Teaching Your Child to Safely Use the Internet

   *This is a collaborative post*

Why is Internet safety important for children?

With many people seeing the internet as a great place to find information for a lot of resources, games and community engagement, the internet also has its negative parts. These are areas that everyone should be aware of, but children especially need to be prepared for these things when they go to use the internet for the first time.


Here’s a quick rundown, from one of the best girls schools in Surrey, of some ways you can teach your child to be safe when online.



Show them what to do when they find something suspicious

One way of showing your child the ways of the internet can be by guiding them through the signs that they’ll spot online. When you both see something that doesn’t look quite right, encourage your child to question it. Pop-up ads, emails and clickbait articles are examples of suspicious tactics that everyone should be aware of when browsing web pages. And if your child is unsure, train them to ask you first before proceeding somewhere they’re not sure of.

Quiz them on what they know

They’ll have been exposed to a lot of different elements to internet security through school, so you might be surprised to see what they already know. Ask them about what they already know through quizzing and testing their knowledge. Repeat these kinds of activities often, as many scams change throughout the year in order to keep people on their toes.

Show them the consequences if they fall into a trap

Internet safety is a key subject for children because the consequences can be serious. Phishing emails and ads that ask you to fill in credit card details can mean money is lost, or your identity has been used for multiple purposes. It’s important for children to know when to say no or how to back out of an uncomfortable situation. Give them the tools to do so, and also ensure you have up-to-date security on your devices.


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