It is no secret that the world has changed significantly in just a few years. From terrorism to cyberbullying, it seems like there are new dangers every day. As parents, you have likely come up with your own set of rules for how to keep your children safe. But what about steps you can take to protect them from the more modern threats? Here are eight ways that will help!
Via Pexels
Don’t Disclose Revealing Personal Information Online
This is a crucial step and one that will protect your children on many levels. First, don’t share personal information like names, ages, school names, or anything else someone could use to identify your kids online. This includes photos as well! Keep all of those things private until they are old enough to decide for themselves if they want people to know the details about their lives.
Stay Away From Disreputable Apps & Sites
Don’t download apps or visit sites you don’t trust. Even ones with good ratings and reviews can be dangerous in certain situations. Also, make sure you monitor what your kids do online, so it doesn’t catch you off guard later down the road. While it is impossible to keep your kids away from every questionable site and app, you can make sure they can’t access anything too dangerous.
Protect Your Kids While On The Go
Just because you are not at home does not mean that your family doesn’t need protection! Be extremely wary of public WiFi connections as hackers often try to break into those to steal information. Using data on a smartphone instead of WiFi will also help. You may even want to consider jailbreaking any tablets so apps cannot be downloaded without approval first, especially if your children have their own devices!
Know What Your Kids Know & Don’t Let Them Share Too Much
It’s easy to assume that your children know nothing about how the world works, but they may have a better understanding than you realize. Kids frequently learn things from the other kids in their school or neighborhood before parents ever find out! This could put them at risk because of incorrect information and bad ideas. Keep an open dialogue with your kids so you always know what they are learning and can help fill in any gaps if necessary.
Check-In With Your Children Often & Always Know Their Location
Make sure to call, text or video often chat during the day when possible. You want to make sure that everything is going well without too many problems arising. Even just checking on someone now and then will go a long way towards keeping them safe. As for location, make sure you know where your kids are at all times. This helps in case of emergencies and is also a great way to keep track of their friends as well!
Monitor Them Regularly
Social media can be both good and bad for children. It’s up to parents to decide which one it will be. Ensure that any social media accounts they use stay under lock and key, especially if they have anything personal like pictures or videos. You should also monitor these sites regularly, so you always know what they are looking at online.
Make Use Of Modern Tools
Technology is here to help. Use it! Many apps can track your child’s location or record messages sent on their phone. Some of these even offer regular updates, so you always know the latest happening in real-time. These types of tools may seem invasive at first, but they will make a world of difference when used correctly and could save your children from danger as well as protect them online! You could simply search for the best apps to track text messages on iPhone or other operating systems, to review your options.
Teach Your Children To Report Strange Digital Contact
If someone online tries to contact your child inappropriately, they must know exactly what to do. Teach them how and where to report this type of behavior immediately to stop the person before any real damage is done. Many sites like CyberAngels or Trollbusters offer assistance for kids who may find themselves in a bad situation with cyberbullying or even online predators!
Parents should make sure their children understand how dangerous it could be if personal information gets out there on the internet. They need to monitor social media accounts regularly, use technology in their favor, and teach their children about safety.
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