“I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for BGCA. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

I have been using a computer since I was probably about 10 years old and have been using the internet since I was a teen. Luckily I haven’t had any bad experiences online but I know there are many things to be aware of. I have read about them, heard about them and have had friends share their stories of people they have met online or talked to online.

Since my business is “online” we have an internet connection at my house which all of my children enjoy using. My two youngest that are 6 and 9 get to use the internet on the family computer that is in the living room. Since you never know what you are going to find when searching online, I like to know what my kids are doing when online. My two oldest teens have laptops, cell phones, iPods, etc that they access the internet from.

Talking to your kids about online safety is important for kids of any age. Even those that have already been using the internet. Since being a #CyberSafe parent isn’t always easy there are resources out there to help! The Boys & Girls Clubs of America has partnered with Sprint and assembled their CyberTribe of expert teens that help to answer YOUR questions about different issues your children are facing online. You can submit a question online and have it answered by the #CyberTribe. You can also read other questions that other worried parents have asked in an effort to become more #CyberSafe.

On the BGCA’s Cyber Safe Site not only can you ask the CyberTribe questions, you will also find lots of valuable resources. You may not know it but many children are being victims of cyberbullying and we don’t even know it. If you think your child might be a victim you can find great tips on this site along with discussion cards that you can print and use to talk with your child. You can also learn about mobile device safety, online privacy, social networks and even personal data sharing.

I took the Cyber Smart Parent Quiz on the site and I am pleased to say that I am a CyberSurvivor!

I would LOVE for you to take the quiz and see what your results are. I also encourage you to ask the #CyberTribe a question too!

Now that it is summer my kids are officially on Summer Vacation. They have been out of school a week now and want to get out of the house. I love doing things outdoors and have planned some fun things for the kids this summer. Below are different ideas of things I want to do:

• Visit the beach to collect shells & other treasures – If you live near a beach, take your children on a little outdoor adventure and see what shells you can find.  While you are there, be sure to build a sandcastle and take a picture with it.
• Take a trip to your local zoo – If you happen to have a zoo near, take your children to the zoo for a few hours of fun. Children love animals so even if you have been to the zoo a dozen times, they still are going to enjoy seeing all the different animals.
• Camp in your backyard – If you don’t want to go far, put up a tent in your backyard and have a campout. Be sure and don’t forget the S’mores.
• Pack a picnic and head to the park – A picnic can be fun for all ages. Get creative and pack a fun themed lunch and enjoy your meal at the park and enjoy nature.
• Plant a garden – Make your own garden with the kids and let them plant their own veggies and herbs. This can be a fun ongoing project for the whole summer.
• Visit a fish hatchery – If you have a local fish hatchery you can visit, children can learn about the different stages of fish reproduction.
• Visit a fire station – Most firehouses enjoy showing off their trucks and equipment with the kids.
• Go on a nature hike – Get outdoors and take a nature hike.
• Shop at the thrift stores – If you have a little one that likes to shop, take them to the thrift store and let them pick out a few things.
• Experience geocaching – For those that like to find treasures, geocaching is a ton of fun for both kids and the adults.

When you take your kids outdoors you always need to be prepared for when they need to go potty. If you are a parent you have probably experienced a time when your child had to go to the bathroom and  there was either no place to go or the place where you can go has no toilet paper or doesn’t seem so appealing.

Be prepared and bring some necessary essentials! For those that like to spend outdoors, Cottonelle has you covered!

When you are traveling outdoors you will want to be prepared by making your own little travel fresh kit.

1. Grab a large ziplop bag and add some of the Cottonelle CleanCare toilet paper sheets. You don’t have to take the whole role. Just fold up enough sheets for how many you are bringing along.
2. Next be sure to add one of the Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Cleansing Cloths On-The-Go Soft Packs. These wipes are available in both a container and travel packs. They are septic safe and contain NO alcohol, NO oil, NO soap but do contain mild skin cleansers and emollients
3. Put the ziplog bag in your purse, diaper bag, backpack or even your car to have with you for you in case of emergencies.

Don’t just wipe … wash with Cottonelle Fresh Care* Flushable Cleansing Cloths, and experience a more confident clean.

What outdoor ideas do you have for kids? What essentials do you bring when doing things outdoors?

“I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Anheuser-Busch’s Family Talk About Drinking program. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

This school year has definitely went by too fast. For my kids the last day of school is next week and I have already been thinking of things to keep  them busy. With my two oldest daughters that are teens, keeping them busy is a whole different story. They aren’t for the arts and crafts and trips to the zoo like my youngest two enjoy. They want to hang out with their friends and keep mom and dad on their toes.

We made it through prom this year with no problems. My daughter had talked about the parties that were happening after but didn’t even ask to go. Next school year is going to be a whole different story. My oldest daughter will be a senior in high school and will also turn 18. I remember when I turned 18, I thought it was my time to be my own boss. Luckily we have been successful on keeping her on the right track. We are always keeping it real, especially with our teens about what can happen when you do things that you shouldn’t like drinking alcohol! It is not a subject that you only talk about once, you have to keep following up with your child and keep up in the loop on what is going on in your child’s life.

Following up is important for several reasons:

• They help create accountability.
• They show you have a genuine concern for the end result.
• They create new opportunities for communication.
• They are another way to check in and stay connected with our kids – especially teens.

This month my teen’s school did something real cool when it comes to teaching teens about drinking. Their school participated in the “Every 15 Minutes” program that offers real-life experiences without the real-life risks. This program has been designed to dramatically instill our teens with the potentially dangerous consequences of drinking alcohol and texting while driving. They have a person dressed up as a grim reaper go into random classes to pull children to reenact what happens when you drink and drive. During the event they had a helicopter fly into the school’s football field, had cars that were wrecked and had the students portray that they were injured or dead from driving while under the influence. This program had a huge impact on the students and I think its something that should be done at every high school.

For those of you with teens, Anheuser-Busch offers the The Family Talk About Drinking Parent Guide to help with talking to your teens about the dangers of drinking alcohol. This is a very helpful guide and best of all it is FREE!

• https://www.facebook.com/ABFamilyTalk
• https://anheuser-busch.com/index.php/our-responsibility/