We all know that the internet is a great resource and tool to use. But what we also need to know, is that it is a very dangerous place as well. So we need to ask ourselves some questions when it comes to letting our children use the internet.
Is your child responsible enough to handle an email account?
Will you, as the parent/guardian, be monitoring the email account?
Are you willing to explain the dangers that come with a personal email account?
As the parent/guardian it's your right to have access to your child's email account. This is not an invasion of privacy, but rather a layer of safety. Teaching your kids a few safety tips will help them stay safe from online predators and other dangers, like online bullying or spam.
What is Online Safety? “Online safety” is a term that gets thrown around a lot when dealing with students and the internet. However, it’s often misinterpreted. It would be more beneficial to describe what online safety is not, before we delve into what it truly is. Blocking and restricting websites doesn’t do anything good for students in the long run, but teaching them how to be safe online enables them to practice good habits for their entire life.
Is your child responsible enough to handle an email account?
Will you, as the parent/guardian, be monitoring the email account?
Are you willing to explain the dangers that come with a personal email account?
As the parent/guardian it's your right to have access to your child's email account. This is not an invasion of privacy, but rather a layer of safety. Teaching your kids a few safety tips will help them stay safe from online predators and other dangers, like online bullying or spam.
- Never share your email password with anyone- even a best friend.
- Be very selective in who has access to your email account.
- Does your child know how to clean out their spam folder? And do they understand to avoid opening unfamiliar emails?
- Make sure your child understands how to forward emails using cc and bcc, and that sometimes forwarding an email is not appropriate, especially if it contains personal information about themselves or someone else.
- If anything seems inappropriate in their email, make sure your child knows they can talk to you about it.
What is Online Safety? “Online safety” is a term that gets thrown around a lot when dealing with students and the internet. However, it’s often misinterpreted. It would be more beneficial to describe what online safety is not, before we delve into what it truly is. Blocking and restricting websites doesn’t do anything good for students in the long run, but teaching them how to be safe online enables them to practice good habits for their entire life.