A Comprehensive Guide on Nurturing Responsible Internet Usage in Students

Children learn how to operate a smartphone by looking at adults. So, by the time they start going to school, they know how to use the internet. Though a powerful medium to access knowledge, through the internet they can also find all kinds of notorious things. The top schools in Gurgaon may offer key details on internet usage to your child. However, as a parent, you must be watchful regarding what your child uses the internet for. Go through this article to learn how to use the internet responsibly! 

Strategies to nurture responsible internet usage in students

These are some strategies that you can follow to teach your child how to use the internet responsibly:

• Exercise parental controls 

We all have seamless internet connectivity at home. The children mostly use the WiFi connectivity to watch their favorite movies and TV serials. As a parent, you must apply parental locks on sensitive content. For example, you must apply a parental lock on channels or content that is appropriate only for adults. 

You can also ask them to browse only the sites that are appropriate for their age. Remember that your child can also access the internet in the school. So, get school admission in only the top schools where all the internet safety rules are followed. 

At home, you may use applications that track and filter only the content that is appropriate for their age. 

• Educate Your Child On Internet Safety 

While using the internet, your children might be tempted to create their social media accounts. Educate them about the importance of social media. 

At the same time, teach them the risks associated with data piracy. Explain to them how someone can use their photos to impersonify them on social media. Once the children learn enough about internet safety, they do not violate the rules and try to behave responsibly with others. 

• Develop strong communication with your child 

Your child must not feel hesitant while communicating with you. So, you must encourage them to share whenever they feel like it. Creating a healthy environment at home will encourage them to discuss things that are bothering them. 

For example, sex education is a must for all children. However, to explain these things to your child, he/she has to be of a certain age. 

You must be mindful enough to guide them to avoid seeing and surfing things that are not suitable for them. For instance, seeing videos and clips that contain violence is not good for children. 

As a parent, you must discuss with your children the things which are right for their age. So, whenever they stumble upon inappropriate things, they must discuss it with you.

• Use privacy settings 

It is quite possible that your child uses your smartphone or tablet to search the internet. In this case, ensure that you have applied privacy settings for all the apps and platforms that are meant for adults. 

You must also log out from all your social media channels and apps before you give your devices to your children. Apply privacy locks on apps like Whatsapp so that your child does not see the content that you share with your friends and relatives. 

Also, teaching children how to respect the online privacy of others is a must. It will inculcate all the good habits in them and they will refrain from indulging in unlawful activities during their teenage years. 

If you have a WiFi connection at home, protect it with a password so that your child does not access the internet without your permission. 

The internet technology and its rules evolve daily. Many fraudsters roam freely over social media and online platforms. So, installing an antivirus software that comprises anti-spyware and anti-ransomware features is a must. It will keep you and your child safe from phishing, data piracy, malwares, and other online threats. 

Also, be updated with all the recent updates regarding safety policies so that your child does not fall victim to online frauds and threats. Upgrade all your software applications and browsers so that they contain the latest security patches and updates. It will protect your devices and children from scamsters. 

• Set guidelines 

Do not provide unrestricted access to the internet to children. Create a timetable of all their daily activities. Reserve a certain time during which they can access the digital devices or internet. Rules teach them to be responsible and as a parent it is your duty to discipline your child. 

Do not make them too habitual of using smartphones, laptops, and other digital devices. It will make them addictive and they might show anger or frustration when you do not provide them with internet access. Ask them to indulge in sports and exercise. A healthy blend of online and offline activities is a must for their overall physical and emotional well-being. 

• Be mindful about your own activities 

Children see parents as their role model. So, whatever the parents do, the children might imitate them or see it as acceptable behavior. Therefore, you must refrain from indulging in any online or offline activities that are unlawful or inappropriate. When your children see you communicating politely on the online platforms, they will mimic you and behave similarly with others. 

Conclusion 

As we move forward in this digital era, we must be mindful about the pros and cons of the internet. It is essential to educate children about the internet after completing their school admission procedure. It is so because they might access the internet during their schooling days. 

Getting admission to the best schools in Gurgaon that are proactive about responsible internet usage for children will also be helpful. The teachers there guide their students on how to refrain from malicious sites and people on social media. Finally, as a parent, you must be aware about what your child does at home. Keeping a certain restraint on the children is a must so that they do not indulge in wrong practises while accessing the internet.