Kids, the Internet and Predators

Attached is a link to a series of videos on YouTube. This is a panel of experts and their findings of Kids and Predators on the Internet.

I shouldn’t be surprised that the media distorts reality. Teenagers, not small children, are more likely to be victims. And of those that are approached, only 5% hide their real identity; which mans 95% of the contacts, the teenagers know the other person is older.

If you have kids online, you’ll want to know what this Panel has to say.

I’d love to hear your comments.

Just The Facts About Online Youth Victimization

Dawn-Marie Cook
Parent Coach and Speaker
www.Parent.Family-Rx.com

Carpooling

I heard a parent speaker once regarding carpooling and I thought it was excellent advice.

She suggested that parents always volunteer for carpooling; especially the ride home from the event. This is when you get to be the silent listener. The kids are so excited about what went on at the event, they forget you are listening. Not only do you get to hear what happened but you also might hear other things going on in your kid’s world.

Do you do this? Do you have other ways of finding out what’s going on in your kid’s world? I’d love to hear about it.

Preparing For Teens Driving

I was listening to a parenting seminar the other night and she gave this great tip that I’ve already started to use.

She called it preparing your teens for driving. I call it “prepaving” – setting up the expectations for your teen so that when it comes time to drive, the rule(s) you are creating are unquestionable.

This speaker stated that she began teaching her children a specific rule about driving at the tender age of 10 or 11 yrs. As she drove the kids around town, when she’d see children playing or drive by a school yard with children she’d say out loud “Oh, there’s children around. I need to slow down because you never know when one might run into the street.”

Thus in the 5-6 years before driving, her children heard “hundreds” of times that if there are kids around, you need to slow down.

I love the idea of prepaving the way for the rules of driving. I’ll be thinking of other areas I can prepave for my children to be responsible adults.

Do you do something like this? Do you have any ideas of where else we can prepave rules for our kids?