You do not have very go far these days to access free public Wi-Fi. It is available in airports, libraries, cafes, hotels and government buildings. This is helpful but it is important for both adults and kids to make sure they do not trade safety and security for convenience. Just because the public building you are in is reputable, does not mean the Wi-Fi connection is secure.

When using your smart phone or computer in a public hotspot, you need to be careful to ensure the Wi-Fi network is encrypted. Otherwise, it opens you up to the risk of having your online accounts hacked. This could result in cyber thieves stealing your personal information.

Here are two basic safety tips to keep in mind to protect your information.  And then we will explore additional ways to stay safe while online in public.

1. Check if the Public Wi-Fi Network is Secure

As mentioned, we are not worried about the people who control the Wi-Fi network.  The risk is when others around us are in the business of hacking into the personal accounts using the network. safety-tips-that-both-adults-and-kids-need-to-know-while-using-public-wifi/ It could be the person sitting across from you in a coffee shop, or just outside on the street. 

If the public Wi-Fi network does not ask you to enter in a WPA or WPA2 password, the network is not secure. As you are probably thinking, this is most places.  The most common public Wi-Fi networks that require a password are internet providers with home you have an account.

2. Ensure the Websites You Visit Show https 

An example of this is https://youraccount.com or https://yourbank.com.  Secure websites will encrypt your information as you use the site.  Unsecured sites do not have the “s” in them, such as http:// (your information is not encrypted and kept safe if you don’t see the “s”)

Unsecured websites will also show a padlock that is unlocked.  Here is an example of what a secured website looks like.  Notice how with website URL with https also has a closed lock.

Clicking the lock will reveal more information about the secure site.  Now you can be sure you are on a secured website.

On a mobile website, it will look like this.

If you are using a site that is not secure and locked, you open yourself up to hackers that can access your personal accounts and steal your data.  This could mean your name, address, phone number, address book and photos.

Hackers need to see you on a public WiFi to be able to monitor your activity, so one sure fire way to to prevent this (regardless of being on an unsecured network) is to encrypt your data by using a VPN. It can be turned on when you wish, such as when you are in public or traveling.

Here are more ways to protect your personal information when using public Wi-Fi.

• It is good idea to have different passwords for each of your online accounts. This way if a cyber thief gets a hold of your email and password on one of your accounts, they will be unable to log into other accounts using the same password.

• Educate yourself on the various ways cyber attacks happen even when you are in the safety of your own home network, such as Phishing, Vishing and SMishing. Hacking through public WiFi is less common than these other methods used.

• Do not email important information about yourself for any reason.  This includes credit card details, bank account information and your personal government ID number. You should never do this even if a network is secure, not even from home.

• Use a mobile proxy to mask your IP address and when accessing accounts in public, whether it is your own computer or a PC in a library, always log out when finished.

• Take advantage of 2 step verification methods being offered within your personal accounts.  This will add further security because 2 step verification means you cannot log in until you enter a secret code that is sent to you by text or via the Google Authenticator App.

Proper Online Activity When Using Public Wi-Fi 

If you are in doubt about the security using any public Wi-Fi network or website, it is best to restrict your activity online to general use, such as searching Google while you are not logged into your Google account.

Do not log into any personal accounts and if you find it necessary to do so, disconnect from Wi-Fi and use your personal cell data.  Even then, it is always important to ensure the websites on your account pages start with https in the URL.  Most major accounts websites are secure, but if you do not see https something may be wrong.

If you are in doubt about the security using any public Wi-Fi network or website, it’s best to restrict your activity online to general use, such as searching Google while you are not logged into your Google account.

Don’t log into any other personal accounts and if you find it necessary to do so, disconnect from Wi-Fi and use your personal cell data.  Even then, it’s always important to ensure the websites on your account pages start with https in the url.  Most major accounts websites are secure, but if you don’t see https something may be wrong.   

Beware of Evil Twin Attacks

What does this have to do with protecting yourself on publish Wi-Fi? Well, an Evil Twin Attack happens when a cybercriminal sets up a Wi-Fi network that mimics a legitimate one. The goal is to trick you into the log into the wrong network by mistake. 

Unsuspecting victims will think they have connected to the “safe dedicated network” associated with the public area they are visiting.  Scammers and then can steal your information or infect your devices.

Captive portal pages can also be used by hackers to funnel you to malicious websites or infect your device with malware. 

Red Flags to Look Out For

Seeing multiple networks with similar names should raise suspicion. Stay alert for security notices on your device. It will often let you know if you’re about to connect to an unsecured network.

These networks are dangerous because there are no built-in security protections to keep hackers out. Using your personal data or a friend Hot Spot is a safer alternative when you encounter unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. 

Additional Resources:

• Now that you’ve read about public WiFi safety, learn about WiFi security on your home network.
• Learn how to protecting your family from identity theft while traveling.

When you are looking to raise a happy family, you automatically need a property that can handle the demands of life with children. For many, an ideal home would be one with a big backyard for children to play, in a location where children can walk to school, and one that is near amenities such as a hospital or park.

While the thought of finding such a perfect family home is exciting, it is a challenging endeavor. If you are confronted with this dilemma, here are tips that you can leverage to find a family-friendly property:

1. Security

When house hunting, the safety of your family needs to be at the top of your mind. You are likely to find more affordable homes in neighborhoods that are more volatile.

It is vital to perform thorough research on the area that you wish to settle.

This ensures you provide a safe place for your family to live a happy and healthy life. It’s best to check what safety measures are in place in your prospective area; things to consider are their neighborhood watch programs, nearby police stations, etc.

Lastly, you can also ask your future neighbors for information regarding that area. This will ensure you have a complete picture before taking the plunge in purchasing your dream home.

2. Work with a real estate company or home builder

It is essential to be flexible in looking to buy established real estate. There will always be some compromise. Connecting with a knowledgeable real estate agent can be a great first step, as they can assist you in finding your dream home. While your mind may be fixated on the number of bedrooms or the square footage, a real estate advisor knows what issues to check on a property, such as mold, insect infestation, roofing issues, furnace problems, and leaks. This can help save you thousands of dollars.

Alternatively, if you want to ensure you get everything you are after in a dream home, you could consider a new home build by exploring land for sale nearby.  There are a myriad of builders who can assist you in building a new home. A great place to start is researching online, utilizing platforms such as Lotmix’s – house and land platform they can help you find the perfect builder. You may be surprised to find it is more affordable to start from scratch than to buy established!

3. Location near school and amenities

You can change the look and feel of a property, but there is nothing that you can do about its location!

When looking for a home, location is one of the significant considerations that you have to consider, particularly when you have young children.

An ideal location for a family home will take additional research to ensure it is near a quality school where you wish to take your children. If security is not an issue in your new neighborhood yours may even be able to walk to school.  At the very least your won’t have to struggle with a daily long commute.

Another factor to consider is whether or not your home is close enough to vital services, such as medical practices and hospitals. Use search tools like the eXp property search website to find a desireable property near the amenties you desire.

4. The house itself

In case you are not looking to build a new house, that means that you may be in search of an already built property. A house in poor condition can break the deal no matter how great its location. It would help if you got someone to inspect the home to find any critical defects.

Another thing to consider is the size of the lot. If you are buying a house that may need some work, it’s always best to keep the option open to potentially demolishing it in the future. You never know when your desires and needs in a home may change.

Checking what is and what isn’t allowed on a property is essential before making your big purchase—heritage overlays, for example, may prevent you from demolishing the house may be a deal-breaker.

Conclusion

Even after you have found a place and given your offer, you should continue looking for other places as you wait for a seller to accept your offer, as new properties are coming up for sale every day. Balancing work and family also has a lot to do with how far your job will be from your new home.  Often, the farther you live from work the less you will pay for your property.

A Longer commute means less time at home during the week.  As your kids get older, they will be facing the same issues when they find their first job as a teen or they decide to live at home while going to college. This means you may want to being those discussions about college with your kids sooner than later.  Remember to be open to making a few compromises along the way as you decide where to settle down.

Why is music important? Music is amongst the few universal and eternal pleasures of life. Playing a musical instrument or singing is a delightful, meditative, and rejuvenating experience. Apart from the sheer joy of it, there is a great importance of music training in other aspects of life.

Here are the top 13 significant benefits of learning music, no matter your age or level of musical  proficiency.

1. Improves Intellect & Memory Power

You need to recognize different lyrics, tones, and sounds. Thus, in the process of learning music, you enhance your reasoning skills, phonetics, and knowledge of the language. Learning all this new information and remembering them naturally sharpens your memory and intellect.

2. Enhances Problem-solving & Mathematics

There is an intelligence called spatial intelligence, which is responsible for the recognition and arrangement of stuff. During music training, you need to arrange various elements together. The tune, lyrics, and musical notes all need to align with each other. You can choose to learn music to sharpen your math skills.

3. Makes You Result-oriented

When you sign up for the music training, you commit yourself to focus, organizing, and memorizing the technicalities to perfection. The cluster of these qualities and some other qualities are known as executive functions. It becomes your second nature by the end of your training.

4. Increases Confidence & Self-worth

Both learning and performing music are meditative and enlightening experiences. You get the opportunity to express yourself in front of other people. It increases your confidence. Being proficient in music gives you a feeling of self-worth. You value yourself more as a learned musician who is different from the crowd.

5. Boosts Emotional Intelligence

Performing arts like music gives an opportunity to see life from other people’s points of view. When you learn music, you become more empathetic, sensitive, and more understanding, and sensitive towards other people and their cultures.

6. Develops Creativity & Imagination Power

Every art form compels you to create with your imagination. The same is the case with music. You develop your ability to think beyond the realities in front of you. Your problem-solving techniques become more innovative and experimental.

7. The Ability to Write Songs

Journaling, writing in a diary, or writing poetry is a away many people work out their thoughts and express themselves.  Learning music with the added ability to play an instrument opens up a world of expression through song writing.  It may become a lifelong passion or even lead to career as a performer.

8. Teaches the Value of Discipline

Increased discipline & persistence is one of the major benefits of music learning, especially for kids. They become more aware of the importance of attending lessons and practicing. It takes time to master the art of music. When you patiently wait to grasp the correct note and tune, it leads to increase in your persistence.

9. Helps in Achieving Academic Success

Contrary to the popular belief that learning music will distract students from their academics, various studies proved that it improves their test marks. We have already alluded to the close correlation between music and mathematics.   It also has many other benefits for students that help them improve in school and colleges. It will encourage more parents to let their kids pursue music.

10. Trains You in Team Work

Musicians and singers need to sync in to create a performance. When you are training for music, you develop the skills of coordination, communication, and comprehension. It is perfect for kids if they get this kind of exposure from an early age.

11. Enhances Social Skills

The importance of learning music is not limited to the art form only. It teaches you social skills. In a music class, you need to interact with other students. Especially kids play and learn in the same group. Their improved social skills enable them to thrive in social situations instead of getting social anxiety.

12. Expands Your Knowledge about Different Cultures

Music crosses the boundaries of cities, countries, continents, and cultures. A kid or adult interested in music becomes aware of different cultural norms around the globe. They get to know everything, from the Bagpipes of Scotland to the Tabla of India.

13. Sharpens Listening Skills

One of the underrated benefits of music training is it improves your auditory attention. You can differentiate amongst various sounds. And can choose to concentrate on whatever sound is essential for you to listen to.

14. Provides Stress Relief

Many studies proved the relaxing and soothing effect of music. Learning music can give you a nice getaway from other stressful parts of your daily life. It can be your daily vacation for a few hours away from your studies or professional engagements.

Author Bio
Reema Krishnan is a content creator at Acharyanet platform for Carnatic music learners where they can learn music from gurus through 400+ video lessons. Being a music enthusiast and a history buff herself, she is able to provide value for her readers and her content is well-received by musicians, music lovers, and music learners of all ages and at all stages. She loves to volunteer with music therapy groups and bakes up a storm in her free time.

It can be hard to watch your child grow up into an independent teenager. As they start to spread their wings, a whole new set of worries can come into play. Maybe they’re driving on their own, spending more time away from home, and even getting their first job. But, as hard as it may be to “let them go,” it can also be an exciting time for you as a parent.

This is the perfect time in your teen’s life for you to guide them into adulthood. That includes helping them with their first job search. Teenagers and after-school/summer jobs have gone hand-in-hand forever. As of July 2020, over 46% of teens in the U.S. had some form of employment.

But, finding a job right away isn’t always easy for anyone, let alone a teenager with no experience. Then, there are other factors to consider. How far away do you want your teen to have to go to work? Is the job safe? Will it affect their schooling or extracurricular activities?

It’s okay to have questions and concerns while still helping your child find their first job. You never know, with your help, they might find something that sparks their interest in a lifelong career.

Starting the Job Search

While having job leads is great, your teenager can also go the traditional route of scouring different places for job listings to find the safe job opportunities. Today, that will probably consist mostly of looking at job boards online. You can certainly help them along the way. But, this should really be something your teenager takes the reins on. They can look for jobs they’re interested in or local places that are hiring and taking applications instantly.

Many businesses are always hiring. So, it might be worth it for your teen to walk in and ask for an application. Going this route will allow you to go with them. As a result, you’ll have an understanding of where the job is located and how safe the neighborhood is.  Preparation for the job interview early on is also important because the call from a potential employer for an interview can come at anytime.

For the average American adult, a job search can take months. Granted, most adults in the workforce are looking for something very specific, while teens usually aren’t. But, they still might have to wait some time before getting an interview. Even then, getting a job isn’t guaranteed. Preparing your teen to roll with rejection is actually an important part of the job searching process. It’s a great lesson in how “failure” can help with growth in nearly every aspect of life.

Helping Them With a Resume

Your teen should have a solid resume put together once they start looking for jobs. Having one at the ready will make it easy to apply for jobs right away, especially when you’re looking online.

You might be wondering what they can put on a resume without any prior job experience. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to spice up a resume and cover letter by focusing on “soft skills” (communication, ability to work with a team, productivity). A resume writing service like ZapResume.io can help highlight their strengths effectively.

You can also include any extracurricular activities your teen is in. If they are on a sports team or are a member of a club, it will show potential employers that they have a strong work ethic and the know-how to cooperate with others.

Additionally, you can help them look for jobs that don’t require any experience to get started, including:

• Lifeguard at a local YMCA
• Starbucks barista
• Fast food worker
• Stock clerk
• Movie theater cashier

Most of these jobs provide training on-site, so your teen will learn everything they need to know once they’ve been hired. Even if they only work there a short time, it’s a great way to gain experience and have something more to add to their resume.

Teaching Them to Network

Networking can be an incredibly important factor in landing a job, and there’s no reason it can’t start with a part-time job as a teen. Networking can introduce your teen to positive role models that will help them learn communication skills and connect them with the right people to potentially jumpstart their career. In many cases, it’s more important than just searching for a job online or on bulletin boards. The sooner your teenager learns how to network and connect with the right people, the easier it will be for them to do so in the future when they’re looking for a job as an adult.

You can teach your teen networking skills in a variety of different ways, including:

• Attending career fairs.
• Introducing them to your colleagues.
• Having them shadow someone at a job.
• Creating a recommendation letter.
• Helping them build a LinkedIn profile.

The more you help them build those skills, the easier it will be for them to land a job now and in the future. Helping them to network might also mean giving them some new responsibilities,  like getting a phone. Even if you think your teen is too young, having their own phone will help them connect with potential leads. Plus, if they do land a job, it’s the easiest way for them to stay in touch with their employer when they’re needed.

While it may not always be easy to see your teenager growing up, helping them find their first job can be a great experience for both of you. Jump into the search with them, guide them along the way, and give them the career advice you wish someone would’ve given you at that age.