Benefits of Kids Blogging
Blogging brings a number of benefits to children, including:
- Improved writing skills
- Improved communication skills
- Improved social skills
- Improved Internet skills
- Improved computer and technical skills and knowledge
Online Safety Tips for Kids
Use the following tips to ensure your child's online activities are safe:
- Rules: Establish rules for blogging and online activities. For example, children should not use their full name, address, school name, personal photos, and so on online. In other words, personally identifiable information should be prohibited.
- Password protection and privacy: Find a blogging service that allows your child's blog to be private and password-protected so only established, trusted friends can view it.
- Screen the content: Screen what your child writes before he or she publishes it online and discuss potential problems with him or her.
- Monitor the blog: Monitor your child's blog on a regular basis. Read the content and comments, follow links, read friends' blogs, and so on to get a full picture of your child's online activity as it relates to the blog.
- Talk to your child: Take the time to discuss your child's blog with him or her. Allow him or her to share what he or she is doing and learning technically and socially with you. As he or she shares his or her knowledge with you, take the time to share Internet safety tips ("street smarts") with him or her. Make your child's blog a shared experience. When in doubt, Google your child's name to get a complete picture of his or her online activities.
Where It Stands
Bottom line, most teens and tweens who want to have a blog will try to do so with or without their parents' permission. No matter what age your child is, the best way to keep him or her safe is to talk to him or her. Keeping open lines of communication and monitoring their online activity are the best ways to maintain Internet security for children.
