Hiring Cynthia from A+ Organization was one of the best decisions I have made for myself and my family. Before meeting Cynthia, I never realized how much more efficiently a professional organizer could help me run my life. She has helped me put organizing into perspective. A little each day is so manageable, especially with a good system in place. The filing system she helped me set up is easy to navigate and a cinch to work with. Who knew filing could be so easy! Additionally, my craft area is now easy to find the project I'd like to work on next. As a school teacher, Cynthia has also helped me organize many classroom materials to make activities and resources literally at my fingertips and create a space that both the students and I feel comfortable working in. Whether or not one is an inherently organized person, Cynthia is able to personalize and create a system for each person's situation. There is no organizational job to small or large. One cannot beat Cynthia's compassionate and motivational personality. She deeply cares about each client and wants to help people feel successful. She is always punctual and has exceeded my expectations with every appointment I've had with her. If you are looking for ways to save time and add order to your life, consider Cynthia Carstens and A+ Organization the solution!
B.L., Redding, CA
Lost in Cyberspace?
Many of you may recall the old TV show "Lost in Space". Remember the robot saying, "Danger, Danger Will Robinson?" The questions to ask yourselves, are your children safe in Cyberspace? The internet is a great place to gather information, talk with people, etc. However, it is also a place for predators to prey on individuals, especially children. A simple understanding of Cyberspace and its resources/network use can better assist you in protecting your children.
What exactly is MySpace? It is a free online social networking website which allows people to connect and interact with others they know, and also to make new friends. They can create their own website and public profiles and share their interests, books, music, movies, photos, life stories and much more. They can also connect with people all over the world.
Sometimes individuals will have a blog, which is an online personal journal or diary. People can post their poetry, personal feelings, etc. electronically for others to read and respond. There is also the opportunity for instant messaging (IM) which allows individuals to communicate over the internet with whom ever they choose.
MySpace has certain restrictions for underage children. For example, members must be 14 years of age or older to open an account. Those sixteen years of age and under have private sites by default. Also, their contacts must be friends of their same age group. Profiles of minors are restricted so only those under the age of 18 can connect with them. However, these restrictions are not completely fool proof. The problem is children and predators lie about their age and gain access to these areas and communicate with one another.
How can you keep your child safe on the computer? Monitor your child's computer use at home. You can have a central area to place the computer so you can see what your child is accessing online. If your child has their own computer in their room, you do have a right as a parent to monitor where they have been by looking at the computer use history of sites your child has visited. Also, schools make every attempt to block MySpace when the student is at school.
If you allow your child to have a MySpace account, you need to protect their privacy. The systems that MySpace has are not perfect; however they can assist in protecting your child. Make sure your child does not place identifiable information about themselves. This can include, name, address, phone numbers (both cell and home), social security number, age or birthday, grade is school, where the attend school, email address, etc.
Photos can be a dead giveaway about a child's location. Teenagers love to post photos of their new car. Don't use a photo that includes their license plate because predators can access information from the license. Pictures from school with cheerleader uniforms or sports jackets can reveal the school they attend. Also, a photo in front of their favorite hangout, such as the mall, can also reveal the town they live in.
Did you know that you can change your child's privacy settings on MySpace? Make sure the MySpace privacy features are activated. Specifically, making the profile private so strangers can't access it but their friends can. Use the hide option to prevent individuals from knowing when your child is currently online. Block certain people from contacting your child and finally review comments sent to your child before they are posted to their page.
The most important thing is to make sure you keep an open line of communication with your child about what they are doing online. Remind them that people do misrepresent themselves. Ask to visit their site with them to make sure it is acceptable for public viewing. Encourage them to reflect themselves in a positive manner. Let them know if they are harassed (Cyber bullying) in any way online they can report it to MySpace and the police. You can also cancel the account if the site becomes a problem.
There are a myriad of sites to assist you with safety on the internet. Here are some places to assist you with your search. www.myspace.com, www.Netsmartz.org, www.software4parents.com, and www.safeteens.com.
I am not rushing out to set up an account with MySpace. I am not too keen on that type of social networking. I love the face to face contact with people and I still love the art of letter writing. Remember, be organized, stay safe, and know how to educate yourself about Cyberspace.
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