Back to School Tips: Internet Safety for Kids
Back to School Tips: Internet Safety for Kids by Myla Pilao Now that the fall has sprung, children of all ages have returned to school for the new year. The use of digital technology and the Internet is a normal part of life for children now, at home — but increasingly in school as well. And while long-term trends had already formed, the COVID-19 pandemic saw such changes go into overdrive, with children across Canada spending an average of six hours a day of screen time every day, and some children even spending up to 13 hours per day on screens. Life in front of a screen According to a recent survey, two-thirds of parents allow their children to use the Internet independently, and over 70 percent have admitted to their children engaging in risky online behaviour. With the increasing daily use of digital technology, it's critical for parents to integrate digital literacy and cyber hygiene into their child’s learning process. The Internet is a powerful tool offering a multitude of positive benefits, but it also has its risks. It is up to individuals to practice safe browsing habits that protect them and their families from malicious actors. This will enable them to enjoy all the positive opportunities that the Internet has to offer. To help improve kids’ safety and awareness online, Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity solutions company, launched the Cyber Academy, which offers 7–10-year-olds a series of video-based lessons and learning materials designed to upgrade children’s digital literacy skills in a way that’s meaningful and engaging. The Cyber Academy consists of Internet safety lessons that focus on passwords, two-factor authentication, security and privacy among others. These free 10-15 minute lessons can be delivered on-demand and are available to teachers in the classroom or a guardian at home. This tool is also available in eleven different languages including Czech, Deutsch, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Chinese and Arabic. Trend Micro’s Myla Pilao, Director of Technology Marketing and an avid advocate for the safety of children online, has shared a few tips for parents to keep in mind: Have conversations about online safety in today’s digital world Encourage your kids to ask questions. Make them feel safe to share if someone or something online makes them feel uncomfortable Practice Digital Empathy teaching kids to be kind to others online and offline is essential. Respecting others’ boundaries and privacy will make them recognize when someone is trespassing on theirs. Teach children about privacy and password
Back-to-School Survival Kit
Back-to-School Survival Kit by Rachel Naud It's back-to-school time! Teens everywhere may be dreading the start of another year, but we've got some good news: it's easier than ever to make your teen's back-to-school experience enjoyable! Check out our list of essential items that will help make the transition into the new school year easier for both you and them. For Taking Notes Remember during university days and not wanting to write or jot notes in your textbooks so you could keep them pristine and sell them afterwards? Post-it® Notes are perfect for this job! They are handy for making study notes as well as jotting down quick ideas and tasks to help keep you organized. These Post-it® Super Sticky Notes have two times the sticking power compared to the original Post-it® Notes. They’ll not only stick to most flat surfaces but also come off easily and cleanly! And, of course, who doesn’t love the fun new colours they’ve launched this year? For Scratch-Free Dorm Rooms If you have a university student moving into a dorm, they’ll want to keep Scotch® Wall-Safe Tape on hand. In most dorms, you're not allowed to nail anything to the walls. This tape is ideal for displaying posters, photos, and more. As an added bonus, Scotch® Magic™ Tape is invisible, which makes it perfect for school projects, crafts, or simply mending torn pages! For Managing Finances Does your teen have expensive taste and you want to teach them how to effectively manage their money? Get them started with Hero Financials and teach them financial literacy. It’s a reliable tool that helps tweens and teens understand and manage money efficiently and effectively. Your kids don't need a new bank account! Just sign up at herofinancials.com, and you can load money on it and use a variety of features, including a budgeting tool, recurring allowances, and block lists, to help them budget for what matters most to them. It comes with a physical SideKick Mastercard, which can be used anywhere a prepaid Mastercard is accepted in-store or online. Hero has some incentives going on at the moment for new signups, so make sure to visit Hero Financials to check it out. For Easy Organization Want to teach your teen the art of time management? The Echo Show 15 has widgets that are Alexa-powered to help keep your teen on track with shared calendars, personal sticky notes, to-do lists, shopping lists, and assigned reminders. Not only that, but they
Back-to-School Top 5 Picks
Back-to-School Top 5 Picks by Rachel Naud It’s that time of year! Whether you have a middle school, high school, or university student in your house, every student will want some cool essentials to start the back-to-school season off right! For a Bright and Fun School Year It is hard not to shop at Staples Canada when it comes to back-to-school shopping since they offer many noteworthy products that are not only great for working and learning but are also very fun! With all the tools kids need to work and learn—notebooks, calculators, lunch bags and more—the bright colours make this Pep Rally line a favourite because, let's face it, if your kids love their tools, they will be more excited to learn. All of these items are available exclusively at Staples stores in Canada, or you can order them online at staples.ca! For Organizing Toiletries University students moving into dorms will need some cool bathroom essentials. Bed, Bath & Beyond has everything you need—whether you’re looking for storage solutions or fun décor. Their Simply Essential line has plush towels, flip-flops (a must for any dorm-dweller) and a tote to make storing and carrying their bathroom essentials easy. You can shop all these items at Bed, Bath & Beyond in-store or online and if you sign up for the Savings Pass, you can get 20% off while earning points towards future purchases! Also, if your child is moving to a different city, you can shop the app or store and use the Pack & Hold program and they’ll have the order ready to pick up near the campus! For that rewarding study rest The Endy Weighted Blanket is engineered to promote a sensation of calm and relaxation. This reduces feelings of anxiety, guaranteeing a good night’s rest. It features a balanced weight that distributes equal pressure across your body. This provides maximum comfort, movement minimization and deeper sleep. Weighing 15 lbs, this personal-sized blanket will envelop you like a warm, soothing hug. This is amazing for power naps and deep sleep, alike! For a fun, informative, and worry-free academic year If you’re worried about your teen’s exposure to the Internet, this Fire 7 Kids tablet’s web browser comes with built-in controls designed to help filter out inappropriate sites and let parents add or block specific websites at any time. Your teen can also send announcements and make voice and video calls over wifi to approved contacts with an Alexa-enabled device or app. For those