Keeping Kids Safe on MySpace
By Scott Fish

There are a lot of teens who are using MySpace. Individuals over the age of 14 are eligible to use MySpace so as a result there are many teenagers who are members of the online MySpace community. These young members may appreciate the opportunity to express their creativity, express their feelings, meet new friends or stay in touch with their old friends but they should also be aware that there is the potential for danger on any Internet community. Making kids aware of this is helpful but there is also a certain degree of parental involvement which is necessary to keep kids safe when they are online.

Enforcing Household Internet Rules

Kids who use MySpace, or the Internet in general, should be restricted to a few household rules regarding Internet usage. Putting these rules in place can be very helpful in reducing the potential for danger. Some of the general Internet rules parents might consider are:

* Do not post full name and address online or even school location. This will help to prevent stalking which could become a problem if online predators know where your child lives or go to school.

* Restrict Internet usage to specific hours during the day. This can prevent overuse of the Internet.

* Do not agree to meet online friends in person without consent. Ideally the parents should also accompany their children on these meetings and should ensure the meetings take place in a well lit, public location such as a coffee shop as opposed to a secluded spot such as an individual’s home.

* Do not respond to threats or harassment. Kids should be taught to ignore this type of behavior and report these instances to parents or the Internet service provider instead of responding to the threats. Responding to threats or harassing messages can exacerbate a potentially harmful situation.

* Internet usage should be restricted to high traffic locations in the house. For example kids should only be allowed to use the Internet in computers which are in locations such as the family room or kitchen as opposed to allowing kids Internet access in their bedrooms.

Monitoring Online Interactions

Parents whose children have a MySpace account should monitor their child’s online interactions on a regular basis to ensure these interactions are not potentially harmful. Parents should be particularly concerned when children are interacting with older individuals who engage in activities which are not appropriate for the child’s age or when the children are interacting with those who might be a negative influence on the child.

Parents should also be aware that those their child is interacting with may not be honest about their identity. For example a parent may think it is harmless for their 15 year old daughter to engage in flirtatious banter with a 16 year old boy but there is the possibility that her online friend is really a much older individual. Parents should monitor these activities for suspicious behavior or suggestions of meeting in person.

Reviewing the Terms of Service

Finally, parents who want to keep their kid safe on MySpace should familiarize themselves with the online community as well as the terms of service and privacy policy. This will give the parents a better idea of the type of activities their children are engaging in and being exposed to as well as the safety precautions which are in place to help you protect your child.

Scott Fish is the owner of 401k Account Management |
Retirement Community

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Fish
http://EzineArticles.com/?Keeping-Kids-Safe-on-MySpace&id=316693

Old friends. Ahhh! Is the feeling you should have when you think of a good friend from years ago. You should have the feeling of happiness, joy, fun, and a good feeling of nostalgia. I am a Life Coach and my belief is that you should not live in the past, always look to the future. But when having good old friends, I believe you should be able to reminisce with laughter and smiles.

I have a good old friend that I have known since the 10th grade. We have been friends for 27 years now. When we were younger, we spent almost everyday together in the summer. We enjoyed shopping, going to the town pool and then in the evenings roller-skating. The summer of ’81 is one of the best we shared. We had such a blast, that we still talk and laugh about it to this day. Its great to be able to look back on those times good or bad, that we shared, and reminisce. The reason I mention this is because, even though we shared so many of the same experiences then, we are now living totally different lives. She is married with four children and I am single with no children. Though our lives are so different, we are still the best friends we were then. We hadn’t actually seen each other in a few years, although we kept in touch. Most contact was for birthdays and to share special occasions.

Last summer, we decided it was time to meet for lunch. What an amazing experience. When I arrived for lunch, I recognized my friend even though she had her back towards me. We had almost the same hairstyle, the same type of shirt and the same big smile that we always had when seeing each other. It’s amazing how similar we are. Since then, we instant message each other on a regular basis. She is currently helping me out by editing some of my work. She is a blessing to me. I am so glad that we kept in touch and am now even closer. She has recently asked me for my advice on self-confidence so that she could start a new job. I am here to help her, as she is there to help me. And we continuously learn and reshape ourselves through this help. So take my advice and look at the good old friends you have. Focus only on that part of your past, and enjoy a good chuckle.

I believe that you should never look back on the negative past, only the good past with friends. It brightens your life. So keep those friends and enjoy those memories! She is so very special, that I will always remember those memories. I’ll say it again, that we look back with enjoyment and laughter and it helps us through tough times. We can still make each other smile even when no one else can. I hope that she knows by now that she does that for me. Its great to know that we can be there for each other in times of need. I love those memories and will always cherish them. She is my best medicine and I am confident that I am hers. As a Life Coach I instruct people to never live in the past but to use the positive aspects of it to continue on or learn from.

Remember that there is nothing more special or wonderful as the memories you share with a good Old Friend. I suggest that if there is an old friend that you haven’t spoken to in a while you should contact them now. Don’t forget to share the good times you had in the past. Making a phone call or emailing is a great way to reconnect. If you are missing that old friend then take that first step. Remember, Old Friends Are the Best Medicine.

Marion Licchiello is creator of Get Motivated with Marion, a company that helps to change people’s lives on a daily basis. She has helped numerous men and women transform their lives over the years through changing their focus, creating a new mindset, visualization, hypnosis, fitness counseling, nutrition counseling, 1-on-1 personal training, seminars, workshops, and 1-on-1 coaching. She coaches over the phone, IM or in person. She keeps in contact through emails also. Her mission in life is to help others through her own experiences. She is in the process of writing a book about self-improvement. She is interested in your stories of how you changed your negatives into positives. She practices and believes that “Whatever you focus on is what you get” whether it is good or bad. She changed her life through visualization and focus and she knows you can too!

Email Marion at [mailto:getmotivatedwithmarion@yahoo.com]getmotivatedwithmarion@yahoo.com to learn more about how you could change your life or help someone you love. Her website will be up and running in a week.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marion_Licchiello http://EzineArticles.com/?Old-Friends-Are-The-Best-Medicine&id=515871