Our children's toys don't exactly look like they used to. They still blink and buzz and play music, but in a whole new way. Many parents read the WARNING labels on toys, movies and music, but are you just as cautious about the 'toys' that don't come with labels?
As we all know, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are one of our children's favorite past times. But are we taking the time to teach our children how to use these 'toys' safely so they don't get hurt? Our children can be bullied, harassed or even threatened without us ever knowing. Unfortuantely, teenagers are often hesitant to report cyber-bullying for fear that they, too, will lose their 'toys.'
'If I tell my parents I am being bullied, they might take away my phone/computer/iPod. I just won't tell them and figure out how to deal with it myself.
Here are some tips to help your child avoid being the perpetrator or target of cyber-bullying:
- Keep the computer in a central location in the house such as the kitchen or living room.
- Do not allow children to take their cell phones/iPods with them to bed at night.
- Both Facebook and Twitter have easy-to-use reporting tools if students are being harassed, threatened or bullied on these sites. Using these tools, your child can report any bullying or harassment directly to the site administrator. You can find these tools under the 'Contact Us' link on both sites.
- Encourage your child to Report not Retaliate.
- Many 'fun surveys' ask users to give their name, address, mother's maiden name, favorite color, pets' names and other facts that are commonly used as passwords. These 'surveys' are a ploy to get the information needed to hack into your computer and or profile.
- Respect the age limit - it's there for a reason.
As always, talking with your child and showing interest in their day-to-day activities will help you recognize when something's not right. Our children know how to use these toys better than we do, but we need to make sure we read the WARNING label and keep our children safe while they play.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Boundaries
For middle school students and parents, setting and accepting boundaries might be one of the hardest things to do. Young adolescents so badly want independence, but they don't always have the developmental maturity to handle this independence. And, often times, this area of development varies drastically from child to child. While one child might be able to handle staying at home alone for the evening, another child may not. As you consider how much to loosen the boundaries for your child, consider this...
At this age, young adolescents can often feel a bit out of control. Their bodies, emotions, thoughts, feelings and friends are all changing at a rapid pace. The safe and predictable world they once knew is not the same anymore. They, themselves, are not the same anymore. Feeling out of control can look different for all children, but many children will respond by pushing their boundaries. They may break the rules, talk back, care less about school, etc.
Children push boundaries to make sure the boundaries are still there. Keeping them safe. Keeping them in control. Children need to know that you, as their parents, will not let them go too far. If a child pushes his boundaries and finds none, he will likely feel insecure, unsure and scared. In some instances, children will continue to exhibit riskier and riskier behaviors hoping that someone will stop them eventually.
Though they may not admit it, children want and need boundaries to keep them safe. Yes, they are becoming more independent, and yes, those boundaries should loosen a little, but they should not disappear altogether. I would encourage all parents to talk to your children about how they can gain independence little by little. One step at a time.
Even though they might be taller than you, they still need you.
At this age, young adolescents can often feel a bit out of control. Their bodies, emotions, thoughts, feelings and friends are all changing at a rapid pace. The safe and predictable world they once knew is not the same anymore. They, themselves, are not the same anymore. Feeling out of control can look different for all children, but many children will respond by pushing their boundaries. They may break the rules, talk back, care less about school, etc.
Children push boundaries to make sure the boundaries are still there. Keeping them safe. Keeping them in control. Children need to know that you, as their parents, will not let them go too far. If a child pushes his boundaries and finds none, he will likely feel insecure, unsure and scared. In some instances, children will continue to exhibit riskier and riskier behaviors hoping that someone will stop them eventually.
Though they may not admit it, children want and need boundaries to keep them safe. Yes, they are becoming more independent, and yes, those boundaries should loosen a little, but they should not disappear altogether. I would encourage all parents to talk to your children about how they can gain independence little by little. One step at a time.
Even though they might be taller than you, they still need you.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Try Something New
Welcome to the brand new 'Wamego Middle School' blog! Thank you for taking the time to visit and, hopefully, learn something along the way. There are many pros and cons of jumping into this world of technology, but I decided I needed to try something new and I hope it will be beneficial to you. I'm going to try to post often, and I hope you will try to read often. As we go, I will post information from conferences I attend, professional educators I respect, and parcels of knoweldge I have gathered along the way. I am also very excited that we will have 'guest bloggers.' Keep your eyes open for posts from our other Wamego counselors as well as other professionals in the field.
Because we're on the topic of trying something new, now is a great time to encourage our kids to try something new as well. With a new school year, new teachers, new textbooks and maybe even 'new school shoes,' our children have a great opportunity to broaden their horizons just a little bit. If you have a chance, talk to your kids about which one of these 'new' things they would like to try this year.....
- Take a new class
- Play a new sport
- Meet a new classmate
- Try a new food
- Talk to a 'new student'
- Join a new activity
- Set a new goal
- Try a new hobby
- Get a new haircut
- Learn a new word.....heck, learn a new language
The opportunities are endless. The more we try and the more we experience, the better we are able to understand the people and world around us. Challenge your child to try something new.....maybe you could even join them.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Education frees us from relying on opinions that are not our own, from fear, from hatred and from pride." ~Erin Zoutendam
Because we're on the topic of trying something new, now is a great time to encourage our kids to try something new as well. With a new school year, new teachers, new textbooks and maybe even 'new school shoes,' our children have a great opportunity to broaden their horizons just a little bit. If you have a chance, talk to your kids about which one of these 'new' things they would like to try this year.....
- Take a new class
- Play a new sport
- Meet a new classmate
- Try a new food
- Talk to a 'new student'
- Join a new activity
- Set a new goal
- Try a new hobby
- Get a new haircut
- Learn a new word.....heck, learn a new language
The opportunities are endless. The more we try and the more we experience, the better we are able to understand the people and world around us. Challenge your child to try something new.....maybe you could even join them.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Education frees us from relying on opinions that are not our own, from fear, from hatred and from pride." ~Erin Zoutendam
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