Keeping your Children Safe Online

Being a parent is probably one of the hardest jobs you will probably ever undertake. As well as taking care of all of their physical wellbeing, you also have to guide them in the right path - whilst still giving them freedom but from a young age. Whether that’s incorporating your teachings into hobbies and outdoor activities, or if you prefer to just sit down and talk to them, you need to be sure that they understand the dangers of the world. 

A lot of children today under the age of 10 have tablets that they play on and easy access to the internet. This of course can be great for helping them to learn and play or allowing them to watch things of interest, but they can also pose a threat. So it makes sense to look at introducing a few initial steps to help your children before they reach their teen years. Here are 5 simple rules you can follow:

• Make sure your child knows to not reveal personal details such as their full name and address online.

• Invent a family password for devices - this will mean your children can have a bit of freedom, but you can keep watch on screen usage.

• Install a tracking app - these are great because they can help you keep on top of what your family are doing and where they are. If you are interested in teen monitoring apps, you can take a look at how they could benefit you.

• Make sure they are aware of internet dangers such as scams and potential criminals. Internet safety is so important!

• Limit screen time - this will mean that they aren't spending too much time in front of devices, and allows them to complete other tasks at home such as homework or play. Luckily with options such as Cincinnati Bell Internet high-speed internet access won't slow them down when they are online!

• Talk! This is probably the most important rule of all. Make sure you and your children communicate about what they're up to in the online world. Keeping secrets or changes in behaviour can be a sign of a problem (cyber bulling, scams etc).

When do I Give them Space?
Your children should always have space, but they should also be aware that they are monitored for their own safety and that you are there for them no matter what. Encourage talking and communicating and telling you their worries and problems. Don’t make them feel an immense fear (this could prevent them from enjoying the internet at all), but make sure they understand the dangers. Fear of every situation can actually be counterproductive and may lead to your child being so afraid of everything that they are easily manipulated as well as feeling lonely and anxious. Don’t focus too much on the dangers and the bad things happening but instead empower your child by teaching them how to recognise and avoid dangerous situations.

Overall it is about vigilance and awareness, and being sure to keep a good relationship with you and your children by establishing the rules from a young age. The internet doesn't have to be a dangerous place, but just remember it can be.

This is a collaborative post.