Gone are the days when the biggest worry surrounding your children was them hurting themselves falling off their bike or their less than stellar road-crossing skills. These days, in this modern world where technology is the proverbial king, there are a brand new set of risks and dangers to your children. Unfortunately, it is a sad truth that people who prey on the innocence, vulnerability, and naivety of children can take on a new identity online to trick them.
Whether you are concerned about grooming when your child uses the internet alone or more worried about exposing them to adult and distressing content far too young, continue reading to discover the top four ways to ensure your children are as safe and secure as possible online.
1. Surf The Internet Together
Communication is vital between parent and child for a whole host of important and life-enhancing reasons, but when you are concerned about what your children may potentially be exposed to online, communication is frankly the only thing that can possibly stop them from becoming exposed to the dark side of the internet.
One of the easiest ways to dispel any secrecy online between you and your children is to surf the internet together and to enjoy the plethora of good things the web has to offer. The internet, when used correctly and safely, can be a fantastic tool in not just entertaining your children but educating and enlightening them as well.
2. Parental Control Software
Ideally, you should always be safe in the knowledge that your children are entirely protected from even the slightest exposure to the darker side of the internet, and the principal way to make this ideal a reality is to invest in parental control software.
Parental control software ensures safe and secure access and usage of online content by blocking wholly inappropriate and strictly adult content, blocking applications, commercials, and pop-ups that you yourself deem unsuitable, the constant monitoring and management of internet messaging services, scheduling and managing the amount of time your children spend accessing the internet and tracking all their internet access and activity.
3. Keep Updated With The Online World
The best way to protect your children from cyberbullying and other serious dangers of the internet is to stay up to date yourself with changing regulations, safety risks, and new technologies to counteract the negative elements of spending time online.
For example, there are often ‘trending’ challenges and ‘cool’ tasks that school children are presented with and peer pressure compels them to complete such challenges themselves. If you remain unaware of such trends, it is impossible for you to educate and approach the subject with your child and discourage them.
4. Set Guidelines
An effective guideline you can agree with your child is for you to be regularly updated on their passwords and any new websites, chat rooms, and social media platforms that they have joined. Explain to your children you will be monitoring their activity for their own safety, and they should be understanding of why you need to know this information.