Philadelphia, PA
- In the digital era, every child wants to have a gadget with internet connectivity. Everything is going online, including schooling, and we can't escape from this. With so many benefits and positive content online, there are a few risks involved. As a parent, you want to make sure that every platform is safe for your child, but this can be daunting to achieve online. This guide will help you know some tips on how to keep your kids safe online.
The Risks of Kids Online
First things first, what are the risks of going online.
There are several risks involved with going online, and if not managed, they can be detrimental to your child's well-being.
• Cyber-bullying- These include negative comments directed to your child in various social media accounts by other users.
• Posting private information – This may include sharing nudes, family secrets, or any personal information.
• Inappropriate content - This is access to sexual content or sensitive content that is not suitable to children.
These risks cannot compare to the benefits of using the internet; hence regulations need to be put to achieve a safe online space for your child.
The Warning Signs
These are a few things that can help you know that your kid has a negative online influence. Some of these indicators are:
- Phone calls from strangers
- Spending too much time online
- Child's withdrawal from family life
- Gifts from strangers
5 Tips to keep your child safe online
1. Talk with them about their online activities.
This is very important; discuss their online activities to know the level of risk they are exposed to. Teach them a few not to do things such as posting private information or accepting gifts from strangers. Inform them about all risks involved, such as dangerous websites, malware, and sex offenders.
Be very friendly as you discuss all the challenges they encounter while there and advise them accordingly to avoid further exposure.
2. Get monitoring software
This is a must-do thing to make sure your child is safe online. Just head to the web and look for reliable software to monitor your child's activities online. Parental blocks are also an option for young children to prevent them from stumbling into dangerous content unintentionally.
3. Know passwords
If you know their passwords, they will not chat openly with other people without your consent. You can log into their account and monitor what they are doing, and in case of any problem, you can confront them.
4. Set limits
Set time limits for them to be online and be strict to ensure they adhere to them. However, please give them the freedom to go online for school work. With less time, they only get to chat with a few friends, play a few favorite games, and don't get time to view inappropriate material.
5. Keep the device's screen where you can see them.
Set the computer they are using in a shared room where everyone can see what they are doing. With this, they are not tempted to check inappropriate content.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you know how to protect your child online. Note that at the end of the day, what matters is how well you monitor your child's online engagement. Just make sure you check what they are consuming once in a while or use a parental block to bar them from viewing inappropriate content. Lastly, make your children your friends because this is the only way they will open up to you and be honest about the nature of their online activities.
