It’s no secret that kids are growing up in a digital age and spending a lot of time online. While they are exploring, they may stumble across some risks and dangers.The Center for Child Counseling in Palm Beach County said online safety can be broken down into three categories when talking to your kids: inappropriate conduct, inappropriate contact, and inappropriate content. Dominika Nolan, the director of education and prevention services at The Center for Child Counseling, said access to the internet and having devices is a privilege and it comes with rules.“Talk to them in an age-appropriate manner as soon as they get any access to device to any internet,” said Nolan. “Just like in real life, we talk about stranger danger, same applies to the online safety. If you don’t know them, you don’t know who this person really is.”Nolan said it is important to have those tough conversations, too. “Talk to children about pornography and all of the dangers that come with that. They need to know it from us, not from others,” said Nolan.Nolan said parents can be more aware of what their children are doing online by keeping their devices in common areas.“Keeping devices out of their bedroom at night,” said Nolan, is a recommendation she gives parents. “It really keeps them safe at night because a lot of things happen at night out of our sight.”She adds that once children know the dangers, they are going to feel safer talking to their parent if they come across some kind of warning signs or red flags while online. Nolan said it is important to always keep that line of communication open.
It’s no secret that kids are growing up in a digital age and spending a lot of time online. While they are exploring, they may stumble across some risks and dangers.
The Center for Child Counseling in Palm Beach County said online safety can be broken down into three categories when talking to your kids: inappropriate conduct, inappropriate contact, and inappropriate content.
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Dominika Nolan, the director of education and prevention services at The Center for Child Counseling, said access to the internet and having devices is a privilege and it comes with rules.
“Talk to them in an age-appropriate manner as soon as they get any access to device to any internet,” said Nolan. “Just like in real life, we talk about stranger danger, same applies to the online safety. If you don’t know them, you don’t know who this person really is.”
Nolan said it is important to have those tough conversations, too.
“Talk to children about pornography and all of the dangers that come with that. They need to know it from us, not from others,” said Nolan.
Nolan said parents can be more aware of what their children are doing online by keeping their devices in common areas.
“Keeping devices out of their bedroom at night,” said Nolan, is a recommendation she gives parents. “It really keeps them safe at night because a lot of things happen at night out of our sight.”
She adds that once children know the dangers, they are going to feel safer talking to their parent if they come across some kind of warning signs or red flags while online. Nolan said it is important to always keep that line of communication open.
