Tips on How to Talk to Your Kids About Online Interactions
by Monica Schultz (This is a continuation from a June 26 article )
Let’s face it, there are some conversations that are just going to be uncomfortable to have with your child. When you open the door to talk with your child or teen about online interactions, be aware of what they aren’t saying. They may test the waters and only tell you a part of the story to see how you respond. If you remain calm and interested, they may choose to tell you the rest.
If your child does disclose something to you, be aware that it may take a few days for everything to come out. Be patient. Don’t say, “Why didn’t you tell me this the other day?” Let them unfold the incident as they are comfortable talking about it with you. Over a period of time and repeated positive interactions, they will learn that they can tell you anything and you’ll react in a calm and rational way. Refrain from rushing to judgment or becoming an alarmist.
Avoid statements like:
That was crazy? Why did you/they do that?
Are you kidding? Where was your teacher/coach then this happened?
That’s so dangerous! I cant believe anyone would do that!
You should never have done that! Can’t you see how bad that was? What’s wrong with you?
Next time you need to….
From Shared Hope International / sharedhope.org