Internet | Parenting Through Turbulence

Helping Your College-Bound Teen Find Student Housing

May 23, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

One of the largest worries that parents of high school graduates face is their child going off to college. However, it is not only parents that worry about their child, children worry about going off to college as well. Living on your own is both exciting and scary so parents should help to make their teen find student housing.

When you are looking at housing options with your teen it is important to remember all of your options. While you may have enjoyed living the dorms as a college freshmen, your child may not feel the same way. Living in the dorms is not the only option that teens have anymore when it comes to student housing. Look at available off campus apartments online that your child could rent with friends or with fellow students. While you may think that your child will not be as successful in school if they are living with their friends, remember that it will take dedication and responsibility on your child’s part to get through school no matter where they are living.

If your child is interested in living in the dorms, make sure that you help them to determine what type of roommate they would want. Your child will have to live with this person for almost a year, so when the housing department asks about your child’s preferences, be honest. If your child works nights, see if they could be matched with another student who has a similar schedule. After your child has been assigned a roommate encourage your teen to communicate through email, internet, or over the phone that way living together will seem more comfortable.

Filed Under: Economy, Internet Tagged With: Dormitory, Parent, Student

Choosing the Best Computer for your Family

March 20, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Unless you have a degree in Information Technology, it can be really confusing to select the best computer. When you are trying to buy a computer than multiple members of a family will use, the task becomes even more complicated. But if you keep the things below in mind while you are shopping, you will be able to choose a computer that meets everyone’s needs.

First, consider the age of the children who will be using the computer. If they are quite young, there is no reason to spend a lot of money on a tricked-out machine. Select an inexpensive computer that can get online, perform some basic computing functions, and run a few games. Children at this age are hard on everything, so don’t waste your money on a computer they might damage.

Once your children are older, you will need to take their specific needs and desires into consideration. If you have an avid gamer in your family, you will need a computer with the processor speed and graphics capability to handle those demands. But these machines come at a pretty expensive price. If you or a family member is into video editing or graphic design, these same considerations apply.

You will also want to balance the needs and desires of your family with not only the price of the computer, but the support offered by the company that makes the machine. With a lot of people using the computer, it will experience a lot of wear and tear so select a computer maker that rates well in customer service.

Filed Under: Internet, Parenting Tagged With: Family, Graphic design, Information Technology

rations and Explanations: Teens and Online Gaming

March 12, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

The world is defined by legalities, rules that can’t be broken, and ideals that must be maintained. There are standards that must be applied to all individuals, including your teen. And you fret therefore about the consequences of online gaming, certain that such a thrill will defy the law (and good sense).

That certainty is wrong, however.

Online casinos are not to be denied. They’re protected by the law, rather than obstructing it; and any individual who is 18 or older is allowed to indulge in what they offer. This makes the sudden surge of popularity they’ve experienced with youths a far less worrisome thing.

It must be understood, though, that popularity doesn’t make virtual gaming suddenly easy. It still has demands that must be met, especially for teenagers. Parents must therefore work with their children to determine the right sites and scheduling.

Only choose web pages that are reputable. Research all potential casinos carefully, dissecting customer satisfaction and licensing forms. Be certain all certificates (such as third-party security and Random Number Generator verifications) are available. Seek out reviews from independent sources. Read all terms and agreements—these can require far more than you or your teen wish to give. Attempt also to reach customer service representatives before making any commitment. The responses should be prompt, assuring you that there is indeed support.

Online casinos must be more than secure, however. They must instead be limited in their exposure. Teenagers are aggressive in their pastimes, with all thoughts easily becoming devoted to a single action. It’s imperative then that you teach your child the importance of limiting himself. Monitor sessions. Set strict time allotments (and be sure to keep them). Define the activity as a hobby and offer other distractions throughout the week so it doesn’t become a compulsion.

There can be no denying that virtual gambling is a worthwhile pursuit. It simply requires parental intervention to succeed for teens.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: Online casino

Kids and Online Gambling

March 9, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

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The Internet provides nearly unlimited access to almost anything. Within a little more than a decade the Internet has completely changed the human experience. Communication has changed forever. The newspaper industry, which enjoyed a near monopoly on information for centuries, became nearly obsolete since the advent of the Internet. The Internet means nearly instantaneous access to shopping, bingo sites, information and even vices.

For anyone with an email account, the dark side of the Internet has almost certainly made its way into your inbox. Spam emails that advertise everything from cheap Viagra pills to access to online gambling arrive on an almost daily basis. Even though the emails might seem like little more than an annoyance, people who click on the ads might find the Internet to be filled with traps and potential pitfalls. For all of the joys and wonders that the Internet provides, it can also get people into trouble

One of the areas that create the most trouble for people is gambling online. Gambling online is fine for responsible adults, but it can cause terrible problems if children and teens start gambling without the knowledge of their parents. Even though there are barriers that attempt to prevent underage people from gambling, online security is not airtight. The Internet brought more access to gambling than ever before, which means that the threat for teens to begin gambling is worse than ever before.

Rather than rely on the gambling sites to keep kids out, informed parents need to take note of the types of sites that their children visit. Bingo sites might look innocent enough but it could mean an access point to more serious gambling. Even though the Internet has provided people with greater access to information, it came at the cost of putting vices close to children. Gambling can be a fun activity for adults, but parents need to be careful and make sure that their children are not risking money online.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: Online gambling

Sexting: Prevention is Better Than Intervention

February 28, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

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Sexting is a serious issue. Not only is it illegal to send nude or sexually inappropriate pictures, there are nonlegal consequences that can be just as bad as the legal ones. But how do you stop kids from making these wrong decisions? Young people feel they’re invincible. They’re immature, and, on top of that, they have to deal with loads of peer pressure. As a parent, you can make a stand and help prevent your child from sexting. Here are a few tips on how to deal with the issue of sexting.

First of all, buying your child a cell phone has to come at the right time. If the child is too immature for the responsibility or behaviorally reckless, maybe it’s best to wait a couple more years. And when your child receives his or her first cell phone, a conversation needs to be had. Ground rules must be set. Explain the difference between appropriate and inappropriate content as well as the consequences of making poor mobile phone decisions.
Figure out the filters available on your child’s cell phone. Perhaps there is a way to block the ability to text or take pictures. Buying a cell phone without a camera may also be a smart idea.
Stress to your child the importance of not partaking in the forwarding of sexts. If your child receives an improper picture, explain why it’s important not to share it.
Try to create an open environment with your child. If he or she feels able to talk about these kinds of issues with you, they will be more willing to do so and less willing to take part in ill-advised activities.

Your job as a parent is to be acutely aware of the goings on of your child. Sexting doesn’t just happen on cell phones, and it may be hard to detect if your child doesn’t talk to you.

Filed Under: Internet, Social Networks, Teens Tagged With: Child, Mobile phone, Sexting

Safeguarding Your Child’s Computer Experiences

February 24, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

No amount of teaching a beginner computer user such as your child will make them expert immediately. Mistakes will be made – that’s the nature of learning. Unfortunately, making an error on a computer can be very costly. It only takes opening up one maliciously directed email attachment for a Trojan to take over your child’s computer. And children, even those who’ve been trained otherwise, are eager to get email messages that appear to be from friends. To prevent a seemingly happy occurrence from turning into a disaster of unmitigated proportions that destroys en entire computer, it’s wise to take preemptive measures.

If you’ve ever re-loaded an operating system, wiping the old system off and installing a fresh copy, you know how tiresome the process can be. Yet that drastic step is often necessary once hacker software has made its way onto a computer. Since your child will struggle to recognize familiar people sending emails versus programs that appear to be friends sending invasive programs, it’s up to you to add software safeguards. PC Tools antivirus is a good place to start. By installing this package, you’re adding a strong line of defense between your child and their computer, and the rest of the world.

Don’t delay in setting up these safeguards. As you take the computer out of the box it arrives in and begin setting it up, have your choice in antivirus software there to be installed right after you’ve plugged in the mouse and keyboard. Because, just as a seatbelt must be worn from the moment the car is put into drive, a computer must be operated with safeguards from the moment the power is turned on and the internet accessed. Your child may not inherently understand this; even if you’ve explained it to them. That’s why it’s up to you to buckle up your child’s computer experience and make it safe.

Filed Under: Internet, Parenting, Teens Tagged With: Anti-Virus, antivirus, Child

Parental Controls on Gaming Consoles

February 16, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

While the jury is still out on the effect of violent books, movies and video games on children, we can be sure that the violent content is not the only danger in gaming for our kids. All of the gaming consoles on the market today have Internet capabilities, some of them via Wi-Fi, and that opens up young gamers to strangers from all over the world. Additionally, many of these consoles also have applications that allow users access to pay-per-view movies and other content, much of which would be deemed inappropriate for children by the majority of American parents. Learning how to use the parental controls on the various consoles in your home is the first step to keeping kids safe in an online world.

The parental controls are easy to find on the Xbox 360. Simply press the middle button on your controller to see the options screen, then guide the left thumbstick to the right until you are on the Settings tab. From here, scroll down to the Family Settings selection and press the green A button. Set the Console Safety button to On, then scroll down to select Ratings and Content. Here you can determine the level of rated content that can be accessed without entering the passcode; this includes games, movies, television shows and music, covering all of the possible options. Once you are happy with these settings, scroll down to set your Family Timer, Xbox LIVE access and create your passcode.

Parental controls are accessed in a similar method on the Playstation 3 console. You will find them under Settings, Security Settings, Parental Controls. The PS3 console also allows you to set parental controls for website browsing using this system. Nintendo also provides parental controls settings for the Wii console, accessed in much the same manner.

Filed Under: Internet, Parenting Tagged With: Nintendo, Parental Control, Xbox 360

Should Kids be Social Networking

February 10, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Social networking has historically applied to professionals and other adults who share connections and contacts for the purposes of job hunting, publicizing their freelance services or making acquaintances among their colleagues. However, with the advent of the Internet and its saturation of our daily lives, social networking has come to apply to the collection of web-based tools like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Linked In, among others. While these applications are exceedingly helpful for adults in the business world when used correctly, some of them are also used by kids and teens for other purposes. Due to the way connections are made and communicated among various people, the question of whether or not kids should be using social networking is one that most parents have had cause to ponder.

There is little argument that Twitter and Facebook can be highly addicting activities. The sharing of news items, links and hot topics makes the hours fly by for those who are watching their screens update every few seconds. However, we cannot expect teens to avoid the lure of these distractions when they are supposed to be paying attention in school, studying at home or working at a part-time job. Additionally, these social networking programs also introduce our kids to a number of strangers, many of whom are much less than innocent in their intentions. Keeping children and teens safe from the dangers of social networking can be a daunting task, but as in most situations, education and open, honest discussion with parents is key. Kids should be warned that not everyone on the Internet is who they claim to be, and those who are hiding behind a false image are likely up to no good. Encourage teens to investigate the privacy settings on all social networking applications, and to avoid adding any identifying information that would allow a stalker or kidnapper to find them easily. A teen with pictures of herself and her car, along with the name of her school, is an easy target, indeed.

Filed Under: Internet, Social Networks Tagged With: Facebook, MySpace, Social network service

A New Design for Home Schooling: The Rise of Online Education

February 10, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Article Content:

Pay attention. This is extremely important. The reason? It involves the welfare of your children. If you’re a parent considering the options of the future regarding the education of your child, leading him or her into a well-adjusted adult life, you might want to read some of this….

Online education is on the rise, friends. That’s the way the digital age looks these days. Naturally, you have to stay well informed and updated on the new information. The fact is more and more students are pursuing online degrees at an alarming rate, and all because of their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency. Moreover, recognize the real possibility that if your child attends an online school, you have the added benefit of keeping your soon-to-be college freshman at home, saving money on dealing with a dorm room or apartment (provided your kid actually wants to stay!).

There’s something profound, though, about the concept of online degrees in that not only does it benefit the high school graduate, it can in fact benefit the parent even more than income-wise. For instance: K12.com brings quality to home schooling on a level you thought you could never imagine. Effectively, a parent can bring an online school right into the home, optimizing any home schooling curriculum to the point where a parent almost doesn’t have to stress. Imagine the benefits now when dealing with online degrees. Amazing, isn’t it?

If you’re interested in having your high school senior graduate pursue an online degree, there are resources in which to do research. One in particular is eLearners.com, providing an up-to-date comprehensive list of online universities and degrees. Now is the time to appreciate the inclusive power of online education for all ages. Tap into it. One day your son or daughter may thank you later in life for helping you make one of the most important decisions of his or her life.

Filed Under: Internet, Social Networks Tagged With: E-learning, Education, online degrees