On a school-issued laptop, my 10-year-old daughter was working on a project when a pornographic ad popped up. Alarmed, she alerted me right away. I cried. I called the school’s technology department, desperate for help. They told me they would block that particular site, but they also said a certain amount of porn is allowed to get through their internet filters within current laws. I did not like this one bit. I set out to learn all I could about protecting my kids online at home, at school, and wherever they go.
Getting on top of internet safety for elementary students in today’s culture can feel overwhelming. But there are important steps we can all take to protect our kids. Here are 4 ways to increase internet safety for kids in elementary school.
1. Do your research.
I had a lot of questions about what I needed to do to keep my kids safer online. I wanted to know what the best internet filters are, how to make school laptops safer, and where to find the most up-to-date information on digital safety for kids.
We have a lot of great resources here on iMOM. I also discovered a Facebook group called Parenting in a Tech World. This is a helpful community where members answer each other’s tech-related parenting questions. They’ve answered several of mine already. One of the best internet safety resources I discovered is an organization called Parents Who Fight, co-founded by Sarah and Jesse Siegand. This couple has been on a mission to help parents keep their kids safer online since 2015. Their checklist for digital safety is a great place to start.
2. Take the risks seriously.
I’m not an internet-hater. There are plenty of good things about it. But I abhor the real dangers it poses to my children like bullying, online predators, and exposure to graphic violence, pornography, and ideologies that oppose our family values. It’s up to us as parents to take a stand against these threats.
On top of that, too much internet usage at a young age can stunt a child’s brain development. Kids can become so used to being continually entertained and mentally stimulated that they don’t learn basic problem solving and relationship development skills. It takes a lot of energy to minimize screen time for little ones, especially when it’s the only thing that seems to keep them out of mischief, but the long-term benefits are worth it.
3. Set clear guidelines.
While we can’t be with our kids every minute, we can set them up for success by teaching healthy boundaries with technology. To increase internet safety for kids, licensed therapist Emily Grace Ames recommends three guidelines. Her kids are only allowed to search Google with a parent or teacher present, they’re not to click on anything unfamiliar because it could be dangerous, and they’re not to look at other people’s phones.
One rule at my house is that our kids must ask to get on a device and then use it in a common area—never behind closed doors. They are also to respect the time limits we give them so they don’t get sucked in for hours on end.
4. Delay access (or even take access away).
Your kids may beg for devices like mine do, but we have good reason to hold off as long as possible. Most technology for kids is highly addictive. It may seem innocent enough, but Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism, equates tech gurus to tobacco farmers selling an addictive product to kids. We’re wise to be wary.
The case for delaying smartphone use until at least after puberty is strong. A study published by Sapien Labs suggests a direct correlation between the age kids start using a smartphone and their mental health as adults. That has strengthened my resolve to hold off on smartphones for as long as possible and take a good, hard look at my own usage.
Sometimes you have to make the unpopular decision to lessen or even remove access to something you’ve allowed. It’s hard, but I had to do it with YouTube. I tried reining in the content, but I never felt like I could get completely on top of it. So, I put the kibosh on YouTube, at least for now. My kids were pretty upset at first, but within about a week, they adjusted to it. I know it was the right call for our family. Like one of my friends tells her kids, “I have the right to be wiser today than I was yesterday.” And you do, too.
What is one step you can take today to increase internet safety for your elementary-aged kids?
