Teaching Kids Internet Safety

Have You Talked About Internet Safety with Your Kids?

I think this is one of those parenting topics that is easy to miss.  We’re so busy with the *emergency* sippy cup spills, the Kindergarten drama of the day, and what to make for dinner this time that we don’t even realize that our kids are already online – often (well at least mine are!).  And need some guidance!  So inspired by the National PTA and LifeLock‘s #ShareAwesome campaign, I’ve come up with some internet safety tips to get us started…

Internet Safety Tips for Parents & Their Kids

• Stick to Age Appropriate Stuff – My kids only have access to kid-friendly websites and games online.  Here is a list of some of our favorites.
• Use Parental Controls – My kids also Kindles for educational games and eBooks.  So I subscribe to Kindle FreeTime to make sure that they only have access to appropriate content.  There are also other apps and computer programs that can restrict adult content and give you more control of what your kids have access to.
• Keep It In View – Computers are always in open view in our home.  No computers in kids’ rooms.  This way I can monitor what they are watching and doing more easily.
• Have a Conversation with the Kids – Aside from setting up these safety settings, make sure to actually TALK to your kids about internet safety, too. Brainstorm how expectations for everyday offline behavior translates to how they are expected to act online, too.  Find lots of creative ways to have this conversation at ShareAwesomeNow.org.

“Technology is woven into every aspect of life – including family life. When you think about it, the ways you should act, protect yourself and treat others offline are not so different from what you should do online.” ShareAwesomeNow.org

• Make a Plan of Action – Go over different scenarios and make sure your kids know what to do if they encounter something or someone inappropriate online.  (Don’t click on suspicious links, tell someone you trust, etc.)
• Keep It Positive & #ShareAwesome! – Kids should understand that good and positive behavior is expected online just as it is offline.  So celebrate the use of digital media for GOOD by participating in the National PTA and LifeLock‘s #ShareAwesome campaign.

How to #ShareAwesome & Encourage Internet Safety

Keeping it positive will help when having this (sometimes annoying) conversation with kids.  So why not get the kids involved in the #ShareAwesome campaign?!

All you have to do is snap a photo or yourself and/or the kids being AWESOME and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag #ShareAwesome.  Students who enter the #ShareAwesome contest between September 15 – November 30, 2014 will have a chance to win fantastic prizes, including tablets and a $2,500 scholarship!

More Kids Safety Tips from B-Inspired Mama:

    

How do you deal with internet safety in your family?  Have you talked with your kids about it?  Any tips or tricks to share that keep your kids safe online? 

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.