Education Programs

Tips For Parents


Internet Browsing

  • Make sure children keep passwords, pictures and personal information to themselves.
  • Remind children never to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they first met online.
  • Teach children not to post anything on the Internet that they would not want others to see.
  • Help them remember people they meet online are not always who they say they are.
  • Let children know they should not say anything online that they would not say in public.
  • Tell them not to respond to messages that are inappropriate or make them feel uncomfortable.
  • Encourage children to tell an adult if they ever encounter a problem online.

Cyberbullying

  • Children should never reply to anyone in anger.
  • When bullied online, remember to tell children to “stop, block and tell.” Stop replying, block the sender and tell someone. Similar rules apply to text messages.
  • Messages should be saved and shown to a trusted adult.
  • Be a friend — children that know someone is being cyberbullied should be encouraged to let a parent know.
  • Parents should consider reporting the cyberbullying to local law enforcement authorities.

Warning Signs

  • A child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.
  • Pornography is discovered on a child’s computer.
  • A child talks by phone or texts to unknown adults or others with unrecognized phone numbers.
  • A child receives mail, gifts or packages from an unknown person.
  • A child turns off a computer monitor, changes screens on the computer or tries to hide the phone when parents enter the room.
  • A child becomes withdrawn from family and friends.
  • A child uses an online account belonging to someone else.

Protect Children from Online Predators

  • Talk to children about sexual victimization and the potential of online danger.
  • Keep the computer in a common room of the house, not in a child’s bedroom.
  • Utilize parental controls available from internet service providers or use blocking software.
  • Always maintain access to a child’s online account and monitor email.
  • Teach children the responsible use of online resources.
  • Find out the computer safeguards being utilized at school, the library and at friends’ homes.
  • Never arrange a face-to-face meeting for a child with someone they met online.
  • Never automatically assume that what a child is told online is the truth.

Helpful sites for parents and educators

commonsensemedia.org

  • Apps and games
  • Movies and TV shows
  • Resources by age group

stopbullying.gov

  • Teach students how to identify bullying and how to safely stand up to it.