5 Essential Online Safety Tips for Families: Protecting Your Kids in the Digital Age

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In this digital age, having unfiltered access to the internet is not surprising that parents need to take extra precautions to make sure that their children are not exposed to illicit content and are prevented from becoming easy targets for criminals to latch on to.

That is why you need to implement safety procedures to ensure that when working online both you and your children are safe.

Tip 1: Monitor your child’s activity

Children growing up with devices has become the norm in most households, so as a parent you need to keep an eye on their online activities. This doesn’t mean you should only check their browser history, you need to actively know what they are doing at all times. Other than knowing what sites they are frequenting, learn about who they are talking to online, and know who their friends are on social media. Urge them to tell you when strangers try to friend them online. Screen what games they play beforehand to discern whether it is age-appropriate. Also, keep a close eye on how much time they spend online, and limit it so they don’t become too dependent on a device.

Tip 2: Engage in active communication with your children

Engaging in active discussions with your children is vital, this helps you be in the know about their online activities. Make sure that they feel safe to bring up anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared online. Whenever possible, talk to your children about who they are speaking to online. Let them know about the possible dangers of being too friendly with strangers online, and make them aware of practices that criminals use and the ways that they can protect themselves from harm.

Tip 3: Protect your privacy

Make sure that you take certain precautions to protect your devices and internet users by implementing protocols on the system. Set up age restrictions and allow your children to access websites that are suitable for them to use. Consider looking at an antivirus for PC options for your needs and how they can adapt to it. They will be able to detect malware and spyware trying to latch onto your device.

Children And Technology: Pros And Cons Of The Digital World

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It’s no secret that children today are growing up in a digital world. They are exposed to technology at an early age and use it in their everyday lives. While there are many advantages to this, there are also some disadvantages.

Technology has many faces, from television sets to computers to tablets to smartphones. It’s hard to avoid and even harder to limit. According to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, children ages 8-18 spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media across a typical day. That’s more than 53 hours per week!

It’s no wonder that children are growing up with a lot of questions about technology.

Here are some pros and cons of the digital world:

PROS:

1. Access to information: The internet is a vast repository of knowledge. Children can use it to find information on any topic they’re interested in, whether for school projects or personal curiosity.

2. Improved communication: Technology has made communication easier and faster than ever before. Children can stay in touch with their friends and family members who live far away with the click of a button. They can also communicate with their peers more easily, which can help them form stronger relationships.

3. Enhanced learning opportunities: Thanks to technology, children have access to a world of educational resources at their fingertips. They can watch educational videos, play learning games, and read articles on any subject they’re interested in. This can help them learn more quickly and retain information more effectively.

4. Greater creativity: Technology provides children with the tools they need to be creative. They can use computers to design artwork, create music, and write stories. They can also share their creations with the world through social media and other online platforms.

5. Improved problem-solving skills: Technology requires children to think critically and solve problems in order to use them effectively. This helps them develop important problem-solving skills that they can use in other areas of their lives.

6. Increased motivation: The use of technology can be motivating for children. They can stay engaged in their learning and get immediate feedback on their progress. This can lead to improved academic performance and a greater love of learning.

7. Preparation for the future: Technology is becoming increasingly important in the workforce. With exposure to and use of technology, children are better prepared for jobs that will require these skills.

What to Consider Before Getting Your Child their First Phone

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{This is a collaborative post}

As a mom, there are a lot of things to worry about. One of the big concerns that many parents have is when to give their children their first phone. It can be a tough decision, and there are a lot of factors to consider. 

One of the first things you need to consider is your child's age. Most experts recommend that children be at least 12 years old before they get their first phone. This is because they need to be mature enough to handle the responsibility of having a phone and they should also be able to understand how to use it safely.

Another thing you need to think about is how your child will use their phone. If they are only going to use it for emergencies, then you may not need to get them a data plan. However, if they are going to use it for social media, gaming, or other activities that require data, then you will want to get them a well-priced data plan.

It would be best if you also thought about whether or not your child is ready for the responsibility of having a phone. This includes being able to follow the rules, such as not using their phone during class or at bedtime. If you think they are ready for this responsibility, then they are probably ready for a phone. And, speaking of responsibility, you also need to ensure they stay safe while spending time online. That said, have a look below at some valuable information that will help you ensure your child can enjoy some safe screen time once they get their first phone.

Infographic Design By Kidadl

How to Teach Children About Social Media

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{This is a collaborative post}

Online safety for children is a high priority for parents, but at the same time, you don’t want to control them or make them feel as though you’re snooping, especially if they're a teenager. Instead, educate them in the right way and give them the tools they need, show them respect but make sure they are responsible.

Make Them Aware

When your child grows up and goes to school, they are likely to encounter mean behavior. They might encounter bullying themselves or see the results of bullying on one of their classmates. It’s important to have conversations with them about this so they understand what bullying is and why it is wrong. 

Bullying has changed since the advent of social media, as the Family Orbit blog points out; young people need to be savvy about the online behavior that qualifies as bullying. Posting hurtful things about people or embarrassing photos is online bullying and needs to be reported and dealt with. It really is important to understand that bullying is about how the action is felt by the person it is targeted at and not about the person causing the pain. Their intentions may be good but if their language or behaviour is taken as hurtful, they need to know this and be able to make changes.

Consider the Consequences

Social media opens up some excellent possibilities, but at the same time, it has consequences that can affect a person’s reputation and quality of life. Depending on what you post, it can also lead to criminal activity such as burglary, so young people must learn to post carefully online. 

Since social media posts have the power to influence your reputation and life quality, you need to spend some time reflecting on a post before you hit the share button. Ask yourself whether the post is responsible and consider how it will be received by the community - never post spontaneously. 

Things To Consider When Buying Your Child's First Laptop

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A 2019 Statista report says 93% of UK children already own tablets, smartphones or computers for their personal use. Undoubtedly, these gadgets were bought by their parents, family friends or other relatives. These gadgets come with a lot of responsibility on both sides. Parents and children are required to observe basic rules and directions to ensure that these personal devices are used appropriately. Therefore, if you are contemplating getting your child their first computer, here are some things you can consider first.

Set time limits

Setting time limits generally refer to the number of hours your child can use their computer. Apart from the hours, it is vital to set limits for the times of the day to access these devices. Over the years, research has proven that too many UK kids are abusing screen time, and unfortunately, parents are aware of it. For many households, the ownership of a computer may be to keep kids occupied at home while parents attend to other responsibilities at home or in the office.

However, too much screen time can be detrimental to your child’s eyesight. In other words, exposure to blue lights from computer screens can cause visual fatigue and pressure on the retina. To avoid these health effects, you can purchase a Blue Light filter to protect their young eyes. The best decision, though, is to set screen limits and to ensure that your restrictions are well communicated. Too much screen time also has its effects on cognitive development and their social life.

Accepting Yourself as You Are #TheSelfieTalk

Image Credit: Dove

I was very interested to see that Dove have a new campaign, the #reverseselfie where they take an image that has been shared on social media and roll back the time, removing any filters, edits etc.

When you arrive at their webpage, titled “building self-esteem in the social media age” the first statistic that greets you is “by age 13, 80% of girls distort the way they look online” and as you read that you might feel pretty shocked, sickened or saddened. I know I did. Why? I thought to myself, why do they feel the need to edit their pictures and make themselves look different? Just look at those images above, that young girl on the right is almost unrecognisable by the distortions to the image on the left, and a 13 year old has become 20. That's truly what you call a lost youth. 

As I mused on this for a few days, I started to wonder if the problem really is as big as many adults assume? Are young girls intrinsically unhappy with the way they look and feeling pressure to be different? Also, Is it any different now to when I was 13, 34 years ago, before the age of social media? When I was at school I remember there being girls who wouldn’t come to school without a full face of make-up or their hair pristine. Isn't this just a newer version of that?

I suppose the big difference now, is that back in my day if you had bad hair, maybe 100 people saw it at school (if they even noticed you) but now if you post a bad hair day picture on social media there is an infinite amount of people who could look at it and it could go on being viewed for days, weeks or even months. Nowadays you have keyboard warriors too, those who want to share their opinion, even if it is negative. Believing that by sharing a photo, you invited their criticism or comment. 

So when I found myself in the car with my twin 13-year-old girls last week I asked them about posting pictures on social media and how they feel about it as I've noticed they both rarely post anything to their Instagram grid preferring to share stories instead. There are also a lot of filters and specific poses or effects used. For instance, I notice they like to take photos of themselves in the mirror, so it is a reflective look and maybe their tongue will poke to the side, or they make a sign with their hands. I'm pleased to say none of the trout pout or porno style shots has been in evidence from my girls. 

One pointed out to me that many of the filters or apps she uses are for fun, they aren’t about looking more beautiful or perfect. They might be a selfie in a face mask, or with silly big eyes, they are just a bit of fun, a way of expressing herself with her friends.

The other said she didn’t know anyone who actually took the time to use a photo editor to slim their body, change nose shape, elongate their neck etc. So that felt encouraging. She said that young people just want to post a photo they are happy with on social media and to show their best self. How is this any different to many adults, she questioned? And she is right, I wouldn't put a photo up where I felt I looked awful. For me, it won't be about a full face of make-up, but it might be about hiding my crooked smile, left from when I had Bells Palsy, or making my huge tummy not look so big. We each have our insecurities and just because I do not share photos of them on social media, does not mean I am tricking the world. I'm just posting what I am happy with and that is about me, and not you.

Capturing those Treasured Family Moments

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When you become a parent a really special thing happens, your heart expands and you are able to love another person as much as your spouse. Everything about that small person who has joined your family captivates you and you feel compelled to store up the memories for a rainy day. Even if you've never been the kind of person to take lots of photos or videos before, I can guarantee that will change when you become a parent.

Luckily in this day and age, it is very easy to capture all the precious moments and memories. Here are a few ideas on how to capture all those little times that you don't want to forget.

Blogging/ Instagram

My blog was born in 2008 when my twin girls were a few months old and I wanted to share photos and the things we had been up to with family and friends that live quite a distance. Little did I know quite how much this hobby would grow. Nowadays many people are more likely to share on social media in the form of a microblog, on sites like Instagram or Facebook as it is far less time-intensive than a traditional blog.

10 Ways to get your Teen Away from their Screen this Summer

We're fully into the summer holiday now and I'm sure you might have heard the dreaded words 'I'm bored' so far. No matter what, every kid seems to get in this rut and I've always believed that my kids need to break through the boredom barrier. It's good for them to be bored for a little while, as that is when they engage their creative mind and start to think laterally about what they used to or could do.

It's so easy for teens (especially boys) to get stuck in a rut and end up endlessly playing computer games, surfing the web or getting immersed into social media but we all know that too much of it isn't good for us, on so many levels - our physical health, our mental health and our ability to converse and communicate with others.

Here are a few ideas that aren't going to break the bank, that may just help you get your teen away from their screen. Of course, you have to be realistic, they probably aren't going to thank you initially, as they think they want to spend 24/7 glued to their phone or laptop.

1.  Volunteering / Work Experience
This one will depend on the age of your teen and realistically it probably should have been sorted out before now, but whats friends or family do you have who they could accompany to work for the day? My son has done voluntary work gardening, learning maintenance tasks, working in a cafe and marshaling traffic. Each has been great experience for him and provided something different to his skill set.

Don't just assume your teen is too young or that they shouldn't be working yet (childhood is for fun) these kind of educational days can excite, inspire and develop your teen.

Parenting in the Digital Age - We Have to be One Step Ahead

I was at a digital conference at the beginning of November and one of the streams was for anyone interested in young people and all things digital. It was a Christian conference so there were pastors, youth and children workers and parents like me. I went to a few different seminars and there were quite a few things that really spoke to me and I have pondering and praying on them since.

On the whole I think all the new technological advances have been a good thing and they add a whole new dimension to our world today but I'm not blind. I see how my 14 year old son gets sucked in to gaming on his computer and not wanting to come off and I'm super aware that one of my 10 year old's is already starting to judge herself by what she sees online. Those sorts of things are pretty scary.

You have to be a really intentional and involved parent to ensure that your kids are maintaining balance and not losing their grip on reality and it takes a lot of time and effort if I'm honest.

Look at this slide that was shared in one of the seminars -

12 Ways to get your Teen off their Tech this Christmas Break

Teen with Mobile Image courtesy of Shutterstock

In 2017 I think most parents of teenagers are suffering from the same thing. Deaf ears. My son doesn't hear a word I say when he has his headphones on and is in the virtual world of game play with his mates online. Manage to get him offline and he'll wander downstairs grunt a hello and grab his phone from his pocket and be at it again. Sound familiar? Yes, I thought so but fear not as I have some great ideas for you to help get your teen off their devices for at least part of the Christmas holiday.

I wouldn't recommend a full tech-free fortnight though as I think we need to be realistic as parents and nowadays our teens very much live in the digital world. Some online time is fine, that's how many of them stay connected to their friends when there isn't any school but we know that a full-day online is too much and they will just end up withdrawing even more than usual. A good balance is what we're after.

You might find it a little hard to implement changes if you've never restricted your teens tech access before but perseverance and open conversations go a very long way. Make sure you share your concerns about excess screen time with your child so they know why you are doing this and be willing to limit your own time online too, so you are setting a good example.

Try to give your teen the choice of what tasks they want to do instead of dictating to them as they will buy in to it more if they feel they have choices. I always find that once my son gets in to other tasks and puts his tech down he actually ends up enjoying them and starts self-regulating himself on his tech anyway.

Keeping your Kids Mobile Safe at School

Children with mobile phones image from Shutterstock

It was only a couple of years ago I found myself saying to my husband, but surely JJ doesn't need a mobile now he is at Secondary school? We never had one, so why should he? But then my husband patiently reminded me that thirty years ago when we were at school there was a coin operated phone box on practically every street corner and we both lived within walking distance of our schools. Now our son travels for nearly an hour on the bus and in all that time doesn't pass even one phone box!

Oh yes things really have changed and I am convinced that for the most part the changes really are a good thing but of course there are challenges too and we'll explore some of those now.

It's against School Policy
This is a tough one as generally I always want to encourage our children to adhere to the school rules but actually I think school are being a bit short-sighted on this one. Without a mobile, how is my son to tell me if he misses the bus or if it breaks down, when there are no longer any call boxes and no public transport to where we live?

Practicality dictates for us that JJ (age 14) takes his phone to school with him and during the school day it stays on mute at the bottom of his bag. From what he tells me it is exactly what nearly every other child in the school does too, so it seems comical that the school keep reinforcing in their newsletter that phones must not be bought into school and if a child does they are breaking the school rules and any loss or damage will not be dealt with by the school. I suppose that is one way of them ensuring they don't have lots of parents banging on their door moaning about theft or breakage.

Parenting a Digital Native - How Hard Can it Be?

Hmm yum. A latte, a brownie and just starting a new book. 'Left to their own devices - confident parenting in a world of screens' written by Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family

A post shared by Michelle Pannell (@michelletwinmum) on Jun 26, 2017 at 3:11am PDT

I know it's often said that parents nowadays are living in an totally different world to their own parents or grandparents but I really feel it is true. As a child of the 70’s and 80’s there wasn't any such thing as the internet or email, I played with my dolls, drew and coloured and made believe in the street with my neighbours. Now my children meet their friends in virtual chat rooms on discord and challenge each other to jump subway trains (on a screen of course).

It really is interesting parenting in this evolving time and I am thankful that I work as a blogger and as such am very savvy when it comes to tech generally and more specifically social media, but you can't become complacent as that is when something falls under the radar.

I started my first blog back in 2008 and as such opened social media accounts right at the start of their growth. This means that when my eldest child wanted to get online and join various platforms that I was knowledgeable and able to work with him to ensure that the right safe guards were in place.

Don't think it has all been plain sailing though, there have been times when we’ve had to have some serious chats with my son about sites he has visited or things he has said but we've only been able to do that as he has known from the start we would have his passwords and access to any gadgets he has. Then impromptu visits and a glance through his history and such have meant we feel sure he is playing safe.