Children Safety: Keeping them Safe on the Internet

Two Kids Using Devices
Nowadays, everyone is plugged into electronic devices and using the internet, including children. Browsing through social media feeds, watching videos, researching, and playing games – screen time has become a permanent part of our lives.

While technology is crucial in today’s world, it also brings certain dangers that can lead to health and emotional concerns. Therefore, it is essential to ensure online safety for children to prevent problems like bullying, social isolation, and physical inactivity.

Here are a few ways to keep your children safe on the internet:

Monitoring Internet Access of Children

Access management of the internet is crucial for many parents, which takes two major forms:

  • Antivirus programs can protect your children’s devices from viruses and spyware if they unwittingly visit such websites.
  • Parental control option to give you better control over the time your children spend on the internet.

Using parental control can enable you to manage the time they spend online and the websites and applications they are allowed to visit.

Setting Screen Time Limits

Ensuring the children have limited screen time will encourage them to play outside and participate in non-screen activities that could enhance their overall development.

Completely banning them from using the internet is unwise and simply cuts them off from the modern technology that can help them in their education.

Set a time for them to enjoy the internet for a few hours and encourage them to spend their off-screen time reading, writing, drawing, walking, or playing with their siblings or friends.

Trusting and Respecting Your Kids

Avoid putting too many restrictions on the kids as they should have room to grow and learn from making their own decisions. Oppressive control will prevent them from accomplishing that and might even encourage them to be more rebellious.

Instead, have an open conversation with your child about the risks and dangers involved in using the internet, as well as its advantages. Give them the (age appropriate) freedom and respect to make better choices. Raising kids who are internet-savvy and have an awareness of both the negatives and positives will ensure they surf responsibly.

Teaching Kids to be Thoughtful

The footprints we leave on the internet can last for a long time. Therefore, your kids should also be aware of the things they read and post online. Talk to them about how what is posted on the internet can influence someone.

Teach them to think critically about whatever they read and watch online and its source before reacting and posting something about it.

 

Teaching children to be safe and smart when using the internet is one of the best ways of keeping them safe. Having an open environment where your kids can talk to you about everything without any judgment can do wonders and ensure that the kids grow into responsible users.

At Mt. Elizabeth Academy, our staff focuses on the safety and security of all students and teaches them to become responsible individuals, both on and off-screen. While we rarely use screens on campus, we are sure to keep safety and security at the top of our list. Our daycare offers after-school programs, vacation camps, infant care, childcare, pre-K early learning, and other early learning activities for families in Acworth, Marietta, Kennesaw, Brookstone, and other areas.

Get in touch with us today for more information.