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How to Keep Kids Safeand Teach Your Family Healthy Online Habits

How to Keep Kids Safeand Teach Your Family Healthy Online Habits

Sharon Miller CindrichSharon Miller CindrichAuthor of E-Parenting: Keeping Up With Your Tech-Savvy Kids

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Today’s Discussion

• Online dangers parents fear• Myths about kids online• Healthy online habits• Safety strategies for all families

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What Color Is A Yield Sign?

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Online Dangers Parents Fear

• Predators• Bullies• Pornography• Hate• Violence

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• Predators• Bullies• Pornography• Hate• Violence

Top Things Parents Are Afraid Of At the Mall, A Friend’s House, At School, In the Neighborhood

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Fear vs. FactUnderstanding the myths about kids online

• Myth: Kids are smarter than their parents when it comes to the Internet.

– Fact: Kids may be tech-savvy, but parents are way ahead when it comes to life experience and common sense

• Myth: Online predators lie about their age lure kids.– Fact: In cases where kids connect with adults online, most adults do not grossly

exaggerate their age.

• Myth: Kids receive sexual advances and harassment online from adults they don’t know.

– Fact: Most often, sexual advances, threats and harassment comes from peers that kids know in real life.

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Three Main ThingsThat Keep Kids Safe

• Behaviors• Tools• Resources

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Behaviors

• #1 - Put Your Computer In A Main Area of Your Home

– Find a high traffic area on the main floor

– Require wireless access in the kitchen or family room

– Avoid Bedrooms, basements and rooms with locking doors

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Behaviors

• #2 - Create Family Rules, Expectations and Consequences

– Make rules together with input from kids.– Post rules for the Internet near the computer.– Use an Internet contract to reinforce responsibility.– Follow through with consequences.

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Behaviors

• #3 - Lay a Foundation for Communication

– Visit websites together.– Show interest in kids’ online activities.– Encourage kids to use the Internet for family projects.– Ask about online experiences - good and bad.– E-mail and instant message your child.– Don’t freak out.

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Behaviors

• #4 - Teach Privacy.

Private information can be…• Name• Location• Age• Appearance• Passwords• Address• Phone numbers• E-mail address• School• Financial status• Photos

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Tools

• #1- Find a parental control product for your family computer.

– Many security packages come with parental controls and filters.

– Safeeyes is a program you can purchase that is appropriate for young children.

– Parental controls can help parents block inappropriate sites, set time limits or monitor Internet behavior.

– K9 Web Protection is a free filter available online.

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Tools

• #2 - Discover browser options.

– Most popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari for Apple users.

– Set parental controls on your browser. Look up instructions at eHow.com or visit the company site.

– Use kid-friendly browsers. • KidZui.com • Firefox, offers Gubble.com for kids under 12

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Tools

• #3 - Check the history of your computer regularly.

– Simply hit Ctrl H on a PC to discover recent history

– Find the history setting on Firefox or Safari

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Tools

• #4- Personalize bookmarks and folders.

– Save favorite sites as a bookmark

– Create individual tags or folders for kids

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Resources

• #1 - Look for parent resources on sites.

These sites feature excellent information geared directly toward safety.

www.MySpace.com Club PenguinFacebookBeboWebkinzTeen Second Life

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Resources

• #2- Visit safety sites with your child.

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QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.NetFamilyNews.org

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Resources

• #3 - Find online reviews and communities.

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Resources

• #4 - Look to traditional sources for help.

Teachers Guidance counselors.Librarians DoctorsOther friends Older kidsBabysitters BooksMagazines Newspapers

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Summary

• The Internet is real life.– Participating online is a part of our daily routine, not a

virtual activity.– 21st century parents recognize the challenges of

modern life, understand the importance of strong tech skills and the benefits the Internet can provide.

• Teach and model healthy online habits and skills – Work as a family to create smart safety strategies– Combine good behaviors, online tools and new

resources– Arm children with the skills they need to be successful

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Stay Plugged In

• Now Pre-Ordering on Amazon.com

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How to Keep Kids Safeand Teach Your Family Healthy Online Habits

How to Keep Kids Safeand Teach Your Family Healthy Online Habits

Sharon Miller CindrichSharon Miller CindrichAuthor of E-Parenting: Keeping Up With Your Tech-Savvy Kids