With the growing world of technology slowly taking over education and entertainment, it is more than likely that your child (if you have one!) will start to use technology much younger than you did. Whether you are preparing your child for school or home use of technology, it is important to take the right measures to keep them safe. Just recently we got an email from the school as there had been some activity on TikTok ridiculing the school which resulted in many parents (and teachers) admitting they hadn’t ever been on the app. It is easy for me as it’s my job to be on social media but I recognise that some parents have no idea of what is happening on it. On that note, here are the best tips for keeping your child safe when they use technology.
Switch on parental controls
Every modern technology device will feature parental controls, which allow you to block certain content from your child and solve the technology issues you could face with your child using devices. This will ensure that they do not come across anything above their age range when they are using a phone to watch a video or a computer to finish their homework.
Using a detailed guide on parental controls iPhone will help you keep your devices safe and free from non-child friendly content.
Limit screen time
No matter how old your child is, it is a good idea to limit their screen time. Making technology safer for children simply involves reducing how long they spend on screens. Not only can technological devices cause eye strain, but they might also hinder their concentration and presence.
Although it can be beneficial for education and entertainment, you can use other means to entertain and educate. Try not to rely on technology to do the job for you.
Set a list of things they aren’t allowed to do
Before your child uses technology, you will want to know why you are letting them use it. It might be for education or entertainment purposes. Nonetheless, it is important to have a reason. From there, you can set a list of things that they aren’t allowed to do.
For example, if your child is starting to use technology for their homework, then ensure you set a rule that they cannot use the device for playing games. Setting rules will create boundaries so that your child can behave accordingly when they use technology.
Some other effective rules to increase your child’s safety includes:
- Not allowing them to download apps.
- Restrictions on the download of computer software.
- Ensuring you can have access to the device whenever you want.
- No accessing untrusted sites.
- Not to share personal information.
Monitor their accounts
Although you might feel like monitoring their accounts is intrusive, it is good to do so when they are young for their own safety. Some children will hide what is going on online simply because they don’t want to worry you. Or, they might not believe it is 100% real due to not dealing with it physically.
Therefore, you can keep your child much safer when they use technology by monitoring their accounts regularly. Always ensure to have access to their passwords and accounts. To do this, it is best to let them use your devices instead of giving them their own. This will ensure you can have full control as and when you need it.
This is a collaborative post
