The Five Second Rule
After moving from California to Utah a couple of years ago, I noticed two differences in how Utahans drive in general compared to Californians. First of all, more people in Utah wave with just one finger. I suppose Californians would do the same if they weren’t afraid of being shot.
Second, there is an unofficial (and illegal) rule in Utah that I call the five second rule: If a traffic light has been red for less than 5 seconds, it’s still ok to drive through the intersection. This rule can be exciting if you are used to moving out into an intersection the second a light turns green.
Different places have different rules and behaviors. When your children visit their friends, do you know what the computer rules are in their friends’ homes? Do their parents allow them to have computers in their bedrooms? Is the computer usage monitored directly or with monitoring software like Computer Parenting?
Know your children’s friends parents. Encourage them to follow safe computer practices. Help them understand the dangers of the Internet by referring them to books like Online Teen Dangers.
Even if your home computers are safe, when your child visits a friend, they could still get run over on the Information Super Highway.