Online guidelines for kids

Parenting used to be a string of one liners, for example ‘kids should be seen and not heard’… or..‘If the wind changes your face will stay that way”. Okay, that last one was a bit weird. But one that should be dragged from the archives should be “If you cannot say anything nice, do not say anything at all”. I always thought Ronan Keating’s ‘Say Nothing At All’ was a break up song based on this. Which would have made it a more interesting song. But this homespun philosophy should be the basis for teaching online media manners.
The America Academy of Pediatrics has set out some common sense guidelines on how to embrace social media as it becomes a bigger part of our children’s lives. Educating older children on online etiquette should emphasise the permanency of posting, and ‘to write to others, how you would like to be written to’. Other tips include time out periods, and importantly ensure parents follow similar guidelines. And If something does goes wrong then use it as a learning experience.
Perhaps Ronan Keating just loved the silence, and wrote this song as it was nicer than saying – please, please, can you just be quiet. The guidelines are available at here.. The permanency of social media should make online etiquette a priority for parents.