Welcome to Internet Safety:
Meet Faux Paw the Techno CatSM
Purpose
To introduce the concept of Internet safety and teach the three essential rules that will keep children safe online.
What You Will Need:
The Setting
Where possible, have both parents participate in teaching the lesson. Sit down together in your home’s gathering area. You will need access to your computer during the lesson. Turning off phones, televisions, and radios will send a strong message to your children that their safety is of highest importance to you and that you value this family time together.
To boost your confidence, read through all the instructions before you begin. Smile and look into your child’s eyes—your lesson will be a hit!
Background for Parents
The Situation: the Internet and Connected Technologies
We teach children to look both ways before they cross the street; we teach them not to get in a car with a stranger, and long before children ever go online, parents need to instill in them the essential guidelines that will keep them safe on the Internet.
Take a look at these alarming statistics: 56% of teens online receive frequent requests for personal information, 42% of teens online have said they have posted personal information online, 54% frequently have private conversations with online strangers through instant messaging, 30% reported that they have talked with a cyber-stranger about meeting in person, and 27% said they have talked with an online stranger about sex. (Polly Klaas Foundation, 2006)
The Solution: Parents
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a computer expert to keep your child safe online. Like teaching children to wear helmets or to avoid strangers, a few simple principles will go a long way towards protecting your child online. Predators are a grave threat: parents must understand that predators see the entrapment of a child as a hunt and a game, but these predators can not find your child unless personal information is divulged.
This lesson will help you teach your child the 3 KEEPssm of Internet safety: Keep Safe • Keep Away • Keep Telling. sm With this basic information, children will be prepared for dangers they may encounter on the Internet.
Lesson
Introduction to Internet Safety
Hand out the coloring page, “My World and Internet Safety.” Use the following script for discussion:
Parent: We already do many things to keep our family safe. What do we do to keep ourselves safe in the world?
Take responses; give praise. Go through the check list on the coloring page.
Parent: Can you think of anything else we do to keep our family safe?
Take responses; give praise.
Parent: Let’s talk about the computer. Do you like to use the computer? How about the Internet? Where do you like to go on the Internet?
Take responses; give praise. Listen to what your children are already doing online.
Parent: The Internet is like a big city with great places to go, but we have to be careful. Would I drop you off in the middle of the biggest city in the world and leave you there alone?
Coach for “no.”
Parent: Of course not. Because the Internet is like a big city, we’re going to talk about how our family can be safe online. The first thing you have to know is that because I love you, we’re going to keep talking all the time about what you like to do online. I’m interested to know what you like and where you go, and I especially want to know if you see anything that makes you worried or scared. One great thing about the Internet is that I can click on the history button and see all the places you’ve gone.
If appropriate show the child how you can see the history, and explain that because you love them, you will look at the history regularly.
Parent: The computer is great as long as everyone follows the rules, but sometimes people on the computer are not who they say they are. We’re gong to read a story about a cat that get’s into trouble on the Internet.
Read Book and Discuss
If you own a copy of Faux Paw the Techno Cat: Adventures in the Internet, read it together. If not, follow the link to read the online book at www.iKeepSafe.org . After reading, use the following script:
Parent: Did you notice that Faux Paw made some big mistakes? What were Faux Paw’s mistakes?
Coach for responses like the following:
- She gave out her name.
- She almost gave out the name of her school, but Cursor stopped her.
- She met face-to-face with a stranger she found on the Internet.
Parent: When you first saw Happy Fluffy Kittyface, did you like her?
Take responses; give praise.
Parent: When Faux Paw and Happy Fluffy Kittyface were talking in the chat room, did you have any idea that Kittyface might be a big, scary dog?
Take responses. Reassure children that their initial response to Kittyface was appropriate. (Example: “She looked so cute and nice; she seemed nice to me, too.”)
Parent: Do people always tell the truth on the Internet? Did you suspect that Happy Fluffy Kittyface was telling lies?
Take responses; give praise.
Parent: What were some of the lies Happy Fluffy Kittyface told Faux Paw?
Coach for responses like the following:
- He pretended to be a cat.
- He said he loves to purr in the sunshine.
- He said he had new ball of yarn that he wanted to share.
Watch the Movie and Discuss
Watch the movie, Faux Paw the Techno Cat: Adventures in the Internet. Use the following script for a discussion afterwards:
Parent: What are the three things we should remember about being safe on the Internet?
Coach for the safety rules: Keep Safe • Keep Away • Keep Tellingsm
Parent: Let’s review the 3 KEEPs of Internet safety (the rules):
I keep safe my personal information—all of it! I never give my real name, address, phone number, the name of my school, or a picture of myself to anyone online.
I keep away from Internet strangers—no matter what they tell me, because I have no way of knowing who they really are.
I keep telling my parents or a trusted adult about everything I see on the Internet. I especially tell them about anything that makes me sad or uncomfortable.
Parent: Have you ever seen anything on a computer that made you sad or worried or uncomfortable?
Take this opportunity to assess you child’s Internet experience. Keep in mind that even if you have been vigilant in guarding your Internet, your child may have been exposed to damaging or degrading content at a friend’s house or even through a cell phone. If your child tells you something alarming, stay calm and let this be an opportunity to show your child that you can help and will give comfort and relief to a situation that may be very painful.
Parent: Let’s always talk about the Internet together.
If you think your child may be a victim of Internet exploitation, report it at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-THE LOST.
Teach the Safety Rule Actions
Have the DARE Activity 4 “I Know the Safety Rules!” in front of you. Familiarize yourself with the hand actions to the safety rules.
Parent: We’ve talked about some very important ideas. Let’s learn some actions that will help us remember the 3 KEEPs of Internet safety.
Teach children the actions for Keep Safe • Keep Away • Keep TellingSM.
Play the “I Keep Safe” song (available at www.iKeepSafe.org). Encourage children to try to do the actions as they sing along.
Summary
Use the following paragraph or your own to encourage your children to live by the safety rules.
Parent: I want you to be happy and to enjoy all the benefits of the Internet. These rules will keep our whole family safe from bad guys like Happy Fluffy Kittyface. I love you. Thanks for listening.
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Family Fun: Lesson 1
(approx 35 min) |
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