Internet Safety – Parent Guide

Ask your kids about the amplif(i) presentations they saw at school.

What choices did the speaker make that they can or cannot relate to, what did they learn?

Tell your kids what your family’s position is on internet safety.

Talk to your spouse, agree on your family’s position, and share that with your kid. Make that position very clear and always remain consistent, don’t waiver.

Attend one of our adult education presentations.

Discuss with your kid what you have learned about internet safety.

Create and follow consistent rules for internet use.

Include sites that they can and cannot visit and which social media sites and apps are acceptable. Set privacy settings on social media sites appropriately and monitor who they are linked with in the digital world. Regulate how much time they can spend online, discuss where they can access the internet, and remember to set log off times.

Model appropriate online behavior for your kid.

As parents we have the ability to model life skills like conflict resolution, maintaining positive and safe online relationships, and how to take intentional breaks from technology.

Create opportunities for two-way conversation about the internet.

This is a great opportunity to role-play correct responses to online threats and to simply listen to what your kid faces online.

Educate yourself.

Technology is constantly changing In order to be a reliable resource for your kid, be able to identify current online trends and dangers as well as warning signs for identity theft, cyber-bullying, sexual solicitation, and sexting.

Deter negative behavior online.

Take planned action to lock your kid’s credit report, use browsing settings to block dangerous websites, “friend” your kid on their social media sites (be aware that youth usually have multiple social media accounts), and use computer monitoring software to help deter behavior.