Cyber Basics
When was the last time you thought about these cyber basics? When was the last time that you talked to your child, tween or teen about them? Cyber Basics Computer devices are a privilege not a right Computer devices are powerful tools and need to be treated with caution and respect Every person’s online footprint begins at birth Privacy doesn’t exist in the cyber-world The delete key doesn’t make your cyber life disappear Think before posting anything online such as images and comments because they can impact future employment and other opportunities Treat...
Read MoreIs Your Teen Texting While Driving?
New Study About Distracted Driving Getting a driving license is a big deal to all teens. It spells freedom and independence! It can also spell danger if your teen is distracted while driving. Not surprisingly, teens have the highest car crash rate! Researchers at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that distracted driving by teens that resulted in car accidents is worse than originally thought. Researchers reviewed more than 1700 videos from in-vehicle-event-recorders that were placed inside the cars of teen drivers. They studied behaviors in the seconds prior to a crash. They found...
Read MoreCould Your Child Be a Cyberbully?
Could your child be a cyberbully? Social Media Sites and Apps are handed to our kids as soon as they get a smartphone or other internet connected device. These devices are powerful and potentially dangerous but many kids are getting them without so much as a blink of an eye from parents. Many parents want their kids to have them for safety reasons so they can get in touch with them in a nano-second and vice versa. They also get them so their kids won’t feel left out socially. Let’s take a step back and think about another dangerous device that’s on the roadways, cars. Fortunately, there are...
Read MoreHeads down in computer device screens! Are our kids missing out on the world around them?
Heads down in screens! Are our kids missing out on the world around them? We’ve all seen kids heads down, mesmerized in their devices, in the car, at a restaurant, visiting Grandma, on vacation texting with their friends, social networking or playing games. Some Stats: 95% of teens (12-17) use the internet 81% use social media 50% log into social media more than once per day 21% of kids under 13 use social media sites Kids as in all generations, like to connect with their friends… There is no doubt that staying in touch with friends is important to tweens and teens. Remember when we were...
Read MoreOnline Safety 2015 – My Comment
My Comment to “Online Safety Redefined, the 3 Key Elements”, by Stephen Balkam, CEO, Family Online Safety Institute Yes, taking risks in life is necessary. As kids are learning and growing parents are the ones that guide them and teach them with regard to many potential risky behaviors. Novices at white water rafting have a guide in the raft to help navigate dangerous waters. Many powerful tools, including computer devices are dangerous in uneducated, unsupervised hands. Kids may love woodworking, but no parent is going to let their child use a table saw with out guidance. Many little...
Read MoreSocial Networking or Gaming: What You Should Know About Online Addiction
Online Addiction Your tween or teen is up in their bedroom with the door closed. They come down for dinner and occasionally utter a grunt. Then they go back upstairs. What are they doing? Playing video games perhaps? Are you worried that you or your child may have a problem? Take this Quiz: What is Online Addiction? There are people whose online behavior or online over-use becomes out of control. They can’t stop, just as a drug user can’t stop from getting the next fix or an alcoholic hides their bottle of booze in their dresser drawer at the ready to feed their craving....
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