Internet Safety

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Technology can be a wonderful thing, with the ability to connect to family thousands of miles away, find out the answers to questions almost immediately, and explore new worlds online. It can also be dangerous, however, and it’s important to make sure that we know what students are doing online and how to teach them to use technology safely and responsibly. While rules will be different for every age group (and even every child!) there are some basic safety tips that can go a long way towards making children safer online.

Some ways to help your student stay safe online include

  1. Keep computers and tablets in a public area: Students are less likely to look up objectionable content if they know anyone could walk up and see what they’re looking at.
  2. Model good digital behavior: It’s easy to let screens absorb all our focus, for adults and children alike. If children see parents disengage from technology at the dinner table, during play time, or at other key moments, they’re more likely to follow those same standards.
  3. Keep communication open: Talk to your children about what they (and you) like to do online. Do they like to play games? Watch YouTube videos? Chat with friends from school? Try to turn online activity, like watching silly videos into activities you can do together.
  4. Give reasons for rules: Tell children why you have certain rules in place, such as not sharing personal information or chatting over IM without parental supervision. When children understand why something is not allowed, they’re more likely to follow the rule.
  5. Set time limits: Screen time can be fun and educational but it can also turn into a habit without limits. Depending on the age of your child, set limits for online time just like TV or other play times.

For more ways to keep children safe online, we encourage parents to join us this Friday, December 7th for a talk by Gladys Oljeda from ChildSafe about children and internet safety. The program starts at 8:30 a.m. and is sure to have great tips for navigating digital waters together!