The Internet really is one great resource. When utilized well, it’s actually an enjoyable extension to your kid’s education and not forgetting the fun part of it.
Notwithstanding all the advantages of the Internet, it can be misused. There ought always to be regulations in place where a child starts utilizing the Internet. Now, as a parent, you must ensure that as your child is having fun they also have a safe experience while using internet, social media and mobile devices. Here are tips to help you do this:
- Talk to Your Child about the Dangers
Teen internet security and the concerns related to it require being completely addressed in your home to make your child realize its significance. At that age, teenagers are growing to be more preoccupied with social media platforms, texting and IM. This technology has drastically changed and replaced traditional dating and socialization. Make sure you sit down with your child and explain what they need to be careful of and why they can’t trust everything on the Internet.
- Install a Filtering Program
Obviously, the internet has its downsides too and you have to protect your children from dangers. In addition, parents should be proactive especially in honing their children until they become mature enough to decide for themselves. There are lots of great tools available to help you protect your children. These tools can let you limit how long and when they can use the Internet and where they can go. Aside from cyberbullies and internet predators, internet viruses such as adware and spyware are also a major concern. Viruses can be unintentionally activated, pop-up boxes are navigated or music and movie files are downloaded. There are anti-virus programs which block unwanted websites. These do not just harm your computer but will also get your personal information stored in it.
- Keep the Computer Where You Can See It
Make sure that you keep an eye on what your child is doing when on the computer. It is a good idea to have the computer in an open and high traffic area of the house so they are easy to monitor. If your child knows you will be checking up on them they will be less likely to break the rules.
- Check the Browser History
If your teen isn’t comfortable with your physical presence every time they surf the net, there are still means for you to know their activities. Every browser keeps track of what websites were viewed. Check their browser’s history and you will find the websites that they have checked out recently. You can also see what they post on social networking sites. This is an easy way to make sure your child is not getting into trouble and viewing objectionable websites. If the history is erased find out why. If you discover that your child has erased the browser history make sure you investigate why. This is usually a warning sign that they are doing something they don’t want you to know about.
- Keep Your Child Accountable
Talk to your child about what they do on the Internet and on the social media platforms on their mobile devices. Establish the rules with your teens. Do not just create the rules and leave your teens to understand everything. Also, beware of chat rooms; chat rooms can be a lot of fun but they can also be very harmful. If your child is using a chat room you should be keeping a very close eye on the conversation.
- Never Give Out Personal Information
You should not allow your child to give out any personal information about themselves or your family. You have to discuss why those rules are important and why they should not carelessly give out their personal information and communicate with people they don’t know.
Importance of Sleeping Early For Your Child
A person usually has an astonishing biological timer ticking inside his or her body. It’s very accurate. It assists to control anyone’s different body functions incorporating their sleeping interval.
From 11pm – 3am, much of a person’s blood flow channels in their liver. Their liver gets bigger when supplied with extra blood. This is a critical moment when one’s body experiences detoxification. The liver counterbalances & breaks down body venoms accumulated during the day.
Therefore, if your kid spends almost all the night on the internet or on the social media and doesn’t sleep early enough, their liver cannot carry out this detoxification process smoothly. The earlier your child sleeps the best time their bodies will have to carry out most of their functions for their better health.
Now since we have mentioned something about the health of your child which is directly connected to how well the child sleeps too, we cannot fail to mention the importance that will be accompanied by a good quality mattress.
Sleeping on a good mattress
When it’s time for your kids to move from a cot to a bed, it’s very important that they sleep on a good-quality mattress for their spines. A good mattress is firm in some places and soft in others. This will allow their hips, shoulders and other body parts of your child to be comfortably absorbed into the mattress. And when their hips and shoulders sink into the mattress, their body will be perfectly aligned.
If their body is perfectly aligned, they can fall asleep faster. In addition, a perfectly aligned body helps your child to fall asleep. The child does not have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night to be readjusted. Not only does it help them to sleep, but this type of mattress will also be kind to their muscles. Nor will they wake up with the annoying pains that plague people sleeping on inferior mattresses. In conclusion, it does not take long to follow these simple tips, but they can make a big difference in the experience your child has while browsing the web. Teaching your children about responsible use of the Internet is as important as teaching them not to talk to strangers. Also, try to follow your child’s sleep times and make sure they sleep on good mattresses. Making sure your child makes these things his daily routine will surely make them feel fresher and more energetic all day.
Contributed by Coraline Huard
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