Here is a post from Cox Communications regarding internet safety tips for children/teens plus be sure to check in at the bottom of the post for a giveaway for a $50 American Express gift card! Yeah!
HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN COEXIST WITH KIDS IN A HEALTHY WAY
When parents come to me with questions about how to monitor their kid’s technology, it’s almost always after they’ve discovered something – a questionable photo on Instagram, a conversation with a stranger, usage when they should have been doing their homework. No matter how conscious and proactive parents are about setting limits in other areas, often they don’t create boundaries around technology until a boundary has already been crossed. And no wonder: Many say they simply don’t know where to begin. If they ban chatting on one device, they think, their kids will find a way to do it on another. Others parents say they didn’t realize how much time their kids actually spent staring at screens.
Believe it or not, according to recent studies, kids ages 8 to 18 spend more than seven and a half hours a day on various devices, often while multitasking. But while too much technology use is associated with lower grades and shortened attention spans, it also creates wonderful opportunities for parents and kids alike that none of us would want to give up. So here are a few ways to start thinking about how technology can coexist with kids in a healthy way.
Establish your policy up front. Earlier this year, when a mom named Jannel Burley Hoffman gave her 13-year-old son his first iPhone, it came not just with a data plan, but with a contract. Among the points: She would have his password; if she or her husband called, her son was always to pick up; there would be no porn viewing or sending or receiving inappropriate photos; he would have access to his phone during certain hours only; if he accidentally lost or broke his phone, he would be responsible for its replacement cost. Clarifying rules early on is a win-win for everyone. Kids learn that with freedom comes responsibility, and parents can feel reassured that while kids will make mistakes, they don’t have to come up with a consequence (often an overreaction) on the fly. It’s all in the contract.
Make manners matter. Because we parents were born before Facebook existed, we learned our manners offline. If we did something rude, we apologized, and our bad judgment didn’t live in cyberspace for eternity. For this reason, kids need to know that if they wouldn’t say something offline to a person’s face, they shouldn’t text, post or e-mail that comment, either. Likewise, if they wouldn’t cut off a person sitting across the table from them mid-sentence, they shouldn’t start texting somebody else when that real live person they’re hanging out with is mid-sentence. It may seem obvious to us, but many kids need a reminder that while technology is cool, human beings – with feelings – are the ones who are using it.
Don’t give in to peer pressure…from your kids! Even if you set limits, inevitably your child will try to get you to change your mind with, “But everyone else my age has [fill in the blank]!” If you feel your kid isn’t ready for something – a Facebook account, an iPhone – listen to your gut. Yes, they may be using it from the safety of their bedroom or backpack, but once they’re online, they’re, in essence, able to interact with the entire world. Some kids are inherently less impulsive than others; some self-regulate at earlier ages than others. Your kids will internalize the limits you set, so that by gradually increasing their freedom, you’re giving them the opportunity to show you that they can handle the next level of responsibility. Just as you wouldn’t give your teenager the keys to the car if you didn’t think she could go to a party and not drink before driving, you wouldn’t give her access to a type of technology you didn’t feel confident she could be safe with. Letting your kids show you they’re ready gives you peace of mind, and them the confidence of having earned your trust through their actions.
Be in this together. Because technology is ever-changing, and so are our kids, it’s important for them to feel that while you set the rules, communication is always open. If you notice a distinct change in your child’s behavior and friendships, and you check to see if cyber-bullying is occurring, you’re being a helpful parent, not an intrusive spy. If you set a rule but it’s not in line with what the technology actually does, listen to your child’s explanation, research it, and if you need to adjust the rule, then do so. If you find your child searching for something above his age level on the Internet and you want to give him more accurate information, start a conversation about it. Yes, kids can and should have their spheres of privacy. But they need to know that the Internet is a communal space, one that parents and kids are in together.
Visit www.cox.com/takecharge for more tips and information.
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If you would like to win just leave a comment below letting me know if you have any additional tips for internet safety.
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**This post is sponsored by A&E Networks for my participation in the Lifetime Moms program. The giveaway winner will be selected randomly and will have 72 hours to respond. If they do not respond an alternate winner will be selected.
Thank you. I would love to win.
I am also a pinterest follower.
My daughter’s only one but I’m filing this away for future reference – thanks! 🙂
I’m also an email subscriber.
Have the computer in the living room and have frequent talks about what is appropriate/allowable content.
Wow! Those are amazing tips – from the article and your followers! Our kids are all grown and I wish that I had known to keep our computer in plain sight, and to lock up the video games. 🙂
I follow you on pinterest.
i subscribe to your emails
I agree with others keep devices in an area where you can watch them
also limit the time they spend on it.
child locks on certain sites
We keep our computer in the living room to keep close tabs on what they are doing online.
i subscribe to your email
monitor the internet usage, have the family computer in public area, block internet sites on their cell phones and other electronic devices (ipad, ipod) .
I am an email subscriber (emscout9 at Hotmail dot com)
Followed on Pinterest……..….… emscout9………….…………..( Paol Trenny … emscout9 at Hotmail dot com)
I subscribe via email
Be friends with your kids on social media!
and thank you for your Facebook update for TRU yesterday!!
I get your emails.
We keep the computers out in the living room and I frequent look at their screen, and discuss what they are currently doing or favorite websites.
I subscribe via email
Don’t be afraid to check the history–if it’s wiped out, take it away.
I follow you on Facebook.
Our computer and phone use is only in common spaces so we can keep an eye on activity.
I am a FaceBook fan
i’m a subscriber with my frugal adventures
it is important to always be open for conversation with your kids
We use a computer filter and have the computer in the family room where we can see what they are doing.
I think all these tips are good ideas and are very important when keeping our children safe with technology.
I also subscribe to MFA via email
Oh you got down GREAT tips! I think its important to let the kids know how easily someone can find them by what they post on their facebook! I remember watching a show…and just from reading the kids facebook pages…the cop found them! Was amazing to see how you can put two and two together!
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Laura Jacobson
I follow you on Pinterest
Laura J http://pinterest.com/ilovemybeagle2/
Im an email subscriber
Just monitor constantly what they are looking at.
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I follow on Pinterest.
Pinterest.com/denigan17
Our laptops and computers are used in a visible location. NO laptops are permitted in bedrooms!
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We keep all electronics in the family room so we can be aware of where the kids are going. If they are on youtube I need to be able to hear the music and comments.
I am an email follower.
Mine are still very young, so we just communicate what they can look at and they ask if they want to look at something new. I’d like to have them stay little for so much longer!
I follow you on Pinterest.
Good post and I recieve your daily email
We keep our computer in an area of the kitchen made up for homework.
My kids are adults, but I’m dealing with the grandkids and my phone/Ipad. I’ve had to set limits on their time on the device(s) otherwise hours can go by and they are still gleefully playing.
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I follow you on Facebook
Parental control. We accompany kids when they are using the Internet.
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