Technology has evolved by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years. This advancement of technology, from merely an idea to something sensible and useful, can be seen closely only by a few past generations, the future generation, and the current generation of parents. The current generation of parents are in the most advantageous position in this respect as they have not seen the progression of technology but also experienced using tech as a kid.
Thus, they are in the best position to watch out for the digital safety of their kids from thing like Phishing, Identity theft, Online Bullying, Safe online shopping and more. This is what digital parenting is all about.
Here is a recent research on EdTech and Learning. The research representation given below clearly represents that it is essential for kids to understand tech and use it frequently. But, currently it is not being use in the right manner even at schools.
Image courtesy: https://learningassembly.org/parent-poll
Following are the steps for good digital parenting
Being parents to the tech-savvy kids of today is undoubtedly overwhelming. But with little patience and some effort, you can do it with total ease. Given below are a few simple, yet challenging steps for ensuring good digital parenting.
Be a friend to your kid
The first step to good digital parenting is to be a friend to your kids rather than only an authoritative figure. You need to stay calm and talk to them early on about their internet usage and online presence. There is no need to mince your words. Make sure you talk to your kids openly and directly about the issues of concern.
Be enthusiastic about learning technology
To understand the digital activities of your kids, it is important that you keep yourself aware and comfortable with the latest technology. Search online for anything that you do not understand. You must try out the popular websites, games, and apps by yourself to know if they have anything harmful for the kids.
Use parental control apps
The new age parental control apps like TiSPY comes with multiple amazing features that make digital parenting easier. Some of the popular features it has are as follows:
SMS and call tracker: You will get the mobile number, call duration, call location, and SMS tracker that will allow tracking of each person contacting your kid. You will even get the image and name of the person if the number is saved in a phone book.
Keylogger: You can see every single thing they type on their phones in the past couple of hours. The TiSPY dashboard will give you all the update even if the user deletes all the records of incoming and outgoing messages from their phone.
Social media tracker: Learn all about the social media accounts of your kids. You can even monitor the media files that have been exchanged.
Location tracking: You can know the past and current location of your child. The app will also notify you when anyone enters or leaves your kid’s location.
Be a good role model
You need to lead by example if you want to be a good digital parent. Curb any bad digital habits that you have before you teach the kids. Introduce your kids to the productive side of internet usage. You must also give yourself a break from your phone one in a while and teach your kids to do the same.
Know the friends and surroundings of your kid
It is important to know the surroundings and friends of your kid. Explore the digital world of your kids and even follow them on their social media accounts. Understand the new ways of communication like WhatsApp and Messenger. Let your kids help you how to use these and have fun together. Make sure you tell your kids about the significance of good digital reputation and how to uphold it.
Set Rules to Keep Them Safe but Do Not Overdo It
Set the ground rules beforehand about the tech usage of your kids. You can enforce a particular timeframe and place where they can engage in using their gadgets. In terms of keeping an eye on them, it is important that you use both the parental control software and your presence on social media. It will also be fun for you to understand the world of the generation to come after us. However, make sure that you do not overdo it and respect the online space of your child.