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KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE ON THE INTERNET

By taking responsibility for your children's online computer use, parents can greatly
minimize any potential risks of being online.
Make it a family rule to:
Never give out identifying information-- home address, school name, or telephone
number-- in a public message such as chat or bulletin boards, and be sure you're dealing
with someone that both you and your child know and trust before giving it out via E-mail.
Think carefully before revealing any personal information such as age, marital status, or
financial information.
Get to know the services your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to
show you. Find out what types of information it offers and whether there are ways for
parents to block out objectionable material.
Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without
parental permission.
Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene,
belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell
you if they encounters such messages.
Should you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while
online, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by
calling 1-800-843-5678. You should also notify your online service.
Remember that people online may not be who they seem. Because you can't see
or even hear the person it would be easy for someone to misrepresent him or herself. Thus,
someone indicating that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could in reality be a
40-year-old man.

Communication Tips for Parents and Kids

"You never listen to me" is a complaint heard as often from children as parents. Good
communication helps children and parents to develop confidence, feelings of self-worth,
and good relationships with others. Try these tips:
Teach children to listen…gently touch a child before you talk…say their name.
Speak in a quiet voice…whisper sometimes so children have to listen…they like this.
Look children in the eyes so you can tell when they understand…bend or sit down…become
the child’s size.
Practice listening and talking; talk with your family about what you see on TV, hear on the
radio or see at the park or store. Talk with your children about school and their friends.
Respect children and use a courteous tone of voice. If we talk to our children as we would
our friends, our youngsters may be more likely to seek us out as confidants.
Catch children and teens being good. Praise them for cooperating with you or their siblings,
or for doing those little things that are so easy to take for granted.
Praise builds a child’s confidence and reinforces communication. Unkind words tear
children down and teach them that they just aren’t good enough.
Children are never too old to be told they are loved. Saying "I love you" is important.
Writing it in a note provides the child with a reminder that he can hold on to.
Give your undivided attention when your child wants to talk to you. Don’t read, watch TV,
fall asleep or make yourself busy with other tasks.

ALERT LIST
Be alerted if someone you encounter or
a member of your family:
Treats a child differently from other
children.
Wants to spend time with child alone,
makes excuses to take child places or
have others leave so he/she can be
alone with child.
Asks child to do things that involve
physical contact, like giving back rubs or
washing child’s back.
Does things that involve physical
contact, like giving back rubs,massaging
or helping child wash.
Accidentally-on-purpose touches child’s
private parts, brushes against breast
while wrestling, or rubs his/her body on
child’s body.
Looks at or touches child’s body and says
it is an inspection to see how child is
developing.
Puts lotions or ointment on child when
others are not around or nothing is
wrong, or asks to put on suntan lotion.
Accidentally-on-purpose goes in child’s
room while he/she is undressed, or goes
in the bathroom when child is there, or
lets his/her robe fall open while walking
around.
Does not respect child’s privacy, goes
into bathroom without knocking, does
not allow doors to be closed to child’s
room.
Asks questions or makes accusations
about sexual things between child and
their boyfriend or girlfriend.
Teaches sex education by showing
pornographic pictures, shows his/her
body to child, or touches child’s body.
Says things about child’s body or how
child dresses that make child
uncomfortable.
Talks to child about sexual things he/she
has done.
Tells child private things about his/her
spouse or parents or child’s mother or
father.
Tells child that they are different,
special, the only one who understands –
better than his/her wife or husband.
Treats child like an adult and/or acts like
a child himself/herself.
Gives child special privileges or favors
and makes child feel like they should
return a favor by doing something.