To survive in today’s internet world, everyone needs to have certain skills. While adults tend to acquire these skills as new technologies emerge, today’s children are almost born with a smartphone in their hands. It’s up to parents to teach them how to exist in a world that is constantly bombarded with information. Kaspersky experts recommend that families develop these seven habits that will help their children adapt to the Internet:
1. Create a device-free time: When children use technology for a long time, they can become addicted to it. According to researchers from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, this addiction can cause sleep problems, mood swings, weight gain, poor self-image and body image problems.
Experts recommend gradually increasing children’s screen time with today’s online world and opting for the removal of restrictions. In addition, some useful tips in this regard apply to children of all ages: The simplest and most effective is to not use devices when it’s close to bedtime, and to mute them during the night. It would be wise to negotiate other times when children are prohibited from using phones, such as family meals.
2. Take control of the charger: Although technology advances at the speed of light, today’s devices still run out of power. It may also be a good idea to have children leave their devices outside of the bedroom, such as in the hallway or kitchen. So the device’s battery is always charged in the morning and your kids won’t be able to watch videos on TikTok trends before going to bed.
3. Pay attention to information security and so on:
The next topic will be online security, which includes internet threats such as fraud, personal data theft, viruses and much more. Tell your kids not to visit questionable websites (and what that means), not enter passwords or any personal information on those sites, open weird-looking links, or download apps from anywhere but official app stores. Make it clear that they should never share personal documents, credit card information, or photos that could endanger themselves or their friends.
Children are unlikely to remember and obey all these rules at once. You can get help from a reliable security solution in this regard. For example, Kaspersky Internet Security protects devices from viruses, phishing and internet fraud, and Kaspersky Safe Kids protects children from dangerous content while offering the ability to limit the time they spend with devices.
4. Aim for sustainable media use: Constant notifications from our devices can make us feel overwhelmed and distracted. You can imagine how hard it is for kids, as even adults sometimes have trouble resisting the urge to check messages. Limit notifications on your kids’ phones so they’re not distracted while doing homework or other assigned tasks and they can finish their homework faster.
5. Follow digital etiquette: Just like in the real world, behavior online is subject to unspoken rules. While people often master these things simply by communicating online, children need help avoiding awkward situations, so you should talk to them about some expectations before going online. For example, talk about the differences between communication over email and communication on social networks and messaging apps.
6. Organize information: Some say that a regular phone or computer reflects an organized mind. A messy locker probably won’t affect your child’s life, but losing passwords or files or forgetting phone numbers can be a problem. Children need to learn to organize information from an early age.
7. Schedule a digital detox program regularly: With digital technology entering almost every aspect of children’s lives, avoiding information overload has become nearly impossible. This means kids need to be able to take a step back and make the internet a less important part of their lives, first with your help, then on their own.
First of all, limit the use of social networks. Social networks cause great loss of time and energy. The article titled “Eight steps to freedom: Signing out of social networks” has helpful tips to help families and children with this.
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