2. Passwords are like keys to the house.
You kids need to know that a password to any account—from bank accounts all the way down to an innocent puzzle app—is like a key. That key is the only thing protecting valuable information about their life, including their birthday, home address and more.
Ask them to imagine their account as the house they live in, where they keep all of their toys, electronics—all the things they don’t want stolen. Their password, then, is the key to that house. Ask them: “Would you give that key out to just anybody? Or use the same key to open every important lock?”
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a lot of kids do. According to one survey, 59 percent of teens say that they’d share their password with a friend, so rules must be put in place for your children to stay safe.
The rule: It’s okay to share a password with a trusted adult, like a teacher, family member or parent, because they can help if you get into trouble. But never share with friends, and never type up a list of your passwords and save it on the computer. That’s just like leaving a house key under the “Welcome” mat outside your front door—it’s obvious and easy to get to.
