**Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online: Elementary**
Soon after kids start reading and writing, they often begin interacting with others online. Whether they're chatting within games or texting family members, kids need the skills to interact respectfully. These skills will help kids -- and the people they're communicating with -- have positive experiences online. Throughout April, be on the lookout for these 4 Family Tips for elementary families who are looking to build a strong foundation for online relationships and communication!
1. Give them the right words.
2. Play a game of telephone.
3. Help kids navigate online friendships.
4. Develop their instincts.
Family Tip 5: **Skip quizzes**
Help kids identify and avoid clickbait, quizzes, special offers, and anything that asks for personal or private information. This helps keep information secure and devices safe.
5 Myths and Truths About Kids’ Internet Safety
Help keep your kids' online experiences positive and productive by learning the truth (and ignoring the rumors) about what really makes them safe. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olyDSA5
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls
Do you need parental controls? What are the options? Do they really work? Here's everything you need to know about the wide array of parental control solutions, from OS settings to monitoring apps to network hardware. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olySDA3
5 Surefire Ways to Protect Your Kid’s Online Privacy
Today's kids spend lots of time posting and sharing information online. Learn five surefire ways to protect their privacy.
bit.ly/olyDSv2
5 Ways to Make YouTube Safer for Your Kids
Kids love YouTube. Whether they're watching funny videos, learning cool stuff, or uploading their own creations, they can stay busy on the popular website. But not everything about YouTube is fun and games. Discover five ways to make YouTube safer for kids.
bit.ly/olyDSv1
Family Tip 4: **Power up passwords**
Work together with kids to help them come up with complex passwords. Think outside the dictionary. Use phrases and special characters that make passwords hard to guess but easy to remember. Remind kids to keep passwords private and change them regularly.
Family Activity: Creating Strong Passwords
Evaluate some sample passwords, and then create some strong passwords with your family. This simple, short activity could save you a WORLD of hurt and countless hours down the road!
bit.ly/olyDSfa1
Family Tip 3: **Avoid location tracking**
Location-aware apps can be super helpful. But apps that use a device's location to help people find your kid or offer them ads for nearby businesses should be used with caution. Turn them off if you can.
Real-World Reasons Parents Should Care About Kids and Online Privacy
If you don't want to have the bejesus scared out of you, don't talk to an expert on kids' online privacy. If you knew what was really out there -- online predators, identity thieves, data miners -- you'd lock up the internet and throw away the key. The truth is, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The internet is so woven into our lives, we need to be aware of the worst-case scenarios that can strike when we're unprepared. Check out this article for a few of those scary things that can and do happen. But with some eyes and ears to the ground, they are totally preventable.
bit.ly/olyDSA2
Family Tip 2: **Use privacy settings**
Together, go through the settings on all new apps to make sure you both know what information your kids are sharing. Especially in the beginning, it's better to share very little.
| The Bare Minimum You Should Do to Protect Your Family's Data |
If you're not ready to #deletefacebook, here are 13 simple things you and your kids can do on your social accounts, phones, and devices to keep data safe. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olyDSA1
Family Tip 1: **Discuss Personal vs. Private Info**
Talk about the difference between what's OK to share online (favorite color) and what's not (home address).
Second grade is taking advantage of the beautiful weather to do some reading outside!
Common Sense Media has an extensive Q&A section regarding online security & privacy. We encourage families to explore these topics, which are even broken down by age group!
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/privacy-and-internet-safety
Sharing photos, posting comments, playing video games; these are just a few of the ways that kids interact online. But when sharing goes beyond friends and family, it can be risky. Watch this video for five simple Internet safety rules for kids: bit.ly/OlySPV1
Video: bit.ly/OlyCBV3
Chatting online can feel just like talking to someone in person, but it's actually quite different. It's all because of something called the "online disinhibition effect," which makes us more likely to share/communicate differently than if in person.
Ms. Metz' class has been working on reports about penguins. Mrs. Spracklen has been helping the students record their reports using a green screen, so they can in the middle of the penguin action!
Family Tip 6: Review worst-case steps.
Walk through what to do if your kid is being bullied online. First, step away. Ignoring a bully can be very effective. If the bullying continues, take screenshots or print out evidence. Then block the person. If it gets worse, report the behavior to a trusted adult. Talk about who those people are and make sure your kid has their contact information.
Resources: bit.ly/OlyCBR1
There are A LOT of "social media" sites out there. You know about Twitter & Facebook, but what about Reddit, TikTok, Twitch, Sarahah, or Discord? Educate yourself with this list of short explanation videos from Common Sense media!
