Schools want students to be tech-savvy, 21st century learners. State and Federal money is being used to update and add technology in classrooms. But what happens when our students are home? It's all about raising awareness and making safe internet use a habit. Parents can help teachers by teaching their kids how to properly use the internet and avoid dangers. Here are some tips:
Know what your kids are doing
This doesn't mean look at the site they're looking at and walk away. There are many shortcuts that allow people to quickly change what they're seeing. There are web bots that allow people to disguise their internet use. Becoming a parent that is web-savvy will not only help you conduct your own businesses online but know what your child(ren) are doing. Remember, knowing is half the battle.
Sit down and talk
An old-fashioned, face-to-face conversation about proper internet use and your expectations on how they use it might just do the trick. You're letting your kids run off into the Wild West of the 21st Century. Let them know how you feel and what you expect of them before it happens.
Set restrictions
We don't let our kids spend as much money as they want, eat as much candy as they want, or stay out all night. The internet should be treated the same way. Let them know when they can use it. Setting times will not only give the parents peace but the kids will appreciate it more.
Security
Invest in programs that protect your computer from harmful programs (i.e. viruses). You can basically put a "LoJack" on your kids internet adventures to see what they're doing when you can't supervise them in person. You can also create an account just for them. This will limit the content they have access to and even set times when they can log on.
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