7 Tips to Keeping Your Child Safe on the internet

tools for you and your child to feel secure with “Connected” devices

Technology is everywhere. We can’t “police” our children every time they come into contact with a smart phone, tablet or computer. Here are some ideas for you to get in front of any potential problems and keep your children safe on the internet.

• Communication: talk about it. Make sure your children know how you feel about technology, social media, screen time, games and the content in them. Find out how your children feel.
• Know where your children “play.” You check out their friends, their schools, their activities, etc very thoroughly.  Know where your children hang out in the cyber world.

Join with other moms!

This group is designed to help you simplify your life while connecting you to moms who “get it.”

• Feel Support

• Feel Connection

• Look at life with positivity

• Set goals (laundry will get done 😊 )

• Celebrate each other’s successes

• Grow as a mom & woman, with others

• Not all of your computers have to be “hooked up.” Make sure that any computers that have internet access (including mobile units) can only be used in a family public area.
• Establish basic ground rules for protection. This is part of the “communication.”
  • Keep location private (check photos!)
  • Only open email from people you know
  • Never give out personal information (discuss what that is)
  • Never agree to “meet up” with someone they only know online
• ISP (Internet Service Provider) parental controls. You can control a lot, free, with parental controls included with most ISPs. Check with whomever you are signed up with for internet service.
• If you want a more thorough screening of what comes into the house, there are parenting control programs. These will cost you each month, for us, it was worth it. They allow you to filter out content, monitor social media activity and manage screen time.
• Be an example. I know, this is always on every list. However, it is true, children learn from example. Live what you are asking of your children. If there are no screens at dinner, do not have yours.

Technology is here to stay. In my opinion, it does not make sense to teach our children to fear it. It can be a very useful tool. As parents, we need to teach our children to be aware of possible misuses of the internet and how to make it work for their benefit.