5 Things The Riverdales (Try) To Do In Order To Keep The Kids Safe On-line

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Last week our kids' school had an evening for the parents to come and see how the teachers and students are using ICT in the classroom, especially now they are opening up Google Apps to the kids and moving away from using locally installed software. I was introduced as a "tech savvy parent" and gave a very brief, "This is how we do it at home" to try and explain:

  • It's happening already at your home, don't try and King Canute it
  • It's in our control as we are the parents



1: Laptop where you can see it + 'key' passwords stay with us.

We are the parents, we don't let them leave the house on their own and so we don't let them wander around the Internet on their own.


2: Know the on-line neighbourhoods they're visiting

We give them free access the WBS known systems.
("school")

We give them access to the ones we are comfortable with.
("At home" + "their mates place")

We get them to explain why for new stuff - "Because my mate is on it" is now known as a
("new part of town")


3: Screen time is screen time

TV + PC + mobile = the same thing.
Can do it any where, any time - yay OR boo! It's Liz and I job to manage it.


4: Keep safe, what does that mean online

"On the Internet n-one know's you're a dog"

Never EVER pass on your:

  • name,
  • address (Wellington),
  • age,
  • Dads bank account details.

AND never tell anyone the same about anyone you know (siblings, parents, family, friends ... anyone)

The key is what they do at their mates house, not in yours.


5: Creative place

Not just consumers but make it do what they want.
Blog, write, photo, video - the tools are there.

BUT 1, 2, 3 and 4 first.

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