Did you know that 95 percent of kids three years old and up have internet access at home? Children are beginning to learn how to surf the web at a younger and younger age. While there’s no issue with this, it’s crucial that parents take the lead throughout the process.
Do you have a child that’s about the begin using the internet? Do you have kids that already use it, but you would like to be sure that they’re practicing proper internet safety?
Continue reading to learn how you can help your children surf the web safely.
Keep The Computer In A Shared Space
One of the easiest ways to practice internet safety for kids is by having the device that they use to do things online in a public area.
This might mean only allowing them to use the computer because it’s in a shared space. Or it might mean requiring that they use devices like cell phones and tablets in common areas like the kitchen or living room.
Either way, having them be in an area that you can monitor easily can make a big difference. This helps ensure that they aren’t getting on inappropriate sites because they know that you can walk by and monitor their activity at any time.
On the flip side, if they accidentally end up viewing something that they shouldn’t, you will be more likely to notice and help them get back to a safe space.
Block Known Trouble Sites
The only way to guarantee that your children aren’t accessing sites you don’t want them to is to block them yourself.
This way, even if they’re on the internet and you’re not around, they still won’t be accessing these sites. Try using setapp.com to promote browser safety on Chrome.
This app allows you the ability to only block sites during specific times. So, for example, if you want to be able to access social media yourself but don’t want your kid to have access, you can block it during their computer time only.
This way, it’s convenient for you and safe for your children.
Use Parental Controls
On the other hand, rather than blocking specific sites, you can make it so that they can only access a set number of sites.
Using parental controls is excellent for parents of very young children who will only use the internet for a select few games. This makes it impossible for them to access any sites accidentally or unknowingly purchase items using your stored credit card information.
Teach Your Kids About The Internet
It’s essential that you teach your children how to surf the web safely.
As they get older, it’s likely that you will allow them more free reign of the online world. However, in order to feel comfortable doing so, it’s important to teach them about the internet.
Let them know what can be found there that shouldn’t be and explain key things to watch out for, including people trying to take advantage of them.
If they know what dangers to look for, they will be easy to spot.
Create A Set Of Guidelines
Another way to promote internet safety for kids is by creating a set of guidelines for them to follow.
This works great because you can adjust the guidelines as they get older and need fewer reminders about what they can and cannot do.
For example, some guidelines might be:
- No sharing their name or address
- No shopping without permission
- Don’t add strangers on social media
- Only access a specific list of sites
- Don’t search for particular terms
These guidelines will allow them to have a sense of freedom while still understanding their hard limits.
Talk Openly With Them
Another simple way to be sure your kids are using the internet appropriately is by talking openly with them about what they’re doing online.
Try to ask out of genuine curiosity rather than from the perspective of looking for them to be doing something wrong. Chances are, your kids will enjoy telling you about the game that they played or the exciting posts that they saw on their social media channels.
Having this open line of communication will also make them feel comfortable enough to come to you if someone is taking advantage of them online or something happened that made them feel uncomfortable.
Keep An Eye On The Internet History
One final key way to ensure that your kids know how to surf the web safely is by checking in on their internet history.
You might make it a practice to check the history each time they log off the device. Or, you might choose to randomly check-in and see if anything looks suspicious.
If you find that they’re visiting websites that you disapprove of for one reason or another, this notifies you and gives you a better picture of what they might be using the site for.
As we mentioned earlier, if you have an open line of communication, it will be easy to bring this up with them.
Guide Your Children To Surf The Web Safely
As a parent in this day and age of ever-growing technology, one of your responsibilities is teaching your kids how to surf the web safely.
This article walked you through several different methods that you can use to be sure that your children are safe online. Whether you choose just one or mix a few together, you must have some process in place to help them stay safe.
If you enjoyed the helpful information brought out in this article and would like to read more information like this, please check out the rest of the website for more!
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