Hi there! Happy Monday (Really Tuesday!)!
First and Foremost, thank you so much for helping us with the Rusty videos. I have LOVED reading your feedback and ideas. As a parent myself, I totally agree that parenting today's children is a lot different then when we were kids ourselves. They are faced with so many things that we didn't have to worry about. It is nice to have Rusty on our side. One thing I never even thought about, but many of you said, was that it was nice for you to finally meet Rusty. Wow! I never thought of that connection. Too funny! If you have yet to watch or email/text me your thoughts please do so this week sometime. It really does make a difference to both Rusty and I that we have real parental feedback to help make the site what YOU want it to be. My email address is ericksont@billingsschools.org. I will forward all of your comments onto Rusty as well. Remember, doing so will score your child $200!
Today, we started the day off pretty heavy. Secret Agent Dan came from the FBI to talk to kids about Internet Safety. WOW! If they ever do a parent one here, please attend. Pretty scary world right here in Billings. His first question to the kids was who in here has a facebook, twitter, or myspace account? His second question was who in here is 13 years old. Some hands went up on the first one, but none on the second. By law, kids need to be at least 13 years old to have one of these accounts. Parents may not "co-sign" for them. After hearing about some of the cases he has worked on right here in Billings, I know that my children will not have an account at all until they are responsible adults. Things like predators, cyber bullying, illegal (naked) pictures, and chat rooms are all over Billings, Montana. He showed us how dangerous it is to put our pictures or home videos on these kinds of sites, and how easily they are snagged by creepers. He also shared that the average predator is between the ages of 30-50. They are a white male. They have attended some college, and they are all out to hurt kids. Did you know they can find your kiddos thru x-box chat rooms as well. He said that they have seen a rise of cases from 10 year olds sending naked pictures back and forth over phones and internet in Billings. WHAT! He also shared that predators are getting younger and younger. I beg you, and so does the FBI, to please delete any and all internet chat programs your child may have that I have listed above. It just isn't worth it. We would all feel so horrible if something tragic happened to our kids for something that is set up to protect them. Lastly, the FBI agent asked kids to go onto the website: www.NetSmartz.org. It has movies and games that they can play to learn more. It is NOT a chat room of any kind. Please go on as well. If your child and/or you does go on it, please write FBI in the planner for $100. I have linked it off to the right under Ms. Erickson't favorites. If you have any safety questions or concerns Dan's text me for Dan's number. Ask your child what they thought of the talk. Then ask them how old the oldest person that Dan has caught was. If they remember, write the age in the planner tomorrow for $20.
Have an amazing night!
