In this age and day, the internet is arguably the best thing that ever happened when it comes to the social world, not forgetting how it has taken root and reshaped the economic and political worlds. This aside, you can’t ignore the fact that the world wide web comes in handy as perhaps the most resourceful learning for your kids on the planet. You also can’t rule out the fact that your young ones need to socialise and bond as much as possible with their peers when growing up for a decent upbringing. But it goes without saying, that the internet doesn’t come without some challenges to those vulnerable, immature, innocent, lovely beings that you fathered or mothered.
The internet also doubles up as a hub for plenty immoral, deceitful, intimidating, and misleading content, which can influence your child’s behaviour and beliefs in a way that even themselves will not appreciate once they reach a consenting age or maturity.
Here are some tips on how to ensure your child’s safety online:
1. Talk to Them
This may sound like a little bit of cliché, but talking to your kids, preferably at an early age about societal dangers helps. In this case, you need to let them know that the internet is their friend when it comes to classwork, socialisation, self-development. Let them know that it is only beneficial when used right and that they should avoid websites that go against their moral teachings in school, church, or at home.
2. Set Some Ground Rules
Limiting the amount of time your child spends online can also be helpful in protecting their online safety. In this case, you may want to adopt some ground rules like “you can only access the internet in the evenings after homework,” or “no using the internet in the bedroom/dining room. In this case, you’ll want to figure out be on the lookout and keep their access to the internet controlled, even if it means limiting their access to tech devices or grounding them when they go against the set rules.
3. Set Child-Friendly Internet Access Parameters
Most of today’s internet browsers allow you to adjust search engine result settings to your convenience and safety. If your child uses your phone, their own, or your laptop to surf the web, adjusting the settings to filter out age-inappropriate material can be a huge plus.
4. Be A Good Example
Hate it or love it, kids can be bad listeners but good followers of your actions. Understanding this as a parent can be helpful in keeping them protected from online scams, vices, and immoral content. Be sure to carefully make considerations before your post comments, photos, videos, and other stuff online. You will be surprised what the generation Z can do and access on the internet.
5. Monitor Their Online Activities
Last but not least, you might want to use a cell phone spyware to keep track of your child’s online activities. Some of the best cell phone monitors allow you to not only track your child’s online activities, but also their real-time location, call logs, SMS logs, social media chats, and so much more. especially if your child mainly uses a smartphone to access the internet, you might want to look at https://www.thetoolreport.com/cell-phone-spy-app-reviews/ for some of the best cell phone spy apps and monitors. Higher chances are that you’ll find the ideal solution to ensure your child’s online safety.
Bonus: Schedule Online Access and Keep Your Children Busy
It’s not good to allow your child to be online most of the time, especially during the day. That’s why setting a schedule is important. You can do it directly (your child is aware) or indirectly (not noticing you’re restricting internet use). While the suggestions below are pretty straightforward, it’s important to talk to an online security expert to get the best-targeted advice.
Of course, every parenting style is different, so here are some helpful tips to schedule your child’s online access:
- Set Household Chore Rules
Whether you have a house helper or not, children should learn how to carry out household chores. It’s one way to train them on how to take responsibility. Additionally, by giving them household duties, you draw them away sitting all day and playing video games, browsing their social media page, or watching YouTube.
- Invite Them Outdoors
Because of a busy life, parents usually prefer to relax at home and sleep all day as much as possible. But, watching movies, video streaming online, or sitting on the couch all day can lead to obesity not just for parents but also for children.
That’s why performing outdoor activities is very important in order to stretch and exercise your body and rejuvenate your soul. Use your yard to initiate fun outdoor activities, such as playing toss ball, badminton, or yoga. Doing so will prosper a parent-child relationship and keeps your body and mind healthy.
- Choose a Manageable VPN
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) allow users to browse and manage business over the internet on laptops and computers. There are now VPN applications for smartphones, turning them into mini-computers. Using the right Android VPN for an android device, you can privatize the usage of the devices, allowing you to limit your children’s access to your private internet connection.
Learn available VPN options by checking out websafetyadvice.com.
Conclusion
In summary, the internet is here to stay. It is a great tool of communication, socialisation, business, and access to crucial information; yet one that poses quite a number of dangers to the vulnerable young ones in society. The above tips can be helpful in ensuring your child’s online safety.
