5 ways to protect children online

With guidance from their parents, children should explore and discover the world of online through their laptops, phones and tablet devices.

As a parent, you have the power to educate your children about the online and mobile space and instil the good habits that will protect themselves from the nasties.

Give your child the freedom to explore the wonderful world of online and follow these five safety tips that will help protect them along the way:

1. Communication
Talk to your kids and let them know you are listening to what they have to say. Encourage them to confide in you and create a safe environment in the home for them to communicate.

Teach them the essential basics of online and phone rules such as never giving out personal information, never agreeing to a face-to-face meeting with a stranger they’ve met online and to show you any messages or websites they’ve stumbled upon that make them feel uncomfortable.

2. Technology guidelines
Set up the family computer in a place at home where you can pass by from time to time and keep an eye on what your child is accessing online.

Talk to them about what sites they are looking at without sounding intrusive. Also, establish ground rules about what are ok content, suitable lengths of time online and learn how to use parental controls and archival features so you can monitor what your child is accessing.

3. Interact together
Spend some time with your child online together. This could be watching an educational documentary on YouTube, playing a game of chess, or helping with a school research project.

The Internet is here to stay, so instead of resisting your child’s access to the net, lead by example and instil good online habits from an early age.

4. Connect and monitor

Connecting via social media is a great way to bridge the online gap between you and your child not to mention another great way to stay in contact with your friends and family no matter your locations.

Web search your child’s name from time to time to keep an eye on what they might be up to behind your back. Familiarise yourself with what is appropriate online behaviour and what is cause for concern; having a general understanding of how cyber space works and what websites are dangerous for children will help you keep them safe.

5. Laptop, phone and tablet rules
If your child has a laptop, phone or tablet, devise fair rules around what is suitable in terms of usage, i.e. no usage of devices if they haven’t completed their homework or their household chores.

Children need their online time in today’s society and if they feel mum or dad will punish them for accidentally stumbling onto a ‘naughty’ site you may lose the chance of them bringing it to their attention. Mistakes will be made and parents must be firm but gentle when explaining online rules.

Familiarise yourself with the online world, and identify the potential risks your child may face. Establishing fair and practical rules and educating your children about the online space, will ultimately encourage positive web habits for your whole family. Happy browsing!

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