Summer camp season is about to begin!
Question: does your kid love his/her technology? If so, then please keep reading!
In just a few short weeks, many kids will be exiting school and some will begin a summer that includes mission trips, work camps, NTS Camp (if you’ve not seen this one, you have to check it out!) or other overnight, away from home, mosquito-infested experience.
We want to make sure you and your kids are ready for these experiences. Don’t worry. It’s not tough. But starting conversations about expectations early and looking for more natural opportunities to have conversations is better than slamming everything in the night before (like how your son stuffs his backpack for the adventure).
Summer Camp Prep STEP ONE – understand the rules
Each organization has its own rules for how technology is to be used during the experience. NTS leaves it up to each youth pastor, recognizing that different churches approach technology differently.
As a parent, it’s your job to be on the same page so that there’s no confusion in the mind of your son or daughter. There should be alignment between home -> church -> camp, or if it’s a secular experience, alignment between home -> YMCA.
Then, once you understand the rules, communicate them very clearly to your son or daughter. Everyone at camp will appreciate hosting a group of kids who are clear on what’s expected of them.
Summer Camp Prep STEP TWO – review important topics
Depending on your kid, maybe this is an opportunity to re-discuss important topics or use this as a chance to talk to them about them for the first time.
For example, is your child crystal clear on what pornography is and simple steps to take if they’re exposed to it? Or, what if another kid at camp uses AirDrop to cyber flash your daughter? What are the rules for the phone’s camera while away? Can the phone go into the bathroom in whatever dorm or facility where they’re staying?
Related post: My Kid Received Unsolicited Porn. What is Cyber Flashing?
Summer Camp Prep STEP THREE – take a look at what’s on the phone
When was the last time you took an inventory of the apps in use on your kid’s phone? Now might be a good time. Maybe after this review you determine that having better control over the App Store or Google Play is a great idea while they’re away.
Maybe you decide that deleting just one social media platform would help him or her be more focused at camp.
Related post: How to Turn off the App Store and Google Play
Summer Camp Prep STEP FOUR – use parental controls
No matter what kind of device you might be sending with your son or daughter, we’ve probably spent some time looking at parental control options. Here are a few:
The Device section of Protect Young Eyes covers parental controls for most major, internet-ready devices.
Finally, we hope you have an amazing summer! Parents and other caring adults – we send a regular email newsletter with the latest tech trends. And unlike others out there, it’s free! Just text the word “protect” (no quotes) to 66866. Also, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Just search “protect young eyes.”
Chris McKenna, Founder: A man with never ending energy when it comes to fighting for the safety and protection of children. Chris practices his internet safety tips on his four amazing children and is regularly featured on news, radio, and podcasts for his research. His 2019 US Senate Judiciary Committee testimony was the catalyst for draft legislation and on-going discussion that could radically change online child protection laws and earned PYE the NCOSE Dignity Defense Alert Award in 2020. The PYE team has performed over 1,300 presentations at schools, churches, and nonprofits and was featured in the Childhood 2.0 movie. When not leading PYE, Chris is the Digital Marketing Manager for Covenant Eyes. Other loves include running, spreadsheets, nature, and candy.
Through much research and prayer, God has lead us to this site and your mission!
Do you come to schools in Michigan?
There are many schools in need of this service!
My son is going through a difficult time at 12 because we took away his social media and his game fortnite which he became addicted to in 2 months of restricted time and monitoring his use. Difficult to watch his withdrawal!! My child has no previous medical or mental problems! As parents we gave to pressure that most kids were playing and it originally looked like Minecraft! I have batteled some surgeries and took my eyes off here and there while recovering!!
This game is horrific as levels increase and the game fortnite Royal comes in! It has become available on mobile devices of all kinds which we believed he was playing only on Xbox live so when we ended Xbox live we thought it was over? Nope, wrong again parents!
The big problem is when kids search out how to get better, Instagram and YouTube have videos that look like fortnite training (bad on that level) horrid on this level, these streams are loaded with drugs, how to do them, make them, porn, cursing, saying they are “God” if they ace the game and I could go on.
All his friends are still playing and most have social media. We are at a Christian school. Our son is an athlete and straight A student! Grades in some assignments started to fall which prompted us to look and research into this game and social media in depth!
Our school has had an episode with kids using chrome books for fortnite then a child brought candy with medicine in it to school. Kids tried it! Not my son but some other kids were found to have researched it on their chrome books!
We have been communicating with the school. Oakland Computer Crisis group is coming in to speak next month!
I could use any additional information on a group to address our children bc this group addresses the adults.
Hello, I’m sorry for all of these troubles. Chromebooks are difficult right now because Google has stripped away so much. We speak at schools across the country to grades K-12 and parents. Please let me know if you’re interested – [email protected]
Warmly,
Chris