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8 Ways to Protect Your Child Online
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Once the internet took off, protecting our kids slowly became harder and harder. From AOL chat, Myspace all the way to Snapchat or Tiktok, these creations have made it significantly harder to protect our children. An even bigger problem - most of the games they play these days have online chat services.
So, what can you do to make it harder for predators to talk to your kids?
1.
Basic parental controls. Almost all phones/devices/apps have some sort of basic parent controls already on them. Use them.
2.
Set their email and save the password OR get them to give you the passwords.
3.
Check their phones periodically. You don’t want to do this on schedule because our kiddos are smart and they will get around it. Just randomly ask for their device and go through the apps, messages and more.
5.
If you have Xbox or other gaming platforms, go into the settings and turn off the ability to ‘add friends’. This will make it so that they can only add people that you allow.
6.
Have age-appropriate talks with kids about the dangers of talking to people online that can’t be verified as their age.
7.
Don’t allow screen time after bedtime. The age old saying still rings true, nothing good ever comes after dark.
8.
Don’t allow social media until they are mature enough to handle it. As every child is unique, it’s hard to give an age, but most agree that after 13 is best.
There will always be the concern that you’re hovering over the child or not allowing them any privacy. But, as parents, it’s our job to help them remain safe. For kids that are older, more responsible or mature, you won’t need to do as much as you would have to with the younger kids.
Ready to give your kiddo a secure way to meet other kids online?
Changing Kids' Lives Every Week
Hi! I'm Samantha Blount
I started Boo's Battalion because my daughter became one of the scary stastics — one of 40% of kids that talk to strangers online.
She struggled so hard to make friends that she resorted to giving an online stranger her phone number because she thought it was the only way she could make a friend.
I found ways to help my own daughter use technology to connect with other kids, and now I'm on a mission to help other families find new ways to help their kids. See you inside!
Top Questions & Answers
Here are some of the most common questions that we get asked. If you don't see an answer to your specific question, contact us!
- 1How much time will I need to invest into this each week? What's the schedule?
You'll have a "Rally Point" call once a week with your squad for 30 minutes. Most parents find that after a month of attending these calls regularly, they actually save time each week because their kids are more clearly able to communicate with fewer meltdowns. - 2What ages are allowed to join Boo's Battalion?
We accept kids from 6 to 17 years old. Kids are broken up into squads with kids that are close to the same age. - 3How does it work? What actually happens on the weekly calls?
It's a structured conversation each week on a variety of topics. We practice skills like taking chances, asking questions, describing things like their feelings and needs, patience, following directions, and more.
We have "brain breaks" to get them up moving around so they aren't just sitting still the whole time. And we also play games like charades and other thinking/moving games to help them improve their communication and teamwork skills.