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Most Dangerous Apps for Kids: How to Protect Children Online

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Those of us with children in our lives have extra special concerns and fears we face on a day to day basis – keeping the children we love and cherish as safe as possible. The fact that so many children (unfortunately!) spend so much time online just adds to our worries.

The online world offers so many threats and risks for children – whether they’re 8 years old or 18. Most parents and grandparents don’t even realize all the unsavory (and downright dangerous) things that are out there and one of the reasons is that we, as adults, tend to frequent our favorite websites and apps and don’t diligently watch out for ones that could be luring (and harming) our kids.

Whether it’s horrifying images, predators, or scams – countless people are just waiting to take advantage of kids.

A few tips:

  • Be certain your child is old enough to be trusted with an iPhone, iPad, or unsupervised internet time.
  • Monitor the amount of time your child spends online. This is becoming a colossal problem in our society and one that isn’t just going to go away.
  • Obviously, you love your child and trust them. Somehow we just inherently trust our children – however, always be on guard. A lie (to a child, even as old as 18) is nothing more than a means of avoiding trouble – they don’t associate it with being disrespectful and they certainly don’t realize the dangers that are posed to them. They assume we (the adults) are being overprotective and unreasonable. Just don’t drop your guard.
  • Do your research! Stay on top of current dangers and experiences other parents and grandparents have had.
  • The guide Parent Alert: How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online is a wonderful resource.
  • Keep one thing in mind – it is always better to come across as overprotective and risk “annoying” your child than for any harm to come to them.

Below is an infographic from SwiftTechBuy.com which lists the most dangerous apps for kids. I hope you’ll share it with everyone you know who has children in their lives. At the bottom of the inofgraphic is a list of “source.” The websites listed in the sources would be great places for you to use to stay informed.

 

Click the infographic for a larger version!

Most Dangerous Apps for Kids

Infographic Courtesy of SwiftTechBuy.com


Altruism – What is it and How do you Practice it?

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by Matt Gregory

Altruism – What is it and How do you Practice it?

There are very few actual altruistic acts in the world. Even those that may appear to be altruistic often come with an underlying benefit to the person or party performing such an act. 

Altruism is an act of kindness that benefits only those on the receiving end, in no way benefiting the giving party in any way shape or form. That means no financial rewards, no expectation of reciprocation and not publicising the act themselves as this can be seen as boasting in order to improve their own reputation and how they are perceived by others.

When an Altruistic Act May not be as it Seems

Before we continue, let us be clear – simply because an act is not 100% altruistic does not mean that it is not thoughtful and is not an act of good. People can perform an act for good that benefits either a single person, or a wider group, and themselves benefit in some way shape or form.

The best example of when an apparent altruistic act isn’t altruistic at all is when either a celebrity or business perform an act of charity as part of a PR campaign. While they are, in fact, helping others and, in twine, raising awareness for an issue, there is a separate goal that caters to that celebrity of business’ perception in the public domain. They are wanting to be seen to be doing good in the community – this is not true altruism, although it is still a thoughtful act of kindness.

What is an Altruistic Act?

If an act is truly altruistic, you probably wouldn’t have heard about it unless those on the receiving end have broadcast it. An act of true kindness if performed with the sole intention of benefiting someone else without being broadcast and/or utilised in any way to benefit the giving party is altruistic.

Charity is often the central point for an altruistic act, with donors giving money – either on a one-off or regular basis – for a cause close to their heart. In Islam, such a donation is known as Sadaqah – where Muslims perform the act of giving or helping for good. You can find more information here on this religious practice.

Are There Enough Truly Altruistic Acts Performed Today?

Because of the point already raised earlier on in this article, it is hard to know how altruistic modern society truly is because you likely won’t hear about an act of altruism. With that being said, millions of people around the world continue to live in poverty, unable to provide for their families, children being sent to work instead of gaining an education and homeless sleeping rough on the streets.

On that basis, you would have to say that not enough acts are being performed as there are more than enough resources to ensure that not a single person has to starve, sleep rough or be denied access to education. While many are undoubtedly performed every day, there is certainly room for more…there always is.

How to Perform an Act of Altruism

You can perform an act of altruism by simply helping someone sleeping rough on the street by giving them a sandwich, something to drink, a blanket or a change of clothes without the need for posting about it across your social media profiles. There are also thousands of charities that would be highly grateful to receive whatever you can afford to give.

Equally, an act of altruism doesn’t have to benefit a stranger as you can also do something for a friend and/or relative that may be struggling. Simply taking the time to have a conversation with someone when no one else is there can be considered an act of altruism.

A Parent’s Guide to Phonological Processes

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Phonological refers to the relationships between speech sounds. Phonological processes are those mistakes children make when learning how to talk. Ideally, they stop making these mistakes and learn to speak clearly and properly at all times. However, parents are often stumped by the mistakes their children make. They’re also left wondering when it is a phase and when it is a sign of a speech delay. This is why WPS Publish created this useful infographic on phonological processes.

It describes the most common phonological problems or speech mistakes children make. It says when most children stop making this mistake. This allows parents to know when they should take their children for an assessment or visit a speech pathologist. Then the child’s speech delays are addressed as early as possible, minimizing the impact of speech problems on social development and their education. By giving parents a medical label for the problem, they know what it is called and can discuss it by name with doctors and teachers. The infographic also identifies the errors that only occur in more severe cases, allowing parents to know when they need expert help as soon as possible.


Types of Phonological Processes

Credit: WPSPublish.com

I Create My World: Perfect Book to Help Build a Child’s Confidence

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I’m in love with this little book – more to the point, I’m in love with the concept of providing children with positive affirmations, self confidence, and self worth. I Create My World  is a wonderful book for children that I wish I could put in every child in the world’s precious little hands.

I don’t have to tell you how important self worth is, nor do I need to remind you how important it is to our happiness and even health to realize that we are…

  • important
  • special
  • wonderful
  • worthy of love, happiness, and all things good!

What I might need to remind a lot of people of is this: People need to be grounded in these truths very, very, very early in life.  The first years of development are more important than most people realize.  A lot of the beliefs, feelings, and thoughts we develop as very young children stay with us throughout our lives. The impressions we form of ourselves in the early years of life stay with us, for better or worse.

That’s why the thought of a loving adult sitting down with a child and reading a book like this, together, fills my heart with warm hope.

Picture it: A parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or other family member sitting with a precious child reading a bright, beautiful book that’s all bout THEM!  Kids are their own favorite topic of conversation, after all – and this is a book reminding them.. reinforcing in them… that they are…

  • special
  • talented
  • loved
  • gifted
  • wonderful
  • the artist who’ll paint their life’s picture

I read to my daughters (Emily, Brittany, and Stephany) from the moment they were old enough to listen.  The time spent together was sweeter than any cupcake could ever hope to be. I found that it was often the words shared between us… between pages.. that were the most powerful.  The same would be true with this delightful and colorful book.  Think of the wonderful opportunities you’d have to instill positive life affirmations!  Having a book as a “tool” helps immensely.  The author’s words can guide your words, while the picture holds the child’s attention.

I’m reminded almost daily  just how strong children’s memories are.  My daughters often bring up things that happened so long ago that my mind had nearly misplaced the entire scenario. They remember books we checked out at the library and read as soon as we got home, they remember lessons from our home school – all the way back to when they were 5 and 6.  A few months ago, one of my girls brought up a story I’d made up when they were all younger than 8.  They remembered the “moral” and even the illustrations I drew to go along with it!

What a child experiences early in life helps mold and form them into the person they’ll become. It’s as though we provide them (when they’re very small) with the colors they’ll use to paint their life’s picture.

I Create My World is a beautiful palette of colors you can use to your child’s advantage!

Click through any of the links or images to learn more.

~ Joi (“Joy”)


How Do You Know if Your Teenager Needs Counselling?

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Parenting an adolescent is perhaps one of the most challenging periods of parenthood. The story in most families is the same. Almost overnight, your sweet, compliant child turns into someone you no longer recognise. He or she suddenly becomes stubborn, rude and even aggressive. It can come as a complete shock, but it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that it’s not just challenging for you. It’s a difficult time for teenagers too.

Every generation has had its own difficulties in parenting teenagers, but evidence suggest that modern society and different parenting styles (mollycoddling or over pressurising) is causing unprecedented levels of depression, self-harm and anxiety amongst young people.

So, with communication at its worse between you and your teenager, how do you know if your child is in difficulty? And importantly, how do you know it’s time to seek professional help? We’ve put together a guide of some of the challenges facing teenagers today, the signs to look out for when things are going awry, and what to do if you think your teenager could do with some help. If communication between you has reached an all-time low, counselling could help your child to make sense of how they are feeling.

The challenges facing today’s teenagers

Teens today have a different set of issues to worry about than those of previous generations. These include:

  • Social media pressures – everything is documented online – there’s no escape
  • Cyber bullying – bullying no longer ends at the school gates – it’s 24/7
  • Educational pressures
  • Peer pressures – due to social media and constant connection with friends. But remember not all peer pressure is negative.
  • Access to inappropriate video games, films and TV shows
  • Family income – recent research suggests that family income is associated with high depressive symptoms in teenagers, with children from poor families suffering most
  • Parental micromanaging (helicopter parenting) – rigidly structured childhood environments are creating anxiety and thwarting the development of independence in teenagers

Is it just normal teenager behaviour?

It’s quite normal for communication between you and your child to change during the course of adolescence. Your once chatty child, can become more secretive and less willing to open up. It’s a normal part of the adolescent development process – they are moving through a period of change, from a child to an adult, and they naturally begin a process of separation. That doesn’t mean they don’t need you. They need you more than ever.

During this period of change it’s not uncommon for parents to worry about their teenager’s behaviour. Due to hormonal and physical bodily changes, teenagers can be moody, withdrawn or short-tempered. As part of the natural process of separation it’s not uncommon for teenagers to spend increasing amounts of time alone in their room, or out with friends, and less time with family. This is perfectly normal teenage behaviour.

Signs your teenager may need counselling

Today’s teenagers are under a lot of stress. Counselling is one solution that may help your teenager to work through their difficulties and develop the skills to find solutions and gain independence. Here are some signs that may indicate your teenager needs some extra help:

  • Not engaging in extra-curricular activities
  • Not engaging with friends
  • Chronically withdrawn
  • Persistent extreme anger and/or sadness
  • Significant decrease in performance at school
  • Strong resistance to attending school, or truanting
  • Substance abuse
  • Dangerous or thrill-seeking behaviour
  • Significant changes in sleeping, eating or energy
  • High levels of aggression and disobedience
  • Poor personal hygiene

What might teenagers need counselling for?

  • Parent separation or divorce
  • Trauma
  • Sexual identity
  • Depression, sadness, anxiety
  • School failure
  • Lack of meaningful relationships/struggles with peer relationships
  • Bullying/isolation
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Self-harming behaviour
  • Substance abuse and addiction

What to do if you feel your teenager needs counselling

It’s not going to be easy to convince your teenager that talking therapy with a complete stranger is what they need. But, being open, honest and non-judgemental with your teenager is key to facilitating a level of trust between you both. Talk to your teen about your concerns, and use specific examples to qualify your concerns. Don’t expect an immediate answer; give your teen time and space to respond. Let your teenager know there are people that can help other than you. If you are at all worried about your teenager, seek help from your family doctor.

How to nurture independence

  • Do listen to your child – give advice when you are asked
  • Do encourage your teenager to solve their own problems
  • Do let go slowly and give your teen more opportunity for responsibility
  • Do learn not to take what your teenager yells at you personally
  • Do let your teenager learn from their own mistakes – you need to help them develop a ‘decision-making muscle’
  • Do support your child’s teachers and encourage your teenager to respect the teacher’s opinions
  • Don’t manage your child’s relationships or communications
  • Don’t raise your child to expect treatment that is different or better than the treatment other children receive