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Safety

Mistakes New Drivers Make That Damage Their Car

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Driving takes time and practice to truly master. While the act itself is not overly complicated, bad habits or a lack of practice puts new drivers at higher risk for accidents. It is impossible to fully ensure that your child is driving in a way that won’t sprout gray hairs out of your head. But it’s good to inform them about the mistakes new drivers make that damage their cars to help keep them safe.

Accelerating Too Quickly

While accelerating and hearing the engine’s roar is as thrilling as it is enjoyable to hear, it strains the engine a lot. When delving into the vehicle’s inner workings, fast accelerations force the car’s engine to repeatedly pump the pistons very quickly. For standard vehicles, this is often strenuous to the engine and causes it to wear down faster. Before long, an expensive bill is the only thing that awaits this bad habit.

Experiencing Distractions

Teens are highly susceptible to distractions on the road. Distractions are easy to come by, whether they are checking a text message or jamming out a little too hard to their favorite summer hit. It’s wise to remind them to shut off any devices they do not want to be too distracting in the car. The last thing you want is for them to crash into the neighbor’s mailbox while simultaneously reversing the vehicle and fiddling with the GPS.

Not Respecting Weather Conditions

When it comes to harsh weather conditions, young drivers do not typically think about how it affects their car. Harsh winters kill non-active batteries fast, while hot summers expand the tires and overheat the engine. Both of these issues are common issues that stop a car from starting. Explain these conflicts between climate and machine as your teen learns to drive, and alert them to changing weather conditions. These small lessons stick with repetition and aid them in the future.

While they are still young and impressionable, young drivers also tend to think they are on top of the world. It’s great to see that vigor in your children but also a little worrisome at the same time. The mistakes new drivers make that can damage their cars are great lessons that many have learned on their own time. Sharing them with your teen makes them less likely to damage their vehicle or form dangerous driving habits.

Things To Consider When Childproofing Your Home

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It is stressful enough to continuously make sure your kids are doing fine outside of the house; however, to help ease your burden when everyone is kicking back and relaxing, these are some things to consider when childproofing your home, so your afterhours are that much more stress-free.

Keep the Air Clean

For those with children who have compromised breathing, providing them with the best living conditions when they sleep is necessary to prevent them from inhaling excess particles at night. By using an air purifier, you are able better to control the quality of the air in their room. These machines also help reduce asthma symptoms while improving sleep and eliminating any harmful pollutants in the air. For those who worry when their child struggles to breathe sometimes, this is a great way to help soothe those symptoms.

Replace Your Doorbell

Not talking to strangers has always been an important rule for kids to follow. By installing a smart doorbell by your front door, you are able to more actively monitor each visitor to your home and speak to them without having to open up the entrance of your house at all. This is excellent for those who prefer to keep their children away from solicitors or unexpected guests.

Secure Loose Carpets

It is only expected that there is going to be a lot of activity at home, especially on the weekends. When everyone is running around the house, you’ll want to minimize the chance of accidents in playrooms or dining rooms. By taking advantage of different ways to prevent your carpets from moving around, you lower the risk of your kids slipping and falling on the floor or, worse, causing something to fall on them. The same is true for any furniture or other installations that have the potential to move.

Upgrade Indoor Security

Installing smart locks by any doors or windows in your home is a good way to be made aware of any unintended breaches. These locks are easy to install and provide a hands-free call to emergency services if you are not able to deactivate them for any reason. These locks normally come with a code typed into either an app or the main device installed elsewhere. By keeping this code between your family members, deactivation and activation are reserved only for your intended selection.

Keeping you and your family safe is always a top priority. For those who are vigilant or who worry over the what-ifs when it comes to your kids, these things to consider when childproofing your home are sure to help you ensure nothing goes wrong under your watch.

Safety Tips for Beginner Woodworkers

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Whether you are making custom sculptures, charcuterie boards, or hand-made furniture, creating a piece from scratch is an immensely rewarding activity. While woodworking is a gratifying hobby, it can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper precautions to ensure that you stay safe and out of harm’s way. Below are some safety tips for beginner woodworkers.

Wear Safety Gear

Because woodworking involves the use of power tools and saws, it is crucial to wear safety gear while you’re working on a project to avoid injury. Wearing safety goggles will protect your eyes from sawdust and flying splinters. Always wear latex gloves when applying finishes or stains to your projects to protect your skin from chemical burns. Lastly, wear earplugs to avoid ear damage from noisy saws and power tools.

Dress Appropriately

One of the simplest ways to stay safe while woodworking is to dress appropriately. Although this may seem like common sense, if you are working from a place that is particularly comfortable for you, like your home garage, it can be easy to forget what is appropriate. Long-sleeved t-shirts, denim, and closed-toed shoes work best as woodworking attire. The thick fabrics and extra coverage will protect your skin from being hit with debris or chunks of wood.

Do Not Reach Over Running Blades

Even more crucial than the clothing and gear that you wear is knowing what precautions to take when using tools and powering them on and off. When working with power saws, it is essential that you never reach over a running blade, ever. If you absolutely must reach over your blade, unplug it, and wait until it comes to a complete stop before proceeding. Being patient in this situation is quite literally a lifesaver.

Power Down Your Tools

Most woodworking tools have removable parts that need to be cleaned, replaced, or otherwise maintained. So, it’s important to always power down your tools before modifying them in any way. Even if the tool itself is only plugged into a power source and not actively running, it still needs to be powered down completely and switched off before you perform any maintenance. It’s also wise to double-check that no residual electricity runs through the tool, as switches can easily malfunction, and the remaining electricity might cause the tool to turn on unexpectedly.

Woodworking is one of the most rewarding hobbies out there. That said, it can be potentially hazardous, so it requires that you follow certain guidelines to keep yourself safe. With these safety tips for beginner woodworkers, you can enjoy your new hobby with a little more peace of mind.

Best Mobile Monitoring & Tracking Sites Every Parent Need to Know

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Child’s safety has always been a sensitive and an intimate concern for every parent in the world. Upbringing them with morale and values is no longer enough for your child’s secure environment. There has been an increasing need for monitoring your child’s activity. This is where mobile tracking software and websites play an important role. They can effectively keep an eye on your child’s activity and their movements. With this, you no longer have to worry about your child’s whereabouts. These applications and websites are all you need to ensure your kids’ safety. So let us take a look at them;

Before taking a look at the applications, let us know about the websites that are present out there which effectively tracks exact mobile number location, there are several websites that can help track mobile phones and the best part of them is they are free and can track any mobile number irrespective of the software it runs on. One such website is

Mobile Number Tracker

It is easy to use and requires no prior registration. It is the most used website for tracking and locating mobile numbers. All you have to do is enter your child’s mobile number that you want to track in the available box and click ‘trace’, the website will then automatically track down the mobile number. That’s it, simple and easy!

  1. Norton Family App

The best application available on the internet to track and monitor your child’s phone is Norton family App. the app is very useful for tracking and monitoring purposes. The app is available for Android as well as iOS platforms. It comes with a 49$ subscription for both the platforms. the app comes with a variety of features;

  • allows tracking phone
  • sets up a time limit for the usage of the phone
  • allows monitoring messages

All in all, it is an effective application to track and monitor your child’s activity.

  1. mSpy

Another mobile monitoring device that comes with an endless number of features, mSPy is one of the best applications for tracking and monitoring purpose. The app is available for Android as well as iOS. mSpy comes in three packages, basic, premium, and bundle, which costs 21$, 50$, and 59$ respectively. Some of its features are;

  • message and call monitoring
  • e-mail monitoring
  • tracking of locations
  • internet usage tracking

Overall mSpy is a complete package for tracking and monitoring the smartphone of your child.

  1. my mobile watchdog

My mobile watchdog is yet another sparkling app with some notable features to its due. The app is loaded with several effective functions for users to track and monitor Smartphones of their child. the app charges around 100$ annual fee, in which it offers many functions as blocking the inappropriate applications, filtering web contents, also the installation process is very simple and easy. Some of its features are as follow;

  • location tracking
  • call and message monitoring
  • allows setting the usage time of the desired phone
  • blocks the inappropriate applications

However, despite all the features, this app has received mixed reviews from the users as some of them find it more expensive as compared to its counterparts. Overall, my mobile watchdog application provides a limited amount of features as compared to its rival services which have more advanced services to offer.

  1. SpyBubble Pro

SpyBubble is a notable tracking and monitoring application that offers some sparkling and distinct features that run on different devices. The application is available on Android at 29$ as a onetime fee, whereas it is available for free on jail-broken iPhones. Some of the features are as follows;

  • The software can monitor calls, messages, photos, locations and other activity
  • It is easy to use the app and performs many functions apart from tracking calls.
  • The app also records and messages.
  • The app also allows monitoring photos and videos.
  1. boomerang

Boomerang application is available on iOS as well as Android. The application offers a 14 day trial period after which it becomes a paid version (12$ a year). The information about the pricing can be known after installing the app. the app proves to be useful in tracking phone and monitoring activities of your child. Some of the features of this phone are;

  • sets timer for the use of social media and other applications
  • set bedtimes for kids
  • helps to track the location of the phone
  • ensures safe and filtered browsing

Overall the app is best for the parents who want to keep an eye on their child’s activity. Another distinct feature of the application which is worth discussing is that it creates a geo-fence for your child, which means that if your child crosses the fence, the app will instantly notify you.

  1. PhoneSherrif 

Yet another tracking application that is available on iOS as well as Android. The app charges 89$ as an annual subscription fee. Some of the features are as follows;

  • the app tracks location of your child
  • it allows monitoring calls and messages
  • allows blocking phone numbers
  • filters web browsing and online content

The best part about Phonesherrif is that it allows an unlimited number of devices to be tracked as compared to other rival software. Apart from parents, phonesherrif proves to be useful to the employers who want to track and monitor their employee’s activities, as the user can track an unlimited number of devices with it.

  1. mobistealth

Mobistealth is available on iOS as well as Android devices. The app efficiently monitors and tracks calls and messages of your child. The app does that with the help of GPS tracking. Along with tracking it offers various other features too, such as monitoring MMS messages, e-mail. The app also allows you to keep a call record history. Some of the other features are as follows;

  • access to multimedia messages
  • location tracking

The app is available in three subscription packages, a 2-week basic pack ( $19), 3 months pack ($79), and 6 months pack ($119). Overall the app functions very well and gives no chance of complaints.

So we have gone through all the top applications that will prove to be of the best use for the parents who want to track and monitor their child’s phone. Some are android based applications, whereas some run both on Android as well as iOS. Apart from them, we learned about websites too that can remarkably track mobile number location that will eventually help the parents to track their children. Hope this article was informative on the concerned topic.

Christmas Holiday Safety Tips for Parents

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The holiday season is filled with precious moments, no matter your tradition. On the other hand, some holiday traditions, decor, and fun activities can also lead to accidents if you aren’t careful – especially around younger children. During the holiday season, in particular, it’s easy for parents to get so caught up in all the festivities and fun outdoor games, that they forget about safety.

With over 15,000 injuries related to holiday decorations in 2012 according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, taking steps to prevent unnecessary bumps, falls, cuts, strains, and trips to the ER with your child should be at the top of your to-do-list. In order to make sure you have a safe and happy holiday season with all your loved ones, here are some tips that you should keep in mind as you decorate your home.

Familiarize Your Child With the Christmas Tree: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), each holiday season firefighters respond to about 210 fires nationally. The sources? Christmas trees. Although Christmas tree fires aren’t common, when they do happen, a home can be engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes.

That’s why it’s important to teach your child safety protocols. For example, show them why it’s important to keep trees at least at three feet away from heat sources – like heaters, fireplaces, and vents. If your family prefers real trees over artificial ones, remember to keep it hydrated; the drier the tree, the more likely it is to ignite from an unexpected heating source. The base you have the tree it should also be able to hold at least one quart of water, says Rachel Rothman. Be sure to choose a strong tree stand that won’t tip over.

Go Over Light Safety: Whether you’re a last-minute person when it comes to decorating the house for the holidays, or someone that begins brainstorming ideas in August, one thing is certain: you’re going to need Christmas lights. After all, decorative lighting has the ability to spread holiday cheer in and outside your home.

Although parents might feel compelled to add rows and rows of lights around the house, you may have to scale back – depending on where the outlets are located. So before putting up any lights in your home, check the packaging, review the manual or instructions, and never plug in more wires than the power outlet or cord can handle. In other words, you never want to plug in or connect more than three cords of lights in one outlet.

Depending on the age of your child, make sure to point out the importance of the UL symbol when connecting items together and pay close attention to its color. Green, for instance, means it has been approved for indoor use, and red means it’s been approved for outdoor use. If you’re using older lights, check the wires to make sure there are no signs of cracks. Even if you go above and beyond to make sure your lights are safe, you should still unplug the lights when you leave the house.

Avoiding Slippery Spots: With all the excitement going on around the Christmas holiday, the last thing kids are thinking about is slipping and falling outside. However, it’s still important to prep the outdoor surroundings of your home. Keep the driveway and walkway clear of ice and snow – if you live in colder climates – especially if there are kids around wanting to play with their new toys.

You should also be extra careful when going out to shovel certain areas around your home. That’s because roughly 16,500 Americans injure themselves every year from shoveling accidents involving the removal of ice and snow from either the driveway or the sidewalk. If your child does decide to go outside and play after a recent snowfall, make sure they’re wearing proper boots that have enough traction to keep them balanced.

Dispose of Broken Ornaments: Are you known in the family for dropping glass ornaments? If you are, then make sure you pick up the big pieces so the little ones don’t step on them by accident. After you pick the larger pieces, wrap them up in a paper towel or piece of paper before tossing it in the garbage. To make sure there are not small pieces of broken fragments left around, be sure to sweep or vacuum the area.

It’s important that you pay extra attention to the floors during this time of year – even if you haven’t broken anything. As most parents know, kids learn by touching, and anything that’s shiny and within reach, will more than likely get pulled down. One strategy parents can try to be extra safe is color coding boxes and totes. For example, if you have a smaller child who’s constantly breaking ornaments around the house, setting a box aside to put all the broken pieces in is just 1 of 5 ways you can properly store and dispose of your Christmas decoration. It also prevents you from making a bigger mess by putting shattered pieces of glass in a trash bag that could get ripped open from the broken fragments.

Other Holiday Safety Tips for Parents to Remember:

  • Hard candy and nuts: Although it’s a common practice to leave these out on the table for visitors to snack on, it’s also easy for kids to choke on. Allergies are also a concern most parents overlook when it comes to children. So if you have any holiday candy around the house, just make sure it’s out of the kids reach.
  • Toys: When you’re out present shopping for kids, make sure the toys you purchase are age appropriate. If you aren’t sure whether or not the item is age appropriate, check the label.
  • Pets: If you have family visiting that loves to travel with their pets – such as a dog – be sure to never leave your child and the animal alone. Dogs that aren’t used to being around children might become scared and start to behave aggressively. So, keep an eye on your child and the animal at all times and don’t let your child get close to the dog’s food source.

In the long run, injuries can occur anywhere, especially around the holidays. However, following steps to ensure your family’s safety can help minimize the chances of your little ones getting injured. So be sure to educate them about the dangers around them during the holiday season.

Happy Holidays!