How to Help Your Child Stay Safe Online

Introduction

Keeping children safe online is something every parent must consider. Even if your child only has a cell phone, these days, that gives them access to anything online and gives others access to your children’s cell phones and other mobile devices.

The best way to keep your child safe is to keep communications open without being judgmental or authoritarian. The idea is to create a situation where your child is not afraid to talk to you about anything.

What are Online Games?

Online games are games played online on the Internet. They can be played on a computer, tablet, or phone. Some online games are free to play, while others require payment to access. This includes services such as Microsoft Game Cloud, Amazon Luna, and Now.gg mobile cloud. These services bring full gaming to mobile devices but are still in an online environment.

Why protect children on the Internet?

The Internet is a place where children can learn and explore, but it also has many risks. Children and teens may be more vulnerable than adults online because they are still learning to navigate the Internet and its dangers. Parents who want to keep their children safe from online predators and other dangers need to know what their kids are doing online.

Predators could use social media or online games to lure children into meeting in real life for sexual activity or other crimes after they met online. This is a real concern for parents.

Don’t Outlaw Games

The minute you outlaw games, you set up a situation where many children will lie to their parents. This doesn’t mean it is okay for your child to do things you dislike, but at some point, all kids will grow up and do things differently from their parents. One way to help them navigate situations is to let them experience, under your supervision, some things that you may disagree with while keeping them safe.

Play Games with Your Child

One way to get to know your kids are involved is to play the game with them. Even if you aren’t good at it, playing with your child will open up various avenues for open communication and understanding.

Set Limits and Rules

Most computers and consoles today come with parental controls that you can use to set limits and help them stick to the rules you created. For example, if you have a power that they can only play for one hour a day, you can set timers to shut the Internet off after that time has been used.

Use Parental Controls

Parental controls are one of the easiest ways to monitor online access and help your child stay safe online.

Most video game consoles have parental control settings, which allow you to set the game’s age rating, limit the amount of online time your child can play, and even block certain types of content from appearing on screen.

The setting is usually an option in the system’s settings menu. You can find it there and adjust it according to what you think is best for your child.

Explain Stranger Danger Online

While most kids are in more danger from people they know, an online multiplayer online game opens your child up to meeting more people they feel they know. This can open them up to issues they may not understand if you don’t talk to them about them. Find stories of children who have been tricked by online predators; talk about it and discuss how they are going to protect themselves from that. You may be surprised that they are aware and already do things to protect themselves.

Switch Off Voice Chat in Multiplayer Games

Some online multiplayer games now have an option where you can talk to others while playing. This feature is unsuitable for kids as the language used is terrible. Plus, there is sexual harassment and bullying.

Discuss Harmful / Bullying Language and Behavior with Your Child

One thing most online gamers are eventually exposed to (either by witnessing it, doing it, or experiencing it) is online bullying and other harmful behavior. Talk to them about it, so they know you don’t want them to participate.

Learn How and Teach Your Child How to Report Inappropriate Behavior

Most games now have a feature that lets you report the bad behavior of other players. Teach them when and how to use it.

If you feel like your child is in an uncomfortable situation or being shown objectionable material, step in and help them out. You can teach them how to use the report button in the game or even ask them if they need you to walk with them while playing a game online.

Kids (and adults!) need to have ground rules about what is okay and what isn’t. Learn about what kind of behavior could get someone banned from a game, and teach your kids how to report it if someone is doing something that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Conclusion

There is no reason your child cannot healthily play age-appropriate games. There are numerous parental controls you can invest in, but the very best power is teaching your child self-control. One way to do that is to talk openly and transparent about your thoughts and feelings about gaming online while supporting your child’s desire to do so healthily and keep your child safe online.