Internet Tips and Safety for Parents

Understanding how teens spend their time online can be an overwhelming task, especially for adults who haven't grown up with the technology being part of their daily lives.

  • Children ages 8-18 spend an average of 53 hours per week with media and technology. Kids spend more time online with their phones, watching TV, or playing video games than they do in school or with their parents!
  • 90% of 13- to 17-year-olds use some for of social media.
  • 78% of teens have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of those own smartphones.
  • About three in four (74%) teens ages 12-17 say they access the internet on cell phones or other mobile devices at least occasionally.

 

Remember:

Internet can be accessed virtually  anywhere (home, neghbour, restaurants, library) from many devices (computer, tablet, phone, iPod)

Tips:

  1. Get involved and talk about internet use regularly. Ask your child to show you websites they use, online profiles, and social media.
  2. Discuss that nothing online is temporary. Anything posted should be treated with this in mind.
  3. Set guidelines about of internet use with your child. Internet use should be in a central, open location in the house.
  4. Encourage children to never give out identifying information (full names, addresses, passwords). Ask your child to let you know if anything online makes them uncomfortable, or if a  stranger is contacting them and getting personal or wanting to meet.

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Educational Resources for both students and parents, to promote family discussions on the topic of online presence, safety, and more.