Tips For Keeping Up With Your Kids Online

Sunday, August 6, 2017
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All parents feel like they’re a little out of touch with their kids from time to time, especially if you are the parent of a teenager (oh, hey, speaking from experience here). But when it comes to technology, you feel like you’re miles behind. Every five minutes they’re talking about the latest online trend and it feels like something new comes along before you’ve even started to get to grips with the old ones. If you don’t understand how the technology works, it makes it difficult to monitor exactly what your kids are doing on there. The dangers of the internet and social media are big on every parent’s mind at the moment and sometimes keeping your kids safe online feels like an uphill battle. But don’t worry, it isn’t impossible to learn these things.

Here are a few tips that will help you keep up to date.

Don’t Wait Until It's Too Late
Kids are starting to get to grips with technology earlier and earlier. Toddlers these days are using smartphones adeptly so if you wait too long to start learning, you’ll fall behind. Start learning these things almost immediately so you can keep up with them. Find out what the latest apps are and download them. Even if you don't follow your children's accounts or profiles, knowing how to use and apps and what they are used for will help you identify potential dangers.

Keep Up To Date With News
The next big thing is always going to be big news. By making sure that you keep up with the latest tech news, you can find out what your kids are likely to be using soon. Then learn about it yourself and make sure that it’s suitable for them. It’s also a good idea to speak with other parents. They might have more insight on what their kids are doing on their phones and laptops and it’s always useful to share.

It’s also a good idea to check out tutorials on all of the apps that your kids are using so you know your way around them better. You can find great Netflix customer service here which can help you protect your kids online. Being able to change their Netflix settings to ensure that they don’t watch anything unsuitable is very important.

Set Expectations
One of the biggest causes of contention between parents and children is the banning of their electronic devices. They don’t like to be told what to do in general, but they especially don't like to be told how they can or can't use their phone. They see it as an invasion of privacy. This situation arises because parents don’t set realistic expectations from the outset. When you first give your children a phone or a tablet, make sure that they understand that you are allowing them to use it, but you have paid for it and will put any restrictions that you consider necessary on their usage. That way, they won’t be surprised if you decide that they need to limit their time or suspend some of their social media accounts for a while, and you can avoid any arguments.

The key thing to remember here is trust. Sit down with your kids and discuss the issue of technology with them. Explain that you are placing your trust in them by allowing them to get online with relative freedom. However, if they break that trust, there will be serious consequences and they will have to work hard to earn back those privileges.

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Use Your Email Account For Their Social Media Profiles
Social media is often the biggest worry for parents. They don’t know who their kids are talking to, and sometimes the kids don’t really know themselves. That’s why it’s incredibly important that you’re in the loop when it comes to their social media profiles. When they’re younger, it’s a good idea to set up their profiles using your email address. That way, you’ll get email notifications when they add a new friend. You can check for anything that seems suspicious and make sure they aren’t putting themselves in dangerous situations.

Use It Together
The best way to learn about the tech that is so important to your kids is to use it together. Video games are a big source of contention because there are lots of arguments about the effects that they have on children. Whether you believe that they have a negative effect or not, it’s still good to know what they’re playing. So, offer to have a game with them. Ask them what they like about the games and see if there’s anything you should be concerned about. Not every kid who likes fighting games is going to grow up to be a criminal, so try to understand what it is that makes these games fun for your kids.

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