A Teacher's Journal: Internet Safety Resources

If you're a parent of a tween or a teen, you know exactly what I mean. Whether we like it or not, our children are going to seek out opportunities to connect and to communicate with others while online. And whether we like it or not, the Net isn't always the safest place to be.

So how should responsible parents and teachers respond to this reality?

It's really quite simple: We have to learn as much as we can about what safe surfing practices look like and then spend time teaching the children in our lives how to protect themselves while online. To do otherwise is to leave kids woefully unprepared for the world that they've jumped into feet first!

Here are some resources that I think are worth exploring if you've got a digital kid running around the house:

Know it All for Parents
http://www.childnet-int.org/kia/

Quite possibly one of the coolest sites covering Internet saftey, Know It All for Parents is a guide to the Internet designed for parents and teachers, but complete with a section for students as well. Created by a British charity, this site includes streaming video narration by holograms of adults and students that is fun and interesting to watch. If you're a parent, sit down with your kid and learn a few valuable lessons together!

Chatdanger
http://www.chatdanger.com/default.aspx

Kids think that the greatest innovations on the Internet are communication sites that allow them to meet new friends from around the world. It's powerful to be able to connect with others---and in many ways, our children will be using the Internet to connect and communicate for the rest of their lives! But games and sites that allow users to communicate with one another can be the most dangerous places for our kids. Everyone that kids meet in such places is a stranger, and they may not always have the best of intentions. Visit this site with your child to learn more about keeping safe in chat rooms, social networking sites and games that allow people to play with others online.

Totally Wired
http://www.totallywiredbook.com/

Written by Anastasia Goodstein---the author of Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online---this blog contains great information designed to help parents make responsible decisions when reacting to their child's interest in the Internet. Goodstein does a nice job balancing the need to be safe with the need to empower children to embrace the new tools they will work with for the rest of their lives.

Hopefully these resources can help you to support your children as they continue to explore the Wonderful World of the Web!