By Diana Iscenko
Many schools are kicking off the school year with online classes, unable to safely reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents all over the country will have to help their children adjust to learning from home. With this comes increased screen time and the worry of internet safety for many parents. Check out our parenting advice to help you with this transition.
Are you worried about your kids and their increased screen time because of remote learning? Here are five parenting tips to help your children safely adapt to online classes:
1. Set Boundaries
In a recent study from the antivirus provider Kaspersky, 58% of parents spend less than 30 minutes discussing internet safety with their kids. Be sure to lay down the household rules for internet use with your kids and follow up with them. Explain why these rules are put in place (like making online purchases or downloading music or video files) and what kind of outcomes they can have.
Related Link: Parenting Tips: How to Help a Young Child Understand the Pandemic
2. Explore Together
Spending time online with your children will help build mutual trust regarding the internet. This shows children how to properly go online in a safe and fun way. It’s also a good idea to leave devices in communal spaces around the house. Even if you’re not on the device with your child, your presence will prompt them to self-check that they’re following your rules.
3. Limit Time Online
It’s easy for your kids to get distracted from their schoolwork, especially during online learning. Set boundaries for their time on screens. Try setting an alarm to ensure they get off their device after their classes are done. If you let them have additional time later, it’ll separate their school time from their personal time.
Related Link: Parenting Tips on Lockdown: How to Keep Your Family Entertained
4. Ask About Their Experiences
Children can easily stumble across harmful information on the internet, even if they aren’t looking for it. They may know what they’ve seen is wrong and feel guilty about it. Spend a few minutes talking with your child about their good and bad experiences online each day will help them come to you if something made them uncomfortable.
5. Educate Yourself
It’s impossible for you to catch every single thing your child does online. Look into different programs that try to ensure your child’s safety online. There are plenty of tools to block certain websites, manage screen time and control app usage. The internet is always changing so be sure to keep yourself updated and continue to have conversations with your child.
How are you making sure your child is safe online? Start a conversation in the comments below!
