Keeping Your Children Safe When They Are Online

Over the last 10 years the internet has moved at such incredible speed and nowadays if we don’t know something we go straight to google to find the answer. It’s incredible how easy it is to find the answer to almost any question you or your family have.

Over the last few years another side of the internet is the incredible growth of social media. In fact if it hasn’t happened on social media then it can’t be true which of course we know is not true, but that is the sort of influence that social media has on our lives and in particular our children’s lives.

This brings me around to question the benefits and disadvantages of our children being online and how safe or unsafe it is for our children. This particular guide is excellent and very useful in showing internet Safety guide for children. All parents that are starting to navigate the internet and making sure their children are safe should read this guide.

So let’s explore in more detail how we can make the internet safer for our children to use.

I’m a father of ten year old twin girls who are nearly eleven years old and in their last year of primary school. In under a year they will be off to high school which is an enormous step for any child. So in their last year of primary school we’re trying to prepare them and teach them how to be safe whilst online.

There is no doubt that it is a minefield. As parents it’s vital that we learn as much about internet safety as we can and the do and don’ts when they are online because there can be no doubt that children could be exposed to inappropriate material, bullying and even predators. This is why we as parents need to know what the telltale signs are so we can educate our children but also protect them.

Our twin girls have recently had their very first phone. The idea is that during their last year of primary school they can accustom themselves with a phone. The major reason for having a phone is they are able to contact us if they need to at anytime.

Of course todays phones are like mini computers and there is an ability to download numerous apps. It’s very important that any apps that your children download are first of all age appropriate. For example you have to be 13 to download popular apps such as Instagram and TikTok. It is very important that you monitor your children while online which no doubt as we all know can be difficult. It has to be done in such a way that your children don’t feel you are invading their privacy so it’s a very fine line. However, it can be achieved by simply communicating with your children and educating them that, yes, the internet is a wonderful place to learn and show creativity, but it also has a dark side where videos will show inappropriate content such as violence, nudity, swearing and self harm. This is where it’s very important to have an open conversation with your children and teach them all about safety on the internet.

Many phone companies have parental controls so you can block certain apps and make sure no inappropriate content ends up on their phone. There are also apps available that will allow you to check on their messages to make sure there is no bullying happening. This can all be done from your phone which means you are not always asking your children to look at their phone, tablet or laptop.

Our children will be using the internet more than ever in their everyday lives as it continues to grow at a very rapid rate. So teaching them the do and don’ts of internet use and of course lay out safety guidelines to them and encourage your children that if they are unsure about anything to ask is it safe or not safe.

How do you teach your children about internet safety? I would love to hear in the comments below.