The internet has made the world a much better place – when you think about all the things you can do at the click of a button or via a touchscreen. For many modern parents, it’s a boon as it makes juggling hectic lives much easier to cope with. There comes a time when your children will want to join in and use the internet themselves – so it’s important to be well-armed and prepared and have some hints and tips to manage their time online safely. Here’s how.
Put proper security measures in place
First of all, one of the most important things to consider is getting proper security put in place, whether that’s a solid antivirus program or installing a quality VPN from a reputable company – you can find out more about Surfshark for example here. All it takes is one click and your machine could be infected with a virus or worse, someone is reading your data as it glides over an unsecured connection.
Once safety measures are in place, it makes surfing a little bit easier to manage safely. Nothing is ever 100% foolproof, but you should do everything you can to make it so.
Talk to your kids about safe online browsing
Talk to your kids in an age-appropriate manner about what safe online browsing is, and how they can look after themselves when they’re on the internet. Very young children should never go online unsupervised, or without an adult in the room – but as children get older, and are more used to going online, it gets easier to let them surf on their own – whilst staying close by to monitor what they’re up to.
Let them know to never give any personal information away – such as their name, address, or any photographs and to not talk to anyone they don’t know. Older kids will of course want to get involved with social media and chat with their friends, these points become even more prevalent then as peer pressure increases, and there’s less of an opportunity for mum or dad to monitor what they’re up to.
Set time boundaries
Put firm time boundaries in place and stick to them. Let kids know that they can have supervised or unsupervised internet access during the day and at weekends, but within reason – and stick to it, however tough it feels.
Once their allotted time for the day is up, be firm about either removing devices from them or switching off the router so they can’t use a device. It’s important to encourage a good balance, so allowing some internet time is fine, but they must also spend time outside in the fresh air, or playing with friends so they’re not stuck in front of screens all the time.
This can be trickier with older children, but it’s possible to set time limits on smartphones. As a family, what can help is if everyone puts their phone or device into a drawer at night, out of the way – then no one can have access, everyone is equal, and it’s fair for all.
Think of it as the three ‘s’s when it comes to kids online: security, safety, and setting boundaries. Use these techniques and it’ll make everything feel a lot easier.
