A vault on the go ... a NEED for parents

Okay, so back in September, I attended Type-A Con in Atlanta. I didn't expect to come home with anything other than swag. I was SURPRISED (to say the least) when I got an email from one of the sponsors letting me know I had won their iPad Mini drawing. Even more amazing, it was a sponsor that I was VERY interested in because I know MANY parents who need this.

Before I dive into who this sponsor is, let me tell you about my struggles. Jeremy and I both have jobs. He works outside of the house in a traditional work setting. I work from home and drive for Uber. Both are freelance jobs and are flexible ... but I'm also a hermit. Jeremy is the one who goes to the events while I stay home and corral the two toddlers who would make our life a living hell if they attended.

This leads to common problems. Jeremy gets the schedules and I have all the important documentation. Which means, when he is filling out paperwork, he has to call me to get information such as social security numbers, current vaccination records, health insurance information, and so forth. We also don't like to keep things the kids bring home (count four children plus three of them in school plus everyday activities ... yeah, no thanks), but we like to preserve the memories of them and share them with family members.

Internet kid safety techniques

It used to be that you could kick your children outside to play and that was enough. Kids would group together and play. You would have clubs and creativity. That has all changed. More kids are inside and you can't go anywhere without seeing a child on an electronic device.

I, myself, am guilty. ALL of my children know how to get around on mobile devices. Peanut is almost 12 and has her own phone. It is a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and is actually tied to a phone line. Bullfrog has a "play" phone. Basically, he has a Samsung Galaxy S3 that is no longer connected to a phone number, but works just fine with WiFi. He is able to access anything when he has a connection to the Internet. Monkey and Turtle have their own "play" phone and they also use my iPad Mini on numerous occasions. I also now have a Samsung S5 that is mildly waterproof because they are known to walk off with my phone.

So the question becomes, how do we keep them safe in this world. The Internet is a very adult place ... not one that naive little children can wander aimlessly. You can't just say "no" to the technology, especially if your child is in public school. More schools are turning to iPads and computer programs to aid with teaching. Even Peanut commented how they use Smartboards more and the chalkboards are tedious.

After attending Type-A Con in Atlanta in September, my husband and I have found a solution that we are comfortable with. We will be installing it on Peanut's phone in a few days (waiting for payday) and then we will consider Bullfrog's phone after we have worked out the tweaks. Jeremy needs to be able to control things, which is why we have rooted phones. This is NOT a knock. I LOVE that about him because I know he can create a device that gives us more control as a parent, without feeling like we are overbearing.

H - Home Safety

I have mixed feelings on the next topic for my A to Z Challenge. I am going to talk about home safety. Now, there are some child safety things that I feel very strongly, and others that I am like whatever on. They come from personal experience.

Rollercoasters with kids

I apologize for being awol. It really is a situation of "sorry. not sorry." I have been dealing with a lot of family and parenting issues. I tell you, it is hard having children grow up. I was completely unprepared for it and ready for my kids to be little again.

I am a little shocked

I can understand being upset about a ticket. I can understand the frustrations of getting a ticket this close to Christmas. But what I am about to talk about today is just absolutely frustrating. It is frustrating because I am a mother. I have children that walk in school zones. I have friends in the construction business. People who put their lives on the line to work as fast as possible to get the road back into the condition it needs to be in for safe traveling.

My Stand Against Bullying!

Before I get into the main topic of my post for tonight, I need to state that I have been a busy little worker bee today. I have posted a cover photo for this blog, and I have created a second blog to host my sample work! Please let any of your friends know that I am currently accepting private clients and I do have the ability to work quickly. You can access the new blog from the tab above this post that reads "Writing Samples."


Now ... onto my public service announcement.