The MyIdClub Blog

These days, bullying has become a serious problem. More and more parents are learning the consequences of not taking bullying seriously or not reading the warning signs of a child being bullied. The most important thing for parents to remember is that bullying is very serious. If left unchecked, the outcomes can be catastrophic.

If you are the parent of a bullied child, the first thing to remember is to stay calm and listen to the whole story. Jot down the information and specifics of the bullying attacks and assure your child that coming to an adult was the right choice. Encourage them to continue telling you or another adult if the bullying doesn’t stop and keep a record of the bullying occurrences.

It’s recommended that you speak with a teacher first and try to raise awareness in the classroom about the problem. If the bullying persists, send a formal, written complaint to the principal. Never contact the bully or the bully’s family – it’s always better to have the school as a mediator. Encourage the school to hold events and programs about the dangers of bullying. MyID Club often holds free events for schools on the subject of child safety.

It’s also important for you to teach your child ways to stay safe and innocent through the ordeal. Resist the urge to tell your child to fight back. It’s better to teach him or her that ignoring the bully and walking away is a better strategy. It shows the bully that their hurtful ways aren’t affective and the bully will often give up. Remember to instill the importance of reporting a bullying attack to an adult.

Finally, remind your child that the bully is the one misbehaving and that it’s not your child’s fault. Have them invest their time in doing activities that raise their confidence and self-esteem. Encourage them to find new friends and push them to find hobbies or sports they are good at. Bullies are less likely to pick on kids who are confident and happy.

Teens have many more lessons to learn about privacy now that cell phones offer several new ways to get into trouble. Besides the added distraction, teens are exposed to dangers such as constant Internet access and inappropriate messaging. Parents these days need to be on guard for the ever-growing sensation of teen sexting.  

Sexting is dangerous on many levels. Firstly, it’s dangerous when teens start to broach such mature subject matter at a young age. Teens who share such intimate details with others are often involved in other, riskier activities that could be damaging physically and mentally.

Another important thing to remember for teens is that any picture or message they send to someone else, either by phone or Internet, slips out of their control. Once the recipient has that message, it’s in their control to post, share or hold as blackmail should the relationship turn sour. Messages cannot be deleted and content posted on webpages cannot be hidden once published.

Furthermore, since that content is on the Internet, it can be found when your child is looking for a job, or applying to colleges. It’s important to remind your children that sexting now can have huge, negative effects later.

Finally, sending or being in possession of those types of inappropriate messages can be a form of harassment or child pornography. Be sure your teen knows the consequences of sending messages from themselves or sharing messages from others and how dire they can be.

It’s always a good idea for teens to let an adult know if they have received an inappropriate message and to not respond to it. If the sexting continues, alert the authorities and give them as much information as possible. MyID Club often holds events and programs educating teens parents and teachers on various subjects of child safety, including protecting young teens from exposure to inappropriate messaging.  

Children are sneaky – they are often stumbling into trouble when it seems as if everything is completely childproof. It’s important for parents to know how to keep a house safe for young children. Below are some important things to remember when there are youngsters in the household.

First things first: remember that emergency numbers should be easily accessible to adults and children alike. Numbers for the police and fire department should be close by. Personal information for those in the household is important to have around, as well, in case emergency personnel should need it. To make children’s information more easily accessible, ID cards can be ordered from MyID Club.

Most at-home accidents occur because children have access to dangerous objects or appliances they shouldn’t. The most dangerous room in the house is the kitchen. Knives and sharp silverware need to be kept in drawers with child-locks or high up, out of the reach of small children.

Electrical outlets should be covered to eliminate the risk of electrocution and burns. Oven-tops and appliances such as toasters should be kept in a safe place and carefully monitored when being used. Poisonous cleaning substances in the bathroom, pantry or kitchen need to be kept with a tight lid and in a safe place.

Don’t let children play with sharp tools or plastic bags. Keep such things locked up and kept hidden from young kids. The fireplace is another dangerous place for youngsters: keep fire-prods out of reach and make sure you know where your child is at all times when you have a fire burning.

If your house has a pool or a hot tub, be sure they are properly covered when not in use and carefully watched when being used. Young children should be taught the dangers of common household items and how to use them properly, if at all.

Every house can be safe, but it takes the careful diligence of the parents to ensure that children are kept out of harm’s way and know who to contact in an emergency.

One of the biggest questions on parents’ minds these days is whether or not to buy their child a cell phone. With dangers such as cyber-bullying, school distractions and sexting, it’s not difficult to see why parents are nervous about giving their children the responsibility of a cell phone. However, with careful parenting and ground rules, children and parents can benefit from cell phones in the family.

The biggest advantage is the availability that cell phones grant to parents. If your child has a cell phone, they are easily accessible in case of emergencies. Furthermore, you become more accessible should after-school plans change or if they need to get a hold of you in an emergency.

Phones can also be used to help locate missing children. Having a cell phone number on a MyID card makes police officers’ jobs easier by increasing the means through which a child can be found.

Another advantage is the lesson in responsibility that cell phones teach your children. Cell phones are an expensive investment; children should be taught that keeping it safe is important. Calendars and alarms also help to keep your child organized and in charge of their own schedule.

Parents should be wary of the dangers that cell phones pose to their children, however. Phones with access to Internet have the added worry of children coming into contact with unwanted content. There are filter options for Internet phones, however, parents should consider starting their children off with a less-complex, basic phone.

Phones can also be a distraction in school or during family time. When purchasing a cell phone for children, parents need to be sure to set ground rules for when phones are appropriate. Places such as the classroom or the dinner table should remain off-limits for phone-use. And as always, parents should be alerted immediately if children are the target of cyber-bullying or sexting. 

While there are considerable risks to children having access to a cell phone, the benefits of constant availability and the lesson of responsibility make cell phones a worthy investment.

One of the proudest moments of a parent’s life is watching their child take their first step. With this first step, however, comes the imminent danger of walking into situations that put the child into potential harm such as child abduction and health emergencies. As children get older, parents must face the perils of letting their children gain some freedom. The worry of their children’s safety will never completely go away. However, a parent who is prepared can worry a little less.

Knowing where your young children are at all times is the first step to keeping them safe. Make sure your children get into the habit of asking permission before going to a friend’s house or going outside to play. It’s also important to let your children know where you are at all times, and how to reach you. Always keep information such as your cell-phone or work-phone and emergency numbers in a place that your children can easily access.

 Children should know their own information, as well. Have them recite their address and phone number to you before they leave the house. Since this can be difficult for young children to remember, you might want to invest in a small child ID card for them to hold onto when leaving the house. MyID Club is an organization committed to child safety and creates ID cards that make important contact and health information easily accessible for police officers and emergency personnel.

Finally, it’s important for you and your children to know your neighbors. Besides being friendly, reaching out can guarantee that your children have at least one safe house with responsible and trustworthy adults available should an emergency occur while you are not available. Be sure that the safe house you choose has adults that you and your children feel comfortable with and can be trusted.

The world can be a frightening place for children and even scarier for parents who have young children. With these preparations, the world becomes a little less daunting and parents can breathe a little easier.