I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Every day new social platforms emerge and no sooner do we hear about it, our kids already have multiple followers! But as they zip from website to website oftentimes we worry for their safety with the actions and information they are providing. The question is- how do we keep our children safe online? One answer to that question is to use the resources that the Boys & Girls Clubs of America have provided on Cyber Safety!
My son just finished sixth grade and I normally trust him explicitly when it comes to the internet and using his discretion. His own moral compass points him in the correct direction 99% of the time. But, after reading more about Cyber Safety, it’s not HIM I need to worry about, its the “other” internet users that take advantage of his trusting nature. Cyber Stalkers can impersonate one of his “friends” and he would never know. He knows not to ever chat with anyone he doesn’t know in real life, but if one of his friend’s accounts gets hacked, he wouldn’t know.
June is Internet Safety Awareness Month! I hope to share this information with you so you can help keep YOUR kids safe!
Throughout the month of June, BGCA and Sprint are inviting parents to submit their top questions about cyberbullying, social networking, online privacy, mobile smarts and other cyber-related issues. BGCA’s Cyber Safety Ambassadors, a panel of Boys & Girls Club teens from around the world, will answer parents’ questions from a teens’ perspective onCyberSafeFutures.org. Their answers will educate parents and other mentors to help avoid risky situations for their kids and teens online.
DID YOU KNOW? 
Our tweens and teens are more tech savvy then we know. They find social networking so easy to use and it’s their primary means of communicating with their friends. How do you find out what your kids are doing and where your kids are online? TALK TO THEM! They know more about these social media sites then most parents ever will. Use them as a resource to learn about technology you don’t use. Ask them about Cyber Safety and have them explain to you some potential unsafe situation that could occur. They will respect that you respect them enough to ask! If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!
One resource on BGCA is “Ask to Win.” Ask the “Expert Teens” a question HERE and you will be entered to win an iPad Mini!!
DID YOU KNOW?
Yes, my 12 year old has his own Smartphone. He is an only child and proved to us that he is responsible and trustworthy. He isn’t ever left home alone or in a situation he would really NEED a phone, but it makes him feel more connected to his friends. He has never washed his phone, lost it or broke it. (My hubby has destroyed multiple cell phones in the last 4 years.”
DID YOU KNOW?
This statistic really scares me. Our children have been raised with technology and they tend to be too trusting. We need to reiterate that these are things they should NEVER do! The first step is to make sure kids don’t friend/follow/like people that don’t know personally. Then, they should NEVER mention where they live, Not even the state they live in. My son doesn’t use his last name on any social media accounts- he uses a fictional character name. He knows not to EVER give out his real first and last name. One thing that we need to stress is that he should NEVER give out the name of the school he goes to. There was a big text message fiasco at his school because someone in a text group set up by a teacher, clicked on a link and everyone on that text list got spam messages. My son got the message and came to me right away. I’m so glad he did- it shows he DOES pay attention when we talk to him. 🙂
Parents needs to stick together! When one parent learns new information about a new social media site or a new cyber bullying event, they should SHARE it with other parents. This will help our kids stay safe online!
BGCA is committed to keeping kids safe, and in today’s world that means being safe online. Be sure to use this great resource- you will be amazed at the things you will learn!
I took the safety quiz- YOU should too! Go HERE to take the quiz! Here are my results: “Thanks for taking the Cyber Safety Challenge! Looks like you’re on your way to becoming a Cyber Smart Parent and can benefit from our Cyber Safety Resources.”
What result did you get?
Don’t forget, “Ask the Expert Teens“, and you will be entered for a chance to win an iPad mini and $500 to the Boys & Girls Club of your choice- just by asking a question!
For more information:
Visit the BGCA Cyber Safe Futures Site, Like BGCA on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter!
