Safe Search Kids - Education, Parenting, Internet Safety for All

Smart technology is becoming the norm rather than the exception, with more and more gadgets helping make our homes more efficient. This technology can help make our lives more convenient, and our kids’ educational experience more enriched.

Smart tech can add an extra measure of safety in our homes, but parents also need to be aware of potential security risks. Here’s an overview of things to consider when adopting smart tech into your home.

Teaching smart online behavior is key.

As smart devices are becoming more integrating into your child’s life for entertainment, education and daily living, it’s important to teach them about safe online behavior. Older kids who are on social media should know why privacy settings are important. They should be selective about accepting friend requests and ensure location services are disabled. They also should understand the perennial nature of posting, and how nothing on social media is ever really gone.

Ensure your pre-teens and teens understand the nature of cyberbullying. This includes understanding that photos and situations that are funny to them now, might lose their humor down the line because they can hurt people’s feelings. These posts might come back to haunt them later when they want to join a club, get an after-school job or apply to college.

They also should understand that posting about an event or activity on social media can cause resentment by those who have been deliberately left out, helping them to think critically about what they wish to share publicly.

Smart sensors in the home make sense.

A smart home can incorporate many different types of smart sensors. Some are particularly useful for keeping kids safe, especially for curious toddlers who haven’t yet learned about boundaries. Sensors installed in doorways can create greater peace of mind for parents of small explorers. For example, they can send a signal to your phone when a child exits a threshold, or if an intruder enters one.

Sensors can connect to a video camera so you can check your phone to see what’s happening. Doorbell cameras are particularly useful for when your kids get older and start inviting the neighborhood over when you’re not home.

Among the various types of sensors a home may have, motion sensors can be set up around danger areas, such as swimming pools or driveways, to provide a notification to you when a child has entered the area unsupervised. Window sensors can not only help save energy but can create an extra measure of safety by notifying you when one is left open or opens unexpectedly, ensuring there are no unexpected escapes or entries.

While every home should be equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, smart versions of these devices can also monitor your home’s air quality, checking for pollen and other particles that can be troublesome for young lungs.

Smart light bulbs can improve school performance.

Smart tech in your home can include smart light bulbs, which can help your kids get better grades in school. How? For one, some smart bulbs can adjust their blue light emissions from day to evening, helping your kids be more energized in the mornings and move more easily toward sleep at night.

Blue light, which comes to us naturally through sunlight, can interfere with the sleep hormone melatonin when we get too much blue light artificially. Better sleep equals better performance at school and on tests.

It’s important to recognize that every person’s experience with sleep issues is different.  Managing the challenges can be both frustrating and isolating.  Studies have shown that different colors of light can promote sleep by examining the effects of light and habits that may improve sleep.  Determining which are the worst colors for sleep is also key in helping parents determine which colors are best for their kids.

Smart devices can protect infant safety.

Parents of newborns already know the important benefit of baby monitors in keeping an ear on activity in the other room. The frightening worry posed by SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, has led developers of baby monitors to evolve the product. Some connect to your smartphone or can be sent to a mobile speaker.

Other smart items like onesies, mattresses or socks can measure and monitor your baby’s vital information like heart rate, breathing, movement, pulse oximetry and body position. You will be able to hear sounding alarms or receive notifications to your phone when there’s a problem.

Internet-connected smart toys need vetting.

Smart toys with an Internet connection—which can include robot dogs, dinosaurs, cars and other items—should be carefully vetted before purchase or forgone altogether. Many of these toys have cameras and microphones and can gather data during play as well as share your child’s location.

While these toys can provide educational opportunities, the Federal Trade Commission urges parents to carefully collect information on the toy before purchasing. That includes researching what kind of information the toy will collect about your child, learning of there are security issues or safety recalls, and knowing whether there have been security complaints.

Know the features of the toy and when it will be listening in, and whether you have the option to control the information. Smart toys, just like any other smart item in your home, pose a risk of being hacked or their data used in ways you didn’t expect.

Pros and Cons of Smart Home Technology

The impact of smart home technology is evident throughout our world today. It’s is used in homes in varying degrees.   It helps save money and time for home security and safety, while intriducing new security challenges.

Some of the most common benefits that smart home technology are:

Customized Preferences & Settings

No matter which device you have, smart products can adjust to match any specific user’s customized preferences or needs.

Health & Wellness Tracking

Checking in on your health provides reassurance regarding safe and independent living. Adding smart technologies like a Wellcam facilitates real-time, two-way audio and video communication.

Energy & Utilities Management

Lighting, heating, and cooling can save on energy costs. Consider smart outlets to manage auto shut-off for electronic devices. Smart LED bulbs enable users to turn lights on and off at certain times for security and convenience.

Easy & Interconnectivity

Implementing smart home products is also convenient for monitoring many home-bound systems. Such interconnectivity enables users to manage and monitor thermostats remotely, review surveillance camera footage, and more, all without leaving their workplace—or even their kitchen table.

As much of a great benefit and commodity is to have these features at home, this can have crucial drawbacks such as:

High cost and skill requirements

The utility of smart devices comes at a steep price — compare a conventional and a smart fridge. A regular fridge costs between $1,000 and $2,000, while a smart model can have a price tag between $2,000 and $4,000.

Cybersecurity risks

Remember that these electronics collect large volumes of data and information, some of which are personal and sensitive. For example, your phone contains passwords, and your car’s global positioning system monitors your location.

To prevent hacking into your smart devices, ensure they’re equipped with anti-tampering and endpoint protection solutions. Implementing encryption protocols is recommended for protection, so hackers won’t be able to infiltrate a smart device or intercept its data.

The Bottom line

Smart home technology has evolved throughout the years; this has been a rapid and beneficial solution for everything surrounding us. From automating your kitchen and common areas to installing sprinkler systems and even viewing guests arriving at your front door has been quite convenient when having a smartphone.

Smart technology has great potential to improve safety and enhance kids’ lives when approached carefully and sensibly. Talking with your children and teaching them about the proper use of smart technology will help ensure the best experience for everyone.

You can nurture your child’s love of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) by offering various activities, programs and schools for them to learn from. Related fields are on track to dominate in the future, and helping your kids develop their interests can set them up for success.

Many resources are available to help nurture your child’s love of STEM projects and encourage their interest in related fields. Here are some of them, as well as some fun activities you can do together.

Make Learning Fun

Children are curious by nature — they always have questions. Foster their curiosity by creating opportunities for them to have fun and learn simultaneously. Kids have different learning styles, but enjoyment appeals to everyone. Making things interesting can help them develop a relationship with education they can carry throughout their lives.

A love for knowledge can change your child’s life and instill a sense of purpose and direction for their path into adulthood. There are many ways that you can make learning fun for kids. Use your imagination and create games that help teach your child, like making a sandbox out of a pencil holder for them to trace sight words into the sand.

Another fun idea is to make a color sorter with pipe cleaners and a potato chip can. Teach your kids about shapes with blocks, and then let them build their own with Popsicle sticks. Incorporate STEM projects into the mix with dominoes to help them learn math and any other ideas you can think of to help your child connect to real-world situations in a fun and creative way.

Nurture Soft Skills

Nurture your child’s soft skills like problem-solving and teamwork to prepare them for STEM work. These can boost a child’s intelligence and prepare kids to learn more hard knowledge. Soft and hard skills are necessary for the future generation to succeed.

Developing soft skills can help children perform better academically. You can encourage your child to learn and practice in situations in their daily lives, like when they play outdoors and decompress after a long day at school. Putting puzzles together frequently can help children build their problem-solving skills.

Identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses so you can prioritize which skills to focus on developing. Pay attention to their interests and what they like to do. Teach them things they won’t learn in school, like manners, empathy and self-control. These soft skills and effective communication can equip your child with a solid foundation to build upon.

Explore Opportunities

Explain the necessity of STEM to your child and how they can benefit from it. They may not have adequate exposure to the opportunities in these fields of study without your guidance.

The future for STEM skills is promising, so if your child is interested, foster their education and growth in these subjects as much as possible. Guide to finding a hobby that involved STEM skills.  Take them to museums and enroll them in programs encouraging STEM education that can inspire your child to grow and explore avenues that best suit them.

STEM Project Ideas

Finding STEM projects that apply to all ages can be challenging. Here are some activities children can enjoy from an early age. Experiencing and observing them rather than listening to an explanation can nurture children’s love for them.

Cloud in a Jar

You can tailor this activity to younger or older kids. Teach older ones about the connection between the project and the clouds in the sky. Younger children will likely just enjoy the experiment.

Pour some hot water into a jar and place the lid upside down on top. Put some ice cubes on the lid, leave them for about 20 seconds and then spray some hairspray inside the jar. Replace the cover with the ice still on top and watch a cloud form and appear inside the jar. Remove the lid and watch the water vapor escape into the air.

Crystal Sun Catchers

Use hot water and Epsom salt to create crystals. Stir equal amounts of hot water and salt for about two minutes in a glass jar. Pour the mixture into clear plastic lids and place them in the sun to dry. Ensure you don’t overfill the caps by pouring off excess liquid.

Allow them to dry and crystallize for a few hours to a day. Carefully poke a hole in the lids to put a string through and then hang up wherever you like. The crystals will sparkle in the sunlight. These are very fragile suncatchers and only last for a limited time. They are a fun learning experience for kids, but you should handle them carefully and make extras if they break while hanging them up.

Foster Your Child’s Love of STEM Projects

STEM industries are in high demand, so the need for workers is also growing. Nurturing your child’s love for STEM projects will set them on the road to success by fostering their ambitions and possibly securing their future.

About the Author
Ava Roman (she/her) is the Managing Editor of Revivalist, a women’s lifestyle magazine that empowers women to live their most authentic life. When Ava is not writing you’ll find her in a yoga class, advocating for her children or whipping up something delicious in the kitchen!

You say the pledge of allegiance each morning in school while looking at the American flag, but have you ever wondered how the stars and stripes came to be? We’ll tell you some of the most interesting facts about the American flag. By the time you finish reading this, you’ll be an expert on the red, white, and blue.

The Meaning Behind the Stars, Stripes, and Colors

The stars on the American flag represent each state, and the stripes pay homage to the thirteen original colonies. As far as the colors go, experts at the American Legion say, “White signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.”

The Flag’s Age

Our nation’s beloved symbol is 245 years old. Many people would consider its birthday June 14, 1777, which is when Congress approved the first national version. This flag had thirteen stars arranged in a circle and the stripes we know today.

The Flag’s Origins

Some may still believe Betsy Ross designed the first American flag. This fact was difficult to prove because historians documented it almost 100 years later. Betsy’s grandson percolated the idea to the masses. There are receipts from the Pennsylvania State Navy Board dating back to 1777 proving that she made plenty of flags.

However, scholars now credit Francis Hopkinson as the American flag’s designer. (Leepson, Marc. “Flag: An American Biography.” St. Martin’s Griffin. 2005. p. 33).

The Flag Manufacturers Association of America (FMAA) issued the following Tweet on February 4, 2021:

FMAA@FMAA_USA – Feb 4
#FlagFact: The designer of the American flag was Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey.
FMAA_USA.COM

These details on the flag’s designer were contrinued to us by Earl P. Williams, Jr., U.S. flag historian (paleovexillologist).

The Colors of the Flag

The American flag inherited its colors from the flag of Great Britain. Of the fifty U.S. states, twenty-five of them created their flags using some quantity of the red, white, and blue colors. States that predominantly use red, white, and blue are the Georgia state flag, Mississippi, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming, Vermont, Tennessee, and Texas.

The U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and American Samoa also incorporate red, white, and blue as their main colors.

Flag Display Rules

There are some rules involved when it comes to displaying the American flag. If your family wants to show their patriotism at home, here are some important guidelines to follow:

• Keep it flying steadily with a quality flagpole.
• Always take the flag inside whenever there’s bad weather.
• Most people think you can display the flag only in the daytime, but you can show it off at night.
• Nighttime flags are allowed only when they have a light on them—think of it like a nightlight.
• If you also want to support your state’s flag, make sure our nation’s flag is first on the flagpole.

The Flag’s Nickname

Did you know the American flag has a nickname? Some people like to call it Old Glory. The first person who ever used this nickname was a sea captain named William Driver in 1824. His mom gave him the flag as a present before he left on one of his journeys across the ocean.

You can still see this amazing artifact today at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Now you’re an expert on the American flag. Great job! Try sharing what you learned with your parents or guardians today.

More About American History

Before there could be an American flag, pilgrims needed to first travel to discover North America.  Read about the history of the first American Thanksgiving.

It’s natural for parents to want to ensure their children have the best possible start in life. However, vision therapy is one aspect of pediatric care that is often overlooked. Many parents don’t know how to tell if their child needs vision therapy, but some warning signs can help you.

Vision therapy is a treatment used to improve a person’s vision, which has been inhibited due to various problems or conditions. It augments essential visual skills and capabilities, which develops a person’s ability to see better, feel more comfortable, and handle information easier.

1. Difficulty in Reading

Knowing what to do cannot be easy if your child struggles with reading or schoolwork. After all, you want your child to succeed, but you may not be sure how to support them best. Luckily, you can do a few key things to help your child catch up. First, make sure they are getting plenty of practice reading at home. You can take turns reading aloud, visit the library together, or even read during breakfast or before bed. In addition, try to help them understand and organize their schoolwork. This may involve sitting down with them and going over assignments step-by-step, breaking down tasks into smaller chunks, or setting up a regular study schedule. Finally, talk to their teacher about what your child is struggling with and how you can best support them at home.

2. Do They Avoid Close Work

Many people experience eye fatigue after spending a long period looking at a screen. The American Optometric Association lists several symptoms of computer vision syndrome, or CVS, which include eyestrain, headaches, and blurry vision. According to the AOA, CVS is caused by how our eyes focus on close objects for extended periods. This can happen when working on the computer, reading a book, or even using our phones. To help relieve symptoms of CVS, the AOA recommends taking breaks every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. They also suggest using artificial tears to lubricate your eyes and adjusting the lighting and position of your screen.

3. The trouble with Hand-Eye Coordination Activities

If your child is having difficulty with hand-eye coordination activities, you can do a few things to help. One is to encourage them to keep practicing. It may be frustrating at first, but with enough persistence, they will eventually get the hang of it. Another option is to provide them with a visual guide. For example, you could draw a target on their shirt if they have trouble catching a ball. This will help them to focus their attention better and improve their aim. Finally, you may want to consider investing in some occupational therapy exercises. These can be specifically designed to help improve hand-eye coordination and other fine motor skills.

4. Difficulty in Switching Tasks

If your child is having trouble with task switching, it could be due to ADHD or another attention deficit. When children with ADHD are asked to switch tasks, they often have difficulty processing the new information and may become overwhelmed. As a result, they may start to shut down or tune out completely. One way to help your child with task switching is to provide them with a clear structure and routine. This could involve setting up a specific work area at home, establishing regular study times, and helping them make a list of tasks to complete. You can also talk to their teacher about ways to help them stay focused in class.

5. Excessive Redness or Swelling in the Eyes

If you notice that your child’s eyes are excessively red or swollen, it could be a sign of allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane covering the white part of the eye. An allergy usually causes by something in the environment, such as pollen, dust, or animal dander. Symptoms include itchiness, redness, and watering eyes. If your child has allergic conjunctivitis, they may also have hay fever symptoms, such as a runny nose or sneezing. Treatment involves avoiding the allergens that trigger the condition and using over-the-counter antihistamines or artificial tears. You may need to consult an allergist or ophthalmologist if the symptoms are severe.

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is a condition in which one eye has poor vision. It is usually caused by the brain favoring one eye during development. As a result, the unused eye becomes weaker, and the muscles around it may start to sag. Amblyopia can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses, patches, or surgery. If you think your child may have amblyopia, you should take them to an ophthalmologist for an evaluation.

If you think your child may benefit from vision therapy, don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation. Vision therapy has helped many children improve their reading skills, handwriting, and academic performance. With the help of an experienced vision therapist, your child can overcome any difficulties they are experiencing in school and start enjoying learning again!