Camp Parent 101
Regarding Your Child and their Online Activity
Children today spend a lot of time each week online. While this can be healthy and positive, as an advocate for children and their safety, we recommend that you as parents be knowledgeable about their online activities. While your children may balk at your effort to supervise them or see their online profile, we also know children listen to their parent’s advice and concern. We’ve gathered information from many sources and are providing you with a summary of that information as a way of supporting your effort to ensure your child’s continued well-being, even outside of camp. We have included some helpful resources for further help or information.
General Tips
If you aren’t already, make it your business to become familiar with your child’s computer and the Internet. You can’t protect your children unless you know what is out there. If you want further help, contact www.masterteacher.com.
Try to avoid using the computer as a baby-sitter. Leaving your child online for long periods of time without checking in with them or supervising them may result in activities that are risky, over-stimulating or inappropriate that you may not be aware of.
Set rules around the use of the computer and the Internet. You have rules about other aspects of conduct in your home. The computer and the Internet should be no exception. Kids who think their parents “don’t care” often take higher risks than children who know their parents are interested, knowledgeable and involved.
Think about the location of the computer your child generally uses to go online. One significant question online predators ask children and teens is the location of their computer. Predators are emboldened if they sense that the children they are communicating with online are not being supervised by an adult.
Inform you children of the dangers of the Internet and tell them that you intend to supervise or oversee their online activity. Then follow through on a regular basis! The following three items are specific examples of things you can do.
Check the browser history on your child’s computer. This way you can see what sites they are visiting. Microsoft Explorer, AOL and Netscape all have history tabs or “my favorite places” that show you where your child has been. A survey in Boston in 2005 revealed that up to 70% of all boys ages 14-18 spend from between 3 to 6 hours a week on pornographic sites on the Internet each week without their parents knowledge!
Check downloaded files by checking the directory that programs are downloaded into. This is another way you can see what you child has been up to.
Ask your child if they have an online social networking profile. (Kids don’t call it that, so you may need to say, “You know, like MySpace or Facebook!” If they are being coy, they are hiding something from you). If they have one, look at it! The pictures and text may tell you a lot about what your child has been up to.
Safety Tips for Teens Online
- Avoid giving out your last name, phone number, address, name of your school, where you hang out or sports teams you are on. Use the privacy features on your service.
- Avoid meeting people in person who you have met on the Net that you don’t know. If you do agree to meet someone, let your parents know and take some friends along.
- Be careful of what you post online—pics and text are open for the world to see. Teens seem to forget this!
- Remember that anyone can pose as anyone else online! Unless you are positive of the person’s identity, be skeptical.
- What to Tell Your Child If They Are Threatened Online
- Don’t respond or retaliate. Doing so may only make matters worse or get you into trouble.
- If you can, save the message on your hard drive and print out a copy. Then close the message or program.
- Tell your parent or a trusted adult immediately.
- If it is someone from camp, call the camp director.
- If necessary, call your internet service provider (e.g., AOL, Yahoo, g-mail, etc.)
- If necessary, call the local police (like in cases of a threat on your life, a sexual advance, etc.)
Another resource: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ( HYPERLINK "http://www.ncmec.org" www.ncmec.org).
Other Resources
“Keeping It Safe—Nine Important Steps to Internet Safety and Protecting Our Children,” HYPERLINK "http://www.Westchestergov.com" www.Westchestergov.com . A handy, helpful pamphlet put out by the District Attorney’s Office in Westchester County, New York. email them for a copy.
MySpace Unraveled: A Parent’s Guide to Teen Social Networking, Larry Magid and Anne Collier, Peachpit Press, 2006. Extremely helpful, informative and comprehensive, easy-to-read guide for parents. Paperback, about $15.
www.Wiredsafety.org: A set of Internet sites having to do with various online safety issues.
“What Parent’s Need to Know about MySpace—Your Guide to a Kid’s World on the Internet,” U.S. News and World Report, September 18, 2006. Great, easy to read, all-in-one-place article. You can download it from their website for a small fee.
