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Welcome to the Information Superhighway
That's the main message of this Guide.
It's designed to welcome you, and give you a simple step-by-step
introduction to parenting in a world of computers and new
forms of media. This Guide will provide some tools and rules
for you to use with your pre-high school and high school
children at home, at school, and in the community.
The Parent Perspective
It seems overnight there's a whole new
world for kids—and for you. From computers to software to
the Internet—there are
so many new things, yet little guidance for parents trying
to figure it all out. (Boldface terms
are defined in the Glossary).
That's why we decided to write this Guide. We hope to:
- Introduce parents to a new and changing
media;
- Help parents use common sense parenting
along with simple, practical tips about the new technology;
and
- Boost parents' confidence and
jump-start their involvement to make sure that new media
will truly benefit children.
Who Is This Guide For?
This Guide is for parents who have begun
to see that computers and online services
will be or already are a part of children's lives at school,
at community centers, at home, or at the library—and
who are looking for some guidelines and advice. We have written
it with the computer novice in mind, and have provided simple
definitions and ideas for how to get involved. But we hope
that parents who have already become online travelers will
find useful tips as well. We recognize that it is not possible
to meet the needs of every parent through one Guide. But
hopefully this Guide provides a starting point for all parents
to get involved. For more specialized information, please
refer to the resources on page 25.
What Does This Guide Cover?
Working with the National PTA and the
National Urban League, The Children's Partnership talked
to dozens of parents. We found these most frequently asked
questions, which this Guide sets out to answer:
This Guide focuses on computers and services that allow young
people to go beyond their own computer at school or at
home and link into a wider world. We focus on the "online"
world—at this time mostly represented by the Internet and
the World Wide Web—though
other aspects of the superhighway are sometimes discussed.
While we try to give parents a brief
survey of current technology, we have emphasized parenting
strategies in a world where children and young people often
know more than their parents. Although we don't focus on CD-ROMs,
video games, or computer software, we do refer to them, and
many of the parenting tips for being online also apply to
these media.
How to Use This Guide
The Guide can be used in two ways:
- You can read it straight through and
find a basic road map to the superhighway, along with road
signs to other helpful information (see the Resources section);
or
- You can jump to the area that seems
most useful to you. At the bottom of each file are links
to every section of the Guide.
Last Word
The history of media, and television
especially, has taught us some important lessons when it
comes to children. First, media has a very powerful influence
on young people. Second, without strong public attention
to media issues, children's best interests are not adequately
served. These lessons are especially important today, as
a new information society is being created. In addition to
helping parents do the best for their own children, we hope
that this Guide helps parents connect with institutions like
the National PTA and the National Urban League as well as
their local schools and community institutions to ensure
that this new generation of media is good for all kids.
Wendy Lazarus and Laurie Lipper DIRECTORS
© 1998 The Children's Partnership.
All Rights Reserved.
Click here to view Footnotes.
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