5 Back to School Tech Safety Tips

A new school year is full of excitement and opportunities for children. New activities and new friendships are forged while a whole new learning adventure begins. Along with the excitement and novelty of a new school year, children with smart phones, tablets and classroom computers can be exposed to threats from online predators and bullies as they are also being exposed to a wide world of information and learning. Here are 5 Back to School Tech Safety Tips.

Thankfully, there are several precautions a parent can take at the start of a school year to keep children safe while allowing them the freedom to enjoy technology. Taking a few back to school tech safety precautions is every bit as important as buying school supplies and new clothes, meeting teachers and doing all the necessary things to prepare a child for the new school year.

Monitor your child’s online and social media behavior

It may seem invasive and you might feel uncomfortable, but it’s your job to keep them safe. Even if they are model Children, there are real predator’s out there that target kids, and the unsuspecting kid is the easiest target. You can do this in a number of ways:

Talking to your children.

Set rules up front and write them down so the little lawyers can find a way around them. Don’t hesitate to “update the rules” as needed. It is okay and healthy to set boundaries.

Monitoring their apps and usage.

Disney Circle is a great app for this while at home and this link will give you 10 other ways to accomplish this.

Setting up internet usage rules.

Again this can be done with the above, but for older kids you can also try: Internet Safety Contract

Pay attention to warning signs.

Be aware of whether your child is spending an increased amount of time online or on their phones, is isolating themselves, appears withdrawn or is exhibiting troubled behavior. These could be signs that your child’s safety is threatened. Awareness is one of the best ways to keep your children safe with their mobile devices.

Please talk with your Kids about Password Security as well.

Based on a recent survey from Statista, young people are more careless with passwords. 34% of people aged 18 to 34 years use the same password for “most online logins,” Lets Teach them right sooner rather than them learn the hard way later please 🙂 and for the love of all that is good… please repeat to them over and over and over, just because a person is a friend or “boy or girl friend” does NOT mean you should share or that its okay to share your password with them! Passwords are like car keys, you should have a copy and your parent should have the a copy… that’s it!

Going back to school is one of the most exciting times of the year for parents and their children.

 Keep that time fun and special by following these back to school internet safety tips, protecting your child so that she can safely embark on the adventure of a new academic year. Start out the year with the 5 Back to School Tech Safety Tips and your life and theirs will be easier having this all mapped out before trouble brews 🙂

For more detailed info please see: Parent Alert! A Tech Check For Back to School