I’m going to date myself right here, but I remember the first time I ever had email. I had to go to the computer lab at Ole Miss to use it. Seriously. I can still hear the dial-up. It’s hard to imagine life without the internet now though, and our kids have never known it.
They are tech-savvy in a way we’ll never be.
But they are still kids.
And there are dangers online, and as parents, it’s our job to keep them safe. The question is: how?
I don’t stop my children from playing online games, but there are some precautions I believe are absolutely necessary to ensure they’re safe at all times. Here are a few of them:
Keep them away from multiplayer games
Generally, it’s better to keep your children away from online multiplayer games. Ensure they’re only playing single-player games to avoid contact with other people online. It can seem harsh, but multiplayer games expose your kids to who knows what. All it takes is for one person with a microphone or keyboard to say or type something offensive and ruin your child’s gaming experience, and that’s really the least of your worries. Forming “friendships” with people they don’t know is dangerous.Also, there’s no telling the language they might pick up from a young age. It is far safer to keep them away from multiplayer games until they’re old enough to understand certain things and make wise decisions.
Encourage them to play beneficial games
What is a “beneficial” game? It’s any type of game that benefits your child from a learning & development perspective. Online card games jump to mind right away. Encourage your kids to play Hearts, Solitaire, or other online card games that involve a huge deal of strategy and problem-solving. Card games are an extra good example because they also force your kids to develop some early math skills.
The goal is for your children to enjoy playing online games – and to learn new things from the experience. If your kid plays Solitaire a couple of times every day, they’re going to be better at problem-solving than the average child. The same goes for online board games like chess or checkers – find games that benefit your kids and teach them valuable life skills. It gives you peace of mind knowing that your child isn’t just mindlessly pressing buttons or moving a character around on a screen; they’re genuinely learning things.
Use parental controls
You’re in charge of your child’s online activities, which means you can call upon parental controls to keep everything in check. Different gaming platforms will let you block certain games from view when your child is using them. For instance, you can stop games involving profanity from appearing. There are also general parental controls for web browsers to stop your child from visiting certain gaming websites.
It can sometimes be complicated, but it’s so important to set up some sort of parental control block that prevents your child from playing inappropriate games. It’s another way of gaining peace of mind while your kids are online. Speaking of which, you should absolutely set up some controls that stop your child from using your credit card online. Loads of games have micro-transaction features that encourage kids to spend money to try and win. They probably won’t understand that they’re spending real money, so you need to completely restrict them from using any of your saved payment cards.
Monitor their gaming time
Games can be beneficial, but you don’t want your child to spend all of their time staring at a screen. Too much gaming can be a bad thing, so keep track of their screen time and force them to take breaks. You probably want to set the limit at an hour before taking a break. They can game some more later on, but make sure their day involves plenty of other activities.
For instance, encourage your kids to step away from the screen and go outside for some fresh air. If it’s a rainy day, then engage in other creative activities that stimulate their minds and stop them from staring at a screen for too long.
Emphasize positive behaviors
The fifth golden rule is a simple one: encourage positive behaviors in your kids when they game. Teach them it’s okay to lose games, and they don’t need to be the best in the world. Likewise, make sure they know that raging and getting angry at games is inappropriate. If you have to take the game away and force them into a time-out, then so be it. You don’t want your child to grow up with bad gaming habits – they’ll only get worse as your child develops! Encourage kindness from a young age to avoid going through the raging gamer phase when they’re teens.
What are your best tips for keeping kids safe online?
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.
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