Helping children navigate and stay safe on the internet is challenging, especially when it’s a foster child who comes into your home and has never experienced boundaries around the Internet or with social media usage. Creating a game plan for your home is imperative to lessen the risk of online predators and other internet dangers.

Just like you wouldn’t give a teenager the keys to your car without first making sure they know how to drive, you also don’t want to hand your child a device that will connect them with the world until they have some clear guidelines and boundaries.

What can internet boundaries look like?

While a magical top 10 list guaranteed to keep your children safe online doesn’t exist, you can get started with a few important tips:

• Create clear boundaries and make sure everyone knows them.
• Know the security code and passwords for your child’s phone, computer and tablet.
• Remind your child that having a phone and screen time is a privilege.
• Know who your child talks to online. Even if they don’t have social media, they can communicate in other ways such as video games. Continually educate yourself with alternative communication outlets as this can constantly change.
• Talk to your child about keeping their social media profile private if they do have social media accounts.
• Set aside screen-free time each day. Make this a rule for everyone. You can start this habit at dinnertime and have everyone put their phone or tablets in a basket away from the table while you eat together.
• Keep devices out of the bedrooms at night. You can also turn off your Wi-Fi router/internet at a certain time.
• Consider using parental controls on devices and your router.

Prepare younger children for the world of smartphones by introducing them to technology slowly. Most children will be familiar with smartphones and iPads but giving them free rein on apps like YouTube and search browsers can be dangerous.
 
It’s important to monitor what your child watches, and talk with them about negative images, chat features and other videos you may consider unsafe for your family.
 
Another option is to use devices like the Gabb watch or phone before they get their own smartphone. Approaching technology this way will help set them up for success as they get older and have more responsibilities. Devices like these help you stay in touch without opening the door to dangerous apps or hidden communication.
 
Almost half of children in grades 4-8 have reported they’ve connected or chatted online with a stranger. Even scarier, more than half of minors who became victims of sex trafficking met their traffickers through a website or mobile app.
 
It’s our job as parents to create a safe and nurturing environment for our children. This will look different for every family and your rules will be unique to you and your children’s individual needs. Keeping the lines of communication open with your child regarding internet safety is an ongoing conversation. 

Age-appropriate ways to navigate the online world

Internet Safety 101 has age-based guidelines and information which may be helpful as you parent different ages and decide what works best for your home. Below are some examples.
 
Suggestions for ages 2 – 7:

• Always sit with your child while on an internet device.
• Use kid-friendly search engines with parental controls.
• Start teaching kids about privacy. Tell them never to give out information about themselves or their family when online.
• Block the use of instant messaging.

Ages 8 – 10:

• Sit with your kids when they are online, or make sure they only visit sites you have approved.
• Set parental controls at the age-appropriate levels and use filtering and monitoring tools as a complement—not a replacement—for parental supervision.
• Do not allow instant messaging, chat rooms or social networking sites intended for older audiences at this age.
• Teach your kids to come to you before giving out personal information online.

Ages 11 – 13:

• Keep internet-connected computers in an open area and out of children’s bedrooms.
• Instruct your child to not talk to anyone they don’t know in person, even if they claim to be an acquaintance.
• Maintain access and passwords to your kids’ email and instant messaging accounts.
• Limit instant messaging to a parent-approved buddy list.
• Talk to your kids about ethical online behavior. They should not be using the internet to spread gossip, bully or make threats against others.

Ages 14 – 18:

• Create a list of internet house rules with your teens. You should include the kinds of sites that are off-limits.
• Implement the rule that your teens tell you first if they want to talk to a new “online friend” so you can check to see if they are safe.
• Help protect them from spam. Tell your teens not to give out their email address online or respond to junk mail, and to use email filters.
• Kids are safest if not on social networking sites.

While some of these rules only apply to certain ages, many can be implemented across all age groups. Even though the internet can be a dangerous place, it can also be a source of education and community when used safely and properly. As parents and guardians, we have the responsibility of setting the boundaries in place to safeguard our children and create fun, safe online environments.

Written by Angie Bishop, foster care home developer for Buckner Children and Family Services in Dallas, Texas.

Learn more and download our free Safe Internet Search Guide for Kids here.