November, 2007
Keep Track
of How Much Time Your Teen is Online
When
Does Your Teen’s Responsibility to the Team End?
Take Steps to
Keep Your Teen from Cheating
A Word From the Director
Many of
today’s teens think that they know more about using the Internet than
their parents do, just because they’ve grown up using it and spend a
lot of time in front of the computer.
To one
extent, they’re right - your teen probably does know more about
chatting online, using social networking sites and shopping online
than you do. However, some teens ignore the potential dangers of the
Internet. It’s up to you to talk with your teen about Internet safety.
To keep your
teen safe online:
Make
rules and enforce them.
As a family, discuss Internet safety. One great way to monitor your
teen’s online activities is by putting the computer in the living
room. Your teen is less likely to break the rules if there’s a chance
you might look over her shoulder.
Use
privacy filters. Your
Internet provider can help you adjust the security settings on your
computer. They can help you filter out sites you don’t want your teen
viewing.
Talk with
your teen. Ask her
what her favorite websites are, who she is instant messaging and if
she keeps a blog. Let her know that you’re not trying to spy on her;
you’re just trying to keep her safe.
Spend time online yourself.
This will help you see what’s out there.
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He signed up
for a sports team with the best intentions. But now, halfway through
the season, he wants to quit. “I hate it,” he says - frequently. When
does your teen’s responsibility to the team end and his responsibility
to himself start?
Helping kids
make good choices teaches valuable life skills. Your athlete must
remember that he made a commitment. Other players are depending on
him. He may have taken a place on a team that could have gone to
another athlete.
Have him
make a list - reasons to stay on the team on one side, reasons to quit
on the other. Then talk it through with him. Does he have any other
options?
Be aware that once most kids
quit, they drop out of sports completely. And staying active can help
teenagers to do better in school. So if your teen does decide to drop
out, make sure to get him into some other physical activity as soon as
you can.
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Kids used to cheat by passing
notes back and forth. Today, they use high-tech gadgets like cell
phones and iPods. Teachers say kids spend more time figuring out how
to cheat than they do studying.
To make sure your teen is
earning his grades by himself:
Talk with your teen.
Ask your teen if he’s ever felt pressure to cheat. Share your values -
that it’s better to do his own work, even if he doesn’t earn the
highest grade in the class.
Talk with your school.
Most schools today have policies about cheating. Ask for a copy and
review it with your teen. See if the school can offer a class on how
to use source materials from the Internet.
Offer support.
If your teen is cheating, it may mean he doesn’t understand the
concepts being taught in class. Talk with his teacher to see how he’s
doing. Ask how you can get a tutor or other help for your son.
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Greetings from PCN
This is the season of
thanksgiving - what is on your list of things to be thankful for? I
was at a conference and one of the activities asked each participate
to write down things we are thankful for and valued. The instructions
for the list asked each of us to include people, freedoms, possessions
and activities. As the speaker read the instructions, we had to give
up something from our list with each question read. What I came to
realize was that it was my list of people I valued most and I
struggled with the most. I gave up my possessions first, which sort
of surprised me, but I did not like making choices with my list of
people I valued. Do we take time to let the people we value know how
important they are in our lives? For many of us the answer is ‘no’;
those valued people often give to us just to give not ever expecting
anything in return. Teaching our children the art of giving is a gift
that lasts a lifetime. This quote from Mary Crowley truly expresses
the spirit of giving, “Give for the joy of giving - if you only give
to get, you are not giving. You are trading.” Take time to talk with
your family about the people and things that maybe on their list and
remember to thank those who give to each of us just for joy of
giving. As always call the PCN office if any have questions or are in
need of a resource. Enjoy your discussion and the information on our
site.
Darcy Jensen and the PCN Board
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