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  Geebo 9:00 am on January 4, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: adoption ( 2 ), parenting, Scams ( 1,373 ), texas ( 22 )   

  Adoption scams can break the hearts of potential parents 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Adopting a child can be one of the most rewarding experiences for a parent. It can also be one of the most challenging. The adoption process is not only costly, but there are also miles of red tape that perspective parents have to navigate. In the end, the experience is worth it, as you’re giving a home to a child who may not have had one otherwise. However, money and bureaucracy are not the only thing adoptive parents have to worry about. Even in adoption, there are scammers looking to take advantage of those with good intentions.

  An Ohio couple recently fell victim to one of these scams. They were looking for an expectant mother who was looking to have their child adopted. A woman from Houston, Texas replied, and an arrangement was made. The couple even hired a Texas adoption lawyer to make sure that the Texas woman was who she said she was. The couple paid $9,000 in medical expenses for the supposedly expectant mother. Eventually, the Texas woman messaged the couple saying that labor would be induced in the next few days. The Ohio couple traveled to Texas expecting to welcome a new member into their family. They received a call from the Texas woman, who said that she had to postpone being induced into labor because her mother was ill. Then more days passed, and the couple received no response from the Texas woman. It was at this point their lawyer advised them that they had been scammed.

  We can’t speak for the couple, but we imagine the lost money might have been secondary to the feeling of disappointment that they were leaving Texas without a son or daughter.

  If you’re a family looking to adopt, especially if it’s a private adoption, hire an attorney who specializes in adoption. While not a guarantee of avoiding a scam, they go a long way in helping avoid one. If you are engaging in a private adoption, don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you need to help you verify that the baby is on the way. Lastly, you may want to go through an adoption agency. Again, it’s not a guarantee of avoiding a scam, but the agencies do a great job of rejecting potential scammers.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 2, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: adoption ( 2 ), parenting, Scams ( 1,373 )   

  Prospective parents need to watch out for adoption scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Adoption is one of the greatest things in the world. It provides people with a loving home, a child who is in need of one. However, like most ways of bringing a child into the home, the adoption process can be prohibitively expensive. Unfortunately, scammers know this and will try to take advantage of those looking to bring a new member of the family into their home. Adoption scams can not only be financially devastating to the family, but emotionally traumatic as well. Just imagine putting thousands of dollars into the adoption process over the course of months only to find out that the child you thought was going to be yours doesn’t even exist.

  Sadly, this has happened to families looking to adopt a child. It happens more often to those families who announce on social media that they’re looking to adopt. This can bring scammers out of the woodwork, all claiming to be a woman who is pregnant and looking to have their child adopted. They’ll ask for money for various medical and personal expenses, while promising the victims a new addition to their family. This is especially true for international adoptions.

  Adoption is a very emotional process and when we let our emotions get the better of us we don’t always think straight. This can lead prospective parents into making mistakes when it comes to finding a child. If you’re looking to adopt, you should hire an attorney who specializes in adoptions. When dealing with a birth parent directly, don’t feel bad for requesting all the proof that a baby is on the way. It’s also best to go through an adoption agency, as they’re reasonably good at weeding out scammers.

  Hopefully, with these suggestions, you’ll be welcoming a new presence into your home sooner rather than later.

   
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  Geebo 9:08 am on September 29, 2017 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Android ( 8 ), Family Link, Google ( 30 ), parenting   

  Google’s new parental app for Android leaves a lot to be desired 

  

  Recently, Google announced the public release of their parenting app for android devices called Family Link. For a family of Android phone and tablet users this is a welcome announcement as Android has had no built-in child safety apps until now. Unfortunately, there are still some major kinks in the system which could make the app pointless.

  In theory, once you install the Family Link app on yours and your children’s Android devices you’ll be able to see what apps they’re using, restrict control to some apps and even set a time when the device is to be shut off at night. You’re able to basically monitor your children’s devices from your own device. However, that comes with several caveats.

  The first hurdle is your children’s devices will need to be running Android Nought (7.0) or higher. That’s fairly recent and many budget Android devices are not currently running Nougat. The second and most glaring problem is that Family Link can only be set up on new Google accounts and not preexisting ones. Depending on the age of your child, this could be a deal breaker considering the email address they’ve been using for a while may be tied into that account.

  Google has valiantly tried to bring parental control to Android with this app, unfortunately it’s fallen short of its goal.

   
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  Geebo 10:57 am on December 14, 2016 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Facebook ( 179 ), parenting, Parents Portal, social media ( 80 )   

  Is Facebook’s Parents Portal any good? 

  

  Having children in today’s digital age of social media can be trying. It’s always great to have access to resources to help you navigate the social media minefield for your children. That’s why I’m sure some parents were relieved to hear that it’s been announced that Facebook now has what they call a Parents Portal. The question remains, is it actually helpful? Well, that depends on who you ask.

  The Getting to Know Facebook section basically tells you how to use Facebook, which kind of everybody already knows. One would imagine that the most important section one would be the Parenting Tips section, however it reads like someone from a previous generation trying to explain to their parents how not to make the VCR continually flash 12:00. The tips they provide are very basic common sense tips to the point where they almost seem condescending. The problem is that some people need these common sense tips though as they’re either too trusting of the internet or their own children.

  The highlight of the Parents Portal is that on its Expert Advice page, it provides links to legitimate resources for parents that require more information on how to work with their kids when it comes to their social media behavior.

   
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  Geebo 10:08 am on June 8, 2016 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: florida ( 30 ), jacksonville, marijuana ( 2 ), parenting, truck ( 2 )   

  Dad sells son’s truck online for smoking weed 

  

  Possibly inspired by the Minnesota mom who sold her daughter’s truck for skipping class, a Florida father recently sold his son’s truck online. A Jacksonville, Florida, man recently sold his son’s Ford Explorer online because of the 16-year-old’s penchant for smoking weed and ‘acting all thug’ in the father’s words. To add a little insult to injury the father offered to take $250 off the price if the buyer lived in the same neighborhood so his son could ‘see it every now and then and be reminded of how good he had it’.

  The father continues…

  “Now he can put those Jordans to use walk his a** off on these hot summer days!” his father wrote in the post.

  The sale of the truck seems to be working as the father has said that his son has approached him about turning over a new leaf.

  How do you feel about the viral ad? Is online embarrassment of an unruly teen really the way to go for parents? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.