As parents, we desire for our children to be safe and to protect them from harm whether they are in school, out with their friends, or at home exploring the digital world.
For Edric and I, raising children at a time when everything is on the internet is both a blessing and a challenge. We have six children covering the entire spectrum from Elijah at 19 years old, Edan, 16, Titus, 13, Tiana, 11, Catalina, 9, and our youngest Caylee at 3 years old.
Having a fast and reliable internet connection at home is a blessing because they have at their disposal a wealth of knowledge that we, their parents, didn’t have access to when we were younger. They also have the luxury of real-time connection to the people they love. With their curious minds eager to explore our world and beyond, the internet makes it easy for them to Google information. In fact, the internet has been a lifesaver as I teach my kids. They use it for research as they homeschool. Answers to questions such as "How high is Mt. Everest?" or "Which telescope can see farther in space, the James Webb or Hubble telescope?" are easily discovered with a few keystrokes.
At the same time, this accessibility poses challenges like preferring to stay indoors with their tablets and forgetting about physical and outdoor activities which are important for their development. More concerning is the risk of stumbling into age-inappropriate sites and behaviors. It’s a genuine fear we have as parents who want to guard our children’s purity and keep them safe.
Since we cannot micromanage everything they do online, it’s important to instill the right values in our kids and to teach them how to navigate the online world wisely. Thankfully, PLDT Home and Google have partnered to launch the Be Internet Awesome series, which is available exclusively on YouTube, to educate kids about how to become responsible and discerning digital citizens.
Taking learnings from the Be Internet Awesome series, here are some ways you, too, can keep your children safe online.
1. Be internet smart: Share with care.
All of us have at one-point shared information we probably shouldn’t have—personal and sensitive information about us or the people we love. Our children must also learn to think before pressing the share button. They also need to learn how to distinguish between the people they can trust such as family and friends, and strangers or people they hardly know. Teach them to treat online communication like a face-to-face conversation—if it’s not right to say it out loud, it’s not wise to post it online either.
2. Be internet alert: Don’t fall for fake.
Fake news and false information travel fast, so it’s beneficial to teach children the value of critical thinking from an early age. Teach kids to discern between what’s real and fabricated. Teach them to determine which are credible sources of information. It can be like a little adventure-detective game where they look for “clues” to find out what’s true or not. The process will help sharpen their minds and equip them to think for themselves.
3. Be internet kind: It’s cool to be kind.
We teach our kids that kindness, respect, and being considerate of others’ feelings are important whether online or in the real world. Words and actions can hurt in both worlds. Bullying and negativity are out; what’s in is being supportive of friends and standing up for the right values. The internet can give us parents a great opportunity to teach our children that they must treat others as they want to be treated themselves.
4. Be internet strong: Secure your secrets.
Security and privacy are concepts we should teach our children. Help them understand why a strong password is important to avoid getting their accounts hacked. Teach them to use different passwords for their email, social media, streaming, and gaming accounts. Parents of young children must list their passwords somewhere secure, too.
5. Be internet brave: When in doubt, talk it out.
Children can be emotionally distant for fear of being scolded by adults or ostracized by friends. It’s important for parents to provide an atmosphere of openness so children can communicate freely when they are being bullied, when they are scared, angry, or in doubt. Teach them to have the courage to confide in teachers, friends, relatives, and other adults whom they trust. The more open communication they share with trusted persons, the safer they will feel in the real world and online.
There are so many ways we can make the internet a positive place for our children and these tips are only a starting point. Watch the Be Internet Awesome series on PLDT Home’s YouTube channel for more ideas and have meaningful discussions as a family about how to navigate the online world safely and wisely. — By Joy Mendoza
