Tools for parents

What can parents of 8 to 9 year old children do to help keep them safe?

  • Review with children that the Internet is a public place like the store, the neighbourhood, the playground or going to someone's house. Set the expectation that you will monitor them online to increase their safety.
  • Use parental controls on your computer.
  • Balance the amount of time children spend online with offline activities.
  • Ensure that children are not communicating in chatrooms as these areas are typically unregulated.
  • Caution should be given to whether children at this age are ready to join instant messaging (MSN, Yahoo!, AIM, etc.), or social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc.). A high level of adult supervision is necessary. Keep in mind that most games have an interactive chat component.
  • Know your children's passwords and screen names.
  • Discuss appropriate and inappropriate material. This could lead into a review of the difference between respecting and breaking boundaries.
  • Explain that no one should ask children to take their clothes off (with exception for medical purposes).
  • Review "okay" and "not okay" touching.
  • If exposed to inappropriate material online (sexually explicit, violent, etc.), teach them to leave the computer and tell a trusted adult.
  • Teach them to trust their instincts. Use "what if" scenarios to help them anticipate possible situations and practice appropriate responses if someone breaks their personal boundaries.
  • Explain that pictures should only be accepted, taken or sent online with parental permission.
  • Review the difference between a Keep and a Speak secret. A Keep secret is harmless and will eventually come out, like a birthday present; a Speak secret is one that children are told never to tell, like someone speaking sexually to them. They will need to tell a trusted adult about Speak secrets.
  • Begin discussions about the concept of anonymity on the Internet and how people can misuse personal information online.
  • Talk about friendship: what it is and isn't. Explain that new friendships online need to be adult supervised and that children should never meet in person anyone they have first met online without an accompanying parent.
  • Ensure they have a few safe adults who they can talk to about anything (parent, aunt, grandparent, teacher, etc.)