The internet is a great tool for your children to use for help with school and entertainment. Unsupervised online access can be full of dangers, however, and your kids should be monitored. Here are six tips for keeping your kids safe online. It is also a good idea to discuss with your child why these precautions are helpful to keep them safe from cyberbullying and online predators. Keeping your kids safe online will be much easier with these tips.
Safe Tech: Six Tips For Keeping Your Kids Safe Online
Computer in the living room
Don’t let your children use the computer alone behind closed doors. Remember, the goal is to monitor their activity. If the computer is in an open area where they can be seen, kids are less likely to go to explicit websites or talk to anybody they shouldn’t.
Install Parental Blocks
You can block websites individually, or install child protection software. This software will look at websites and determine if it is inappropriate for children. You can set the program to block whatever you want and create a password in case the software makes a mistake a blocks a site unnecessarily. This way, even if you are not there you know your kids are safe.
Password for programs
Set your computer so only you, the adult, can download software. If your child needs something then they can ask you and you can discuss it together. Don’t allow your child to download games, apps, or programs without your permission.
Find Programs Together
Don’t give your child a reason to roam the internet aimlessly. Find games and sites they can do. Many educational websites are available for free with endless activities for your child. If they have enough to do on parent approved sites, they will never leave.
Talk to Them
If your child is old enough, explain your concerns and what they should look out for. If they need to do research for school, explain to them how to craft a search engine term effectively as to not end up at the wrong part of the web. Go over red flags they should avoid. Encourage an open environment for them to come talk to you and ask questions when they have concerns. Children will make mistakes, but if they feel like they can talk to you then you can fix future problems.
Check Internet History
After your child has used the computer or tablet, check their internet history. You can see exactly what they were doing. It is possible to clear the browser history, but you can disable that feature. Make sure they understand that you are checking up on them and will know exactly what they were doing.
Kids are going to want to play online games and that is fine but it is a really good idea to monitor how long they are spending online and where they spend that time online.
Eva waters says
Great tips Scarlet! Its very important to know how to keep our kids safe online and be aware of they are doing and how they are using the internet. Have you heard or read about Amber Child Safety? Its an amazing tool to keep our kids safe and away from dangerous content and threats on the internet, its a great option for parents to keep our kids safe.