This post is brought to you by Cybersmart
If you only
read one sponsored post this year, please PLEASE make it this one, for both
yourself AND for your kids.
As a parent who is raising my boys in a world that is
driven by technology, boys who will for both educational and social purposes have
an increasing need to spend time online, Cybersafety is a subject I feel very
passionate about.
For a number of years now my family has enjoyed the
benefits that technology like the internet affords us. We have used social
media and various internet services to chat with other family members and to
stay in touch with friends who live interstate and overseas.
My kids see me working, blogging and chatting to my
online community every day and all three of them like to Facetime us to say
goodnight whenever they are at sleepovers.
They know how to use the internet to research a school
assignment and as far as they are concerned (and me for that matter) Google has
an answer for everything. They have even learnt how to build, maintain and ride
a skateboard from watching tutorials on You Tube, so it is no surprise they feel
so comfortable with the concept of living in an age where the online world
exists as much as the world we can touch.
With my oldest son fast approaching his teens, Instagram,
Kik, Snapchat, Vine, Skype, Facetime, You Tube and many other flavour of the
month apps and websites are both hot topics and completely the norm among his peers.
Working online myself, I am aware that a darker side to
the internet exists and the threat that online predators and cyber bullying poses
to not just our kids but all of us. It was for those exact reasons I was
hesitant about giving my sons access to the online world.
But I also realised that by sticking my head in the
sand and saying “no” when he asked for our permission to use these apps and
websites, I was not only at risk of making him feel excluded and alienated from
his friends, but I could possibly lead him to be tempted to access them behind our
back. If we want him to develop his maturity and responsibility then we need to
give him the opportunity to prove he is worthy of our trust and capable of
navigating through both the good and the not so good components of the internet.
In this day and age, a lot of school work is done
online. Our kids need access to educational info, classrooms have blogs and
social media is a popular way for them to socialise outside of school hours.
95% of the time the internet and social networks are
safe and fun, but it is important that we are prepared for the other 5% when
things have the potential to go wrong.
Obviously it is not just a case of sitting our kids
down, setting some guidelines and then letting them go for it. We need to stay
abreast of the trends and risks involved with our kids being online. The best
protection we as parents can give our children is to arm ourselves and them
with the facts and the knowledge about the world they play in and we need to
feel comfortable in having conversations with them should any concerns ever arise.
After gaining our permission and agreeing that from
time to time we would like to look at the content with him, the first app my
son wanted access to was Instagram.
Within a few weeks of setting up his account I had
concerns about some of the people that were 'requesting' to follow his private
account and I was also concerned about the obvious validation kids were seeking
from the likes and comments on their selfies from their peers.
As a blogger, I know how disheartening it can be if I
write a post or share a picture on instagram or Facebook and not get as many
likes or interaction that I had hoped for from people who follow me. Imagine
how tough that would be for a young kid who is not yet mature enough to process
that kind of rejection.
All of these concerns I had confirmed to us the importance
of ongoing discussions with our son about maintaining behavioural guidelines
and personal security whenever he is online.
Given I make a living out of social media, I like to think I can keep up with my
kids when it comes to online trends. But for many parents, they may discover
that their children are far more savvy then them when it comes to the internet
and technology.
So how does one get access to the important
information that you need to make sure your kids are safe when they are online?
Chatterbox from Cybersmart is a series of downloadable
audio clips in a conversational format. They give parents access to up to date
and jargon-free information on cybersafety. You can participate in discussion
forums with other parents and have access to various cybersafety resources that
will equip you with all you need to have that all important cybersafety
conversation with your kids or answer any questions that your kids may have.
The Chatterbox conversations can be downloaded and
accessed whilst you are at home, or on a mobile device so that no matter where
you are you have a go to place for the latest in cybersafety tips and trends.
Each Chatterbox episode runs for approximately 12
minutes and new episodes will be released on a regular basis throughout 2014.
Through the discussion forums, parents are encouraged
to pre-submit questions to a team of cybersafety experts and you can also share
stories and advice with other parents.
Please take a minute or two to watch this video to
understand how chatterbox can help you help your child stay safe in the online
world.
To access Chatterbox or for
more information about Cybersmart, visit www.cybersmart.gov.au
There is a live cybersafety discussion on Tuesday between 12pm and 1pm and I encourage every parent whose is concerned about cybersafety to get involved.
There is a live cybersafety discussion on Tuesday between 12pm and 1pm and I encourage every parent whose is concerned about cybersafety to get involved.
What: Parents live cybersafety discussion forum
When: Between
12pm and 1pm on 11th February 2014.
Where: Log on at
the Chatterbox Vimeo channel
The event will be also be covered on Twitter via #Chatterbox
Fellow bloggers, I appeal to you to share this information with any friends with kids who may need a little extra help in understanding the online world. Thank you
Fellow bloggers, I appeal to you to share this information with any friends with kids who may need a little extra help in understanding the online world. Thank you
How do you as a parent manage your kids and their use of social media?
Have you got any advice or experience you can share with us?