Internet Safety for Parents of Children near Malvern, PA

Villa Maria Lower Academy, located in Malvern, PA will host Lt. Andrew Block and the Radnor Police Department in their Speaker Series. The topic will be Internet Safety for Parents, and the event will be held Feb 21, 2018, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm at St. Aloysius Academy in Katharine Drexel Hall, 401 S Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. (Snow date will be February 28, 2018)

Reports indicate that children begin using the Internet from the age of three and that they spend double the amount of time online than their parents think they do. We all know that threats to children surfing the web exist, and the aim of this session is to help parents of preschool, elementary and middle school age in the Malvern PA area to understand these ever-evolving threats and teach young children the basic guidelines for staying safe while online.

As every day passes the risks of young children accessing potentially harmful material online increase. There are more material available and more ways for savvy children to get around blocks. Apps like Instagram and Snapchat (which also happen to be the most used apps) were not around even a few years ago, and they make it hard for parents to control their children’s internet use.   Many children think that a Snapchat picture actually disappears, as an example. In reality, nothing is ever deleted on the internet. There are backups of the backups.

The following tips on Internet Safety for Parents of Children near Malvern, PA will be elaborated and emphasized.

Keep Young Children Off the Internet

Many parents give children who are too young internet-connected devices. For instance, a parent might provide a game on a smartphone to a young child and not realize that a savvy child can get to many other apps and internet searches using that same phone.

Stay up to Date on Apps and Social Media

The Radnor Police Department maintains that parents educate themselves on technology and make an effort to stay up-to-date with popular apps and the latest tech trends. If all the kids at school are using Snapchat, parents should learn all about what their kids can do on that app. If parents understand the risks their children take when on one of these apps, they can prepare their children and prevent potential harm. Parents should make an effort to read about social media and internet safety regularly.

Be Aware of Privacy Settings

Adults should use the built-in parental controls that can be set to restrict what is shown to users based on their age. These controls are available on major apps and on online services such as Netflix and Facebook. Parents should check privacy settings, location settings, and their child’s public profile. Savvy children know how to get around settings, so parents should not rely only on these controls.

Keep Young Children Offline as Much as Possible

The biggest concern right now is with cyberbullying. Children often think that their popularity revolves around what people are saying about them or what they are saying on Instagram. Parents should discuss cyberbullying with their children and suggest that children spend most of their free time off of internet games, phones and other screens. Children can become addicted to their phones and devices, and parents should be taught to recognize that this is happening before it becomes a real problem.   Even adults can be helped by observing “offline” time.

Talk to Children

Finally, one of the best measures of safety is for parents to discuss internet safety with their children to make sure that they the risks they face online.

As Google says “Be Smart, Be Safe, Be a Digital Citizen, and Be Future Ready.”

This seminar on February 21, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm at St. Aloysius Academy in Katharine Drexel Hall, 401 S Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

will focus on internet safety tips for parents of children near Malvern, PA, and will be given by Lt. Andrew Block and the Radnor Police Department. Parents of children who are not enrolled in Villa Maria Academy are also welcome!