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How to coupon like a Boss

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Not because I didn’t want to blog but because I haven’t had the time.

I’ve been sick, had a few visits to the ER and to my PC and it’s a pain when you are so busy and have to keep up with social media.

Sometimes I just need that space and time apart. I apologize to the followers, Friends, and family that comes here to read what I blog. It’s frustrating not having an updated blog. My sincere apologies.

The other reason is that my oldest son graduated high school and we had a party 🙂
What a Stress 😮 planning and organizing a party is so much stress.
My middle child graduates next year I promised I’m already planning and starting to buy things now hahhaha.

Plus every other mother/wife duty

In this post, I wanted to share some of my couponing with you guys.

I’m only a beginner and I’m just learning. Please keep this in mind. 🙂

When you’re a stay home mom and your husband is the only one working, you need to make due whatever way you can to help out.
I found out about couponing not too long ago when I saw the show on tv, and I decided to give it a try. I follow a few ladies on youtube and they post almost weekly what they go buy and the deals they go out and do.

As far as best deals out there you have to  make your own judgment. Prices also veries based on region.
The deals and sales are absolutely amazing!
I’ve been saving hundreds of dollars with things we use at home every week.

I don’t do stream couponing, I don’t buy what we don’t use, and I don’t buy more quantity than we can consume in a short period of time. The reason why is.

1- Because I don’t want to have a huge stockpile.
2- I don’t see the need for me to do that. (Not criticizing anyone that does I’m just saying it’s not what I want to do.)
3- I’m fine the way I’m doing things now Thank You! 🙂

Some people will go out and buy 20 bags of sugar just because it was on sale for $1.89 and we had a $.75 off coupon on top of that.
I, on the other hand, I went out and only got 2. That was fine for me I had 2 at home and felt that 2 more bag was enough.

A lot of people think ” Well it’s on sale, great price, why not buy 20? If you can spend that $Money and you want to. Go ahead and do it. I’m just saying I don’t do it. 

It’s a choice many people make, and a lot are criticized just because they use coupons.
(Not that’s anyone’s Busyness Anyways. What you do it’s your life.)

Here are a few deals from this week

At this supermarket ( Shaws ) I got
6 boxes of General Mills Cereal
4 Boxes of Puffs Tissue paper
4Nut Exactly Snack

merchandise total was – $41.68
I paid a total of $8.05 after coupons and store discount

And I received a $5.00 stores credit so basically, I got it all for $3.05

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My second one was at CVS 

I LOVE CVS they always have great deals 
2 Xtra Laundry detergent
3 Persil Laundry detergent
2 Gillette Fusion razor
2 Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream
1 Hershey Snack Mix
4 Colgate toothbrushes
2 Colgate toothpaste

All this came out to Merchandise Total – $102.75

I paid $23.61 after Coupons and store discount

and received $26.00 Extrabucks (CVS Money)

So basically, I got it all FREE 🙂

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“Sure Foundation”

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

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“Sure Foundation”
Insecurity is probably the worst feeling in the world. It robs you of confidence, rest, and freedom. Just talking about the word floods my mind with so many memories. Being a little girl, afraid of the dark, peeking my eyes just above the covers to see if there really was a monster in my room. As a new kid at school, not knowing a soul, wondering if I would ever find a friend. Auditioning for a musical, nervous and afraid I would forget song lyrics. Picking an outfit for a date, hoping to impress and hold his interest. The day we purchased our first home, wondering if we were grown up enough to handle the responsibility. The way I felt the day we brought home our first baby and the overwhelming reality that we were responsible for his very life. Each of those moments all caused me to feel unsure, and creating a deep desire for something solid to stand on and keep me steady no matter what.

So often, I set my feet upon my circumstances. It’s easy to do because we naturally make agreements with what we can touch and see. For example: If our child has behavior problems in school, it would be easy to then label him a problem child or yourself a bad mom. If a dream falls apart, it would be natural to feel lost and lose sight of your identity. But we’re not called to live by human nature. We are called to walk by the Spirit, and in order to do that, we have to stand on a sure foundation. One that’s been tested and approved. One we know won’t ever be shaken by the quaking and shifting of life. If we stand on what we can see with human eyes, we will constantly shift with an ever changing world. That’s not a life anchored in Jesus. In fact, the bible calls that childish. We are called to grow up into Christ in all things. He is the security we are called to build our lives upon.

What are you standing on today? What are you building your life upon? When the world is afraid of the dark, hiding under the covers, you can be unshakable; shining like a beacon in the night. You can walk through uncertain days because He is your sure foundation.

So this is what the Sovereign Lordsays:  “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,  a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;  the one who relies on it  will never be stricken with panic.  Isaiah 28:16
Source A 6-day devotion
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There are no perfect mothers, there are many great ones. #MothersDay

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

 

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BEST MOTHER’S DAY GIFT EVER 

 

Mothers are full of various traits that the adults and children of the world need. Often, mothers are nurturing, loving, kind, comforting and leaders. Mothers protect their children, or those close to them, from harm. Teaching either intentionally or by example is what mothers do best. The eyes of a child are always watching and observing and learning from the mothers around them. Every mother has a special blend of attributes that she can use to lead, guide and lift others.

No two mothers are alike

Moms have a tendency to compare themselves to seemingly “perfect” mothers and then proceed with negative self-talk about what a terrible mother they think they are. Stop it! The “seemingly perfect mom” has strengths, but she also has weaknesses. And you have weaknesses, but you also have many strengths that are perfect for your family or those you mother. Some moms have one child while others have several. Some homeschool and others use public schooling. Avoid the “mommy wars.” One is not better than the other; they are just different.

Mother’s Day is a day to be celebrated

Though we as moms may not like Mother’s Day all that much, the people in our lives want to show their love for us. Every day, moms selflessly cook, clean, nurture, lift, inspire and a myriad of other duties. Remember to enjoy and be grateful to those who want to celebrate YOU. Likewise, tell the women in your life how much they mean to you. There is nothing like witnessing the joy on the faces of a small child, a spouse or friends as they do something kind for you to show their love and appreciation. Be grateful and let them shower you with love this Mother’s Day.

Whether you are a mom with no children or many, an empty-nester or a new mother, a loving aunt or friend, Mother’s Day is for you. Your nurturing and caring ways qualify you as a mother. Mothering is a special gift designed to help and comfort others who need your strength. Regardless of how we mother, we are all doing our best with the circumstances and strengths we have. Though there are no perfect mothers, there are many great ones.

 

 

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MY BEST FRIEND, MY MOM

Mom’s smiles can brighten any moment,
Mom’s hugs put joy in all our days,
Mom’s love will stay with us forever
and touch our lives in precious ways…
The values you’ve taught,
the care you’ve given,
and the wonderful love you’ve shown,
have enriched my life
in more ways than I can count.
I Love you Mom!

 

Devotion · family · love · Niche · photography · Poem · reeding · Review · review · sunday devotion · women · Wordless · World VS Life

Marriage: The Final Frontier

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

  
Marriage: The Final Frontier
What is it about human nature? Our ability to appreciate the majestic is only rivaled by one thing: our ability to grow bored with it.

In 1961, President John Kennedy challenged the United States to put a man on the moon. Throughout that decade, the American public had an insatiable appetite for space flight. The media covered nearly every detail of NASA’s efforts, and the astronauts became national heroes. The euphoria culminated in 1969 when Neil Armstrong’s crew landed on the moon, an event witnessed by an estimated half a billion people.

But, amazingly, less than a year later, public interest in moon landings had all but evaporated. Imagine that: A feat as incredible as humans walking on the surface of the moon had become little more than a footnote on the nightly news.

It really shouldn’t surprise us. It’s human nature to lose interest in things that ought to inspire us. Like marriage. A man and a woman stand at an altar, and it seems impossible that their passion could ever fade. Yet, fast forward to the not-too-distant-future, and in all too many cases their life together has begun to drift toward the mundane.

  
It’s natural. But it’s all the more reason why couples must fight this tendency. Make time in your day to connect with one another. Get a babysitter and do something special. Use your imagination, but whatever you do, be proactive about reviving the fire that God used to draw you to your spouse in the first place.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”

‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭8:6-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Jim Daly

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6 things you should never say to someone with depression

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6 things you should never say to someone with depression

Chances are, you know someone struggling with depression. If you want to help instead of hurting, avoid these six common mistakes.

  • 1. “Get over it”

    Depression is a serious matter that is not always easily dealt with. Getting professional treatment in a number of modalities, including prescription medication, therapy and even alternative treatments can help, but saying this won’t make anything better.

  • 2. “It’s not that bad”

    You don’t know how bad it is to them. The event that triggered the depression may not seem significant on the surface, but depression could be doing major damage on the inside once it has taken root. Try not to undermine or minimize how someone feels if you can’t understand what she’s going through.

  • 3. “You’re weak”

    Illness is not weakness. And projecting an ableist attitude onto someone who is suffering shows a lack of compassion and understanding that only makes you appear weak in character. Although a person may feel weak due to his ailment, calling him so will not give him strength.

  • 4. “Stop whining”

    Shaming a person with a psychological disorder is cruel and can cause further damage. Yes, constantly reinforcing the feelings he wants to rid himself of seems illogical and can be irritating, but it comes from a feeling of helplessness. As humans, we tend to express what we feel the most. If he were happy, he would be expressing that instead.

  • 5. “I got over it”

    What works for you will not work for everyone. Another’s experience with depression or its inciting events may be quite different from yours. Everyone has his own predispositions, chemical makeup and personal history, making for a unique treatment and healing plan. Plus, getting over something doesn’t mean you got through it. You may have put something behind you, but if it’s not entirely resolved, it could resurface and rear its ugly head again.

  • 6. “You’ll be fine”

    Be careful using these words. It can appear dismissive, uncaring or cold if said in the wrong way. Keep eye contact, smile kindly, and if you are close enough with the person, reach out and give him a warm hug and firm pat on the shoulder or back when saying this. If you believe he will get through this, let him know you mean it.

    Remember to keep your feelings about life and all of its ups and downs in perspective when addressing someone with depression. Even if you see a simple solution, a depressed person may see hopelessness and nothing in her future. Keep communication open and the bonds strong in your spiritual and biological family. This is the time your loved one needs you the most.

Georgia D. Lee seeks to empower, inspire, enrich and educate anyone with an open mind, heart and spirit through her most treasured medium – black and white!
Website: http://authorgeorgiadlee.weebly.com
Devotion · family · Family Night · Family Share · love · photography · sunday devotion · women · World VS Life

Loving the Stranger #Marriage

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Loving the Stranger
You wouldn’t marry a complete stranger, would you? Well – surprise! – if you’re married, that’s exactly what you’ve done.

On our wedding day, we all innocently believe the same myth: that we know and understand the person we’re marrying. But every newlywed eventually discovers that getting to know the depths of someone’s heart takes years. That’s the nature of relationship, especially one as intimate as marriage. So in that sense, we all marry a stranger. We’re in love with what little we know about our spouse, but we don’t know them. Not really.

  
Maybe that’s why Stanley Hauerwas defines a successful marriage as “learning how to love and care for the stranger to whom you find yourself married.” What does he mean? Simply this: In countless ways, the person we commit to on our wedding day will not be the same person five, ten, or twenty years from now. In fact, neither will we. Marriage changes us. So does raising children, careers, the aging process, and other significant events in our lives.

That’s why it’s important to understand that marriage is not a stopping point where we instantly know our spouse fully and completely. It’s a journey through life between a man and woman, both of whom continually grow and change across their years together. As one speaker said, “When people get married, they tend to believe they’ve found a finished statue, when in reality, they’ve merely found the block of marble from which their spouse will emerge.” Commit to loving your spouse and helping them grow more Christ-like each day.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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Drifting in Marriage 

EllyFilho1 Comment

  

 Drifting in Marriage
Good marriages are like a relaxing canoe ride when the winds are calm and the lake water is as smooth as glass. You just have to be careful you don’t drift.

One year, while working as a camp counselor, Craig Jutila grabbed a canoe for a quiet afternoon on the lake. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and almost no breeze, so the water was completely still. Letting the canoe come to rest in the middle of the lake, it dawned on him: it was after hours, and no other boats were out. So he did the only sensible thing. With an extra life jacket for his pillow, he nestled in for a short nap.

An hour later, he woke up to voices. Somehow his canoe had beached along the shoreline of a camping area. Craig realized there was a current in the water and a breeze in the air he hadn’t sensed. They’d caused him to drift, and he ended up somewhere he never intended to be.

Like that canoe, marriages often drift. There’s no obvious conflict or struggle, just subtle distractions that lull spouses asleep. Couples hardly notice they’re losing interest in one another until they end up somewhere they never intended to be.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Be intentional about the path your relationship is taking and keep your eyes focused on the Lord. It may not take as much effort as you think, but these small course corrections can change your marriage.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:25-27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Daly Focus

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“Till death do us part.” 

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

  
“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:6‬ ‭

Commitment
Traditional marriage vows include the phrase, “Till death do us part.” Unfortunately, these words have become something of a ceremonial cliché rather than a statement of deep commitment to God and another human being.

Travel through our country’s small towns, and you’ll likely come across an array of honorable folks who still seal their agreements with a handshake and who consider their word an unbreakable bond. In the business world, contracts are much more formal, of course, crafted with highly detailed legal jargon that reads like a foreign language. Whatever form these commitments take, the purpose has always been the same – to offer protection, not when everything is running smoothly, but when things fall apart.

Commitment is perhaps no more important than when it comes to marriage. It provides strength and stability when a relationship encounters challenges. Unfortunately, many couples take an opposite approach when things turn sour – they run, rather than digging in their heels when commitment requires it the most.

As the president of an organization dedicated to strengthening marriages, trust me, I understand that relationships can encounter serious difficulties that are not easily resolved. But with the highest rate of divorce in the world, it’s evident that our society rushes too quickly toward marriage break-up instead of diligently working to restore a relationship back to health.

Commitment is foundational to surviving conflict. It enables us to focus on honoring God and serves as the fuel for us to work through our struggles with persistence and determination. The next time you find yourself in a heated disagreement with your spouse, commit to drawing closer together instead of running away.
For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Daly Focus

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#Review WithElly ORGANIC Argan Oil

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BEST ORGANIC Argan Oil for Hair, Face, Skin, and Nails – 100% Pure Certified Organic Argan Oil – GUARANTEED to Provide Beautifully Healthy, Nutrient-Rich Moisture… Known as Liquid Gold for the HUGE list of Uses & Benefits – Anti-Aging, Vitamin E – Cold Pressed, Unrefined, Virgin, Eco Cert & USDA Certified Organic – Use Alone or Infuse Moisturizers, Lotions, Serums and More! Purchase backed by Amazing Guarantee 2oz (Misc.)

Foxbrim. 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil.
Foxbrim proudly provides you the freshest argan oil available. Unrefined,
Certified Organic, Cold Pressed, and Virgin Argan Oil.
Doesn’t aggravate your skin.
Abundant in fatty acids, Vitamin E, and antioxidants.
Extremely fresh and long-lasting. This oil is the best moisturizer out there.
I tried all the methods recommended to me.

Overnight Hair Treatment – I Applied 4-5 drops starting from the scalp to the end of my hair. Wrapped my hair in a shower cap leaving the oil in while I was asleep next day washed it out and styled.

Face Moisturizer – was my favorite did it every day Placed 2 to 3 drops onto the tips of my fingers. Rubbed to spread over fingertips and then applied. Also used as a moisturizer for my arms and legs.

Hair Glow & Shine – All I needed was 4 to 5 drops massaged into the hands it was perfect.

Need to try the Lip Moisturizer suggestion using the oil- Lightly massage a drop or two onto lips.
No doubt I recommend this oil for everyone or anyone with any type of skin or hair. you won’t regret it.
I will most definitely be buying this again due to the high quality.

I have received this product at a discount in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

family · fatherhood · mom · motherhood · reeding · teens · women · World VS Life

INTERNET SAFETY #Parenting #kids #Pbloggers

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

This was shared on the Police of EB website and I wanted to share here on my blog.
I though the story was amazing. Every kid should read it and learn from it.

Never publicly post in ANY online forum any personally identifiable information. What is personally identifiable information? It’s any personal information that could be used to find or identify you in real life. This could be such information as your real name, address, telephone number, cell number, your sports team, health club, or links to websites or other profiles that might give this information away.

Even without meaning to, you can give this information away by taking a picture in front of your car with your license plate, home address, workplace, school, etc showing in the photo. You may be wearing a school or team t-shirt, a scout uniform or baseball cap that might give away ways of finding you offline. This information could be misused to steal your identity, guess your passwords, cyber stalk, cyber bully or harass you or by predators who really want to hurt you.

Always keep in mind that some individuals will maintain contact with the intent to glean as many small bits of information as possible. When viewed as a whole, these seemingly innocuous facts can used to determine a prospective victim’s actual location. They may use multiple screen names and user profiles, pretending to be other people, to gather more information from someone who might not be willing to continue talking to a stranger beyond a few conversations.

An easy guide for kids and teens is to tell them never to post anything that their parents and principal shouldn’t see.

On a related note, NEVER post any information or pictures that you would NOT want to be broadcast to the entire world. Remember, once you hit that send button, you will have virtually NO control over how this information will be used, or who may end up viewing it. A typical scenario involves one member persuading another to send them sexually explicit pictures of themselves. This can eventually lead to threats of publishing the pictures Internet-wide, or forwarding them to a victim’s friends, coworkers, and family members. Can you even imagine the level of embarrassment you may be forced to suffer?

NEVER give personal information to anyone you have not met in person. While it is human nature to want to know about the other person, their name, age, what they look like, where they live, this information is not needed to carry on a conversation. If someone presses you for this type of information, back away! Especially if the requests come early in your relationship. Most users with legitimate intentions will realize WHY you are reluctant to tell them, and will respect your desire to play it safe.

NEVER agree to meet someone you have only met online unless you have a mutual friend that could possibly vouch for them.

If you are under the age of 18 NEVER meet up with someone you have only met online unless your parents not only know who this person is, but agree to go along with you to the meeting.

If you feel you just must meet a new online acquaintance, NEVER go alone, and ALWAYS meet in a very public place like a popular coffee shop, a busy shopping mall, or similar place.

Choose your screen name carefully. Never include your real name, or any elements of it. Choose something fun, yet gender neutral. You may think that having a risqué screen name is cute, but be advised, you will attract the type of people your screen name appeals to. A screen name such as “Panda” is much less provocative than “SexMagnet”. And much less offensive to many of your fellow netizens.

Resist the urge to ‘tell people off’ or engage in ‘flame wars’. People come in all temperaments, and as in real life, there are those who will try to provoke you into an argument. This type of activity is becoming all too common online these days. Many people feel power through the anonymity that the keyboard gives them. Therefore, if you encounter someone who is rude in online chats, ignore them, back away! Most importantly, resist the urge to strike back at them. This type of person craves the attention their behavior brings them. Deprived of this attention, most either quit acting like jerks, or else move on. Either way, you have avoided a confrontation that can quickly escalate into a full-fledged harassment situation.

Remember your Netiquette and be nice!

Interesting Internet Safety Story

Something to think about.

Shannon could hear the footsteps behind her as she walked toward home. The thought of being followed made her heart beat faster. “You’re being silly,” she told herself, “no one is following you.”  To be safe she began to walk faster, but the footsteps kept up with her pace. She was afraid to look back and she was glad she was almost home. Shannon said a quick prayer, “God please get me home safe.” She saw the porch light burning and ran the rest of the way to her house. Once inside she leaned against the door for a moment, relieved to be in the safety of her home. She glanced out the window to see if anyone was there.  The sidewalk was empty.

After tossing her books on the sofa she decided to grab a snack and get on-line.  There she could talk to strangers without being afraid.  After all, no one knew who she really was and couldn’t hurt her.  She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213.   Checking her Buddy List she saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant message:

ByAngel213:   Hi I’m glad you are on!   I thought someone was following me home today.   It was really weird!

GoTo123:   LOL   you watch too much TV.  Why would someone be following you?  Don’t you live in a safe neighborhood?

ByAngel213:   Of course I do LOL   I guess it was my imagination cause I didn’t see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123:  Unless you gave your name out on line.  You haven’t done that have you?

ByAngel213:  Of course not.  I’m not stupid you know.

GoTo123:   Did you have a softball game after school today?

ByAngel213:   Yes and we won!

GoTo123:  That’s great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213:   We played the Hornets LOL.  Their uniforms are so gross!  They look like bees LOL

GoTo123:  What is your team called?

ByAngel213:  We are the Brockton Boxers.   Our colors are red and black and we have a bull dog on our uniforms.    They are really kewl.

GoTo123:  Do you pitch or what?

ByAngel213:   No I play second   base.   I got to go.   My homework has to be done before my parents get home.  I don’t want them mad at me.  Bye

GoTo123:  Catch you later.  Bye

GoTo123 decided it was time to teach Angel a   lesson.  One she would never forget.

He went to the member menu and began to search for her profile.   When it came up he highlighted it and printed it out.  He took   out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.

Her name: Shannon

Birthday:   Jan. 3, 1986 age 13

State where she lived: Massachusetts

Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.

Besides this information he knew she lived in Brockton.  She had just told him.  He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team and the team was named the Boxers.  Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the seventh grade at a Brockton Junior High School.  She had told him all this in the conversations they had on line. He had enough information to find her now. “She’ll be so surprised” he thought, “she doesn’t even know what she has done.”

Shannon didn’t tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ball park that day. She didn’t want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters her parents wouldn’t be so overprotective.

By Thursday Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back.  She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn’t look scary and she quickly dismissed the fear she had felt.  After the game he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on back of the shirt.  He knew he had found her. Quietly he walked a safe distance behind her.

He didn’t want to frighten her and have to explain what he was doing to anyone. It was only a few blocks to Shannon’s home and once he saw where she lived. He quickly returned to the park to get his car.  Now he had to wait.  He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon’s house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.  “Shannon, come here” her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn’t imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa. “Sit down,” her father began, “this man is a policeman and he has just told us a most interesting story about you.”  Shannon moved cautiously to a chair across from the man. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today! “Do you know who I am Shannon?”   The man asked.  “No” Shannon   answered. “I am your online friend, GoTo123.” Shannon was stunned.  “That’s   impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He’s 14 and he lives in Michigan!”  The man smiled. “I know I told you all that but it wasn’ t true. You see Shannon there are people on line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them.  But while others do it to find kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators.  I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to give out too much information to people on line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. Your name, the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze.”

Shannon was stunned.  “You mean you don’t live in Michigan?” He laughed. “No, I live in Brockton. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn’t   it?”  She nodded.   “I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn’t as lucky.  The guy found her and attempted to abduct her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line.  The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line.  Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it.  I hope you’ve learned a lesson from this and won’t do it again.”

“I won’t,” Shannon promised solemnly.

“Will you tell others about this so they will be safe too?”

“It’s a promise!”

That night Shannon and her parents had a long conversation about her Internet experience and online friends.  They worked out a set of ground rules both Shannon and her parents felt comfortable with.  They all agreed that this time they were lucky.   If the person who tracked down Shannon was not a police officer, the results could have lead to a scary and possibly tragic situation. Remember the potential danger of giving away too much information about yourself.  The world we live in is too dangerous to even give out your age, let alone any other information that may be used to trace who you really are and where to find you.

Be Smart.  Be Safe!

*This story was adapted from the original “Shannon” story posted to the internet, author unknown.

MORE TO COME………

© 2011 East Bridgewater Police Department