Wellbeing
DIGITAL SAFETY HOLIDAY TIPS
As the holiday season approaches, children eagerly create wish lists, often filled with tech gifts like smartphones, watches, consoles, apps, and games. As schools wind down and family rules loosen during this festive time, it's crucial not to abandon digital guidelines completely. To ensure healthy digital habits throughout and after the holidays, here are the Linewize (http://www.linewize.com/) top tips to help maintain digital safety and balance over the school break:
1. Create tech agreements
Creating a family tech agreement before buying a tech gift is essential, and you should involve your children to instil responsibility for their digital habits. Whether you’re establishing a new agreement or reviewing an existing one, it's crucial for all family members, including parents, to uphold and model good tech habits.
2. Update parental controls
Before the holidays, verify that parental controls on your children's devices, consoles, apps and games remain current amid frequent updates and potential changes by developers.
Important Tip
If your device software updates aren’t set to ‘automatic’, remember to manually update your software periodically. Keeping your software up to date ensures your children remain safe and secure online.
3. Read the fine print
Parents/guardians often overlook the lengthy terms and conditions of new online games or apps installed by their children, intending to revisit them later. However, safeguarding your child's data privacy is just as crucial as promoting healthy tech habits. To ensure their safety, it is essential to thoroughly read and understand these conditions.
4. Access, not ownership
If you have younger children, begin their online device experience with supervised access, gradually transitioning to full ownership. Teach responsible digital citizenship and ensure they can demonstrate online safety understanding and behaviours before granting them full ownership.
5. Consume content together
Share digital experiences during the holidays by dedicating specific times for your child to guide you through their favourite apps or games, enhancing your understanding and fostering casual conversations. Alternatively, engage as a family in playing online games together.
6. Tech timeout
During the holiday season, maintain balance by dedicating daily blocks of time to tech-free activities with your family. Capitalise on the morning energy peak to engage in activities like reading, learning, exercising, setting a positive example for your child.
FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
WELLBEING SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
HEALTH AND WELLBEING SERVICES/CONTACTS -
KNOX, MAROONDAH, YARRA RANGES
As the school will be closed over the summer break, please find below a range of Health and Wellbeing support services that students and families may find helpful.
