The world wide web (internet) opens-up a world of possibilities for you and for your children to learn and play together. There are hundreds and thousands of child-friendly sites that will teach them lots of new things and keep them entertained for hours, but as with most things you need to keep an eye on them to make sure that they stay safe. There are a lot of real dangers on the internet that you need to be careful to protect your child from, including unsuitable content and any lurking predators. But as long as you stay vigilant and keep a few simple steps in mind you can ensure that your children stay safe and happy online.
Play together
The perfect way to supervise your children while they are online is to use it with them. Find sites that you can help them to navigate and learn and with games that involve more than one player. There are many educational sites with fun games, puzzles and quizzes that will help them learn while they are having fun. Using the internet is becoming an essential life skill so using it with your kids and teaching them how to do it will serve them well as they grow up.
Always keep an eye out
Of course there will come a time when your children want to use the computer on their own, and that’s natural, but you should always keep an eye on them to make sure they’re not looking at anything they shouldn’t be. The best way to do this is to place the computer in a communal area of the house so that you can always have a look what they’re up to as you pass by. It is much easier to ensure they’re safe if you can see what they’re up to.
Password Protect your Computer
Another way to control what the computer is being used for and when it is being used is to password protect it. Both computers and internet connections come with many options to help you to password protect various access points on your computer, such as any website with unsuitable content or any program that is installed. This means that you can always stay in control of what is on your computer and stop children from getting into trouble. They may not always like it but it is essential for staying safe!
Stay involved and up to date
Staying up to date and involved with new technologies on the internet will mean that you are able to talk about things over the dinner table. If you get out of touch then your children will no doubt tire of explaining everything to you every time and will simply stop! It also means that you will be aware of potential dangers and will be able to step in before anything happens. To ensure your children stay happy you’ll also need to stay up to date with the fastest connection. The best way to do this is to do a broadband speed test and compare it with other providers in your area, and consider switching to the best one.
