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Give your kids the opportunity to engage one-on-one with their favorite cartoon characters, creating a unique and dynamic experience. Wednesday, December 10, 2008 NetSmartz^® Workshop's Clicky Live show will offer youth the opportunity to interact online with Clicky, the rappin' NetSmartz spokesrobot, through chat or call-in features. Throughout the free webcast Clicky will be available to chat with his fans about safer online gaming. Children are encouraged to visit the site now, or during the show, to ask questions which Clicky will respond to live.

Click here for your invitation!

According to its founder, Juicy Campus was started to give college students an "unfiltered forum for college kids to talk about whatever they wanted and share funny stories and crazy high jinks." Unfortunately, this site has also become a place where students post discussion threads which may invite rude or hurtful comments about others such as:

• What do you think of [John Smith]
• HOT RAs
• Girls here are snobby
• Racism is good

Posters to Juicy Campus do not have to prove that their comments are true, even when those comments accuse people of immoral or illegal behavior and damage their reputation on campus. Some students who have been slandered on Juicy Campus worry that their reputations may be damaged with future employers as well.

As parents and guardians it is important that you talk to your children now about the comments that they make online. Comments by them, and about them, may have devastating effects on their lives and leave a trail which may influence opinions from future admissions officers, dorm mates, employers, and even friends. After all, sticks and stones may break your bones, but at least bones heal! Cruel words and insults said over the Internet? Those can last a lifetime.

Trick-or-treating is not for everyone. If you and your child choose to stay home and pass out candy, you may want to observe the following safety precautions in order to ensure a safer Halloween for visiting trick-or-treaters.

• Do not invite trick-or-treating children into your home, especially those that are unattended.
• If you own pets, consider placing them in a separate room in order to eliminate any unwanted interaction. This will lessen the stress on your pets as well!
• If you plan to play tricks as well as give treats, display clear warning signs. Although older children may find these tricks fun, younger children may not appreciate the skeleton that suddenly pops out at them.
• Make sure the path from the sidewalk to your house is clear of debris, decorations, and other tripping hazards.
• Reduce safety hazards for trick-or-treaters by using battery-operated lights instead of flames in jack-o-lanterns.
• Turn on a porch light, as well as lights inside your home, to indicate that you are passing out treats.

Also, remember never to leave your child at the door unattended while passing out candy. If you have to step away from the door, close it, lock it, and make sure that your child knows not to open it without you. This will make for a safer and more festive Halloween, no matter what side of the door your child is on!

Halloween Tip # 15:
Be sure to check the weather forecast before you take your child trick-or-treating. That way you’ll be prepared to stop inclement weather, like rain, from putting a damper on Halloween fun!