Missing Child Alert - will it be yours next?
Missing Child Alert - will it be yours next? A friend's daughter has been missing since Saturday. Her parents suspect it is because of someone the 14-year old met online. This is a parent's worst nightmare. In the last few months we've heard much in the news about the filthy content on MySpace.com, in addition to the child predators who had lured underaged kids away from their homes via MySpace. This kind of news always seems foreign. Until it happens to you. Imagine dropping your child off at work, expecting to see her that evening. She later calls, speaking with her younger sibling, "Tell everyone I'm not coming home." Imagine racking your head, trying to figure out how to trace her.You remember she had had some problems with the internet. You had suspected some issues, but never this. That is the heartbreak my friend's family is going through this week. Now, how to make sure it doesn't happen to you. THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, THINGS TO DO. Just how familiar are you with the internet conversations your child is having? I could not believe how hard it was for me in the last few months to try to find screening software that protects children and youth on the internet. I checked at Walmart. I checked at Circuit City. I checked at Staples. I checked at Best Buy. I checked at Target. I checked at Sam's Club. I checked at CostCo. I checked at CompUSA. WHY is this nearly impossible to find, with the amount of problems the internet is posing to kids? I finally had to buy software online (I've provided some links for you to get started with below). I think this is an outrage that a parent would have to work this hard to find software to help them protect their children, especially when the authorities in society are raising a warning voice loud and clear. The family's case I mention above is not unique. Do YOU know who your children are talking to? Don't let it happen to you. Civic leaders have told us to become proactive with what is happening in the world today regarding our children - now would be a good time to start. Net Nanny's Chat Monitor http://www.academicsuperstore.com/market/marketdisp.html?PartNo=750850&qk_srch=net+nanny Cybersitter http://www.cybersitter.com/?ovchn=GGL&ovcpn=CYBERsitter+google+secondary&ovcrn=net+nanny&ovtac=PPC http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art43370.asp