Growing Up Online Free eBook & The Lorax Blu-ray Giveaway
Recently, I was watching Dr. Phil and I made my daughter come to where I was at, to listen to the end of the show. She needed to hear from someone else why I am as anal as I am about monitoring her online activity – especially Facebook – for the mere fact that her best friend’s mother doesn’t see the importance of her monitoring her 14yo’s Facebook.
This mother feels her daughter is entitled to privacy – something her parents didn’t give her much of when she was a teen. In turn, it makes me look bad to my daughter because I won’t give her that same privacy that her best friend has.
Well, this particular episode of Dr. Phil confirmed that what I am doing is not out of line. This mom and dad were wanting to get the word out how if they had only been aware of what was taking place on their daughter’s Facebook – that she may be alive today. You see, this 15yo (same age as my daughter) had a lot of friends on Facebook – friends she just clicked yes to when they requested her as a friend. Sadly though – one of those friends was not a teenager at all. This friend actually stalked her, kidnapped her from her home and then killed her. And this happened ONE state over from where we live.
Just because teens are at the age they begin to need privacy – doesn’t mean they can conquer the world. It also doesn’t mean that they are street-wise enough to know when danger is lurking. It also doesn’t mean that they make good choices…heck some adults don’t make very good choices. And internet safety – isn’t where they need to go it alone.
So, regardless of what my daughter thinks about me being up her butt, or what other parents think about kids needing their privacy – I am going to continue to do my job to protect my daughter from the World Wide Web, and the crazies that lurk on it, to the best of my ability!
I would never forgive myself if something happened to my daughter. Someday – I will have to let go, but when that time comes I will know in my heart that I did what needed to be done for my daughter’s safety. I am the one responsible for her until she is 18. And, I will know that she will have the tools behind her to monitor her own safety because I will have educated her through the years. I also intend on educating her on online dating and the safety of – she needs to learn about it whether or not she ever does it.
How did YOU – or will you – teach your children to surf the web safely?
The More You Know Learning Series, in collaboration with NBC News, has launched Growing Up Online, the FREE eBook for parents to keep their kids safe on the Internet!
Our kids have never known a world without the Internet. They’re spending more and more time on the web, so teaching them about using technology responsibly and safely is critical. Use the #GrowingUpOnline Blog App and take the quiz to see if your child is ready to safely surf the web!
Download the FREE Growing Up Online eBook and be sure to watch all four entertaining comic book stories as a family, which show real situations that may occur when your kids go online.
This free eBook provides easy-to-use information that addresses the growing concern about kids’ online privacy and cyberbullying in a unique and engaging way. Growing Up Online is packed with important tips that every parent should know!