Consumer Watch: Parental tips for how to set limits on teens use of Internet

Elizabeth R. Cournoyer March 3, 2024

136 3 minutes read

Q: I recently stuck my tween daughter online inside the wee hours of the morning. Her mom and I can’t seem to make her understand the capability risks on this, lots less the reality she wishes her sleep, especially on college nights. Any guidelines? — Nervous Father

A: Pricey Fearful Father: I understand your worry. It changed into the cellphone for my daughter, and the concept of her online as a tween or teen with so much hateful behavior on today’s net makes my skin move slowly.

For those who’ve already reared a tween or teenager, you know the difficulties of getting youngsters to take your recommendation, even when they acknowledge it is for their personal correct. Few extra threats exist these days than online dangers, whether it’s cyberbullying, inappropriate chat rooms, stalkers, or pedophiles. My pal Cathy Lewandowski, public family members expert for AT&T in Tennessee and Kentucky, despatched me some wonderful tips to assist parents in shielding their youngsters online.

* First, take a look at, along with your wireless and net carriers, approximately parental controls, which include tracking young adults’ day-by-day telephone use to viewing their online sports.

* test statistics state-wide and on the nearby school district for cases of cyberbullying and pornography/pedophilia. Often, it takes just one example of a horrific act close by to grab a baby’s interest.

* Create policies approximately the sites they’ll go to and suitable use of computer systems, mobile telephones, and other generations.

* Inspect websites teenagers visit and the human beings with whom they talk. Insist they give you their passwords but promise you’ll use the most effective in case of emergencies. Inspire them to notde passwords to a pal; by doing so, your child is taking a huge hazard for destiny online fraud.

* Ask your teenager to “friend” you on social media. Explain the significance of privacy controls — the extra settings in the region, the less opportunity for strangers to slink around your teenager’s non-public life.

* Tell them to permit you to recognize if they or another man or woman is being cyberbullied. They actually ought to save the person’s existence byby confiding the facts to you or some other dependentt on a grownup.

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* Use statistical statistics as examples of why not to put up, email, or proportion something that can harm or embarrass themselves or others. A superb instance is the current “sexting” trend. What one does or says online is round for all time for any and all to view. Tell your children to imagine their grandparents reading or seeing the contents of the whole thing they submit. If it would not skip the “grandparents take a look at,” they shouldn’t submit it.

For my part, as a retired educator, storyteller,, and communications professional, it appalls me that verbal communique, such as frame language, is rapidly becoming extinct, which simply will define destiny interaction among people, households,, and governments. With little-to-no oral verbal exchange, I see a greater extreme wreck in the circle of ‘relatives’ ties and historical past for destiny, which is very sad. My buddy Cathy Lewandowski, a public relations professional for AT&T in Tennessee and Kentucky, despatched me a few notable guidelines to help dad and mom shield their children online.

* First, test along with your wi-fi and net carriers approximately parental controls, inclusive of tracking teenagers’ each day cellphone use to viewing their online sports.

* check records country-huge and on the local faculty district for instances of cyberbullying and pornography/pedophilia. Often, it takes just one instance of a terrible act nearby to grab a child’s attention.

* Create rules approximately the websites they may go to and appropriate use of computer systems, cell phones,, and different technology.

* Look into sites teenagers go to and the human beings with whom they speak. Insist they give you their passwords; however, promise you may use the best in case of emergencies. Inspire them to by no means deliver passwords to a friend; by doing so, your toddler is taking a huge hazard for future online fraud.

* Ask your youngster to “friend” you on social media. Give an explanation for the significance of privacy controls — the greater settings in place, the less opportunity for strangers to slink around your teen’s private existence.

* Tell them to can help you recognize if they or another person is being cyberbullied. They actually could store the character’s existence via confiding the information to you or another relied on a grownup.