‘So, what’s the final objective of all of our parenting?’ After I requested this query to a gaggle of mum pals throughout the week, the solutions had been all fairly combined. ‘To lift sort people’, one supplied. ‘To have somebody take care of me after I’m outdated!’, mentioned one other. However after a couple of minutes of heavy debate, all of us agreed on one factor – our objective is to create accountable residents who’re impartial and self-sufficient.
Now, clearly, this can be a challenge that takes place over at the least 18 years!! Fast fixes don’t lower it when making an attempt to mould and form little people into accountable adults. And naturally, this additionally contains elevating accountable digital residents too – no room for fast fixes right here!
What’s Digital Citizenship?
We’ve all heard the time period however what does it actually imply?
Digital citizenship is all about safely and responsibly navigating digital environments and collaborating in a respectful trend. Briefly, it means being accountable, respectful, and intentional in all of your on-line exercise.
In my view, a baby’s emotional intelligence is intrinsically linked to their means to be an efficient digital citizen. So, I perceive why some specialists want the time period digital intelligence to digital citizenship. It does a a lot better job of explaining that efficient digital citizenship requires a set of social, emotional, and cognitive expertise which might be important for navigating the digital world.
In my view, educating children about digital citizenship must occur as quickly as a baby can decide up a tool. Sure – your youngster would possibly solely be 18 months outdated! However the earlier you begin weaving in messages about accountability and security – the extra automated will probably be for them to undertake a constructive digital citizen mindset.
Elevating Digital Residents Means Elevating Secure Residents
You’d be hard-pressed to search out many mother and father who don’t fear concerning the dangers of their children being on-line. Whether or not it’s scams, on-line predators, or cyberbullying, sadly, there’ll all the time be some degree of danger. And whereas many people would like to take away our children’ gadgets or higher nonetheless, wrap our infants in cotton wool, that is simply not a actuality. So, for my part, the easiest way to guard them is to organize them. I imagine that if we take the time to assist them become accountable and efficient digital residents then they’re way more prone to make secure and accountable decisions! An entire no-brainer!
What You Want To Train Your Children To Be Efficient Digital Residents
1. Your On-line Id Is A Key A part of Your Id
That is one lesson you don’t need your children to be taught the exhausting method! When tweens and teenagers are within the second, it’s straightforward to overlook to consider the implications of what they put up. However one’s on-line presence is a big a part of their id and may usually be the primary place that somebody varieties an impression of you. The supervisor of our native grocery store repeatedly tells me how he’ll first assess potential candidates with a fast ‘Google’ earlier than he even presents an interview. And in case your youngster is eager to be thought of for a management place at college or college, it’s crucial that they give thought to how they conduct themselves on-line too. Intentional, respectful interactions are the secret!
2. Be Respectful and Count on Respect Too
Respect is on the core of all wholesome relationships and that completely contains on-line interactions. So, encourage your youngster to increase the identical degree of respect to their on-line pals and acquaintances as they might to these they meet face-to-face. This implies not creating or forwarding hurtful content material and or getting concerned in unfavorable on-line discussions or gossip about anybody – no exceptions!
I’m a giant fan of educating your youngster to talk up in the event that they expertise or witness bullying. Whereas they could assume they’ll deal with it on their very own, having enter from a trusted grownup will make the scenario really feel extra manageable and fewer overwhelming. Advise your children to dam anybody who doesn’t deal with them respectfully on-line – however all the time take screenshots first! Being proactive will assist create a constructive and supportive on-line expertise.
3. Grasp Wholesome Digital Habits
There are a couple of important primary digital habits that aren’t negotiable, for my part. Guaranteeing your children have these down-pat will imply that they’re maximising the possibility of a secure and constructive on-line expertise. Listed here are my high 5:
- Suppose earlier than you put up
- Restrict what private info you share on-line
- By no means, ever share passwords – no exceptions!
- Know when to belief a supply and when to verify your info
- Watch your display time – take breaks and deal with ‘real-life’ actions too
4. Do Not Copy or Plagiarise
Children love creating content material, however it’s important that they don’t copy or plagiarise the work of others. Utilizing others’ work with out acquiring their permission is each unethical and technically, towards the regulation. This encompasses all types of on-line content material (aka mental property) together with texts, pictures, and music. As mother and father, we have to foster digital citizenship in our children by reminding them to understand the efforts and originality of fellow digital creators. In my view, giving credit score when utilizing others’ work is a ‘finest follow’.
The ’don’t copy’ rule additionally extends to piracy – the unlawful downloading of digital content material e.g. music or motion pictures. Many children dabble in piracy, but it surely actually isn’t any totally different to stealing somebody’s work. Encourage your children to deal with the artistic work of others with the identical respect you’d need to your personal. And sure, that features Taylor Swift!
5. Suppose Critically All the time
One of many hardest classes some children be taught on-line is that not everyone seems to be who they are saying they’re. It may be a crushing second. So, getting forward of the sport and educating your children to be cautiously suspicious about individuals, platforms, organisations and presents they arrive throughout on-line will maintain them in nice stead.
Exercising warning when sharing info with strangers and unfamiliar organisations is a crucial option to shield your self. All the time do your due diligence earlier than ‘trusting’ somebody you join with on a courting web site, all the time request a reputable option to switch cash when shopping for items on-line and by no means simply enter private info on a web site with out doing all your analysis.
We’ve all heard the expression ‘when one thing is just too good to be true, it normally is’. This must be the golden rule when navigating the web. Whether or not it’s early entry to snippets from a but to be launched film, a compelling low cost on an iPhone or weight reduction dietary supplements, scammers know how one can hook us in! Scamwatch is a good useful resource for figuring out and reporting scams right here in Australia.
In case your youngster is unsure a few web site’s credibility, they’ll pose important inquiries to themselves, reminiscent of “whose pursuits does this web site serve?” or “how correct and dependable is the data I’m studying?” This will information your youngster in distinguishing between questionable websites and people offering correct information and content material.
However let me share one remaining piece of recommendation. We are able to encourage and educate our children all day lengthy about being a accountable digital citizen however until we’re modelling the behaviour we are attempting to foster, it’s simply not going to work. So, while you’re sharing a brand new put up on Fb, or commenting on a information article, guarantee you might be thoughtful and accountable along with your phrase alternative. Present your children how one can have sort and respectful interactions on-line and all the time fact-check any info you select to share – as a result of they’re all the time watching and studying!!
Completely satisfied parenting digital residents!!
Alex
