Parent Tips

Have fun being part of your child’s experience.

• Learn from your children: Ask them to teach you how to get into a chat room or “blog”

• Have them show you their favorite online destinations

• Check and use e-mail with some regularity

• Know the services your child uses. Have them show you how to logon

Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by your children.

• Discuss these rules and post them near the computer as a reminder

• Monitor their compliance with these rules.

Respect your child’s privacy but make certain they know personally everyone on

their “buddy” list. No Strangers Allowed!

• Chat room “friends” are not always who they say they are.

• Someone indicating that “she” is a “12-year-old girl” could in reality be a 40-year-old man.

Keep the computer where everyone sees the screen. No Hidden Screens!

• Never allow a computer with internet access in your child’s bedroom

Keep personal information private. No Personal Posting!

• Your name

• Age

• Phone number

• Address

• Friend’s or family names

• Your school name

• Any information that tells who you are or where you can be found (including pictures)

Make usernames generic and anonymous

Report strangers who solicit meetings with any child.

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678

• Teach your child how to recognize and avoid predators.

• Responsible adults do not pursue relationships with minors.

Children shoulds:

• Be good cyber citizens

• Know how to exit an inappropriate website

• Remember that not everything you read online may be true.