Published: September 3, 2019
Robin Dreeke, ILF board member and former head of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, joined “Virginia This Morning” on WTVR CBS 6 to talk about keeping your kids safe online.
He offers a roadmap for ensuring open communication and your children’s online safety through the acronym TRUST. TRUST is a formula to follow when creating a dialogue and building healthy relationships with your children about their online safety.
TRUST
T – Talk.
R – Relationships.
U – Understand.
S – Stability.
T – Teach.
Talk
Seek your kids’ thoughts and opinions. Speak to your kids in terms of their priorities and be sure to validate them. As a parent, validate your children without judging them; you have the ability to empower them with healthy choices.
Relationships
Consistently communicate with your children to learn and chat about their in-person and online relationships. Get to know their friends and know the players in your kids’ lives.
Understand
When communicating with your children, be sure to understand their challenges and be a resource for them in their success moving forward.
Stability
Above all, maintain your emotional stability and refrain from getting angry, no matter what they say. Be the safe place and person for your children; ensure they feel they can share with and learn from you.
Teach
Have your children teach you about their apps. This way, you know how the apps work, why your children enjoy the apps, and with whom your kids use the apps.
By following these steps, you can promote an open dialogue with your children and ensure safe habits online. Learn more in the full video.
The Innocent Lives Foundation works to identify anonymous child predators and help bring them to justice. You can help.
