By Dr. Debra Rezendes – Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy
One modern parenting challenge that I frequently hear about is how to keep kids and teens safe online. It can be hard to know how to keep children safe amidst the changing landscape of the online world. One certainty about the online world is that it is always changing. Thankfully, many resources exist to help parents. Below are some resources to empower you and your family in your efforts to keep everyone safe online. Happy browsing!
Free Online Safety Course
GCF Global is one of the companies offering free online safety training. This safety course is geared more towards adults and helps to educate adults about all of the potential dangers online. One great feature of their training is that it integrates strategies and tips throughout the training. There is also a quiz where parents can test their own knowledge about online dangers.
Link: https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/internetsafetyforkids/
Free Online Safety Game For Kids
Cyberwise’s free online safety game is geared towards elementary school aged children. This is a wonderful game to play with your child to open up the conversation around internet safety. Use this as a conversation starter, and remember to continue to discuss online safety habits.
Link: https://www.attplans.com/resources/internet-safety-guide/
Create a Safety Contract
After reviewing online safety as a family, develop a family safety contract that details the expectations for online usage and how you will work together to keep each other safe. Safekids offers some templates that families can use. I encourage families to start with these templates and modify them to suit their own needs.
Link: https://www.safekids.com/contract.htm
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Debra has over ten years of community and clinical work with individuals, children, parents, and families and has been published in the Journal of Happiness Studies and Autism Research and Treatment. She received her doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern University and has gained specialized, intensive training in emotionally focused therapy (EFT) and Theraplay. She also has skills in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strengths-based therapies, self-compassion training, attachment-based therapies, play therapy, and solution-focused therapy.
Dr. Debra Rezendes is a Resident in Marriage and Family Therapy and is working towards licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Virginia. She works under the supervision of Marianne S. Coad, MAMFC, LMFT, LPC-S. In the event that clients have any questions or concerns about Debra’s work, her supervisor can be contacted at mariannesynergycounseling@gmail.com, (703) 657-9721, or 10379-B Democracy Lane, Fairfax, VA 22030.