5 actionable ways of Protecting Your Teenagers Online
5 Actionable Ways of Protecting Your Teenagers Online
It is true you cannot conceal all improper online activities from your children, especially with the internet’s new technologies and emphasis on social media. Teenagers now have access to online information with simple clicks on their phones. While the good part of it is the necessity to interact with friends and family online. But, bad such as cyberbullying brings us a necessary factor of how to protect your teens online.
Some people believe in giving children online privilege when they are mentally stable. While mental stability has its truth for protection, we cannot accept it. Let’s face it, social media is everything. If a child does not have a phone in this 21st century, minus the tantrums. They will use their peer’s phones to gain access. Hopefully, to quench some curiosity-opened tabs.
Here are some actionable practices to keep your teens safe online
Role model Parents: It is fundamental to model the role you want your child to have about you. Your kids watch how you dress, deal with your emotions, interact with people, manage stress, and a lot daily.
As parents, this is a foundational way to protect your children offline and online.
Suppose you stalk people on social media as a parent. Your child’s possibility of getting a first-hand experience of stalking becomes high. A famous “garbage in, garbage out” slang is displayed here.
Another scenario is if you do not take part in family meetings. Giving excuses for unavailability. Sadly, your teens will learn and apply it at their own discretion, which could be damaging.
You do not want that as a parent, and kids are smart; they will note the defaults. Also, educating them becomes more attainable. The reason is they already see their parent as learning instruments.
Open parenting: Another term for this is flexible parenting. It is attainable for parents to accept a child’s tempers. Not necessary in everything. Naturally, children and teens keep changing. They want and look for attention as they grow up.
Unfortunately, some parents tend to get the alert only when it gets aggressive. In turn, creates a not-so-good but strong reaction.
The response could create a damaging effect such as fear for the parents.
A fearful child runs to another source to gain protection from online bullies. Developing a flexible behavior opens up a trusting Foundation for children. Trust comes from first understanding. At the tender stage, they are in a confusing place about life and strive to fit in.
As a parent, when they disagree, fighting it immediately is a step but not the best.
Try some flexibility next time; take a deep breath and pull from another angle.
Communication: it’s one thing to talk and another to listen. It’s roughly a give-and-take description. Communication is a two-way medium of passing a message. The importance of the safety of our children is not overemphasized.
Communication unfolds many stories in your child’s life.
Building room for healthy interactions and relationships of parents with teens. The communication first part parent should adopt daily is listening. You know warning signs of the points they are trying to make as an experienced one. You cannot solve an unknown cause. The same applies to you and your teenagers.
If you do not listen to their pointers, how do you know when to come in and take action. The talking aspect of communication is not left out.
The constant reminder of online dangers keeps them cautious of their existence. They can tell when they see some similarities with what they know.
Healthy Ground rules: Set clear and specific rules. Rules with online safety’s complexity are actionable.
It determines the length your teenagers have on their phones. What kind of information are they limited to do?
Here are a few thoughts to help you create ground rules for teen internet consumption.
Do you want them to press their phones during eating hours or not?
What information should get out and to whom (advisable not to give personal information to any at all). Many others which you can narrow down to the alarming grounds.
The healthiness of these rules applies to everyone at home, not kids. One of the tips is actually telling a genuine reason for each regulation as they are curious in nature. You do not want them to find those answers from strangers. Keep them safe online with those healthy ground rules.
Monitoring the spaces: Now you have set those transparent rules, do not sit back and hope for the best. While we have to hope for the best for everything, commitments must be made.
The new technology content also means bullies are developing new movements. New strategies to target the vulnerable.
Being mindful and vigilant about when to swing into action is necessary. One is monitoring the rules and their application in the set spaces of social media and others. Everything is unsatisfactory. Until we check in on them, confirm their engagement online, and stay updated on the bully tactics.
In conclusion, keeping our children from social dangers starts with you, the parent. It is more fun and more plausible to get them before they get into the hands of cyberbullies. These are simple things as an honest and open conversation can solve. Whether good or bad. Discussing with them unlocks a comfortable zone to trust even in their mistakes. Model a supportive environment and see them grasp them tightly as they grow. We might not be able to stop them from the online world, but we can guide them with a warm heart.
Let’s work together to protect our teenagers from online inappropriate bullies and content!
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