April 28, 2009

Dog Safety For Kids

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:52 pm

As a whole most children love dogs and they want to touch and pet every single one they see. Most of the time this is not a good idea unless the animal belongs to the family or a family friend, but even then the chance that something can happen is still present. Even the mellowest pet can turn and bite someone for any number of reasons and for this reason parents should always be vigilant when their children are around all animals.

Every dog has the hunting instinct in them to some degree and smaller children can stir that hunter prey instinct that they have deep inside of them. For children to be safe around all dogs whether they belong to the family or those just at the park they need to learn how to behave around them to not aggravate their hunting instincts. Children should be taught:

1. Never to stare at a dog
2. A quiet dog does not mean that they are friendly
3. Never run away from a dog, even if it is attacking
4. If knocked down curl up and cover their head
5. Never scream at or taunt a dog even if is behind a fence
6. Never pull or tug on the dogs hair or tail

As parents we need to understand that dogs are only behaving instinctively and as long as we control the interaction between them and our children things should be fine. Dogs are pack animals and even the family pet sees the family as a pack complete with a pecking order that must be followed. Any deviation can result in a confused or frightened animal that can lash out and hurt someone. Pets can be a wonderful thing and give a child a lot of love, which kids can return back to them.

Hope this helps!

Julia Howard
www.anberalertgps.com

March 30, 2009

A Letter I Just Had To Share With You

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:53 pm

I received this letter from one of our Child Safety Package subscribers. I just had to share it with you. The grammar and spelling may make it hard to follow, but there is no mistaking the sincerity of this sweet mother:

“once again thank you so much. i do not know if i told you before but i started having kids young i was only 17 for one month when i had my 1st kid and 19 for a little while when i had my 2nd. i am blessed that the father of the kids married me and has been with me ever sence then!! i was raised by drug addicts and alcholech so they never told me how to protect my self if some ine came to do hare to me. when you are raised like that is is so hard to know what to say to your own kids. that is whay i am so thankful to you that you are doing this service. i just know that god is looking down and smiling upon you! liston to this just the other day i was driving by the bus stop that i take my kids to if i am unable to take them to school and there this was this very little boy, he had to be like 5 years old out there all alone by him self. i planed on taking my kids to school that day but when i saw him there all by him seld i decided to let my kids go on the bus so that i could sit there at the bus stop with all of them to make sure that nothing happened. i just do not understand how some one could let their small child stand on the side of the high way all alone when there is such mean sickos out there in this place we cal our world. i wish there was more i could do to let mothers and fathers know not to do thigs like this. i just do not know what it is i can do to help. thats why i am so greatful to you for doing what you are doing!!!!!! if only the cummingd family would of read some of the tips you have. thats why i say you are saving so many young children from veruy bad situations and for that you will be blessed!!! thank you from the bottom fo my heart! i look forwRD TO YOU EMAILS AND READ OVER EACH AND EVERY THING THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY OR TELL ME TO GO AND LOOK AT. MY KIDS ARE MY LIFE AN DYOU ARE DOING EVERY THING TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS THAT WAY. YOU ARE A GUARDIEN ANGLE FOR ALL THE KIDS.  i just looked up and noticed that i must of hit the caps lock key be accendent. i am not going to retype it, LOL. i think it had to stand out any how. i am so glad to have met you. may god bless you and your family to the very fullest!!!  love a sister mother   amber“
Thank you, Amber, for your sweet and powerful letter.
Julia Howard

March 18, 2009

Internet Safety For Kids

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 3:40 pm

The internet can be a fun as well as educational place for our children to explore, be creative within, and find answers to all their curiosities but it can also be a dangerous place as all parents know. With Dateline catching predators on a regular basis and news stories almost daily being reported about cyberbullying, crazy teen videos, and other things as parents we really do not want to think about it can also be a dangerous place.

There are laws that protect our children as they spend time online but since the world wide web is a global environment this does not always protect them. Since many users also remain anonymous or create false identities this only complicates the issue of protecting our children. Parents should not depend solely on these laws and play an active role in their child’s use of the internet.

There are plenty of tools that parents can install on a computer that can limit where a child goes while they are online. Many internet service providers also offer additional tools so parents can also talk to them regarding their children’s safety while online. Both will give you the ability to not only control where your child goes while online but will also allow you to track their activities for a better idea of what they are doing online.

Of course the biggest tool to keeping your child safe online is to simply pay attention. Never allow children to access the internet from a computer in their room. Keep the computer in a family room and make sure you are with them while they are surfing the web. By being proactive to what your child is doing online as opposed to reactive you can better help them not only be safe on the internet but also enjoy it as well.

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com
Creators of aagps child locator technology

March 12, 2009

Tragic News With GPS in the Headlines!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:07 pm

I read a very tragic story today on cnn.com about a precious little 7th grade girl in Washington state who was brutally murdered by a registered sex offender. One of the things that really bugged me about this is that the sex offender was being monitored with a GPS tracking device, but no one was watching him at the time of the crime.

Here is a link to the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/12/sex.offender.gps/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

I truly wish that the little girl had a GPS unit on her instead! Surely her parents would have been far more vigilant of their daughter than the department of corrections is of their parolees. Her parents, who warned their daughter against going through the rough part of town where she was murdered, could have been spared this heartache by the “safe zone” feature of the Amber Alert GPS child locator device because the minute she crossed over into the forbidden area, her parents would have received an alert about her being in forbidden territory and they could have retrieved her immediately.

What an absolute heartbreak! I have small children and the thought of them being attacked when it could have been prevented makes me so sad. The world is becoming an increasingly dangerous and untrustworthy place. We must do all we can with the available technology to keep our families safe.

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

March 6, 2009

Properly Using Car Safety Seats

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:55 pm

Every state in the country requires by law that infants and or small child ride in a moving vehicle in an approved child safety seat. As parents we want our children to be safe but many studies have shown that even though parents are using car seats a large amount of them are not being used correctly. Improperly using a car seat or using a car seat that is inadequate is just as dangerous as not having them in one at all.
When selecting a car seat for your child you should ensure that meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. Also many parents are tempted to purchase used seats but this is not advisable since you do not know the history of the child safety seat. It is easy to accidentally purchase car seats that are damaged or even recalled when you purchase used and this will not be effective in a car accident.

Infant seats are intended to hold babies until at least 1-year old AND at least 20 pounds, it is important to know the height and weight specifications on your particular model. These should be rear facing and if available placed in the back seat in the middle of the seat as opposed to the sides next to the window.

Once your child outgrows their infant car seat they are ready for a forward-facing child restraint or a convertible seat. Of course since the weight for most of these convertibles overlaps the infant seat so much many parents go to one of these before the child is out of the infant seat. This should NOT be done too early though since the harness system in these seats is always not the best for very small infants.

The final car seat for kids is the booster seat and the laws vary from state to state on how long a child will need to be in one of these. It is better to refer people to “best practices;” rather than state laws (which are the minimum in protection). If you have any questions on what the laws in your area are contact the local police or highway patrol and they will be more than happy to help you with this. If you also question if you are installing your child’s car seat wrong than they can also help you find an agency that will work with you to ensure that you are using it correctly. It would be better to go to a resource like http://www.safekidsweb.org/events/events.asp so they can find a specific place to have their restraint checked.  

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

March 2, 2009

Our Child Safety Blog Just Got Some Recognition!!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 12:30 pm

Our Child Safety Blog, from which you are reading right now, was recently listed as one of “The Best 50 Safety and Security Blogs” by www.forensicsciencetechnician.org. Here is the link:

http://www.forensicsciencetechnician.org/?page_id=16

We are #26! Isn’t that awesome?

Well, we love our blog and we love that our whole site is dedicated to Child Safety, whether it is our free child safety package or our state-of-the-art Amber Alert GPS 2G child tracking device. We are all about saving kid’s lives and giving parents some peace of mind when it comes to their little children.

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

February 26, 2009

Sex Offenders In Out Neighborhoods

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:10 pm

As the search continues for Haleigh Cummings in Florida the questions still continue to be asked regarding every aspect of her disappearance. From the accusations aimed at her family to questioning the authorities on the large amount of registered sex offenders, which live in a five-mile radius of the 5 year old. Wherever she may be and whomever she is with all parents can understand the sheer fear of losing your beloved child under suspicious circumstances. We all feel for the family and hope for a safe return for an innocent child.

Many parents across the country do need to take note of this case and the fact that there were such a large number of registered sex offenders in such close range to Haleigh. Every family with young children should take the time to ask just how many are in the area of their home. If they take the time to look they may be surprised by the answer to that question. This is not a big city problem and even in a small town the chances are high that one is in the area.

Some parents have a false belief that since these offenders are registered with the law enforcement of the area they are being monitored closely but if they truly understood the way the system worked in some cases they would be appalled. These offenders do have to report to a community corrections officer and they are required to avoid places such as schools and playgrounds but other than that they are free to be usual citizens. The sheer amounts of offenders in many areas make it next to impossible for the law to truly monitor these offenders closely.

As parents we need to take a proactive step in finding out where the offenders in our area live and take steps to ensure that our children know the basic rules to follow about strangers. Of course many of these offenders are rehabilitated and no threat to our children but as parents we need to not turn a blind eye to the potential. Most sheriff departments maintain lists of those who are registered in a county so that is a excellent place for parents to begin their quest for knowledge.

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

February 17, 2009

Safety Quiz For Moms

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 3:28 pm

Are your kids safe?  The answer is most likely yes.  A resounding Yes.  But just to be sure, take a few minutes and answer these child safety questions.  There may be some things below that you haven’t thought of…

Have you ever thought about putting a child locator device on your child?

Have you taught your child to recite his or her name, address and phone number?

Do you have a secret code word? Does your child know to always ask for that code word (while standing a safe distance from the vehicle) before getting into a car with anyone but you?

Does your child understand that he or she should never get in a car with anyone but Mom or Dad?

Does your child know not to get into cars or go into the houses of neighbors he or she doesn’t know very well? (Have you gone over a list of acceptable neighbors?)

Does your child know to never use a public restroom alone?

Does your child know that it is okay to say “no” to adults?

Does your child know to be as loud as possible if he or she is in danger?

Does your child know that it’s okay to use physical violence, such as kicking, if they need to protect themselves from harm?

Does your child know what to do if he or she is separated from you in a public place?  Do they know how to identify a low risk adult?

Does your child know to approach a police officer or uniformed personnel if he or she has a problem?

Does your child know the body parts that are unacceptable for others to touch and which are not?

Does your child know to shout “no” or “stop” if someone touches him or her inappropriately?

Does your child know that you trust his or her instincts, and that even if your child makes a bad choice with an innocent stranger, you will support him or her?

Does your child understand that even trusted people shouldn’t ask him or her to do something that makes him or her uncomfortable?  Do they know if they are uncomfortable in a situation they should tell you immediately?

Hopefully you answered positively to most of these questions.  They are very simple, but they work.

To Your Child’s Safety,

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

February 9, 2009

Don’t Talk To Strangers!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:07 pm

We have all told our children, “don’t talk to strangers.”  It is good advice but not necessarily the only thing you should teach your child.   According  to  the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) children are more often harmed by someone they know, a relative, family friend, neighbor or other familiar adult—not a stranger.

So what is a mom to do?  We, at amberalertgps.com, would suggest that you teach your children how to watch for situations rather than individuals.  They should be taught from an early age that they

•    should trust their feelings.
•    have the right to say no to what they sense is wrong.
•    should not keep secrets from their parents.

Children can be raised to be polite and friendly, but they should know that it is all right to be suspicious of any adult asking for assistance. Those who might harm our children often seek to make contact in an unassuming way, “help me find my puppy?”  “Do you know where so and so lives?”   etc..  Your child should know that if anyone approaches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable they should tell you immediately.  These simple things will make you feel better and help you raise confident and secure children.

I hope this helps!

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com

February 2, 2009

Some Child Safety Links for Moms…

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 4:45 pm

It is hard to know where to go to get good child safety advice and information here are a few sites I have found to be helpful.

www.missingkids.com
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a non-profit organization which attempts to locate missing children as well as educate the public. You can learn how to protect you child, and read some success stories.  You should take sometime to visit the “Resources for Parents & Guardians” section.

www.netsmartz.org
NetSmartz is an Internet safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  This site uses the latest technology to create high-impact educational activities for kids of any age group. Parents, guardians, educators, community leaders, and law enforcement can choose from resources including on- and offline activities, games, internet safety pledges, news articles, and activity cards designed to supplement the NetSmartz online activities.

www.parenting.com
Parenting.com is a great site for parents with children of any age. You can select the age of your child and then find lots of helpful information which is relevant to your child’s stage age.

Kid Safety
The Public Safety Department at the University of Oklahoma has prepared this wonderful site to help parents better protect their children. Topics range from crime prevention to internet safety, and from first-aid to alcohol and drug issues.

www.wirelessamberalerts.org
Receive AMBER Alerts on your cell phone.  Visit this site, select up to five zip codes - perhaps for your home, office and other areas you frequent - and you will receive a text message if an AMBER Alert is issued in or near that zip code.  You could play in important role in the recovery of an abducted child!

To Your Child’s Safety,

Julia Howard
www.amberalertgps.com
For the latest child locator devices!

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