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What To Do If Your Child Becomes a Victim of Identity Theft

May 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Over the last few months, I’ve shared information with you about identity theft and child identity theft as an Identity Guard kIDSure Ambassador. We’ve talked about protecting your child from identity theft and now I want to share some child identity theft tips with you about what to do if you discover your child’s identity has been stolen. Would you know what to do?

Kids are particularly vulnerable to identity theft because identity thieves know most parents won’t check to see if there is a credit report in their child’s name or look into whether someone has used a child’s Social Security Number. Child identity theft is usually discovered years later when the victim tries to apply for a credit card or for a job. Parents can find out much sooner by requesting a credit report from all 3 reporting agencies (Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion®) and by using a credit monitoring service for their child. If there is no credit report, it is unlikely that the child’s id has been compromised.

But what if there is a credit history or if someone has used your child’s SSN to apply for a job or for other fraudulent purposes? What then? Identity Guard recommends the following tips to restore your child’s identity:

  • Notify the 3 credit reporting agencies and request a fraud alert for your child’s Social Security Number.
  • Complete an Identity Theft Affidavit form, which can be downloaded fromFederal Trade Commission (FTC) web site at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/.The affidavit has two parts: Part 1 asks for information about you and the thefts. Part 2 asks for information about each specific fraudulent account in question. All affected creditors and anyone else who should be notified of the identity theft will need a copy of this form and a copy of the police report. Always send an id theft affidavit by certified mail and request a return receipt.
  • File a police report in the same city you reside, even if you think the identity theft occurred elsewhere. Keep a copy for your records and a contact name and number.
  • Request any affected creditors, banks, or stores send you reports of any transactions that used your child’s information. Keep records of everything.
  • Notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration of the theft and misuse of your child’s SSN. Contact info is available at www.irs.gov.
  • Talk with your child about the importance of protecting their SSN, address, phone number, and other identifying information. If they are old enough to use the internet and/or have a cell phone, discuss the importance of not disclosing any of the above identifying information.
  • Consider using a credit monitoring service, such as Identity Guard’s kIDSure program, the most comprehensive child ID theft protection available, to monitor and protect your child’s identity and to learn more from their resources for identity theft victims.

For more information on child identity theft and identity protection, check out our previous posts (here and here) and visit the Identity Guard blog.

 

Disclosure: This service was provided to me for review at no charge. In addition I received monetary compensation for my time and work. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: children, family, parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Celebrating Earth Day 2012 with Cox Conserves

April 22, 2012 By 2 Comments

Happy Earth Day 2012!

Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 and has come a long way in the last 42 years. More people are aware of the need to conserve energy, take care of the environment, and protect our natural resources and wildlife. Many companies have taken action to reduce their carbon footprint and become eco-friendly. Cox Enterprises is one such company and they have asked me to share their Cox Conserves Initiatives with you and tips to help your family protect our earth.

Cox Conserves was launched in 2007 as the company’s national sustainability program designed to do the following:

  • Reduce Cox Enterprises carbon footprint by 20%
  • Reduce energy consumption by embracing alternative energy sources
  • Conserve natural resources
  • Inspire eco-friendly behavior

According to Cox Conserves, “The program engages each of the company’s major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Manheim, Cox Media Group and AutoTrader.com) and encourages Cox Enterprises’ more than 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.”

Across the nation, Cox has some remarkable ways of carrying out the mission of this initiative.

One thing Cox has done that I found fascinating is they constructed an eco-friendly building from the ground up for their WPXI-TV Cox television station in Pittsburgh. Seventy-five percent of the building has a raised floor, which makes heating and cooling the building 25 percent more efficient. That’s pretty amazing!

Another one of the many other things they are doing is reducing paper usage and waste by encouraging customers to go paperless with an electronic ordering system. In one quarter alone, more than 50,000 pieces of paper were saved due to electronic ordering. That’s a lot of trees saved!

For more information about Cox Conserves and all the ways they are working through this initiative, visit: http://www.coxconserves.com/ and check out their Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages. You can also use the #coxconserves hashtag to chat with others on Twitter about ways to go green and be more eco-friendly.

Now that you’ve learned what Cox is doing, here are a few ways your family can help the earth on Earth Day and every day:

  1. Use less fuel by combining errands and trips and plotting a course that uses the least amount of driving. This helps reduce fuel usage, exhaust emissions, AND helps you save money!
  2. Turn off lights when you leave the room.
  3. Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use. Even when they are turned off, plugged in appliances are still using energy.
  4. Recycle paper, plastics, aluminum cans and other recyclable materials.
  5. Use a programmable thermostat to regulate your homes heat and air. When leaving the house, lower the heat setting, or raise the air conditioner setting to reduce the energy used.

By doing our part, we can all make a positive difference and hopefully leave a better world for our children and future generations. Every day can be Earth Day!

What are some of the ways your family celebrates Earth Day, today and all year long?

Disclosure: I was asked to share this information by Cox and compensated for my time and work, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I chose to share this with you to bring awareness to ways we can all help give ourselves, our children, and future generations a healthier and better world.

 

 

Filed Under: family, health Tagged With: , , , ,

Shaklee Get Clean Review and Giveaway

April 15, 2012 By 27 Comments

Do you know what is lurking under your sink? Do you have a cabinet full of cleaners? Do you know what is in those cleaners? What is in them might surprise you!

As a participant in the Shaklee Get Clean Campaign, I was challenged to find out if any of the following chemicals are present in the cleaning products my family uses: kerosene, phenols, cresol, lye, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid, petroleum distillates, ammonia, sodium hydroxide, butyl cellosolve, phosphoric acid, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, morpholine, and phthalates by checking them in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Household Products Database.

Yes, I did discover that several of these chemicals are in the cleaners in our cleaning cabinet. It made me stop to consider the potential effects these chemicals could have on my family after being exposed to them each time they are used and how our health could be impacted since we’ve used them for years. It was an eye-opener to learn about these chemicals and makes me want to try more natural and hopefully much safer alternatives.

My cabinet full of our usual cleaners

To participate in their campaign, Shaklee sent me several products from their full line of natural and nontoxic cleaning choices that are “Safe for You, Your Home, and Your Planet®” called the Get Clean® Kit. Shaklee believes that health isn’t just about what you put in your body; it’s about everything around you.

The Shaklee Get Clean products have been reviewed and endorsed for their safety by Healthy Child Healthy World.

Some details about the Get Clean Kit:

· No harmful fumes or hazardous chemicals.

· Outperforms 20 national leading brands.

· You would spend $3400 for ready to use cleaners to get the same amount of clean found in the Get Clean Starter Kit!*

· Features Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate – just 1/4 tsp. makes 16oz. of all-purpose cleaner for only 3 cents.

· And when you purchase the Get Clean Starter Kit you also make a positive impact on the planet:

· Keep 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills.

· Eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gas.

. Passing on one Get Clean kit to a friend is the equivalent of planting 10 trees!

* Based on comparing number of uses as set forth on product labels of conventional, ready-to-use cleaners.

My cleaner cabinet "makeover" with the Shaklee Get Clean Kit

I’ve been using the Shaklee Get Clean cleaners to clean laundry, wash dishes in the dishwasher, and clean surfaces. The kit includes several products that vary from having no scent to a very light scent.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Fresh Laundry concentrate and the Soft Clean fabric softener sheets. I put them through a tough test by using them on my dog’s blankets, which smelled bad and were in desperate need of a good washing. They came out of the washer with no more bad odors and no real scent at all. I put them into the dryer with one fabric softener sheet torn in half and placed on half under the blankets and one on top, as suggested by Shaklee’s directions on the box. The fabric softener sheets felt different from other brands I’ve used. These are papery and crinkly, so I was skeptical. To my surprise, the blankets came out of the dryer feeling softer and fluffier then ever before and with no strong fragrance left behind.

The powdered dishwasher detergent did a pretty good job on our dishes and a very dirty, greasy skillet. The liquid dish soap for hand washing dishes is concentrated and only takes a few drops to clean well.

The only product in the Get Clean Kit that I was not as impressed with is the Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes. They cleaned well but they are thinner than the brand I normally use and tore too easily. There is barely any scent at all, so that may be a plus for anyone sensitive to fragrances.

For more info on the Get Clean Kit, check out this video:

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So how about you? Have you ever checked your cleaners or looked up what is in them? If not, I encourage you to do so and Shaklee might even reward you for doing your homework!

Shaklee is offering MomRN readers the chance to win a Shaklee Mini Household Kit {$46.95 retail value}. They want to inspire you to learn about what is in your household products and make the switch to safer, greener products like Shaklee’s Get Clean products. Official rules for the giveaway: http://blogger.myshaklee.com/us/en/about_giveaway_rules.html

To enter the giveaway:

1) Look under your kitchen sink (or wherever you keep your cleaners) to see if you find any of these ingredients in your products: kerosene, phenols, cresol, lye, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid, petroleum distillates, ammonia, sodium hydroxide, butyl cellosolve, phosphoric acid, formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, morpholine, and phthalates.

Then leave a comment below telling us what you discover and why YOU need a green cleaning makeover!

Additional bonus entries:

-Like the Shaklee Facebook Page

-Follow @ShakleeHQ on Twitter

-Like the Ask MomRN Show Facebook Page

Follow @MomRN on Twitter

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. You have up to 5 chances to win and bonus entries will not count if you have not completed the mandatory entry first.

This giveaway ends Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

UPDATE: Congratulations to our lucky winner, Christine! Her entry was chosen by Random.Org’s random number generator out of all the eligible entries. Thanks to everyone who entered!

 

Disclosure: This review and giveaway was made possible by the Shaklee Corporation & Mom Spark Media. Incentives, product and support were provided. Thoughts are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: family, Giveaway, health Tagged With: , , ,

Bully: A Movie and a Movement

April 10, 2012 By 1 Comment

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

In the past several weeks, there has been lots of buzz about the movie, Bully, which has generated many discussions about bullying and what can and/or should be done to put an end to it, especially in our children’s schools. The movie follows five kids and their families as they go through a school year and offers an intimate look at the daily struggles these children face as they are victimized by bullies. The documentary also features the parents of a boy who ended his life after years of torment by bullies.

Due to strong language and intense thematic themes, the film was initially given an R rating but that was amended to a PG-13 rating this past week after the filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, edited out three uses of an explicative during a key scene. Concerns were raised that an R rating would prevent teenagers under the age of 17 from seeing the movie – the very audience who needs to see it most, according to those who petitioned to have the rating changed. Bully is currently playing in select theaters and will be opening nationwide on April 13th.

We’ve talked about the problem of bullying on the Ask MomRN Show in the past and it is an issue that hits home with me. As a child, I was occasionally bullied because I was very short and had a disability (a below-knee prosthetic leg). Fortunately, I had friends who supported me and that helped a great deal. When my oldest child was bullied in school, my husband and I had to get involved because nothing we suggested our child do, to try to stand up to the bully, were working. Fortunately the elementary school principal was very supportive and quickly put an end to the bullying. But middle school was a different story and bullying was one of our reasons for deciding to homeschool our oldest for six and half years.

The emotional and sometimes the physical scars of bullying can linger for the rest of a child’s life. I’m so grateful we were able to give our child the option of homeschooling. Not that bullying doesn’t happen outside of school, but in our case, it was an effective end to the school bullying. Not all families have the option of changing schools or homeschooling. Sometimes even after changing schools, a kid can become a target to new bullies. We have to teach our kids how to have the confidence and ability to stand up to bullies and protect those who are vulnerable. We also have to teach our kids how damaging bullying is and how to have compassion and kindness towards others.

The Bully Project says on their website that this year 13 million kids will be bullied and 3 million of those kids will miss school out of fear. Some kids are bullied to the point of ending their own lives to escape the daily battle. Some act out in raging anger after having had to endure more than they could take any more and sometimes that leads to school shootings and other acts of violence. Some suffer from debilitating depression. And some become bullies themselves to try to regain some sense of power in their lives. The lucky ones come out stronger, kinder, and compassionate because they know what it feels like to be a victim and they don’t want anyone else to be bullied.

I urge you to talk about bullying with your children. What do they see happening at their schools? Are they bullied, or do they kids who are? Is your kid a bully? If so, it is time to put an end to it. If you feel this movie is appropriate for your family, go see it and discuss it afterwards. Since it is not yet playing in any theaters near me, I have not watched it yet (but plan to as soon as I can) so I cannot give you my review of it yet. We will talk more about Bully the movie and The Bully Project on an upcoming episode of the Ask MomRN Show so stay tuned. I hope this movie will be an eye-opener for many and a catalyst for positive change.

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I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.

Filed Under: family, parenting Tagged With: , , ,

Together Counts When Getting Fit as a Family

April 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Eating healthy, being active, and getting fit is often a family affair. It’s easier and much more fun when the whole family participates in meal preparation and physical activities.. Whether it’s a picnic and walk in the park, biking around the neighborhood, or playing a game of basketball, family fitness promotes not only healthy living, but family bonding and that is priceless.

Our family enjoys going for walks with our little furbaby, our long-haired dachshund Daisy Mae. When Daisy sees her leash and harness, she gets excited and runs to the door to leave for our walk.

Sometimes we go for a walk around our neighborhood and other times we take a short drive to a local park with great walking trails and walk there. Either way we have a nice time away from all the distractions of modern technology and get to enjoy talking with each other as we walk. With one adult child and an older teen, we don’t get as much time together as we used to so these walks are nice not only for our physical health but to reconnect and enjoy being a family.

Daisy Mae enjoyed our walk in the park. Look at that happy smile!

If you listen to our online talk show, you probably remember that all through March on the Ask MomRN Show we talked about National Nutrition Month and our expert guests shared their tips for feeding your family healthy foods and getting the kids involved in shopping and cooking family meals.

April is Child Nutrition Month and I just learned about a fairly new national campaign that promotes family health, fitness, and bonding that your family can participate in and I encourage you to check it out. Together Counts inspires active and healthy living through encouraging families to eat and get active together while promoting moderation through what they have termed “Energy Balance”, which means balancing the calories we consume with the calories we burn through activity.

Together Counts is a first-of-its-kind coalition of over 195 retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods and insurance companies, trade associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and professional sports organizations who have combined efforts to support and promote family health and fitness. Together Counts is an initiative of The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation a CEO–led organization, that is a national, multi-year effort designed to help reduce obesity–especially childhood obesity–by 2015.

Together Counts is celebrating their first anniversary by holding a sweepstakes on the Together Counts  Facebook page and giving away fun prizes such as gift cards, George Foreman Grills, and memberships to Anytime Fitness.

If you enjoy Pinterest, you can follow Together Counts there too at http://pinterest.com/togethercounts/ and check out their boards.

Plus, everyone is invited to the Together Counts Twitter party to celebrate Child Nutrition Month with them on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 from 8 to 9 pm ET. Prizes include $50 same-as-cash gift cards. For more information and to RSVP, visit http://resourcefulmommy.com/8856/together-counts-twitter-party/ and follow them on Twitter @TogetherCounts. I’ll be at the party, so please say hi! Would love to “see” you there!

Now it’s your turn! How does your family stay healthy and fit together?

Leave a comment to share your ideas and favorite activities your family participates in together!

 

FTC Disclosure: MomRN was honored to help Together Counts bring awareness to their campaign through this post as part of a blogging campaign through Global Influence. Although I received compensation for my work, all thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by anyone else.

 

 

 



 

Filed Under: family, kids, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Protecting Your Identity During Tax Season

March 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

April is almost here and along with the flowers, rain, and Easter, April also brings with it that dreaded of all seasons – tax season. This year the filing deadline is Tuesday, April 17, 2012 so many of us will be busy for the next couple of weeks working on our taxes. While you are going through all the necessary paperwork associated with your taxes, have you given any thought as to how to protect all of that private information and how to keep it out of the hands of identity thieves?

I’ve talked about identity theft here on MomRN and also on the Ask MomRN Show a few times in the past. Last month I shared tips with you to protect your child from identity theft. In honor of tax season, when identity theft usually increases, here are some tips for protecting your tax documents and identity.

Fake IRS emails and phone calls

During the past several years, especially during tax season, I’ve received emails and even phone calls claiming to be from the IRS that were really phishing scams. Most of these emails and calls claim that there is a problem with my tax return or that they’ve discovered I’m owed a bigger refund (wouldn’t that be nice!) and all of them claim to need more information, such as my Social Security number or bank account number so they can process my return or refund properly. Some emails contain an attachment or a link to open. The fake phone calls are usually automated, but not all. In any case, something I learned a long time ago is never to trust these emails or phone calls. According to an article about tax-time identity theft, the Internal Revenue Service will never email you, will rarely call, and will always notify you by mail first if they need to talk with you.

Guard your tax documents and mail

Having all of your tax documents and information in one secure place and shredding any unnecessary paperwork or mail containing identifying information can help protect your identity. Check your mail daily and if you mail your taxes or any documents containing your Social Security number or financial information, go to the post office instead of putting them in your home or business’s mailbox.

Protect your SSN (Social Security number)

When I was 12 or 13, I got my first Social Security card. I didn’t really know what it was for, but I signed it and gave it back to my mom for safe keeping until I was older. My mom gave it back to me when I went to college and it stayed in my wallet. Then as a newlywed with a new card showing my married name, the old card was filed and the new card went into my wallet. I was never told back then that you shouldn’t do that and I assumed that it was something you had to have with you for ID, just in case it was needed. A few years later I finally learned that I was putting  my identity at risk by carrying the card. By then I had the number memorized anyway so I filed the card in a safe place and have not carried it with me since.

Don’t carry your card with you. And do not give it out to anyone unless it is critical, such as when you start a new job or you are filing your taxes. Visit Identity Guard for more information on SSN protection.

Choose your tax preparer carefully

Whether you use a CPA or tax preparation service or do your taxes yourself, do your research and choose carefully. Ask for references and ask how they will ensure your information will be secure and protected while they have it and how long they will keep your documents and information after the tax deadline. Check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints against the company or tax preparer.

If you are using software or online services, use only reputable companies with adequate security and be extra careful not to misspell the url or you could accidentally end up on a fraudulent site designed to look like the real deal.

Monitor your identity

Another way to protect your identity at tax time and throughout the year is to keep an eye on your credit report. You can get a free credit report from all 3 reporting agencies once a year. I have found using an identity protection service helps me keep on top of my credit report, alerts me to any problems, and gives me more peace of mind than when I was trying to do it all myself. As a kIDSure Ambassador for Identity Guard, I have been using their services for a couple of months now and have been impressed with the level of protection, the amount of information they provide, and their customer support.

Identity Guard offers identity protection for the whole family through credit report monitoring and reporting, SSN and address monitoring, ID monitoring with alerts, lost wallet protection, and more. They also offer child identity protection through kIDSure.

 

Disclosure: This service was provided to me for review at no charge. In addition I received monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: family Tagged With: , , , ,

MyDirectives Offers Peace of Mind for Medical and End of Life Decisions

March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, thinking about our own mortality is not pleasant. Unfortunately, it is something that must be faced and should be thought about carefully before the need arises.  There are many difficult decisions to be made regarding your wishes for medical intervention and treatment; your choice of a healthcare proxy if you become incapable of deciding for yourself; a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order or other end-of-life care; and funeral arrangements. Too often these decisions get thrust upon loved ones unexpectedly and at the very worse time when decisions of life and death must be made quickly and if you have not shared your wishes with them, they may not know what you want them to decide.

As a pediatric nurse, I saw parents struggle with decisions for their sick or injured children every day. Children are completely dependent upon their parents to choose what is best for them. Adults, however, must make their own decisions and then make those decisions clear by discussing them with their loved ones and by putting them into writing so there is no doubt what is desired. This can save a great deal of heartache for your loved ones.

I know firsthand what that heartache is like and learned how important it is to put your decisions in writing when my beloved Nona, my mom’s mother, was hospitalized after being knocked off her front porch by her screen door when a sudden gust of wind blew it into her. She was injured and unconscious and having trouble breathing on her own when she was admitted to the intensive care unit. The doctors asked us for permission to put her on a ventilator. My grandmother had told me and a few other relatives that she did not want extraordinary measures used to save her, such as a ventilator or CPR. However, she never put her wishes into writing and did not specify under what type of circumstances did she want these interventions or not want them. Because she did not have a written advanced medical directive, and because she had not chosen one person to speak for her as her healthcare proxy or agent, there was some disagreement and doubt as to what the right decisions for her care should be. My mom and my aunts chose what they felt was in her best interest but they did so wondering if they were making the decisions she would have made for herself. If only she had an advanced medical directive, they may have been comforted knowing they were carrying out her wishes.

Papa and Nona

My beautiful Nona as a young woman (with my Papa)

Making advanced medical directives, a living will, and choosing a healthcare agent or proxy just got easier than ever before with the launch of a new system designed to make your wishes known and easily accessible if or when they are ever needed. The MyDirectives System is “the very first HIPAA compliant web-based system for creating & storing advance medical directives and is endorsed by Baylor, the 5th largest health care system in the US. Individuals can create and update their documents at any time. Without an advance medical directive family members and health care providers are left with difficult choices, but storing medical wishes and emergency info online means you’ll get to have the final say.”

At MyDirectives.com, you are guided through filling out your information and choices for treatment in case of an unexpected illness or accident or a terminal illness. You can also choose someone to make choices for you in case you become incapacitated (healthcare proxy) and you can share your wishes for funeral arrangements in the event of your death. This removes a heavy burden from your loved ones who won’t have to guess at what you would want during that difficult time.

MyDirectives is also completely free for you to use. There is no charge to create your directives and no fee to change them anytime you wish. Gone is the excuse of, “I can’t afford to hire an attorney to draw up these documents for me.” Now you can create these legally-binding documents yourself for free.

Do yourself and your loved ones a huge favor and take some time to visit MyDirectives and talk with your family about your decisions for your advanced medical directives. This will give all of you some peace of mind if/when the day comes that they are needed.

 

Disclosure: This promotional sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

 

Filed Under: family, health, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Teleflora Deal of the Day Bouquet Giveaway

February 12, 2012 By 10 Comments

Valentine’s Day is this week on Tuesday, February 14th. For many, Valentine’s Day is a day of showing the ones you love how you feel about them and celebrating relationships. It is also a big day for sending flowers! Even someone very practical like me, who doesn’t buy or receive flowers very often, still appreciates getting them on occasion and Valentine’s Day is a great time for a beautiful bouquet of flowers. With the cold, gray winter weather, who wouldn’t love a bright, cheery bouquet to bring color and festivity to a room?

I love roses of varying colors (especially pink, purple, and red) and carnations in the same colors. So I fell in love with this gorgeous arrangement of Valentine’s Day flowers from Teleflora!

Seriously, is that absolutely stunning or what? It’s called the Dance with Me Bouquet with Red Roses and I would love to see this on my dining room table (*hint hint to my hubby*) for Valentine’s or any special occasion!

Teleflora has a huge selection of flowers for Valentine’s Day and for any other special day or event. They even offer a Deal of the Day Bouquet ($50 value), a mixed bouquet created by an expert florist using the freshest, most beautiful flowers available. The flowers included in each one-of-a-kind bouquet are selected to give maximum value.

Teleflora is giving one lucky MomRN reader the chance to win your very own Deal of the Day Bouquet!

To enter, post a comment and tell us about your favorite flowers. Or tell us a time when you received or gave flowers and why it was special to you. Or share your favorite Valentine’s Day memory. It’s up to you but to enter you must leave a comment.

GET AN EXTRA CHANCE TO WIN by visiting the Teleflora flowers on Facebook and click the “like” button. Come back to this post and leave another comment to let us know.

You can also get another extra entry by visiting Ask MomRN Show on Facebook and click the “like” button. Come back to this post and leave another comment to let us know.

Entry Deadline: Sunday, February 19th at 11:59pm EST.

Winner will be chosen by Random.org from all eligible entries. This giveaway is only open to United States residents.

Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Kristen! You have won the Teleflora Deal of the Day Bouquet!

Disclosure: This promotional sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was compensated for my time investment and work on this campaign. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.

 

Filed Under: family, Giveaway Tagged With: , , ,

Protecting Your Child from Identity Theft

February 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

Most of us have heard the horror stories of identity theft and how it can devastate your credit and even several other aspects of your life. It can take years to prove fraudulent use of one’s identity and restore your credit and reputation. Identity theft is a growing problem and has been on the rise as more personal and financial information than ever before is stored online.

We know adults are at risk for identity theft, but did you know your child is at risk too? In fact, the rate of child identity theft has risen dramatically in the last few years and is estimated to affect between 140,000 to 400,000 kids. And because most parents are not aware of the problem, most cases are not discovered until the child reaches the age of 18 and applies for a credit card or loan or enrolls in college. By that time, identity thieves have wreaked havoc using that child’s identity and the child is left having to clean up the mess.

Child identity theft can even begin before you’ve registered your child for a social security number. A software program used by identity thieves to predict which social security number will be assigned to a person has made it easier for the thieves to steal and begin using the number before anyone is the wiser. Fortunately the government found out about this software and last summer a more randomized method of assigning social security numbers was developed and is now being used which will help curb the problem some but there are other methods identity thieves can use to obtain your child’s number.

For example, remember those forms you filled out for your child’s doctor? What about for your child’s school? Did they ask for a social security number? Most do and so most of us assume it is mandatory for us to provide that information. But did you know you can refuse to share that number? You can simply leave it blank. In most cases, you will not be asked for it again but if you are, you can ask why they need the number and if you do not wish to provide it, then don’t. Some states do require a social security number for school enrollment but even those states may make an exception so you can ask if it is absolutely mandatory.

Another thing to be aware of is if you receive credit card offers or other mail in your child’s name that might indicate something is amiss. When my son was 6 years old, we received a credit card offer in his name. At the time we laughed it off and my husband even went so far as to fill out the application in crayon and was tempted to mail it in as a joke but thought better of it. We never considered it might indicate a problem with our son’s identity because we had never heard of child identity theft back then. Now, eleven years later, we’ve learned that such offers could indicate someone has used a child’s identity to either apply for a credit card, loan, or for use with purchasing a cell phone or utilities or any number of other transactions. I was dismayed to learn this information and worried that my son’s credit and identity might be compromised. So when I was offered the opportunity to become a kID Sure ambassador, I knew it was an offer I couldn’t refuse, not just for my peace of mind but especially because this is important information that all of us parents need to be aware of and I wanted to share it with you.

The kID Sure Child Identity Protection program offered through IDENTITY GUARD protects kids from identity theft by searching thousands of records for any indication of activity including social security number exposure, criminal records, DMV records, and utilities records. If any activity is found, parents are provided with the information in a “Digital Footprint” report and steps to take to protect the child’s identity.

After registering for the program, I was eager to learn if there was any activity on my son’s report. I was very relieved to discover that no activity was detected and his identity appears to be safe. Having the protection offered by kID Sure also reassures me that if any activity is detected in the future, we will be notified right away. This means we won’t be hit with any unpleasant surprises when my son applies for college or applies for his first job, credit card, or loan in the near future.

IDENTITY GUARD has been protecting people from identity theft for over 16 years and provides comprehensive protection for adults and children. You can learn more about IDENTITY GUARD and the kID Sure protection by visiting the IDENTITY GUARD website. For more information on protecting your family from identity theft, you are invited to download three free e-books from IDENTITY GUARD and watch the video below about the kID Sure program and how it can protect your child.

 

As a kID Sure ambassador, I will be sharing more information and tips for you to protect your child in future posts.

 

Disclosure: This service was provided to me for review at no charge. In addition I received monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

Filed Under: children, family, parenting Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Super Bowl Commercial Sneak Peek Fun with Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno

February 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This Sunday, February 5th, millions of fans will be tuning in to watch Super Bowl XLVI as the New York Giants and the New England Patriots battle for the championship. For football fans, Sunday’s game is THE game. But it’s not all about football. The Super Bowl is also a time to gather with family and friends, eat fun snacks and food, and do something we rarely WANT to do – watch commercials!

Super Bowl commercials are big business, costing advertisers a lot of money. When you consider a 30 second commercial spot costs $3.5 million dollars, you can understand why advertisers go above and beyond to create commercials people will actually watch, enjoy, and talk about for days and even weeks after the game is over. This year is no exception and now commercials are even being leaked before the Super Bowl just to generate some additional buzz before the big game even starts.

MomRN has been given the opportunity to share a sneak peek of one of this year’s Super Bowl commercials starring Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno plus a few fun surprises. Enjoy and comment!

Last year my favorite Super Bowl commercial was the Darth Vader kid who used the force to start his dad’s Volkswagen. I thought it was clever and very cute. My favorite 2010 Super Bowl commercial was Betty White’s Snickers commercial. It was funny and who doesn’t love Betty?!?

What are your favorite Super Bowl commercials from the past?

Filed Under: family Tagged With: , , , , ,
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