Promoting Internet Safety for Kids

Being a parent in the time of the internet, you may feel like Hercules fighting the
Hydra— you can duck and swing, but even if you cut off one head, two more grow back in an
instant. It’s a noble fight, one that you have the dedication for, but it can grow tiring. You don’t
have to keep stringing yourself out to ensure the safety of your children. With the right tools, you
can make fighting the Hydra feel a walk in the park with the family dog. Or, the family dragon.
…lizard? Whatever, you get the gist.

To hear from an expert on the matter, we sat down with Parent Tech Support founder
Jack Hughes, who shared with us 3 helpful tips on how you can begin developing the best system
to protect your children online. Here’s what he shared:

Tip #1: Monitor Screen Time
The most sure-fire way to confirm that your kids are not accessing dangerous or
excessive content is to monitor how much time they spend on different apps and
websites. Apple products come with the function “Screen Time,” which can be
found in the device’s settings. “Screen Time” can be used by a parent to check
how much time their kids are spending on various apps or websites. However, if
you don’t find “Screen Time” to your liking, you could also check out third-party
options such as Bark, FamiSafe, Covenant Eyes, or Net Nanny (Hughes, Jack).

Tip #2: Place Website Restrictions
In addition to monitoring what your child is spending time on, it’s also useful to
place online filters, which will keep your child from being able to access certain
websites. These third-party monitoring programs can be used as online filters, as
well, and can function as a filter in two main ways. The first is to block all adult
content, as well as any specific websites that you select. The second is to block all
websites except for the ones that you select, which can be a clunkier and more
tedious solution, particularly when your child needs access to various websites for
academic reasons. However, it is your decision as a parent as to what protections
and sacrifices you find prudent to enact (Hughes, Jack).

Tip #3: Place Social Media & App Restrictions
It is important to consider what apps your child is allowed to use, when, and why.
Again, it is your discernment as the parent that gets to inform the parameters for
this. However, if you’re looking for guidance, Jack Hughes does offer 16 as a
good age for kids to get access to social media. Social media apps can be effective
tools for communication, expression, learning, and more, but it’s important that
the user is able to wield these tools responsibly. Be deliberate in the limits you
place for your child, and you should be set for success (Hughes, Jack).

Hopefully, being armed with these tips will ease your mind as you continue the fight to
keep your children safe and happy. It’s important to remember, however, that restricting and
limiting will not win the entire battle. Be sure that your kids have plenty of access to other means
of having fun, outside of technology. With activities like going to the library, making art, hanging
out with friends, etc., they may not even miss what they could do with full access to the internet.
You’ve got this! Trust yourself, trust your kids, and keep in mind that you’re all learning as you
go.

If you’re looking for more guidance on how to ensure internet safety for your children,
check out Jack Hughes’ company, Parent Tech Support— you can find his newsletter at
https://parenttech.support/. And as a secondary option, Hughes suggests checking out Chris
McKenna’s company Protect Young Eyes.

Lastly, by working with your child to improve their cognitive skills, LearningRx Brain
Training Center can help your child grow in responsibility, as well as their ability to recognize
unsafe environments. LearningRx will help see to it that once they do have freer access to the
internet, you can trust them to use that freedom appropriately. Feel free to give us a call at (262)
395-2250 for more information, or check out the resources we have available on our website.

References
Hughes, Jack. Personal interview. 29 January 2025.