Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Security, Screens and Staying Social
Technology. We hear the word spoken with wonder and excitement in some conversations but also uttered with fear and distaste in other conversations. Although we know technology allows us to accomplish incredible tasks and solve rigorous problems like never before, we also recognize the serious security and safety concerns that are associated with the rampant use of technology in modern-day society.
Today, we evaluate three of parents’ most common concerns and provide parents with ways to minimize risks associated with their children’s use of technology.
- Cybersecurity
Is the internet safe for my child? Will my child be cyberbullied? Can people get information about my child? There is no single hard and fast answer to these questions. Internet security and privacy are tricky but with the right research and action taken, you can at least feel comfortable having your kids use the resources at hand. Enable features on your children's devices that detect and remove viruses. Buy products like the Tanoshi 2-in-1 Kids Computer which allow parents to easily regulate and oversee what their child is downloading, streaming and so forth.
2. Finding an appropriate amount of screen time
Before all else, it’s important to recognize that ‘screen time’ is a very broad umbrella term. Children use screens for a wide variety of reasons, sometimes being interactive and sometimes passive. Recognizing that some activities promote educational development or communication or innovation more than others, yet they all involve the use of screens, is important when looking at the big picture. Clearly, you don’t want your child staring at a screen every hour they are awake — even if it for educational development. But part of finding a healthy balance of screen time for your child is understanding that screen time for TV can and should be separated from screen time from a coding app.
3. Loss of social skills
The digital age is not the age without human-to-human interaction by default. This age, this era is what we make it. The screen time concern ties into this one. If parents begin restricting screen time at early ages and maintain similar rules as their children grow, they will grow accustomed to not being “addicted” to their phones, tablets, video games, and computers. A large part of ensuring a healthy balance of independence and interactions comes from the rules you set, as a parent, and how you encourage your child to grow. Making family rules like no electronics at the dinner table or during meals is just one way to keep everyone at the table focused on the people — not devices — around them.
Yes, technology can be pesky when we let it absorb and consume our lives. And it can be dangerous to our personal safety, health, and development as well. But the major concerns and fears are preventable. You have the power to keep your children safe while still allowing them to reap the benefits of living in the so-called digital age — so use it.
