With younger generations gaining more and more access to technology, there is a growing need for cybersecurity and parental controls. Without supervision, it doesn’t take much for children to come across sensitive content on the internet. The internet is a deep vast ocean that we should not allow younger generations to swim alone in. Here are three basic steps to take once your child or young teen becomes active on the internet.

Step 1:

Before initiating any monitoring apps, scheduled internet times or parental controls, start with a conversation. Talk to your child or young teen about the internet and different forms of social media. It is important that you explain proper internet behavior, your expectations and the dangers of the internet. This conversation is your gateway to understanding how your child or teen will be using the internet. This will also open up the conversation if and when they run into questionable behavior on the internet.

Step 2:

Using technology to monitor the device your child or young teen is on is an easy way to make sure they are safe online. There are plenty of desktop and mobile monitoring apps available for parents. Although these don’t necessarily tell you what is being said, you will have the ease of mind knowing which apps your child is using, for how long and what times. There is a fine line between monitoring your child or young teen and spying on them. These technologies are meant to protect your kid, not micromanage.

Step 3:

Create a schedule when your child or teen is allowed to use the internet. You can do this simply by asking them not to be on their phone during the night, keeping phones and other devices in separate rooms or by using technology like Google Wifi to create a schedule. Google Wifi allows you to create specified times where specific devices will lose connectivity.

There are also ways to control the bandwidth of internet access through your router. Understanding what capabilities your router can offer is essential for families.

Are you a parent with a child or young teenager on the internet? Let us know how you monitor them and how you keep them safe!