Stay involved with your child’s use of new technologies.
INTERNET SAFETY
Children need parents and carers to teach them how to make smart choices about who and what they find online. Here are some tips to help you guide your grandchild’s experience online:
- Spend time online with your grandchild. Check out good sites together. The internet can be a fun family activity!
- Help your grandchild use the internet as an effective research tool - learn about handy homework tips for kids and also good searching ideas.
- Learn about the world out there. Kids are communicating in a diverse range of ways, from chat to Instant Messaging, and from message boards to blogs. Learn how these work and what tools they offer to protect your child’s privacy.
- Be aware of online stranger danger, particularly in chat rooms. Set house rules about what information your children can give out and where they can go online.
- Put the internet computer in a public area of the home, such as the living room, rather than a child’s bedroom.
- Talk to your grandchildren about their internet experiences, the good and the bad. Let them know it’s OK to tell you if they come across something that worries them. (It doesn’t mean that they’re going to get into trouble.)
- Teach your grandchildren that there are ways they can deal with disturbing material - they should not respond if someone says something inappropriate, and they should immediately exit any site if they feel uncomfortable or worried by it.
- Teach children that information on the internet is not always reliable.
- Encourage children to treat others in the same way they should in real life by giving them an understanding of Netiquette.
- Know the best ways of avoiding spam.
- Consider using filters, labels and safe zones.
- REMEMBER: Children need parents and family members to help them become cybersmart.
