Better Than Gladys Kravitz
March 31st, 2009 by Fiddledeedee(This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Intelius.)
Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, my mother (who was considered protective by that era’s standards) would set us free right after lunch to wreak havoc on nature and neighborhood. As long as we promised to be home by dinner.
Not a hard promise to keep, since my southern born and bred mother could deep fry anything, and make it taste wonderful.
Consequently, I bid farewell to my metabolism at a rather youngish age.
And off we would go, me on my green banana seated bike, with the plastic flowered basket, wind in my stringy hair, bugs in my teeth.
Carefree childhood days. Cherished memories.
My children are not quite experiencing that type of childhood. And it grieves me deeply. This is a much different world that we live in today. A suspicious world where we eye our neighbors, teachers, and even church childcare workers far more closely.
A few years ago, it came to our attention that a pedophile was living within our subdivision. With disastrous consequences to the innocent neighborhood children who lived next door. They found out far too late what type of person lived within 10 feet of them.
And we don’t live in a “bad” neighborhood.
Unless you consider a busybody Home Owner’s Association full of retirees who have nothing better to do with their day than to measure the blades of grass on the front lawn.
But I digress.
When BlogHer asked me to check out Intelius, an online information service, I was intrigued,
Because I watch “24.” I know that information = power.
Intelius provides up to the minute Verification Services (such as background checks), Information Services (like people searches), and most importantly, Protection Services.
A service which, in my humble opinion, is invaluable. By using Intelius Protection Services (aka: Neighborhood Watch), I can use such functions as Identity Protection and Criminal & Sex Offender checks.
In other words, I can plug in my address, and receive a report that discloses the riffraff living in my area.
And Intelius has been recognized by the National Child Safety Foundation. In fact, they released this statement:
“It is critical that parents use every tool available to ensure the safest possible environment for their children, from soccer practice to Boy Scouts to slumber parties. We at the National Child Safety Foundation emphatically recommend Intelius’ reverse phone searches and background checks to our child safety seminar audiences across the country. We also recommend Intelius’ pre-employment screening services to organizations to ensure the wisest, safest hiring decisions. Intelius is simply the best tool available to parents and organizations alike for the most accurate, affordable and immediate information possible.”
As a parent, providing the safest possible environment for my children is my primary directive.
If I can’t give them the carefree childhood that I enjoyed in the 60’s and 70’s, at least I can do everything possible to ensure an innocent childhood. A place in the world where they can be safe and loved.
A sanctuary where all they need to fear is their mother’s excessive use of vegetables in their diet.
And one last tidbit, in addition to Intelius’s data search service, the free iSearch.com search engine allows you to quickly and easily uncover information about anyone. This is a great, targeted search that looks not only at public records, but also through social networking platforms. Get your search started by clicking here.
I’m doing a little data gathering of my own, how has your security awareness changed since your childhood?
Posted in Misc. | 8 Comments »






April 1st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
You can get a lot of that information online for FREE
April 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Oh, DeeDee. You have touched on a topic dear to my heart. I am the informed mom who is called the paranoid mom.
I’ve helped write policies for a church on this issue and I’ve been the loudmouth who speaks out for kids.
That being said, there are many resources out there that are free. And never forget that a offender isn’t always on those lists. He is only on there if he has been caught. These lists should not give parents a false sense of security. Mother’s instinct and her radar are always best.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Oh boy,
Paranoid me. We live in a small city, in the village center of it. My kids don’t even go outside in the yard without me at least glued to the window. They are 8 and 6. I used to go biking with my friends all over our development as a child. Such fun, carefree days.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Hey, I think we must have had the same bike
I remember moving to a NEW neighborhood when I was 8. Our parents unloaded our bikes first, then sent my younger brother and me to go out and explore our new neighborhood and make some friends while they unloaded. Can you EVEN imagine?
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
My kids (even my 18 year old the best I can control– and he has a cell phone for me to call him) never go anywhere without me knowing where they are and who they are with. When I was a kid I would take off and be gone for hours and my mom would never have a clue where I was…of course I never left the neighborhood, so I could be contacted by her screaming my name!
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
We are signed up with a free service, http://www.familywatchdog.us/
They email me every time an offender moves in or out of our area.
Hope this helps!
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Yes I remember the care free days of riding my bike and playing at the neighborhood play ground till dark. And no my children don’t do that and yes it hurts my heart to. I hate that we live in world that has come to safe guarding our children in such a way they can’t experience being a child the way I did. But it has become necessary! I frequently check family watch dog and also the state of texas department of public safety web sites for info on such people. And yes I found someone, who just happens to have a son who just happens to play baseball at the same ball park as my children. Let’s just say I keep a very close eye on my kids and on him!!!!
April 10th, 2009 at 12:19 am
I find it challenging to keep my boys safe and allow them the natural progression to develop on their own, away from me. It has been a great blessing to me for them to have a cell phone when we are in a store together.They are teens now and several years ago my husband left my oldest at a ball game and I asked “you left him there alone, without you?” He reminded me he was in highschool now. I worry about them still as I think of the teen stolen when out riding his bike and just found last year, after being captive for several years. Happy when he was found! Thank you for keeping this information on you blog.