Like many modern moms, I have all those little social networks as my stops online.  It’s primarily due to them that I can stay in touch with friends and family that otherwise I would have lost contact with a long time ago. 

Besides, let’s face it- social networking can be incredibly fun. 

Also like a lot of other moms, I have quite a few mom friends online too.  Most of them are a lot more talkative about their children that I am, as I tend to take the private route.  With many of those friends, you wouldn’t even have to be right there to know what’s going on at any given time with them, their children, and every other little detail.

Unfortunately, this same openness has also seemingly erased any real acknowledgement of things that may be left not online.  While at some point most people have secretly laughed at some of the digital faux-paux online, many of the same people who wouldn’t dream of doing ‘something like that’ could still putting themselves at risk.  Maybe even in ways they aren’t thinking of.

The case of a mom who recently found her child at the center of a Craigslist adoption scam recently found this out the hard way.  While yes, her child was home and not going to be kidnapped- the entire incident left her understandably shaken. 

When it comes to our children, everything is exciting.  In a world of firsts it can be hard to not over-share all those firsts, and besides (and especially for parents) they are exciting.  With digital cameras you can take a ton of photos and post them all in a matter of seconds, and really with our cell phones- it really doesn’t take much to update everyone on all those same things.s

A simple ‘first’ update with a photo can have some lasting problems for children, especially in their later years.   Kids can be cruel, and if your blog or status updates are uncovered by a bully, that really won’t bode well for your child.

Also considering the sheer amount of people online, and how many people may be on your ‘friends’ list, many that you may not really know- there’s always the chance that someone with some not so great intentions may stumble upon those photos.

The easiest way to protect yourself is really to keep private.  Be it by not sharing too much, or just remembering to to update privacy settings on your social networks.

Recommended:

Tarascon Primary Care iPhone Application Launched

Samsung To Embed Skype with Broadband HDTVs

Image by lunaweb via Flickr

Related posts

• What are Your Kids Searching Online? (3)
• Toddler Found Alive After Being Missing For Two Days (9)
• Play Games With Your Baby (0)
• Monsters Under the Bed? Helping Calm Childhood Fears (0)
• Mom Kicks Kids Out of Car (0)

If you are tired of the usual pacifiers, here is one that should add something humorous for your child when he starts crying like crazy. The Two Front Teeth Pacifier makes your baby look like he has 2 front teeth which should be something that will make other parents jealous. It retails for only $9.98.

Source

Related posts

• World’s First Wearable Magazine (6)
• When is Baby Ready To Eat (4)
• What Makes A Good Daycare? (4)
• Wee Apps For iPhone (7)
• To Vax or Not To Vax That is the Only Question (13)

Maybe it’s due to the constant stories in the news about the obesity epidemic, or the natural concern as parents we feel for out children. Whatever the reasons, a study is showing that parents have been paying attention to what their kids are eating when they are looking at the menu.

It seems that when a menu shows the nutritional information, it gets attention.  This is great news and leads to parents making better options for their kids. 

But parents don’t restrict their own energy intake, according to the report, which joins a growing body of work on the effects of menu labeling.

For the study, researchers randomly assigned 99 parents of 3- to 6-year-olds to one of two groups. Both were shown McDonald’s-like menus and asked to choose foods for themselves and their kids. However, one group’s menu included the calorie content next to the price for each item.

On average, parents whose menus did not list calories chose a meal of about 670 calories, while those who did have that information chose a meal of 570 calories.

(Source)

However, they aren’t showing the same attention to themselves. While this seems to be a trend in parenting, if we want to set up kids with good habits for life- we should start posing with the examples we want our kids to follow.

Image by Paull Young via Flickr

Related posts

• Sugar Comeback: The Marketing Ploy (5)
• Sound Off: Sin Tax To Expand To Junk Food (1)
• Healthier School Lunches Around the Corner? (0)
• Food Marketing and Kids (0)
• Coca Cola’s ‘Can’t Remember’ Ad: Wholesome and Good for Kids? (0)

The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo are being recalled. In what has become the largest recall in US history over 2.1 million cribs are being recalled.  The the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission admitted that the agency “hasn’t been acting as quickly as it should.” Which is a rather frightening and quite off-putting statement.

Here is a description of the models from the CDC:

This recall involves Stork Craft Baby cribs and Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. All Stork Craft Baby cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between May 2000 and November 2008 are included in this recall. All Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo have distribution dates between May 2000 and December 2004. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. The manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm’s name, address, and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm’s insignia “Storkcraft baby” or “storkling” is inscribed on the drop side teething rail of some cribs. In the product that contains the “Fisher-Price” logo, this logo can be found on the crib’s teething rail, in the manufacturer’s instructions, on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board, and on the end panels of the Twinkle-Twinkle and Crystal crib models.

The crib recall had been issues over four infant deaths and the cribs effected are drop-side models, and the production year goes all the way back to 1993.  The maker of the effected cribs is Canadian Stork Manufacturing, the recall effect 1.2 million cribs in the US and about 1 million in Canada.

The cribs were sold at::

Major retailers including J.C. Penney, Kmart and Walmart stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com and Walmart.com from May 2000 through January 2009 for between $100 and $400.

Remedy: CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free replacement kit, with new mattress support brackets.

Consumer Contact: Contact Stork Craft toll-free at (866) 361-3321 anytime to order the free replacement kit or log on to www.storkcraft.com

Recommended:

Holiday Safety Tips for Parents

Adam Lambert Shocker Causes Him To Lose GMA Gig

Related posts

• Jardine Cribs Recalled (3)
• Air Force Veteran Invents SIDS Prevention Device (1)
• Wee Apps For iPhone (7)
• Parenthood, 16 and Pregnant (1)
• Pacifiers: Good or Bad? (4)

Men and women have a different style of communication.  While this is a undoubtedly generalized sentence, in many instances it is true.  Due to the same different communication styles, problems can easily arise.

This can leave many quite confused about why exactly they are fighting.

One of the main differences can arise from a woman’s method of talking about the problem.  While this isn’t an issue in and of itself (after all, it’s a good way to think through the issue at hand) the problem can arise from the man’s communication style.  Generally speaking, men talk about problems and offer solutions.  When someone is talking about their issue, many men want to offer a solution to fix the issue at hand.

It can also be misinterpreted as being condescending if a woman is to state an issue without any intent behind it, it can be misinterpreted by someone as assigning blame.  Yet, it is a communication style of women (myself included) to simply state the problem and any issues that may arise out of it.

• While every couple is different (as are the individuals involved) try taking a step back and think before you react.
• Communication is important in every relationship, and to communicate effectively both partners in the parenting situation have to be on the same page.
• Try not to over analyze the things your partner says, and be honest with your feelings.
• Chances are: your partner is not psychic so you will have to tell them exactly what you want.

If you have a suggestion that works in your relationship with your co-parent, feel free to post it in the comments!

Recommended:

Get Drastic: Help for the Color Phobic

Court Orders Toyota Not to Destroy Vehicle Safety Evidence

Related posts

• Dating A Single Parent? (2)
• Survey and Questions Involving ADD and Medication (2)
• Single Parenting, The Realities (2)
• Should Kids be Able to Vote For Chris Brown? (4)
• Prom Fever in The UK (1)