Today, technology is an integral part
of our world. If used appropriately,
electronic devices can have great
benefits. For example, students can
efciently conduct research and write
papers, peers can communicate with one
another, adults can meet their signicant
other, and so much more.
However, research has shown that
face-to-face interaction between kids
and parents, teachers, and friends are
essential in fostering healthy relationships
and development. The Internet can be a
very powerful tool, but it’s important to
not lose sight of personal relations and
get lost behind social media.
With kids growing up in a digital age, it
can be a challenge for modern parents
to monitor their activity on the Internet
without becoming overly protective and
spy-like.
Keeping this in mind, parents are advised
to find the middle ground and take
reasonable measures to protect their kids.
There are plenty of ways to allow your kids
to be connected and socialize with their
friends, all the while being safe.
BE PROACTIVE
There are a few things you can do to
actively prevent problems from coming
up. ot only do you want to be proactive
in monitoring your kids’ activity online,
you’ll also want to take several measures
to ensure their safety. Some include:
Blocking sites - Don’t let your kids
freely stumble upon porn and other
adult content. You can prevent this by
simply blocking sites that you know
they shouldn’t be on. This can be done
manually or through a plugin.
Using a VPN - Protect your family’s online
privacy and don’t let strangers know
where you or your child is browsing from.
- Prevent unauthorized
connections to your computer and make
sure that the rewall is working at all times.
Knowing who your child interacts with
- Protect your child by being aware of who
they hang out with in real life and chat
with online. If you suspect that he or she
is hanging out with the wrong crowd, it’s
better to step in earlier rather than later,
and kindly explain to them any issues you
may encounter.
Remember that the key to safety is
prevention. It’s always better to take
measures before something bad
happens, rather than after it happens. If
you take the time to address issues before
they come up, the chances are, your kids
will be in better hands when it comes to
using technology and the Internet.
SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES
Rules are so important to have. Sure, it
might take some time getting your child
to abide by them, but having boundaries
means that your child is aware that you
are monitoring their Internet use. Some
boundaries to set include:
Amount of time your kids can be
on the Internet or use an electronic
device
Weekends only?
A set amount of hours a week?
What time your kids can hop online
In the morning before school?
In the evening after they nish
homework?
After they shower?
What kinds of things they can look
up and do on the Internet
E-mail?
Chat with friends?
Do research for homework?
Listen to music and watch YouTube
videos?
Engage on social media?
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