ML Interest Tag: online-safety

18 Basic Life Skills Kids Should Know by Different Ages

by Teresa Douglas

Today’s generation of kids might be living in a world with AI, self-driving cars, and other things we used to only see on The Jetsons, but whether it’s learning to cook or managing a budget, there are a few essential life skills kids need to learn as they grow. “For years, researchers believed life skills, like empathy and creative thinking, were innate. Today, we know these skills can be taught and practiced,” says Stephanie Malia Krauss, author of Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids, Live, Learn, and Thrive. Most life skills for kids can happen when their stage and situation encourage and enable it. We asked K-12 educators and child development experts to weigh in on when your crew can master life’s major skills. 

Life Skills for Kids Ages 0-2

Nobody expects a baby to balance a checkbook. But there are skills that the two and under set should know before they leave this stage.

Clean Up (Everybody Everywhere)

When a child is 18 months old, they want to copy their caregivers. If you sweep the floor, they want to sweep the floor. Aghogho Boccardi, 7-12 grade educator and founder of Hope Like a Mother, started her kids on chores by having them pick up after themselves at mealtimes. “After a meal, they get down from the table and pick all the large chunks of food from the floor.” She makes it a fun game, and afterward, they help Mom with the handheld vacuum. Notably, she only started this activity when the children showed interest in wanting to sweep.

Swim

“Starting at three months old, babies can begin to learn the skills needed to have confidence in the water, such as breath control and the baby back float. From there, children that continue lessons will add to their skillsets as they master new strokes and set new challenges,” says Chris DeJong, five-time U.S. National Champion swimmer, and Founder and President of Big Blue Swim School.

According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged four and under. The sooner your mini can master this life-saving skill, the better.

Life Skills for Kids Ages 2-4

By 30 months, most minis can follow simple two-step directions. They can also hold something with one hand while using the other to twist and pull. These developmental milestones mean you can introduce your kiddo to a new set of life skills.

Dress Themselves 

This is the age when children want to put on and take off their own clothes. Getting up and out of the house takes three times as long, but let them do it. According to Krauss, this is when children start developing fine motor control. Learning to fasten buttons and put on their shoes gives them much-needed practice with skills they can take into learning to write.

Set the Table

We’re not saying you should give your assistant the fine china. But at this age, you can ask your child to put a fork and (plastic) cup next to each plate on the table. Bonus: you won’t have to guess if they wanted the blue or red cup. Meltdown avoided!

Memorize Your Name and Phone Number

If your preschooler can sing the lyrics to their favorite song, they can learn the seven digits of your phone number. Make it a game so they want to play along. Test your little ones at different times of the day so they’ll remember your number even if they are alone and upset. 

Related: All the Chores Kids Should Be Doing, Based on Their Age

Life Skills for Kids Ages 4-6

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“Elementary school is a foundational time for children to learn essential social, relational, and learning skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Through play and projects, kids use, adapt, and strengthen their communication, relationship, and conflict management skills,” says Krauss.

Make Lunch

5-year-olds can learn cooking skills through the ‘cooking kit’ method. “By kindergarten, many children will be able to do the tasks necessary to make their own lunch if they are laid out for them. For example, they could make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if you put peanut butter, jelly, bread, a butter knife, and a plate out for them. They may not have the executive functioning skills to be fully responsible for making their own lunch, though, and will need a little more development to be able to plan what to pack, pick out the ingredients, and assemble the lunch,” says Letty Rising, K-12 Montessori educator at Montessori Laboratory.

Get Their Own Snack

Everybody wins when your kindergartener can self-serve that after-school munch. Buy adult-approved options. Separate them into single-serve portions. Then leave them in an accessible, designated place, such as a lower cabinet or a drawer in the fridge. 

Gather the Laundry

Teach your crew how to use the laundry basket. Realistically, four-year-olds will need you to point at the things that go in the laundry. Kids this age will not remember to empty their pockets. And if your kindergartener is also in charge of cleaning up their room, you will find strange things stuffed in the basket along with their socks. Wash with caution.

It’s definitely easier to do the laundry yourself in the short term. But children who start learning now will be well-equipped to wash their laundry in the middle-elementary years. 

 

Life Skills for Kids Ages 6-8

Until six, most of your kids’ cleaning is heavily supervised and play-based. Rising says, “By the time children reach 6 years of age, they can be responsible for sweeping the floors as part of their chores, and likely also parts of cleaning the bathrooms like wiping down the counter.” This means caregivers can now pass on old chestnuts, such as “You were old enough to make the mess, so you’re old enough to clean it.” Huzzah! 

Run the Washing Machine

According to Dr. Ryan Sultan, board-certified child psychiatrist and Research Professor at Columbia University, children can now learn how to operate a washing machine and fold clean laundry. They will still need periodic reminders on how much detergent to use and how to avoid turning everyone’s whites a light pink.

Operate a Microwave Alone

Microwaving a meal is a big deal for the elementary school set. And they can do so much more than warm up yesterday’s dinner or cook a box of mac and cheese. YouTube is full of recipes for microwave-friendly meals. Spend time watching the videos together for added parent and child time. Budding chefs will need to learn basic microwave safety–no metal in the microwave!—before you turn them loose. 

Tie Their Shoes

Six-year-olds have the fine motor skills necessary to learn to tie their shoes. But thanks to the magic of Velcro, compressed morning schedules, and schools that insist on slip-on shoes, children are learning this skill later. According to a 2019 survey commissioned by OSGO to coincide with National Feet Week, “3 in 10 children are still unable to tie their shoelaces on leaving primary school.”

The only way kids can master this skill is with a lot of practice. If there’s no time in the morning for them to lace up their shoes, set aside time later in the day. Some children don’t care to practice this skill. If you have a reluctant lacer, dispense small rewards to get them on board. 

 

Life Skills for Kids Ages 8-10

learning about money is a life skill for kids
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Your not-so-mini is one of the big kids now. With greater ability comes the opportunity for greater responsibility.

Budget Money

In his book The Opposite of Spoiled, Rob Lieber says that the main point of an allowance is to help “kids learn to save and spend money, a skill they don’t get to practice in many other ways as they grow up.” Learning to delay gratification has a whole host of benefits. According to Lieber, adults who practice self-control as children are more likely to save money and own homes. Lieber’s three-jar method to budget money for saving, spending, and charitable giving is a great place to start.

Many parents discover another upside. Children are much less eager to spend their own money. While minis as young as six can begin to budget, the mid-elementary set has a clearer grasp of time. They will be far more impressed when you say, “If you want that iPhone, you’ll need to save your allowance for six years.”

Practice Online Safety

In a 2019 study from Common Sense Media, 8-12-year-olds spend 31% of their total screen time gaming. And whether they play on a smartphone, a console, or a computer, they can bump into players they don’t know. “One of the first things children need to understand about chatting online is that they could be talking to anyone from anywhere,” advises Philip Wride, Parenting & Education Coach.

“It’s important they know not to share personal information like their name, address, or photos of themselves. The same is true if they play games online–the people they are playing with could potentially be any age. If someone asks for their name, address, or a photo, the child must understand it is a red flag activity and that they should tell an appropriate adult.”

If possible, children should play games and use the internet in a shared space where they can keep an ear and an eye on the activity.

 

Life Skills for Kids Ages 10-12

“By the end of elementary school, most children can engage in increasingly complex and abstract reasoning and decision making. Academic assignments and learning activities engage them as problem solvers and critical thinkers,” says Stephanie Malia Krauss.

But it’s important to refrain from allowing academic work or sports to crowd out the critical life skills tweens will carry with them into adulthood. If your crew’s time is limited, consider giving them one or two chores and rotating the assignment every week. 

Take Out the Trash

Taking the garbage outside isn’t brain surgery. But there are several limiting factors to consider. Is your child strong enough to carry the bag? Are they tall enough to hoist it into the bin? Does your municipality require you to sort your trash into different containers? If the kitchen garbage is too heavy, start your tween off with the recycling. 

If your family lives in an apartment with a communal dumpster, your child may need situational awareness to avoid cars in the parking lot. Take your junior janitor with you when you toss the trash and progressively hand over the job. 

Make Simple Meals on the Stove

Kids can be taught how to cook on the stove in early elementary school. A tween trained in basic kitchen safety can independently scramble eggs, cook pancakes from a mix, or make a grilled cheese. They will learn best working with you, but more mature tweens can also follow (video or written) recipes. You’ll want to be on hand in case that grilled cheese turns into a flambé. 

 

Life Skills for Kids Ages 12 and Up

learning how to fix a bike is a good life skill for kids
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12-year-olds are nowhere near old enough to live independently, but this is a great time to help them hone the skills they will take into adulthood.

Cook Family Dinner

This is when cooking practice can really pay off. Teach your tween how to make a complete dinner, then add them to the weekly cooking rotation. If you don’t have the mental energy or cooking know-how to teach this skill, consider using a service like Hello Fresh or Chef’s Plate. Each meal comes with ingredients and step-by-step instructions. Watching your kid cook while you recover from a long day at work is almost like taking a spa day. Even better, your future college student won’t have to survive on ramen packs for four years.

Balance a Checkbook

“Balancing a checkbook is a complex task that requires an understanding of basic math and financial concepts. Generally, it’s best to wait until children are in middle school before introducing them to this skill. This will help ensure they have the necessary foundational skills required to complete the task effectively. Additionally, provide guidance on how to safely and accurately manage finances, such as avoiding overdrafts and using online banking tools if available,” recommends Kalley Hartman, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist of Ocean Recovery.

Start your middle schooler off with small steps. First, show them how to keep a running total of their credits and expenses. Then show them how to reconcile their tally against the bank balance. You can use a service like Greenlight or Mydoh or act as the bank by collecting receipts and adding them to a paper ledger two days later.

Perform Basic Home Maintenance 

According to Dr. Sultan, most tweens and teens are old enough to learn to change a lightbulb, unclog a drain, and reset the circuit breaker. Parents in the know will tell you that getting your teenager to unclog the toilet themselves is a game changer. And a great way to get them to use less bathroom tissue.

Teaching your kids essential life skills might feel overwhelming, but you’re not in it alone. “Kids can learn life skills anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. Children constantly observe, learn, and practice these skills at home, school, in the community, and in whatever activities they engage in. Like reading, some children will master skills more slowly and others more quickly. What’s most important is providing them with instruction, opportunities to practice, and assistance when they need it,” says Krauss.

Related: 12 Essential Life Skills Kids Can Learn from Travel

 

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10 Things to Consider before Sharing Kid Pics on Social Media

by Janine Clements

Sharenting may have long-term effects on kids long after the pictures are posted

In 2023, most children have a digital footprint before they are even born. While sharing images online can be a way to show your child’s milestones with distant relatives and friends, especially in light of the pandemic and travel plans being halted, there’s a difference between sharing and oversharing. The “Sharenting” (parents oversharing on social media) trend is still on the rise but many parents are starting to reconsider where and how often they share images of their kids online.

So, what should you think about before posting pics of your kiddos on social media? Experts have weighed in on everything from personal privacy to online safety; keep reading to find out what they had to say.

Click here to save this list on Pinterest.

Think Twice Before Posting Embarrassing Photos

While you might think your toddler having a tantrum or your tween misbehaving is so hilarious that you have to share it on social media, putting anything online leaves a permanent trail that will follow your kids for the rest of their lives. "Not only is this kind of oversharing disrespectful to your child, but you should also consider how these types of images or videos will be perceived by others, and the impact it could have on your kid when he/she is older," says parenting expert and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, Dr. Laura Markham. If it's on the internet, as well as the possibility of humiliating them later in life, there's a chance it could be seen by school bullies, college admissions officers, and future employers. Next time, ask yourself how you would feel if it was you in the photo instead.

Consider the Message You Are Giving Your Kids

As parents, we are constantly telling our kids about the risks of using social media and teaching them about online safety. But, we then ignore our own advice when posting photos of them. "It's our job to teach and model online literacy and safety," says Dr. Markham. "When children grow up routinely seeing photos of themselves online, they think it's the norm. We're inadvertently teaching them that they have no privacy and no control over their online image."

Related: “Sharenting” Could Have Damaging Effects on Your Kids

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Be Mindful of Giving Away Personal Information

According to a UK study by Parent Zone and Nominet, the average parents share almost 1,500 photos of their kids online before their 5th birthday. Many parents announce the birth of their babies all over social media, while some go one step further and hashtag their kids' names or even set up Instagram accounts for their little darlings before they can even talk. While it's kinda cute, all someone needs is a name, date of birth, and address, which they can get using a geotagged photo, and this can put youngsters at risk of identity theft and digital kidnapping: when someone uses photos and details of someone else's kids and pretends they are their own. According to a national internet safety expert, Katie Greer, if your kids are searchable, anyone can find out anything about them. "To maximize the online safety of your child, limit the information you share about them," she says.

Avoid Posting Photos of Your Kids in the Nude

That photo of your little angels in the bath, running around the yard in the nude, or even in their underwear might be adorable to you, but once you post it, you no longer have control over it, and anyone can do what they want with it. "There is a chance this kind of photo could end up in unintended hands. Even using seemingly harmless hashtags like #pottytraining or #bathtime can also attract the attention of the wrong people," says Katie Greer. "Your kids' online safety is paramount, so to keep things simple, keep their clothes on."

when it comes to "sharenting" be careful not to share your location
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Be Wary of Revealing Locations and Routines

It's surprisingly easy to track people using the information you can get from photos posted online. To protect your kids from potentially being discovered by child predators, Justin Lavelle, a leading expert on online safety and scam prevention and Chief Communications Officer with beenverified.com recommends turning off geotagging and location services and never posting details about where you live, including your address. "Avoid tagging the locations of places you and/or your children may be at frequently and crop out backgrounds with recognizable landmarks. First day of school? Take a picture at home with them in their new backpack, not in front of the school building with the name clearly visible," he says. "Do not advertise their routines and wait a few days before posting photos of birthday trips or visits to the park."

Get Permission to Post

While some might argue that parents have every right to post family photos, kids don't ask for such public childhoods. While babies and toddlers generally have no say in what mom or dad posts, tweens, teens, and even younger kids often feel their parents share too much about them online without their consent. Take Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter, Apple, who, after seeing that her mother had posted a selfie of the two of them without her permission, reportedly called her out in the comments. "While you might think it's your right to post what you want on social media when you ask kids, many don't want photos of them to be put online," says Dr. Laura Markham. "Our children have a right to decide what is posted about them and deserve not to have their privacy violated by us. It's important to get their approval first."

Related: New Study Sheds Light On Sharenting

mom of newborn should know the danger of sharenting
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Beware of the Backlash

When you're posting photos of your kids online, especially in the public domain for all to see, it's important to consider what the people who see the photos might think. They might not like it for all sorts of reasons and will be happy to tell you exactly how they feel. This can be very hurtful. There are many instances where people have been attacked for oversharing on social media. In 2019, Pink appeared on The Ellen Show and explained why she had stopped sharing photos of her kids after getting comments attacking her for posting a photo of one of her kids without a diaper. 

Pay Attention to Your Privacy Settings

If you're going to post photos on social media, then check your privacy settings regularly. According to the Child Rescue Coalition, 89 percent of parents haven't checked their privacy settings in over a year. Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps all have different settings. Without realizing it, you may be sharing your photos with the general public, aka strangers. Also bear in mind that the friends and family you share your photos with may have different privacy settings, which means they could potentially share your photos too. "Public posting means anyone, anywhere can see it," says Lavelle. "Keep your posts private, set your profiles to private, and make sure your posts are only visible to a custom audience of friends and family."

rawpixel via Unsplash

Consider the Bigger Picture

No one knows what happens with all the photos once they have been posted on social media. Take Facebook (which also owns Instagram and Whatsapp), which has been all over the news recently due to data breaches and their handling of personal information. Do you want these big corporations to have access to all sorts of data on your kids that you inadvertently supply? "While it's wonderful that technology allows us to be connected with family and friends around the world using social media and other photo-sharing apps, there is so much we don’t know," says Lavelle. "It comes down to common sense, smart-decision making, and being careful what you post." 

Be Present in the Moment

When your child is performing in a show or playing in a match, of course, you want to capture every proud moment on camera so you can share it with family, friends (and maybe the whole world.) We've all done it. But your kids see you with your phone in front of your face instead of watching them, and you won't be able to focus on what they're doing. Next time, put your phone away, watch, and be proud. Your kiddos will love that they have your undivided attention, and you will be able to enjoy the experience much more.

Related: Dear Moms “Oversharing” On Social Media: I See You

two moms with their baby
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Consider Private Social Networks

As mainstream platforms like Facebook and Instagram come under fire, private social apps like the one we offer through TinyBeans are gaining ground for their privacy and security features. Our app offers parents a private space to share photos, milestones, and other moments with their children among family and friends in a private social network.

 

 

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10 Things Kids Should NEVER Do Online

by Kipp Jarecke-Cheng

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but some behaviors should be strictly forbidden

Whether at school or home, spending lots of time online has become an inescapable part of most kids’ daily lives. According to a study by Common Sense Media, children ages 8 to 12 spend an average of 5 hours and 33 minutes per day on screens, which include computers, smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles. Meanwhile, a study by Pew Research found 98% of teens have access to a smartphone and the average teen spends 7 hours and 38 minutes per day on their phone.

While there are plenty of educational, social, and creative benefits to digital screen time, care must be taken to ensure that a child’s digital footprint and online activities are age appropriate and commensurate with their level of maturity and understanding.

The key to developing healthy online practices is having open and frequent conversations about safety and using the internet responsibly—and initiating these conversations early. “Start talking about online safety with your kids at a young age. Because it gets harder when they are in their teens and it becomes more difficult to get between them and their phones,” said Yaron Litwin, digital safety expert and Chief Marketing Officer at Canopy, an AI-powered smart filter that helps protect kids online.

Most experts and parents agree that children shouldn’t have unfettered internet access until at least age 10, but that’s often easier said than done, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Despite the challenges of monitoring your kid’s myriad online activities, some behaviors should be strictly forbidden. For a list of internet safety tips for kids, here are 10 things they should never do online, based on their ages.

Internet Safety Tips for Kids Ages 5 to 8

Don’t have social media profiles: Apps like TikTok and Snapchat may be irresistible to young kids because of the fun social media trends like dance challenges and viral music clips they see older kids creating and participating in, but public social media profiles can open up young children to inappropriate contact, harassment or targeting. The expert consensus is for kids to wait until the age of 14 or 15 to create public-facing social media accounts.

Don’t talk to strangers: This advice we often give our kids IRL applies doubly so online because of the dangers of catfishing, trolling, and spoofing. Children should never talk to strangers online, even if the stranger seems friendly. Let your child know in an age-appropriate manner that anyone online can pretend to be someone else, and that predators often target children because of their innocence and openness.

Don’t use the Internet without limits or supervision: Screen time has increased exponentially in recent years, especially for young children. Kids need to experience a healthy balance between online and offline activities, and parents can help by establishing clear limits on screen time as well as supervising young children’s online activities.

Related: 10 Reasons Why You Need to Teach Internet Safety to Your Kids

Internet Safety Tips for Kids Ages 8 to 12

a tween using the internet responsibly with internet safety tips
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Don’t give or share any personal information: In an always-on, digitally connected world, privacy can be challenging to maintain. Children need to learn that personal information—whether it’s their own or family member’s personal information—needs to be held strictly confidential and not shared or given to anyone online. This includes full names, home addresses, phone numbers, school names or locations, passwords, etc. Personal information can be used by predators and criminals to track down children or to commit identity theft. Parents also may want to avoid posting identifiable images of their children online.

Don’t meet up with someone you met exclusively online: Whether it’s on gaming platforms like Roblox or Minecraft, or social messaging apps like WhatsApp, it’s not uncommon for children to develop friendships that are entirely virtual; however, even if your kid has been talking to someone online for a long time and they feel as if they know them well, it’s not safe for kids to meet up in person with online strangers on their own. There’s no way to know for sure who they really are or what their intentions might be.

Don’t cyberbully others: Cyberbullying is just as harmful as bullying in person; it can have a devastating impact on victims. Children should never bully others online, and they should report any cyberbullying they see to a trusted adult.

Related: What to Do When Your Kid Wants a Social Media Account

What to Teach Tweens and Teens About Using the Internet Responsibly

teen using the internet responsibly
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Don’t click links or open attachments from people you don’t know: Unwanted spam that arrives via e-mail or text can be annoying, but trojan horses sent via links or attachments from unknown senders can contain malware and other bugs designed to infect your child’s computer or mobile device and steal personal information or worse. When it comes to stuff that comes from an unknown sender, kids should simply delete it.

Don’t download pirated music, movies, or games: While it may be tempting for your child to download “free” pirated materials from the internet, doing so is illegal and can lead to serious consequences. Copyright holders can pursue legal action, and penalties often are severe. Teach your child how to use legitimate sources to download and purchase movies, music, and games.

Don’t post inappropriate content: Older kids may think posting inappropriate content online is no big deal, but they should be taught never to post anything they wouldn’t want their family, friends, classmates, or teachers (not to mention future employers) to see online. This can include photos, videos, or texts that are sexual in nature, violent, or hateful. It’s useful to remind your tween and teen that everything on the internet is forever.

Internet Safety Tips for Everyone

Don’t believe everything you see or read online: Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true or even real. In our current time, when the digital ecosystem is rife with misinformation, children need to be taught to think critically about the information and materials they find online, and parents can help promote digital media literacy by helping our kids understand what are trusted and reliable sources of information and what’s not.

Related: 10 Cyberbullying Tactics Parents Might Not Know About

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Instagram Just Announced New Features to Majorly Upgrade Privacy for Teens

by Sarah Shebek

Instagram continues to be a behemoth in the world of social media, with more than a billion unique visitors on a monthly basis. Teens and pre-teens use the site to share photos and memes, private message and follow brands, but the platform has its share of pitfalls. Today Instagram announced changes to the platform that include defaulting young people into private accounts and making it harder for suspicious accounts to find young people.

“Young people” are defined as 16 and younger in the U.S. In a statement, Instagram said “Wherever we can, we want to stop young people from hearing from adults they don’t know, or that they don’t want to hear from.” The biggest preventative step will be defaulting this audience into a private account as they join the platform, instead of a public account.

That step allows users to control who sees or responds to content. With a private account, people have to follow you to see your content and you approve those followers manually. Even more critically, private account content does not show up in places like Explore or in the hashtag search section. Instagram notes that new users can still choose to have a public account and teens who are already signed up will see a notification explaining the benefits of a private account.

Instagram has also developed new technology to track accounts with “potentially suspicious behavior.” These accounts belong to adults that may have been blocked or reported by a young person. This feature means accounts that exhibit this behavior won’t be able to follow or comment on young people’s accounts.  The technology is currently rolling out worldwide and isn’t perfect, but it’s another move by the platform to support online safety.

Finally, Instagram is limiting how advertisers can interact with its younger audience. The upcoming change means advertisers can only target ads to teens based on age, gender and location. Previously, ads could also target teens on interests, or on activity on other apps and websites. This change was based on conversations with youth advocates and will affect Facebook and Messenger, too.

––Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Gaelle Marcel, Unsplash

 

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Keeping Teens Safe Online—What Parents Need to Know

By USDish Network

Saturday morning cartoons that Gen X-ers and millennials watched as children have been replaced with endless TikToks, memes, and FaceTime for kids today. Even more, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teens of all ages have significantly increased their screen time, and it has never been more important to check in with your teens about their internet activities.

Today’s teens have grown up with a digital life, but that doesn’t mean they inherently know the risks of sharing the ins and outs of their day. As schooling tools shift online and students are accessing the internet more often than ever before, parents need to take steps to keep their teens safe online.

Since 45% of teens have stated, they’re online “almost constantly,” USDISH encourages you to check out the tips below to learn how to help your teens with online safety.

1. Talk about Digital Footprints

“Digital footprint” is a term used to describe every action someone takes online. Your kids might assume that having a private social media profile keeps their posts, well, private, but that’s not always the case. It’s important for your teens to know that their private posts can still be screenshot and shared, and their digital footprint is never as confidential as they think it is. There are no do-overs after something has been posted!

2. Educate about Phishing Tactics

Phishing is a type of cyber scam in which a criminal convinces someone to give up private information by appearing to be a trustworthy source. For teens, this often looks like fake scholarship messages, DMs from someone posing as an influencer, or fraudulent employment offers. Remind your kids that if they receive messages about anything involving money or personal information, they should always verify the source.

3. Explain the Information That Should Stay Private

Posting a picture of your dog or birthday may seem innocuous, but cybercriminals can use this information to answer security questions and hack into accounts. Make sure your kids know the following information should stay out of posts, comments, and DMs:

  • Pet names

  • Parent maiden names

  • Full birthdate

  • Last names

  • Phone numbers

  • Email addresses

 

​4. Teach That Word Choice Matters

59% of teens in America have experienced cyberbullying, and your teen should know how to identify and report bullying in the digital space. Additionally, teens need to be aware that words matter, and how they choose to treat other people online can follow them into adulthood.

While it’s unfortunate that so many teens have experienced bullying online, the good news is that the majority of teens find parents to be highly effective at addressing online harassment.

Check out USDish.com’s Essential Teen Internet Safety Guide for more tips and tricks on how to keep your teens safe—from social media to social studies. The internet might feel like the Wild West, but with a few extra precautions, your family can stay safe and happy online.

 

USDISH.com is one of the nation’s premier online DISH retailers. Our goals are to give you great deals on DISH satellite and internet services. 

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Want to Connect With Your Child? Try Technology

By Jamie Edelbrock

Xbox. Nintendo Switch. PlayStation. Netflix. YouTube. TikTok. Snapchat…Those are all words (and sometimes used as verbs in the case of Snapchat) we are used to hearing in my house because we have teenage and pre-teen children. Those words used to fill me with anxiousness because most of the time, it meant my kids had their eyes glued to a screen, and I worried they were turning into zombies while connecting to a world that I knew very little about. Not to mention connecting in a world that is technologically and socially a much different landscape than when my husband and I grew up in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Naturally, as a parent, I became concerned about too much screen time, online safety, cyberbullies, stalkers, inappropriate interactions, terrible images, and more. In my mind, technology quickly became the enemy.

To ease my anxiousness and squash my concerns, I gave my children a long list of rules, screen time restrictions and monitored everything they did online. I thought my restrictions would help our family connect more because of their time limits. Let me be clear, my intentions were pure, and it is crucial to protect your children online, but my plan was causing nothing but resentment and disconnection.

I’ve always known that connecting with my children is a critical part of their social and emotional development. One of my favorite quotes is from a Kids In The House video. In the video, ADHD specialist and Author Edward Hallowell, MD, EdD, says, “By far, the most powerful force in life for development, joy, confidence, health; is the force of connection. At its most distilled, we call it love. I think that the bond between parent and child is the single strongest emotion in all of human existence. Then it spreads out into what I call a connected childhood. It is the greatest gift you can give your child.”

With connection on my heart, I continued trying to connect with my children in various ways. We would bake cookies, create crafts, go on walks, but often they would get bored, and often as soon as we would finish spending a moment together, they would head right back to technology. I was left wondering why we didn’t feel more connected, so I started researching.

An article I found on Child Development Info says, “Try not to seem judgmental about their hobbies. If your kids aren’t hurting anyone, you shouldn’t be concerned. If they start to feel that you don’t appreciate what they love, they’ll start to push you further away.”

Wait, were my best intentions causing my children to push me away? That was the last thing I wanted. Was my own experience growing up with little to no technology creating an unconscious bias in my mind about how they should grow up? That’s when it hit me; technology may not be the enemy after all. In fact, I could use technology to our benefit and connect with my children.

Instead of just implementing more rules and red tape, I pushed my technology judgments aside and picked up a device. Please understand that I didn’t throw all rules out the window, especially ones about being safe online; I did back off a bit and started playing their video games, watching their favorite Netflix shows, and making silly faces on Snapchat. It was like magic. Suddenly, we were engaging, interacting, laughing at the same memes, and sharing inside jokes. We’ve even had entire conversations using nothing but funny gifs on iMessage. If you don’t think this is possible, try it. I assure you it is. Now, I’m still not good at any of their video games. In fact, I don’t think I’ve won a single Mario Kart race, ever. Whenever I build on Minecraft, I get confused, and I’ve never mastered a TikTok dance. But the reality is that none of that matters. What matters is that we are connecting, and we are having fun.

With technology, the sky is the limit, and you can positively expose your children to a variety of interesting things that might otherwise not be possible were it not for technology. Other ways to connect with your children through technology include:

1. Listen to a podcast of their choice

2. Follow a blog of their choice together

3. Zoom/Facetime extended family and friends together

4. Take virtual field trips

5. Movie marathons (especially Marvel!)

6. Learn TikTok dances

7. Create YouTube videos together on topics of their choosing

8.  Create digital art

9. Make digital music

10. Create memes together

11. Build an Instagram page together to highlight an important topic

12. Learn to DJ with your child

Out of curiosity, I asked my children two things. The first question was: Do they enjoyed it when we joined them online for games and connected with them via social media? All three immediately said yes. The second question I asked: Was their favorite way to connect with my husband and me through technology? While their answers were different, their message was loud and clear. My 5th grader said she likes playing Minecraft and Stardew Valley Xbox games with my husband because they spend time together. My 6th grader said she looks forward to watching our favorite Netflix or Disney Plus shows every night because she gets to spend time together as a family. My 9th grader said she likes communicating with the family via Instagram because we all send funny memes and posts. The message? They like being together.

My takeaway through all of this was that I needed to meet my kids where they were, not where I wanted them to be. They are living in a world filled to the brim with TikToks, memes, vines, YouTube clips, and more, so if you don’t speak that “language,” you face the risk of being less connected as a parent. Trust me, engage on their level, and you’ll quickly learn to speak the language. You’ll also quickly find new ways to connect, and connection is the greatest gift you can give to your child.

RELATED:
Check In with Your Children
Morning Coffee with a Side of Mom Guilt
The Surprising Thing a Pixar Movie Taught Me about Raising a Teenager

This post originally appeared on Parentology.com.

Jamie is married to her high school sweetheart and has three beautiful daughters. Through years of experience working with children, and raising her own, she knows how difficult parenting can be. She is an advocate for children's mental health and is best known for her creativity, optimism, and kind heart.

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Three Moms Share How They’re Keeping Their Kids Safe and Healthy While Online

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

Over the years, you’ve taught your kids a lot of ways to stay safe: look both ways before crossing the street, wear a helmet while riding a bike, go feet-first down slides and so much more. As your kids get older and technology evolves, parenting takes a turn from teaching safety on the swings to having the tech talk and showing kids how to navigate the digital playground. Luckily, Google Families has everything parents need to help their tiny humans stay safe online and develop healthy digital habits. We teamed up with three moms to see how their families are navigating technology right now. Keep reading to see what they had to say:

Natasha D’Anna, a New York City-based mom of three, is working on balancing screentime with her kids—especially with the additional time they’re spending online with remote learning. To help them balance their time online, Natasha incorporates screen-free, hands-on activities into their day like baking or a trip to the playground. She also has regular tech talks with her kids and has shown them resources through Google that can help them stay safe online, like Google Safe Search.

Like most parents, So-Cal mom Chelsi Lovos saw her kids’ screentime increase in the past year. After she saw grades drop and attitudes change, she knew it was time to switch things up with a digital detox for her family. After they took a break from tech, she reintroduced devices to her kids with new rules including screentime limits, additional educational apps and regular check-ins about online safety. Now Chelsi uses Google Family Link to monitor her kids’ online activity and set device limits.

Vera Sweeney’s youngest loves to play games—whether they’re online or board games—so when it came to having the tech talk, Google’s Interland game was the perfect opportunity for her to teach her kids about online safety. Interland takes gamers on an online adventure and teaches them about digital safety and citizenship along the way.

Google Families has everything parents need to help navigate the digital playground and teach their kids healthy online habits. Learn more at families.google!

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Google’s Newest Tool Makes Managing Family Tech So Much Easier

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

How much screen time is too much screen time for my kids? When should I get my child their own phone? How do I make distance learning fun? When you have a question about parenting, oftentimes your first reaction is to Google it.

Fortunately, these are just a few of the trending topics for families on Google Search that informed the creation of robust new resources to help families navigate through the ins and outs of technology with their kids. Introducing Google’s new site for families that has everything parents need to navigate the digital playground: popular apps and games, parental controls, online safety and digital wellbeing, fun online activities to do as a family and so much more. Read on to learn more about Google’s new resources for families.

Ready to get your family’s tech journey started? Learn more at families.google!

Okay, I’m Intrigued. Tell Me More.

Today’s parents are raising the first generation of kids to grow up with technology all around them—no pressure, right? This new resource from Google gives parents the information and support they need to help them decide how their families can best manage technology. This includes everything from tips on popular tech to online safety to how your family can explore and learn online together. Plus, Google teamed up with more trusted partners like Common Sense Media, Sesame Workshop, PBS Kids and Headspace for even more expert input on the topics that parents are asking about!

Sounds Cool! Where Do I Get Started?

The new site is a hub with loads of information to guide your family through your own technology journey. To get started, you can find resources on how to begin the conversation by having the tech talk with your kids; which will help you establish your family's tech rules, learn about your kids’ favorite online activities, discuss healthy tech habits and teach every member of your family to stay safe online! Google’s Be Internet Awesome will help you guide the conversation, and Google’s action-packed game Interland will help teach your kids all about online safety and digital citizenship. Bonus: All of these resources are completely free!

What Else Can I Find?

So. Much. More. When your kids are ready for additional independence, Google has tips on Parental Controls and Online Safety. If you’re not so sure about the new apps, games or platforms your kids are talking about, the Popular Tech section can help you out with articles explaining the newest trends. The Family Fun pages are packed with resources for your family to explore and learn right from your living room like dinosaurs at the museum from Google Arts & Culture or different animals, cities, and cultures on Google Earth, to Classroom Tools to navigate distance learning, tools for school and online accessibility options.

Ready to get your family’s tech journey started? Learn more at families.google!

Three Moms Share How They’re Navigating Their Tech Journey

The Online Parental Controls You Didn’t Know Existed

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Three Moms Share How They’re Navigating Their Tech Journey

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

Every family is different, which also means that every family’s experience with technology looks different. Whether you’re #TeamTech or a little hesitant about your child exploring online, we all have one thing in common: We want our families to have a safe, positive technology experience.

The new families.google is an all-in-one resource for parents navigating their family’s tech journey—whether they’re looking for info on the latest apps, tips for talking to their kids about kindness in the digital world or advice on how to build healthy online habits.

Three moms tried it out, and shared some insight on how they manage technology at home:

Natasha D’Anna

Mom-of-three Natasha has seen her kids’ screentime increase quite a bit over the last year, especially when you thrown in activities on top of virtual learning. Since she can’t be there to watch each move her kids make online, Natasha has relied on Google’s Be Internet Awesome Interland game to teach her kids online safety in a way that’s also fun for them!

Vera Sweeney

New York-based mom Vera learned firsthand what can happen when kids don’t understand their tech, after her youngest accidentally racked up charges on his tablet! With the help of families.google, Vera’s family has had some helpful tech talks to keep everyone protected moving forward.

Chelsi Lovos

Between games, apps and connecting with friends, being online is an exciting adventure for little ones! SoCal mom Chelsi has used Google Family Link to help her three kids manage their screen time and manage device usage—so they can better balance online exploration with offline fun!

Find resources, games and more fun content to help guide your family’s tech journey at families.google

Google Families Has Everything You Need to Know About New Tech

The Online Parental Controls You Didn’t Know Existed

Google’s Newest Tool Makes Managing Family Tech So Much Easier

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