Keeping Kids Safe Online: Tip 1

Keeping Kids Safe Online: Tip 1

 

Tip 1: Have open conversations with your child/teen about their online activity.

With many children learning remotely and spending more time on screens, keeping kids safe online is a priority for many parents.  The first and perhaps most important thing parents can do is to talk openly with their child about their online activity.  

When parents make it a priority to have open conversations with their kids about their online activity, they pave the way for their kids to be honest with them about what they’re doing when they’re on their devices.   

KidsHealth states that, “Parents should be aware of what their kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves.” Read more here. 

It can be difficult to monitor teenagers online, especially as they begin to demand more privacy as they get older.  While this is healthy and normal behavior, it’s also important for parents to encourage open and consistent discussions about their online behaviors. Ask your teen about what they like to do online, what sites and apps they use, who they communicate with, etc.  If you can get involved and join in on games they play, or learn about the people and accounts they follow, you’re more likely to stay in the loop about their changing interests.  

Another source recommends that parents “teach them about their online reputation, too, and how they must be careful about how they behave, interact with people and represent themselves in such a public forum.” The best way for parents to consistently teach this is to talk about it, ask open ended questions, and allow opportunities for kids to share their thoughts and ideas without judgment. 

One of the most important thing parents can do to help keep their children and teens safe online is to talk often with them about how they use their devices and to keep their kids talking about what they do online on a regular basis.  The more parents encourage discussion and ask open-ended questions, the more they’ll know about how their children and teens spend their time online.

If you’ve only had good things happen to you

“Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.” – Mary Tyler Moore

Sometimes, in life, it can be easy to get wrapped up in the bad things that happen to us. While it can be tough to challenge the negative thoughts, it’s important to try and remember that negative experiences also serve a purpose in our lives — even if it isn’t always obvious at first.

When we view every occurrence, whether negative or positive, as an opportunity to learn and grow, then we make the most out of what happens in life, rather than dwelling in the past or living in the negative.

Am I Burned Out?

If you’ve been feeling burned out, it’s important to spend some time checking in with yourself and taking steps to overcome the burnout. Leaving symptoms of burnout unchecked can lead to long-term feelings of despair of helplessness.

Click here to answer 10 questions and assess your burnout level today.

Whether you rate high on the assessment or not, you may benefit from the following HRI resources to help prevent burnout:

11.18.20 HRI Holiday Series: Gift-Giving & Receiving

HRI Holiday Series: Gift-Giving & Receiving

As the holidays approach, so does the stress of gifting! Regardless of what holidays you celebrate, or how you celebrate, most holiday celebrations involve some level of gift-giving and receiving, so why is it that we don’t often talk about the relationship implications or the etiquette around giving and receiving gifts?

Join HRI relationship experts, Dr. Christine Murray and Camila Dos Santos, and etiquette experts, Julie and Brooks Copeland, as they dive into a fun and insightful discussion around the topic of gift-giving and receiving. Learn more about our expert speakers, Julie & Brooks here. 

In this fun discussion, we’ll tackle tough topics such as how to approach gifting during tough economic times, how to give meaningful and thoughtful gifts that make our loved ones feel special and strengthen our relationships, and how to manage the stress of gifting around the holidays.

We’ll also discuss topics such as how to re-gift politely, how to deal when you don’t like the gift you’ve received, and how to make sure that the process of gifting doesn’t take away from the importance of the holiday itself.

You won’t want to miss this conversation on November 18th from 12-1 pm! 

Click here to watch the recording!

Finding a Couples’ Counselor

An important aspect of a lasting and loving relationship is knowing where to look if you feel like you could benefit from the support of a professional counselor. Professional couples counseling can be beneficial if you are facing challenges in your relationship, going through a period of transition, or if you want to work on strengthening your relationship and preparing for conflicts that may arise in the future.

Although counseling has become more accepted throughout recent years, it is still common to feel scared or embarrassed about seeing a counselor due to the stigma around seeking professional help. However, there is no need to feel embarrassed about taking this step. Reaching out for counseling takes a lot of courage and is something to be proud of!

Once you and your partner are ready to reach out for counseling, it can be hard to know where to go. How do you sort through the many options of counselors in our community? How do you know if a counselor is the right fit for you and your partner? Can we even afford counseling? These are all potential questions that may come up as you start looking for a counselor.

Here are a few steps you can take to identify potential counselors who may be a good fit for you:

First, ask for recommendations!

One of the best ways to find a counselor is by asking the people you know and trust who they recommend. If you don’t have any personal contacts with counselors, consider professionals you know who might be able to offer a good recommendation, such as your doctor, your child’s pediatrician, a faith community leader, or a teacher or counselor at your child’s school.

Second, if you’re unable to get any personal or professional recommendations, then you can search one or more of the online directories of counselors.

Some of the main directories that are available include:

  1. The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (http://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/Content/Directories/Find_a_Therapist.asp)
  2. Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists)
  3. Counselor Find (http://www.nbcc.org/Search/CounselorFind).

These directories usually allow you to search for a counselor by location, payment options, and areas of expertise.

Many counselors also have websites for their practice or agency, so once you and your partner have identified some good prospects, take some time to search their online profiles to get a better sense of whether or not they are a good fit.

Third, consider if a potential counselor is a good fit for both you and your partner.

You’ll help set the stage for a successful counseling experience if you can locate a counselor who meets as many preferences as possible for both you and your partner.

Fourth, once you’ve identified one or more good possible fits, reach out to speak with the counselor.

Many counselors offer prospective clients a chance to talk by phone – and sometimes in person – to get to know them before making a decision about whether to enter into a professional counseling relationship with them. If you have a chance to do this, some possible questions you could ask are: (1) What kind of training have you received to work with couples?; (2) Can you describe your counseling approach to me?; (3) What experience do you have with the issue my partner and I are facing currently?; (4) What are your fees and payment options?; (5) How often will we come for counseling sessions, how long will sessions last, and do you have any limits or expectations about how long you’d work with a client?

Want to know more?

Check out one of our previous blog posts: “How to Find a Counselor to Help With Relationship and Family Challenges”

And, check out this great recap of our pointers on finding a couples counselor in this YouTube video:

In the Midst of Relationship Crisis: Tip 5

Sometimes, the support of friends and family members, along with your own coping resources, can only go so far in helping you to navigate really difficult and chaotic relationship challenges. 

Counseling or therapy can be helpful at any time in your relationship, but they can be a critical source of support when you face relationship problems that affect you to your core. 

Click here to read more about the signs that it may be time to seek professional help for your relationship. 

Whether you seek help individually or with your partner, trained professionals can provide valuable, instrumental support as you face crises and chaos in your relationships.

Webinar & Resources: Recognizing, Overcoming, & Preventing Burnout

Webinar & Resources: Recognizing, Overcoming, & Preventing Burnout

This webinar is brought to you by a partnership between the Healthy Relationships Initiative and HealthyUNCG and was previously recorded on October 29,2020.

In this video, HRI Program Coordinator, Camila Dos Santos, discusses how to recognize the signs and causes of burnout and provides strategies to overcome and prevent burnout.

Tune into the recording here. 

Additional Resources: