We Need To Teach Our Kids To Be Tech Savy While Staying Safe

Kids and technology can be a scary combination, and parents are striving to find the right balance between independence and protection for their children.The dangers of technology are well known. “Sex” and “porn” are the fourth and sixth most popular search terms by children on the Internet, according to a study done by Symantec, creators of the Norton online family software.Parents legitimately worry about sexting, texting with strangers, posting of personal information on social networks, online bullying and viewing sexually explicit, violent, or hate-filled material.One of the greatest fears of parents is that their children will be abused by an online sexual predator. The Youth Internet Safety Survey found that 4 percent of kids 10-17 years of age received aggressive unwarranted sexual solicitations on the Internet.When these teens did meet in person with a stranger, in 95 percent of the cases, the sexual contact was “consensual” between a vulnerable teen and a manipulative adult.

The thought that our teen may be exploited by an online stranger is terrifying to any parent. We need to alert our kids to the risks of online contacts, but also want to be careful not to exaggerate the problem and lose credibility.In response to these risks, it seems that more parents are employing surveillance as the way to keep their kids safe. They monitor their teen’s cell phone texts, emails and Internet sites. They covertly install software that records every keystroke on their child’s computer.

“My primary job is to keep my kids safe when they are under my care. When they go off to college, they are on their own,” proclaimed one parent.Here’s the dilemma. You want to keep your kids secure, but you also need to teach them how to become responsible and educated technological citizens when you are not there to monitor their every keystroke or track their every movement with a GPS device.I’ll readily admit that I’m as confused as the parents I counsel, and my advice keeps changing in response to recent research.

Here’s what I think I know at this point.Except in extraordinary circumstances, never covertly monitor your child’s behavior. It destroys trust and credibility.Keep computers in a public setting at least through junior high.If you allow your child to join a social network, make certain that you have complete access to their site.Most importantly, talk lots about this stuff with your kids. Don’t preach, but ask questions and seek their opinions. Remember that your job is to teach them the skills to stay safe when they are not under our care.

source:http://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyle/ohio-health-news/we-need-to-teach-our-kids-to-be-tech-savy-while-staying-safe-1118722.html