Internet and Technology Tips for Parents
Electronics and Social Media Guidelines
Why do kids fight so hard to keep playing their video games? Dopamine (a feel-happy brain chemical) usually surges during video playing, so when your child quits the game, he/she is literally in a sort of drug withdrawal. Because of this, it’s best to save games/screen time for the weekends. It’s just too hard for a child to do school, homework, sports, chores, eat dinner, get enough sleep, AND play video games on school nights. Their brain is too vulnerable to choosing the video game.
Collect all laptops, phones or smart electronics at a certain time every night. The young brain is just too vulnerable to WANTING to use them (remember dopamine?) — why tempt them and make it harder for the whole family? Set it up as a basic rule early on.
Do not put electronics in their room - computers/iPads should be in a shared space and if you can work along side them - checking your own email, etc., so much the better. Also, research has shown that television in kids' bedrooms is detrimental. Read this article for more information:
Television and Kids' Bedrooms
POST Internet rules in your house. They should include: parents will know all passwords and will do routine spot checks, including checking the history of cell phones. This is your right AND obligation.
Sometimes, parents don’t parent as much as they could during the teen years. Yes, yes, your child will get grumpy at some of your supervision, but that’s part of the road toward building good habits and self-control. While you do need to grow your child's independence, kids still need a lot of support around those skills.
For more information, check out:
“Wise-minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for RaisingSuccessful Children” by Laura Kastner.
Why do kids fight so hard to keep playing their video games? Dopamine (a feel-happy brain chemical) usually surges during video playing, so when your child quits the game, he/she is literally in a sort of drug withdrawal. Because of this, it’s best to save games/screen time for the weekends. It’s just too hard for a child to do school, homework, sports, chores, eat dinner, get enough sleep, AND play video games on school nights. Their brain is too vulnerable to choosing the video game.
Collect all laptops, phones or smart electronics at a certain time every night. The young brain is just too vulnerable to WANTING to use them (remember dopamine?) — why tempt them and make it harder for the whole family? Set it up as a basic rule early on.
Do not put electronics in their room - computers/iPads should be in a shared space and if you can work along side them - checking your own email, etc., so much the better. Also, research has shown that television in kids' bedrooms is detrimental. Read this article for more information:
Television and Kids' Bedrooms
POST Internet rules in your house. They should include: parents will know all passwords and will do routine spot checks, including checking the history of cell phones. This is your right AND obligation.
Sometimes, parents don’t parent as much as they could during the teen years. Yes, yes, your child will get grumpy at some of your supervision, but that’s part of the road toward building good habits and self-control. While you do need to grow your child's independence, kids still need a lot of support around those skills.
For more information, check out:
“Wise-minded Parenting: 7 Essentials for RaisingSuccessful Children” by Laura Kastner.
www.commonsensemedia.com
"11Sites and Apps Kids Are Heading To After Facebook"
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/11-sites-and-apps-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
http://www.opendns.com (Filters internet content and a parental control resource)
Net Cetera-Chatting With Kids About Being Online
Heads Up-Stop Think Connect (Handbook for Teens/Tweens)
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/tweens/index.html (Cyber quiz and Netiquette)
http://www.athinline.org/quizzes/landing (Quiz for upper grades on digital respect -actual quiz below)
Digital citizenship handout for teens
Family/Teen Technology Contracts (K-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Family Tip Sheets on digital drama, feeling left out, cyberbullying, online safety, etc.
Cyberbullying article from TeensHealth:
http://kidshealth.org/teen/homework/problems/cyberbullying.html
Link to article on Ask.fm-an online App that can lead to teen abuse and cyberbullying:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261588/Ask-fm-Pupils-parents-warned-social-networking-website-linked-teen-abuse.html
"11Sites and Apps Kids Are Heading To After Facebook"
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/11-sites-and-apps-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
http://www.opendns.com (Filters internet content and a parental control resource)
Net Cetera-Chatting With Kids About Being Online
Heads Up-Stop Think Connect (Handbook for Teens/Tweens)
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/tweens/index.html (Cyber quiz and Netiquette)
http://www.athinline.org/quizzes/landing (Quiz for upper grades on digital respect -actual quiz below)
Digital citizenship handout for teens
Family/Teen Technology Contracts (K-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Family Tip Sheets on digital drama, feeling left out, cyberbullying, online safety, etc.
Cyberbullying article from TeensHealth:
http://kidshealth.org/teen/homework/problems/cyberbullying.html
Link to article on Ask.fm-an online App that can lead to teen abuse and cyberbullying:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261588/Ask-fm-Pupils-parents-warned-social-networking-website-linked-teen-abuse.html