Helping Your Kids to Make Smart Choices Online
As a mom I know all too well that keeping an eye on my kids all the time is near impossible. I do have certain concerns about what they’re doing when my back is turned, especially when it comes to them being online. I want them to have a sense of privacy, but as a mom, I do have to look over their shoulder for their own good which is why helping your kids to make smart choices online is crucial.
If you don’t want to outright ban your children from being online, you should consider some necessary precautions and steps to teach them about what to do and what not to do.
The Social Media and Online Chat Room Takeover
Social media is a big part of everyone’s lives now. From Facebook to Twitter, practically everyone has an online profile that helps them keep up to date. Even if your child is not on a social media platform, if they use the computer to surf the web they’re probably on some form of a chat room or related website.
Badoo, IMVU, Club Penguin, Second Life, and Enterchatroom are all very popular chat and games rooms. If your kids are computer wizards and always seem to be surfing the net, there’s a good chance they are using one of them, including one of the ones I just listed for you.
As parents, we know the dangers of pedophiles and online predators that look to target our children, especially when it comes to free chat rooms that anyone can have access to and make a profile. Sometimes going through the browser history of the computer or smart device that your kids are using is not enough to see what they’re doing, so make sure that before anything else you establish a trust bridge with them. Make sure that they feel comfortable talking to you about anything and everything going on in their lives. You might consider using apps for family tracking to stay aware of your child’s online presence, especially for monitoring social media and chat room interactions.
Helping Your Kids to Make Smart Choices Online
For me, one of the first things I spoke to my kids about was making smart choices online by giving them the basics. I explained that personal information, including address and full name, are private information that should never be given.
Most importantly, however, I explained that there are chat rooms and websites specifically designed for kids their ages and that I would help them make profiles and help them to have a healthy, safe online presence.
It’s scary the trouble kids can find online. I agree that adults should have a real talk with kids about being online, what they can & can’t do & what to look out for (or who to look out for.) When my niece & nephews are here (most days after school), I try to have some idea what they are doing online —usually watching You Tube videos—and they know I will probably check up on them.
Great post! I think it’s great to mentor not monitor our kids. I am not saying don’t keep an eye out but talking tech early on from the start makes for better communication and understanding. We want our kids to be able to feel comfortable to talk to us about weird or inappropriate stuff, and not feel like they have to hide it or fear getting in trouble. We have to help our kids build digital resilience and that starts with parents!