Digital Safety for Families — Holiday Travel Edition

Written By Makeba Green

This holiday season, we’re keeping our girls and families safe, confident, and connected online — with simple steps you can use right away.🎄

Holiday‑ready digital safety, the IGA way

At the International Girls Academy, we believe tech should feel empowering, not overwhelming. These friendly reminders help students and caregivers enjoy the season while protecting privacy.

  • Update before you celebrate. Install software and app updates before travel so devices are protected.

  • Strong locks, happy travels. Use a longer passcode and auto‑lock. Teach students not to share codes.

  • Treat public Wi‑Fi like a postcard. Save banking and other sensitive logins for trusted connections or your hotspot.

  • Two‑factor everywhere. Turn on 2FA for school, email, and social apps. Authenticator apps beat text codes.

  • Share with care. Post photos after you leave a location. Turn off location tags by default.

  • AirDrop/Nearby Share: Contacts Only. Prevent surprise shares in crowded places.

  • Lost‑mode drill. Practice how to find, lock, or erase a device together. Make it a five‑minute family game.

Parent corner: a quick “PAUSE” check

Before tapping any link, try PAUSE:

  • P — Who’s the Person or sender?

  • A — Is the Address spelled right?

  • U — Is it Urgent or pressuring?

  • S — Does it ask for Secrets like codes or passwords?

  • E — Elsewhere: go to the site directly instead of the link.

Learn more with NIA Tech Academy

Daily, friendly workshops designed for busy families — led by IGA student leaders and mentors.

  • Time: Every day, 6:00–7:00 PM ET

  • Format: 30‑minute mini lesson, 20‑minute guided practice, 10‑minute Q&A

  • Who it’s for: Students and caregivers who want practical, judgment‑free support

Bonus tips for joyful, low‑stress tech

  • Create a family code word for urgent messages

  • Turn on purchase approvals for app stores

  • Review privacy settings on your student’s top three apps

  • Pack a small “charging safety kit” with a trusted wall plug and cable

  • Choose a “tech‑free hour” for cocoa, board games, or story time

🎁

Give the gift of safe tech habits. Small steps today build confidence all year long.

#DigitalSafety #HolidayReady #ForParents #GirlsInSTEM #IGAYouth

Makeba Green
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