Dr. Alanna Levine: Are you web-savvy or are your kids better at navigating the web than you are?
In this day and age, it is important for parents to educate themselves on what kids are doing on the web and to monitor their activity. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children of all ages should be supervised on the Internet, but it's especially important to talk to your older children about the dangers of sharing personal information on the web, and about the ways in which they represent themselves online.
What should parents tell their teens?
- The web isn't private -- personal information can be gained from member profiles.
- Be careful about both the pictures you post, and the text.
- If you are uncomfortable, don't respond. Tell an adult.
- Never get together with someone you meet online.
- It may seem fun to pretend to be someone else and talk in a chat room, but this can be dangerous and should be avoided.
- Do not give out your passwords, even to your best friends.
- Never send a message you would not say face-to-face.
How can parents ensure that their kids are safely surfing the web? There are some great resources available:
- The AAP has an Internet safety pamphlet;
- Wiredsafety.org covers everything from "cyberbullying" to "sexting" and has great animation videos for teens to view;
- The AAP has teamed up with Microsoft to help develop age-based controls for computer use.
Check out our Internet Safety Resource Guide
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Dr. Alanna Levine is a pediatrician in
private practice and on staff at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, where she attends high risk deliveries and cares for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is a national spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and frequently appears on television as a medical expert. Dr. Levine lives in New York with her husband and their two children. |
