Camp Mariposa - Southern West Virginia

11/01/2026

💙 **YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR SCREEN!**

Social media can help us connect, learn, and express ourselves. But sometimes it can also lead to comparison, stress, and pressure.

Remind the young people in your life:

🌟 Likes do not determine your worth.

🌟 It's okay to take breaks from social media.

🌟 You don't have to respond to every message immediately.

🌟 Unfollowing accounts that make you feel bad is okay.

🌟 Your mental health matters more than online popularity.

At Camp Mariposa, we encourage our youth to CELEBRATE who they are, both online and offline!

📚 Supporting Healthy Digital Habits

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides practical tips for helping children and teens develop healthier relationships with technology and social media.

🔗 https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/how-to-build-healthy-digital-habits-tips-for-families.aspx

💙 Your mental health matters, both online and offline!

When it comes to helping your children build healthy digital habits, you may not know where to start. Here are some research-based tips from pediatricians that can make a big difference for your family.

10/31/2026

10/31/2026

🎮 **GAMING SAFETY MATTERS!**

Online gaming is a great way for kids to have fun, be creative, and connect with friends. But multiplayer games can also expose children to strangers and inappropriate content.

Whether your child plays Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, or another online game, consider these safety tips:

🎮 Review chat and privacy settings.

🔒 Limit who can contact your child.

💬 Talk about what to do if another player makes them uncomfortable.

💳 Review in-game purchases and scams.

👨‍👩‍👧 Play together occasionally to understand the platforms your child enjoys!

💙 Gaming should be fun, safe, and positive.

🎮 **Gaming Safety Resources**

Does your child enjoy Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, or other online games?

NCMEC's NetSmartz program offers helpful information about online gaming, privacy, chatting with strangers, and recognizing unsafe interactions.

🔗 https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/topics/gaming

Learn about gaming safety from NetSmartz.

10/30/2026

📱 **LET'S TALK ABOUT ONLINE BLACKMAIL.**

Sextortion happens when someone threatens to share private or intimate images unless a person sends money, more images, or meets other demands.

Children and teens can be targeted through social media, messaging apps, and online games.

If this happens:

💙 Remember that you are not to blame.

🚫 Do not send money or additional images.

📱 Stop communicating with the person.

🛡️ Save usernames, messages, and other non-explicit evidence when safe. Do not download or forward sexual images of minors.

💙 Tell a trusted adult and report the situation.

Families can find help through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at **CyberTipline.org**.

Every child deserves support, not shame.

🚨 Know Where to Get Help

If someone threatens to share private images, help is available.

📚 Learn about sextortion and how to respond:

🔗 https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/topics/sextortion

🚨 Report online child sexual exploitation to NCMEC's CyberTipline:

🔗 https://report.cybertip.org/

💙 No child or teen should face online blackmail alone.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestatio...

10/29/2026

🚨 ONLINE SAFETY: RECOGNIZING RED FLAGS

Sometimes, adults or older individuals use online platforms to build trust with children for harmful purposes. This is known as online grooming.

Warning signs may include:

🚩 Asking a child to keep their friendship secret.

🚩 Offering gifts, money, or gaming rewards.

🚩 Asking inappropriate personal questions.

🚩 Pressuring a child to send pictures.

🚩 Trying to isolate a child from trusted adults.

💙 Children should know that they can always tell a trusted adult if something online makes them uncomfortable.

**No child is responsible for an adult's inappropriate behavior.**

📚 **Resources for Parents and Caregivers**

Learn how online grooming can occur, recognize potential warning signs, and start conversations with children about unsafe online interactions.

🔗 https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/topics/online-enticement

💙 Remember: Children deserve protection and support, never blame.

10/28/2026

👣 **EVERY CLICK LEAVES A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT!**

Photos, comments, videos, and messages can sometimes be saved or shared, even after they've been deleted.

Before posting, ask yourself:

🤔 Is this kind?

🤔 Is this safe?

🤔 Am I comfortable with other people seeing it?

🤔 Do I have permission to share this photo or information?

Remember: You have the power to make thoughtful choices about what you share online!

📚 Think Before You Share!

NCMEC's NetSmartz program provides resources on sharing photos, online privacy, and making safer decisions about digital content.

🔗 https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources

Look for the "Your Photo Fate" discussion guide!

Thanks to our amazing supporters, we’ve reached our $100,000 match goal! But there’s still more to do—join us in protecting children and supporting our mission.

10/27/2026

🌟 **BE AN UPSTANDER, NOT A BYSTANDER!**

Have you ever seen someone being bullied online and wondered what you could do?

You can make a difference!

💙 Don't like or share hurtful content.

💙 Reach out privately to someone being targeted.

💙 Report bullying through the platform.

💙 Tell a trusted adult when someone may be in danger.

Small acts of kindness can make a BIG difference.

At Camp Mariposa, we encourage our campers to CARE, COMMUNICATE, and make positive CHOICES!

📚 **Learn How to Help**

Being an upstander means taking positive action when you witness bullying. Learn how children, teens, and adults can support others and help stop bullying.

🔗 https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/bystanders-to-bullying

Someone who witnesses bullying, either in person or online, is a bystander. Friends, students, peers, teachers, school staff, parents, coaches, and other youth-serving adults can be bystanders. With cyberbullying, even strangers can be bystanders.

10/26/2026

💙 **CYBERBULLYING IS REAL BULLYING.**

Cyberbullying can happen through social media, text messages, online games, and group chats.

It may include:

💬 Repeated hurtful messages

📸 Sharing embarrassing pictures without permission

🚫 Deliberately excluding or humiliating someone online

🎭 Creating fake accounts to harass others

If you or someone you know is experiencing cyberbullying, remember:

💙 You deserve respect.

💙 You do not have to respond to hurtful messages.

💙 Save evidence, report the behavior, and talk to a trusted adult.

Together, we can create a kinder digital world!



📚 **Cyberbullying Resources**

StopBullying.gov offers information for families on recognizing, preventing, and responding to cyberbullying.

🔗 https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it

10/25/2026

🎮 **ONLINE FRIENDSHIPS: WHAT SHOULD KIDS KNOW?**

Making friends through games and social media can be fun, but it's important to remember that people online aren't always who they claim to be.

🚩 Watch for these warning signs:

• Someone asks you to keep your conversations secret.

• Someone wants personal pictures or information.

• Someone pressures you to move conversations to another app.

• Someone offers gifts in exchange for favors.

💙 If an online interaction makes you uncomfortable, talk to a trusted adult. You deserve to feel safe, both online and offline.

10/24/2026

📱 **HOW MUCH INFORMATION ARE YOU SHARING ONLINE?**

Sharing personal information online can put children and teens at risk—even when it seems harmless.

Encourage youth to keep the following information private:

🏠 Home addresses

🏫 School names and daily schedules

📞 Phone numbers

🔑 Passwords and account information

📍 Real-time locations

💙 Parents and caregivers: Take a few minutes this week to review your child's privacy settings together.



📚 **Resources for Families**

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's NetSmartz program offers free online safety guides for children, teens, and caregivers.

🔗 https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources