Virtual Worlds For Children, Tweens and Teens

Virtual worlds have become a growing power in kids' online activities. In 2008, an estimated eight million US children and teens visited virtual worlds on a regular basis. It is estimated that by 2013 this number will be doubled. These online worlds are a relatively new phenomenon, so there isn't much research on their impact on kids. As parents, we ask: Is it safe? Is it educational? Do our children benefit from this activity? In lack of long-term research the best answer seems to be that like every other activity we choose to do, when it is measured and in balance with other activities, it can be enjoyable, harmless and sometimes even educational. It is our responsibility as parents to direct our children to safe constructive activities that will help them to grow as people and become contributing citizens. 

The same thing is true for choosing online activities for them and specifically for virtual worlds. As parents we have to make sure that our children visit virtual worlds that are suited for their age and are safe for them. We also want to direct our children to virtual worlds that offer quality content and educational value. What is a virtual world? Virtual worlds are services which offer Internet users a computer simulated environment imitating the real world. In the virtual world the user interacts by using an avatar (a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional computer graphic identity, which represent a user's alter ego or the user's real persona) in online chats. There are two main types: Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) - These virtual worlds use point systems and competition in the simulation. They have winners and losers. 

Commercial MMOGs include Everquest and World of Warcraft. Non-game worlds - These virtual worlds are less game-like, or not games at all. They are more like social networking services like MySpace and Facebook, but with 3D simulation features. For example, Second Life, ActiveWorlds and The Sims Online. What are the risks for kids in virtual worlds? Children and teenagers can easily get absorbed in a virtual world. It is an enjoyable pastime allowing them to try different points of view and avatars. The danger is when a child is invested more in the virtual life than in real life. This may result in withdrawal from real life activities, poor social skills, loss of ability to distinguish between the real and the imaginary, etc. It is important to limit the time a child or teenager spends surfing virtual worlds in order to keep the child's base in the real world. 

Private information may be exposed in virtual worlds when a child is persuaded to give up his/her real identity to strangers. It is important to emphasize to the child not to give away private information under any circumstances. Sometimes virtual worlds especially ones that are intended for teens can become violent environments. Many virtual worlds have guardians - adults that have avatars in the game and are there to keep the peace. These guardians can not always stop violent behavior. It is important for parents of teens to be involved in their children's online activities and to instruct them how to behave in problematic situations. Online predators sometimes use social network services and virtual worlds to target potential victims. They pose as children and gradually seduce them into an online relationship. 

This relationship might end in sexual abuse. The chance of your child being targeted by online predator is low, but since such an encounter has severe consequences, parents should be aware and make sure that their kids don't get involved in online relationships with strangers. All of these risks are worrying, but it seems that the greatest risk in virtual worlds for kids is the inherently commercial nature of many of them. Kids are encouraged to buy clothes, toys, food, books and more for their avatars using the virtual world currency. In some worlds they have to play games in order to earn "money", in some they buy the virtual world currency with real money. You can see in many virtual worlds, avatars that are dressed in high fashion clothing and have expensive cars and homes. Many virtual worlds have a strong correlation between consumption and citizenship. 

Kids are learning that in order to be a good citizen they have to buy the right stuff. Many virtual worlds also have a lot of advertisement. In order to avoid this commercial nature, parents should direct their children to non-commercial virtual worlds that usually have more educational value. What are the Benefits of Virtual Worlds for Children? In virtual worlds kids are involved in informal learning. By trying different avatars, points of view and jobs they play out scenarios over and over from different angles. They can see what approach is best for them. They learn how to socialize, how to be Internet savvy, how to buy and sell online and how to be members of a society. They learn skills that they'll need in the future workforce. Matching the Virtual World to the Child's Age When choosing a virtual world for your kids or checking the ones your kids use, it is important to keep the age factor in mind. 

Today children surf in online worlds from the age of three (usually with adult help) to 18. It is important to see that the virtual world they enter is safe for their age and offers appropriate content. There are three major age groups: Young children - age 3-10. Kids in this age group are just starting to discover the cyber world. They often need help from an adult in order to surf. It is not recommended to let children at this age surf without adult supervision. It is important to make sure that the virtual worlds the child surfs are safe, enclosed environments. There should be no advertisement (or very little). Online chats and forums, if such exist, should be limited and monitored. Tweens or juniors - age 10-14. Tweens are kids who are stuck in this phase between being young kids and being teens. 

Children at this age range usually have good technological and language abilities that allow them to surf freely. On the other hand, they lack the maturity and experience to help them understand the content that they encounter when surfing-they need adult guidance. They are a vulnerable population. Their high technological abilities and desire to socialize exposes them to risks, as well as their PC and private family information. Tweens will usually look for more complex online worlds that will allow them to chat with their friends freely. It is important for parents of tweens to be involved as much as they can in their kids' online activities. Parents should direct their tweens to virtual worlds they find suited for them. Guidelines for Internet use should be defined. These guidelines should emphasize Web ethics and privacy protection. Include the child when defining the guidelines in order to make the child more committed to them. An Internet-use policy may help in making those guidelines clear. 

Parents should talk to their kids about Internet threats, such as: malware attacks, online predators, harassments, and give them examples of immediate solutions, for example: turning off the PC and notifying a parent. Most important is to give your children confidence about approaching the adults in the family in case they encounter suspicious behavior when surfing. Teenagers - age 14-18. Teens have fully developed technological and language skills. They are confident surfing the Internet (sometimes more than their parents). The Internet becomes a strong social and educational tool in their life. Teens are usually more aware of the risks that exist on the web. On the other hand, in this age group there is a tendency for risk taking. In addition, teens usually use a PC in the privacy of their own room, or they go to places that allow them to surf without supervision. So it is nearly impossible to monitor the teenager's Internet activities. Teens will usually be attracted to adult virtual worlds. Adult virtual worlds are not always suited for teenagers. In some you can encounter cybersex activity and violence. It is important for parents of teens to keep being involved in their kids' online activities. Offering teens appropriate websites that may interest them could be a great solution. There are virtual worlds for teens that offer great content and are non-commercial. Parents should also emphasize Web ethics to their teenagers and warn them about Internet threats.

Fulfilling Your Fantasies Through Adult Dating Websites

People are talking about adult personals. There's no doubt about it. As regular dating sites are seen as too tame to meet their adventurous needs people are posting adult personals through adult dating websites. Every day thousands of people seeking alternative lifestyles write uncensored adult personals ads. Adult dating websites offers an enticing adult dating community where you are free to share and explore your wildest fantasies. 

 Imagine browsing through adult photo galleries of handsome men and beautiful women of every size and shape - just waiting to respond to your adult personals. There are many adult dating websites that have 100% free trials with no credit card or payment required to register. In fact, adult personals are extremely steamy and attention grabbing. Upon entering an adult dating website you will find all types of adult personals. 

The website designs' are user-friendly so that you can find your preferences whether its swingers personals, married personals, interracial personals, gay personals or BBW personals. The opportunities offered by adult dating websites includes video chat rooms with sizzling video clips or watch 24hr live webcams of attractive people whose attire leaves little to the imagination. Plus, you can play interactive games or find out about the hottest adult parties and events in your area. Some of the top adult dating websites are Yahoo adult personals and Adult Friend Finder personals. 

In the exciting world of adult personals, people are often looking for discreet local relationships. But before you jump into the world of adult personals or brave the gates of any adult dating website, you should have a healthy self-image and a sense of self-liberation. What's more, the adult dating sites contain mature material, pictures and contents for individuals seeking alternative encounters. Like happiness, prosperity, love and fulfillment, we all seek to achieve our outmost desires. Adult personals and adult dating website have found a niche by creating an environment where every desire can achieve satisfaction. With so much to gain, it's worth at least a free look, isn't it? You bet it is!

How Adult Education Works

Education has become an indispensable part of everybody's life. Education is essential to keep oneself in pace with the advancements in science and technology and to have an in-depth knowledge about the world we live in. But all of us are not blessed with the opportunity to achieve great heights in studies. Often, it is the social and economic background that determines the level of education of every individual. Most school or the college dropouts almost always regret their decisions later in life. To soothe the worries of these people, adult education programs were started. 

Initially, these programs dealt with elementary level education. The main idea behind these programs was to provide basic education to dropouts. But now, times have changed and along with it, the various trends too. Now these adult education programs can fetch you higher education too. If you are a college dropout who feels that your career would have been much more prosperous if you had finished your college education, then you can enroll yourself in the degree programs conducted exclusively for adults. 

Many renowned universities all over the world conduct these programs. If you wish to take up these educational programs directly from their respective centers, you can do so. Otherwise many distance education programs are also conducted which can be of great use for people seeking further education. There is another interesting feature of these programs that helps to make adult education easier on the people participating; these programs are also available online. 

There are many famous universities worldwide that offer online education programs for adults. These programs will help you get degrees from international universities with much ease. The exams are also conducted online. Many universities and colleges offer educational loans to help you continue your adult education. Adult education programs can helpful when you need information on how to obtain these loans. Adult education programs are very helpful for those who are yearning to pursue their education from where they left off. Adult education programs will surely uplift the social and economic condition of every country in the world.

It's Cool To Be A Big Kid In An Adult World

"Oh cool, look at that. Let's go check it out" said Justin to his friend. "What an idiot he is. Doesn't he know that is against the law? What is even worse is the town does nothing about it" said Carl. Justin is about ten or twelve years old. Carl is a "tad" older. Okay, he is lots of tads older. Both Justin and Carl were commenting on the same thing. 

They were talking about the seaplane which had just landed on the small lake where I live. What happens to people when they get older? That which was fun; that which was cool, daring and bold; is now morally wrong, illegal or idiotic? What happens to our sense of adventure? Our sense of play? Our sense of fun? We seem to not only have lost it from 9 to 5; many seem to have lost it 24/7/365. Client demands. Boss demands. Employee demands. Spouse/Partner demands. Kid demands. Civic Responsibilities. Household responsibilities. Volunteer responsibilities. Sound familiar? It's enough to drive the stress level up to the heavens. 

Where's the fun? Where's the fun? It's in your mind if you can shift it just for a few moments. And the fun is waiting to burst out! Why is it that some office staff can head out the door for lunch or for a walk while others are just "too busy?" Are we really too busy to laugh and bond with colleagues for thirty minutes over last night's episode of South Park? I am writing this article one week before Halloween. When was the last time you stopped and looked at the level of commitment that some people have when it comes to decorating their homes. 

The same goes for other holidays. Or are you too busy rushing home to jump on your computer to see what email arrived since you left the office twenty minutes ago? Perhaps you're a Blackberry Driver? When was the last time you pulled over to the side of the road after seeing a sign that offered fresh blackberries for sale? Years ago I worked for Avon in Rye, New York. Our office was a short distance away from the Rye Playland amusement park. This was back in the day when amusements parks had a pay-per-ride policy. (I'm 44 years old if you need to know.) Relieving the stress of the day involved taking a walk down to that amusement park during lunch and riding the Dragon Coaster a few times. A little bit of laughing. A little bit of screaming. A little bit of time to appreciate that we all have a Big Kid in us somewhere. Where's yours? I know it's in there.

Some Tips For Being a Good Mother to Your Adult Child

A good mother always instructs her children with the hope that they'll mature into successful, respectable adults. However, there comes a time when children feel that they've been given enough parental advice and want to make their own decisions. This usually occurs well before children are capable of facing world on their own. Nevertheless, when a child reaches early adulthood, he or she does have the right to make decisions beyond the sphere of parental influence-a transition that's always harder for the parent than for the child. 

Relinquishing parental control over your children requires you to break longstanding parental habits, especially in terms of how you communicate with your child. To successfully transition from responding to your child as a "child" to responding to him or her as an adult, it's essential that you recognize your child's status as an adult, which means that, however strange it feels, you have to let your children follow their passions and dreams without taking them to task at every little turn. But there's no need for you to feel as if you're on the outside looking in, not when you can share in your child's adult interests. If you feel like your child doesn't want you to do this, it's probably because you've been acting like your child is still a child. Start to respect you're his or her adulthood and you'll be amazed at the new avenues of communication that open up. 

Accomplishing this won't be easy; it means that you'll have to support some of your child's life decisions even if you disagree with them. This doesn't mean supporting your children as they walk into harm's way, but it does mean being extremely honest with yourself about whether you advise your child out care and concern or merely out of personal opinion. If your children start using drugs, for example, you should step in. But if they're simply doing something that you don't personally approve of, like getting a strange piercing, it's time to back off. You don't want to sacrifice your relationship for the sake of superficialities. 

The most crucial step in maintaining a healthy relationship with your adult child is to never stop examining your own behavior. Are you acting like the mother of an adult child or the mother of an adolescent? For over a decade, you've been used to setting inflexible rules and giving necessary ultimatums, which makes it's easy to revert back to your old ways. Motherhood doesn't end when your children reach adulthood. But, in order to be the best mother possible, your parenting style should respect the individuality of your adult children. 

You're motherly advice is still valid, but it's essential to remember that you're now speaking to an adult, not a toddler or an adolescent who has no idea what the adult world is like. Adjusting you're communication style to respect your child's adulthood will take time and effort, but once you finally make the transition, you'll enjoy a relationship with your children that's just as pleasurable as the relationship that you had with them when they were still children.

The Problems of Setting up an Adult Content Site

As with any other business, the adult industry is not without its problems. Beginnings are always tough for any new endeavor. If you plan on starting your own adult site, you may want to consider the following problems that new adult merchants encounter. 

1.The ever-tightening law belt against adult-related content - Law enforcement agencies have knuckled down on protecting younger Internet users from exposure to content deemed immoral. Some laws have also been laid down for what's good for consumption of the general public and what's not. For instance, the Child Online Protection Act of 1998 makes it illegal for adult site owners to post child pornography, at least in the United States. While the existing laws may not necessarily be able to cover your particular brand of adult content, it cannot be denied that it has had a certain ripple effect throughout the industry. One way to deal with this hindrance to success is simply to know what's legal and what's not. Do not risk limiting your goods and services to a genre that may be banned in countries that are major target markets. 

2.Hosting limitations - Most web hosts have a contingency against adult-related sites, mostly because they don't want adult material on their servers. Two other things that go against adult website operators in this context is their demand for high bandwidth and disk space to cover the site's high traffic, high volume streaming and media-rich content. If you are looking for a host, make sure to get one that will be able to cover both requirements. While some mainstream hosts are willing to work with adult site owners, they may not understand the business as in depth as an industry-specific host could. 

3.Difficulty in acquiring an adult merchant account - Perhaps the toughest problem to overcome, acquiring a merchant account can be a time-consuming and difficult process for the adult merchant. First among the things to contend with would be the killer rates. As adult businesses are considered high risk account, they are often subjected to sky-high fees. The best solution to this problem would be to find a payment processor catering specifically to the adult industry. One example would be AdultMerchantPay. This particular online payment processor offers low-cost accounts with no upfront fees. An adult merchant account service provider would also understand the need of the adult merchant for optimum security and should be able to provide this with an advance technology payment gateway. 

4.Lack of compelling content available- Webmasters of adult sites are always looking for something fresh and something new. While many sites offer good content, what you should be looking for in a supplier is: 1) variety; 2) original content; and 3) the legal stuff. As previously mentioned, not all content is deemed legal. So aside from looking for the good stuff, make sure you are dealing with the legal ones as well. 

5.Market satiated with free products and services - To say that the competition in the adult world is tight is an understatement. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of adult content websites out there. Why should the average consumer pay for your services and goods when a glut of free online adult entertainment content can easily be accessed online? The answer to this problem may be less complex than you think. Offer a service that is different from what everyone else out there has. Focusing on your own niche is the best way to get your audience to be loyal subscribers. 

One thing to remember when starting an adult site: With the right mix of marketing savvy, great content and old-fashioned hard work, your adult website can, and most likely will, succeed. While other entertainment businesses may suffer from an economic roller coaster, the adult industry will feel nary a sting from the ups and downs of a country's financial state. 

The reason is obvious, access to online adult content is easier to acquire than any other entertainment venue (say movies, plays or fine dining). Adult sites are only a click away and subscriptions to a site will last longer than what a consumer gets when paying for dinner and a movie. Aside from having accessibility on its side, the probability of its success is also driven by the consistently high demand for adult-related material. 

Thousands of subscribers keep the industry afloat by continuing to pay big bucks on a recurring basis. So make sure you have original, eye-popping content that is within the legal boundaries of your target market. Get a host that can cater to your specific needs and an adult merchant account provider that will ensure you get paid for all your troubles.

Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder In Adults

Attention Deficit Disorder, also known as ADD, or its slightly worse cousin ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, can occur in adults as well as children, although most people simply think of it that is limited to kids. Adults can have it as well in varying degrees, although most adults who have it did not acquire it suddenly, but have had ADD since childhood. Many adults who had attention deficit disorder when they were younger children were able to overcome it as they grew and matured. They developed the extra strength required to focus their concentration on the task at hand, and therefore were able to keep up with the other kids in school. 

The maturity of the adult world is also helpful in this regard since they know better how adults behave, what is required of an adult, and to concentrate more than their peers to maintain focus on a task. Recent studies would indicate that approximately 2% to 5% of the entire population is affected by attention deficit disorder, which includes adults. Sometimes when ADD occurs in adults, it is known as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder, or AADD. Although adult ADD is significantly rarer than children with ADD, it is not unheard of. 

For kids, it is estimated that 1 in about 15 children have ADD or ADHD to some degree, and the more severe cases are the ones where the afflicted person will not grow out of it as they get old and mature, which creates a major problem in modern society. For adults, it is estimate that approximately 4% of all adults have ADD to a certain degree. One method of dealing with ADD in children or adults, interestingly enough, is through karate. The reason for this is because karate requires intense mental concentration and focus, and a good karate master will teach the mental discipline necessary to master the art of karate. For the ADD-afflicted person, focusing the mental energies requires more effort than his peers in the karate class, but once mastered, the extra benefit is that this has gone a very long way towards coping with or even neutralizing the ADD symptoms.