- Know
Understand the risks of your child being online: cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, posting personal or inappropriate information, and sexting.
• Be aware of your child’s Internet habits.
• Be familiar with online terms, slang, and acronyms.
• Become comfortable with using privacy settings. - Set rules
• Set limits about how long and when to be online.
• Be clear about what information must not be shared online, such as personal information.
• Insist that children use online technology in a common area.
• Set rules about not meeting anyone offline.
• Set expectations about purchasing items online. - Check, check, check
• Monitor what your child is viewing online, including images, sites, apps, and online chats.
• Watch for signs of grooming.
• Make sure your child’s email addresses and screen names are appropriate.
• Be aware of what your child posts online, including images and personal information. - Communicate
• Prepare yourself, be open, be cool, and encourage your child to confide in you.
• Teach your child to be assertive and how to respect self and others.
• Discuss healthy relationships with your child.
• Explain the consequences of using inappropriate language or images.
• Make sure your child knows about sharing too much, online scams, and hacking.
• Help your child identify a trusted adult to tell when something or someone makes them uncomfortable online. - Report
• Call 1-800-The-Lost
• http://www.cybertipline.com
References
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (2014). Netsmartz workshop. Available from http://www.netsmartz.com/
