An area of particular concern today is safety on the Internet.   Sending emails and instant messages along with surfing the web and participating on social media sites such as MySpace, have been a way of life for many children and teenagers.  Unfortunately, children are subject to the lure of Internet predators and are at great risk of falling into their trap.

Internet safety is a concern that is new to this day and age, and one that was non-existent when parents were raising their children 25 or more years ago.  As grandparents raising grandchildren, there are several strategies you can implement to help keep your grandchildren safe from on-line predators:

• Ask your grandchildren quetions about their Internet activity and engage them in conversation about the dangers.  Emphasize that people of whom they cannot see, are not always who they appear to be.
• Keep computers in a location where you can monitor what they are doing.  When computers are visible, children are less likely to access sites they shouldn’t. Follow up by checking your grandchildren’s Internet history.
• Put time limits on their Internet use, just like television. When there are restrictions on time, children are less likely to get involved in conversations with strangers.
• Educate your grandchildren on the importance of never sharing their name, address, phone number, age or even the name of their school.
• Filter your grandchildren’s Internet use and/or invest in child Internet protection software.  These software programs allow you to set time limits on activity, monitor chat lines, filters & blocks websites, and alerts you of potential predators.
• Go to the website Enough is Enough and view statistics on Internet safety and download the document, “Rules ‘N Tools Checklist” for an in-depth list of Internet safety guidelines.

Next Wednesday, January 20th at 1pm Eastern, I invite you to my radio talk show program on TalkShoe where I will be interviewing Kindergarten Teacher, Adrianna Kruse.  Adrianna is the author of Little Red Hoodie, which is a different take on the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale, that teaches children about Internet safety.  Please mark your calendars!

Until then, Have a Grand Day!

Warm regards,

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

As a grandparent raising grandchildren, do you ever feel alone and that there is no one that understands the challenges you face?  Do you feel disconnected from the world because your friends and even some of your family members don’t understand why you are raising your grandchildren?  Would you like the opportunity to share your experiences and learn from others who are doing the same thing?  If so, you are not alone.

There are millions of others in your shoes at varying degrees.  Some of you have used up your entire life savings to fight for your grandparent rights.  Some of you are not only raising your grandchildren, but are taking care of elderly and/or ailing parents.  Some of you are also raising your own children, or supporting your adult children, and may have as many as 4 generations living in your household.  Some of you are divorced or widowed and are doing it all on your own.

Regardless of your situation, it comes down to two things: 1) You would not trade having your grandchildren live with you for anything, and 2) You would like to be part of a group of other grandparents who are raising grandchildren to share with, and learn from, others.  Am I right?

In 1943, Abraham Maslow embarked on his well-known Hierarchy of Needs.  It demonstrates how human beings move up this hierarchy of psychological needs.

The lowest level includes the most basic needs of food, water, shelter, clothing and the ability to perform basic bodily functions.  The next level is that of safety and security, which includes personal, financial, and health and well-being needs.  The third level is social where friendship, love and belonging, and having a supportive family are needed.  This level can be achieved through clubs, social groups, churches, or sports teams.

In your situation, you may be struggling in both level two and three.  However, being part of a social or support group (level three) may help you in your safety and security needs by gaining access to information from others in the group.  When your needs in levels two and three have been met, you will be on your way to the next level of self-esteem and self-respect.

Being part of a support group or system is important for everyone in order to achieve self-esteem and eventually the fifth level of the hierarchy of self-actualization where morality, creativity and spontaneity are experienced.

To meet the needs of grandparents raising grandchildren, and to provide a social support mechanism to share ideas, experiences and gain access to resources, I am getting ready to launch an on-line organization called the Association of United Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.  This organization will include resources such as article, video and audio information, a members area forum to discuss your own situations and get feedback from others, monthly group coaching calls and lists of resources to help you in your situation, to name a few.

If you are interested in participating in a support group, I invite you to take a brief 6 question survey to answer some basic questions about your situation and how this organization may be of help to you.

You can access the survey at http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/17AABFD9A9E39FA3/. It should take you less than 4 minutes to complete, and would be very helpful in the development of an organization designed to serve your needs.

Warm regards,

Kay L. Fontana

“The Grandcoach”

Saturday, September 5, 2009 marks the 127^th anniversary of the first U.S. Labor Day in New York City, which recognizes the achievements of American workers.  It also happens to be my daughter’s and granddaughter’s birthday, so Happy Birthday Jamie and Michelle!

During this fun-filled weekend, which we also recognize as the end of the summer break, families are involved in a variety of activities to get their last bit of fun time in before fall. Typical highlights are swimming, boating, fishing, camping, BBQs and travel to visit the family.

What would Labor Day be without some helpful safety tips for the holiday? Having a background in emergency services, safety is always on my mind.  So, here is a reminder of a few safety tips to keep your weekend enjoyable while protecting your children and grandchildren.

1. Watch children around pools, lakes, rivers, streams and oceans.  Every year, thousands of drownings and near drownings occur, and many of them are children.  Even if children know how to swim, never let them swim alone. It only takes a few seconds for something to happen. Also, remember to use safety vests when in boats, canoes and on other watercraft.
2. Watch children around fire, and put out your fires.  Labor Day weekends are fun for BBQs and campfires.  Communicate the dangers of being around fire, while teaching children the importance of extinguishing a campfire and BBQ to prevent wild fires.
3. Remember the sunscreen.  Children are not immune to skin cancer because they are young.  Frequent exposure to harmful UV rays can cause skin cancer later on, so protect their skin.
4. Always buckle up.  Even if you are only driving down the street to the neighbor’s house, a seat belt is a must.  Statistics show from a variety of sources that 1 in 3 car accidents occur less than 1 mile from home.
5. Use helmets for bikes, skateboards and ATVs.  Preventing brain injuries in children is a must.
6. And last, but not least…know Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). A few hours of training can save a life.  Many classes are free to the public, and are now offered online for a reasonable fee.  However, I would recommend the live training version to get the hands-on experience.

There you have it.  Today’s action is to have a very safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Warm regards,

Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”

P.S.  If you have a good safety tip that I didn’t list, please leave a comment and share it with others.