64.Social Networking:
Social Networking is a very popular
tool. Your teen may well love using it and be oblivious of the
dangers. From time to time experts visit schools and before attending
they ask for the name and age of a number of pupils. They research
what information they can find out about these pupils just by using
Social Media. What they find can be truly alarming.
Your profile on Social Media can be set
to be viewed be friends and family or it can be set for anyone to
view it.
Even if your teen has a high security
setting on their profile if friends have less secure settings they
can share your teens posts with the wider world. This is harmless if
the posts do not reveal sensitive information about your teen but
this can be a concern if your teen has shared private information.
When they arrive at the school for the
talk, the expert shares the information that they have managed to
glean with the teen concerned. This can truly shock the teen. They
don't always realise that people can find out where they live and
what electrical goods that they have in the house just by reading
their posts. This is because people often share photographs that can
give away this kind of information. They may be photographed proudly
holding up their new play-station, for example. That way any
potential burglars can see if their house is worth burgling by
looking at the gifts that your teen has proudly displayed. The
experts then give the teens tips on how to stay safe on line.
Social Networking is a great way of
keeping in touch with people who live far away. It is a very positive
tool when used in the right way. Over-use can lead to your teen
leading a rather superficial life. It is important that they balance
time spent using Social Media with spending time out in the real
world.
65. Video Games:
Video games can be very exciting.
Technology has advanced to the extent that graphics can be very
realistic and appealing to your teen. Many of their friends have all
the latest games and so it is understandable that your teen may crave
them too.
The first thing to consider is the
appropriateness of the game being played. Just like with watching
films, video games have a certificate applied to them letting you
know what age the game is suitable for. It is illegal to sell a game
to an under-age person. This doesn't mean that everyone sticks to
these rules so there is a risk that your child will come across games
that they are not legally allowed to play.
You know your child better than anyone.
If they find it hard to distinguish fact from fantasy they are more
likely to be damaged from playing a game before they are the right
age than if they are mature and sensible. If you feel that a game is
inappropriate for your child do not be afraid to tell them so. You
can confiscate the game and give it to them when they are older. They
may be angry with you if you do this but if you calmly point out your
reasons they are likely to respect your decision.
Games can be fun if played in
moderation but there are concerns that many teenagers play games for
far too may hours. This is not healthy and should be discouraged.
Some games are interactive and can be played with friends on-line.
This means your teen can communicate with their friends while they
play. This is fine if their friends behave appropriately but some
people use this as an opportunity to behave in an abusive way to
others. Some deliberately ruin the game for fun which can be
upsetting to your teen. Some people claim to be young teens and
create a false profile when they are really a predatory adult.
Warn your teen that this sometimes
happens so that they do not give away personal information to people
that they do not know.
If your teen gets upset while playing
an on-line game make sure you supervise what is going on to make sure
that it is nothing serious.
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