I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for BGCA. I received a promotional item to faciliate my review.
As a mother of two teenagers, cyber bullying is a major concern for me. My thirteen year old daughter has already experienced bullying both on and off the internet. Seeing your child bullied is never fun. It hurts us as parents when our children are mistreated, and it's devastating to see their self esteem dwindle because of uncaring remarks. The Boy and Girls Club of America wants to work with parents to make a difference and stop the cyber bullies. For parents like me, who aren't nearly as internet savvy as my children, they offer me the ability to investigate the websites my kids are using and get expert advice on whether those sites are cyber safe.
There are lots of features on the Cyber Safe website to help you get started in making smarter choices for your family. You can start by taking the Are You a Cyber Smart Parent Quiz. This quiz walks you through eight questions to determine how cyber smart you really are. My results told me I was a "Cyber Survivor." This means I'm doing pretty good at monitoring my kids, but there's always room for improvement. That's why I went on to try the "Ask the Cyber Tribe" feature.
The cyber tribe is a group of expert teens who really know their way around the internet. They can let you know what websites are safe for kids and which ones to avoid. They can also give you advice on how to prevent cyber bullying. And asking a question is more than just a way to grow your cyber knowledge. Every time you ask one of the experts a question, you will be entered to win a an iPad mini!
In addition to the features already mentioned, the Cyber Safety site also has a great resource page. Here you can learn about websites that are popular with teens and how to handle situations where people post inappropriate images. If you're having trouble keeping up with all the new internet slang, there's even a "what's that word" feature that allows you to look up the meaning of commonly used slang.
I was really impressed with how much I was able to learn at Cyber Safe and I was especially impressed by the amazing teens who are helping to make a difference. Even if you think you're an expert and know everything your kids are doing online, check it out. The only way to be a Cyber Survivor is to constantly educate yourself and The Boys and Girls Club of America is here to help make that happen.
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