What to do in case of assault

Hello families,

Although none of us like to be the victim of an assault, we must consider that we can become targets of it.



Here are some tips:

• Do not panic!
• If criminals escape in a car, try to memorize the plate number and the car model.
• If you see strange lights at home, do not enter, ask for help from neighbors and police.
• If the intruder carries any weapon, especially a gun, put no resistance.
• Do not look directly to the face of criminals.
• In a shootout, it is best to lie on the ground and remain motionless and silent.
• If you have a tracking system like DondeEsta, please press "Panic/Need help" functionality so your relatives are alerted immediately.
• The most imporant tip: Use common sense!

Regards,
Alejandra

[Facts] 25% of US crashes are related to distractions for the use of cell phones

Hello families,

Have you ever been driving and then your cellphone started ringing? What do you do then? Do you pick your phone up or do you leave it ring because you are driving and you are not suppose to pick it up? What about your kids? Do you know how many times they have picked their phone up when they were driving? Be careful, here you will find scary results about car accidents when driving. Keep reading to find a good solution:

FACTS

Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a U.S. study, revealed alarming results about the use of electronic devices when driving. According to this research, almost 25% of crashes in US are related to distractions generated by devices such as cell phones and GPS.

#1: Driver distraction is common in everyday driving and in crashes.

#2: Most drivers reported that they sometimes engaged in distracting activities. Drivers engaged in a secondary task between one-quarter and one-half of the time while driving.

#3: Cell phone use: about two-thirds of all drivers reported using a cell phone while driving; about onethird used a cell phone routinely.

#4: Texting: about one-eighth of all drivers reported texting while driving. Younger drivers reported texting more frequently than older drivers.

CONCLUSIONS of diferent studies

Here you have four things to learn from the studies:

#1: Cell phone use – certainly hand-held – does increase crash risk in some situations for some drivers. The only definite conclusion is that hand-held cell phone use increases crash risk to some extent.

#2: There is no conclusive evidence on whether hands-free cell phone use is less risky than hand-held use.

#3: Cell phone effects on crash risk are produced by looking at or holding the phone, not by talking or listening.

#4: Texting probably increases crash risk more than cell phone use because texting requires both visual and manual distraction for a longer period of time than dialing a cell phone.

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

If you do not want to pick your phone up when driving, here you have some solutions for you and your family. Cheak it out to know which solution is better for you and your family:

#1: Several manufacturers provide systems that attempt to block or filter a driver’s cell phone while the vehicle is in motion. Some consist of software applications (“apps”) loaded onto the cell phone. They are triggered when the phone’s motion exceeds some threshold, so they work only on GPS-equipped “smartphones”.

#2: There are systems integrated into the vehicle and affect all cell phones in the vehicle through a small transmitter.

#3: Some applications block all incoming calls, texts, and emails. Some allow calls when the vehicle is briefly stopped at a red light; others block calls for several minutes after stopping; some allow geographic areas to be specified within which all calls are blocked. Some allow the user to allow or block calls from specified phone numbers.

#4: DondeEsta™ is a mobile tracking system. This application lets you text your kid driver and get an automatic SMS with its location, so you can know where him. Your kid will not need to pick up the phone, his phone will reply to you with an automatic SMS. Donwload it for free: www.dondeesta.com

What do you think now? Are you going to pick your phone up again when you are driving? Think it twice! You can find a good solution to avoid it!

Feel free to leave your comment below. All opinions are welcome.

Regards and a safe road trip.

Marta

[5 safety tips] for women selfdefense mechanisms

Hello families,

As I told you last week, here you have the article about several defense mechanisms that Marybeth Bond shares in her webpage and we think it can be interesting for you! We would like to engage you to share it with the women you know and with your daughther.



#1: Face them and ask
If someone is following you on the street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell and if you feel they are suspicious, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: “I can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter.” Now you’ve seen their face and could identify them in a lineup, so you lose appeal as a target.


#2: Yell and don't be affraid
If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell “Stop” or “Stay back!” Most of the rapists said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. They are looking for an EASY target. If you carry pepper spray (the instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling “I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY” and holding it out will be a deterrent.


#3: Try to hurt them
If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If they grab your wrist, pull your wrist back so your hand is in waving position (palm facing forward) and twist it toward yourself and pull your arm away. It is hard to hold onto wrist bones that are moving in that way. They stumble toward you and you stumble back, so you can use that momentum to backhand them with your knuckles in the forehead, nose or teeth. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh HARD. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it hurts.


#4: Start causing trouble, and he'll take off
After the initial hit, always go for the groin. It is extremely painful if you slap a guy’s testicles (do not be afraid, your life may be at stake!). You might think that you’ll make the potential rapist really mad and make him want to hurt you more, but the rapists who were interviewed reported that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’ll take off.


#5: Bend his fingers back
If he puts his hands up to grab you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. I saw the instructor do this to another man, without using much pressure, and he ended up on his knees and both knuckles cracked audibly. It works!


What do you think? I hope you found interesting all the defense mechanisms and I hope you never need to use them. You also may take with you DondeEsta™ installed in your phone; if you are in troubles you can send an automatic SMS with your location to all your autorizhed contacts by two click. Check it out here.


Thank you to Marybeth Bond, again for her advices. Feel free to post your opinion below. All comments are welcome!


Regards,
Marta

[10 safety tips] for women when alone in the street

Hello families,

Have you ever worried for your girl teen or for yourself when you need to go somewhere? Have you ever been afraid of rapists when walking arround? There are different ways to make you a No-Target of rapists. Don’t think this won’t happen to you. Some women don’t even know they have been raped until it’s too late. Keep reading:

Marybeth Bond is a women's travel expert in San Francisco and has written several National Geographic women's travel books; she shares different safety tips for women. What she first says is that women need to "trust their instincts" if a situation seems awry. So, to walk safe and without fear, we need to be savvy. Here you can find interesting facts and safety tips for women:

#1: Men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

#2: They also look for women on their cellphone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

#3: The time of day men are most likely to attack and rape a woman is in the early morning, between 5 and 8:30 a.m.

#4: The number one place women are abducted from/attacked at is grocery store parking lots. Number two is office parking lots/garages and number three is public restrooms. These men are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second, secluded location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

#5: Only 2% of the rapists interviewed said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.

#6: If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming. These men said they will not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects in their hands that can be used from a distance.

#7: Anticipate potential problems. For example, if a group of men or young boys approaches you on the sidewalk on your side of the street, cross to the other side to give them space and you peace of mind.

#8: If you are being followed in the street and you feel threatened, duck into a shop and firmly tell the clerk: “Someone is following me. I am frightened and need help.” If need be, have the clerk call a cab or police officer for you.

#9: Try not to leave your drink unattended in bars, and exercise good judgment when accepting food or drink from people. Rohypnol, the date rape drug, is odorless, tasteless and colorless. It is a tranquilizer that can be slipped into your drink by a man who would like to have sex with a woman who is heavily sedated. If you are at a party, don’t accept a glass of punch unless you trust the host.

A good safety advice is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

Thank you to Marybeth Bond for her advices; you can find her at her webpage. We could see more about her in the next article here in the Blog about some defense mechanisms. Don't miss them, next week.

I also have a #10 advice for all the women. Now, DondeEsta™ has a new feature: "Need Help!" button that lets you send an SMS with your location when you report it. With in two clicks you will send an automatic SMS with your location to your authorized contacts. Check it out and download it for free: www.dondeesta.com

Share below your comments and opinion. All opinions are welcome! Remember to share this with all women you know and your daughter!

Regards,

Marta

[News] When one of the safeties countries is attacked

Hello families,

Today we have bad news, as you will probably know, Norway has been attacked and has lost 92 of its citizens, most of them young kids.

Before last Friday everybody thought Norway was one of the safeties countries in the world. Actually, Norway is between the 10 safeties countries, so what happened last Friday nobody can understand.

Norwegians and all Europe is shocked for the 92 victims of Friday’s island massacre and Oslo bomb attack. Everybody ask why, everybody look for answers, nobody understand how a safe country as Norway could be attacked.

Survivor's experiences,

Survivor Jorgen Benone said: "It was total chaos...I think several lost their lives as they tried to get over to the mainland”.

"I saw people being shot. I tried to sit as quietly as possible. I was hiding behind some stones. I saw him once, just 20, 30 metres away from me. I thought 'I'm terrified for my life', I thought of all the people I love”.

"I saw some boats but I wasn't sure if I could trust them. I didn't know who I could trust any more."

"We had all gathered in the main house to talk about what had happened in Oslo. Suddenly we heard shots. First we thought it was nonsense. Then everyone started running," one survivor, a 16-year-old called Hana, told Norway's Aftenposten.

"I saw a policeman stand there with earplugs. He said 'I'd like to gather everyone'. Then he ran in and started shooting at people. We ran down toward the beach and began to swim."

Hana said the gunman fired at people in the water.

The Prime Minister, Stoltenberg, said he knew many of the victims personally. "I know the young people and I know their parents", he said. "What happened at Utoeya is a national tragedy", Stoltenberg said. "Not since World War Two has our country seen a greater crime".

Source: Reuters

Candles lit for Norway's victims: http://youtu.be/aN4FO42p0qA

We would like to dedicate this post to all families and friend who lost someone in this horrible tragedy. Why? Why does it happen?

You are welcome to leave your comments below and tell your opinion.

Safety day to everybody!

Marta

[Opinion] Keeping our children safe in the unsafe world

Hello families,

"A child has been reported missing". As a parent, my heart naturally jumps and a sickening feeling overcomes my stomach every time I hear these words spoken on a news show. According to a statement from the United States Department of Justice, more than a quarter of a million children are abducted each year in the United States.

Keeping our children safe in the unsafe world in which we live in today takes a tremendous combined effort between parents and caregivers, children, community members, schools, and local law enforcement agencies.

Statistical information about the number of children reported missing in the United States each year can be difficult to assess. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) based in Arlington, Virginia, states that this is due to the fact that missing children are classified under different categories: family abduction, endangered runaways, or non-family abductions.

What Can Parents Teach Their Children?

The most important thing that you can do as parents is to create a living environment and relationship with your children that maintains a healthy mode of communication. Establishing a home where your child will feel truly comfortable in talking about sensitive matters goes a long way.

Teach children safety tips in a way that is calm and reassuring, and always avoid the discussion of scary details of what may happen to a child who does not follow safety guidelines. Also, be wary of teaching your children to be on the look-out for strangers, since children may not have the same understanding of who exactly is deemed a stranger. This idea may make little children believe that they should only be wary of individuals who have an outwardly unusual and/or messy appearance. Instead, teach your children to be aware of certain situations or actions. Keep teaching your kids when they become teens, they still don't know everything.

"Children should be taught to trust their feelings, and if something or someplace does not feel right to them, then they should leave it immediately. Adults should also teach their children to be on the look-out for people who could help them out of a dangerous situation, for example, moms with kids, firefighters, store clerks, and security personnel in uniform," says Marc Klaas, who founded the KlaasKids Foundation in 1994, one year to the day of the abduction and murder of his twelve-year-old daughter Polly.

Organizations That Can Help

The mission behind Beyond Missing, according to Marc Klaas, who is also the company's president, is to provide a comprehensive program where police and law enforcement around the country can create flyers of missing persons, and then distribute these flyers to other members and agencies of law enforcement via fax and e-mail.

Families of missing children/persons also have the ability to log onto the site to create their own flyers and post them throughout their community. "The flyers are sent within a 200 mile radius from wherever a child is reported missing. Local media, convenience stores, bus stations all receive a copy of the created flyer and this program (currently contracted with Texas and California), is available in both English and Spanish," states Mr. Klaas.

Do you know any organization arround your place that can help? Write it down and let everybody know about it. We can help each other with all participation. Feel free to write your comment below!

This post has been written by Jennifer Lacey. Thank you for it!

Wishes,

Marta

[7 online safety tips] When you go online with your 11-14 years old kid

Hi family,

Do you have a 11 to 14 yeras old kid? If so, I'm sure they spend time on the Internet. Do you feel out of control when they are surfing on the net? Here you can find safety tips to consider when you go online with your 11-14 year old (displayed by Microsoft).

Children this age are savvier about their Internet experience, but it's a good idea to supervise and monitor their Internet use to help ensure they are not exposed to inappropriate materials. You can use Internet safety tools to limit access to content and websites and provide a report of Internet activities. Make sure children this age understand what personal information they should not give over the Internet.

When your kids are this age it might not be practical to physically supervise their Internet use at all times. You can use tools such as Windows Live Family Safety, Windows 7 Parental Controls, or Windows Vista Parental Controls.

7 online safety tips!

#1: Talk with them about computers

It's a good idea to foster open and positive communication with your children. Stay open to their questions and curiosity. Encourage your children to tell you if something or someone online makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened.

#2: Set clear rules for Internet use

#3: No sharing personal information

Insist that your children not share personal information such as their real name, address, phone number, or passwords with people they meet online.

#4: Nicknames.

If a site encourages kids to submit their names to personalize the web content, help your kids create online nicknames that give away no personal information.

#5: Use family safety tools

You can create appropriate profiles for each family member and to help filter the Internet. You can fins how to install them in these links, see Windows Live Family Safety, Windows 7 Parental Controls, or Windows Vista Parental Controls. You should have some limitations on content, websites, and activities.

#6: Supervise them

Keep Internet-connected computers in an open area where you can easily supervise your kids' activities.

#7: Pop-up windows

Help protect your children from offensive pop-up windows. You can use the pop-up blocker that's built in to Internet Explorer.

I hope you found the information interesting. If you have any question or doubt write them below and we will reply as soon as we can! Feel free to write any comment!

Take care,

Marta

[Real story] Insecurity in Ecuador

Hello families,

We focus on Ecuador, specifically in Guayaquil city, which is considered one of the most unsafe cities in Ecuador, due to the high crime rate that has been shown in recent years and the alarming and increasing rate of crime in police records.

REALITY

Analyzing the latest statistics from a few weeks ago puts goose bumps. Between Saturday 18th and Friday 24th (June 2011), Guayaquil has suffered 7 murders, 179 aggravated burglaries, 6 express kidnappings, 10 rapes, 35 robberies, 27 burglaries, 21 vehicle theft .. . ESPOL statistics collected a total of 328 crimes in just one week.

However on July 3rd the Minister, José Serrano, said that the statistics of the first five months of 2011 show a 15% decrease in homicides. "We're not satisfied, we are concerned because there are crimes in which violence has increased" added the minister of Ecuador.

The report presented by the minister also indicated that in Quito and Guayaquil, the country's major cities, murders "are between the ages of 15 and 31 years old, and one of the main causes for these deaths is alcohol". Some years ago, Fernando Carrión Mena, FLACSO, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales wrote about it and said "We are generating youth people with norms and conduct quite violent".

VICTIMS AND CITIZENS ACTION

After seeing the situation in Ecuador, you wonder how could you protect your family or how is possible to get the peace that people look for? In all countries where there are insecurity and violence, people suffer; an example is Paola Andrade, journalist and entrepreneur who, after suffering three attacks, lose confidence and faith and learn to live with fear and dread decided to write a letter to President Correa, which was published in the news El Universo on June 7th, 2011.

After that, Paola has a clear goal "mobilize people ready to defend their lives, to start organizing an entity that works for people security". All citizens are welcome to contribute with their skills as communicators, lawyers, designers, psychologists, sociologists and so on, and submit proposals to pandrade@impresionar.com

Paola is an example of concerned citizen with her country's reality. But she is not the only one, other Ecuadorian citizens act and struggle to create a safer place where to live. The blog Mi historia de inseguridad tells stories of insecurity written by people who suffer every day attacks and insecurity.

Despite of the alarming number of reported crime and insecurity, there are a lot of attacks which have been not reported ...

WHY CRIME IS NOT REPORTED?

The Centro de Investigación y Estadísticas ICM ESPOL tells that the main reason for not reported a crime in Guayaquil is the "fear of retaliation" (73.5% of respondents). The next reason is the "little confidence, people have in the judiciary" (47.5% of respondents); while the third reason is "the complicated process" to report (42.8% of responders). However, the professor Gaudencio M. Zurita says in his blog: "This can be improved immediately because, actually the process in the prosecution is not complicated".

To these porcentages follow the "lack of time" (34.2%), the "lack of money" to make the process (22.8%) and the "negligible value" of lost property (14.5%). "It is appropriate to highlight that the prosecution process is completely free", says Professor Gaudencio M. Zurita who states that "There are plenty of room for progress".

[Remember that the sum of the options exceeds 100% because respondents chose three options, not one.]

For the writing of this article were consulted the sources that have been indicated throughout the paper, including studies, news, organizations, bloggers' opinion, and so on.

If you have comments, tips, ideas... is welcome. Feel free to leave your comments below.

Greetings to all families in Ecuador,

Marta

[How to] Deal with the safety issues of sports

Hello families,

We will talk about sports and how to prevent concussions, fractures, and other sports-related injuries. Sports and physical exercise have both physical (fitness, coordination, and weight maintenance) and emotional (self-esteem, self-discipline, and confidence) benefits for children. With all of these great benefits, many parents encourage their children to participate in sports. However, participation in sports always carries the risk of injury, and children's sports are no exception. More than 30 million kids under 14 participate in organized sports, and more than one in 10 ends up in the emergency room after suffering from a sports injury.

According to the National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Reported Behaviors Concerning Sports Safety provided for Safe Kids, children, their coaches, and parents are more

likely to take a number of precautions to minimize the risk of injury than they were a decade ago. Despite the increase in many precautions taken by young athletes, their parents, and coaches, children still are being injured at about the same rate as they were in 2000—though the rates of multiple injuries have increased significantly. While the proportion of young athletes who have been injured participating in team sports has increased slightly in the past 11 years from 31% in 2000 to 34% in 2011, the number of young athletes who have sustained multiple injuries while playing team sports has increased by nearly one and a half times, jumping from 15% in 2000 to 21% today 2011.

Professional opinions

Jennifer Bell, owner of Health Training Guide tells us some strategies that will help lessen the likelihood of injury:

Know the rules. Your child should know the rules. Many of the rules governing sports are in place to avoid unnecessary roughness and injuries. However, many young children are pressed into playing well before they really understand the finer nuances of the game. Make sure your kids know all of the rules, especially those that deal with illegal moves, unnecessary roughing, tripping others, and hooking. Mild contact sports like basketball and soccer also have rules about elbowing, pushing, and body-checking.

Right attitude. Make sure your child has the right attitude. In their excitement and passion to win, your child may think it is acceptable to break the rules to gain an advantage. This is especially true if they see other children tripping, shoving, elbowing, or otherwise using illegal tactics to gain the upper hand over an opponent. Make sure your child understands that this is not acceptable.

“By using these strategies, you can take steps to make your child's involvement in contact sports less likely to result in injury" – says Jennifer Bell - “The right attitude, a firm grasp of the rules and good body control will have a positive impact on both their enjoyment of and excellence at sports.” One of the largest nonprofit organizations devoted to children's health KidsHealth gives us some more advises to have fun playing sport with no getting hurt:

Wear Protective Gear. The gear you wear depends on the sport you play.Helmets are the most common protective gear and they protect your kid's head while they're playing football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking, skateboarding, and inline skating... Other sports require eye protection, mouthguards, pads, wrist, elbow, and knee guards. And don't forget the feet, cleats are worn in football, baseball, softball, and soccer. These shoes have special rubber or plastic points on the soles to help feet grip the ground when your kids run around.

Warm up. It's not a good idea to just bolt on to the field and start playing. Doing some stretching can get your kid prepared to hit the field. By warming up, kids get themself ready to play and help keep them safe, too. Warm-ups that last 15 to 30 minutes and include slow, gradual stretching help lengthen the muscles and increase the blood flow and muscle temperature. That way, muscles are ready to go and are much less likely to get hurt.

Why the rates of injuries among young athletes has risen?

The National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Reported Behaviors Concerning Sports Safety provided for SafeKids stated above says that "the fact that children are playing sports more intensely and on a higher level than ever before heightens the risk for injury, yet parents’ concern has not risen accordingly". The report predicts that "these trends likely will continue, and, unless parents and coaches take steps to educate themselves more fully on specific injuries and take additional steps to prevent them, the number of children who receive multiple injuries over the course of their athletic “careers” likely will increase as well".

Families, we all want the best for our loves ones, so we should be active and able to prevent the injuries that our kids can have when practicing some sports. Also, is important remember that kids should not play by themselves. If your teen wants to train by himself, you should provide him with the necessary to prevent injuries and also with technology to help him in case he gets hurt.

For the writing of this article I consulted the sources stated above throughout the article, including studies, organizations' reports and specially I relied on the professional, Jennifer Bell's opinion. Check out her site to learn more about medical transcription training and other exciting health careers. Thank you Jennifer for your time and professional advises.

Feel free to leave your comments below. We all can learn from each other, your comments, tips, ideas and opinions are welcome.

Take care,

Marta

[Real story] Insecurity in Mexico

Hello families,

Today we will talk about the real life in Mexico. This article contains information about the country's current situation, the victims, the actions and movements and how Texas, boarder with Mexico, sees their neighbors.

REALITY

Since 2007 the reality of Mexico is frightening, it is a constant and growing war on the street that increases and creates fear and horror to the people. A recent study, published for the magazine Nexos by the professional Eduardo Guerrero, shows that currently there are more Mexican municipalities plagued by violence than some years ago. In 2007 were 53 municipalities with 12 or more homicides linked to organized crime; in 2008 were 84; in 2009 were until 131 municipalities and the project shows that in 2010 were 200 towns with 12 or more executions. The number of places that suffer violence has quadrupled in just four years.

There are two factors behind this situation, on the one hand has been detected the involvement of police, ex police and ex military, in one of three kidnappings; they apply the knowledge acquired to protect society against them. The numbers are: 6 of every 10 kidnapping are not reported due to lack of confidence in the authorities and 2 of every 10 are negotiated by the police on an informal basis. So, it means that the authority receives the formal complaint only 2 cases in 10.

The second factor that helps the kidnapper to get the achievement of its objectives is the use of technology to commit crimes. Today there are bands with a high degree of expertise in communications systems that enables them to intervene, clone and produce false leads telecommunications on the location and origin of calls to negotiate.

TEXAS AND MEXICO

So, is Mexico a safe place? Can we travel there?

The state of Texas warned U.S. citizens on Saturday to stay away from the border town of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, over the July 4 weekend, saying that the violent Zetas drug cartel was targeting vacationers there. "According to the information we have received, the Zetas are planning a possible surge in criminal activity, such as robberies, extortions, car-jackings and vehicle theft, specifically against U.S. citizens" said Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, in a press release.

Mexico claims that most of its territory is safe and ask Texas for stop telling tourists false information. The latest bulletin comes just weeks after a complaint from Mexico's tourism chief Rodolfo Lopez Negrete, who said some of the warnings are "ludicrous" and "misinformed".

High-profile violence has stained the image of Mexico's large tourist centers, although the majority of violence tends to happen away from tourist destinations.

INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPLE

Some Mexicans have not been driven by fear and have decided to act and denounce the kidnappings, drug traffic and corruption. One of these concerned Mexicans about his country is Dr. Valenzuela who helped to organize the first march in November 2008 where about 200 doctors were involved. Like Dr. Valenzuela there are several stories of courageous people who have risked their lives to get a better Mexico for their families and friends.

Some people have joined together in associations and groups to help each other and against the current situation. The Instituto Ciudadanos de Estudios sobre la Inseguridad provides safety tips and has also created an Internet site called ¡No te calles! where citizens can post their experiences about insecurity.

Other movements, such as Iniciativa México seeks and recognizes projects that look for transforming Mexico into a better place. The insecurity in the country and people's necessity to look for safety have led companies to develop in tracking systems. Thus, several business offer location services, the latest service is the location by SMS.

For the writing of this article have been consulted sources stated above throughout the article, including studies, news, organizations and movements, and so on.

If you have comments, tips, ideas and opinions, everything is welcome. Feel free to leave your comments below.

Regards,

Marta

Looking for safety

Hello families,

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory developed for Maslow in 1943 and it is described graphically in a pyramid of five layers. The most fundamental and basic four layers of the pyramid contain what Maslow called "deficiency needs" or "d-needs". Maslow's theory suggests that the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire (or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs.

The reason I mention Maslow and his pyramid in this article is to focus on the second layer of the pyramid about safety needs, those that arise when the physiological needs are met. The second level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs includes:

- Physical security and health.

- Job security, income and resources.

- Safety moral, family safety and private property.

Nowadays security is a hot topic, it is in the media and society. Safety has always been the second level of the Maslow's hierarchy of needs and has always been an important part to people, but now also seems to have intensified. Very different problems such as violence in Mexico or the child malnutrition's problem in India generate insecurity that has carved a niche in the lives of many families.

From the psychological point of view, security does not exist in this life and it is a term that does not match the fundamental characteristic of existence, which is uncertainty. However, we are not safe anywhere, or do not feel safe anywhere not even lying on our bed with an armed guard. We have become more suspicious and skeptical. We walk around and distrust people who walks by us result of what our eyes have seen or seen and what family and friends tell us. The news and media are full of robberies, shootings, crime, violence, and this makes an intent to overcome the second level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to continue rising.

Some describe the life of insecure, while others may believe that today we have enough technology to make this world a safety place. What do you think? Was your parent's time a safer place or will your children's time be a safer time?

Write down your opinion and share below your point of view about security and family safety.

Regards,

Marta

[How To] Preparing and Staying Safe During Your Camping Trip

Hello families,

Preparing and staying safe during your camping trip is essential for enjoying a positive experience. If you start out unprepared, your camping trip could quickly turn into a disastrous situation. In this article, you will find helpful tips on preparing for your camping trip and how to avoid any possible dangers while camping.

1. FIRST AID KIT

The most important item to take along on your camping trip is a first aid kit. When putting your first aid kit together, make sure the following basic items are included inside: prescription and over-the-counter medications, assortment of band-aids, gauze pads, adhesive tape, ace bandage, antiseptic wipes, burn ointment, insect repellant, sunscreen, bee sting kit, snake bite kit, tweezers, scissors, latex gloves and a first aid manual.

2. EMERGENCY KIT

When preparing an emergency kit, the following basic items should be included: area map, compass, flashlight, Swiss army knife, waterproof matches, bottled water, energy bars, battery operated radio, fully charged cell phone, warm clothing, rain gear and a blanket.

3. SETTING UP CAMP

If possible, arrive at the campsite while it is still daylight. You will need to check the area for possible hazards. Before setting up your tent, make sure the campsite is not located in a flood prone area. Other things to look for are poison ivy, jagged rocks, sharp objects, low hanging branches and bee hives.

4. CAMPFIRE SAFETY

When building a campfire, adhere strictly to the campground’s rules. If your campsite has an open pit, contain the fire with a rocks placed in a circle. Never build a campfire close to the tent, trees, bushes or fuel-based camping equipment. Always keep a bucket of water close by in case the fire should get out of control. Do not leave the campfire unattended and extinguish the flames thoroughly.

5. TRASH DISPOSAL

Disposal of your trash is very important to insure that you have a safe and enjoyable camping experience. Never leave trash lying around out in the open. When discarding scraps of food, keep the lids sealed tightly on the trash container to prevent attracting bears and other wildlife to your campsite. When you get ready to depart, leave behind a clean campsite. If you recycle, place the items in separate containers, such as grocery bags, and take with you.

6. DRINKING WATER

Take along your own supply of bottled water for drinking and cooking. If you must use the campground’s natural water resources, always use a water purification system to filter the water before using. Never drink from any of the lakes, rivers or streams no matter how clean looking they appear. These bodies of water could possibly be contaminated with harmful parasites or other organisms.

7. WILD ANIMALS

Never approach or try to feed wild animals. Although they may look friendly, they can be very unpredictable and dangerous. Injuries from animal attack happen most often when campers attempt to feed them. Never leave food inside your tent. Keep food items stored in a safe place or hang the food from a tree.

8. WEATHER CONDITIONS

Be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. In case of a severe storm, leave your tent and seek safe shelter immediately.

By using common sense and following these tips, you can avoid a disastrous camping experience and have an outdoor adventure that is fun and enjoyable.

This post has been written by Nicole Rodgers who has been blogging for three years; before she goes on her camping trips she finds great deals on supplies at Savings.com. Whenever she enjoys time in the sun, she always brings her designer eyewear. Thank you so much for your tips Nicole, they all are very useful!

If you have more tips and experiences you would like to share here, feel free to post them below!

Have a wonderful camping day!

Wishes,

Marta

20 safety tips for a day at the beach

Hello families,

Summer is close, and within the good weather and the desire to go to the beach. To help you to enjoy your day at the beach, we wrote down some tips for a safety day. Give yourself 5 minuts for a safety jour, close to the sea. Take a look down!

At the beach security depends on several factors, and the principal is the responsible conduct of swimmers and people. Another is the availability of lifeguards to perform a great job every year and strategies raised by municipalities in coordination with the Police and other authorities on prevention. What we can do to have a nice day enjoying the sun:

TIP 1. Never pick up strangers in your car, no matter age or gender.

TIP 2. Avoid carrying a lot of money, jewelry or other valuable goods.

TIP 3. Bring your own beach umbrella.

TIP 4. When you reach the beach, park your car in a safety place. Do not leave anything inside that could attract the attention of some criminal.

TIP 5. Avoid going to beaches far away from everywhere. Some people looking for privacy were victims of assault.

TIP 6. At the beach, be very attentive to your belongings; do not leave them alone.

TIP 7. If traveling with children take special care of them.

TIP 8. Avoid sports practices in areas of overlapping groups. For your safety and for the others safety.

TIP 9. Avoid excessive exposure to sunlight. The best time for sunbathing are before noon and after 4 pm.

TIP 10. The activity of kids must be supervised by adults.

TIP 11. Much attention if you buy drinks or food to a street vendor.

TIP 12. Beware of dehydration, we recommend taking your own liquid.

TIP 13. Do not drink alcohol if you want to go swimming.

TIP 14. If you have eaten, wait a reasonable time before to go swimming.

TIP 15. Before swimming check the conditions of the sea. Some beaches have a flag that represent the conditions of the sea. Red flag means don't go swimming; yellow flag means you can swim but with extremly attention; green flag means you can swim with no worries. Take a look to the flag before to go swimming!

TIP 16. Try not to give the back to the sea.

TRIP 17. Rocky areas and docks are dangerous places to swim. Try to avoid them.

TRIP 18. It is better to swim in areas supervised by lifeguards.

TRIP 19. Always swim parallel to shore, do not penetrate into the deep. The current is very bad.

TRIP 20. Attention with the air mattresses and boards, it is very easy to be swept out to sea.

The advices has been given by César Ortiz Anderson, President of APROSEC (Association for Public Safety) of Peru. Remember that if your teens go alone to the beach, you should talk to them and let them see all the aspects mentioned above. If they are responsable to go alone to the beach, they should know all the tips above as well.

If you have more tips, share them below. Together we can make days at the beach, safe and fun.

Take care,

Marta.

[Opinion] "The site said you could win a month of free groceries"

Hello families,

Today's story is about talking with kids about Internet. What they can do and what they do not have to do. J. Salvage is a writer, blogger, and parent who loves adventure on- and off- line. Moving a lot for work has given her and her kids perspective on many cultures and lifestyles. He learned about how necessary is to explain things to our kids and he is willing to tell us about his story. Thank you from advance J.S.

[J.Salvage] I didn’t have the Internet when I was a kid. I studied at a library in college where I used a card catalog and the Dewey Decimal System. I graduated without an email address. When the Internet was born, I felt a real sense of having the world at my fingertips. I happily gave up the newspaper for CNN Online. I do all my holiday shopping on Amazon.com.

Then I had kids.

And they met the Internet when they were young. They learned to type at same time they learned to read. Most of the time they didn’t even need to type; they just clicked around happily from site to site. I worried about them clicking onto odd, dangerous, or inappropriate sites. I installed parent controls and was satisfied with the barriers that set. I also worried about them accidentally download a virus. But, I also didn’t want to have to sit with my kids as they explored the Internet day after day. Anti-virus protection solved that nicely.

I was feeling good about my kids’ safety on the Internet as well as my computer’s. But one thing I didn’t consider teaching them about was contests, giveaways, and danger of signing up for freebies.

One day, I answered a call on the home phone from a sales person who asked to speak to my daughter. I asked who it was, specifically, and why she was calling for my daughter. She said she wanted to talk about the timeshare that my daughter had inquired about. My response was, “I’m sorry, you must be mistaken, my daughter is eight years old.” When I hung up, I tried to think about how that had happened, but finally dismissed it as some weird mix up. The next week I received a package. I had to sign for the fedex shipping services. It was a box of books: a first installment of books from some monthly book club. I knew I hadn’t ordered it. I finally asked my daughter if she knew anything about it. She told me excitedly that she’s signed me up for them, since they were free and I liked to read.

Aha. “And what about a vacation home in Florida?” I asked.

“Well, the site said you could win a month of free groceries if you signed up. Did you win the groceries?”

“No. Let’s talk,” I said.

After that I realized that we need to set some boundaries for what it was okay to sign up for on the Internet, and what she needed to leave alone. While those were innocent mistakes, it was good practice for learning about what to keep private and what to share online.

As the years went on and my daughter became old enough to have a Facebook account, and to join online forums, and to host her own blog, we’ve had expectations of privacy set in place. A little communication has gone a long way. Being open and honest is something my kids want to do almost too freely. I’m glad they have the spirit of sharing in them, but it’s also good to draw lines on Internet communications, whether that is with friends on Facebook or with finances and shopping online.

Thank your story J.S. I am sure that there are a lot of people in the same situation. I also had a "problem" with my kids and Internet. Internet has become an important subject to talk with our kids. It is important because when they are teen is more difficult to know what they do online, and we want they are safe, so it is better to talk soon.

The question for our readers is, what do you think about it? What do your teens do online, shopping, facebook, just surfing? You are welcome to leave your comment, to share it below!

If you want to know more about our guest you can check his blogs at http://www.professionalintern.com/ and http://www.eatbreatheblog.com/. Thank you again, to our writers and readers!

[Q&A] How to connect with a teen who has ADD or ADHD

Hello families,

This post is written by Wendy Bailey, a mom, blogger and writer with an interest in family and mental health topics. Thank you Wendy for your article and the useful information you provide for parents.

ADD and ADHD: most teens are experiencing such dilemmas. Adults are aware of these disorders but only few would know how to handle a kid with such.

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A behavior based on a biological circumstance of a kid leading to tireless practice of difficulties. It is identified by the occurrence of both attention problems and hyperactivity which should not be co-existent. This predomi- nantly results to any of the following behaviors or the combination of all:

• Inattention – kid with this condition has a difficulty in concentrating on a certain thing. A task can't exceed their attention span and after a few minutes of consistency, they draw their attention to unrelated things. They are prone to errors, lack time management and can't stay organize on something.• Hyperactivity – they have a difficulty in restraining their behavior. They may have exaggerated way of interfering with things; they have mannerisms like turning the chair and leg.

• Impulsivity – when teens are having a hard time controlling their impulses. They are impatient and they often do or say things without minding what the possible consequences will be.

ADD and ADHD are not quite different from each other. There are just some instances wherein no hyperactivity is involved in a certain disorder (ADD). It is proven that these disorders strike 2 to 4 times on boys rather than the girls.

Knowing someone with AD/HD is not that easy as we may think. You have to understand what it means both intellectually and emotionally. Here you have some advises:

• Each member should support each other to keep things in track and not be affected by it in a negative way.

• You have to be firm yet gentle. Be strong in accepting your child's condition yet don't be so harsh on the kid itself.

• Design your home environment in a way that is suited to the kid's behavior. If the child is hyperactive, then you should take away any unnecessary thing that is breakable.

• Be empathetic enough to realize how difficult it is to have such disorder.
"http://school.familyeducation.com/learning-disabilities/add-and-adhd/34474.html"

• Don't be disappointed if your teen doesn't act his age. It is expected that your kid may not be able to do things that others can. But your understanding is more expected than anything else.

• There's nothing else better than showing your love to your kid so make him/her feel it.

Sources:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/learning/adhd.html
http://add.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/a/Parents-ADHD.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd/article.htm
http://www.adderallabuse.net/adderall-withdrawl-symptoms.

Thank you Wendy for the useful information you provided. I just would like to encourage our readers to post their opinions, comments, advises and questions. Let's see how we can help each other.

Wishes,
Marta

[Professional's Opinion] Teenagers think safety helmets are NOT cool!

Hello families,

This story is about safety with happy ending. Karyn Climans suffered a serious ski accident but fortunately she was wearing her ski helmet. From there she decided to start up a company, which goal is to help prevent unnecessary injuries. It is her passion for safety awareness along with her imaginative flair that are the key ingredients for her company success. Karyn became a professional entrepreneur in her field and here you have her opinion about safety, and recommendations for parents who try to encourage their teens to wear a helmet. Welcome to our blog Karyn.

Expert opinion about safety.

[Karyn Climans] Five years ago when I established my business, Tail Wags Helmet Covers, I made it my goal to encourage more kids and adults to wear their safety helmets.

I’m delighted to report helmet use amongst children has risen significantly in the past few years due to public education and mandatory helmet laws but helmet use amongst teens and adults is still low.

I will never understand why adults would ride a bike, ski or drive a motorcycle with out a safety helmet. You would think they’d know better. These adults are often the same parents who insist their children wear a safety helmet but don’t role model the behaviour themselves! But teenagers are still the toughest crowd to convince to wear a safety helmet. Researchers have concluded the primary reasons teens don’t wear helmets are:

• They don’t own a helmet.
• Helmets are uncomfortable.
• Teens are concerned about what their peers will think.
• They don’t perceive some sports as dangerous.
• They think it won’t happen to them.

Are you the parent of a teenager and is it a battle to get them to wear a safety helmet while biking, skateboarding, skiing or snowboarding? I wish I had a magic solution for this age group … but I don’t! But I can offer the following recommendations:

• Make sure they own a safety helmet that fits properly – preferably one they’ve chosen.
• Visit a traumatic injury unit at your local hospital. Both of my sons went on a school trip to a traumatic injury clinic and that visit left a lasting impression.

Thank you, Karyn, for your participation in our blog For Family Safety. There are reasons to be worried (every 15 seconds in the USA a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs or brain injury is the #1 killer and disabler of people under 45 years of age), but there are reasons to prevent it. And there are creative ways to prevent our kids’ injuries. Karyn’s company (www.tail-wags.com) is a creative example about how to encourage teenagers and adults to wear helmets. Her company promotes safety for all the family.

I hope you found interesting Karyn’s opinion. You are welcome to write your comment or question below. Thank you Karyn!

Wishes,
Marta