The Alert Parent Resource Page for workshop participants.RESOURCES and TOOLS Parenting Online Guide by WiredKids.orghttp://wiredkids.org/resources/documents/pdf/parentingonline.pdf
Another source for Internet safety is: http://www.connectsafely.org/
If you need basic definitions of technology terms used, the following site is a good starting point: http://www.netsmartz.org/safety/definitions.htm
Want to learn more about cell phones and how to monitor them, you have several options. The cell phones being offered by Leapfrog and others seem to be going away. Instead cell phone service providers are offering new and improved parental control services. For example, AT&T offers Smart Limits and T-Mobile offers Family Allowances. If you have a different provider, contact them to see what they are currently offering. You might be pleasantly surprised!
Of all the options I studied...one of my favorite finds is a cell phone monitoring program called Radar. It's inexpensive ($4.95 for one child and $14.95 for a family plan). To find out more about the product visit: http://www.mymobilewatchdog.com/. They have a limited 30-day free trial offer running now. Call them! They are very nice and will answer all your questions. :)
For a copy of a Cell Phone Parent/Child Agreement, visit another post on my blog. I suggest you copy and paste the material in a Word document. If you having trouble with formatting, please email me. I'll be glad to send you a copy of via email!
For an Internet User Agreement between parents and children, please visit WiredKids.org.
Email for kids: http://www.gmail.com/
For instructions on signing up for gmail and to learn more about it, visit:
http://thealertparent.blogspot.com/2008/10/gmail-instructions.html
Need help counteracting a cyberbully? Visit: http://www.wiredkids.org/
If you need more than on-line help, call the hotline. For more info about their services, visit: http://www.wiredsafety.org/911/index.html
For more Short Message Service lingo (you know, slang used for texting like LOL, BRB or A/S/L), visit: http://www.smsslang.com/
Reviews of best parental control software products for computers:
http://parental-control-software.topchoicereviews.com/
To sign up for Google Alerts: http://www.google.com/. Why would you do this? It's because you can get an email every time your children's names or private information show up on Google. For instructions on how to set up, visit: http://thealertparent.blogspot.com/2008/03/using-google-alerts-to-track-your-child.html
There are search engines designed specifically for kids. Don't start them with Google. Instead check out: http://www.askkids.com/, http://www.kidsclick.org/, and http://kids.yahoo.com/
Some basic tips for Internet use:
1. Don't put a computer with Internet access in a private room.
2. Set limits on usage.
3. Talk to your child about appropriate sites and actions on the Internet.
4. Think twice about giving permission for children to have a Facebook or MySpace (or similar page). Read my article about this subject for more information.
5. Put off giving permission to chat on line for a very long time! For more info about chatting online and Instant Messaging, visit Wiredsafety.org.
To get your cell phone (and private land line too) off lists of telemarketers, you can visit the
National Do Not Call List: https://www.donotcall.gov/register/Reg.aspx. Please note: This list will not help you stop telemarketers who have already found your cell phone number.
If you have a child who downloads music or creates videos online, read this article about copyright laws.
Have questions or an issue you'd like investigated, email me! We love to hear from readers.
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