Online Safety for Kids

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:02:00 GMT

More often than not, kids know more about the Internet and computers than their parents. This need not stop you from learning. In fact, this is an opportunity to have your child teach you about the Internet. Sit down with your child and explain to them what's good and not so good about the Internet. Regardless of how Web-literate your kids are, you should still provide guidance.

Here are some tips to follow when advising your kids on Internet use:

Never give out identifying information like home address, telephone number, or school name.
Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting without parental permission. If a meeting is arranged, make it in a public place, and accompany your child.
Keep track of any files your children download and consider sharing an e-mail account to oversee their mail.
Remember that people online may not be who they seem. Someone pretending to be a 13-year-old girl could in reality be a 40-year-old man.
Be wary of offers that want you to send money or credit card information.
Check out filtering programs that block sites that contain nudity, sexual content, hateful or violent material, or that advocate the use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol.
Attend online classes and spend some time listening to and speaking with other concerned parents.
Keep your computer in a family room rather than a child’s bedroom, where you can keep an eye on it. You wouldn't allow a stranger in your child’s bedroom; don't allow them in via computer either.
Grant your children Internet access only when you are at home and awake. If they can't hang out at the park at all hours of the night, they shouldn't be surfing then either.
Talk to your children about the things they may encounter online. You don't have to scare them, but they need to know the risks.
If your children encounter material online that makes them frightened or uncomfortable, they should always feel comfortable talking to you about it. Try not to respond in a way that blames them or they’ll be afraid to come to you the next time.

Written By: Christine West Article courtesy of:

Stay Safe This Summer

admin — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:27:00 GMT

Each year more than 1,800 children are seriously hurt and 50 children die while participating in summer activities like bicycle riding, swimming, walking or playing on playgrounds. Follow the key safety tips below to prevent serious injuries this summer while keeping fit and having fun!

Biking: Top Tips

Make sure your child wears a properly fitted bike helmet on every ride. Most serious cycling injuries and deaths are as a result of head injuries. A bike helmet reduces the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent.
Keep children off the road until at least age 10. Young children don't have the mental and physical skills to ride safely in traffic. Even children aged 10 and older need lots of practice with an adult before riding their bikes alone in traffic. These skills develop gradually from about age 10 to age 14.

Swimming: Top Tips

Stay within sight and reach when children are in, on or near water. Children under age 5 have the highest risk of drowning because they are attracted to water but they don't understand the dangers of drowning.
Make sure your home swimming pool is surrounded by a 4-sided pool fence at least 4 feet (1.2 metres) high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Most young children drown when they are playing near water, rather than swimming. Many of these drownings happen in backyard swimming pools.

Pedestrian: Top Tips

If your child is under age 9, make sure he crosses the street with and adult or older responsible child. Children under age 9 can't make good decisions about traffic, are distracted easily and lack a sense of danger. For example, they often think that if they can see a car, then the car can see them.
Practice walking safely with your child. Teach them to cross the street at intersections only and not in the middle of the street. Teach them to stop and check both ways for traffic before crossing the road. Children need to show their parents that they can cross the street safely before they can start walking on their own.

Playground: Top Tips

Choose a playground with a deep, soft surface and supervise your child closely. Most playground injuries happen when children fall from high equipment (more than 5 feet high) onto a hard surface. Children under age 5 should use equipment that is less than 5 feet (1.5 metres) high.
Remove all drawstrings from you child's clothing and make sure that they take off a bike helmet before they play on playground equipment. Some children have been strangled when their clothing drawstrings or bike helmets straps became caught on equipment.

For more information on summer safety, visit www.safekidscanada.ca or call 1-888-SAFE TIPS (723-3847)

Safe Kids Canada

Online Safety for Kids

Stay Safe This Summer