Kids and Social Networking

Tweet

We’ve reached that point with my oldest daughter, the point where she wants to get online, and not just play games, but post photos, talk to her friends, and basically socialize. We’re pretty lax in a lot of things with our kids, but their safety is always our #1 concern with them, and I worry about her getting online and using social networks.

She’s already asked about finding friends of hers online, and really it’s just a matter of time before she tries to do it herself. I’d rather her have some guidance, some rules and some safety measures in place. She’s still young, she’s smart, but she’s naive and I really don’t want someone taking advantage of that, or he finding things or people she shouldn’t. What I’d like to find is a safe, secure, FOR KIDS ONLY Social Network For Kids.

But how do you do that? How can you be SURE that it’s ONLY kids on a site like that? The internet is a huge place, with so many great people to connect with, but where there’s millions of safe, awesome people, there’s always a few in the bunch that are out there for the wrong reasons. That’s why I’m very cautious about letting her get into social networking.

I really don’t want to discourage her, but I have to be 100% sure she’s begin safe online at all times, even if I am monitoring her.

I was introduced to a website recently called Kidzworld.com which is a website specifically designed for children ages 9-14 years of age. I browsed around the site as much as I could without my own account (since I’m not a child) and found some really neat and fun things it looks like my daughter would love. Videos to watch, age appropriate of course.. Movie Trailers, games to play, places to ask for advice and then there is their chat rooms and message boards, which you need a login for. That’s where things get scary, how can I be sure that she’d be talking to other kids?

Kidzworld.com let’s parents know that their chat rooms and message boards are always moderated and monitored. They also don’t let kids share their personal information via their profile or in chat. Kidzworld is just that, a KIDS WORLD, no adults are allowed to have accounts, and with the privacy and security that Kidzworld offers there’s no way for your kids to get into trouble with the wrong people (or even adults).

I’ve seen a handful of Social Networking Sites for Kids but I’m always unsure of their security measures, with Kidzworld I’m pretty sure what to expect and can trust and rely on them to keep up their end of the deal as being a safe place for kids to socialize online.

I’m going to show my daughter the site, allow her to sign up and get her own profile soon and tell her friends as well. She’ll still be monitored while using the computer, and even the site, that will never change, as much safety and security a site can have, parents always need to be the #1 monitor of our kids online activities.

To find out more information on this kids social networking site you can visit it at Kidzworld.com and take a look around for a bit yourself, be sure to visit the parents section for more information.

Post is only by the opinion of Just Because I'm A Mom, other views and opinions may vary. Post sponsored by Kidzworld.com

Tips for Planning a Destination Family Reunion

Tweet

Family Reunion trips are really special and well worth the effort to plan and attend such an event. However, planning is key so here are a few of my best tips for planning a destination family reunion.

1. Start early – The more time you have to plan the better and the more time your family has to make plans to attend. Not to mention that time equals savings!

2. Choose a date and length of the vacation – Summer is the most popular time for a family reunion because children are typically out of school, but there are many long weekends and holiday weeks throughout the school year that may work for you and your family. Find out from other family members about their interest in having a reunion as well as the dates and place. Also, after gauging the initial interest, send 3-4 dates from that reunion-goers can choose the date that works best for them. Make it clear that the date with the most possible attendees will be the date selected. You don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable if they can’t make it.

INSIDER TIP: When dealing with communication to a large group, it’s better to give choices than to ask for suggestions.

3. Choose the location – Now that you know when you can go, where will you go? Maybe you can return to or visit an area that your family comes from. If there's a lot of interest in family history you can explore your roots. Or, if ancestry isn’t the reason for the destination maybe recreation is. Beaches, mountains and amusement parks are also great locales for a gathering group. After all, you want the reunion to be about having fun together. Many attractions offer group rates and discounts so be sure to call them and inquire about those separately as prices are often dictated by your group size and not usually shared online. Celebratory reunions are a great reason to gather. Is there a golden anniversary, birthday or special occasion that you can all get together to celebrate? There are many destinations, resorts, and cruises that cater to just such get-togethers when location is merely the backdrop to all the great times that you will have together.

4. Facebook It! - Now that you know who is going, when the reunion trip will take place, and where you are going, create an event page on Facebook and invite all those attending as well as the potential attendees who might find themselves available at the last minute. Where were we before Facebook?! Now you have a central location for your group to share their excitement, ideas, photos and old family stories AND all the details related to the actual reunion. Events can be made to be private so that only those that are invited to join the page can see and share its content. I recommend having more than one page administrator to share that responsibility. And, continue to use the event page post-trip to share photos, videos and your favorite reunion memories.

5. Make Accommodation Reservations – Having time to book rooms, accomodation and secure great rates is pivotal to the success of your trip. Most hotels, big and small, including websites, such as Hotels.com, work with groups to help accommodate their needs. Even more reassuring is that they have dedicated personnel focused squarely on group business. Here are the things that you need to know when booking accommodations:

Your group’s per night budget
Number of rooms required
Amenities (on-site restaurants, children’s programs, in-room kitchens etc.)
Nearby attractions
Meeting space, and catering services available (if required)
Shuttle service and parking

6. Plan Activities and Meals – Everything will run much more smoothly and your family will have a great time if you coordinate group activities and meals. After all, you are going on this trip to be together, right? Activities can range from site-seeing tours to group-bonding activities such as white water rafting, ropes courses and golf tournaments, visiting museums and cultural and historic landmarks, and of course, a few sit-down meals that you all enjoy together.

So there you have a few tips to get you started planning that next great family reunion getaway!

I finally get my time!

Tweet

It’s funny to see how a short amount of time can bring on a big change. In the past month my life has changed from having to be a stay at home mom taking care of one child while the other was in school, to being a lonely housewife with two kids in school!

Ok maybe lonely isn’t the word, although it does get quiet, I’ve found my own things to do through the day now, found a way to find MYSELF again rather than just find ‘Mom’.

I’m also learning to enjoy spending time with my husband again. I didn’t expct this time to come until the kids were 18, but with his work schedual it enables us to be able to spend time during the day together.

We did that for the first time yesterday. We had a day alone, without kids, the first time in almost 8 years! We were almost at a loss as to what to do! Although what didn’t help was I’m sick, so we probably didn’t do exactly what we wanted to as I whined about my throat being sore. However I can’t wait until next week when we get to do it again!

No longer do I have to dream about flying away from my children on an adults getaway, but don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’ve stopped dreaming about that, I still would love to get away with my husband, somewhere away from home, so I’ve been thinking about looking at some London holiday packages and to see what we can find and come up with.

We’ve never actually been away together, and I’m sure that’s so much different than just having the house to ourselves for a few hours. One step at a time though I guess. We’ll get there eventually, until then I’m enjoying the time that I do have when I do have it! A far cry from the first day of Kindergarten where I had to leave the classroom so that my daughter wouldn’t see me bawling my eyes out lol…

Red, Green Silver and Gold, it's what retail decorations are made of!

Tweet

Walked around a store lately and wondered, um what the heck? It’s only September?!

We’ve got a total of 3 months, until Christmas is upon us, we haven’t even hit Halloween or Thanksgiving yet and there’s Christmas stuff all over the place! Well, honestly, I’m not too shocked, or worried, because I’ve already started Christmas shopping and planning decorations this year! Yup, I’m one of those early birds! Heck our tree is up before Thanksgiving usually.

However, no matter how hard I plan, how much I try to stay on top of Christmas before December gets here, one thing I always slack on is the Christmas Card!

Every year with the girls we take their photos in front of the tree, dressed in their cute little Christmas outfits, and I make my own Christmas photo cards via some digital scrap-booking pages and my computer. It’s fun, until I have to print them out, address them all and then find out on Christmas Eve that I forgot to send them out, yet again!

This year though, I vow to have them sent out before December even starts! I’m going to be on my game! No more making my own cards, forget it, it takes too much time and money after I have to change my ink cartridges in my printer, plus the cost of card stock or photo paper. This year, I’m having someone ELSE do the hard work like Storkie Express!

So much simpler to browse the site, the collection of stylish and cute Christmas cards they have available, or just to upload my photo after I find the perfect card, and just wait for them to be sent to ME!

The only thing I need to remember to do is send them to everyone else after I have them. Someone needs to come up with a good reminder system to send out your Christmas cards, is there an App for that?

Post is only by the opinion of Just Because I'm A Mom, other views and opinions may vary.