Student Wellbeing

Michele Hedley

I Wonder if I am keeping my children safe on line?

We wouldn't allow our children to wander alone in a shopping center but how vigilante are we when they are on line?  I have been alerted to a few stories recently which I thought should be brought to parents' attention.  The Herald Sun ran an article in Saturday's paper warning parents about posting photos and information about children on Facebook. One of our parents also passed on some information about a game that some children may gain access to. The game is called Roblox and is aimed at children to play on the iPad or computer.  Whilst this game looks innocent it has been reported that parents have found very disturbing content not safe for children.  This is a timely reminder that as parents we need to be vigilant, set boundaries and sit with children to play games so that we know what our children are being exposed to and we can ensure their safety.  

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean told ABC Radio Darwin the news report came as "no surprise".

"I have already had children in Australia report inappropriate interactions in this game," she said.

Roblox was founded more than a decade ago but in recent years has ramped up its global presence and accessibility on various devices, with its developers today claiming 44 million active players.

Its website states there are existing chat filters, with those logged in as being under the age of 12 placed under a "restricted chat" function to protect their wellbeing and safety.

But Ms McLean said concerns about Roblox highlighted a broader issue.

"Any app or platform or game that allows two-way interaction between your child and another player is going to have predators on it," she said.

"And then the risk ramps up when you can have chat. That's one of the features of this game.

"I think this is a very important warning for parents to not [just] look at the app or game developer's website. They will only tell you sunshine and happiness."

Advice for parents concerned about gaming

Ms McLean said parents should maintain an "open conversation" with their children about what games they were playing and downloading.

"Primary school children in particular should not be downloading games themselves. Full stop. It should all be done by the parent.

"The rule should be the child asks the parent, the parent checks [the game] out, downloads it, then locks the device again. That gives the parents some control.

"The notion of 'I don't do games, it's all too hard' — that's not effective parenting in the 21st century."

This article in its entirety can be found at: 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/cyber-expert-warning-gaming-app-roblox-children/8292712

Prep and Year 6 Buddy Picnic

Thank you to all the families who came along to our Prep /Year 6 Buddy Picnic.  It was a lovely way to start the year especially for these students who are beginning either their first or last year at Primary school.   It was lovely to witness the special connection between the Preps and Year 6s and see them introduce their families to each other.  It was a great opportunity for our school families to get to know each other.