Tips+for+Parents

Welcome to the world of Middle School- an exciting and sometimes confusing time in your child's life! The Middle School years can also be a trying time for parents. (My sister, while raising a teenage boy, spent an enormous amount of time in the garage talking to the washing machine. She says it helped!)

  Stay involved with your child, but don’t smother them.   They need space to grow, to experiment, but they also need guidelines, routines and structure. It is a difficult balancing act.   Talk **to** your child, not **at** them. Give them your undivided attention. Let them know that they are the #1 person in your life.   Help your child get organized and stay organized.   Above all, move the computer, TV and other distractions out of your child’s bedroom. You should monitor your child’s use of the Internet, TV and videos, as well as their homework!
 * __TIPS for Parents__**

Students are involved with computers everyday. As parents, it can be confusing and difficult to keep children safe while they use the Internet. Children are curious and want to learn about everything. There are many wonderfully interesting and educational sites designed for children that can really peak kids’ interest in the world.
 * __TIPS for Safe Internet Use__**

Unfortunately, there are many, many more sites that show violence and inappropriate material. At this age, children’s brains can not properly process and deal with such violence, even if it is make-believe. So internet safety is very important.

One website that can help you keep your child safe is [|http://www.safekids.com/]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">. This site offers information that helps parents and children use the internet in a safe and positive manner. With the parental guidance, children can learn the safe way to use the internet. Help your child to make good choices.

<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Keep the computer in a shared family space. (Family room, living room, study or den.) You should be able to see your child while he/she is using a computer. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Keep an eye on the sites your child is visiting. Go look at the screen every few minutes. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Talk to your child about what they looked at on-line. What games did they play? What did they learn? <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Ask your child questions about the sites they visited. Have them show you the sites. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Talk to your child about what to do if they accidentally see something they know is inappropriate. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Limit the time your child is on the computer. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">If you don’t know how to log onto the computer/internet, ask your child to show you.

Check out these web sites for excellent information about Internet safety and positive email guidelines.

[|http://www.2mm.com/kids/mini-session.htm]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> [|http://kids.getnetwise.org/safetyguide/tips/teens.php]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> [|http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety2.htm]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> http://isbparentrights.wikispaces.com <span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> [|http://www.isb.bj.edu.cn/hs-counseling-help_for_students_and_parents.aspx]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> [|http://www.iwebquest.com/responsible/safe.htm]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;"> [|http://www.iwebquest.com/responsible/responsible.htm]<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">

Check out these web sites for excellent information about drug prevention, intervention and raising healthy teens.

http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/index.htm http://www.focus.org.hk/ http://www.drugfree.org/Parent/

<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Check out these web sites for excellent information about bullying.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html http://www.commonsensemedia.org/social-network-tips http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying-tips [|www.nick.com/blab/safety/index.jhtm] [|www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee/htm] [|www.schoolcounselor.com/resources/computer-security.htm] [|www.cyberangels.org] [|www.cyberbully.org] [|www.internetsuperheroes.org/cyberbullying] [|www.netsmartz.org] __ kids.getnetwise.org __ [|www.safekids.com] [|www.schoolcounselor.com/safetynetlinks.asp] [|www.safeteens.com/safeteens.htm] [|www.komando.com/kimskidscontract.html] [|www.haltabuse.org] [|www.wiredsafety.org]

<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1; msobookmark: OLE_LINK2;">*Much of this information is from various web sites listed above.