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Parental Control: How to Protect Kids from Online Threats

Everyone agrees that the internet is an awesome place. It has become a vital part of our everyday lives.

But like everything else, the internet also has a dark side. And this is why we parents must always remain vigilant. We must maintain some sort of parental control to what our kids access.

Project Nightfall captures this problem perfectly in this 2-minute video:

There have been many reports of cybercrimes reported all around the globe each year. The most vulnerable to these are children and teens.

According to Stay Safe Online, the biggest threats facing children and teens online include video streaming sites and online video games.

In fact, an extremely popular kid’s game received flak from parents everywhere because of one father’s shocking discovery.

Father of 2 boys Iain Morrison can prove this is true. He found out that his kids were being contacted by pedophiles through an online game.

Project Nightfall also talks about the lack of filter in Youtube’s algorithm in this controversial video: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectNightfall/videos/952482224961083/

DQ Institute says the average Filipino child spends about 34 hours a week on digital screens. This result is two hours higher than the global average.

Because of this, Filipino kids aged 8 to 12 years old are more exposed to unhealthy habits of digital usage. It also makes them more vulnerable to cyber attacks. These include cyberbullying and inappropriate sexual behaviors.

This is why it’s important for us parents and guardians to exercise parental control on gadget use and how our kids consume data.

“It may not be enough to just teach kids about whom to talk to, safety in and out of the home, what to read or watch on TV; parents should also guide their kids when it comes to their online experience” 

–Martha Sazon, Globe Telecom’s Senior Vice President and Head of Broadband Business

Globe Telecoms recently launched #Rated PC (Parental Control), an advocacy campaign encouraging Globe at Home Postpaid subscribers, parents and guardians to emphasize the importance of parental supervision in children’s internet use.

#Rated PC aims to educate parents and guardians on how kids can maximize the use of gadgets and the internet. The advocacy also aims to cut the risks and dangers kids get exposed to in the online world.

Here are some of their tips to help protect kids from online threats:

Limit Screen Time

It’s important to limit the screen time for kids especially the younger ones. Check out this quick guide from CiPHR.

For older kids who need to do school work, limiting screen time also helps them manage it efficiently. It also helps to put computers and laptops in an area where you can see them.

Protect Identity and Security

Your kids must learn that “stranger danger” also applies in the online world as well.

Tell them the importance of protecting their identity and privacy. And always remind them to keep personal information safe from strangers they meet online.

Check Sources

The internet can also be a platform for fake news and other misleading information.

Teach children to check sources and go to credible sites for news. From time to time, kids should be reminded that not everything they see or read online is true.

Online responsibility

It is important for your kids to learn the value of their words and actions both online and offline.

They need to be responsible for the comments they leave on other people’s posts. Words can have a significant effect on other people even if it’s just online.

So make sure your kids practice respect. Inappropriate or vulgar words, profanities, body shaming, and name calling shouldn’t be tolerated.

Activate parental control

There are several options for parents when it comes to activating parental control in home devices.

One way to go is to enable parental control settings on your computer. Here’s a guide for setting up parental controls for Windows users.  Here’s how you can turn it on in your Mac devices.  

There are also tons of apps that let you control screen time and other content in your mobile phones and devices. Here’s an awesome list of the best parental control apps from Tom’s Guide.

Internet service providers usually bundle parental control features for their online service.  One example is the TP-Link Device bundled especially for Globe At Home Postpaid subscribers.

It allows parents to easily set up controls for internet access. These features can protect kids from various online threats and safeguard their network from unwanted content.

It can also restrict or block access to unsuitable sites, deploy anti-virus software, manage all connected devices, and even enhance WiFi signal inside the home.

As parents, we know how scary the world can get. And we all want to protect our kids from all threats, seen and unseen.

That’s why it’s necessary for us to exercise paternal control with the information they can access. Because innocence, once lost, will be gone forever.

Protect your home from virtual threats today. For more information about Secure WiFi Bundle and other products and services by Globe At Home, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/broadband.html.

Goodbye, Influencers. Hello, Thought Leaders!

Our office is always quite a lovely and chaotic place to be in. Even though we (Taxumo) deal with one of the most tedious and complicated processes in a business or a freelancer’s life, our team still remains joyous and positive about this reality. We still have our daily banters and laughs. One of the things that we talked about recently was to urge one of us, Kuya Jojo, to be an influencer. And I really think that he could be one!

Photo by BRUNO CERVERA on Unsplash

Since we’re talking about influencers, I’d love to share my opinion on such a term.

I think that each one of us has the ability to “influence” another individual. Hey, I could influence my husband right this instant, but probably not when it comes to exercising… haha! The thing about influencing is that WE could ALL possibly do it given we have these things.

  1. Right audience: When I say the RIGHT audience, it means that the person has a receptive audience who trusts him/her. As you know, trust is built over time, and trusting a person stems from a previously established relationship or at least from borrowed trust from another person or entity (example: referred by another trusted friend, or they have mutual friends, etc.).
  2. Right message: RIGHT message means content that triggers a response from the audience, and this may be because it’s a shared, relatable experience. It may be something also that appeals to the emotion of the chosen audience.
  3. Right timing: If you want to get people to buy a cold drink, the perfect time will be on a hot day. If you want to get people to go to the gym, the perfect time to tell them will probably be after the holidays. Timing is very important in convincing people to do a certain action.
  4. Right “messenger”: Which I will expound on more below!

Now looking at people whom we consider influencers, you’ll notice that what differentiates any Tom, Dick and Harry from them is just basically the scale of their influence. But don’t mistake the scale of influence with the number of followers. One may have a massive amount of followers and yet, still have a minimal scale of influence.

The thing though about Influencer Marketing is that only a few get to see its benefits. And as a marketer, it’s mostly because of the lack of tracking of metrics and key performance indicators. Understandably so, we can’t tell the influencer to wear a shoe that she endorses and give a code to everyone who compliments her shoe. That would just be a bit too forced! But we all still try our best (brands, agencies, influencers) to work towards understanding how influencer marketing can work for all of us.

In this journey of understanding the world of influencers, many have become disappointed and disheartened.

My personal belief is that a lot of confusion stems from the fact that the term “influencers” itself is a bit unclear and confusing for many (since we always think it’s the number of followers). A lot of the content creators who strive to be “influencers” end up disheartened when they don’t easily get to their target number of people. A lot of brands and agencies are also disappointed because the influencer-strategy that they implemented didn’t result to achieving their target objectives.

Instead of striving to be Influencers, strive to be Thought Leaders. The reason why I like this term is that it involves not only gaining a number of followers, but going to the extent of being an authority or an expert in a certain field. People will naturally will flock to you because of what you know and the value that you can give them. With the exchange of values, a true relationship is built.

I also like this the term thought leaders, because it feels like these people are thought of to be partners of the brands who commission them. These people think of ways on how to improve the industry, improve the lives of their followers — basically, they truly and genuinely care.

Maybe the change of terminology will help, or maybe it won’t. These things actually make the world of marketing and advertising such a fun industry, don’t you think? 🙂

Hope I influenced you today. 🙂

How to Boost Learning with the Da Vinci Kids App

Calling all mommies and daddies! Here’s a new app that will help you and your kids explore learning in a fun and unique way!

Introducing the Da Vinci Kids App, a new family-oriented, interactive, video-on-demand app that you and your kids will surely enjoy.

Every parent knows how difficult it is to sustain kids’ attention. And as a parent of a pre-schooler, I know from experience that a bored kid isn’t so much good news.

That’s why I try my best to introduce Zeeka to different activities and workshops. And it’s amazing how curious and explorative kids can get.

Yes, I let my kid have screentime just like everyone else.

Before you raise your eyebrows, hear me out. Gadgets like mobile phones, iPads, and computers are not that bad if you know how to use it well.

Mobile devices have made our lives much easier. It has improved the way we communicate and saves us space and time. It is convenient for us, especially with all the apps we’ve depended on.

Today, kids learn things easier when they’re using a learning app. Check out this infographic from Power School below:

Zeeka is at the discovery stage where she asks a lot of questions about how things work. And while I try to answer all her questions, it’s still good for her to learn things on her own.

What I like most about the Da Vinci Kids App is its wide selection of fun and fascinating videos.

These videos are categorized into main catalogs that help kids understand abstract concepts.

Is your kid a budding scientist? They’re sure to enjoy videos about Amazing Animals, Mother Earth, Our Body, and How Stuff Works.

Boost their creativity with Inspiring Art and get ideas on your next DIY project.

Help them get to know more about the heroes and villains of the past with Fascinating History.

And build their love for problem-solving through our Mathematics videos and help them understand abstract concepts better through this educational app.  

Benefits of Gamification in Learning

Most people would know Dmitri Mendeleev as the first scientist that published the Periodic Table of Elements. But did you know that Mendeleev was also an avid card player?

His fascination with cards made it easier for him to categorize elements. It also made it easier for us to visualize and understand each element better.

That’s also the reason why the periodic table looks like a deck of cards spread on a table.

Mendeleev’s process may have been one of the first ways gamification was used in a learning task. This also proves how effective and beneficial gamification is when it comes to learning.

The Da Vinci Kids App uses gamification to review and challenge kids’ learning abilities.

After watching the videos, kids can take fun quizzes inside the app. It was also designed with mini-games kids can play.

Want to learn the concept of fractions? Check out the Train Conductor game. Stretch their memory and retention skills with Memory Gym. They can also create their own masterpiece using pixel art in the game Pixel Artist.   

Practice Vlogging in Kids Studio

If you’ve seen my recent vlogs, you’ll see that I almost always have Zeeka as my special guest/partner. And I’m really happy that she’s showing such interest in vlogging at such a young age.

But what I’m most happy about is how confident she is in front of the camera. So I want to make sure I’m nurturing this gift and letting her enjoy her time.

Check out her vlog here:

This is why I also got excited about the Da Vinci App’s Kids Studio. It’s a safe, video-sharing community within the app where kids can share and publish the stories they create. It also encourages kids to learn by doing.

It would be an awesome platform for Zeeka to practice her vlogging skills. We can do cooking videos and other experiments we do at home.

She can also talk about exciting things she learns about using the app. And we can recreate the videos we watch here.

The possibilities are endless!

How to Get the Da Vinci Kids App

Globe has always been the leader of the pack when it comes to the Filipino digital lifestyle. And as an exclusive perk, Globe is giving an exclusive offer to their Postpaid customers.

For only P99, Globe Postpaid customers can get this discounted 30-day subscription and enjoy new bonding experiences with their kids!

Here’s what you need to do to claim this offer:

  1. Download Da Vinci Kids on the App Store (for Apple users) or Google Play Store (for Android users).
  2. Open the app and click on the subscribe button on the upper right corner.
  3. Choose the exclusive Globe offer worth P99/month.
  4. Answer the adult verification question.
  5. Enter your mobile phone number.
  6. Enter the PIN code that will be sent to your mobile.

It’s that easy! With just a few steps, you and your child can start your new adventures with the Da Vinci Kids App!

With Globe Postpaid and Da Vinci Kids, moms and dads can bond with their children over great educational entertainment anytime, anywhere. To learn more about Globe Postpaid and its latest offers, visit www.globe.com.ph/postpaid.

Make sure to share this with your fellow moms and dads to take advantage of this offer! And don’t forget to share your experience with us below.

How Financial Tools Can Keep You Out of Trouble

Money is a difficult subject to talk about. But with the right financial tools, anyone can learn to manage their expenses and stay away from financial troubles later on.

Those who know me would know that I like automation. And, I also like looking for financial tools that can make my life easier and my business run smoothly.

Today, I’d like to share three financial tools that can help freelancers manage their finances better. I’ve personally used these, and I can attest that they definitely work.

Financial Tool #1 – Wally for Expense Tracking

I’ve been a fan of Wally for almost two years now and I’ve been using it to tracking and managing finances.

What I love about it is that it lets me compare my income versus expenses. It also gives me insights on my spending habits.

One of my guilty pleasures is online shopping. I just can’t help it! I get curious about a lot of stuff, especially when it comes to beauty products and Zeeka’s things. I’m also into checking out local brands. Just check out my Instagram and you’d know what I mean.

And sometimes, I can’t help but be a bit impulsive.

But with Wally, I get to see the expenses I’ve made and categorize them according to their purpose. It lets you create your own budget, add tags and categories, and even the location of your purchase.

It also lets you add reminders for recurring payments, attach images and pictures of receipts, and even keep track of all financial accounts in one place. You also even set goals for savings and investments.

Wally also has a feature where you can track the loans you’ve made and strategize on payments to avoid incurring penalties.

The most awesome thing about the app? It’s absolutely FREE!

You can get yours today by visiting the App Store or Google Play.

Financial Tool #2 – Paypal

I have used PayPal ever since I started writing for a living. And being a recognisable brand all over the world, Paypal made it easier for local and international clients to trust me with their business.

What I love about Paypal is its flexibility. I can send and receive funds from my clients without the fuss. I can also integrate other apps and automate processes like recurring payments with ease.

I have always prioritized automation in running my projects and businesses. As an entrepreneur, it’s important for me to free my time so I could focus on the tasks I need to do. And Paypal has given me the option to do just that.

Paypal has come in handy for online payment options, especially for Manila Workshops and Taxumo.

Those who avail of our workshops find it easier to make seat reservations through our website. It also gives them easier access to ongoing promotions and deals with just a click of a button. Taxumo users also get to enjoy seamless payments when they use their Paypal to pay for our services.

This service from Paypal is an awesome tool you can use for your freelance business. You can use it to get direct payments from anywhere in the world transferred to your local bank account.

You can also add it to your website and other profiles for clients to make payments any time.

Here’s a quick tutorial on how you can also add a Paypal button to your website:

Financial Tool #3 – GCash

I’m such a fan of GCash because it’s so convenient. Ever since I started using it, I didn’t have to carry as much cash anymore.

GCash is perfect for freelancers, especially those who don’t have time for long queues just to pay their bills. With just a tap of a button, you can get your phone bills, credit card bills, and other utilities paid at your convenience.

Here’s a cool feature from GCash. Did you know that you can just scan your electricity bill to pay it on your GCash app?

Yep, I used to type in the reference numbers when I started paying our electricity bill through the app. This process is a bit tedious and is prone to errors, but it definitely beats standing in line at the payment centers or banks.

Thankfully, GCash now added a feature where you can scan the code at the bottom of the bill and saves you from all the effort.

GCash also has other features that freelancers can take advantage of. There’s GCredit, where you can use it as a credit card for online payments. And there’s also GInvest, where you can start investing your hard earned cash and get access to various investment funds.

You can check out my post for more information about GCredit here.

If you’re interested in investing, you can learn more about GInvest here.

Freelancing can be difficult, especially if you’re starting out or if you don’t have a steady stream of clients. That’s why it’s important for every freelancer to learn how to manage their finances well.

Good thing that there are financial tools available today that can help you stay out of debt and financial troubles.

What tools do you use to manage your finances? Share your finance-related tips with us below.

2019 Lifestyle Entrepreneur Summit

One of the coaches that I have complete trust on is Mr. Jon Orana. This 2019, he’ll be running a Lifestyle Entrepreneur Summit.

It’s so appropriate that he used the term Lifestyle. Being a successful entrepreneur means know how to manage your LIFE, too. It’s not all about earning profit or selling to customers. A big chunk of an entrepreneur’s life is about developing and managing yourself and your time, about having an appropriate mindset that will make you sail through this journey and having a concrete and clear enough reason why you want to start your own business.

That’s why in this summit, the speakers will show you different ways to build an online business so you experience time freedom, financial freedom, & personal freedom.

I highly recommend that you attend this summit if…

  • You want to learn from experts and practitioners in their own fields and industries
  • You wan to live a life of FREEDOM — freedom from STRESS from not being to be able to do the things that you love the most and freedom from traffic (haha!)
  • You want to have clarity in terms of where you want to go and what you want to do as an entrepreneur.
  • You want to meet other like-minded individuals

The good news is you have a chance to join one at the 2019 Lifestyle Entrepreneur Summit.

And even better is the Php 2,000 discount for the event is still up for grabs. Use this promo code: ginger (All lower case)

Get your tickets here.

It is the ONLY business summit where we prioritize lifestyle over profits.

See all details here. See you there!