More and more parents decide to give their children smart phones as a way to stay in touch with them, listen to their needs and support them in their training more directly. Now, with these gifts, adults have the responsibility to set standards to avoid dependence on these devices and reduce risks faced by smaller when using them.
Here are some basic rules that parents can take to deliver unrestricted cellular access to their children.
Rule 1: Be clear from the beginning
No matter how expensive is the smartphone that you give to your child, always set limits for the first time use. This way, you can prevent ‘headaches’ on account of possible dependencies that can develop the child or adolescent.
In this regard, consider and clearly communicate to lower the following points:
- With what people they are allowed to talk
- With whom they can chat or use WhatsApp
- What kind of applications they can download
- Until what time they can use the device
- What consequences they can face if they disobey
Rule 2: Keep privacy
Probe and show the child how to set privacy options on their phone when using social networks, to prevent strangers from accessing their profile to download pictures or attempt to contact them. To give them device, talk about the risks and dangers of Internet to avoid them.
Also tell how to block inappropriate content and contacts that may have a bad influence on them or that use offensive language. Ask him to report any message that may seem harassment to them.
Rule 3: Tag Questions
Children can be cruel. This phrase is evident especially in social networks, where younger often express their thoughts so freely that can hurt others feelings unwittingly. They do it to the openness that characterizes them. Therefore, parents should teach them some basic rules to prevent them from becoming creators of hate messages, share or offensive images are part of illegal activities. You have to ask them to make these questions before publishing any text or image:
- What I write on social networks I would say publicly?
- What I would tell my parents if they read what I write?
- Would my parents, my family or my friends approve this image?
- What I write, out of context, can hurt someone?
Rule 4: You cannot share everything on the Internet
Explain to children who share absolutely everything on the Internet that whatever the share online goes public, from the message via Twitter that sent from the bus route to the suggestive photograph sent to her boyfriend or girlfriend from the cell. It is important to create a very strict rule about images that you can share from your smartphone.
Rule 5: Your phone, my protective measures
Download and install parental apps on your child’s smartphone. More important than protecting the investment in the device, these programs also prevent children from using the inappropriate content. With the latest inventions such as FamilyTime, parents can monitor contact, SMS history, call logs, installed apps, app preferences, app usage frequency, web history and much more. In addition to monitoring, parents can also take needed controls. For instance, with the app, parents can Watchlist contacts, block unwanted or inappropriate apps, schedule auto screen locks and remotely lock devices etc.