Helping Children to Navigate Cyberspace Safely
LAST month, i went for a workshop organized by my school on internet addiction. i went with a purpose of finding out more about internet addictions and how to help students who are addicted to it.
i learnt some important info about:online addiction, blogging, chatting with strangers, gaming and pornography.
in fact,it is said that internet addiction has become one of the fastest addictions in the world.
signs of internet addictions:
1) little or no social interaction (the main crux)
2)more than 8 hrs at computer
3)computer lifestyle (eating and sleeping beside the computer)
4)worsening grades for students
5)moody and violent
Notes to take away:
1)socialization is what makes the Internet so "addicting." That's right -- plain old hanging out with other people and talking with them. Whether it's via e-mail, a discussion forum, chat, or a game online (such as a MUD), people are spending this time exchanging information, support, and chit-chat with other people like themselves.
2)What most people online who think they are addicted are probably suffering from is the desire to not want to deal with other problems in their lives. An escape from realism.
What Do I Do If I Think I Have It?
1) don't panic.
2)seek professional and family help
3)Once you admit and address the problem, other pieces of your life will fall back into place.
Practical Strategies:
1)Keep PC in the living room
2)Time limit to internet access
3)Quality time away from computer (develop other hobbies, exercise, games)
4)Acknowledge you have a problem and seek help
5)Action AND Accountability (tell someone)
6)Set realistic and achieveable Goals
internet addiction quiz:
http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/quiz/
The most important message was that there is no foolproof filtering software that can protect our children today.
Childrens' mind are vulnerable.
Instead, the best approach is for parents to teach their children the right values, for example, through constructive discussions on websites that they have come across together. If parents keep an open communication channel with their children, they can rest assured that their children would be less likely to get the wrong information from their friends or other websites.
http://www.schoolbag.sg/2007/07/helping-children-to-navigate-c/
i learnt some important info about:online addiction, blogging, chatting with strangers, gaming and pornography.
in fact,it is said that internet addiction has become one of the fastest addictions in the world.
signs of internet addictions:
1) little or no social interaction (the main crux)
2)more than 8 hrs at computer
3)computer lifestyle (eating and sleeping beside the computer)
4)worsening grades for students
5)moody and violent
Notes to take away:
1)socialization is what makes the Internet so "addicting." That's right -- plain old hanging out with other people and talking with them. Whether it's via e-mail, a discussion forum, chat, or a game online (such as a MUD), people are spending this time exchanging information, support, and chit-chat with other people like themselves.
2)What most people online who think they are addicted are probably suffering from is the desire to not want to deal with other problems in their lives. An escape from realism.
What Do I Do If I Think I Have It?
1) don't panic.
2)seek professional and family help
3)Once you admit and address the problem, other pieces of your life will fall back into place.
Practical Strategies:
1)Keep PC in the living room
2)Time limit to internet access
3)Quality time away from computer (develop other hobbies, exercise, games)
4)Acknowledge you have a problem and seek help
5)Action AND Accountability (tell someone)
6)Set realistic and achieveable Goals
internet addiction quiz:
http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/quiz/
The most important message was that there is no foolproof filtering software that can protect our children today.
Childrens' mind are vulnerable.
Instead, the best approach is for parents to teach their children the right values, for example, through constructive discussions on websites that they have come across together. If parents keep an open communication channel with their children, they can rest assured that their children would be less likely to get the wrong information from their friends or other websites.
http://www.schoolbag.sg/2007/07/helping-children-to-navigate-c/
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