WAKEFIELD — Chief Steven A. Skory and the Wakefield Police Department wish to share tips meant to help teens stay safe online. To protect children and teens, the Wakefield Police Department offers the following tips from Ready.gov’s Stop.Think.Connect. campaign on how to talk about being online and online safety:
Start Early: Talk to your children about online safety as soon as they are old enough to use a phone, computer or other mobile device. As a parent, you have the opportunity to talk to your child about what’s important before anyone else does.
Create an Honest, Open Environment: Kids look to their parents to help guide them. Be supportive and positive. Listening and taking their feelings into account helps keep conversations afloat. You may not have all the answers and being honest about that can go a long way. If your child confides in you about something scary or inappropriate they’ve encountered online, try to work together to prevent it from happening again.
Initiate Conversations: Even if your children are comfortable approaching you, don’t wait for them to start the conversation. Use everyday opportunities to talk to them about being online. For instance, a TV program featuring a teen online or using a cell phone can tee up a discussion about what to do, or not to do, in similar circumstances. News stories about internet scams or cyberbullying, for example, also can help start a conversation with kids about their experiences and your expectations.
Communicate Your Values: Be upfront about your values and how they apply in an online context. Communicating your values clearly can help your children make smarter and more thoughtful decisions when they face tricky situations online.
Be Patient: Resist the urge to rush through conversations with your kids. Most children need to hear information repeated, in small doses, for it to sink in. If you keep talking with your children, your patience and persistence will pay off in the long run. Work hard to keep the lines of communication open, even if you learn your child has done something online you find inappropriate.
The Wakefield Police Department would like to remind residents of all ages to be responsible and respectful when using the internet and posting online. Revealing personal information and images can put users’ privacy and safety at risk. As such, community members should never post their telephone or cell number, home address, account passwords or other personal information online. Community members should also never open attachments from someone they don’t know and never send money or account information to an unverified source.