TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto police urged parents and children Tuesday to be mindful of technology use, warning of long-lasting consequences when used irresponsibly.
The warning coincides with the 10th annual Safer Internet Day — a worldwide movement to promote safer use of technology.
Det.-Const. Michelle Bond of the Child Exploitation Unit said it is critical for children and teenagers to be vigilant when online.
Bond said the internet can provide children and teenagers with a sense of anonymity that makes them feel safe.
“They become more daring when they’re on the internet because they’re not seen and they’re not judged,” she said.
“People say things that they’re too shy to say in person.”
However, Bond said children and teenagers are usually unaware of the long-term repercussions of their actions online, which can include criminal charges.
“They’re affected emotionally, socially and sometimes criminally,” she said.
“We need to all work together to curb the rising numbers of these incidences.”
Bond said parents need to know what their children are doing online and remind them to be as careful in cyberspace as they would in the real world.
“The dangers out there are just like in the real world, where there are strangers,” she said.
“We try to teach our children not to talk to strangers. But it’s also there in the cyber world.”
Bond said children and teenagers should tell someone if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation online. If they don’t feel comfortable talking to their parents, they should speak to a teacher or the police.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection partnered with law enforcement agencies and other professionals to develop a resource guide for parents, educators and teenagers on online safety as well as using smartphones safely and responsibly.
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There are numerous great things about college. Unfortunately, the price will not be among those great things. If you’re in college at this time, you already know how costly it can be. Paying for room and board, books, and more can actually put a dent within your banking accounts. You might be able to save money during college utilizing the tips below.
Examine your book list for every single class to see if the texts are mandatory or otherwise. Some professors include a reading list that is optional, and by choosing to not get the texts it can save you money. Quite often these books may be borrowed, read online, or just disregarded because the professor decides never to cover the optional material.
Don’t go home every weekend even though you live near by. Area of the college experience involves learning how to live from your parents, most of the time. Limit visits to school vacations so that you can immerse yourself in campus life and become accustomed to being independent of your parents. Teachers learn from shouting.
Develop solid studying habits. Leave the partying and socializing on the door for several hours (a minimum of) daily. Gather all your materials, notes, and books, and walk through your location in every one of your classes. Create areas that you simply feel weak, and approach your professors using these questions during their open office hours.
Many college students would like to start seeking a job every time they start their college career. However, it might be a good idea to wait a semester to see the way your grades come out prior to making the decision to get yourself a job being a new job will take hours far from studying.
If you are staying in a dorm, invest in a safe to lock up your valuables. The very last thing that you would like is someone to steal a thing that is valuable to you. Typically, dorms have minimal security and people walking in and out on a regular basis, so it is advisable to error on the side of caution.
College living could be expensive but a great way to spend less is always to prepare a budget friendly foods at your apartment or dorm room. You can purchase bags of salad, cold cuts, canned goods, nuts and other dorm friendly foods that will easily fit in those mini-refrigerators. Hot plates are often allowed in dorms. So pick-up soups, instant noodles and brew your own tea or coffee for savings. Therefore, skip the restaurants and eat-in to save cash in your college years. Buy your education with charm.
When you are not vacationing in dorms, consider carpooling with some other students. You should be able to find others which can be vacationing in the same area as you may. You will probably be unable to carpool every day of every week using the same people, but even a couple of days will assist build relationships.
Don’t hesitate to talk about your knowledge with other people. Education is not a contest. Your classmates may really need your help. And know, this may return to you too. While you are in need of assistance, you’ll get the people you’ve helped to anticipate to aid you in return.
Read the syllabus that the professor will give you for every single class to understand exactly what you really are engaging in. This is vital, mainly because it helps to give you a sense of the program to the class, the project you will come across as well as the breakdown for what you will be graded on.
Become familiar with the folks within the financial aid office. If one makes friends together, they are going to appear more friendly for your needs. Then, once you have questions, they can assist you quicker. While they all are professionals, it never hurts to grease the social wheels in terms of your financial needs.
Don’t be afraid to get involved on campus. College isn’t approximately studying night and day. You have to get on the market and find out items you may end up enjoying. Engaging in campus programs is a great way to spend your time while being productive at the same time.
Become involved in social activities that help keep you engaged. All work and no play may be in the same way bad for you as a lot of socializing. Discover that balance, and discover groups and clubs which have similar interests to you. You’ll find you are a better student once you have these outlets.
A good tip if you’re thinking about going to college is to get all your general education taken care of. This means that you take your basic classes in a college in order that when you’re finally at college, you’re capable of taking good classes which can be worth the money.
Make certain you sign up for classes the moment that you are allowed to. Should you wait to sign up, you will discover a pretty good chance that you will not obtain the classes, teachers and times that you desire. This could create within a undesirable situation where you may be confronted by a difficult schedule.
Complete your FAFSA as soon as possible. Federal student aid is dispersed on the first-come basis, so putting off your application can certainly cost you money. Buy it in as soon as you can, and steer clear of the stress of gathering each of the required information at the very last minute.
Don’t try and do everything in a semester. It’s simple to be an overachiever when there’s so much to complete and everything’s new. You may burn out quickly by trying to accept the maximum variety of credits and join every campus activity that sounds interesting. Have a reasonable number of credits and try 1 or 2 activities the first semester.
In case you are struggling in your classes, ask the professor if you can find any tutoring possibilities. By enlisting the help of a tutor you will normally have the ability to score better on tests, understand the information better and have a much more rounded comprehension of the curriculum. When a tutor is just not available, check around on campus. There are several study groups available which can be student led.
Whether college is right for you will most likely be dependant on a number of different considerations. The easiest method to make a smart decision in relation to pursuing higher education is to do sufficient research on the options. Maintain the above advice close on hand, and you will definitely have the tools necessary to choose your path wisely.