Open Communication Is Key to Online Safety

Open communication with your child is the key to online safety.

These days, social media and other use of the internet is inevitable. You can not keep your kids off of the internet. This concerns many parents because social media is an ideal place for online predators to groom and research their next victim. While it may seem like this sort of thing is out of the range of your control, there is still something that you can do to keep your child safe: talk to them! Having open dialogue with your children is probably the most important thing that you can do keep them safe from online dangers. Kids want to feel like they are being trusted by their parents; no kid wants to think that their own parents can’t give them privacy. While “invading” personal space might not be the best answer, you should still monitor their activity. Whether that means monitoring their texts, monitoring social media, or both, all of this should be done with mutual respect in mind. There should be open communication between you and your child when discussing how you will be monitoring them! As kids age and develop both physically and mentally, they’re going to be tough to talk to. It’s an awkward phase where they are pretty independent yet are not quite ready to take on the real world alone. Giving them some space, while still monitoring, is key to keeping them safe. Again, this all goes back to communication.

How to comfortably talk to your child

Keep in mind, your child most likely does not want to be having a conversation about internet safety with you. Short and sweet is the way to go for a talk like this. Kids are rather vulnerable. If you find out that your kid is doing something bad online or you suspect that their online behavior might not be the best, it’s best not to be accusatory. Show them that you just want them to be safe. Try your best to not become angry if they don’t react the way that you want them to. Remember, you’re trying to get them to listen to you. If you don’t show them a mutual respect and don’t listen to their side, they are most likely going to become upset and therefore be much less likely to listen to what you are saying. If you have anymore questions about how to keep your child safe on the internet, check out this guide.