For several years now, it has been impossible to prevent a child from using the Internet. Now what they do you still have the possibility of being able to handle the content they use, at least up to a certain age, and for that, they simply need a good education on the Web.
Before, the first cell phone was received at about age 15, hopefully. Today that would be absurd. Children ask for them at around 9 years of age, without considering that they know little about how to operate a smartphone upside down.
Today, cell phones are part of children’s lives, and not only do they play with them, but they also surf the Internet and have access to the beloved-addictive-feared social networks.
For some, those parents who try to prevent their children from having a cell phone are exaggerated. However, how do we ensure that children are sharing the “just and necessary”? In other words, they know how to maintain their privacy and filter the content they visit, preventing any bad decision from causing some unwanted consequences.
Because we know that parents are concerned, we will give them some tips to better manage this situation.
Why Worry About Internet Use
There is a problem that, although parents are aware of it, many times they do not know how to face it and prefer to let it go. It is about what children do on the internet and what they are using it for, especially social media.
According to a report, the main errors of minors when inserting themselves into social networks is that they do not measure their vulnerability, since it is very difficult to make them understand that something may happen to them through the screens.
The most unsafe behaviours that stand out the most are, describing aspects of your private life, interacting with unknown people, showing yourself as adults in images that imitate the eroticism present in the mass media, intentionally accessing pages with adult content, maintaining offensive behaviour, among others.
And yes, they are right in what they are thinking. Today it is practically impossible to avoid using the internet, and tips such as “limit your personal data”, “evaluate the content they publish”, “make decisions”, etc. are inevitable. They sound very reasonable and easy for an adult, but they are difficult to apply for children and young people (especially at puberty). What to do then?
Our Role As Parents
Here are the top five parenting tips that we think can help you:
- Be the best example for your child: before setting rules, think that you are obliged to follow them and be consistent.
- Do not demonize new technologies: although today’s “new” parents are already more familiar with technologies, there is no lack of those who prefer to remain on the side-lines. However, it is important for all those who know that today, everyone needs it for their personal development and especially their professional development.
- Take an interest in what he does online, share activities and encourage dialogue: get to know your children’s network friendships, the applications they use and their interests, promoting the exchange of knowledge and ideas. In this way, a trust will be created in the child and he will have less difficulty transferring his doubts to you. For active monitoring, parents can use parental monitoring apps.
- Help him to think critically about what they find online: this way you will help them understand that not everything that appears on the internet is true and that although they can trust many websites, they do not have to be naive.
- Make sure he is comfortable asking you for help: avoid quick reactions or over-judgments, because if your child feels that he will get into trouble asking questions or telling you about inappropriate behaviour, he will become increasingly hermetic.
Bonus Track: A Little Help From Technology
There are many parents who have not yet acquired the total taste of smart phones and who are just beginning to settle for WhatsApp. But, for all those who are a little more daring, we tell you that there are some very useful applications to be aware of the movements of your children on the networks. One such asp is FamilyTime parental monitoring app. The app works as a monitoring agent on your mobile, where apart from blocking the use of applications, it monitors activity on the device. The app offers a range of features. To see them all, give this app a try for free. You can get trial version of the app from the app store on your phone.
