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Dear Friend,
It's that time of year again! Time to stock up on school supplies, pack backpacks and lunchboxes, and send the kids off to school. That's right, you guessed it; it's Back-to-School time! You've likely made a list of all the things your child needs for a successful school year-pencils, notebook paper, composition notebooks, glue sticks, the list could go on-but have you considered how to make sure your child is prepared for the digital adventures of a new school year?
The Back-to-School rush is always an exciting time of year that brings many changes and transitions for both parents and children. Perhaps you are sending your child off to school for the first time, or maybe your children are transitioning into a new class or friend group at school, or jumping from middle school to high school. Kids are faced with new classes, new teachers, new surroundings, and new friends. Regardless of how old your kids are or what changes they may be facing, it is likely that they will face changes and transitions in the digital world as well.
Different age children face different challenges and dangers in the digital world and on the web. Are you prepared to protect them? We strongly urge you to study our Internet Safety 101SM Age-Based Guidelines to learn about what your child is facing at his or her age, and how you as a parent, guardian, or caring adult you can act as the first line of defense in protecting them.
Ages 2-4
Ages 5-7
Ages 8-10
Ages 11-13
Ages 14-18
Let's take some time to review some key Internet Safety rules for kids of every age:
- Keep lines of communication open.
- Create a list of Internet rules with your kids (See Rules 'N ToolsSM Youth Pledge).
- Set parental controls at the age-appropriate levels and use filtering and monitoring tools as a complement-not a replacement-for parental supervision.
- Supervise all Internet-enabled devices and keep computers in a public area of the home.
- Talk to your kids about healthy sexuality in the event they encounter sexually explicit online pornography at home, school, a friend's house, the library or their mobile device.
- Encourage your kids to come to you if they encounter anything online that makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened. (Stay calm and don't blame your child; otherwise they won't turn to you in the future for help when they need it.)
- Teach your kids not to interact with people they don't know offline, because an online predator or cyberbully can disguise him/herself.
- Check the history file on your computer to see which sites your child has accessed.
- Teach your children the golden rule: do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
For further information on how you can be best prepared for the challenges your child is facing as this school year kicks off, visit out website, www.internetsafety101.org. After all, Parents are the First Line of Defense.
Our children are our most precious resource. Your partnership is critical to our efforts in Making the Internet Safer for Children and Families. As a 50(c)(3) non-profit organization, Enough Is EnoughSM greatly appreciates your financial support. It is only with your help that we can continue our efforts to Protect Kids Online.
Donate Today!
For the sake of the Children,
Donna Rice Hughes
President & CEO, Enough Is EnoughSM
What we've been up to this August:
- Internet Safety 101SM Program footage shown at the National Preventing Abuse Conference in Orlando, FL.
- Internet Safety 101SM presentation to all State PTA Presidents at the National PTA Governance Meeting with EIE President, Donna Rice Hughes and EIE Executive Director, Alan Fischer.
- Internet Safety 101SM Ambassador Training at the National Children's Advocacy Center National Conference in New Orleans, LA with EIE Executive Director, Alan Fischer.
- EIE President Donna Rice Hughes did the following media interviews:
- Continued to implement our fundraising and sponsorship campaigns.
(Contact lgaulin@enough.org for more information on private or corporate sponsorship)
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