Media watchdogs, educators, and parents alike are concerned about the amount of time that children are spending online, their abundant usage of instant messaging (IM), and how the new technologies can and will affect their educational and social development.

What appears to be the consensus is that children of all ages are very receptive to new technologies—they are the biggest users of IM, either through messaging services or text messaging on cell phones.

These new communication technologies are being touted as the newest evolution in communication: language continually evolves and so does the way we communicate. IM, text messaging, and computer communication are the newest incarnations and deserve recognition as the latest ways that humans communicate.
However, there is some concern that IM use among young children may hamper proper language development—that children should not learn abbreviated forms before they learn essential skills like spelling, grammar usage, and punctuation. The new technologies may present new communication methods, but they can also present new hazards to children while online—spending too much time online may make children (and adults) susceptible to online predation.
Here are 10 tips to help ensure Internet safety for every age.

1. Keep online profiles simple, and don’t reveal too much: first name but last initial, city but not address, grade but not what school attended, etc.
2. Use a screen name instead of a real name—develop a name to use when online, like cat_girl06 or likesfido21.
3. Use kid-friendly search engines or browsers. They have built-in parental controls and cool designs that children like.
4. Install your Internet provider’s parental-control features—this can restrict the sites that can be accessed, and prevents salacious pop-ups.
5. When using an IM, change the preferences to contacts-only or invite-only—this way only get messages from people in the contact list will appear, and no outsiders can make contact.
6. If necessary purchase parental add-ons that can log all online activities.
7. Make your default page a kid-friendly one, such as Yahooligans.
8. When surfing around for fun, only follow links from trusted sites.
9. Limit online time. Agree with all computer users in your house to a set computer schedule.
10. Always act online as though someone might be watching!

So we decided not go away this year for March Break much to the despair of my children. They have been spoiled over the last few years with Caribbean Seas, Strawberry drinks with cute umbrellas and nightly entertainment of limbos and elaborate costumes. With their disappointment looming I find myself wondering if I will have to drag out the blender, spend a ridiculous amount of money on out of season strawberries and throw them in the bath while I sing “feeling hot, hot, hot…” in my sarong.

Not going to happen! Here’s my March Break Survival Guide and a chance to teach them along the way.

TV – Sit your kids in front of the TV for the day. There is NOTHING wrong with it and they think you’re the best Mommy in the World! If you’re lucky enough to have 2 TV’s in your house…Sit in front of it too and catch-up on Oprah!

House Cleaning – Get out the “Swiffers” and put them to work. Learning good old-fashioned Home-Economic skills not taught in school anymore. Plus you have a clean house. Tip: I find singing “hi-ho, hi-ho…it off to work we go” from Snow White makes them think this is a fun activity.

Shopping – Drag them on your errands and to every store and tell them you are teaching the value of money and economics 101. I find it most useful to explain the difference between kitten heels and slingbacks at the cash while you’re making your purchase.

….If all else fails I check www.thekidscoop.com for fun activities in Montreal. Now that really works!

I have this friend Steve who was recently on a flight. Across the aisle was a new mama with her babe and a very elderly man, who from here on in shall be called ‘old dude’.
As the airplane was taking off, mama started breastfeeding babe. As any travelling mama knows, it’s good if you can get babe to feed on the way up and the way down to relieve any ear pain due to changing air pressure.
As she is feeding, old dude is shuffling around, mumbling under his breath, clearing his throat and basically looking uncomfortable with the breastfeeding situation that is going down beside him.
It was a short flight so before long decent had started and mama sensibly put babe back on breast. Old dude could not contain himself any longer and said “this is clearly making me uncomfortable and yet you continue to breastfeed that child.”
At that point, old dude should have been happy he was not sitting next to me. I feed anywhere, anytime and in front of anyone. If someone feels uncomfortable, they are welcome to leave. Indeed if that sentence had fallen on my ears I likely would have experienced something very close to rage.
Old dude had the good fortune of sitting beside a very gracious mama who very politely and respectfully explained why it helps baby to feed when there is change in air pressure. Old dude seemed satisfied and quite pleased that he had learned something new that day.
The plane landed and old dude was shuffling around looking for his cane and belongings when he turned and looked at my friend Steve and with a quiet smurk said:
“Huh, and to think for all these years I’ve been chewing gum”.

Being in constant contact with moms I have recently received some positive feedback and would love to let you in on the secret. I look good and I feel good. How am I doing it? Health, Energy Vitality and Well Being. You know it when you feel it, when you see it. Healthy people feel energized and look good.

As a busy Mom myself, I have found some things that have been proven to pick you up. And we all need it, a little pick me up I mean…did you read my article “Help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”? Then you’ll know what I’m talking about. I’m sure you will feel a difference and turn a blue day into a sunny one with these pick me ups!

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4. Go to the gym or work out at least 3 times a week. Watch those carbs so as not to gain weight and feel drab.
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5. Get some alone time with your partner at least once a week. Makes all the difference in the world.

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I was out walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something off of the ground and started to put it in her mouth.I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.’Why?’ my daughter asked.’Because it’s been on the ground; you don’t know where it’s been, it’s dirty, And probably has germs,’ I replied.At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, ‘Mum, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.’I was thinking quickly and replied, ‘All mums know this stuff.. It’s on the Mum Test. You have to know it, or they don’t let you be a Mum.’We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.’Oh…..I get it!’ she beamed, ‘So if you don’t pass the test you have to be the dad.”Exactly,’ I replied with a big smile on my face. When you’re finished laughing, send this to a Mum.