It's Your Call - Safety for Parents

CELL PHONE SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS

• DO speak with your child about their cell phone habits and your safety concerns
• DO  set limits on what your child can do on their cell phones (i.e. who they can talk to, when they can be on their phones, the number of text messages they can send and what they are allowed to post online)
• DO access your cell phone carrier’s parental control settings and decide the settings that will work best for you
• DO talk with your kids about the consequences for sexting and cyberbullying
• DO NOT overact or take away your child’s cell phones if they tell you about something bad that they experienced online or with their cell phones. Cell phones are important for emergency situations and staying connected
• DO encourage your child to teach you what they can do with their cell phones
• DO NOT hesitate to get help from school and law enforcement authorities if you think a bully or predator may be targeting your child. Save copies of all messages and report the misuse to your service provider
• DO regularly review your child’s pictures on their cell phones
• DO get to know your child’s online friends as you would their real-life friends