Tag Archives: games

General Safety Issues

HOW TO PARENT SAFELY IN THE DIGITAL WORLD (GUEST POST)

Parenting in the digital world is not an easy task. A recent survey in UK, shows that among 7-16 years old, seventy-five per cent of them use the internet. Children are giving more and more importance to this new media for multiple purposes such as for information, entertainment, relieving tension, communication (chat, email, instant messages) and most preferably for downloading contents. For many families, internet is a fragile medium, confusing and easier to gets wrong then right.

No doubt, Internet is a source of learning but it is also a place where cyber-stalkers are lurking for the target person. Parents give mobile phones to their children to remain in contact with them when they go outside either for their school or for some other activities.  Internet is full with lots of software, games, music videos and adult content that encourage children for downloading. As children are not good in downloading and using the internet, they may  become an easy target of cyber attackers.

That’s not only one problem that parents have to face regarding their children safety, sometimes games and video downloading shake your budget estimate with huge bills. These expensive apps have more attraction and adventure for kids. Pornographic videos are such a content that disturbs children behavior and attitude towards real world in a very bad way. It not only disturbs their health but also affects their norms and values.

If you have views that all Smartphone apps are wrong then you are thinking in the wrong direction. Many Smartphone apps are useful for kids and they make things easier for them. Many apps purely based on enjoyment and those apps create a real fun in people’s life. As it is already mentioned that not all apps are suitable for children so parents have to understand this concept for their children safety and security. 

One thing about internet which makes parents more suspicious about their children is the open availability of pornographic videos. As parents do not remain close to their children all the time in a day,  it’s very difficult for concerned parents to prevent their kids from undesirable  material.

Games always attract children due to their adventurous characteristics. Children love to play games as they give them new ideas and imagination. Many children instantly download a game when their latest version release onto their mobile phone. Although many games can be downloaded free of cost from Smartphone apps, it doesn’t happen all the time. There are some games for which you have to pay a handsome amount before downloading.

As technology advances the mobile industry, similar  technology makes advancement in games and now games are becoming more adventurous and realistic. There are also some games which contain violence, bad language and sexual content. Malware and viruses are another danger because these malwares can damage your child’s phone permanently.

Another danger in downloading different mobile apps is malware and viruses. The problem is that these apps are advertised free of cost and if you download them, these apps damage your mobile phone with malware.

You can easily prevent your child from having access to such sites with the help of the mobile tracking app like this available here http://www.mspy.fr/. Once you install cell phone spy, it will give you access to all data relating to your child’s cell phone usage and remains unnoticed by your child. In addition to this, you can block sites and downloading via this app.

Sent to us by Jessi Singh

Thanks, Jessi, for this information on keeping our children safe while using their computers, tablets, etc.  Another thing to mention is cyberbullying, which causes some young people to be driven to suicide.  This is an all-too common occurance, and parents must step in and be in control. pb

General Safety Issues

AGING? READ THESE TWENTY-FOUR TIPS FOR HELPING OUR BRAIN! (GUEST POST)

Happy April 1st!  Before we get one day older, you might take heart to these great ideas sent to us by Kenneymyers.com/blog/: 

  • puzzleAs you age your brain begins to shrink naturally.  However, if you eat right and stay active you can actually reverse the shrinkage.  Another way to keep your brain sharp is by using your brain to do puzzles that will challenge you.  You can also take a class.  When you are learning something new, you are using a different part of your brain, and in essence you are exercising your mind.  One of the easiest ways to keep your brain sharp is to stay socially active, whether it’s in person or online.  These 24 blog entries will give you some more ideas of things you can do to keep your brain in tip top shape.
  • Puzzles

Some people enjoy doing crosswords and other puzzles and complete them regularly.  If that’s you, it’s important that you change things up and try something new.  If you can create new pathways in your brain, you will be the better for it.  Try Sudoku or a word find.  Maybe you could take up playing chess.  The logic required to strategize in chess will really stretch your brain muscle.  If you don’t do puzzles now, you might take up the hobby.  Take a look at these six blog posts for more ideas on games that will keep you sharp.

Keep Learning

It’s important that you never stop learning.  When your mind is idle you may start to lose the ability to remember and retrieve information.  You are never too old to learn a new language or to take a class.  Think about things you’ve always wanted to learn and find a class where you can learn it.  Even reading a book about something new will help to keep your mind sharp.  Check out the following six blogs for more ideas on how you can continue to learn.

Stay Active

Exercise produces a chemical in your body that helps keep your brain young according to Dr. Edgerly from Columbia University.  He and his team have performed many studies regarding exercise and the effects of aging on the brain.  When you are sedentary you are not getting as much oxygen to your brain, which is needed to keep you alert and sharp.  By looking at these six blogs, you may find just the information that you need to encourage you to get up and move.

Be Social

It may sound funny that one way to keep your brain sharp is to go socialize with your friends, but it’s true.  Having a lively conversation with a friend or even the guy at the hardware store is one way to stimulate your brain.  If you are unable to get around, you might try signing up for Facebook online.  By posting once a day and reading other people’s posts you are being social and staying connected.  These six blog articles will give you some other ideas on how to be social.

Note: We appreciate these great ideas that apply to everyone, regardless of age.  When one reaches the point that they have more free time, it is wise to not lose time being with friends. Set a certain day, once a month, or as often as possible to take a little day trip together, or get out and join a golf group.  A new activity for me is learning to play bridge with my friends.  There are all types of fun things to do, so don’t stay on the couch and eat bon-bons every day!  Enjoy life, it’s too short, and getting shorter every day! pb

General Safety Issues

TEN WAYS TO MONITOR YOUR KIDS USE OF THE INTERNET (GUEST POST)

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By Olivia Lewis, of NannyNewsNetwork.com

Children today are growing up with the Internet as a regular part of life, yet the World-Wide-Web was fairly new when their parents were young. Along with all the fun and informative things available to children online, a serious danger also lurks. Internet predators like to use the anonymity of the Internet, and are constantly on the lookout for innocent victims.

It’s important for parents to be aware of the ways sexual predators troll for kids online. Here are 10 things to watch out for to keep your kids safe on the Internet.

  1. Online games – One place Internet predators connect with kids is online games. They will choose games that are popular with the age group they prefer and pose as other kids to foster a friendship with children. Predators will watch for gamer names that indicate the gender, location or other information that is useful to them.
  2. Chat rooms – Sexual predators will pose as kids in chat rooms that are popular with children. This is an easy way for them to garner information and target unsuspecting youngsters. Once they gain a child’s trust, they may try setting up a meeting in person.
  3. Facebook – Parents need to be very careful about whether or not they allow their children to have their own personal Facebook accounts. This is prime hunting grounds for Internet stalkers who target kids. It’s very easy for them to set up fake Facebook pages and “friend” teens and preteens.
  4. Twitter – Social media is a great way for pedophiles to connect with their victims, and Twitter is no exception. Many young people use tweeting as their primary form of communication, and predators know this and go where the kids are.
  5. Websites for kids – Parents may think websites like Disney and PBS Kids are safe for their children to frequent, but predators like to frequent them too. What better place is there to find lonely kids who want to chat?
  6. Instant messaging – Since emails will linger in an account until they’re deleted, Internet predators prefer to use instant messaging that disappears once the window is closed. This makes it harder for parents to monitor who’s talking to their kids and what they’re saying.
  7. MySpace – Some consider MySpace one of the worst sites for online predators who want to connect with children. The online surveys are fun to fill out, but they also provide lots of information that can be used to gain trust with unsuspecting youngsters.
  8. Pictures – Parents need to educate their children on how pictures posted online can be used by sexual predators. It helps them to identify kids who fit their personal preferences, and any picture posted online can be used and manipulated by anyone. Child pornographers are constantly monitoring the Internet for potentially suggestive photos of children.
  9. Target the vulnerable – Internet predators are constantly on the lookout for vulnerable children that they can exploit. Kids that are lonely, unhappy, who are having difficulty with school, or who have poor relationships with their parents are easy targets. They also like kids who are willing to keep secrets from their parents or other authorities.
  10. Use coded language – The shortcut language that kids use for texting makes it harder for parents to readily understand what they’re saying. Just glancing over their child’s shoulder, a text message can look like gobbledygook, so parents need to learn this coded language to help keep their kids safe. You better believe the Internet predators know exactly what texting shortcuts mean and how to use it to gain a child’s trust.

Being aware of the inherit risks that the Internet poses to innocent children is the first step parents who want to keep their children safe need to take. Parents need to educate themselves and their children about the dangers of Internet predators as they teach them how to use the Web. Establish rules and guidelines for computer and cell phone use, and keep the computer in a common area easily observable by parents and siblings. Use online tools for privacy settings and set up parental alerts. Parental involvement is the key to protecting your children from online sexual predators.

Parents, please pay attention to this advice.  All too often we hear of a child becoming a victim through the internet. Pat

Ergonomics, General Safety Issues, Health Issues

REPETITIVE STRESS INJURIES: KIDS AND ELECTRONICS (GUEST POST)

Today’s post features two articles sent by Paul Taylor of http://www.babysittingjobs.com
We know you will find them very interesting. pb

The emphasis on the dangers of excessive screen-time for kids has been steadily rising, as childhood obesity and related health problems have become more common. Type II diabetes, once referred to as “adult-onset diabetes,” is being diagnosed with alarming frequency in children; as kids spend less time engaged in physically active play and more time in front of televisions, computers and gaming systems, the risks increase. However, diabetes and blood pressure problems aren’t the only concern for sedentary kids; repetitive stress injuries like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are also on the rise.

Causes of Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) in Kids

RSIs were similarly considered “adult” afflictions, with the vast majority of repetitive stress diagnoses in children restricted to sports-related conditions such as epicondylitis, or “tennis elbow.” Though RSIs are still most commonly diagnosed in adults, the number of kids and teens with these injuries is nonetheless rising. While overuse due to strenuous athletic practice or musical instrument rehearsal can cause repetitive stress injuries in young people, heavy video gaming, computer use and even excessive texting are also listed among the common causes. Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and cervical radiculopathy are all conditions that can result from repetitive stress injuries; though the percentage of kids diagnosed with these conditions is still relatively small, the fact that they are increasing among youngsters at all does indicate that proper preventative measures and good usage habits should be taught from an early age.

Proper Ergonomics is Key

The most effective method of preventing repetitive stress injuries as a result of heavy computer usage is to ensure that furniture and equipment are properly adjusted to your child’s size; desks, chairs and equipment intended for use by adults are rarely ergonomically sound for kids. In order to help their children avoid developing muscle strain and soreness, and to reduce the risk of RSIs, parents should make an effort to ensure that the top of their child’s head aligns with the top of the monitor. His back should be touching the back of his chair while he’s in a seated position. Slouching or tensing his shoulders places unnecessary and potentially harmful stress on the spine, so kids should be encouraged to practice good posture. Repetitive stress injuries of the wrists and fingers related to computer use are most commonly the result of improper keyboard placement; wrist supports can help prevent some of these injuries, as can coaching on correct typing methods. The most important preventative measure, however, is for kids to take breaks every thirty minutes to stretch and walk around.

Intermittent Breaks

Video game controllers can also cause repetitive stress injuries, especially in kids that spend several hours a day using them. Taking regular breaks and avoiding prolonged periods of uninterrupted gaming are not only a vital part of preventing repetitive stress injuries, but also encouraged to boost physical activity and prevent health conditions linked to poor exercise habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Smart phones, tablets and handheld gaming devices that encourage kids to look down for long periods of time also increase the risk of neck and back pain, in addition to the repetitive use of fingers and thumbs to control the devices. Kids’ use of all electronic devices should be carefully monitored by parents in order to ensure that breaks are being taken in a timely manner and proper posture is maintained. Armed with the necessary knowledge, parents can instill good electronics-usage habits in their kids, along with healthy eating habits and other valuable life skills. 

It might be wise, as stressed in this article, to limit the amount of time that kids (especially younger ones) spend on their computer or games.  It’s rare to see a teenager without his/her eyes on that cell phone, texting.  Outdoor activities can be helpful to balance exercise with sitting all the time. pb

 

General Safety Issues

MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERS

We all know that there are many worthy causes to give our time and money to.  A very special group that utilizes thousands of volunteers is the Special Olympics.  June of 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a summer day camp for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at her home in Maryland.

Camp Shriver was the predecessor to the Special Olympics.  When Mrs. Shriver declared the first Special Olympics open in Chicago, July, 1968, she lead 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada onto Soldier Field.  From that time until the present, the Special Olympics have grown to more than three million athletes in over 150 countries.  The Winter Special Olympics were held in Canada this past February; summer games will be in Athens, Greece, in 2011.

Special Olympics offers year-round sports training and athletic competition in all fifty states of the U.S.  Texas has more than 44,000 volunteers that help with the daily workouts and keep the contests running smoothly.  In addition to helping with events, they coach athletes, help with fund raising, coordinate events, work in offices, and serve on committees.  Volunteers are the backbone of this organization.  More than 1.5 million individuals around the globe donate their time to giving children and adults with intellectual disabilities or physical disabilities the chance to compete and make friends with others from outside their own communities.

SO vest

Those youngsters age 14 or under who want to volunteer to help with Special Olympics, must be accompanied by an adult.  What better way for a parent and their child to experience the joy of helping others could there be?  If you live in a city that is home to a Special Olympics office, contact them and offer your help.  If not, there are plenty of other ways to help.  Check the Special Olympics website for all types of information.  These great athletes can teach us about spirit, determination, and sportsmanship.

Uncategorized

THE WINTER PARALYMPICS ARE HERE!

The Winter Olympic Games were completed on February 28th .  However, another spectacular event is taking place in March, the X Paralympic Games, being held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.  Dates for the games are March 13th to March 21st.

Approximately 600 athletes from 45 countries have been training  hard to win gold medals.  These games feature the best athletes in the world with various disabilities.  The slogan of the Paralympic Movement is “Spirit in Motion”.  The first Summer Paralympic Games were held in Italy in 1960.  Sweden hosted the first Winter Paralympic Games in 1976.  We look forward to cheering on our favorite athletes, and wish them all “Good Luck!”

For the Winter Paralympic Games, you will see great competition in the following events:
1.    Ice Sledge Hockey

2.    Wheelchair Curling

3.    Alpine Skiing

4.    Biathlon

5.    Cross-Country Skiing

Summer Paralympic Games include:
1.    Athletics (track and field)

2.    Boccia

3.    Cycling

4.    Equestrian

5.    Football 5-a-side

6.    Football 7-a-side

7.    Goalball

8.    Judo

9.    Powerlifting

10.    Rowing

11.    Sailing

12.    Shooting

13.    Swimming

14.    Table Tennis

15.    Volleyball (sitting)

16.    Wheelchair basketball

17.    Wheelchair fencing

18.    Wheelchair rugby

19.    Wheelchair tennis

These athletes come from all over the world to show that they have the skills and power to triumph in their chosen sport by overcoming the obstacles they contend with.  Congratulations to every competitor; you make the world proud!

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety, Weather Protection

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR THE WINTER OLYMPICS!

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If you are not among the lucky ones that are going to the spectacular country of Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics, get out the hot chocolate, popcorn, candy and other goodies and get ready for some excitement and beautiful scenery.   British Columbia, Canada, is home to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games from February 12 through 28, and the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 through 21.  Host venue cities are Vancouver, Whistler, and Richmond.  The official torch is already crossing Canada.

Officials have been preparing for months, and Canadians are excited to welcome athletes and fans from all over the world.  The government is taking serious precautions with safety, health and security concerns for all visitors and athletes, as well as their own citizens.

One of the health issues is the spread of the H1N1 virus.  The World Health Organization is sending a representative to monitor for potential disease outbreaks, but officials feel the threat has passed.  However, British Columbia health officials have been planning for the possible impact it would have on the games since before the pandemic was declared in June.  In their planning, they decided to keep a large supply of antiviral drugs on hand, just in case.

To avoid a major outbreak, the best practices are to continue with these sanitary protocols: washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and when sick, don’t get out in public.  Persons traveling to the games need to be watchful for exposure to sick persons, and not touch surfaces if they can keep from it.  Those with children should be extra cautious in protecting them from the illness.  Keeping hand sanitizer in ones’ bag or purse will serve as a reminder to keep your hands clean.  First and foremost, persons planning to attend need to get both the seasonal flu shot and H1N1 shot.  Hopefully, the athletes will have had theirs.  More than 100 staffers of the U.S. Olympic Committee are getting their H1N1 vaccines before they head to Vancouver.  Athletes are saying there may be more “elbow bumps” than hand shaking this time!

The Canadian organizers of the games have contingency plans for staffing should the virus affect regular staff members.  A security team of 750 officers will be on stand-by in case of illness or emergency.  There is a pool of volunteers that can be ready in short-order time.  Although they can’t make it a requirement, all staff members and volunteers have been asked to take the vaccine.  Many teams are arriving this month, and will have the opportunity to take the vaccine in time for it to be effective, if they haven’t already taken it.  Public health nurses will be at the athletes’ villages, as well as venues, including hotels where officials and sponsors will stay to monitor for illnesses.

We wish the country of Canada much success in keeping athletes, their families, and all the visitors to the Olympics both safe and well.  There are many security issues that they are dealing with, as well as health concerns.  With the very best athletes representing their home countries, this is a time for focusing the eyes of the world toward the good sportsmanship that is displayed by those who have worked so very hard to achieve their goals.  We wish good traveling and health to all those who are fortunate to attend these Winter Olympics, in addition to the excitement of seeing the true beauty of Canada.