The New York Times reported yesterday that cyberspace may not be as threatening to children and teens as we’re led to believe:

A task force created by 49 state attorneys general to look into the problem of sexual solicitation of children online has concluded that there really is not a significant problem.

The findings ran counter to popular perceptions of online dangers as reinforced by depictions in the news media like NBC’s “To Catch a Predator” series. One attorney general was quick to criticize the group’s report.

The panel, the

…

We have a new house rule: No scary movies for Alex after noon (he’s five). Otherwise, we all suffer. Trust me. It’s the same screen version of my own “No caffeine after 3 pm” rule. It may feel so good going down, but you’re gonna pay for it later. And we all need a good night’s sleep. So for now, we’re all agreed. Harry Potter is confined to morning in our house.

Fans of the penguin would probably appreciate this a tad more than I. The video follows a  sad penguin, to the tune of “Bad Day.” But I am in awe of the innate ability — even for kids, especially for kids – to mash up worlds online.
You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

We recently ran into one of Alex’s preschool buddies and his mom at Target. Alex couldn’t resist announcing to his friend that he was buying a Ben 10 toy. “Ooh,” the mom said to him, “you’re lucky. My kids don’t get to watch that show.” (Translation: “We’re more responsible about limits than in your house.”) And I doubt my protest, “Oh, he hardly ever watches it. I don’t even know what channel it’s on,” rang true. For the uninitiated, Ben 10 is on Cartoon Network and