5 Ways to Keep Your Children Safe Online

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The internet is a revolutionary communication system that brings many positive experiences into your lives; however, the internet is cast and cannot be easily monitored or controlled. This presents dangers at every level, the most pressing being your children’s safety. While it may be hard to set effective parental control like the media of the past there are some best practices you can learn and follow to keep your children safe. Read on to find out more.

Prioritize Safety

Although the Internet is useful for many things and your children will be using it for school and entertainment, it’s important to raise the flag when it comes to safety. Make sure your children understand the nature of the interest and remind them often.

In the past parents warned their children about talking to strangers in public places or taking things from strangers. These messages ingrain in the minds of children through reputation – do the same for the Internet.

Set Parental Controls

Parental controls can be a tricky subject, you want your children to have the freedom they deserve but you need to protect them at the same time. You have three options. Network, device, and app controls.

Each option gives you a different level of parental control. The option you choose might be determined by your relationship with your child or the stage you are at. Choose wisely and remember to communicate openly and honestly with them. For more information, read this comprehensive article.

Discuss Their Activity

In the digital age, when it is so easy to become caught up in the immersive experience of the internet, it’s more important than ever to be open and communicative with your children. You need to make channels of communication where they feel safe and open.

The best line of defense against online predators is talking to your child about their online activities. You want to know what their favorite websites are and if they communicate with anyone. Keep your conversation casual and regular.

Set Boundaries

Boundaries may be preferred in many ways to parental controls, but they do require more work and better communication. Instead of simply restricting their time on the Internet you need to talk to them about the importance of offline time.

Try to collaborate with your child on boundaries. If you include them in the process and compromise like adults, you will both be more comfortable with the arrangement and more successful with the outcome. Remember to schedule some crucial offline family time.

Be Open

When it comes to keeping your children safe on the Internet, the importance of openness cannot be stressed enough. There is no real way to fully protect your children online so you need to train them well and make sure they know who to turn to.

An open line of communication will mean that they can come to you if they encounter anything unusual. Encourage them to come to you naturally with their problems, issues, and dilemmas; when they’re older you can explain some of the reasons behind the rules.