a pet that is appropriate for your child’s age.

Learn How to talk to your kids

Every parent dreads being asked questions by their children that they aren’t ready to answer.  Learn how to talk to your kids and develop the relationship that you will need when they get older.

There are some basic guidelines that parents can follow to talk better to their children.  Here are a few.

When your child asks a question, find out why they are asking before you go into a long winded explanation.  Sometimes we misunderstand what they are asking.  I had a daughter ask me what a certain word meant.  I went on and tried to tactfully explain this word.  After I finished, she mentioned that she saw the word in the name of a lotion I had, and just wondered what it meant.  I could have come up with a much simpler answer if I would have understood the question.

Allow your kids to have an opinion and express it.  Try not to make them feel like their opinion is less valuable because you know more than they do.  Take the time to listen to them and understand where they are coming from.

Always talk to them at their age appropriate level.  Don’t talk down to them just because they are a child.  I had a nurse at the doctor’s office that talked baby talk to my two year old daughter, who just looked at the women with confusion.  Children are smarter than we give them credit for.

A big part of learning to talk to our children is learning how to listen.  Following these suggestions and paying attention to your kids will help you develop the relationship that you want.  When they are older, that open communication becomes essential.  Develop that relationship now.