In this day and age, the majority of things we do in life are based online it seems. We still have our freedom away from computer screens and smartphones, but we tend to organize things and check current events using technology nowadays. As we delve further and further into time, we’re going to be using these systems more and more. You can argue all day about whether you think it’s a good thing or not, but the truth is that it’s going to happen.
Keeping Your Kids Safe, Secure, And Healthy While On The Computer
One thing you have to be wary of is your children in this regard. Kids are walking around with smartphones in many places and they’re all learning how to use computers from a very young age. Again, if you want to argue the pros and cons of this, then that’s up to you, but kids are becoming very computer literate as time moves on.
As a parent, you’re going to want to make sure that they’re kept safe and secure while browsing online or while they’re having fun playing a few games. You never know what or who might be around to take advantage of them – there are billions of humans operating online, of course. Here are a few things you can do to make sure they’re in a good place while they play/work on a digital system:
Teach Them The Basics And Fundamentals
If you give your child a piece of equipment without teaching them much, the likelihood is that they won’t really know what they’re doing. They’re made so that it’s nearly impossible to not understand, but kids aren’t quite as developed as adults. They’ll try to navigate through things as well as they can, but they’ll still likely run into mistakes. If they have you alongside them, then they’re going to learn a lot quicker as you’ll be able to tell them what they should and shouldn’t be doing. Once they get the basics locked in, they’ll be able to pick up newer things a lot easier. That learning curve is necessary, though. This knowledge will help them as they won’t be as naïve while they’re surfing through certain sites and platforms.
Keep Them Away From Social Media Until Their Old Enough
While social networking and social media platforms are amazing in many ways, they should be kept away from naïve people and very young children. They are sites where we can see the very best and the worst of people. If you want to disclose names and information about your children, then you are able to do that, but it should be on your own personal profile exclusively. There are many kinds of problems with social media due to the fact that the accounts are run by everyday people. You never know what kind of predatory individuals might be lurking on there. Some social media platforms can show some very graphic content, too, so be wary of this before thinking about letting young ones surf on them.
Apply Parental Controls
One of the great things about cybersecurity software is its ability to remove certain sites from the eyes of children. A five-year-old boy or girl can be traumatized by some of the things they see. It may stay with them for years, so make sure certain parts of the computer, smartphone, or internet are locked behind a wall.
Create A Routine Or Schedule
Just like how you likely have a bedroom and morning routine, it’s good to get into a routine of game/computer time. If a child is spending too long looking at screens, then that’s not going to be great. It’s an addiction that many grown men and women struggle with, so it’s doubly important that you keep kids away from it. Many parents get their kids iPads in order to distract them while they work, but just be careful about the amount of time you let YOUR kids have. If they want to play games or surf the web, then perhaps make it at certain times during the week.
Utilize Equipment And Apps
There are plenty of different firms out there that specialize in creating software and hardware that can help us out with our online security. There are even ones that are exclusively related to child safety. For instance, Family Orbit makes a child safety app that keeps track of everything so that you don’t have to put in too much work. Simply loading it up and checking out a few things is all you have to do. Think about investing in something like this because it could save your kid(s).
Ensure They Never Disclose Personal Details
One thing that kids like to do without thinking is speaking. The innocence of youth means that they don’t understand the consequences of what they say. In doing this, they could compromise all kinds of personal information. So, let them know that they aren’t to talk too much about themselves if they were to hop onto a sort of social platform or chat. You just never know who you might be talking to.
Tell Them About The Harsh Realities
This might be quite difficult and it might be quite hard-hitting. It’s necessary at some point, however. The world is not all about sunshine and rainbows, and your kids deserve to know this before they get hurt or traumatized. Teaching your kids about the harsh realities of human behavior online is vital if they’re to be safer online. Let them know about certain taboo subjects once they’re ready and old enough. Talk to them about nefarious, dangerous activities that plenty of predatory people like to get up to. It’s not going to be the most pleasant conversation you’ve ever had, but it certainly is necessary.
Talk To Other Parents About What The Right Moves Are
If you feel as though you need to learn a little, then you could chat about it with other parents or with friends of yours. You’re not going to have all of the answers, so it’s wise to use the experience of others.
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