Welcome, parents and caregivers!
Look here to find helpful links to keep your kids healthy and safe. Access multiple online resources to assist in your child's growth and development. Learn useful tips to maximize the benefits of the Internet and minimize the risks, recommendations on early exposure to safe practices, articles on medical health, and much more.
Twenty First century parenting requires making sure your child understand how to be safe online. Thankfully, there are excellent tools to help guide families.
NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) that provides age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on- and offline. The program is designed for children ages 5-17, parents and guardians, educators, and law enforcement. With resources such as videos, games, activity cards, and presentations, NetSmartz entertains while it educates.
Our Goals:
- Educate children on how to recognize potential Internet risks
- Engage children and adults in a two-way conversation about on- and offline risks
- Empower children to help prevent themselves from being exploited and to report victimization to a trusted adult
National Cyber Security Alliance
To educate and empower our global digital society to use the Internet safely and securely. Realizing the full potential of our ever-evolving digital lives can only happen when a culture of cybersecurity and privacy is the foundation of:
- Free-flowing content
- Multiple methods and platforms for communication
- Trustworthy commerce
- Widely available and highly reliable connectivity
Family Online Safety Institute
FOSI brings together and highlights the best safety messages, tools and methods to reach parents, children and caregivers. Continually expanding efforts to educate and inform governments, regulators, industry and media around the world on a balanced approach to online safety.
Many parents wonder what amount of screen time is appropriate for my child? The answer is, one size does not fit all. Below are recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they're seeing.
- For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
- For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.
- Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
- Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.
Consider creating your own customized Family Media Plan. A Family Media Plan will help you set screen time boundaries and expectations with your child. The Family Media Plan tool is also available en espanol.