Time for a little public service message. Find a few minutes to sit down with your teenager and discuss this. I’m not exactly sure when I became a rent. I have paid rent before, but how could I be a rent? Add my wife into the equation and together we become rents. In fact, any of you reading this who happen to own a teenager, then you, too, are rents. You grandparents out there are known as grents. Still confused? Then read the explanation that follows. Translation of the word rent(s): A couple or single person as well in their late 20s to 60s who own a teenager and that teen has access to a computer connected to the internet. A rent is also able to use his/her phone at any time of the day or night unlike when the rent was a teen and was always on the phone! Moms and dads, our kids call us rents because it’s short for “parents,” while they type messages to one another for countless hours, night after night.

When MSN became part of our kids’ lives it opened up a unique line of communication. Typing to several friends at one time in pretty colours and inserting happy faces was as popular as having the best brand-name shoes or clothes. Us rents can even use MSN to our advantage at times, too—as in, “No more MSN until your grades improve.” That is like totally the worst punishment to be handed out. MSN was rather safe as you spoke to friends who you knew and as long as you did not threaten anyone (as in they could copy-paste-print and walk into the police station with the hard-copy evidence) you were okay. Well, fellow rents, a new medium surfaced a year ago or so and this time you rents have to monitor what’s going on because the world can visit your teen’s own site every night. Someone could be searching your teen’s site right now.

It’s called Facebook, a spruced-up version of MSN or the old MySpace. It allows the user to create a special page and insert all things important to the owner. I am not about to slam the site, rather, warn that street proofing is what is required here. When you post your site it is available for everyone to see and check out.

Like anything in this world, being smart and using common sense is the first step to protecting yourself. Common sense, as in, introduce yourself, but don’t tell the world where you go to school and where you live. Telling the world who you are, where you live and where you attend school is not considered very smart practice. Think of the possibilities when someone surfing the main site happens upon your personal site. They read your bio and all they need to do is check up on you, and because the site offers the added option to post pictures (as many as the user wishes), instantly the surfer knows all. Teens will argue that they don’t invite strangers to their sites. Like MSN, this site has the option to deny access. Remember, savvy internet users can find a way to get the goods on your teen. Someone simply interested in gathering information does not want to talk to you all the time either. They have lots of time to search and can simply, by fluke, end up looking at your site. Once a predator has his intelligence it’s simply a waiting game of best opportunity. They have your picture and school and could easily sit near the school watching and waiting.

The internet has great advantages and Facebook offers the user a place to show off and sound off. This can be a good thing, a place that lets someone be unique and an individual. It can also be quite dangerous, and in this day and age this extra ounce of prevention should not be looked at as a rant from some unknown rent, but rather a friendly reminder from under my policeman hat that street proofing does not always have to mean “street”—as in, walk home in groups and don’t stop for strangers.

Have another look at your site, clean it up if need be. Kids, we live in a scary world and as rents we need to know you are safe and making sound decisions. It’s why we don’t sleep until we know you are home. It’s why we are hard on you at times. One day you will understand and look back and might even pick up the phone. Mom or Dad you will say, I didn’t know it then, but were you ever right.

Email: thom_racine@hotmail.com