It's a risky world out there. Especially on the internet. So, how do I protect my
child on the Internet? I've got 4 clear pointers for you today. Before we
get into those 4 points, let's talk about risk briefly. There's 3 things
that you can do about risk. The first thing you might consider is to ignore
the risk. Just ignore it. Pretend like it's not there. This would be like trying
to cross a busy street to get to lunch. And as you try to cross the street, you
decide, "Oh, there's a lot of traffic. I better not look." Close your eyes and hope
for the best. What's going to happen? If you ignore risk,
you increase the danger. And I guarantee you, the Internet can be a very, very
risky place. So, I'm not sure we like that particular option. How about avoiding the
risk altogether? So, instead of ignoring it, we're going to avoid it. Nope, not
going to go. Too dangerous. Well, you don't get to have lunch if you don't cross the
street, in the example that I shared. And if we avoid the risk, we can close our
children off from all kinds of opportunities that are good and
wholesome in principal centric. That are there on the Internet.
Including stuff on this channel. So, I don't like our choices so far, how about
you? Ignoring risk, increases danger. Avoiding risk, decreases the possibility
of a payoff. We needed a third option. What if we take a little walk about a
half a block that way on this busy street. We come to a crosswalk. We push
the button. We wait for the signal and when the signal gives us a green light...
No, we don't go yet. We look both directions, don't you? I hope you do. I do.
Because it doesn't eliminate the risk entirely. I don't think we can. But what
that does is it brings the risk down to a manageable level. So, we're going to
title this one manage the risk. It's like going to the crosswalk. There are 4
steps that going to share with you next about
managing the risk for your children on the Internet. In the interest of managing
the risk, let's go to the obvious one first. Number one, supervise. Provide a
chaperone for your children in their internet activities. Now, this might vary
depending on the moral development or stage of development for your kids. If
you're not sure what I'm referring to, check out the video called Teaching Kids
Responsibilities here on the channel. That will go over the basic philosophy
that I'm referring to right now. You keep your eyes on your kids.
Most internet predators are older than your children. Is that a little scary? But
they don't always present themselves as being older. They might try to be
a peer or a friend or someone who's the same age. And your kids don't know
because they're interacting with them on some kind of a chat or a game platform
or whatever it is. You supervise that activity because you want to see what's
going on and that way you can help to keep them safe. It's just like the
crosswalk folks. So, you want to keep that computer in a public visible area of
your home. Let's stay away from bedrooms, let's stay away from closed doors.
Because you need to have your eyes on your little ones as they're online. One
of the most important things we can do is to teach our children. So, pointer
number 2 for you on keeping our kids safe online is to teach them to keep
private information private. You don't go out to the mall and broadcast your bank
account information to everybody in the mall. In a similar way, you don't go out
and broadcast your specific address or your date of birth or your mother's
maiden name on the internet. Because these are the kinds of information that
people can use to exploit or to victimize other people on the internet.
So, we teach our children that if somebody asks for specific identifying
information from them online, that they don't give it out. It's a
pretty simple step but a very important one. Pointer number 3, you are the
parent. Be the parent. In your browser and on some of the platforms that are
available to your children online, there's something called parental
controls. Wow! What an idea. So, you get to go in and set
those controls and those filters and those parameters around content that you
feel is appropriate for your child. Be the parent. Use the filtering software.
Use the parental controls but do not rely exclusively on those filters.
We're not negating tip number one which is to keep your eyes on them. Provide the
supervision in the chaperoning. My fourth pointer for you today is an elaboration
of the second. We're going back to teaching but I want to specifically
suggest that we teach correct principles which will empower our children to start
adopting a form of self-government so that they can operate according to their
own moral compass. This provides prevention for all of the risky
behaviors that they could be involved with. When I think of prevention, I think
of a poem written by Joseph Malins clear back in the 1800s. The late 1800s. And
here's how it goes. "It was a dangerous cliff as they freely confessed. Though to
walk nears crest was so pleasant. But over it's terrible edge, there had
slipped a Duke and full many a peasant. So the people said something would have
to be done. But their projects did not at all tally. Some said put a fence around
the top of the cliff. Some an ambulance down in the valley. But the call for the
ambulance carried the day for it spread to the neighboring city. A fence may be
useful or not, it is true. But each heart became full of pity for those who
slipped over the dangerous cliff. And the dwellers in highway and alley, gave
pounds and gave pants. Not to put up a fence but an
violence down in the valley. For the cliff is alright if you're careful, they
said. And though folks even slip and are dropping, it isn't the slipping that
hurts them so much. As the shock down below when they're stopping. So, day after
day is these mishaps occurred, quick forth with those rescuers Sally to pick
up the victims who fell off the cliff with their ambulance down in the valley.
Then an old sage remarked. It's a marvel to me that people give far more
attention to repairing results than to stopping the cause. When they'd much
better aim at prevention. Let us stop at its source all this nonsense, Cried he.
Come neighbours and friends, let us rally. If the cliff we will fence, we might
almost dispense with the ambulance down in the valley. Uh, he's a fanatic. The
others rejoined. Dispense with the ambulance? Never. He'd dispense with all
charities too, if he could. No. No. We'll support them forever." Aren't we picking
up folks just as fast as they fall? And will this man dictate to us, will he? Why
should people of cents stop to put up a fence? While the ambulance works in the
valley? Then the sensible few who are practical too will not bear with such
nonsense much longer. They know that prevention is better than cure. And their
party will soon be the stronger. Encourage them then with your purse
voice and pen. And while other philanthropist dally, they will score in
all pratense and put up a stout fence round that cliff that hangs over the
valley. Better guide well the young then reclaim them when old. For the voice of
true wisdom is calling. To rescue the Fallen is good but it's best to prevent
other people from falling. Better close up the source of temptation and crime
then deliver from dungeon or Gally. Better put a strong fence at the top of
the cliff than an ambulance down in the valley." A big
out out to Nova principals Foundation. You can connect to Nova principals at
Novaprinciples.com who are some of the best fence builders in the industry.
I think it's important to do what we can to prevent our kids from getting over
the cliff into these risky behaviors. And you can do this too. Connect with Nova
principlesd.com.
I wish I had known