A Mad Mom

Monday, December 22, 2008

Dead Ringer

Image via Wikipedia We're addicted to our cell phones. They're cupped in our hands, stashed in our pockets, wrapped around our ears, waiting on our nightstand for us in the morning . . . they are always, always close by and within reach. God forbid, we should miss a call or a text message.

We love our cell phones so much, that now we are taking them with us to the other side. Believe it or not, some folks are asking their relatives to bury their cell phones with them -- turned on and fully charged, six feet under. Talk about dropped calls. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28182292/)

If I was a prankster, I'd stand very solemnly at the gravesite, one hand on my cell phone buried in my pocket, and just as they were lowering the coffin into the ground, I'd dial the deceased's number. The panic and confusion that would ensue afterward? Priceless.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Not Alone In My Madness

Image via Wikipedia Now that I'm done whining about a few things, I think it's time I started enlightening you. Offer up some real-world advice for raising kids in this tech-savvy, cyber-obsessed world that, unfortunately on so many counts, is here to stay. I'm not adopting an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality. It's more of an "if you can't beat 'em, stay way ahead of 'em" philosophy.

I've stumbled on a few sites out there that you parents will find very helpful. Sites that can help parents guide their children safely through this age of social, interactive media. First off, check out connectsafely.org (http://www.connectsafely.org/). This site was started by the authors of "MySpace Unraveled: What it is and how to use it safely." You'll find tons of tips and advice on how to help your kids navigate safely through the Web and how to engage in safe social networking. Like these:

* Be reasonable and try to set reasonable expectations. Pulling the plug on your child’s favorite social site is like pulling the plug on his or her social life. Instead of being protective, it can shut down communication and send kids "underground" where they're more at risk. It's too easy for them to set up free blogs and profiles from anywhere, including friends' houses or even a cell phone.

* Talk with your kids about how they use the services. They, not news reports or even experts, are the ones to consult about their social-Web experience. Help them understand basic safety guidelines, such as protecting their privacy (including passwords), not harassing peers, never talking about sex with people they don't know, avoiding in-person meetings with people they "meet" online, and taking care in what they post - because anything people put online can be grabbed, reworked, and used against them.

* Support critical thinking and civil behavior because no laws or parental-control software can protect better than a child's developing good sense about safety and relationships. Research shows that kids who are aggressive and mean online toward peers or strangers are at greater risk of becoming victims themselves. So teach them to be good citizens and friends online as much as offline.

* Consider requiring Internet use in a high-traffic place in your home - not in kids' rooms - to help you stay aware of their online time. This way, you can encourage a balance between online time and their offline academic, sports, and social times. Know that there are also many ways kids can access the Internet away from home, including on many mobile phones and game players.

* Try to get your kids to share their profiles and blogs with you, but be aware that they can have multiple accounts on multiple services. Use search engines and the search tools on social-networking sites to search for your kids' full names, phone numbers and other identifying information. You're not invading their privacy if they're putting personal info in public "places" online. If their pages are private, that's a good thing, but it's even better if they share it with you.

© 2008 ConnectSafely.org

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Taxing Times

Today I'm not mad. I'm broke. Paid my property taxes -- OUCH! What I don't get, though, is why we are forced to shell out money for taxes during the two months of the year when most people are short on cash -- December and April -- Christmas time and Federal income tax time.

Who was the genius who came up with this idea?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Hey, Let's Eat!

Image via Wikipedia Today, I’m not so mad. Sorry to disappoint you. How could I be in any other mood but a jolly one? Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the most glorified dinner of the year. People all over the country will be taking planes, trains and automobiles to sit at the table with loved ones – and those folks you have to put up with once a year.

Whatever your plans, I wish you a relaxing, warm and wonderful day. And don’t worry about eating too much. You have the whole year to work it off. Or you could just roll over the calories into the next holiday, like a Frequent Eater Program.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Kids Are NOT Sexy, OK?!

This blog is aimed directly at parents. (In fact, if I could shoot a few of you, I would.) This weekend, I experienced two incidents that really disturbed me. My daughters and I were shopping, and this little girl walked by me, she must have been 7 years old, tops. Cute little thing, except she was wearing this T-shirt that shouted in big, bold letters: “I LOVE FRAT BOYS!”

What?? Does she even know what a frat boy is? Has she even seen “Animal House?” First off, I would not be encouraging my 7-year-old daughter to love boys. At that sweet age, she should love stuffed animals and macaroni and cheese (and her mom and dad, of course). Secondly, encouraging your daughter to love boys who are rude, obnoxious, destructive, and focused on partying and screwing hordes of women is not good parenting, People!

Most important, why would you think it’s cute, funny or cool to turn your precious young daughter into a sex object? (mercatornet.com/articles/focus_on_media_a_toxic_culture_for_girls/) Is it because her mom, who bought her that ridiculous t-shirt, never felt sexy or got attention from men, so she and wanted to make sure her own daughter got a "good start" in life?

We then went into another store where three little girls, who were maybe 10, were wearing makeup. Lots of it. Thick mascara and garishly-blue eye shadow. We couldn’t help but stare. One of them turns to my daughters and says: “Why are you looking at us? Because we’re so hot?”

Parents, I am BEGGING you to stop sexualizing your children! They are not hot, they are not sexy . . . they are children! And as parents, it is your obligation to guard their innocence. Is it any wonder that our society seems to be getting overrun by sexual predators? Buying your children sexually suggestive T-shirts and dressing them up to look like street walkers is only fueling these predators' sick, sexual fantasies.

Think about that next time you decide to buy your daughter a T-shirt that says: “Kiss me. I’m daddy’s bad little girl.”

Thursday, November 20, 2008

EXcuuuuse Meez?!!

Image by ehnotsomuch42 via Flickr

I haven’t posted a blog in almost a week. That means my blood pressure is down and all is right with the world – if you’re not counting the recession, rising unemployment, Wall Street woes and the GM bailout.

Then last night, I found my next blog post. My teen was on a website called Meez. You ever heard of it? Basically, it’s a chat room where you can create an avatar of yourself that actually looks like you do in real life, and then you can manipulate yourself with the mouse to walk around the room, interacting with other chatter-avatars. Looked like one big party, so I watched for a while.

Then some idiot named Joe sent my daughter two messages, one right after the other:

“I like touching boobs.” EXCUUUSSEE ME??

And: “Can I borrow your vaginal cream?” OK, Buddy, get your little avatar paws off my daughter, you cyber creep!

One click and she was off that Meez website, and I set up parental controls to block it. I’m not sure how long she has been visiting Meez, as she goes to her dad’s house every other weekend, and I have zero control over what she does there. But she will not be on the Meez site over here anymore!

Pretty cool technology, I’ll give them that. But, once again, the Meez site is yet another portal through which creeps, perverts and predators can interact with our kids.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Another Swipe At TPing

publication in agreement with the hamburg poli...

Image via Wikipedia
A woman named Emptynester, who responded to my last blog, said she was TP'd and doesn't have children. (So much for my daughter's theory!) She thought the attack on her home was outright malicious vandalism. So it got me thinking: Does the law consider TPing someone's house an act of vandalism?

I went straight to the source and called the local police department. According to the desk sergeant, TPing is "technically not vandalism because it does not damage property." It is merely a disturbance, he says. Egging a house, on the other hand, IS vandalism because it usually forces homeowners to paint a shutter or an outside part of the home where the egg has dried and has to be scraped off.

Not to worry, Homeowners . . . that doesn't mean the little vandals can get away with causing all that mischief. If caught in the act by the police, or if the homeowner knows with 100% certainty who did it, the kids can be cited for a curfew violation (most attacks happen very late at night, well past curfews) and forced to clean the mess up on the spot, so says the same officer in question. Or the homeowner can take it a step further and press charges for trespassing, which could result in a civil suit and the parents getting "wiped out" by a hefty fine.