The internet provides many benefits as well as dangers for kids and teens. Children must be educated about the online dangers. As for teaching your children what to do online, there are a number of aspects that should be examined.
For starters, parents should set rules for going online and using a phone. You can set up a time of day when they can be online, the length of time they can be online and appropriate areas to visit. Also have them ask your permission before downloading anything on your computer or smartphone. Keep your computer in a common area, not in the bedrooms, where you can monitor them. Bookmark their favorite sites for easy access.
It’s estimated that kids and teens between the ages of 8 to 28 spend about 44.5 hours each week in front of digital screens. About 23% of kids and teens have reported that they actually feel as if they have addictions to video games. That breaks down to 31% of males and 13% of females.
Spending time online online together can be fun to teach your kids appropriate behavior. It is wise to take an active role in protecting your kids from Internet predators and sexually explicit materials online.
As a mom of four children I realize how busy our lives can be, but just a little time out of our day with our children can be very helpful to educate our children on the benefits and danger of the internet. Daily Safety Check was created to help protect families from internet predotors.
photo credit: Woman and young girl in kitchen with laptop and paperwork smiling via photopin (license)