Uncategorized

5 Things Parents Need To Know About Musical.ly

by

Does your child use Musical.ly? If so, they are not alone. It has become one of the most popular apps used by kids and tweens.

The premise is a lot of fun. Kids lip sync to a short snippet of music and it records a little video of them. They can be funny and creative and they have a blast looking at both their own and their friends’ creations.

Unfortunately there are some safety risks that come with using the Musical.ly app.

5 things Parents Need to Know About Musical.ly:

1. It’s impossible to have a “Private” account.

My 9-year-old daughter absolutely loves making and watching videos on Musical.ly. If I let her, she’d spend hours pouring over her friends’ latest posts and making her own.

One evening, I was making dinner and I could hear her playing Musical.ly videos in the living room. I was lost in my own thoughts, when a song caught my attention. When I focused in on the lyrics, I was pretty shocked. There was profanity and really adult content.

I sat down on the couch to take a closer look at what she was watching. It was pretty upsetting.

When she first got the app, we set it up so that it was Private.  She should only be able to see videos of her friends and vice-versa. The problem is even with this setting there is a search feature that exposes her to anyone’s videos.

2.  There are a lot of inappropriate videos on Musical.ly

With very little searching kids can find videos with very explicit language. There are also lots of skimpy outfits and sexual dance moves. It’s impossible to block the search feature so even with a “Private” account, kids can access these videos

3.  Clicking on hashtags can lead to pornographic videos.

There are hashtags at the bottom of the Musical.ly home page that sometimes link them to pornographic videos. Although I didn’t find any when I clicked around, I’ve heard from many parents who have. Kids are just one click away from viewing them.

4.  Kids get addicted to the rating system.

Another problem is that the rating system can become addictive. Often kids become really concerned about the number of likes they get for their videos. Many keep their accounts public, just so they can collect more likes. They also may feel upset if they don’t get a lot of likes.

5.  Kids can interact with strangers.

Because of the rating system and search features, even with Private accounts kids can interact with strangers. It’s never a good idea for kids to interact with people they don’t know. Too many kids have been lured and hurt by strangers.

It’s a shame there are these features since kids so enjoy making the videos. Hopefully, Musical.ly will make some changes to the app so it becomes safer for our kids.

If you would like to share your concerns or suggest changes to the app, you can email them at: [email protected]

Social media can lower self-esteem

by

Does social media effect our kids’ self esteem?

Everyday after school, Sarah checks her Instagram account. She likes to see what her friends are doing, but often feels worse after reading their status updates. What they post always looks so much better than whatever she is doing. She sees friends at the beach, drinking Starbucks and having a GREAT time. She also notices how pretty, photogenic and happy they appear. By the time she sets her phone down, she feels terrible. She believes her life is not nearly as exciting. She is not as pretty or popular or amazing. Sarah is suffering from a classic case of Social Media Hangover.

This phenomenon is extremely common for both kids and grown-ups. We often compare our lives to what we see posted on social media and most of us feel worse after perusing our friends’ accounts. The reality is that Social Media profiles are an illusion. They are carefully crafted. People don’t typically post terrible pictures of themselves. They don’t create updates of the boring, mundane tasks of their day. Instead, most people create an enviable social media image.

Social media can be a lot of fun. It helps up stay in touch with people we wouldn’t otherwise. However, often times our kids feel badly about themselves when they compare their real lives to their friends social media profiles.

One teen girl told me, “I usually take 200+ selfies before choosing one to post. I always edit it too so I look my best.” Another teen admitted that she purposely posts pictures showing how much fun she’s having, and who she’s with, so people will think she’s really popular.

It is really important to talk to our kids about the fantasy aspect of social media. Just as models are highly edited and airbrushed, most of us create Social Media accounts that show an ideal life that doesn’t truly reflect reality.

I encourage you to talk to your child about the Social Media Hangover phenomenon. You can start the conversation with the following questions:

  • Do you think Social Media is real?
  • Why do people edit photos of themselves before posting?
  • Do you ever feel badly when you compare yourself to your friends’ profiles?
  • Would you say you feel better or worse after being on Social Media?
  • Do you think someone is more popular than you if they have more followers on Instagram?
  • Have you ever seen a profile of someone you know well that doesn’t seem like an accurate reflection of his or her life?

Because our digital footprints are permanent, I always encourage kids to post updates that show themselves in a positive light. However, it’s really important for kids to understand that social media is not real. It can be damaging to kids’ self-esteems when they compare themselves to others’ “exciting and perfect lives.”

One fun exercise is for kids to look over their own profile. Usually they see how great their Social Media lives look too and it can help them to remember not to take other profiles too seriously.

Teaching young kids to use technology safely

by

I had two experiences last week that helped me realize how early we need to start teaching our kids to use technology safely.

My youngest daughter Meadow is 8. She does not have a cellphone, text or use social media. She does have an ipad though, which I had set up as securely as possible, and thought we were all good. (Click here to read how you can do that on your devices too.)

However, as often happens to me as a parent, something eye-opening happened and I realized she was more than ready.

First, Meadow came home from a play date and told me she was excited because she and her friend talked to “Batman” while playing Minecraft. I was busy cooking dinner so my first impulse was to say, “Oh, that’s nice.” But I made myself stop what I was doing to find out more. When I dug a little deeper, I realized she and her friend were chatting with a stranger. Even though she reassured me that he was not a “Bad Guy,” I asked her to show me her ipad so I could see how the chat feature works. I discovered she was free to type anything she pleased. (Lots of kids games have limited chat features, with pre-written choices for conversation.) This sparked a conversation on why it’s not safe to talk to strangers online and how the internet is not a safe place to make friends. At 8, she was just excited to have the honor of talking to “Batman.” However, she didn’t realize he could be someone else (which call me crazy, I’m guessing he was).

The second incident happened a couple of days later. Even though Meadow doesn’t have a cellphone, she has recently started using Facetime and imessage with a good friend on her ipad. Since this is her buddy, it didn’t occur to me to talk to her about cyberbullying or the public nature of messaging.  Once again it was a lesson for good ole’ mom on the importance of talking about these issues before they become a problem.

Meadow is an animal lover and she and her friend got the idea it would be great fun to have pet pigs.  Meadow mentioned that her friend was mad at her because she wanted to be the only one to have a pig. Again, my impulse was to say “Oh that’s too bad.” But instead, I asked to see her ipad. I was pretty shocked when I saw the nature of their messages. What started out as a fun time chatting about pigs quickly turned into a mean-spirited conversation. Her friend was REALLY mad at her and was letting her know it! Meadow actually handled it very well, and didn’t get nasty back.  I quickly realized though that she was more than ready for training on texting safety.

I was waiting to teach her once she had a cell phone and a digital social life, but this was a mistake. She is ready now.

If your child is online or has any kind of digital life, I highly encourage you to talk about the following:

  • Don’t chat with strangers online.  It’s too risky and just not safe. Instead of trying to figure out whether or not someone is who he or she claims to be, a blanket rule is safest. (Let’s face it; chatting with Batman is pretty appealing to an 8 year old!)
  • Handle conflicts in-person. Even after I called Meadow’s friend’s mom to talk about the upsetting messages, the girls wanted to Facetime to talk about it. Instead we had them wait and talk in-person. This situation was the perfect example of how kids say things digitally that they would never in person.
  • Discuss how digital conversations are public. When I first asked to see her messages Meadow said, “No, they’re private.” It was the perfect time to sit down and explain that actually no, they aren’t. The messages could be copied and forwarded to anyone. She hadn’t realized this (and I hadn’t taught her.)
  • Stay in the loop. As parents, we are busy. However, it really doesn’t take very long to sit down and check-in with our kids. In both of these situations I was focused on something else and my initial impulse was to brush it off. However, I am SO glad I didn’t. I would have missed  discussing both a safety issue and a really important teachable moment, that sparked some great conversations.

It can be a challenge to realize when our young kids are ready for this type of training. I felt relieved that Meadow’s first problem happened with a good friend. They both learned a lot, on a small scale. However, it did surprise me that she needed these lessons already. I encourage you to get these conversations started.

At 8, Meadow doesn’t need to know everything a preteen or teen would about technology. However, she’s definitely ready for the basics.

Have you had similar situations with your younger kids? How have you handled them and what have you learned? I’d love to hear your stories. In this ever-changing digital world, we can all learn from each other.

Child Cell Phone Contract

by

Are you thinking of getting your child a cell phone for Christmas or Hannukah? Do they already use one but you’d like to establish some concrete rules and guidelines with them? I have a great tool for you: my free Cell phone contract

It’s really important that we talk with our kids about our expectations for their digital lives. Clear rules can help them make good choices when using their devices.

My holiday gift to you is the attached cell phone contract. I encourage you to go over it with your child and answer their questions.  (Of course feel free to adjust it to your own personal rules.)

It’s important to realize that our kids are still learning and will make mistakes with their devices. The good news is that by keeping the lines of communication open and being clear on your expectations you can help them navigate their new responsibility smoothly.

Do you use a cell phone contract? Has it been helpful? Hop on over to my Facebook page and let me know what’s worked for you.
Feel free to share the contract with your friends. We can all use help with keeping our kids safe.

Kids and Snapchat: What Parents need to know

by

I have a confession: I don’t like wearing costumes. They are usually uncomfortable and scratchy and I don’t feel like myself. This past Halloween my family was invited to a party where costumes were REQUIRED. They meant business too. No costume, no entry. My 13-year-old daughter suggested the perfect costume for me. She had seen it on Pinterest and thought it would meet all of my requirements.

IMG_4713

She helped me create my very own Snapchat costume. All I had to wear was a yellow shirt (not my favorite color, but I’d survive) and I’d have a costume tailor made for someone who doesn’t like dressing up and teaches internet safety. It even had a Snap Code on the back where people could scan it with their phone to send me a message. It was very cool.

I had no idea my costume would be another lesson in the importance of parents staying up-to-date with their kids’ digital lives.

When we arrived at the party, it was already crowded. Right away several parents said, “Oh, I like your little ghost costume.” Hmm…I thought. Do they really not recognize the Snapchat logo? Almost immediately, several teens ran up and said, “Love your Snapchat costume!” This was interesting. I started polling the grow-ups at the party to see if they knew what I was. Not one single parent had any idea what my costume was; however, every single tween and teen did. This was the perfect reminder of why parents need to stay involved in their kids digital lives. As a parent, it’s important to understand Snapchat. Kids use it. Daily. It can be fun, but there are also a lot of problems that come with this app and kids need to know how to use it safely.

Snapchat is an app that allows users to send pictures and videos that flash onto the receiver’s screen for just a few seconds (the sender decides how long: between 1-10 seconds) and then supposedly “disappear.”

th

People like it because they can share a moment in their day. A silly expression, what they are snacking on, who they are hanging with, etc. It is a fast-paced social media app that was designed with the intention to provide more privacy then apps like Instagram, where posts can be seen by many. However, Snapchat is just as public as any other digital communication. Kids know that they can take a screen shot of any picture that comes on their device and then will have a permanent copy, which they can share with anyone. Snapchat notifies the sender if someone has taken a screenshot of their message; however by this point it’s too late to get it back.

Snapchat is also often used by teens for Sexting: sending and receiving naked or semi-naked pictures of themselves. They  think it’s a “safe” way to do this since the images vanish; however, this simply isn’t the case.

If you don’t now much about Snapchat, you are not alone! The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to help protect your child.

  • Talk with your child about Snapchat. Do they have an account? (Legally, kids are supposed to be 13 or older however, many younger kids have accounts too.) Sit down with them and have them teach you how it works. Kids love to be the expert and teach their parent.
  • Remind your child how everything they do in the digital world can become public. Even though it FEELS private, once they hit send their picture or video could end up anywhere. I like to have my kids picture how they would feel if their message was on the billboard in front of their school. If they wouldn’t want it there, they should send it.
  • Ask them if they’ve seen anything inappropriate or embarrassing while using Snapchat.  Let them know that they can come to you if they ever see something upsetting. Kids need our help processing inappropriate messages and the majority of them have seen them.

For most of us, it is impossible to understand every app or to try to keep up with our kids. We will always be a step or more behind them. However, we can check-in with them and communicate the importance of creating a digital footprint they can be proud of. Keeping the lines of communication open about their digital lives and staying involved with how they are using technology is an important step to keeping them safe. I know it can feel overwhelming, but your child can show you the ropes, while you communicate that you are willing to learn and want to be involved with their digital world.

 

Protecting Kids from Online Pornography

by

Do you worry about how to protect your child from online pornography? I do.

When I’m creating my Cybersafety Classes, lots of times I  search online for images for my videos. Over the years, the amount of pornographic pictures I have seen when searching really innocent words (teenagers, dating, cellphones, etc. ) could make your head spin. The last few months, I’ve noticed a HUGE increase in the number of naked and sexual pictures online. (Some of them were so graphic, it made me feel sick.) It was getting so common and so disturbing, I honestly dreaded looking things up.  Every time this happened, I thought about my daughters and how upsetting it would be for them to see some of these images. As a grown-up I could barely handle it.

I started investigating to see if anything had changed with my settings. One thing I discovered was that both Yahoo and Google have options to turn on “Safe Search.” (Mine was not on.) Just by changing this setting, the majority of pornographic pictures were filtered out. (Instructions for turning on settings are at the end of the post.)

I also started thinking about my 8 year old, and how she loves to ask Suri to show her pictures of things. (Unicorns, dragons, etc.) I immediately went to check the settings on her device and made sure it was also set appropriately.

Over the years a lot of parents have asked me about software that helps block inappropriate sites and information. I’ve always advocated for educating kids about how to search safely, instead of relying on software to make good choices for them. I still believe education is the most important piece to empowering kids to use technology safely. However, after realizing how much more prevalent online pornography has become, it might be something to consider, especially for younger kids.

The most popular product available is called: Nanny Net. Not only does it block inappropriate content but it also monitors Social Media usage for things like Cyberbullying and Sexting. This type of software is not foolproof and the older kids get, the more savvy they become at getting around restrictions. Education should always be step one. However, when dealing with younger kids, this can be a good option. (If you choose to use internet filtering software, you will need to purchase licenses for each of your devices.)

As parents, we always want to protect our kids. With the internet, it is not always easy. However, by taking a few minutes to check the settings on your computers and devices, you can protect them from a lot of really graphic, inappropriate information and help them use technology safely.

To change your search settings on Yahoo:

  1. Go to the Yahoo Search box and type “search”
  2. Click on the gear icon in the upper right hand corner and go to “Preferences”
  3. Choose “Safe Search”
  4. You will have options: Strict, Moderate or Off ( I recommend starting with “Strict” and if too much regular content is filtered out, then adjust to moderate.

To change your search settings on Google:

  1. Start at www.google.com
  2. Click “Settings” in the lower right hand corner
  3. Choose Search Settings
  4. Turn Safe Search On.

On an Iphone, Ipad or Ipod:

  1. Go to “Settings”
  2. Choose General
  3. Find Restrictions
  4. Here you can enter a passcode to block adult content. You can even specify what movies you want them to have access to, music, videos, websites, etc.

If you find that too much regular content is being filtered out, you can adjust your settings.

Please share this information with your friends so we can protect our kids.

Kids spend too much time on their phones

by

Most parents worry that kids spend too much time on their phones. There are steps you can take to help them unplug.

Last week, my family spent a week at the beach. Of course the sun, sand and surf were amazing. However, what I loved most about our trip was that our daughters unplugged. No WIFI. No Instagram. No texting. Yes, I’ll admit, at first they were a bit lost. But it was great to see how they used the time once the initial discomfort wore off. My 12 year-old spent hours body surfing, boogie boarding and reading. My 8 year-old dug for sand crabs, splashed in the waves and built sandcastles. They were both so present and in the moment.

IMG_4146

I have to admit, it took me a while to adjust as well. But before long, I was having so much fun playing games, making jewelry, swimming, reading and coloring. I didn’t realize how nice it would be to take a vacation from technology.

If your kids are like most, they spend a huge amount of time on their devices over summer. I get it. It’s easier sometimes to let them plug-in. But you will be amazed at the creativity that is born from tech-free time.

5 Ways to Help your Child Unplug:

  1. Create an “Unplugged” Schedule: Set a time during the day that is technology-free. No ipads, cell phones, video games, etc. Most likely your child will not think this is a great idea. That’s okay. If your child is short on ideas, you can suggest they invite over a friend, bake something, do an art project, play a board game, ride bikes, or go for a swim. The ideas are endless once they start brainstorming.

  1. Family Time: Our less-scheduled summer days are the perfect time to do something fun together Play a board game, go to the river, take a hike, go on a picnic. Keep in mind, it’s really important to put your devices away too. We model the behavior we expect from our kids and they will definitely notice if we aren’t unplugging as well.IMG_3429
  1. Get Out Into The Community: Check your local events calendar to see what’s going on around town. The summer months are full of outdoor concerts, picnics, reading programs and day camps. Many of these events are free. Encourage your child to leave their phone at home and enjoy the day.
  1. Allow Boredom: I’m sure you’ve all heard it: “I’m bored!” Devices are a quick go-to response for many of us. However, allowing your child to be “bored” usually inspires them to do something much more creative.
  1. Tech-Time: Allow some time during the day where they can use technology. Whether it’s texting friends, watching a show or playing a video game, let them have some space to plug-in. Kids miss their friends when school is out and often times social media is the easiest way for them to connect. It’s okay to give them some time to interact as long as there are limits.

I’d love to hear from you. How have you helped your child unplug? What obstacles did you face? How did you overcome them? Click here to comment on my Facebook Page. As parents, we can all learn from each other.

 

 

Texting Etiquette

by

Does your child understand texting etiquette?

  • Jenny sleeps with her phone next to her bed. It buzzes all night long as her friends send text messages into the wee hours of the night.
  •  Sarah is offended by a text from her BFF so she unfollows her on Instagram, starting a chain of nasty messages and hurt feelings.
  • Sam is ready to throw out his cell phone. He’s at his wits end about the number of group texts his friends have included him in and the volume of messages he receives.
  • Matt is fed up with the number of texts he receives as well. Several girls from school text him repeatedly before he even has a chance to respond and he is frustrated!
  • Krissy, Macy and Angela start a private group text at a slumber party that sparks hurt feelings amongst the girls who are excluded.
  • Alisha never puts her cell phone away. At restaurants, family get-togethers and while hanging out with her friends, it’s always out and she’s always quick to respond to her incoming texts.
  • Johnny is surprised and embarrassed when his girlfriend takes a screen shot of his romantic text and posts it to her Instagram account.

Do these situations sound familiar?

One of our challenges as parents is helping our kids develop what I like to call: Texting Etiquette. (Which of course applies to emails, posts and all forms of digital communication.)

As parents, it’s important to take the time to talk to our kids about social etiquette when using technology and how to handle it when they feel offended or upset by messages they receive.

  1. Just like they shouldn’t call someone on the phone repeatedly, kids need to learn that they shouldn’t text repeatedly without receiving a response. I’ve heard from many kids who feel annoyed by the volume of messages they receive.
  1. Kids also need guidance with how to handle arguments that develop via text or posts. Often times they fire back right away or “unfriend” or “unfollow” the person they are upset with. This typically escalates the tension. Instead, talk to your child about coming to you if they are upset about messages they’ve received. Encourage them to take time to “cool off” before responding, since often times they handle these situations much better after a breather. Also encourage them to handle disagreements in-person, instead of via text.
  1. Avoid creating group texts. Once kids add their friends to group messages, they cannot remove themselves. This can be very frustrating since the number of texts can be high and the interruptions excessive. If parents are monitoring their child’s text messages via the cloud, they can be flooded with messages as well.
  1. Have a bedtime for devices. Allowing kids to have their devices in their bedrooms can create lots of problems. They often text late into the night or are disturbed by incoming messages. Just like it’s impolite to phone someone late at night, the same rules should apply to text messages.
  1. Encourage your kids to talk face-to-face for lengthy conversations. If the message is longer than a few words a phone call is more effective.
  1. Set guidelines about texting when they are with other people. Encourage them to put their phones away and enjoy being with their friends. Just because their phone dings, they don’t have to interrupt what they are doing to respond.
  1. Create situations where your kids are device-free. Since texting is now the number one way young people communicate outside of the classroom, many kids are not learning good social skills. Kids need time together without technology, so they can develop strong interpersonal skills.
  1. Since nonverbal communication is eliminated with text messages (expression, tone, etc.) kids need our guidance looking at their messages and talking about whether or not they could be misinterpreted. By using emoticons, and adding “pleases” and “thank yous”, many messages are received as intended.
  1. Even though text messages are not truly private (they can so easily be shared and forwarded) teach kids to treat their messages as private and not share them without permission from the sender.

Just like kids need guidance learning how to be polite and respectful in-person they need our help learning how to communicate responsibly electronically.

What challenges have you seen with kids and their “Texting Etiquette?” What’s worked for you? I’d love to hear from you! Comment below and share your stories. We can all learn from each other.

Keep Your Child Safe On Any App

by

Do you want to learn ways to keep your child safe on any app? Most parents do but feel overwhelmed about keeping up.

The other day I received a phone call from Tracy.*  She was reviewing her daughter Ashley’s* texts and posts (which is their agreement) and became quite concerned about some of her conversations.

Ashley and her friends have been getting follower requests on Instagram from men they don’t know, and some of Ashley’s friends have been accepting them. Tracy was quite concerned since she thought Ashley’s privacy settings protected her from strangers.

After digging further into Ashley’s texts, Tracy discovered that Ashley has several new apps (Vine, Followers +, Ask.FM) she doesn’t understand. She was feeling really overwhelmed and wondered how she could possibly protect her daughter in such a fast moving and ever-changing cyberworld.

As a parent, you can probably relate. It is virtually impossible to keep up with all of the apps and programs kids use, since they are typically one step ahead of us. This can feel very scary.

The good news is you don’t have to understand them all. There are 5 cybersafety steps that can keep your child safe on any app. It doesn’t matter if you don’t fully understand the app (although I encourage you to take the time to understand as many as you can).

5 Strategies to Keep Kids Safe:

1. Always think about your digital footprint.

Everything we do in the digital world, whether it’s an email, text or post, leaves behind a permanent record. It’s important for kids to understand that even if it feels like a private conversation, it has the potential to become public. Would they want their post on a billboard in front of their school? If not, then don’t hit send. Period.

2. The cyberworld is NOT a safe place to make friends.

Even though kids like to collect followers, they should never accept requests from people they don’t know in real life. People can pose as anyone they like in the virtual world and it can be dangerous. Encourage them to make friends in-person but not online.

3. Trust your instincts.

Explain to your child that we all have instincts that are designed to protect us. If they are doing something online that they wouldn’t want you to see, or feel “funny” about, those are their instincts and they are trying to protect them. Listen.

4. Remember the Golden Rule.

Kids are much crueler in the digital world then in person. With anonymity (especially on sites like Ask.Fm) and the lack of face-to-face feedback, kids are much more likely to say and post things that they would never say in person. Talk to your child about the importance of treating others the way they would want to be treated and never forwarding or reposting embarrassing, mean or unkind posts or pictures. Not only will it be on their digital footprint, they could potentially cause someone else a lot of pain.

5. Get help.

Encourage your child to come to you if they see something they are concerned about. Even though Ashley texted her friend not to talk to a guy she doesn’t know (As she put it, “He could be a murderer!”), she didn’t talk to her mom about it. The good news is her mom was monitoring her activity and was able to intervene. Remember: everything is public in the cyber world. It is not an invasion of your child’s privacy to review his or her texts and posts since they are public.

It is a great idea to have clear rules and consequences with your child about what you expect from them when using technology. Some parents approve all social apps before their child signs-up or deletes an account. Others make it clear that they will be monitoring their activity at regular intervals. I also recommend that you have your child put away their devices before bed since lots of problems occur late at night when they feel unsupervised. Kids love their devices and clear rules and consequences can help them make better choices.

I know it can feel scary to think about how to best protect our kids. The good news is that these 5 strategies can help kids make good choices and stay safe, no matter what program they are using.

I love to hear from you! Do you have any problems that you need help with? What’s worked for you? Please comment below.

*Names have been changed

What is Cyberstrong Kids?

by

Do you wish you had a Facebook or Instagram account when you were growing up?

Even though it might have been fun, most of us are thankful there is not a public record from our teen years.

Kids are growing up in a very different world.

They spend hours every day on their devices.  Texting is now the number one way they communicate outside of the classroom. We know that there are advantages to today’s technology, but we want to protect our kids.

To add to our fears, we are bombarded with news headlines and horror stories from our friends. With cyberbullying, sexting and online pornography it is easy to feel OVERWHELMED.

Cyberstrong Kids can help.

Cyberstrong Kids is an online class you and your child (ages 9-14) take together.  Your child will learn how to stay safe in today’s digital world while you learn the best ways to protect and guide them.

Cyberstrong Kids includes:

  • Understanding digital footprints
  • Protecting personal information
  • Understanding social media
  • Cyberbullying prevention
  • Dealing with inappropriate information
  • Texting safety
  • Creating a positive digital reputation

Cyberstrong Kids is different from other programs.

  • Kids take control of their digital footprints. They learn how to create a digital reputation they can be proud of.
  • Parents are included. This is crucial. When you understand your child’s digital world, you can help them make good choices and stay safe.

Get started today.