Tips for Parents
Your Teens and Social Networking
- Be reasonable and try to set reasonable expectations. Pulling the plug on your child’s Internet activities is rarely a good first response to a problem—it’s too easy for them to “go underground” and establish accounts at a friend’s house or many other places.
- Be open with your children. Encourage them to come to you if they encounter a problem online—cultivate trust and communication because no rules, laws or filtering software can replace you as their first line of defense.
- Talk with your children. Find out how they use the services. Make sure they understand basic Internet safety guidelines, including privacy protection and passwords, the risks involved in posting personal information, avoiding in-person meetings, and not posting inappropriate photos.
- Consider requiring that all online activity take place in a central area of the home, not in a child’s bedroom. Be aware that there are also ways children can access the Internet away from home.
- Try to get your children to share their blogs or online profiles with you. Be aware that they can have multiple accounts on multiple services. Use search engines and the search tools on social-networking sites to search for your child’s identifying information.
For additional information on this topic:
Visit www.ConnectSafely.org
Visit www.GetNetWise.org
Visit your library
Illinois Library Association http://www.ila.org/netsafe/
Motivating Your Teen to Read
Experts say the simple habit of reading for pleasure can help make students successful. Here's how you can play a part in developing reading habits that will last your child's lifetime.
Get your high schooler reading about subjects he enjoys.
Keep magazines around the house that hit on topics he cares about, whether it's politics, art, or music. Even enlisting him to review instruction manuals for new games, appliances, or other products can help foster a reading habit. Don't forget, too, that Internet sites involve reading -- so suggest he explore Web sites about favorite subjects like movies or sports cars.
Encourage your teenager to broaden his horizons.
Librarians at a local library or your child's school can steer him to different kinds of books that might spark his interest. For example, if he wants to learn a skill, such as woodworking, how-to books are the perfect way to satisfy his curiosity. Keep in mind that your teen's interests may differ from yours. He might enjoy books you wouldn't read yourself, like science fiction or real-life adventures.
