Distracted Riding: Biking and Texting – A Dangerous Combination
by Sue Scheff on Aug 28, 2010
The dangers of distracted driving are well known as Oprah promoted her No Phone Zone campaign and First Coast News is sponsoring the Great Hang Up! However we rarely see the dangers of bicycling and texting or talking on your cellphone. Should we call it distracted riding?
As school has opened on the First Coast (Duval, Clay and St. Johns County) you can see many teenagers biking to school or their neighborhood bike spot. How many of them have you seen reading a text or typing one while biking with one hand on handle bars.
According to the recent Nielsen Study, Florida ranks fourth in the country for cellphone usage and it was clear in the report that teens rule when it comes to texting. Do they text while biking? Two wheel texting is more common now since school opened, while teens arrange meeting their friends and planning the social events of the day.
Start watching today, how many teens are you witnessing texting, talking and biking? When you see this, be sure to use extra caution while approaching. God forbid there is an accident, in many cases the driver of the car will be held accountable when it was the teen that drifted into the road by being distracted.
Stop, talk, repeat, talk again – you can never talk enough about the dangers of distracted biking or driving. Remember parents, be an example to your kids!
Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens!
Watch video for potential ban on texting and biking. Read more.
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Distracted Texting, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sue Scheff, Texting
Sue Scheff: Electronic Media Taking Over Parenting Teens?
by Sue Scheff on Aug 10, 2010
More Than One-Third of Parents Concerned Teens’ Exposure to Media Hinders Parent/Child Communication about Dangers of Drug and Alcohol Use
Teens Now Spend 53 Hours a Week Immersed in Electronic Media, More Difficult for Parents to Find Time To Talk ~
NEW YORK, NY – August 10, 2010 – New omnibus[1] research from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America shows that more than one-third of parents are concerned that TV (38 percent), computers (37 percent) and video games (33 percent) make it harder for them to communicate with their media-engrossed teens about risky behaviors, like drug and alcohol use. The survey of more than 1,200 parents also confirms that a quarter or more are worried that newer forms of media, including cell phone texting (27 percent) social networking sites, like Facebook (25 percent) and Twitter (19 percent) hinder effective parent/child communication about the dangers of teen substance abuse.
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study of 2,000 teens released earlier this year[2], the average amount of time young people (8-18 year olds) spend consuming entertainment media is up dramatically to almost eight hours per day – that’s at least 53 hours a week of immersion in some form of media. The research also noted that the more media teens consume, the less happy they tend to be and those who are most captivated by media reported their academic performance suffered. About half (47 percent) of heavy media users reported they usually get fair to poor grades, mostly C’s or lower, compared to about a quarter (23 percent) of light media users. ……
“These new findings present a unique opportunity for parents to play a more active role in what their kids are watching, monitor how they are spending their time online and remain aware of the impact all of this media consumption is having on their impressionable teens,” said Partnership President Steve Pasierb. “We know that kids today are bombarded with pro-drug and drinking messages via everything from song lyrics, movies and video games, to social networking sites. Videos of kids abusing cough medicine and common household products to get high are all too accessible online and that’s why it’s more important than ever for parents to break through the media noise and make their voices heard.”
The Kaiser study notes the drastic increases in media consumption among youth are driven in large part by easy access to mobile devices like cell phones and iPod media players. Among kids and teens, cell phone ownership has increased sharply since 2004, from 39 percent to 66 percent in 2009, while ownership of iPods jumped drastically from 18 percent to 76 percent over the same time period. Overall, 20 percent of kids’ media consumption comes from mobile devices. [1] And, as kids get older and consume even more media, the level of concern among parents increases and can lead to breakdowns in parent/child communication.
“I feel the frustration that comes from my daughters’ being constantly glued to their cell phones texting and sending non-stop instant messages and watching endless hours of trashy, reality TV shows,” said Susan Wilson, mother of three teenage daughters. “But I‘ve accepted that the role that media and technology plays in the lives of our kids is not going away and, as parents, we have to meet teens where they are. We have to be willing to listen to their music, watch their movies and know about the latest TV programs our kids are watching if we’re going to stay on top of what they are exposed to.”
Wilson added, “I’ve learned that even though I proactively limit it at times, embracing technology has actually improved my communication with my family. I‘ve had some of the most meaningful conversations with my daughters about the pressures of growing up via text messaging. Not only is that less threatening to them, but they can keep a written record of my ‘voice’ that they can refer to again later.”
As Kids Head Back to School, Take “Time To Text” Your Teens
Back-to-school season signifies a time of new beginnings for teens, yet it can also mark a time of new challenges for many young people dealing with added pressure from peers, especially when it comes to teen drug and alcohol use. Parents are encouraged to frequently communicate with their kids about the dangers of drug and alcohol use and the Partnership’s TimeToTalk.org empowers them to recognize the influence they have in their children’s lives, while offering easy, online resources to help parents start an ongoing dialogue with their kids about avoiding risky behaviors. Parents can learn about what teens are seeing and learning from their increased exposure to media and use those “teachable moments” as a starting point to supervise their kids’ media consumption and talk with them about the importance of making positive, healthy decisions for themselves.
Parents and caregivers who are waiting for the “right time” to talk with their kids about the dangers of drug and alcohol use may be missing key opportunities to influence their kids’ choices on this important health issue. While nothing can take the place of in-person conversations, harnessing the communicative power of technology including emails, cell phones, and even texting, can help start a conversation with a reluctant teen. Also, parents can reinforce these messages at times when teen drinking and drug use is more likely – after school, on weekends and during unsupervised hours.
Free Tool at TimeToTalk.org Helps Parents and Caregivers Text Their Teens
For those parents who are hesitant or don’t know how to send text messages, the Partnership has created a free, downloadable guide called “Time To Text.” The tool is now available at TimeToTalk.org and offers quick tips on how to text, suggests examples of different messages to send to teens and even provides a cheat sheet parents can keep in their wallet.
“Some parents may still feel apprehensive about embracing media and technology as a way of communicating with their children, but, in today’s world, it is vital that they connect with their kids in any way possible,” added Pasierb. “It is important that we help bridge the technology gap between parents and ‘Generation Text’.”
# # # #
About The Partnership
The Partnership at Drugfree.org is a nonprofit organization that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. Bringing together renowned scientists, parent experts, and communications professionals, the Partnership translates current research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment into easy to understand resources at drugfree.org. Through its nationwide PACT360 community education programs, the Partnership educates and mobilizes local community efforts to address drug threats at the grassroots level, including methamphetamine and prescription drug abuse, and also provides parent training and teen programs that help prevent teen substance abuse. The Partnership depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and government. The Partnership thanks SAG/AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.
Tags: Drug Free America, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Texting, Time To Talk
Sue Scheff: Sex, Tech and Teens
by Sue Scheff on May 07, 2010
S-E-X, this is one of the most difficult and sensitive subjects parents dread to talk to their kids about, but it is also just as critical. Now let’s compound it with technology and teens and we can create sexting!
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Cosmo Girl have recently released the results of a new survey. Results from this new survey show that 21% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys have sent/ posted nude or semi-nude images of themselves. What is going on with teens, tech, and sex?
Tips for parents from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy include:
1. Talk to your kids about what they are doing in cyberspace. Just as you need to talk openly and honestly with your kids about real life sex and relationships, you also want to discuss online and cell phone activity. Read more.
2. Know who your kids are communicating with. Of course it’s a given that you want to know who your children are spending time with when they leave the house. Read more.
3. Consider limitations on electronic communication.The days of having to talk on the phone in the kitchen in front of the whole family are long gone, but you can still limit the time your kids spend online and on the phone. Read more.
4. Be aware of what your teens are posting publicly. Check out your teen’s MySpace, Facebook and other public online profiles from time to time. This isn’t snooping-this is information your kids are making public. Read more.
5. Set expectations. Make sure you are clear with your teen about what you consider appropriate “electronic” behavior. Read more.
More articles of interest:
Should you read your teen’s diary?
Should you read your teen’s emails and text messages?
Is honestly the best policy?
Not my kid
Nastygrams: Think before you send
In Florida, SafeFlorida.net was created to help prevent cyber crimes, educate parents, assist teens and more in the growing digital cyberspace.
Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Cyber Safety, Cyber Slander, Parenting, Parenting Teens, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sexting, Sue Scheff, Teen Issues, Texting
Sue Scheff: Texting Teens – Will they be able to communicate verbally?
by Sue Scheff on Apr 23, 2010
Today more and more teens have cell phones. Teen texting between friends has now overtaken cell phone communications – and every very other common form of interaction. According to a recent study by PEW Research:
- Half of teens send 50 or more text messages a day, or 1,500 texts a month. One in three send more than 100 texts a day (or more than 3,000 texts a month.)
- 15% of teen texters send more than 200 texts a day, or more than 6,000 texts a month.
- Boys send and receive 30 texts a day; girls typically send and receive 80 messages per day.
- Teen texters ages 12-13 typically send and receive 20 texts a day.
- 14-17 year-old texters typically send and receive 60 text messages a day.
- Older girls who text are the most active, with 14-17 year-old girls typically sending 100 or more messages a day or more than 3,000 texts a month.
- 22% of teen texters send and receive just one to 10 texts a day, or 30 to 300 texts a month.
Is this a time parents need to pick and choose issues of concern? Yes and no. There are many other more serious issues such as drug abuse or gang relations, however if your teen is obsessed or addicted to texting, it may be time to intervene. Give your teen limits, and be sure there is a time that the phones are simply turned off.
Having consequences in place and following through with them can help convey to your teen that you are serious. Teens need to learn how to “talk” to others outside of texting. Parents should be concerned that all the texting may alter their ability to communicate effectively.
When it is time to apply to colleges or interview for a job, will they have the verbal skills they need? At last glance, you can’t text your way into employment or into a college.
In Florida, there is a bill in legislation that will ban texting and driving. Although many know the dangers of texting and driving, many still do it. Stress to your teens, no text is worth dying over. Encourage your teens to take the pledge and join thousands of others that are putting the cell phone aside as they drive.
Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens.
Watch video and read more on Teen Cell Phone Addiction.
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Parenting, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sue Scheff, Teen Issues, Teens Texting, Texting
Sue Scheff: Oprah Declares National No Phone Zone – Florida Moves Forward on Banning Texting and Driving Bill
by Sue Scheff on Apr 20, 2010
If Oprah says it, you can almost guaranty people are listening. On April 30th, 2010 Oprah is declaring it “National No Phone Zone Day” and encouraging every driver to sign the pledge not to text and drive or talk and drive! Distracted driving kills same as drunk driving does.
That is only part of it. In Florida, a bill passed the Senate Committee and is on its’ way to the State Capitol. This bill will ban texting and driving. Senator Nancy Detert presented this legislation stating, “People that are texting are generally drifting into your lane unbeknownst to them and we’ve seen studies that if you’re reading a text at 70 miles an hour, driving tons of machinery, generally you’re not looking at the road for up to seven seconds and that would be plenty of time to cause an accident.”
If passed, Detert’s bill would make texting while driving a secondary offense, which means drivers could only get a ticket if they were pulled over for another violation.
The first offense would be a non-moving violation with a fine of $30 plus court costs. A second violation within five years would be a moving violation and carry a fine of $60.
Senator Detert said her main goal is to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving and discourage drivers, especially teenagers, from forming that habit.
All of this comes as Oprah Winfrey encourages everyone to take the pledge. It is only a matter of time before texting and driving will be illegal, however until then, you could potentially be saving a life. Texting and driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. Don’t take the risk, it just isn’t worth it.
Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens.
Tags: Driving, No Phone Zone, Oprah, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Teen Issues, Texting, Texting and Driving
Sue Scheff: AT&T Kicks off – Don’t Text and Drive Campaign
by Sue Scheff on Mar 22, 2010
AT&T recently launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the risks of texting and driving and remind all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving.
The national campaign features true stories and the text message that was sent or received before someone’s life was altered, or even ended,because of texting and driving.
Stop what you’re doing. Take out your wireless device. Read out loud the last text message you received. Would reading or responding to that text message while driving be worth causing a serious accident? When you look at it that way, there’s no text that couldn’t wait.
AT&T* is launching today a new campaign to raise awareness about the risks of texting and driving and remind all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving.
The national campaign features true stories and the text message that was sent or received before someone’s life was altered, or even ended, because of texting and driving. By featuring real stories, the campaign will demonstrate how insignificant a text message is compared to the potentially dire consequences of reading or responding while driving.
For example, in one of the television spots, the text “Where u at?” flashes on the screen and a mother says, “This is the text my daughter was reading when she drove into oncoming traffic.” The ad also includes the message “No text is worth dying over” and the campaign’s tagline, “Txtng & Drivng … It Can Wait.”
“We explored several campaign concepts but we didn’t have our ‘aha!’ moment until we asked one of our focus groups to take out their devices and read the last text they received,” said Cathy Coughlin, senior executive vice president and global marketing officer for AT&T. “When we asked if that particular message was worth the potential risk of reading while driving at 65 mph, you could have heard a pin drop. That’s when we realized the message ‘it can wait’ was effective in educating consumers about the dangers of texting while driving.”
The new campaign will span print, radio, TV and online advertising – which will be rolled out in the coming months – as well as in-store signage, collateral and online billing. In addition, parents, high school educators and, most importantly, youth, can now visit AT&T’s online resource center www.att.com/txtngcanwait. The site includes downloadable information about texting while driving such as a parent-teen pledge; a teen-teen pledge; a poster; a brochure; safety tips; and more.
AT&T also has launched a Facebook application, which can be found at www.facebook.com/att. Friends can share this application with one another to encourage each other to take the pledge to not text and drive. AT&T will also be promoting the pledge via a “twitition” on Twitter to ask followers to rally around the cause. You can follow @ShareATT on Twitter. In addition, to honor those taking the pledge, AT&T will contribute $250,000 to one or more non-profit organizations focused on youth safety and will announce the selected non-profit organization(s) at the start of National Youth Safety Month in May.
“While our campaign is important for all drivers, we’re particularly focused on youth,” said Coughlin.
In September 2009, AT&T announced a commitment to raise awareness about the issue of texting and driving through a multifaceted initiative to educate employees, customers and the general public about using wireless devices safely while driving.
Since then, AT&T has revised its wireless and motor vehicle policies to more clearly and explicitly prohibit texting and driving, impacting its approximately 280,000 employees; incorporated a don’t-text-and-drive message on the plastic clings that protect handset screens on the majority of new devices sold in AT&T’s more than 2,200 stores; and will integrate campaign messaging in AT&T catalogs, in-store signage and collateral, bills, e-mails, newsletters and more.
By using multiple touch points, AT&T expects the campaign to reach millions.
* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T – News) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verseSM and AT&T | DIRECTVSM brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing, advertising sales and interactive local search applications. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.
About Philanthropy at AT&T
For over 25 years, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have been committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2009, nearly $155 million was contributed through corporate, employee, and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow news on Twitter at @ATTNews. On Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about consumer and wireless services or at www.facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
Tags: ATT, Cell Phone Safety, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sue Scheff, Teen Driving, Texting, Texting and Driving
Sue Scheff: The Consequences of Sexting
by Sue Scheff on Feb 27, 2010
Sexting is a word that years ago we would have not heard about. Today teens and tweens are not only familiar with this word, many have suffered the consequences from it.
A Thin Line debuted on MTV this month that educates and informs parents, teachers, kids and everyone about the dangers of the digital world.
What is Sexting?
Sending or forwarding nude, sexually suggestive, or explicit pics on your cell or online. For some people, it’s no big deal. But real problems can emerge when the parties involved are under 18, when people get pressured into sexting, and when sexts go viral. – A Thin Line
What are the consequences of sending or receiving one? There are many, however the most common are the feelings of humiliation, embarrassment and much worse. The person that is in the photo can potentially suffer from extreme depression and even feelings of suicide.
For the person sending them to go viral, there could be potential criminal charges. You could get arrested. Taking, sending, and possessing naked images of a minor is a federal crime. Sex offenders’ registry? Not the honor roll you were hoping for.
Parents need to take the time to sit down and talk to their kids about sexting and how it can potentially ruin lives for a long time. Review their phones or computers if you suspect that your child is participating in this activity. Remember, there comes a time when safety trumps privacy and this could be one of those times.
Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.
Watch A Thin Line on Sexting in America. Watch the four-part series with your children.
Read more on Examiner.
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Cyber Safety, Cyberbullying, Internet Safety, Parenting, Parenting Teens, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sexting, Sue Scheff, Teen Issues, Texting
Sue Scheff: Sexting – What Parents Need to Know
by Sue Scheff on Dec 28, 2009
Parenting resolutions are ones that you can’t afford to ignore or neglect after a few weeks. One of 2009′s hot and trendy topics is “sexting.” What is sexting? It is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones.
We don’t need more reminders of what sexting can cause emotionally to students. In Florida we had the sad story of cyber tragedy that ended in the suicide of 13 year-old Hope Witsell.
Here are some tips and what parents need to know and use now and in 2010. (Source: Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy):
Set time of day limits on cell phone usage: While many parents have a hard time regulating the number of texts per month and have surrendered to “unlimited texting”, you can control the hours that your teen texts. We suggest determining a time when cell phones come of the pocket or out of the bedroom and are placed in a central location on a charger along with your cell phone. Kids who are permitted to keep their cell phones in their room overnight on average get less sleep and are often times texting in the middle of the night. Make the right choice in allowing your teen to obtain uninterrupted sleep by limiting the hours that they have phone access and set rules on when texting is appropriate.
Take laptops out of your child’s bedroom: While computers and the Internet provide wonderful educational opportunities and help teens study, they also can provide 24 hour access to social networking sites, instant messaging and email at times when children are not supervised. By removing computers from the teen’s bedroom and placing them in a central location, like a family room or kitchen, teens are less likely to have inappropriate contact through the computer and are more likely to notify a parent about an unusual or disturbing message.
Keep computers and laptops in a common area: Studies have shown that teenagers are less likely to engage in risky behavior if they are accessing the Internet in a common room or area where others are likely to be present. This is even true if no one is standing over their shoulder. Just the fact that you can glance at what is on the screen is enough to make kids think twice before going to inappropriate Internet sites or having conversations with individuals who they may not know. Keeping the computer in a common area can only help your child make safe decisions.
Know your child’s username and password: While some parents and most all kids groan at the idea of allowing you access to their social networking page, email account or instant messaging, it really is important. The fact that you have access to the information, despite the fact that you may never actually look, protects kids from making bad choices. What’s more, in the unlikely event that something should happen to your child, rather than wasting valuable time while law enforcement obtains subpoenas or search warrants, you can quickly access your child’s personal Internet conversations and contacts in a matter of seconds. In nearly all cases, once law enforcement is given the access to the on line material, a missing child has been returned or someone who is targeting your child has been apprehended. It’s a small piece of information that can have remarkable results if necessary.
Talk to your child about cyberbullying: Today’s bullies are no longer the stereotypical “tough kid” in school, but can often times be a physical small child or a straight “A” student. Cyberbullying can happen around the clock due to Internet and cell phone access, which makes your home no longer “safe” from the bully. With 24-hour access to technology, bullying can continue no matter where the victim goes. Talk to your child about bullying and being bullied. If you feel your child is the target of cyberbullying notify law enforcement immediately.
Be sure to read the Five-Part series of Parenting in 2010 and how you can become better in tune with your kids technically ending with T.A.L.K.
Reminder: 2009 Parenting Tips Wrap-up - Continue to keep those lines of communication open.
Subscribe to my articles to be up-to-date with parenting and Internet safety information.
Also on Examiner.
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Cyber Safety, Parenting, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sexting, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Texting
Sue Scheff: Texting While Driving -Cell Phone Safety
by Sue Scheff on Dec 07, 2009
Recently I was contacted by WebSafety to share some valuable and priceless information to help you keep your teens safe while driving.
WebSafety has developed a software that alerts parents before danger happens (if children are contacted by someone they don’t know [they say 700,000 predators are online everyday grooming kids, trying to find their next victims] and if your child receives ‘LMIRL’ = let’s meet in real life, you’ll get alerted in real time, if they’re being cyber bullied, stalked, or being asked to send nude pics [AKA ‘sexting’ which becomes child pornography once trafficked from friend to friend.]
With the news of the recent 13 year old suicide of Hope Witsell in Florida, which is releated to sexting and bullying, it is imperative parents keep 10 steps ahead of their kids and teens technically.
Zig Ziglar Agrees to Market Blindspot Alert`s Two Products, WebSafetyPC and CellSafety
DALLAS–(Business Wire)–Blindspot Alert, Inc. (the “Company”) (OTCBB:BSAL), a developer and marketer of software that makes cell phone usage and the Internet safer for families, today announced the association of Zig Ziglar and Ziglar, Inc. to support and promote the marketing of the Company`s two products: WebSafetyPC and CellSafety.
“My life and career have been spent in service to family values,” Zig Ziglar said from his home in Dallas, Texas, “and like many parents and grandparents, I’ve wondered how we can better protect our children from predator invasions over the Internet. Likewise, texting while driving has become a major risk for teenage drivers, increasing the likelihood of having an accident by as much as 23 times. When our family reviewed the WebSafetyPC and CellSafety products, we knew we wanted it; and we want everyone we care about to have it, too.”
President of Ziglar, Inc., Tom Ziglar says, “This really is a remarkable technology, and one that every family with a computer in their home or a person who drives while using a cell phone should have.”
The Company`s President Clifton Jolley says, “Having Zig as a proponent of the WebSafetyPC and CellSafety products is gratifying. Together we are committed to protecting children from Internet predators and from the risks associated with cell phones and driving. Like many of us, the Ziglar family has worried over the risks posed by these technologies; but until we developed the technology, Internet and cell phone usage has been a frustrating task for most parents. WebSafetyPC and CellSafety create a safety net to keep kids and adults from falling into bad habits such as texting while driving and from being contacted by cyberbullies and predators.
The Company`s two main products are:
CellSafety all but eliminates the risk of texting while driving by turning off
the texting feature at a predetermined speed. Parents also have the ability to
create “test-free zones,” such as schools, where cheating by texting is an
increasing problem. “Another great feature,” Tom Ziglar says, “is the FindMe
feature that lets me find my cell-phone-enabled children.”
WebSafetyPC provides many of the features available on CellSafety phones such as alerts for cyber bullying, sexting, and predator alerts. The president of Mothers Against Predators says of her experience, “The predator who attacked my daughter didn`t come in through a window…he came in through my computer.”
WebSafetyPC and CellSafety provide the following features as demonstrated by these two charts:
https://www.mywebsafety.com/Shared/WebSafetyProductComparisonv.1.4.pdf
https://www.mywebsafety.com/Shared/CellSafetyProductComparisonv.1.4.pdf
National Press:
http://www.mywebsafety.com/Site/video.asp?isv=3&Pin=48238&SN=ChildSafety
For more info, please see:
http://www.MyWebSafety.com/ChildSafety
Tags: Cell Phone Safety, Cyber Safety, Internet Predators, Internet Safety, Parenting Teens, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Sexting, Sue Scheff, Teen Driving, Teen Help, Texting, WebSafety
Sue Scheff: Driving and Talking is Dangerous
by Sue Scheff on Sep 03, 2009
Just last week I wrote an article for the Examiner about Teen drivers with some valuable resources, including a teen driving contract. This week Connect with Kids offers some parent tips you need to take the time to read. An educated parent is a prepared parent that equals a safer teen!
Source: Connect with Kids
Driving and Talking is Dangerous
“The task of driving and the task of communicating on the cell phone kind of play off the same area of the brain. So it’s got similar brain function for both tasks. [It is] the worst of multi-tasking. And the brain is just not set up to do that effectively. It’s sort of like giving 50 percent to each. And driving takes a lot more than fifty percent concentration.”
– Dr. Cathy Blusiewicz, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
How well do teens drive while using a cell phone?
“I got into a car accident when I was 16,” answers 18-year-old Katie, “and I made a left turn without a light and I wasn’t paying attention and I was on my cell phone.”
“I usually text message a lot and find myself like swerving off the road,” admits 16-year-old Andrew.
“Mostly when cars stop in front of me,” says 16-year-old Chris, “a lot of times you are looking down texting or whatever and you look up and they are stopped, and you just barely missed them. Or, sometimes, in my case, I did hit one person.”
According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, talking, texting, dialing or answering a cell phone takes drivers’ eyes off the road long enough to travel the length of a football field.
“You might as well be driving with a bag over your head that you take off occasionally,” says psychologist Dr. Cathy Blusiewicz, “It’s a recipe for disaster.”
She says if you’re talking or texting on the phone, your brain cannot fully pay attention to the road ahead.
“The task of driving, and the task of communicating on the cell phone kind of play off the same area of the brain,” says Dr. Blusiewicz, “so it’s got similar brain function for both tasks. [It is] the worst of multi-tasking. And the brain is just not set up to do that effectively. It’s sort of like giving 50 percent to each. And driving takes a lot more than fifty percent concentration.”
Experts say parents must intervene. “Set down some rules and talk to them about, ‘If you have to make a call, you have to pull over,’” says Blusiewicz. “’You have to find a place where you are not driving.’”
Tips for Parents
It is very likely that your teenager will pick up the majority of his/her driving habits from watching you. According to a survey by Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), nearly two-thirds of teenagers polled say their parents talk on the cell phone while driving, almost half say their parents speed, and just under one-third say their parents don’t wear seatbelts. The following statistics, therefore, shouldn’t be very surprising:
- Sixty-two percent of high school drivers say they talk on a cell phone while driving, and approximately half of high school teens who do not yet drive (52 percent) and middle school students (47 percent) expect they will engage in this behavior when they begin driving.
- Sixty-seven percent of high school drivers say they speed.
- Thirty-three percent of high school drivers say they do not wear their seatbelt while driving.
Cell phones have been transformed from status symbols into everyday accessories. In fact, cell phones are so prevalent among teenagers that a recent study found that they viewed talking on the phone nearly the same as talking to someone face-to-face.
If you believe your teen should have a cell phone, it is important to lay down a few ground rules. The National Institute on Media and the Family suggests the following guidelines for setting limits on your teen’s cell phone use:
- Choose a plan that puts some reasonable limits on your teen’s phone time. Make sure he or she knows what the limits are so he or she can do some budgeting.
- Let your teen know that the two of you will be reviewing the bill together so you will have some idea of how the phone is being used.
- If use exceeds the plan limits, the charges can mount very quickly. Make sure your teen has some consequences, financial or otherwise, if limits are exceeded.
- Teach your child about the dangers of using the cell phone while driving and the distractions it can cause.
- Find out what the school’s policies are regarding cell phone use and let your teen know that you will completely support the school’s standards.
- Agree on some cell phone etiquette. For example, no phone calling during meals or when it is bothersome or rude to other people.
- Conversely, let your teen know that any “phone bullying” or cheating via text messaging will not be tolerated.
- Let your teen know that his or her use of the cell phone is contingent on following the ground rules. No compliance, no phone.
References
- Washington Post
- Liberty Mutual
- Students Against Destructive Decisions
- Road and Travel
- Wired News
- National Institute on Media and the Family
Tags: Connect with Kids, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Tips, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Safe Teen Driving, Sue Scheff, Teen Driving, Teen Driving and Talking, Texting
