How to Keep Your Teen Safe Playing Pokemon Go

The new Pokemon Go gaming app raises new concerns for parents regarding their children's safety. Despite obvious positives the team provokes, like encouraging children to go outside, there a number of anxieties parents should be aware of including:

·         Stranger Danger: Teens playing Pokemon Go may not realize that strangers offering to help them could actually be predators in disguise.

·         Battery Drain: The game uses up a phone's battery pretty quickly, which could lead to kids being stranded without a phone and without a means of contacting home.

·         Inappropriate Poke Stops: Poke Stops can be houses or businesses, but they could also be locations that are inappropriate for children, such as strip clubs or adult book stores.

So how can parents help their kids navigate these waters so that they can still "catch 'em all" without putting themselves in danger? TeenSafe, the leading parental monitoring service, has developed a list of ways to stay safe while playing Pokemon Go. They advise:

·         Teach your child to be aware of surroundings: Tell them to frequently look up from their phones to make sure there's nothing they'll run into in front of them. They should also be aware of any cars that might be suspiciously following them.

·         Set limits for where and how far they can go: If possible, parents should play the game with their kids so they can supervise (and bond!). But if that's not possible, advise your children go out in groups, or with an adult, so that they can stick together.

·         Bring a portable charger: This will make sure that parents can get a hold of their kids any time, any place. And you don't have to worry about not being able to find them if they wander too far.

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