KIDSANDCELLPHONES ENCOURAGING POSITIVE COMMUNICATION
These days, it’s rare to see a kid without a cellphone. More parents buy their kids these devices, which means that, just like their parents, kids are more connected than ever. It’s a normal part of life in this day and age, and mobile devices are great tools for keeping tabs on your kids. You can stay in touch and monitor your kids’ activity when they are out of the house, but the devices don’t come without risk. Our phones can do many things, and for kids, this can be overwhelming. Kids can receive calls, texts, emails, and photos from anyone who has their contact information, and not all of these messages are well intentioned. Many parents and educators believe the devices are making cyberbullying easier than ever, and with upward of 80 percent of kids using a cellphone daily, they may be right. As of 2013, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that nearly 72 percent of high school students reported being cyberbullied at least once during the school year. Almost 20 percent of kids said they were cyberbullied at least once a month. Social media is often the primary setting for bullying, but bullying via text messaging is common, too. Two of the best ways to combat cyberbullying are communication and education. When you give your child a cellphone, it’s always important to set ground rules for all phone usage. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other phone companies offer tools for parents to monitor usage, but nothing can match open and honest communication.
Discuss online safety, from social media to image-sharing. Remind kids that once a photo or personal information appears on the internet, it can be very difficult to remove. In some cases, it can be downright impossible, especially if the photo is seen and copied by another person. Depending on what is shared, there can be little to no recourse for the person who initially shared the photo. Make sure to discuss both etiquette and boundaries. Let kids know when and where not to use phones — in class, at the theater, and especially while driving. Explain why they should be extremely cautious about unknown calls, texts, or other messages. And if they do receive anonymous, questionable, or troubling messages, they need to report it to a trusted adult as soon as possible. Encourage a safe communication environment based around trust, not judgment.
Recipe inspired by SeriousEats.com CLASSICFRENCHOMELET
SUDOKU
INGREDIENTS
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3 large eggs
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. In medium bowl, beat eggs with disposable plastic fork until last traces of white are just mixed in. Season with salt and pepper. 2. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter, swirling over medium heat until foamy but not browned. Add eggs, stirring rapidly with fork, tips of tines up, while moving skillet to agitate eggs. Ensure all curds are broken up, scraping from bottom of skillet as they form. Stop stirring as soon as eggs are very softly scrambled and creamy (but still loose enough to come together into a single mass), 1–2 minutes. 3. Using fork, gently spread egg in an even layer around skillet and scrape down any wispy bits around the edges. The top surface should be loose and creamy, but if it looks too liquid and raw, cook undisturbed for another few seconds. If still liquid, swirl skillet to bring raw egg to the edge where it will set more quickly. 4. Remove from heat. Tilt skillet up by handle. Using fork, gently roll omelet down over itself until nearly folded in half. Using fork, push omelet to edge of skillet so that lower edge of egg just begins to overhang. Use fork to fold overhanging edge of egg back over, closing omelet. 5. Turn omelet out onto plate. It should be either almond- or cigar-shaped, seam on bottom.
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