Funky Town – Anyone old enough to remember this fun upbeat song from the 80’s. If not, google it and give it a good listen to. Pay attention to the words ‘Talk about it, Talk about it, Talk about it, Talk about, Talk about…
Are you talking about what you should with your kids? And yes, I’m referring to that crazy awesome thing called the internet, that we all use daily. A great place to find information, share stories, photos or catch up with old friends.
But what about all the dangers that come along with internet use? Especially for our kids. As adults, we can usually spot a scam and move on. But our kids just don’t have the knowledge or experience to understand what is happening online until it’s too late.
So, what do you do as a parent to keep your child safe on the internet?
First and foremost, talk to your kids. Have that dreaded conversation and get ready for the eye rolls and a little bit of attitude. Because it will happen. Trust me.
Explain to your kids, that while the internet is a wonderful tool, it can also be a dangerous place and you have to make good choices. Be honest.
We tell our kids not to talk to strangers at the grocery store, the mall or anytime they are out without us. Why should the internet be any different?
Build a little trust with your child. Remind them that if they come across something questionable, it’s ok to come to you with it. How many times have you searched for something and ended up on a sketchy website? It happens. Praise your kid for telling you.
You are the parent. Remember that you are the parent. It’s your job to keep your child safe. That means that it is OK to say no. No to the internet, no to a device and no to being on that device all hours of the night.
It’s OK to set limits. The coolest feature on most devices today is Parental Controls. Oh yes, this has to be one of the best features of these devices. You can literally shut down devices after a certain time, block inappropriate content and set age restrictions to certain sites. Do it.
Of course, this doesn’t replace having a conversation with your kid about internet safety. And it certainly won’t block all inappropriate sites, but it’s a good start.
Today’s kids have information at their fingertips, but it’s not always good information. The internet won’t tell your kids not to talk to strangers online. It certainly won’t tell them about scams, cyberbullying, or predators. That’s your job.
If you don’t talk to your kid about the potential dangers on the internet, how do they know these even exist? Think about that for a minute.
So, TALK ABOUT IT! TALK ABOUT IT! TALK ABOUT IT!
Talk to your kids. And if they don’t listen, you have parental controls on your side. Use them 🙂
