Happy 4th birthday, Gunner! We hope you have an amazing day! 🎉
Love,
Your OLY South family
Family Tip #2 (Elementary): Play a game of telephone
Discuss how a message can change depending on the person delivering it or the delivery method. Read a question like "What are you doing?" with different tones of voice. Talk about how emoji and punctuation can help communicate tone and emotion in text messages.
Games, social media, and other online spaces give kids opportunities to meet and chat with others outside the confines of their real-life communities. But how well do kids actually know the people they're meeting and interacting with? Help students consider whom they're talking to and the types of information they're sharing online.
In this video, kids hear from teens about the benefits and drawbacks of presenting themselves differently (or even anonymously) to others online, and consider what it means to "be yourself" in digital spaces.
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv3
*Keeping Games Fun and Friendly*
Social interaction is part of what makes online gaming so popular and engaging for kids. But online communication can come with some risks. Show your kids how to keep their gaming experiences fun, healthy, and positive.
Video: bit.ly/olyRCv1
Family Tip #1: Give them the right words.
Kids learn about appropriate verbal and physical communication from watching you. But online conversations can be invisible. Occasionally, narrate as you're writing texts or social media comments when your kids are in earshot.
First graders in Mrs. Gray’s class enjoyed the nicer weather while illustrating their personal narratives. Each student used chalk to draw their small moment in a sidewalk square!
**Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online: Elementary**
Soon after kids start reading and writing, they often begin interacting with others online. Whether they're chatting within games or texting family members, kids need the skills to interact respectfully. These skills will help kids -- and the people they're communicating with -- have positive experiences online. Throughout April, be on the lookout for these 4 Family Tips for elementary families who are looking to build a strong foundation for online relationships and communication!
1. Give them the right words.
2. Play a game of telephone.
3. Help kids navigate online friendships.
4. Develop their instincts.
Family Tip 5: **Skip quizzes**
Help kids identify and avoid clickbait, quizzes, special offers, and anything that asks for personal or private information. This helps keep information secure and devices safe.
5 Myths and Truths About Kids’ Internet Safety
Help keep your kids' online experiences positive and productive by learning the truth (and ignoring the rumors) about what really makes them safe. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olyDSA5
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls
Do you need parental controls? What are the options? Do they really work? Here's everything you need to know about the wide array of parental control solutions, from OS settings to monitoring apps to network hardware. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olySDA3
5 Surefire Ways to Protect Your Kid’s Online Privacy
Today's kids spend lots of time posting and sharing information online. Learn five surefire ways to protect their privacy.
bit.ly/olyDSv2
5 Ways to Make YouTube Safer for Your Kids
Kids love YouTube. Whether they're watching funny videos, learning cool stuff, or uploading their own creations, they can stay busy on the popular website. But not everything about YouTube is fun and games. Discover five ways to make YouTube safer for kids.
bit.ly/olyDSv1
Family Tip 4: **Power up passwords**
Work together with kids to help them come up with complex passwords. Think outside the dictionary. Use phrases and special characters that make passwords hard to guess but easy to remember. Remind kids to keep passwords private and change them regularly.
Family Activity: Creating Strong Passwords
Evaluate some sample passwords, and then create some strong passwords with your family. This simple, short activity could save you a WORLD of hurt and countless hours down the road!
bit.ly/olyDSfa1
Family Tip 3: **Avoid location tracking**
Location-aware apps can be super helpful. But apps that use a device's location to help people find your kid or offer them ads for nearby businesses should be used with caution. Turn them off if you can.
Real-World Reasons Parents Should Care About Kids and Online Privacy
If you don't want to have the bejesus scared out of you, don't talk to an expert on kids' online privacy. If you knew what was really out there -- online predators, identity thieves, data miners -- you'd lock up the internet and throw away the key. The truth is, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The internet is so woven into our lives, we need to be aware of the worst-case scenarios that can strike when we're unprepared. Check out this article for a few of those scary things that can and do happen. But with some eyes and ears to the ground, they are totally preventable.
bit.ly/olyDSA2
Family Tip 2: **Use privacy settings**
Together, go through the settings on all new apps to make sure you both know what information your kids are sharing. Especially in the beginning, it's better to share very little.
| The Bare Minimum You Should Do to Protect Your Family's Data |
If you're not ready to #deletefacebook, here are 13 simple things you and your kids can do on your social accounts, phones, and devices to keep data safe. Article by Caroline Knorr
bit.ly/olyDSA1
Family Tip 1: **Discuss Personal vs. Private Info**
Talk about the difference between what's OK to share online (favorite color) and what's not (home address).
Second grade is taking advantage of the beautiful weather to do some reading outside!
