Keeping Children Safe Online

It’s highly likely that during this COVID-19 outbreak, your children are spending a significant amount of time online whether to study and learn something or simply scroll over social media for entertainment purposes. Everything is digitally available, whether we talk about school work, group chats, or even just learning courses. The “new normal” is to stay connected with friends and closed ones digitally, which has greatly impacted how we live our daily lives. But it also presents with itself some challenges for the parents to deal with. Like how to manage their child’s screen time and also monitor what they are doing during that time so that it doesn’t harm their kids’ minds.

Woodland Overseas School, a CBSE School in Hoshiarpur, brings to you 5 ways to help keep your children safe while they browse through the internet.

1. Keep Them Safe With Open Communication

While intruding your kid’s privacy is not suggested, establishing prior rules on how, when, and where devices can be used is important. Be supportive and kind to your children and make them feel trusted. Always keep a check on your child when he/ she becomes a little secretive with their online activities, or they simply seem upset about something and make sure they are not being cyber-bullied. Encourage them to talk to you or a trusted individual in such cases.

2. Use Technology to Protect Them

Check that your child’s device is running the latest software and antivirus programs. Also, check that the privacy settings are on. Cover the devices’ webcams when not in use. For the younger lot, using parental controls and including safe search is also a good option. Be cautious of the online learning courses asking for unnecessary information about children, like full name, location, etc while registering. Remember to check the privacy settings to reduce data collection.

3. Spend Time With Them Online

Virtual interactions are gaining more popularity. Make your child engage with their closed ones over video or audio group calls, as connecting with others is more important than ever at this moment. Watch over if your child comes across any misinformation regarding COVID-19, which may cause unnecessary panic, stress, or anxiety. Digital resources like UNICEF and WHO are available, which provide the most trusted information for you and your children.

4. Let Them Have Fun And Express Themselves

Motivate your children to use their voices online to share their views and support the real heroes like nurses, policemen, and other social workers in this need of the hour. Encourage your child to inculcate good habits like exercising, reading books, etc by downloading apps that facilitate them to do so.

Woodland Overseas School, the best school in academic in Hoshiarpur, highly recommends keeping a check on your kid’s online activities without intruding their privacy but also suggests to help them balance online recreation with offline activities, including time outside.

Source: unicef.org