Civility is the foundation of civilized society (and not just because of te common derivation of the words). It is how we get along with each other. Civility is treating others with fairness and consideration for their feelings and needs. It is treating others as people worthy of respect and dignity. It is the golden rule: do unto others as …
Cyber Citizenship Part 4: Respect
As citizens of the cyber community, teenagers have a responsibility to be aware of the different aspects of the cyber world (see previous column). It is also important for them to know about how to keep themselves safe and secure online (see other previous column). Finally, teenagers have a responsibility as cyber citizens to respect the laws of the online …
Cyber Citizenship Part 3: Cyber Safety
The cyber world has risks and dangers just like the real world. It would not be safe for your kid to walk alone late at night to a high crime neighborhood asking strangers where to pay cash for an expensive video game system. What if your kid then gave your house key to a stranger who offered to help and …
Cyber Citizenship Part 2: Increasing Teens Cyber Awareness
If your kids are going to be good cyber citizens, they should be informed about the different areas that make up their cyber world. This includes their personal information (i.e., identity), traces of their online presence (i.e., footprint), the various kinds of creative products that belongs to them and to other people (i.e., property) and the various ways to relate …
Cyber citizenship Part 1: Helping Teenagers Be Good Netizens
When your kids plug into the internet or the cellular networks, they instantly become full-fledged members of a worldwide community. They have instant access to every other person who is also wandering around in that world. And, of course, someone coined a cute name for it: Netizens. (Well, I refuse to refer to them by that stupid name.) But it …
Sexting Part 7: What To DO If Your Kid has Sexted (part 2)
This article is the seventh and final column in the series on how parents can address the issue of sexting with their teenage children. It is the continuation of suggestions begun in Part 6 on what to do if you discover your kid has sexted. Inform the parents of the co-sextee. While you are not responsible for determining what is …
Sexting Part 6: What to DO if your kid has sexted (part 1)
This article is the sixth in a series on how parents can address the issue of sexting with their teenage children (because, apparently, there is never enough to say about this topic). The first part of this series emphasized the importance of educating yourself as a parent and talking to your kids about sexting as well as internet and social …
Sexting Part 5-What to Say If Your Kid Has Been Sexting (continued)
Talk about the risks. Here’s the list. Sending pictures of yourself when you are younger than 18 is distributing pornography. Having a picture of yourself stored on a phone, computer, etc. (or recoverable from the secret, undeleted areas of things you have deleted on your device) is possession of child pornography. Having pictures of your sext buddy who is under …
Sexting Part 4-What To Say If Your Kid Has Been Sexting
This article is the fourth in a series on how parents can address the issue of sexting with their teenage children. The first part of this series emphasized the importance of educating yourself as a parent and talking to your kids about sexting as well as internet and social media issues. Part 2 reviewed some of the ground rules to …
Sexting Part 3-Warning Signs
This article is the third in a series on how parents can address the issue of sexting with their teenage children. The first part of this series emphasized the importance of educating yourself as a parent and talking to your kids about sexting as well as internet and social media issues. Part 2 reviewed some of the ground rules to …