This is a collaborative post.
The internet is perhaps the world’s greatest innovation, but it also offers the greatest risk, especially for young children. Your child most likely spends copious amounts of time online. As a parent, you may be worried about the content your child may be consuming without your knowledge. This article aims to put your mind at ease by offering a practical guide to help you protect your child online, and to encourage safe and responsible internet use.
The online world is packed with an abundance of platforms and resources that can help boost your child’s creativity, help them grasp educational material faster, and give them the ability to access a variety of information at the click of a button.
However, some of the information that your child consumes online can influence how they interact with others, how they behave, and most importantly how they think about themselves and how they think about others. Which makes it imperative to ensure that your child is accessing the right kind of content online.
Some of the risks associated with online internet use by children include:
- Cyberbullying
- Online Predators and Grooming
- Identity Theft
- Malicious software
- Exposure to inappropriate content
- Excessive internet use can be harmful to your child’s health and overall development
- It could lead to anti-social behaviour
Ensuring your kids are safe and protected while using the internet does not have to be an overwhelming task. Here are some effective ways to protect your kids online.
Practical Tips for Digital Parenting
1. Limit their Screen Time
Online skills are important but do not trump real-world skills vital for your child’s overall development. You can set limits on the amount of time your child spends online. You can also ensure that your child adheres to your limits by using parental control software which allows you to set a time limit on how much time your child spends online and on certain apps or websites.
Set clear limits and boundaries around internet usage, not only limiting how much time they spend online but also setting limits to what they can access online. Parents, always remember parental controls are your friend!
2. Implement filters that block inappropriate content
Again, you can use parental control apps to give you peace of mind by using parental control apps and implementing filters that block inappropriate content. You can also switch on restrictions on the YouTube platform or you can do one better and install the kid-friendly version of YouTube Kids on all shared devices in your home.
3. Install Internet Safety Apps
Installing internet safety apps can help you limit your child’s screen time, they can also block and limit specific apps that you do not want your child to access. If your child is using their mobile device, some internet safety apps have a tracking feature that tracks your child’s location. These internet safety apps can also prevent your kids from accessing your banking, shopping, and social media apps.
4. Install antivirus software with multiple features
Installing antivirus software that offers a variety of benefits is also your safest bet. Ensure to install antivirus software that can detect cyber threats, and has a VPN making using public WIFI safer. Like all the things that you purchase for your home, give yourself some time to shop around and try various software to find the one that best matches your needs.
You can try a free antivirus download, for starters to familiarise yourself with this kind of software to help you make your decision and to make the process less complicated. Once you get the hang of things there are some premium security packs such as Bitdefender’s premium package that are easy to install and set up to protect yourself and your loved ones.
5. Install a kid-friendly browser
Installing a child-friendly browser on your device can go a long way in ensuring that your child is safe online. Child-friendly browsers only allowed pre-approved games and sites. You can also edit the list of sites that your child can access.
This browser allows you to control and monitor the online content your child is accessing and to ensure that nothing slips past you. You could also set up a child account on the shared devices in your home. This allows you to enable child-friendly settings, request activity reports, block inappropriate websites, and set the times your child is allowed to use the device.
At times it is best to not completely prohibit your child from certain online activities. It can be a good thing to offer your child alternatives that you are comfortable with as a parent, and that will also teach your child responsible online activity. You can encourage your child to access social media apps for children.
They can have access to social media apps without the risk of your child being exposed to online predators, grooming, or inappropriate content. With child-friendly social media apps, your child can post updates, send messages, and among other things friends need to be approved by the parents.
6. Monitor their activity
Another way you can practice digital parenting is to review apps and websites that your kids access as regularly as you can. Take some time and get familiar with the online platforms your child uses. This helps you as a parent get a better sense of what children like, and the information they have access to. This also enables you to set parental controls keeping in mind the content they like so that you can cater to their online needs while also ensuring their safety.
7. Educate your kids about responsible internet use
You can also use the internet with your child from time to time. Show an interest in sites they have access to. This allows you to monitor the sites they are accessing and it also gives you the chance to teach them how to recognize dangerous sites in a relaxed setting.
Although the above-mentioned tips can assist you, the most important thing you need to ensure as a parent is to always have honest communication about online usage and its dangers with your child. Encourage them to talk to you if they ever encounter an issue online no matter how big or small. Talking and educating your children about safe online practices ensures that they are aware of the risks of unsafe internet usage.
The internet can be a dangerous place for your child, and as a Parent, you are not wrong for worrying about your child’s safety and the kind of content they are consuming online. Digital Parenting does not have to be an overwhelming and stressful process. Following this guideline will go a long way in keeping your child safe online.
