According to the Webster’s Dictionary, technology is defined as the application of knowledge to practical purposes. This is a good thing especially for the industrial sector and world trade. Through the continued advancement of technology, the internet was developed.
The internet is a vast network that connects computers all over the world. It is the fastest way to communicate, get information, attend school and even shop.
Sadly, it is also home to many different types of predators. The fact that it is also the major source of learning and gathering information for our children, it is imperative that parents ensure that they try to take the necessary precautions to minimize the threat of these predators as much as possible.
There are many types of internet predators, but the sexual ones are the ones that will target our children, especially those ranging from ages 12 to 18 years. Their main aim is to seek out vulnerable children and adolescents for sexual exploitation or for other abusive purposes.
According to the FBI, there are an estimated 500,000 online predators, and over 50 percent of the victims of online sexual exploitations are between the ages of 12 to 15 years.
Elena Pearl Ben-Joseph, Md in her article Monitoring Your Child’s Media Use states:
There are many programs and apps to monitor teens social media accounts and alert parents to any inappropriate language or photos. Many soft-wares and apps are available-from free to expensive, that can give you detailed reports of your child’s browsing history and tell you how much time they spent online and on each site. No amount of monitoring can protect kids from everything. So, encourage your child to be a responsible internet user, by being a good role model, and talking to your child about online safety.
Parents should never distance themselves or shy away from learning anything there is to know about technology and the internet. Get involved take the time to learn.
Liz Mineo in her article, Helping your child make the best use on time online, in an interview with co-writers Urs Gasser and John Palfry in Born Digital:
Gasser: The only thing I would perhaps add is that parents need to connect with their kids first and then connect with the technology. The important point is that how much time young people spend online matters.
Knowledge is power so when you take the time to learn, you will be able to advise and even teach your children how to correctly use the internet. Limit your time spent on social media also so that when you set their time for internet you will actually be practicing what you preach.
Here are 10 tips on how to limit your child’s screen time.
- Model healthy electronic use.
- Educate yourself on electronics.
- Create technology free zones.
- Set aside time to un-plug.
- Use parental controls.
- Explain why you are limiting screen time.
- Ask for your child’s password.
- Encourage other activities.
- Make screen time a privilege.
- Keep your child’s bedroom screen free.
Amy Morin, (LCSW) has this to say, “Before you binge-watch your favorite Netflix series, remember you are setting an example for your kids with your own time spent in front of a screen.
You have to know the dangers of social media so you can teach them the risks.
Limiting your child’s screen time is very important to the process. Children tend to get carried away and usually are oblivious to time once they are hooked on the device screen by whatever program has grabbed their attention. Be vigilant with your allotted time.
Martha Pickerill adds, “American Academy of Pediatrics maintain that while increase use of laptops and tablets for school work may necessitate more academic use of these devices, no kid should have more than two hours of digital recreation time”.
Blog: https://familyfirstnja.com
24 Transformative Tips: https://familyfirstnja.com/24-transformative-tips/
Works sited
Ben– Joseph, Elana P. Md. Monitoring Your Child’s Media Use. Nemours Kids Health. Review. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/monitor-media.html
Krawt, Michael E. Children and Grooming / Online Predators. Child Crime Prevention Safety Center. https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/children-and-grooming-online-predators.html
Mineo, Liz. Helping Your Child Make the Best Use of Time Online. Harvard Gazette. (2020). https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/12/how-parents-can-manage-children-and-their-technology-use/
Morin, Amy. How to Limit Your Child’s Screen Time. VeryWellFamily. Medical Review. (2020). https://www.verywellfamily.com/tips-for-limiting-electronics-and-screen-time- for-kids-1094870
Pickerill, Martha. Everything You wanted to Know About Kids but Were Too Distracted to Ask. Time Parent (2015). https://time.com/raising-the-screen-generation/
