Kitchenability

06.14.2018

Teaching Your Child About Online Safety

 

The Internet has become so woven into the everyday lives that we tend to become unaware of the dangers that can strike when we’re unprepared, especially with our youth. As our children grow, their need for technology does as well. Whether it be tech time at home or at school, it is important that we educate adolescents about what dangers are lurking in the tech world. Below are three ways you can touch on this topic with your child to keep their time online safe.

Teach them to keep their personal information private.

Most youths tend to be naive in certain situations, especially when they are new to opening the doors of the tech world. Sitting down and discussing the fears and threats of the cyber world is crucial to your child’s understanding of online safety. Between online predators, identity thieves, and cyberstalkers, there are many ways the web can do more harm than good and providing your personal identifiable information to just anyone online is one way to put yourself at risk. Your personal information can include your name, number, address, social security number, and even email and passwords. Set your children up with private security settings on their devices and encourage them to avoid logging in to their personal accounts while using public wifi. These are the first steps in preventing yourself from falling victim to identity theft and setting an example of staying safe online.

Add your kids as a “Friend on social media.”

Social media platforms have been and continue to be a craze that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. As your child enters grade school, they will most likely begin to dabble in the ever-populating world of likes, shares, and selfies. Although these social channels may seem innocent, they are avenues through which cyberbullying can occur. Many think that this form of bullying only occurs on websites, but you would be sadly mistaken. Cyberbullying is easily seen and more accessible on social media sites due to its public forum, giving us a platform of social freedoms. If your children have their own social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, don’t be afraid to follow or friend them. According to the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of parents are friends with their teenage child on Facebook. Regardless of how your child may feel, it will help you, as a parent or guardian, to stay in the loop of your child’s online presence and online safety.

Creating a safe place.

When your child is introduced to the online world, they become eager to see all that it has to hold. As much as you instill in them the importance of online safety, there may come a time where they will run into an unfortunate scenario. Whether they are the victim or witness to bullying, receive an unwarranted email, or spot sketchy behavior, it is crucial that you create an open line of communication. Establishing a sense of comfort and knowledge for them to realize they can come to you with any concerns they may have while online can be mutually beneficial for you and your child. Have daily conversations about online safety and weave it into other casual conversations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about what they do online, such as what sites they visit and who they talk to, as well. Starting to have an open dialogue with your children about online safety at a young age will only turn into the norm for them,but will also hopefully mold them into responsible tech users.