How to Gripe and Get What You Want

Call it complaining, griping of kvetching. There is a certain way to do it and pretty much get what you want. familykenkel learns (and has tried) to complain the right way.  If griping about what you didn’t get or did get that’s not right didn’t get you anywhere, try some of the useful suggestions below from an etiquette expert.

Step back and ask yourself if you have a legitimate complaint. Or are you really having a bad day and want a little validation? Is it really worth it to complain? If so, please do let the other party try to rectify the problem before pummeling the person with barrage of bad words.

Use the right avenue to file a grievance. Social media accounts are the most public way of letting a business or company know they wronged you. And most businesses have social media accounts. Be firm, be polite and state the problem. If no result is produced, write to the CEO with your complaint. Be patient.

Avoid using foul language or to making threats. Most people do not feel they can have a rational conversation with someone who seems to want nothing more than to trash and bash. Be courteous and resist any urges to name-call.

familykenkel also knows that it’s nice to get a good review. If a business or company has resolved the issue, or has provided service that is better than expected, let them know. After all, we all need to hear kind words.

Asks if Parents Should Snoop on Their Kids

Are there parents who insist their kids text them as soon as they get on the bus and as soon as they get to school? Do parents download and install GPS-related software so parents know where their kids are at all times? familykenkel ask these questions and a few more to gauge if parents snoop on their kids.

Today’s children have many more possibilities to end up in danger than in previous decades.  The Internet and smart phones with Internet access make it easy for anyone to contact them. Social media accounts are also huge draws for the wrong kind of people to reach out and touch kids. So, we ask: should parents snoop on their kids? Do they snoop on their kids and how?  In earlier times, it was common for mothers to read their daughter’s diaries. Now both parents can see what their brood is writing on the Internet and in texts and can monitor it.

There are some products parents can use to keep track of what kids are up to: NetNanny, SafeEyes, and MamaBear to name just a few. Familykenkel asks why parents need products like these and the answer is this: more than three quarters of American kids age12 to 17 have cell phones, half of those devices has Internet access, social media and email access. In addition, a survey found that 40% of fifth graders have their own cellphones, 75% of teens aged 13 to 17 have at least one social media account, and more than two-thirds say they text every day.  Parents always want to be sure their children are safe. Snooping on kids is one way to find out if they are okay, happy, not being bullied, where they say they are and safe.

How to Deal with Internet Trolls

Internet trolls are people who specifically set out to harass, threaten, insult, offend and cause harm to another person’s life, livelihood and reputation. They pop up everywhere people meet online to communicate, socialize, view videos and discuss the hot topics of the day. And it can be hard to deal with them when it seems there are so many of them. Familykenkel offers advice on how to deal with Internet trolls and other online pests.

Americans take their right to free speech seriously. Some abuse that privilege by going online to purposely wreak havoc in someone else’s life. If we think about it, we all take risks on the Internet when we use social media to catch up with the people in our lives and share remarkable stories. Then, along comes someone we’ve never met who feels they can post something negative and hurtful about us. And we feel like there is nothing we can do.

Dealing with Internet trolls takes time, patience and confidence. Readers who find they are being bothered by trolls and harassers have some options: block the user on the social platform, report the user to the website or social platform, and block the user on cell phones. Familykenkel believes that we all have the power to rid negativity from our lives. Here is a thought to keep in mind: “If people are trying to bring you down, it only means that you are above them”. ~ Unknown