FTC: Apps for Kids aka Digital Wild West (WashPost)

Fess up Apple and Google!  And you too, Facebook!

Lets face it - kids these days are just as plugged in to the social networks and app ecosystems as their moms and dads are.  And in this article from Cecilia Kang, she explains that the FTC is looking into privacy leaks where apps DESIGNED FOR KIDS are concerned.  Doesn't seem like all that scrutiny apps get before making it into Apple's app store is having any impact on privacy.

AND THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS ARE IN IT TO MAKE BIG $$$ FROM YOUR PERSONAL DATA!

Wake up, moms and dads!  These apps are NOT the product being sold - YOU and YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION are the product being sold!  Why do you think Facebook is FREE?  Why do you think apps on the app stores only cost a buck, but the shrink-wrapped versions cost $49?

You're being SOLD!  Your identity, your personal preferences, your daily schedule, ANYTHING that can be tracked and might benefit a marketer or advertiser is being collected at YOUR expense and SOLD!

Sleep And Your Kids: Researchers Disagree and get Testy (NPR)

On NPR's Shots Blog, Nancy Shute commented on a study from the University of South Australia, which in a nutshell stated that there was no foundation for the amount of sleep pediatricians have been recommending to parents for their kids.  Then she followed up with a Q&A with Dr. Judith Owens, a sleep specialist and pediatrician at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC.  Dr. Owens had a 'Not-So-Fast' exchange with Shute, and explained that recommendations for sleep have been well researched.  Perhaps the U of South Australia researchers have been pickin' and choosin' their data sets, possibly with an agenda in mind...?

Kudos, Nancy Shute, for doing your background and giving us the straight scoop on what kids really need in amounts of sleep, and steering us in the right direction for sleep info parents can really use.

Links to both of her blog entries are HERE and HERE.  Excellent read if you're concerned about your over-scheduled, tech-overloaded kids - like I am.

Parents Deemed Unfit Because Their Kid is 'Fat'

A third grader in Cleveland was yanked from his family and stuffed into foster care (who get paid for taking in children, bu have no parental connection or bond) because the child was deemed 'obese', and was found to be suffering from sleep apnea.

The mom was called 'unfit' and acused of child neglect, despite seeking medical care for the child.  She was ORDERED to participate in a weight loss program, and was actively seeking help, but was still considered unfit to be a mom.

There are some problems with this logic;

1. Mom is actively seeking medical help for her child, so how is this neglect?
2. While in foster care, the kid didn't improve, so he was returned to his family,
3. The act of ripping kids from their real families and placing them in a strangers home (something we are taught as kids is to be avoided) isn't considered to be harmful at all,
4. It does not appear that any kind of workup for genetic disposition to obesity was done prior to the state taking action.

You can read the article from ABC News HERE.  Let this be a warning - if your kid looks like he or she is packing a few too many pounds, have a good lawyer ready!

Why CPR is Important for Dads: Ballpark Lifesaver

OK, dads: This is why YOU need to learn CPR and first-aid - so YOU can be ready to step in and protect your family in the event that one of your kin is choking to death.

For your consideration, follow the link above to Yahoo Sports and read about Emmanuel Marlow, the ballpark vendor who stepped in and saved a young boy's life, seeking no reward or recognition, and then simply went back to work selling beer to the crowd. 

'Emmanuel' from Hebrew translates to 'God [is] with us' and He certainly was, since NO ONE was doing anything to save the boy until Emmanuel took action, probably due to fear of being sued for assault or injuring the child.  We are all prisoners of our fears, but Mr. Marlow rose above it and did what needed to be done, without fear.

To Quote the article;

"You just never know when a similar situation will play out around you, or even involving someone you love. It's always better to be safe and prepared than to be sorry."

Amen.  And may God Bless Emmanuel Marlow, the unassuming ballpark hero.

Boy Slowly Killed By Parents for Wetting Bed: Dallas Morning News

Jonathan James, age 10, has died.  His guardians, in an effort to 'discipline' the child for bed wetting, locked him in a room in 100+ degree weather and prevented him from drinking even an ounce of water for 5 days!

Follow the LINK for the full story, and photos of parents who, if there's justice in this world, will be spending lots of time locked in a room themselves.