Protect Children From Dangers On The Internet
Parents try to protect their children from dangers no matter where they are or travel. Public schools are a haven for bullying today and the internet with Social Media explosion is of no help.
We do not have that much trouble watching over the younger children when they are on the internet setting time limits or checking the websites to which they visit.
Many parents today have child locks on their computers keeping the younger children safe from the dangers that lurk on the internet today.
But what about teenagers or older children with friends who have smartphones with internet access? How do you protect these children from the danger you know is lurking right on the opposite screen from them?
Are any of us available 24/7 to monitor every move each of our children makes? No, of course, not so how can be we be sure that our children are kept safe?
Below I have taken the time to do some research that if you are willing to implement could save you from finding your child is in great danger from the internet and what lies on the other side.
Communication – Talk to Your Children! Listen to Your Children!
Communication is a two-way street and you cannot have it as a one-way street ever! If you want your children to listen to you when you are talking to them then show them respect and listen to them when they are talking to you!
Yelling is not going to accomplish much of anything with teenagers they are going to completely ignore your warnings. They feel that they know enough already to make the right decisions for their own lives.
Unfortunately, this is not true, but they have no clue we have been their age once prior to them reaching where they are now. Think back to how we reacted to our parents? Did we not react the same way?
But who won all those arguments, our parents, because we were raised to have respect for them knowing there were going to be consequences to our actions if we disobeyed.
Parents today need to get back to the basics of raising their children. I am sure that many of you will not agree with me or with my article or what I am writing here.
We are all entitled to our own opinion! But if I can save just one child from the danger of the internet or any other danger that is lurking out there, then my own opinion in writing this article has done its job.
Take advantage of the parental controls on your computer at home, we know that this is only going to work at our own homes but it is a start.
Monitor your children’s smartphone if it comes with parental controls use them! Lock them out of websites that are not appropriate for their age group.
Knowing that fewer teenagers today support themselves having part-time employment that means you are paying for their smartphone service. Meaning you have every right to look at what they are discussing with their friends.
Yes, our children do need to have our trust but in today’s world, it only takes one influence to turn our child into someone we do not know or recognize.
Remind your children to never share any personal information on the internet about themselves. Explain to them this includes their name, address, telephone number, where they go to school, anything that people could ask them to pinpoint or find them.
Explain to the older children to never agree to meet ANYONE over the internet ANYPLACE or ANYTIME. Someone could be posing as a friend and try to lure them into meeting them.
Let them know to never accept a download from anyone or share photographs of themselves over the internet. Even selfies over their smartphones are to be considered a NO-NO.
Depending on the age of the child/children let them know that discussing sex on the internet or their smartphone is not permitted under any circumstances.
Explaining that they need to come to you if anytime something comes up that makes them feel uncomfortable so you can deal with it together. Never try to handle things alone this can make things go from bad to worse.
Social Media and Teenagers
We have reached a new level when it comes to the Social Media explosion that has hit the internet. You have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Pinterest, Wha’sUp, and who knows how many other media outlets there are?
Point being that we as parents have a hard enough time monitoring the younger children on the internet, how are we ever going to keep track of all the Social Media our teenagers are into?
Good question and this is where trust might come into play depending on how advanced your teenager is maturity-wise. I do know that sometimes parents were great about setting rules and their children play by appropriate rules.
Then again we have single-parent households today where the children have been in reality raising themselves. Rebellious teens that have no rules or refuse to obey their parents thinking they know better.
Unfortunately, these are the influences that will infiltrate the ones who do deserve our trust but cannot have it. Ever hear one bad apple will spoil the whole darn bunch?
The same applies to teenagers. People traffickers and pedophiles are just lurking waiting for the bad apples to influence the good apples enough, to bait them getting hold of them.
Call me paranoid if you like but then again tell me I am wrong! It might not happen this way each and every time but this is how so much of this type of thing is occurring in our world today.
I am going to say it again “Parents today need to get back to basics of raising their children” until they do things are not going to improve.
So many dangers that our children need protection from that the internet should not really be one of them but it is. Drugs, violence, bullying, child abuse, hunger, etc it is just a shame that the internet must be added to the list.
Used properly the internet can be a wonderful experience teaching our children about other cultures and counties. It can even teach them another language. But by letting outside influences into their lives we must be watchful to the dangers.
In Conclusion
This article is not one that is usual for me to write, but I felt moved today when I was reading about something and came across awful things that have happened to children because of the internet.
As a matter of fact, I do believe that I will be doing another article in the near future titled “Basics of Raising Children Today“. Considering the number of children having children due to lack of parenting really needs to be addressed today.
Parents who have taken the time to read my article today please be so kind as to leave me a comment, suggestion, or even ask any questions in the space provided below. I answer these usually within 24 hours.
Thank you for coming by and look forward to reading my article soon about “Basics of Raising Children Today”.
Best wishes,
Susan
