According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, kids aged 8-12 spend up to six hours a day in front of screens. That number increases to nine hours when they become teens. Even if only a portion of it is on the internet, it spells huge online risks for your children.
It’s a harsh move for a parent to ban their kids from using the web. Children use the internet to play, learn, and talk to friends. But while technology is an inevitable part of today’s life, carers need to keep their children safe in the virtual world. That includes warning them about the online risks and preparing them to recognize potential threats. Here is a useful checklist to follow to equip children against these dangers!
Ask Your Child Which Sites They Visit
It’s vital to underline you should encourage your child to share everything. They shouldn’t be scared of your reaction since that might prevent them from revealing something important. The idea is to establish trust where you will respect their rights but also stay in the loop as a parent.
The first item on the checklist is to ask your child about the websites they visit. Most kids focus on gaming and social media sites. They’ll probably have several favorite websites, so make sure to write them down. You can visit and analyze them thoroughly later.
Explain Their Social Media Profiles Should Be Private
This is a basic security measure for both adults and children. Anyone can visit your profile and take your photos if your profile is public. It increases the risk of misusing them.
Additionally, the information posted online could be abused. Your child might reveal they are going to the movies soon. If the profile is public, anyone can see that info. That means potential predators also know your child’s whereabouts. If you explain this threat to your kid nicely, the odds are they’ll understand and change the settings themselves.
Learn About Your Child’s Online Friends
It’s wise to talk about each follower your kid accepted on Instagram or other social networks. The majority would be classmates, friends from the neighborhood, etc. But if you notice anyone suspicious, don’t hesitate to ask. Don’t be pushy or judge; your primary idea is to discover information.
Another thing to consider is giving personal information to “online friends.” It’s a common danger on gaming sites. Children play with others and believe that it’s okay to start sharing. You should explain that they should be careful when revealing any personal detail without confirming who the other person is.
Use Internet Filters and Parental Control Apps
It’s not easy for parents to explain cyber security threats to children. That unknown link might seem appealing, and they could have even received it from a classmate. If you want to prevent your child from accessing illegal content on the internet, it helps to apply filters. These limit the websites your child can visit but also restrict the time they spend online.
Your child’s smartphone might be a bigger problem than the computer for online risks. Kids spend a lot of time on their mobile phones. Finding the best parental control app will help to control how much time they can spend in front of the screen daily.
It’s possible to block certain apps, and many parents find the monitoring feature crucial. Here is how you can use parental control apps to monitor your kid:
- Get comprehensive reports on SMS and social media messages
- Receive safety alerts when a message might contain nudity, drug, violence, or other important mentions
- Track the child’s whereabouts at any moment
It’s best if you tell your child you will install the app on their phone. The alternative is to set it up without their knowledge, but they could see that as a violation of trust..
Final Thoughts – Encourage Your Child to Share If They Notice Anything Weird
If you develop trust with your child, they won’t have problems sharing anything. On most occasions, kids enter uncomfortable or problematic situations by accident. If they worry about something that occurred online, discuss the problem. You can take the necessary measures, such as blocking that “friend,” limiting access to a site, etc. If you are suspicious of cyberbullying or other potential problems, don’t hesitate to contact relevant authorities or professionals that can help.
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