How To Keep Kids Safe Online
Last Updated on: 5th September 2022, 04:07 pm
Internet safety is a vital topic of conversation that we need to be having with our children. Discussing internet safety with your kids isn’t a one-time conversation. It’s something that needs to be expanded on as your child gets older. You need to be the person who will keep kids safe online as well as show them how to do it. As well as being a regular topic of discussion to ensure all expectations and rules are understood.
Discussing internet safety with your kids can be a daunting task. There’s a lot to cover, and whilst you want your children to remain safe whilst using the internet, you also don’t want to scare them. Here are our top tips about how to keep kids safe online.
Discuss Rules, Boundaries, And Expectations Based On The Age Of Your Child
When discussing internet safety with your kids, it’s important that you curate your conversational topics around age-appropriate themes. There are blatant dangers out there on the internet. But make sure you’re providing rules and boundaries that protect your children. And doing this without worrying them is all part of discussing internet safety with your children.
Encourage children, especially those with older siblings, to use the internet in an age-appropriate manner. Older children should respect their younger siblings online safety. And only watch shows or visit websites that are appropriate for the younger child’s age.
Run Through The Do’s And Don’ts In An Age-appropriate Manner To Keep Kids Safe Online
The rules for using the internet will differ depending on the age of your child. For example, when talking to younger children, you might wish to discuss why you shouldn’t talk to strangers. Or give out personal details online because there are some bad people out there who may want to cause harm. In this instance, you’d want to ensure they haven’t got access to any chat sites or messenger apps where they could potentially meet strangers. For older children, you may want to expand on these rules and discuss why these boundaries are so important. Try talking about topics such as grooming, scams, and hacking.
Ensure Your Child Knows That You Trust Them With The Responsibility To Remain Safe Online
When it comes to using the internet, a child that feels trusted is more likely to come to you with concerns. A child that feels they have not been trusted with the responsibility of using the internet in a safe manner may feel hesitant to come to you with their worries as they may be fearful of getting told off or having their internet access removed. Ensure that when you grant your children access to the internet, you’re doing so on the basis that they understand the rules and that they can come to you at any point if they feel that something’s not right.
Set A Good Example And Follow Your Own Family Rules.
One of the easiest ways to ensure that your children stay safe online is to set a good example and follow your own family rules. Having a family internet safety plan is a great place to start. By using a plan, or setting restrictions on your router/with your internet provider. You can choose what sort of content should be flagged – including specific sites, keywords, or age-inappropriate content. Allowing your children to watch you use the internet and letting them see you stick to the rules sets a great example and allows kids to learn from you in a trusting and respectful manner.
