There is no doubt about it, Hannah Montana is one of the most popular teen stars today. I personally do not follow her much but I am sure that many children and teens do so. One of our readers pointed out an episode wherein Hannah Montana and her dad rode a Range Rover without wearing seatbelts. It may seem inane but being the role model that she is, it would have been good to see them setting a good example.

I suppose it is not her fault – after all, producers and directors were behind the scene. However, children may think that just because she was not wearing a seatbelt, they should not wear one too. Should we really care? According to Consumer Reports:

Because, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in about 55 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in 2006 (the latest data available), the occupants were not wearing seat belts. Even worse, in the 13- to 15-year-old age group, that percentage climbs to 65 percent. Unfortunately, we’re not surprised by these grim statistics because a 2002 survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that when parents were dropping teens off at school in the morning, nearly half the teens weren’t using seat belts.

This information is enough to justify our concern, I think. Still, Billy Ray Cyrus, who plays Hannah Montana’s dad has admitted to the oversight. No big deal, I should say.

Teenagers may not be the most responsible group of people in the world. Though I am saying this at the risk of labeling and stereotyping people, I think it is true in many cases. I still remember being a teenager and how it felt back then. I had my sense of responsibility, no doubt about that, but the sense of adventure and being invincible oftentimes overwhelmed my sensibilities.

One of our readers sent in a link to a video on YouTube, suggesting that we take a look at it and see what we think. You know what? I got scared while watching the video. Maybe I am being the “paranoid mom” but watching that young girl lie to her mom over the phone and through text message just unnerved me. The video was short – it was actually an ad for Safeco Insurance – but it detailed how the teenaged girl told her mom that she and friends were going to rent a movie then go straight home to her friend’s house. As it turned out, she went to a party at someone else’s house.

Issues that I feel are important:

-not telling the truth or feeling that she had to hide her activities from her parents
-drinking when she had to drive home
-being pressured by her friend (who by the way was pushy).

I got scared because I would not want my teenager to act that way. I want my children to grow up as responsible human beings who will not feel the need to hide such things from their parents. I want my children to be able to realize what is right and wrong and to have their own mind. Tough, huh? But I think it’s every parent’s dream. The question is, how do you encourage responsibility in your children?

A couple of weeks ago we had a terrible scare. While on a lazy trip to the mall, my 5 year-old’s foot got caught in the escalator, very nearly severing her toes, or worse, foot. Thank goodness though, she was all right and we got away with a nasty fright, feet a little scratched but unharmed.

She was wearing her pink crocs, those rubber gardening shoes which have taken kids (and parents) footware fashion by storm.

It happened just as we were getting down to the lower floor. N suddenly screamed, and as I grabbed her, the back strap of the shoe was gobbled up mercilessly by the escalator. If the croc had been tightly fit (luckily it was loose, so it slipped off), her (gulp) foot could have been swallowed up as well.

N was shaken, and people behind us tried in vain to help, pulling the shoe out of the machine, but it was jammed, slowly getting crushed, every pink bit of it. N was so brave, seemingly more upset that her foot was now naked.

My sister, who was with us, stayed with the guards who were now filing a report, taking photos and such while N and I went in search of new shoes. My husband was furious when I told him what happened, he felt it was mall’s fault, using a faulty escalator. I agreed with him, until I found out that this incident with crocs on escalators has been happening all over the world. Read on and be wary of those shoes!!!

Dead Croc in Rustan’s:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daphneosena/410998792/

Singapore Child Loses Toe:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/061109/3/44ngj.html

Crocs + Escalators= Danger:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=bizarre&id=4630653

After the crocs scare, I got loads of emails from Moms all over the world, with similar stories of escalator dangers and tragedies - like a boy who lost part of his arm when his jacket got caught.

I also realized that apart from the little picture warnings some escalators (not all) have printed on them, many of us parents dont know the basics on escalator safety.

Heres what we all should know about escalator safety, which applies to moving walks as well:

The Way To Go

* Face forward on the center of the step with feet slightly apart and without touching the stationary sides.

* Hold the handrail.

* Watch your step when entering or leaving the escalator, and step off (don’t slide off) quickly.

* If your hands are full with packages or luggage, choose a nearby elevator instead. Balancing packages on the steps or on the handrail may cause injury to yourself or other passengers.

* Never ride an escalator barefoot.

* Keep hands, feet and clothing clear of moving parts.

* Be particularly careful with loose clothing such as scarves, coats and their belts, long skirts, wide pants, untied shoelaces, and when wearing soft rubber shoes or boots, open-toed shoes, sneakers or high heels.

* Passengers using bifocals should pay particular attention as they enter or exit the escalator.

* Recognize your limitations. If you feel uncomfortable riding, or experience difficulty boarding or exiting an escalator, use the elevator instead.

Rules of the Ride

* Don’t strike side panels with hands, feet or objects.
* Don’t place items on the handrails or steps.
* Don’t use an escalator for freight.
* Don’t walk up the “down” escalator or down the “up” escalator.
* Don’t use an inoperative escalator as a stairway.
* Don’t run up or down the steps.

If you’re using a stroller, wheelchair, crutches or any kind of car or wheeled vehicle, follow the signs to the nearest elevator. Escalators were never intended to accommodate these vehicles safely.

For adults, online privacy usually isn’t much of an issue, except when it comes to financial matters. Who would want his credit card info or bank statement stolen, right? And sometimes, having your identity available online can help, especially if you use the Internet to market your business or services.

But with kids, having their identities publicly available online can be dangerous, as we discussed before. Here are a few ways to make sure your child is practicing good privacy online. Of course, these could also apply to you!

Don’t post your home address and telephone numbers. This is the easiest way that bad people can find you.

Don’t post the name of your school or your exact town or vicinity. Even if people don’t find your exact home address, they can still do some research, and your school and town would be a good place to start.

Use nicknames when blogging. When writing about people or yourself, it’s good to use pseudonyms instead of real names. And make sure that these nicknames are not easily identifiable or associated with the real identity of a person.

Don’t post photos for public consumption. It’s best if you keep your pictures viewable only by people whom you personally know. Many photo-sharing websites have this feature.

Don’t write too detailed information on your online journal. Strangers can use these information to make you feel as if they know you. If you’re writing a public blog, then be sure you do not reveal too much.

Respect the privacy of your friends. Don’t just make sure your privacy is protected. Also do the same for your friends. Do not have your friends real names, addresses and other details publicly available.

The best advice would be to consult with a parent knowledgeable in online privacy and security, when in doubt

The other day, I wrote a short intro about “Web 2.0″ applications, particularly blogs and social networking sites. Actually I feel like I’m preaching to the choir, since if you’re reading this, you are most probably aware of blogs and blogging. Still, it’s best to cover all our bases. A lot of people may know about the so-called new media, but are still not as vigilant about online security as they should be.

For those with kids in the adolescent to young adult ages, blogs and social networking sites can prove to be risky in terms of privacy and security. These sites, by nature, are used to share one’s experiences and identity online. Social networking sites, for instance, commonly feature personal profiles and photographs of the account owner. Blogs, meanwhile, can contain journal or diary-like entries, such as the author’s private thoughts, and what happened in the course of a day.

It’s just like taking a peek into a person’s mind, and knowing his/her thoughts, habits, problems, and other details–maybe even contact information and home addresses!

There are those who can use these information the wrong way. There may be predators, stalkers, and other people with malicious intent. And they can take advantage of the innocence of young individuals and do bad, abusive stuff online, or worse, they can bring it offline!

Next, I’ll share some tips on how to avoid being a target.

Heres the last installation of how your family should prepare for an earthquake - what to do if when it is happening and after. I know its an awful prospect, but if like me, you’ve been through one, it really does make sense to give preparation and planning some thought.

In a nutshell, when there is an earthquake happening, if there is only one rule to remember its to TAKE COVER AND STAY THERE.

1. If you’re inside your home, stay there. Get out of the kitchen… safer places are inside halls, in corners, in archways. Take cover under a heavy table, desk or any solid furniture that you can get under and hold onto. Protect your head and face. Doors may slam on your fingers if you’re in a doorway. Avoid areas near windows.

2. If you’re in a yard outside your home, stay there and get clear of buildings and wires that could fall on you.

3. Don’t go outside where you may be hit by falling debris… sidewalks next to tall buildings are particularly dangerous.

4. Avoid elevators… if you’re in an elevator when an earthquake happens, hit all floor buttons and get out when you can. High rise residents will hear fire alarms go off and electricity may fail.

5. If you’re in a vehicle, pull over to the side (leave the road clear), away from bridges, overpasses and buildings. Stay in your vehicle.

6. If you’re in a crowded public place, take cover and watch that you don’t get trampled. In shopping centres, take cover in the nearest store and keep away from windows, skylights and display shelves of heavy objects.

7. Remain in a protected place until the shaking stops. Anticipate aftershocks… they may occur soon after the first quake.

8. Try to remain calm and help others.

After the earthquake

Preparations for an earthquake also include knowing what to do, and not to do, after the shaking stops… when there is danger from after shocks, fires, falling building materials, debris, etc. Remain calm. You may have to take charge of others. Take care of life-threatening situations first. Remember, you may be on your own for 72 hours or more.

1. Check your home for structural damage and other hazards.

2. Check yourself and others nearby for injuries… administer first aid quickly and carefully.

3. If you are evacuating, locate and take your pack of emergency supplies with you.

4. Use a flashlight to check utilities and do not shut them off unless damaged. Leaking gas will smell. Don’t light matches or turn on light switches… until you are sure there are no gas leaks or flammable liquids.

5. Wear sturdy shoes, gloves and protective clothing if it’s winter and/or if there’s debris, particularly broken glass.

6. Check your neighbors after looking after your own family. Your first help after an earthquake usually will come from family and friends.

7. Confine frightened pets.

8. Don’t flush toilets if you suspect nearby sewer lines are broken.

9. Secure your home against intruders.

10. Turn on your battery-powered radio (or car radio) and listen for broadcast emergency instructions.

11. Don’t use your telephone, except in an extreme (life-threatening) emergency.

12. Stay at least ten metres from downed power lines.

13. Avoid waterfront areas because of the threat of large waves (tsunamis).

Planning for earthquakes will also help prepare you for many other emergencies.

Be prepared, not scared!

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

You may think it is an unlikely event, but as with fires, its is always better to be prepared. An earthquake is not something you can prevent, but if you know what to expect and what do do in the unlikely event that it happens, it can make you feel a little less vulnerable.

1. Know the safe and dangerous places in your home.

Safe: Under heavy tables or desks; inside hallways; corners of rooms or archways.

Dangerous: Near windows or mirrors; under any objects that can fall; the kitchen… where the stove, refrigerator or contents of cupboards may move violently; doorways, because the shaking may slam the door on you. Practice taking cover.

2. Train members of your family to use fire extinguishers.

3. Chech if your home has Earthquake insurance coverage. Get some if if you live in a high-risk area.

4. Plan and practice evacuation.

5. Talk to your children about what to do if they’re at home, at school, if the quake separates your family. Become familiar with the school’s earthquake plan.

6. Plan!
Arrange an out-of-the-area contact. Each family member should carry the contact phone number and address. Have an alternative family rendezvous if you can’t get home.

7. Remind your family to rely on emergency authorities for guidance. Broadcast reports on radio and television will have instructions.

8. Also remind your family members that emergency phone numbers are in the inside cover of the telephone book. But use them only in an extreme emergency. Your telephone may not work after an earthquake, or it may take a while to get a dial tone.

9. Make sure each family member knows how to shut off the utilities gas, electricity and water. (Don’t shut off the gas unless there is a leak or a fire. If the gas is turned off, don’t turn it on again… that must be done by a qualified technician).

10. Your plan should include a list of where emergency supplies and equipment are stored.

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

A couple of weeks ago, there was an earthquake where we live. It was a 5.6 on the Richter Scale and lasted for only about 5 seconds, but it was terrifying still. It was about 10 pm and I was in bed, chatting with my husband who was working on the computer. Suddenly, the bed began to shake, like one of the kids were jumping on it, and our ceiling lamps started swinging - and my husband looked at me with a look of sheer panic on his face. It happened three times that night, but thankfully I was asleep for the last two.

Well, like I said, it was over before we knew it, but awful nontheless. A couple of years ago, there was an even stronger one which lasted for about 30 seconds, which in earthquake time is an eternity. I was pregnant with my son at the time, and I remember grabbing my daughter, who was around 2 then, and running down the stairs to my husband, who was in the study. Luckily, we were all ok, and our house survived as well. But since then, I’ve learned a thing or two about earthquakes: and running down the stairs is something you should NEVER do. Oh dear.

I don’t want to scare you, but earthquakes are happening all over the world, and some hotspot places include Italy, Alaska, British Columbia, California, Indonesia etc - to find out more, go to this Earthquake Locator site) so if you live in an area which may be susceptible, please be PREPARED.

My next post will have some great preparation tips to keep your family SAFE.

[tags]Earthquake,Earthquake Tips,Keeping safe,disaster preparation[/tags]

The picture above is what my daughter is wearing tonight, and its the exact pic on the packaging of the costume too, which is why I just had to post it! Isn’t it adorable? My toddler boy, by the way, is Thomas the Tank Engine (his idol), which is also too adorable for words.

Anyway, as we all know, tonight is the long awaited Hallow’s Eve, which means, trick or treating!!! As I’ve already posted of safety tips for pets, here’s what we should be aware of for our kids, which I will be explaining to my daughter too. Its never to young to learn to be a responsible Trick-or-Treater!! This one is from a website aptly called Halloween Safety.

1. Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

2. Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves.

3. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields. Make sure they know to stay in populated places and don’t go off the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.

3. Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood unless they are accompanied by an adult.

4. Small children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older sibling or adult is with them.

5. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.

6. Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

7. Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.

8. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

[tags]Halloween, Safety tips,Trick or Treating, Kids safety,Toy Story 2[/tags]