Kids today have access to things we just didn’t have as kids, and they’re growing up a lot faster. Most kids have cell phones, tablets, laptops you name it, and various ways to get online without their parents hanging over their shoulder every two seconds to see what they’re doing. Often times parents worry and wonder what’s going on when they’re not around.

We heavily monitor what our kids do online and on their tables, they don’t yet have cell phones but I know we’ll be monitoring when the time comes.

There are many programs out there for both computers and even smartphones that will give you the option of having their device have the ability of the ability of parental monitoring. It’s a smart thing to do, especially with kids. There’s so many things that you may not think your kids are doing, or things you may not think are happening to them (like being bullied) that you can help with and find out and check out with monitors.

Don’t think of it as spying, think of it as keeping your kids and your family safe. It may even help with your family communications as well with kids issues, and online safety.

Bullying is a pretty big thing with today’s kids. Now I’ll be honest, I don’t understand it fully, I quite honestly was the bully when I was a kid. I was never bullied myself. So a lot of times, I just don’t get how this whole ‘bullying’ thing has gone from kids being kids, to kids committing suicide. In my mind, it used to be just that. Kids will be kids, suck it up and stick up for yourself!

I have changed my mind a bit though, I’ve had my own daughter come to me with some ‘bullying’ issues and as a mother it hurts to hear that you’re child isn’t friends with everyone, it hurts to hear that your child is hurting because of the things another child is doing. That’s why I’m so happy to see corporations like the WWE stepping up and trying to inform kids and parents about the dangers of bullying.

At first, I really didn’t see the whole thing, WWE encouraging ANTI-Bullying? Isn’t that what they do on a constant basis? Don’t they beat each other up? Don’t they antagonize each other? Make fun of each other, get on each other… BULLY each other? Sure they do, but there’s a difference. They’re also looked up to by children, so when they’re NOT in character, they can help out a ton to have kids understand, what they do is entertainment, who they are are real people who as kids also suffered from being bullied.

The Be A STAR campaign really has opened my eyes, especially after seeing it in person, first hand. My daughters school was lucky enough to have WWE and the Be A STAR campaign come to their school last week when WWE Smackdown was in town. We were also lucky enough to have the current World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus come speak with the kids!

The assembly was about a ½ hour long. The kids were VERY receptive to Sheamus and the whole Anti-Bullying campaign. Our school this year has grown a lot, not only with the number of students we have but also with the addition of bring the Jr. High kids back into the elementary system. Our schools went from being K-6 to now being K-8, which also means bullying issues have been on the rise.

Sheamus spoke from the heart, he himself has had issues with bullies in the past as a child. Often made fun of he said because of his pale skin, freckles and red hair. He let the kids know, it’s not ok to do, how it hurts and what they can do about it. He also answered a few questions from the kids, mostly bullying related but with a few wrestling questions in there as well, such as “Are You Afraid Of John Cena?”.

The kids had a blast, and honestly with me being in the 1st grade classroom every day, I can tell you the message they try to get across to the kids, actually DOES work. While reading a story the other day, there was a character that was being a bully. The kids started shouting “Don’t Be A Bully, Be A STAR!” and this isn’t the only time I’ve heard it either.

For those who have the same thoughts as I used to have, for those who think it’s odd for WWE to be rallying around an anti-bullying campaign, I can tell you first hand, it really does work, and they really do make a difference coming to talk to those kids! Having a 6’4” muscle bound man, talking to them about how he used to be bullied, and how you can change and stop the bullying in school, really does stick in their heads!

I want to give a HUGE thank you to the WWE and Sheamus for coming out to our school, you truly made a difference and helped these kids think twice about bullying!

You can view more photos from our Be A STAR event HERE and HERE.

As a lot of you know, I am a big supporter of a local company named Stikii.  I’ve become involved with them not only through my blog, but also with my girls school and have become very close with them and want them to succeed and see their super cute shoes for kids thrive and be the trend of the nation!

Not only are theses shoes cute (and my own daughter wears them proudly) but they’ve also become helpful for kids as well.  Stikii recently shared the story of Coley who suffers from Spina Bifida.

Coley couldn’t find any shoes that he approved of that were cool enough to fit over his leg braces.  Once he was introduced to Stikii at the local Stride-Rite he had found his match, but would they fit over his leg braces?  ABSOLUTELY!!!  Coley was so happy to finally find some cool and FUN shoes that he could wear, plus with over 100 interactive accessories, they allowed him to personalize his own shoes daily so they weren’t like anyone else’s.

Stikii is not only trying to bring smiles to kids faces with fun shoes, but they want Ellen in on the action.  Let’s re-tweet this post, get the word out about Stikii shoes to her not only for the sake of our kids shoe boredom but to help those who may have trouble like Coley know that there are cool and fun shoes that will fit them too!

Post is only by the opinion of A Wrestling Addicted Mommy, other views and opinions may vary, please see my disclosure policy for more information.

This is the time of year that a lot of people make major purchases; with tax return money flowing in, a lot of us are making purchases such as cars, homes, furniture, vacations etc.  And when making these purchases, it’s not something we don’t research or think about.  For instance, take mattress shopping.  It’s something we may think is so simple and easy, but in the long run can become frustrating and time consuming.  From experience, take your time, don’t rush into it.

We spend more than a third of our lives in our beds, so finding the right one is important.  Don’t end up like me with a mattress you hate because you didn’t take the time to research and shop around.  I really wish I didn’t make that mistake because now I’m paying for it with a bed I absolutely HATE and kills my back each and every night!

Instead of going for the best deal, I really wish I would have gone for the best feel, and with a trusted name brand – try Serta, for example. However, with a huge selection of Serta Mattresses available it’s hard to determine which is best for you.  Would you like a traditional spring mattress, or something like memory foam?  Does it need to be allergen-resistant?  Do you want it to be a pillow-top?  There are so many options and so many choices, as easy as mattress shopping seems, it’s not!

You also need to remember to find the right size of bed as well.  Twin, Full, Queen or King?  Just make sure that it will fit your room (and your stairway, getting a queen size box spring up a narrow set of stairs just doesn’t work ).

Figure out what you’re looking for, do the research and shop around.  You can do all of that online easily without leaving the comfort of your home.  Finding excellent websites and retailers online such as ShopNBC you can read other reviews, read about the specifications and features, and find great delivery options so your shopping experience is just a little less stressful!

In my own family and circle of friends, it seems like depression is something that runs through a lot of our lives, if not by ourselves than someone we know. Depression is often overlooked as something that will pass, and is swept under the rug, but it’s something that can drastically change someone’s life if left untreated.

There are so many different treatments and finding the best option isn’t necessarily the same as everyone else. Getting drug treatment is one of the first options people think of, and it’s something to try, but the dosage may not always been the right one the first time, it’s something that has to be monitored and evaluated and may take some time to find the right dosage for you. There’s also finding ways to help from a PCH Treatment.

Going to therapy may be another way to get through the hump of depression. Talking to a third party by yourself, or with group or family therapy may help, a place where you can learn to cope with things better than you have been without drugs or even with, may be a lot of assistance.

Other more natural ways to help with depression is massage therapy, acupuncture, acupressure, meditation, yoga, and exercise.

There are so many ways to get help with depression, and from my own experience of ‘sweeping it under the rug’ I can’t express how important it is to find a way to get help with it. Not only will your life change for the better, but those around you will find a new appreciation for your company as well.

Find the option that fits you best, or find the help from a PHC Treatment center that can help you with finding the right path for you to cope with your depression.