Much has been said about the importance of respecting children’s privacy. However, not less has been said about the importance of parental control and protecting kids from potential harm. So, how can a modern parent protect their offspring from online threats without crossing their boundaries? That’s the million-dollar question.
So, should you as a parent set screen-time limits and control the quality of websites frequented by your kids? The answer is you definitely should if you don’t want your children to fall victim to an online scam, screen addiction, or other dreadful consequences of binge-playing or consuming the content not intended for young users.
So, if you want your kids to have positive and beneficial experiences when engaging with online resources, you should be aware of what they see and hear online, what sort of information they share, and what people they communicate with. At the same time, you don’t want to appear unfair and overprotecting. Losing your kid’s trust and violating their privacy are the last things you would want as a parent. Below are some useful tips that will help you keep an eye on your child’s online activities without going overboard.
Trust but Verify
It’s become commonplace to buy gadgets even for primary school pupils, especially now that a good many kids are home-schooled or attend online classes. It’s also a good idea to set up parental control on the devices your kiddo is using. Similarly to a Find My Kids app tracker for kids that enables you to monitor your child’s location in the real world, parental control software and other dedicated tools will help you filter, keep an eye, and block certain online activities.
Make Basic Rules
Once you deem your child mature enough to use the World Wide Web, you should make it clear that they will need to obey certain rules to continue using this privilege.
Set clear online rules you kids will need to observe and make sure to explain their importance. If you simply impose your ‘policy’ on your offspring, chances are good they will strive to bypass it. As it has been noted earlier, you should figure out optimum screen-time limits for your child and make sure they stick to them religiously.
At the same time, you should hear your child out. If they regard some rules as too strict or unfair, let them negotiate them if need be.
Learn More about Popular Gadgets
It’s a rare parent whose child has never begged them to buy some ‘magical’ gadget, the one that every kid in their class has allegedly been using. It might be a new PlayStation, the latest iPhone model, a virtual reality headset, and the like. And no matter how tough of a parent you are, it may be excruciatingly difficult not to give in to your kiddo’s pleas. But before you decide to fork out, try to learn more about the coveted device.
Do your homework and search the Internet for the information that may help you have a better understanding of the gadget your child is craving so much. Make sure it doesn’t pose any potential threats to your kids and is age-appropriate. Though some gadgets look harmless, they may give your kiddo access to third-party resources that are not meant for kids. So, it’s important that you carefully consider any digital purchase you make.
Keep up with Your Kids’ Changing Privacy Needs
Setting up parental controls on all devices might be a great option when your kid is five or seven. Still, as your child grows their privacy needs evolve. So, you should be ready that at some point, your teenage son or daughter will rebel against the existing rules and won’t let you mess with the settings on their device anymore. Despite the bitter feelings you may experience, the best solution to the situation would be to reconsider the rules and, possibly, loosen your grip.
You may want to openly discuss your child’s current privacy needs and make healthy concessions. Before letting go of the reins completely, take care to brush up on basic online safety rules. Remind your teenage child about the threats the Internet may pose, including identity theft, online grooming, phishing, etc. Stress the importance of setting up a secure password and adhering to online communication etiquette.
This way, you’ll be able to keep your children on the right track without violating their healthy boundaries or being overprotective.