Family

It is a scary feeling, your heart stops and your worst fear paralyzes you from head to toes: your kid was just next to you and now is gone! You start screaming your kid's name first not to loud but then you realize that someone might have taken him (her) and you get totally insane!

In crowded places like a big store or an amusement park a lost kid becomes an easy pray for predators, who usually blend in the crowd waiting for an opportunity like this.

It takes a second for a kid to disappear! A quick thinking could save your kid of being abducted. Panic would only act on your disadvantage and waiting too long trying to find you child in the crowd will only delay help.

For years our schools have been teaching our children to read, to write, and other subjects to provide them with the necessary knowledge to successfully graduate from High School.

However, crucial subjects which are part of every citizen's life, have been left aside not considering the fact that without these "subjects" our kids are growing in complete ignorance of the laws that rule our society. Rules that will affect them soon or later, in one way or another.

We teach our kids what is right and wrong, the same way our parents did to us 20 years ago! The truth is that, ever since, the laws have become more and more complex and they have extended to touch the limit of juveniles too.

We all grew up breathing the Romeo and Juliet mentality. A couple of teenagers crazy in love trying to defend their love from society. Romantic? Maybe...for other times.

The truth is that the spontaneous relationships from the past have been buried through the years under law suits and today the school sweet harts better be very careful or the modern Romeo might end up behind bars with a label of SEX OFFENDER for the rest of his life.

On January 18Th of 2006 a Task Force for Juvenile Sex Offenders prepared a report to review this law. This report was submitted to the Governor and the Florida Legislature in order to modify the Juvenile Sex Offenders Florida Law as it reads today:

As painful as it sounds, Florida is the fourth state in the US where the child pornography over the Internet accounts for the largest volume of cyber crime. According to Bill McCollum, Attorney General for the state of Florida: "The state authorities know very well the dangerous activities that on line child predators engage in and the amount of risks children face". Therefore, severe new laws have been implemented as October 2007 to protect our children against Internet predators and to prevent children sexual exploitation.

Thanks to these new laws these criminals will face maximum sentences extended three times more to fifteen years. These laws are not only against predators who solicit kids through the Internet but also for those who own child pornography.

So far, two teens have committed suicide because of "Internet bullying", it is amazing how creative can some people be when is about hurting a child. I can even imagine the laughs while writing the terrible things they said to these two teens, while they were feeling defenseless and hunted. How cowardly and cruel can this sound when this verbal attack is coming from other kids the same age? And how unbelievable when the parents of those kids are involved too in the chat-bullying?

Playing with the mind of a minor in such a despicable way, attacking an already damaged self-esteem, and doing all this hiding behind a screen, to the point to push the victim to commit suicide should deserve the death penalty. It is worst than beating a kid to death! And these actions should be punished accordingly.

As amazing as it seems, this year we will be spending (according to the news on T.V.) an average of $ 850.00 per person for Christmas. In other words we will feed our brain of propaganda, brained washed through commercials and the media,  and we will be spending money that we really don't have. Some of us will even get deeper in debt and later on, we will probably pull our hair (more like in April) when the credit cards statements reality starts slapping us on the face waking us up from this "temporary state of mental stupidity".

Some of us will say "Oh well! At least I made my loved ones happy these Holidays". So true! However, you could have made them happy with less money and more creativity. Christmas had nothing to do with shopping remember? and Santa was created for kids!

And it is true! More car accidents among teenagers are caused by text messaging and not paying attention to the road than driving under the influence. However, just because technology is available doesn't mean we have to use it inadequately. It also takes some common sense to utilize this technology in a safety mode.

Not only teenagers are at risk of suffering a terrible accident while trying to drive, talk and text messaging at the same time while driving, a lot of adults do the same thing! Just put your hand over your heart and say: "I have never done such a thing!" It is very rare the driver that is not talking on the cellular phone while going home from work, and I'm sorry to say this but women are the master multi task when is about brushing their hair, apply make-up and turn in a 180 degree position to return the pacifier to the baby's mouth while behind the wheel.

You protect your child not letting him (her) go out to play without supervision, you drop and pick your kids up when they go to parties or to school. However, as soon as they get home they open the window to the world and they turn into potential victims again. The internet allows your kid to interact with those strangers you fear so bad. They play games together and predators can disguise to establish a "relationship" with their victims right under the parent's nose!

Years ago, when the television started, another kind of "window" was created. One where millions of people from everywhere around the world were influenced by other people's thoughts and experiences in life. Movie after movie, our society changed for ever! In a way, every one, somehow, became affected by a specific movie hero for good or for bad.

That's it! The year is almost gone and believe it or not Christmas is closer than we wished. This is the time when we regret not saving enough during the year and with the economy as it is we can expect not only a really skinny Santa Claus this year, but also crime everywhere. Don't let these holidays surprise you unaware and unsafe. Fight crime before it hits you. Here some safety advises you will never regret:

- Leave your small children safe at home with your spouse, your mom or a reliable baby sitter. Crowded stores are ideal to get distracted and leave your children unattended. Remember predators are always looking for the opportunity, don't take any chances with your kids!