Talking to kids about online safety on The Totally Preventable Podcast (Parts 1 & 2)

In this three part series of podcast episodes Lisa talks with Greg Thompson and Polly Allen of the Newport County Prevention Coalition in Rhode Island. Greg and Polly co-host the Totally Preventable podcast - Greg is a Drug Free Community Grant Coordinator and Polly is a Certified Prevention Specialist and Coordinator and they’re both parents.

The first episode covers some important topics:

• Starter phones and first phones for kids

• The United States’ lack of standards in protecting kids online and current legislation that can help

• The pressures children and teen are facing online and on social media

• Design features in games and social media that create addiction or dependence

• Reassessing your family’s tech usage (we fell into some bad habits during COVID and it’s time to take a look at screen time)

• FOMO and anxiety related to tech usage

• Cyberbullying and how parents can help

• Access to illegal drugs and prescriptions and how parents can help

Lisa elaborates on our Five Circles of Safety model and talks through each of the actions parents can take that spell out FAMILY. She, Polly and Greg also dig into setting tech limits and expectations and how important conversations with kids are to encourage boundaries, mutual understanding and increased freedom over time.

Have a listen to the episode: Teaching Your Kids How to Stay Safe Online w/ Totally Preventable Podcast.

Episode 2 is another great part of the series! There's been a lot of great trilogies like Lord of the Rings, Back To The Future, and The Matrix, but now you can add the Center For Online Safety's Lisa Honold on the Totally Preventable Podcast.

 In Part 3, Greg and Polly talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT with Lisa.