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Health & Fitness

It's Hip to Chat! Tips for Keeping Kids Safe Online

It is important to teach your kids about online safety, but it's not always easy to know where to start. Here are some tips for starting the Internet safety conversation with your child.

Virtual playgrounds exist for today’s kids, but not without risks such as cyberbullying and predators.

As the mom of two teens and one tween, I have experienced the struggle that comes with trying to teach your children about online safety while also giving them the freedom to explore all the wonderful wonders of the online world. Much like the real world, it’s a fine line to walk as a parent. However, unlike the real world where dangers are physically in front of you and much easier to recognize, for the online world it is difficult to identify a 53-year-old man posing as a 14-year-old girl that wants to “friend” your child on a site.

And, while you might want to start the online safety conversation with your young digital citizen, it is difficult to know just where to start and what to include – especially since many of us are still exploring all that the Internet offers and how to navigate the ins and outs of online communication.

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To help out, we at Everloop.com -- the safe, online headquarters for kids -- launched the “Hip to Chat” campaign to help parents carry out these important conversations with kids about being safe and smart online.

We’re sharing the tips here:

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  1. It’s Not Cool to be Fooled – Teach your kids to keep their eyes and ears open for suspicious online behavior and report it when they find it.
  2. Cyber World = Real World Dangers – Make sure your kid knows NOT to share personal information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.) online. Their new 13-year-old BFF might really be somebody’s weird uncle.
  3. Practice Good “Netiquette” – When texting, chatting and emailing, kids should choose words carefully. The lack of a smile or body language to go with online words can lead to misunderstandings.
  4. Remember the Golden Rule – Encourage your kids to treat others as they’d want to be treated themselves – on or offline.  They don’t call it the “Golden Rule” for nothing.
  5. What Happens Online Stays Online…Forever! – Once your kid has posted a comment, picture or video, it can live forever in Cyberspace – for all to see.
  6. Count to 10 Before You Hit Send – Remind your kid not to post or text anything when they are angry. Words CAN hurt, and you can’t take them back.

Most kids actually want to be safe when using social media sites like Everloop. They might not say it out loud, but it’s likely they’ll be receptive to the advice you give them and think you’re pretty hip for knowing the topic.

So stay tuned for our upcoming posts, and remember: it’s Hip to Chat!

For more tips and news on Internet safety follow me on Twitter at @Everloopmom or follow Everloop at @EverlooopConnect.

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