| Key Takeaways | Description |
|---|---|
| Start Early | Instill digital manners from a young age and address serious topics like sexting and cyberbullying proactively. |
| Understand the Impact of Words | Teach children the power of words and the emotional impact they can have in the digital world. |
| Foster Empathy | Encourage volunteering and kindness to cultivate empathy and consideration for others’ feelings. |
| Respect Intellectual Property | Educate about giving proper credit for online content, emphasizing respect for original creators. |
| Technology Contract | Create clear guidelines for online behavior and consequences to reinforce the importance of cyberethics. |
It is not that hard to hide behind the safety of our computer screens, but let us ensure our values and beliefs align with our deeds in the digital realm as well as in everyday life. We need to take a few moments to judge our online behaviors in terms of maintaining respect, kindness and dignity for yourself and the others.
To put it simply, our kids need to understand the power and responsibility they have at their fingertips.
Consider the following six tips for raising cyber conscious children with strong cyberethics:
Start early.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Teach kids digital manners from the first time they log on as a toddler and build on that foundation as a child grows. Do not be afraid to include in your cyber lessons all you know about sexting, oversharing, cyberbullying, and more before a situation develops.
At Safe Lagoon, we believe in starting the conversation about digital etiquette early. From the moment our toddlers take their first swipe on a screen, we must lay the groundwork for a lifetime of responsible digital interaction. This extends beyond basic manners, addressing pressing issues like sexting, oversharing, and cyberbullying before they become real-life situations. A principle we stand by is that if it’s not something you’d show your grandparents, it shouldn’t be shared online—a guideline that our AI Android monitoring feature can help reinforce.
Words can hurt.
We all know the quote, “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Try to have a heart-to-heart conversation or use stories to make your children understand this essential point. In their young lives, almost every child has experienced cruel things directed at them and could draw from those incidents to appreciate the great power words have.
Empathy at a young age.
Seek ways to encourage children to volunteer or pay it forward. This will give children a unique perspective into the lives of others and develop their compassion. Set them a good example by performing the same things you expect from them, including a rule of always considering others’ feelings before you act. It’s imperative that as parents, we model these behaviors—showing empathy in our online interactions is just as important as it is offline. This rule of thumb is one that can be effectively managed with Safe Lagoon’s screen time management, allowing for a balanced approach to digital engagement.
Credit intellectual property.
Avoid a bunch of problems with a basic lesson or two in referencing. Teach them not to still but give courtesy to authors of any picture, video or quote them post online. It takes only second to add a couple of words, but it might take years for someone forgiving your liberty with other people’s ideas and any kind of intellectual property.Cyberethics For Our Kids
Create a technology contract.
Make a list where you clearly outline cyber behaviors that are acceptable and the consequences if the agreement is breached. This sort of contract with your children will help them realise how serious this is and allow everyone be on the same page on understanding the basics of cyberethics. The use of Safe Lagoon’s features, such as website blocking, ensures that the boundaries set forth in your family’s technology contract are upheld.
