Keeping teens safe in the digital age
PrintNORWICH - Norwich Police Detective Mark Lounsbury will talk about texting, the dangers of Internet usage and will answer questions from parents in "Keeping Our Teens Safe in a Technological World," on April 8, from 6:30-8 p.m. in The William W. Backus Hospital's entry-level conference rooms.
"The most important thing is to keep an open dialogue, so your kids feel comfortable coming to you if anything strange happens to them online," Lounsbury said. "Rather than saying they can't be online at all, talk to them about what information is safe and what isn't."
The event is free but registration is requested by calling 860-889-8331 ext. 2495.
Whether its texting or participating in social media sites like Facebook, teens are networking online at a rapid and unprecedented pace. Experts say that parents must keep up with these trends and increase their own knowledge of the Internet and its potential dangers such as sexting or sharing personal information online.
The event is part of the Backus Health Education Department monthly lecture series "Family Matters," which is held the second Thursday of each month from 6:30-8 p.m. The May program will be "Could My Child Have Autism?" featuring developmental behavioral pediatrician Dr. Thyde Dumont-Mathieu.