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"Experts warn that taking MySpace away just makes the site all the more seductive for today's tech-savvy kids, who find a workaround. Also, cybersyping driven by fear of MySpace, rather than a child's bad behavior, can break the trust between a parent and child and create a rift in their relationship."Instead, child psychologists and others recommend that parents set clear rules around Internet use, including consequences for breaking rules. Put the family computer in a common room where activity can't be hidden, and keep communication open so your child knows that she can come to you if something negative happens. Source: MSNBC
posted by ByParents-forParents at 2:46 PM
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"Being social, the purpose of the [MySpace] site, is crucial to developing an identity. Adolescents adjust their behavior - and images - to positive and negative interactions with their peers. Rosen writes in his book that social flops, which can crush kids' self-confidence, are easier to shrug off, and social successes are easier to achieve on MySpace."Larry D. Rosen's book Me, MySpace, and I goes on to say that many kids learn through social networking sites that talking and getting to know people isn't really that hard after all. Positive experiences can help build their self-esteem and make even socially awkward kids realize they know how to socialize and make friends. Source: MSNBC
Labels: myspace, self-esteem, social_pressure
posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:37 PM
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"[Calsey] Merrit's friends though his mother was cool for having a profile on one of today's most popular Web sites, but her intention was not to win them over. She wanted to know what MySpace was about... In Greenville, S.C., mother of three Michele McClain says 'somebody asked me why did I have a MySpace page, and I told them to stay two steps ahead of my kids. Not on the same level, but two steps ahead of them.'"These moms are not alone. An increasing number of parents across the nation are logging onto to MySpace, and other social networking sites, to learn firsthand what their kids might be exposed to and to better understand how the sites work. Though parental presence on MySpace doesn't guarantee that kids won't get unwanted or unsolicited attention, it does give parents practical experience and information they can use to help keep their kids safe.
Labels: myspace, online_safety, parenting
posted by ByParents-forParents at 4:39 PM
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"...some experts [are] urging parents to use social networking Web sites as an early warning system to alert them to problems from substance abuse to eating disorders to violent fantasies."Some parents admit they're hesitant to view their children's MySpace or Facebook profiles, because they feel it's an invasion of privacy. But Ann Collier, of Net Family News, hopes parents will reconsider. There's a big difference, she says, between viewing a web page on the internet and looking through - for example - a diary hidden in a drawer. And the information found in a child's profile could help a parent steer him or her away from dangerous or even life-threatening behaviors. Read more online.
Labels: internet, myspace, warning_signs
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:40 PM
"The term 'blog' come from 'Web log', and is a form of 'social media' (e.g. MySpace and Wikipedia). The word 'blog' can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog."Websites include information on teen health, media and marketing, and entertainment. Read more at HealthLine.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 6:53 PM
"If you haven't heard of the hit shows or video games or technology and you've never seen or used them, it's hard to know what kids are really up to during all those hours they are supposedly doing their homework in front of the screen."Though some parents resort to banning their kids from using the internet, that decision can hinder kids in the long run. Ours is an internet-based world, and the more parents know and understand the technology, the better they can help their kids navigate the sometimes-dangerous waters. Read more at TheStar.com.
Labels: cell phones, email, myspace, text messaging
posted by ByParents-forParents at 4:28 PM