CHALK TALK how to keep your kids safe online

On Wednesday, February 29 we hosted a Chalk Talk at our Mable Campus on the topic of Online Safety. We welcomed expert Monique Nelson, the Chief Operating Officer at Web Wise Kids to present to our families. Web Wise Kids is a Southern California based non-profit with the mission of teaching kids, parents and the community the value of making safe and wise choices in a technologically evolving world. The organization does this by creating and distributing interactive content through the same media that kids and adults use on a daily basis. 

Monique has years of experience speaking on this topic, and she approached our audience with nonchalance and humor (much appreciated after a long day). She touched on some great points that we wanted to share here on our blog... 

• Age 11 is when kids really begin using the computer and when parents need to become cognoscente of online behavior 
• Kids are making the trends online, so there is a definite need for parents and teachers to understand those trends 
• What happens online stays online, and more people than just your immediate social network see your posts (friend of the friend of the friend rule) 
• Teens feel safer online than in real life; being online gives them a sense of anonymity that often results in them sharing very personal information 
• Parents should know the "Net Lingo." For example, PIR means "parents in room," POS means "parent over shoulder." Visit netlingo.com for more acronym definitions. 
• Photos taken on cell phones are automatically geo-tagged, and child predators sometimes use those tags to find children. Be sure to disable location services for photos on your cell phone. 
• When creating household internet safety rules, involve the children in making the rules and be consistent in enforcement. 

Visit www.webwisekids.org for more parent tips and resources. 

(Image from AssociaLiving.com)

Contributed by Alyssa, Fairmont Private Schools