As Parents We Need To Talk With Our Kids About Internet Safety

Now more than ever our kids are on their devices. Virtual school has added another online experience for our children. So as parents we need to make sure we talk to our kids about all aspects of the internet and social media. To learn more on how we can protect our kids as well as teach them how to be responsible for their actions I teamed up with OurPact. OurPact is a breakthrough parental guidance app that harnesses the power of internet and application blocking in order to teach children proper device use. So naturally I went to the professionals to help me out to learn more about internet safety. Check out my interview with Michele Havner.

It Is On Us As Parents To Teach Them About Internet Safety

We learned about the golden rule from our parents. The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as you want to be treated. When I was growing up my social media circle were the kids in my school and neighborhood. For the most part we all treated each other with respect. Today, kids (and adults) can hide behind a keyboard. They feel that they can say anything to anyone with no consequences. Cyber-Bullying has affected way too many kids. So not only do we want to protect our kids from any type of bullying, we need to make sure that our kids are treating others with the same respect as if they were interacting face to face. This happens when you talk to your kids about how to act responsibly when they are online and interacting with someone face to face. 

How To Communicate With Your Kids About Internet Safety 

When it comes to internet safety we want to have all the answers, but we in all honesty we do not. This is where OurPact comes into play. This is their field. So if you are unsure on what topics you need to bring up to your kids OurPact can help. Their website has tools you can use to get the conversation going. You should ask your kids what sites they are going to and what apps they are currently using on a day to day basis. Talk to your kids about what you say or do online so they can stay with them forever. They can post something on social media and then delete it quickly, but it can still be seen by people. One screenshot and people will have that post even though your child deleted it. So have them think before they post something. OurPact also allows you to block certain apps or sites from your kids. 

You should also talk to your kids about sharing information with people they interact with online. They should never give information to strangers. When I was a kid I was told to never get into someone’s car that I didn’t know. Now that car can be a friend request. There are certain apps that might seem appealing to your kids, but those apps are not appropriate for them. Have an open dialogue with them about why they want to use the app and then share with them why that app might not be suited for them. Try not to have a one way conversation. Listen to them and their side of the story. Ultimately it comes down to what you feel is best for them. Letting them know why will help soften the blow that they can go to that site or use that certain app. 

Real Time Security? OurPact Has Got You Covered 

Now that you had the conversation with your kids this is where OurPact comes into play. OurPact can help monitor what your kid is doing online. OurPact’s View gives visibility into your child’s online activity via automated periodic, on-demand or a private gallery screenshots, all encrypted for maximum safety. You can limit text message access through schedules, allowances, or manual blocks to ensure texting doesn’t cause distractions during homework time or family meals. There is a screen time allowance tool on OurPact. Your child can learn to budget their online time and know how much time they have each day on their device. 

There are web filters that allow you to block certain sites too. Three separate views are available offering you the flexibility to best meet your needs. Use Periodic Views to receive on-going automated screenshots for consistent monitoring. View-On-Demand provides instant screenshots into your child’s device. View Gallery allows for screenshots to be saved in your private gallery for up to two weeks to monitor on-going usage. Filter screenshots with specific keywords in View Categories, including sexual content, profanity, violence, substance abuse, and create your own custom category to track words important to you.

As you can see OurPact will help you and your child navigate the internet safely. As parents we need to teach our kids how to use the internet correctly. Have those conversations with your kids. They will be using the internet and apps for school and for fun. Now is the time to be proactive with your kids about internet safety. OurPact can give you peace of mind as a parent. Go to their site at ourpact.com and select a plan that works for you and your family! 

Please note: I teamed up with OurPact for this sponsored post, but my thoughts are my own.