3 Tips to Keep Kids Safe

Photo by Syda Productions

Whether your child is 2 or 17, it’s never too early or late to teach them about safety. And in the meantime, while they’re learning how to do it on their own, technology has made it easier than ever for you to keep them safe yourself. Here are a few of your options:

Set-up Parental Controls

Here, technology helps you take control of your child’s safety online, even when you aren’t around. You should be able to set parental controls on all web-enabled devices to which your child has access—desktop, tablet, cell phone, etc.  

Most current models of electronic devices include parental controls standard. Simply go into the Settings/Control Panel to manage how long your child is allowed to be online, the kind of content they’re allowed to view, and even to stop any unauthorized purchases. If the standard controls aren’t to your liking, you can always take a look at third-party apps that are available (usually for purchase) to give you the level of control you need.

Check on Other Adults

For those times when your child has a playdate planned with a new friend, with parents you don’t really know all that well, you may want more information. An online people search can give you access to the info you need, quickly and discreetly. 

All you have to do is enter the parent’s full name, city and state. Once you narrow down the results to the correct person, you then have the option to see if the person has any criminal records, if they’re a sex offender, and more. You can then use whatever info you may find to help you make the decision about whether or not you should let your child go over to their house.

Encourage YouTube Time

Yes, that’s right; tell your child to watch videos. Child safety organizations and other channels like the YouTube Kids app now include all kinds of family-friendly videos surrounding child’s safety (not to mention exercise, history, crafts and other educational options). 

Your child can learn about things like car safety, cybersecurity, what to do in case of a fire, and other safety-related topics. Because the subjects come in the form of a fun video, odds are they will absorb the message more quickly and willingly than if you just told them what to do via a dry lecture.

Any and all of these options make it easier and more efficient for you to protect your children from the dangers of the world—both real and virtual. In short, they’re the smart way to address kids’ safety.