There are many concerns that parents have when it comes to their children and the internet. Common concerns include: “Are my children spending too much time on the internet?” and “Are my children safe online?”
Discover how you can implement healthy and safe procedures so that your children use the internet responsibly.
“Are My Children Spending Too Much Time on the Internet?”
One common problem parents have with children and the internet is how much more screen time they are subjected to.
Tech expert, Florian Felsing, from PARENTSCORNER says that “Children should have screen-free days, or should be limited to 2 to 3 hours screen usage throughout the day.”
Too much screen time can be bad your children’s health, it can have negative effects on their sleeping, their creativity, and their moods.
In fact, according to research conducted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, found that 88% of children said negative impact on their sleeping, whilst 41% of children said that screen time had affected their play/fun.
To avoid your child spending too much time on the internet and looking at a screen, you need to negotiate an appropriate screen time with them.
To do this, follow recommended guidelines, which state that children should spend no more than 2 hours looking at screens. Make a judgement on your individual child’s needs and situation, for example they might require the internet for longer on some days to do their homework.
You should also encourage other activities that your child can do, such as reading, physical activities, such as football or swimming, or creative activities such as arts and crafts.
Recommended guidelines also suggest that screens should be avoided for at least an hour before bedtime. This will help your child sleep better.
“Are My Children Safe Online?”
Another common concern parents have about children and the internet is if their child is safe online.
There are cyber stalkers, child molesters, cyber bullies, and inappropriate content online, which your child might come across. The best way to keep your child safe from these is by following our tips:
- Tip 1: Have your computer in a common area. So that you can keep an eye on what your children are looking at and doing.
- Tip 2: Talk to your child about the dangers. The best way to make sure they avoid dangerous parts of the internet is by talking to them and helping them understand what to avoid.
- Tip 3: Implement appropriate parental controls. Find out what parental controls, filtering and blocking tools are available to you, either with your Internet Service Provider, or as an add-on software.
- Tip 4: Advise your children not to share personal information. Make sure your child knows not to publicly share personal information or photos of themselves online.
Overcoming Internet Concerns
The best way to overcome your concerns about your children and the internet is by being open with them.
Encourage your children to have open discussions about their internet usage and what they are doing. And also be open yourself about the dangers of the internet and show them how to safely use it.
Setting screen time limitations is also an effective way to make sure your child’s health isn’t badly affected.
These are 8 of the best parental monitoring apps, so you can always be sure that your children are safe on the internet.
