The holiday season is upon us and the new tablets and cell phones are certain to be on most children’s gift lists. These gifts will be used by them to keep up with and connect with friends via sites such as Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat.
These devices can make it easier to connect with your children, wherever you are. However, it can also make it easier to expose children and teens to serious issues like cyberbullying or sexting. The i-SAFE foundation found that more than 25% of teens and adolescents have been bullied via their phones or the internet. Parents must ensure that they are aware of the apps used by their children and provide guidelines about how these devices should be used.
Here are some tips to help parents navigate the shopping crowds.
* Establish ground rules for phone access and use, including location and time restraints. Example: Use only in common areas such as the kitchen.
* Discuss what apps and in-app purchases are appropriate upon gifting the phone.
* Stay educated about sites like Instagram, Twitter and Ask.fm, where cyberbullying is becoming more commonplace.
* Make sure your kids have privacy settings enabled on all of their devices and social media sites.
* Know your resources: You don’t have to keep your kids in the Stone Age to keep them safe from dangers in the digital world.
“As a parent, I know how important it is to get your child the devices they want this holiday season,”Paul Adkison is the founder of ZABRA (www.zabra.com), a social media parenting tool that monitors the most common issues in cyberspace today.
“Even with guidelines and ground rules, there is always the possibility for your child to become involved in potentially dangerous online activity,”Adkison. “But having candid conversations with your kids about what they do online and using a safety tool like ZABRA is a great way to find a middle ground.”
By including the Good Cyber Citizen Pledge in the gift or stocking stuffer, parents can start the conversation about how to responsibly use these devices. Parents can rest assured that their children are responsible online and they get what they want.
To find out more about ZABRA, and to download the document, click here Good Cyber Citizen PledgeVisit www.zabra.com.
