Hey, moms and dads! You’re doing a great job. Parenting is not an easy job. It’s a 24-hour commitment that comes with lots of love, laughter, frustration, and plenty of challenges that can drain the energy right out of you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Online safety is one of the growing concerns of parents worldwide because, as you may have noticed, we’re already living in the digital world. That means sooner or later, your kid will be exposed to the internet, and as a parent, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe and make sure that they are equipped to keep themselves safe growing up.
No matter what type of internet you have at home, whether it’s fiber, cable, DSL, or satellite internet, you and your kids are always at risk. In this blog post, we will be sharing important internet safety tips that will help guide your kids as they grow up. But first, you need to understand what internet safety is.
What Is Internet Safety?
Internet safety is the process of protecting yourself and your family while using the internet. It involves being careful with what you share, what websites you visit, who you talk to, what links you click, and more. The main goal is to avoid things like viruses and scams that cyber criminals put in place to steal your information, gain access to your device, or get money from your online banking.
5 Internet Safety Tips Parents Must Teach Their Kids
- Don’t share personal information.
The first thing that you need to teach your kids is that sharing personal information online can be dangerous. You should also tell them what information you’re pertaining to, like their full name, school name, home address, birthday, phone number, and even pictures that show where they study or live. Always remind them that people online aren’t always who they say they are, so it’s always best to keep their information safe by not sharing it.
- Never tell anyone their passwords.
Teach your child to never share their passwords with anyone except you, of course. Not even their best friend should know it. Tell them how important it is to keep their passwords a secret. You should also teach them how to create strong passwords that no one can guess, such as not using their birthday, name, or anything related to them. What they can use is a combination of numbers and phrases that aren’t easily connected to them, such as their favorite show when TV streaming or something similar.
- If they’re not sure about something, they must tell you immediately.
Trust is something you would build with your child over time. This means they should never feel uncomfortable asking you a question or scared of sharing their concerns. Even if they talked to someone or did something they shouldn’t have or clicked something by accident, they should be comfortable coming to you for help. As a parent, you need to be patient. As frustrating as it can be, you should not scold or punish them. Make sure to make this a learning opportunity for them and don’t let your emotions get the best of you.
- Always think before clicking.
While this is a typical internet safety tip, it’s one of the most overlooked as well. You will notice that many kids, and even adults, fall for fake ads, suspicious links, and other too-good-to-be-true promises that are obviously fake but still get victims. That’s why you have to condition and train their minds to always think first before clicking anything online. As they are growing up and being more aware, they will develop a deeper level of awareness and become more careful on their own. But then, you have to understand that it all starts with early guidance.
- Teach them to be respectful and kind online.
If you’re teaching them about internet safety, you also need to teach them how to contribute to making the internet a safer place. Just like in real life, you need to make sure to teach them not to say anything online that they wouldn’t say face-to-face. Cyberbullying is becoming so common that it’s being normalized, so it’s important for them to know if they’re being targeted so they can distance themself in that situation.
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of internet safety because we cannot keep our kids safe online if we’re not making cyberspace a safer place for them. While it won’t do much at first, it can help create a ripple effect that can make a big difference over time.
Final Thoughts
Internet safety is something we should be teaching our kids as early as we can. But you finding your way in this article is a good sign that you’re doing an exceptional job keeping your kids safe. But, remember that it would require a lot of deep breaths and patience, but it will be worth it in the end. Good luck, and again, you’re doing a great job. Keep it up!