Today’s blog features guest Vanessa Van Petten, who calls herself a youthologist and teen author, manages RadicalParenting.com, a parenting blog written by teen writers, to help parents and adults get an honest and open view into the world and mind of youth. http://www.radicalparenting.com/
Whenever I give talks to teens about the Internet, I have to disclose that I probably use Facebook just as much, if not more than they do and I prefer Internet savvy to Internet safety. As a 25 year-old, I can completely relate to a teen’s addiction to cell phones, the allure of tantalizing Facebook status updates and trying to get on iChat as much as possible to stay in the loop with my friends. When I speak to parents however, I try to explain how parents can address these issues, while still making sure their kids are safe. Let’s look at some issues that teens’s have with Cybersafety and how parents can address them:
Potential Teen Attitude #1: “There are no predators online. If there were, I would not be fooled by them.”
Often times teens have trouble realizing how vast the Internet is and how easy it is to pretend to be someone else. The best way to explain this is through action. Try taking them online and setting up a chat or MySpace account. They often do not realize how easy it is to lie about their age, their name, find a fake picture on Google and then start talking to strangers. When they see that they could even do it with their parent in a few minutes, their perspective often changes.
Potential Teen Attitude #2: “Cyberbullying is normal. Everyone does it.”
Just because cyberbullying is normal, does not mean everyone is doing it. It is important to go through the different types of cyberbullying with your child and what they should do it if happens to them. When cyberbullying happens they should act immediately.
http://www.radicalparenting.com/blog/growing-up-online-series/
Potential Teen Attitude #3: “The Internet is all good. Adults over-exaggerate the bad.”
I have found that the only way for kids to actually hear some of the bad things about the Internet, is to also address what is good. Ask them to make a list with you of all of their favorite and least favorite things about technology. Here are some examples:
Good:
-Access to information like dictionaries, book reviews and articles
-Keeping in touch with far away family and friends
-Getting creative with non-profits on YouTube and Kiva.org.
Bad:
-Identity Theft
-You never know who is real
-Access to bad information
Giving equal attention to both positions lets them know you are reasonable and open to discussion. Many teens just want to be able to find balance in their online and offline life. Keeping the discussion open and addressing both sides of online life—good and bad is our best chance at teaching cybersafety and cybersavvy.
By Vanessa Van Petten, youthologist and teen author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!,” manages RadicalParenting.com, a parenting blog written by 119 teen writers, ages 12-20 to help parents and adults get an honest and open view into the world and mind of youth. Van Petten’s work and blog have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue, CNN, Fox News, Real Housewives of Orange County and much more! She won the Moms Choice Award in 2009 and her work is read by over 300,000 adults. http://www.radicalparenting.com/
Thank you Vanessa