I have been dealing lately with a few issues related to children’s use of texting, messaging, sending videos or pictures, or joining in on online chats. I have learned a lot, and I am reminded of many of the messages that our guest,  Jesse Miller of Mediated Reality, recently shared with our students in grades 4 to 7.

Here is what I have learned:

• You don’t need a phone to make a phone call anymore (an iPod Touch with FaceTime will do)
• Children are texting each other after midnight (as young as grade 4)
• Some text messages sent by children would make adults blush
• iPod Touches have cameras
• Children are sharing pictures of themselves through text messages or other services
• Children are signed up for services that require them to be 13 years of age to join (i.e. Facebook or Instagram)
• Poor text behaviour has a significant negative impact in the school or on the playground

Recent events have led me to think of a number of questions for parents:

• Does you child have access to an electronic device that can text or send images to friends?
• Are your children asleep when you are, or are they texting friends?
• Where is your child’s smartphone or iPod Touch when your child is asleep?
• Do you know the password on your child’s device?
• Will your child get upset if you read all his or her text messages?
• Will you child let you look through the photos on his or her device?

On January 11th, Jesse Miller met with our students and went over many good ideas for online behaviour and privacy. This was his second visit with our students. His first visit was in November 2011, and I blogged about it in the post Social Media Lessons.

Some things have changes since then:

• Less students report being on Facebook, but there are still many on this site, despite being 9, 10 or 11 years old.
• Many, many students put their hands up when asked if they have received texts that they would not share with their parents.
• Instagram is a popular app with our students
• About 20 children put their hand up when asked who has received a text between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am
• Several students report checking their phone or iPod for text messages before getting out of bed
• Several students shared that it was hard to do homework when texts message come in
• Many children report sending pictures of themselves to others without their parents knowing
• Students report using YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Kik, textPlus or iMessage

Jesse asked students to follow a few simple rules:

1. Let’s be thoughtful before we text or post
2. Let’s not text our friends at night
3. Let’s not use online tools in a bad way

Parents, how about a few rules for families?

• Know your child’s password
• Keep computers in public spaces
• Set up overnight charging stations for smartphones or other electronic devices in the family rooms (or other public spaces) and away from the bedrooms
• Know what services or web sites your child has signed up for
• Discuss with your child what information should remain private and not be posted online
• Review Trust Building Exercises from Mediated Reality
• Talk to your child about their behaviour online or while texting
• Listen to your child about their online or texting experiences

Share the online world with your child Together, parents and children can enjoy the connected world.

Take Care