If you’re like many parents, you know you need to discuss online safety with your children but are not quite sure where to begin. First off, you want it to be a conversation, not a lecture. They have lots of knowledge about the internet and you might be able to learn something while teaching them about digital citizenship. And it can’t be a conversation that you have once and think that they are set for life. Technology changes and so do your kids.
Here are a few resources to use to start the conversation:
Digital Citizenship – The site is primarily aimed at educators, but your kids learn from you everyday so make sure they are learning the right things. Also a great repository of articles on current technology and digital citizenship topics.
Techlearning – A great list of questions you can use to start a conversation with your kids. Some, like #9, won’t apply, but the list covers many topics that you should be addressing. I especially like:
"Why do you think cyberbullying has increased and what can we do about it?"
"What is the most difficult computer problem you have ever encountered?"
"Can you give some good examples of what digital citizenship is about?"
iKeepSafe – Here are some family-oriented lessons on internet safety.
National Crime Prevention Council – A good resource for parents not just for internet safety but family safety and crime prevention overall.
Once you’ve talked to your kids and established guidelines for internet use, you will need to enforce the rules. It’s just like when I would come home past my curfew, I was grounded. You need to teach your kids that there are consequences for their behavior, good or bad, both off and online.
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