Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

A Parent’s Guide to Digital Safety for Kids All Ages

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This digital safety guide is a sponsored post 

Over the past ten years, technological advancements have dramatically impacted the way we live. When I first started blogging almost 10 years ago, the iPhone had been introduced just 6 months before.  Apps and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook were in their infancy. Online safety was a concern but as our homes have become filled with a wider array of devices, the conversation has shifted from online safety to the more encompassing digital safety.

The gateway to the internet now includes smartphones and tablets, in addition to computers. According to recent research conducted by Trend Micro, 30% of homes have three or more smartphones, around a third have two or more tablets, and close to half have two or more computers in their household. An increasing number of devices means more points of entry for malicious attackers to enter our virtual worlds.

As parents, it’s our job to protect our kids at every age and stage. While we may not need to hold those cute chubby hands as they cross the street, we do need to protect them from cyber threats by making sure they know the risks and rewards that come with being a digital citizen.

Here’s a helpful guide of the digital safety issues that come up at various ages, things to consider, and helpful resources to provide your child with the ability to make sound decisions regardless of what new device, app, or social media tool might come next.

A Parent’s Guide to Digital Safety

Digital Safety for Toddlers and Preschoolers

A Digital Safety Guide for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers

There are wonderful learning opportunities available for young children through educational website and interactive apps that captivate their attention and motivate them but now is the time to take a close look at your own use of mobile devices because kids this age mimic parental behaviors and also keep an eye on what they’re doing so you can talk to them about what they’re doing. Creating open lines of communication about digital safety topics when kids are young means they’ll be more likely to talk to you during the more difficult tween and teen years. It may seem like a long time away but just trust me on this!

Digital Safety Issues for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers:

  • screen time
  • in-app purchases
  • navigating websites

5 Tips for Raising Digitally Safe Toddlers and Preschoolers:

  1. Know what your kids are doing during their screen time. There are a wealth of learning opportunities available for young children including educational website and interactive apps. If your toddler or preschooler is using a computer, tablet, or smartphone to access content, be sure that you have screened the content first.
  2. Talk to kids about what to do if they get to a site with inappropriate content— In a recent survey, Trend Micro found 34 % of U.S. respondents claimed their children have viewed inappropriate content online. As parents, we know this can happen accidentally but Trend Micro advises us to explain the dangers of clicking on links and opening attachments in unsolicited emails. While talking to them about cybercrime will be over their heads, you can let them know to be cautious and to come get you if they click on something that takes them to a site that isn’t where they want to be.
  3. Examine how you’re using your devices in your home. If you feel like you’re battling with your child about screen time. Chances are your child has noticed how often you’re on your smartphone, laptop, or tablet and is emulating you. Provide concrete examples and model the behavior that you expect so they will become responsible digital citizens when they get older.
  4. Teach them about in-app purchases. Screen apps that your child wants to play, show them where they may be tempted to tap for in-app purchases, and discuss why they should always check with you before tapping before handing them your smartphone to play a new game. Let them know why you require a password for new downloads to your device.
  5. Discuss the importance of being wary of ads. We know that kids are drawn to online offers for popular products, apps, YouTube videos, music, and games that can be easily spoofed but it’s important for them to avoid clicking or tapping on them. With just a click or tap on a professional looking ad, a cybercriminal can intercept where the ad is stored and put a hoax on your credible site to extract your information. Lynette Owens, Founder and Global Director of Trend Micro’s Internet Safety for Kids and Families advises parents to require a password before kids can download an app to protect them from cybercriminals. This can help spark a conversation between you and your child about an app before they start using it so you can do your research to ensure that it’s credible and safe.

Digital Safety Resources for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers:

  • Internet Safety for Kids & Families— Trend Micro’s long-running initiative was created to offer support and advice on these topics that parents are concerned about. Internet Safety for Kids & Families blog is a great place for parents of preschoolers and toddlers as well as parents with older kids. The topics are real and relevant and I appreciate Trend Micro’s philosophy of encouraging everyone to embrace the online world because “the internet and all things tech is a huge part of our future.”
  • Common Sense Media—I love Common Sense Media for their robust and unbiased reviews of apps, websites, movies, and video games because it provides parents a lot of information in an at-a-glance format. Of course you can dive deeper into any review to learn more and I always encourage families to visit Common Sense Media before downloading any app, visiting any new site, or even seeing a movie to determine if it’s right for their family.
  • Smart Apps for Kids— If you’re an iOS user who is looking for a great math practice app for your first grader, chances are Smart Apps for Kids can help. This site features iOS features app reviews that are searchable by grade and subject to help you find great apps faster.
  • Mobile Security Solutions— Trend Micro’s Mobile Security Solutions are designed to help you and your family stay safe no matter where you are and what you’re doing. Their Mobile Security Solutions are designed to provide protection, maintain your privacy, stop threats from reaching you, and also help boost performance of your device.
  • Screenwise by Devorah Heitner— For today’s generation of moms and dads who are parenting in the digital world, Screenwise (available via Amazon) is a must-read that assists parents navigating this complicated space with kids of all ages in an approachable way that doesn’t make us feel guilty any gaps in our knowledge. Instead the book empowers all parents through its thoughtful nature to help our kids survive and thrive in the world that they’re growing up in.

Digital Safety for Early Elementary Ages (grades K-2)

A Digital Safety Guide for Parents of Elementary Ages

Kindergarten through second graders are pretty screen savvy because they use digital devices at home and school. They are pros at navigating favorite apps, love to explore online worlds like Minecraft, and are getting into gaming consoles. It’s still important to maintain a healthy media diet for this growing age group and ensure that screen time is only one piece of what they do on a daily basis.

Digital Safety Issues for Parents of Early Elementary Ages:

  • modeling screentime expectations
  • what it means to be a good online friend
  • importance of parental controls
  • the importance of maintaining a healthy media diet

6 Tips for Raising Digitally Safe Kids in Grades K-2:

  1. Explore sites together. Kindergarten through second graders now go online for homework purposes but this doesn’t always mean that you should automatically trust the things that the school recommends. Sit down with your child and explore a site that was suggested by a teacher so you can be involved in their learning and get a sense of how these sites are being used to reinforce classroom learning at home. Also keep an eye out for chat features on private educational sites that allow kids in the class to talk online. If chat features are present, take some time to talk about how it’s important to be nice online as well as in person.
  2. Teach them good search habits. The internet is a treasure trove of answers for kids with endless curiosity and cybercriminals know this. Trend Micro’s Lynette Owens says when there is big news or an event that kids are anxiously awaiting, this is prime time for cybercriminals who use this to their advantage. They create fake websites and links related to the surge in traffic to get people to click, download, and open files. Owens advises parents to teach kids to think twice before clicking on a search result. She recommends showing them how to hover over a link and verifying it through the browser. Have kids match the URL that is shown to the URL they think it is and encourage them to stick to the first page of search results which tend to be the safest.
  3. Establish trust. According to Cox Take Charge!, “Your kids need to know they won’t get in trouble if they tell you or another trusted adult if anything suspicious, mean, or scary happens.” It’s important to create open lines of communication and listen for those little nuggets in the conversation that can be used as teachable moments that can be used as conversation starters about the good and bad things that are part of a child’s daily life. Let’s be honest- talking about topics like porn and bullying, whether on or offline, aren’t fun but can certainly be more difficult when you don’t make time to talk on a regular basis.
  4. Continue the conversation about screen time limits and the importance of a healthy media diet. Discuss how balancing screen time, time playing outside, and time spent reading is just as important as making sure you eat a balanced diet. Also discuss that screens include television, computer, tablets, gaming systems, and smartphones. Figure out how much cumulative screen time is right for your child and family and decide whether you’ll be evaluating each day’s time or looking more at the cumulative time over the course of a week.
  5. Create age appropriate conversations. While kindergartners may not be ready to hear about cyberbullying quite yet, you can lay the groundwork for the future by talking about the importance of being nice to others and being a good friend since these are important concepts to build upon for that later conversation.
  6. Check parental control settings and have a conversation about why they’re important. New devices may have parental controls but the default settings may not be right for your family. Open up the parental controls to ensure that the settings are age appropriate but then also talk to your kids about why they’re important. It’s also important to set up passwords to control downloads. Trend Micro advises to tell kids why you’ve done this. Be honest. It goes a long way with kids to talk to them about this as a necessary digital safety precaution.

Digital Safety Resources for Parents of Kids in Grades K-2:

  • A Platform for Good’s Digital Citizenship Back to School Guide is a helpful read that reminds us “responsible and appropriate behavior that should be used when technology is in the picture, and it’s applicable in almost anything.” It features 9 ways for you and your kids to responsibly engage in the modern world and a great piece to refer back to throughout the year.
  • Looking for ways your kids can search safely? Take a look at Google Safe Search and Bing Safe Search to set filters, the number of results that appear on a page, and more.
  • Parents of YouTube loving kids will appreciate the free YouTube Kids App that lets kids watch playlists of curated content. If you have YouTube Red, your child can enjoy ad-free viewing on the YouTube Kids App.
  • The Family Online Safety Institute has a free downloadable Family Online Safety Contract with parts for kids and parents to review. It’s a realistic contract that can serve as a good conversation starter for parents who aren’t quite sure how to bring up topics like cyberbullying in an age appropriate way.

Digital Safety for Tweens (ages 8-12)

A Digital Safety Guide for Parents of Tweens

Many parents of tweens ask me about when to get their child their own digital devices. It’s the age when kids may start to want their own laptop for schoolwork or feel a little more confident about being dropped off at activities if they have a phone to get in touch with you. While every family is different and the right age is a very personal one, there is a great deal of responsibility that comes to being an owner of a phone, tablet, or laptop.

Owning a device comes with the responsibility for taking care of it and using it responsibly. According to a study done by Cox shared on Take Charge!, 1/3 of tweens admit to being dishonest with parents about their online behavior. Make sure those lines of communication are open so you can talk about the fun stuff as well as the more difficult topics that begin to come up at this age both about digital behavior and in real life concerns. Also be mindful about how much time they’re spending on their devices because extended exposure to blue light that radiates from screens can harm eyes. 

Digital Safety Issues for Parents of Tweens:

  • preparing for your child’s first cell phone
  • properly caring for your digital devices
  • family policy about social media accounts
  • the importance of being digitally respectful
  • how to maintain privacy online

5 Tips for Raising Digitally Safe Tweens:

  1. Be willing to learn with your tween. As hard as it is to admit, there’s a chance that tween knows more than you about today’s technology and apps. Ask your kids about what they’re doing and have them be the experts to teach you about the hot new app or social media tool they’re using.
  2. Address when and how the cell phone should be used. Kids need to know what they’re getting into and what you expect, when they get a phone. Working together to develop a contract like the one from The Smart Talk can structure a conversation and keep you on track.
  3. Help your kids manage their first phone. Having a conversation with your tween about what is agreeable is more beneficial than throwing down the gauntlet and it’s always a good idea to talk about why you’re using locator services to help keep your family safer. Locator services like Sprint Family Locator, AT&T FamilyMap, and Life360 show you everyone’s location on a real-time map, and services like Sprint Mobile Controls or Verizon FamilyBase show you when a kid is texting or using apps, with whom, for how long, and lets you limit all of it. If you talk to your kids about how locator services help keep them safe then they won’t feel like you’re always looking over their shoulder if even you really are.
  4. Be mindful of publicly shared content. Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and other social sharing sites make it so easy for us to share. But how much information do you really want to share about yourself or your family? Teach your tween about being mindful about maintaining their privacy and how what they’re wearing in photos and what appears in the background could give away their location. Also be sure to read Seven Simple Steps to Protect Your Family’s Privacy on the Internet Safety for Kids & Families site and make sure your family is using in-app features and services as privacy controls.
  5. Talk about the scary stuff. If you’ve created open lines of communication, you should be able to talk about more difficult topics. Even if they don’t seem like they’re listening, they are. Since survey results from Cox and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children demonstrated that 42% of tweens have received messages from people they’ve never met, now is the time to begin the conversation about not talking to strangers online, especially through gaming platforms. Teach them to recognize signs of grooming and reinforce that they won’t be in trouble if they come to you if anything suspicious, mean or scary happens.

Digital Safety Resources for Parents of Tweens:

  • Preparing yourself for getting your child a phone— Chances are if your tween doesn’t already have a cell phone, they will want one soon. Getting a phone is more than going to the store and picking one out. There’s lots to know and it’s best to read advice from trusted sources first. Connect Safely has a great list of resource that provide advice for getting a child that first phone. Read it and then prepare yourself to have a conversation about the risks, rewards, and privileges of having such a device. Parents’ Guide to Smart Phone Safety is helpful since it outlines risks and provides 5 ways to be smarter than the smartphone.
  • Develop a mobile phone contract—Over the years I’ve reviewed many cell phone contracts, guidelines for home technology use, and other tools for families to facilitate conversations about online safety but I honestly have to say that I love The Smart Talk. The Smart Talk is a customizable contract designed to inspire conversation as parents and kids sit down together to answer a series of questions about topics like safety & privacy, screen time, social media, apps & downloads, texting & calling, reputation & respect, online videos & cameras.
  • Locator services and mobile controls for their first cell phone— Every carrier has their own type of locator service and mobile controls that you can add to your family’s phone contract. Ask about Sprint Family Locator, AT&T FamilyMap,  Sprint Mobile Controls, and Verizon FamilyBase to keep your family safe. Also look at the Life360 app. I love that I can see where each member of my family is at any given time using the free app. Paid users can set geofences to get text alerts when their kids arrive home, to soccer practice, etc.
  • Social media resources— If your child has a phone, it’s only a matter of time until they start using social media even if you have told them “no social media accounts until age 13.” Things that are forbidden are always more appealing so rather than forbidding your child from getting an Instagram account, read my post: Important Conversations to Have with Your Kids About Instagram. Then make them read my daughter, Emily’s, post, Hey Tweens! Here’s What My Tween Wants You to Know About Instagram. It’s far better to have a conversation now than to find out later they have been using Instagram behind your back or have a Finsta. Not sure what Finsta is? Ask your child!
  • Know the lingo— If you don’t know what your child is talking about, find out! NetLingo’s List of Chat Acronyms & Text Shorthand provides a very helpful list so you can really know what your kids are talking about via text and messaging features on social media accounts like Snapchat and Instagram.
  • Teach kids to defend their digital domain. With tweens on social networking platforms that they may not be mentally ready for, it’s important to encourage them avoid digital drama and be digitally respectful.  MTV’s A Thin Line does a great job addressing the issue of digital disrespect and avoiding digital drama plus so many more topics that resonate with tweens and teens.
  • Know how to help correct oversharing— While we try to have our kids be mindful of what they’re sharing, the brain of a tween and teen are very in-the-moment and sometimes have a hard time seeing the big picture. I love the advice by Dr. Devorah Heitner in this piece called When Texting Goes Wrong: Helping Kids Repair and Resolve Issues. If your tween comes to you for advice when something happens, know that you’ve done a good job parenting and creating a culture of trust in your family.
  • Aim to reduce your tween’s exposure to blue light— Raed my 5 Tips to Help Combat Digital Eye Strain and Reduce Blue Light Exposure.

Digital Safety for Teens (ages 8-12)

A Digital Safety Guide for Parents of Teens

You’ve worked to lay the groundwork of trust and open lines of communication and while it’s hard to relinquish control, it’s important to trust your teen to a certain degree but maintain conversations about their online reputation, the content being shared online and through their smartphones, the dangers of texting and driving, and the effects of blue light that comes from the screens of digital devices. 

Digital Safety Issues for Parents of Teens:

  • preserving your online reputation
  • texting and driving
  • avoiding digital drama
  • exposure to blue light

3 Tips for Raising Digitally Safe Teens:

  1. Discuss the importance of taking charge of your online reputation. Teens can be impulsive but it’s important for them to try to think about how what they post today can affect them long into the future. Cox’s Tips to Take Charge! of Your Online Reputation is a handy guide with 6 tips for parents including explaining that nothing is ever private and what they say online can come back to haunt them in more ways than they may know. Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, also recommends having kids Google themselves to see what comes up. Also have them perform a Google Image Search.
  2. Be mindful of your digital presence to create a positive digital reputations— If you have concerns about how the years of being on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social platforms might look like to admission officers or potential employers, it’s time to sit down with your teen to talk about their digital reputation and how to manage it. Teens who are applying to colleges or jobs need to ensure that their digital footprint reflects who they are in the most positive way.  They also need to know the importance of being authentic online.
  3. As your child to teach you about what they’re doing if you’re intimidated by the fact that your child knows more than you. It’s a humbling experience that is incredibly empowering for your kids. Chances are they’ll give you a fabulous tutorial and you will have given them an ego boost that will do wonders for your relationship.

Digital Safety Resources for Parents of Teens:

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Trend Micro. All opinions are my own. 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeanna says

    I have a 12yr old son and an 8yr old daughter. I would have to say my biggest digital challenge is keeping up with all my son does on his cell phone!

  2. Dawn says

    I have two children aged 6 and 8, our biggest challenge is them asking to play with electronics all of the time.

  3. Julie Wood says

    My biggest digital challenge is making sure that my kids are safe online and keeping up and checking on them when they are online. My daughter is 7, and my son is 13.

  4. latanya says

    My son is 7 and he likes to watch reviews of his fave toys on youtube. Trying to keep him from clicking on click bait and other non-kid friendly things is a challenge.

  5. Erika C. says

    My biggest digital challenge is try to control what they see on the Internet. My sons’ ages are 16 and 18.

  7. Karen L says

    I have 7yr old that does school online. I am always watching her but it is hard to know what she is looking at all the time. Some innocent searches come up not so good lol

  8. Aimee says

    As always, TSM has the best advice!! My kids are 7 and 11 and we struggle with the amount of screen/device time.

  10. Rust says

    Mine are in their 20’s but I have a 5 year old godchild that I care for who demands more screen time. Her parents allow more than I feel is good for her.

  12. heather says

    The kids in the family are under ten and the biggest challenge is online safety and protecting what they see.

  13. Jessica To says

    My son is 14. Our challenge is that he is old enough to use all the devices by himself and I worry about what he can find.

  15. Natalie says

    I have a niece who is 10 months old and one of the biggest challenges will be controlling what websites she visits.

  17. kelly tupick says

    My daughter is 29, my biggest digital challenge is keeping up with her texting as i still have a hard time with it.

  18. Dana Rodriguez says

    We have a grandson that is almost 10 months old.I know keeping him safe when he is old enough to get online will be a challenge.

  19. Stefanie G says

    My kid is 3, and the biggest digital parenting challenge I’ve had so far is just to know how much screen time to allow!

  20. Rachel says

    My niece is 17 years old and my biggest challenge is making sure she is going to appropriate/safe sites.

  21. Chrissy says

    My daughter is two and right now my biggest challenge is trying to limit the amount of technology she has access to while also recognizing that technology is going to be a key part of her life and therefore allowing her to learn what she needs to excel in the world.

  22. carol clark says

    11 and 19 well my biggest challenge is getting him off the xbox and talking to people he doesnt know like dude i cant explain it enough so now its like ill just double double check to where im like dad ok its your turn to help out like im scared for him he just doesnt get it my daughter understands it and i never had a problem boys just sometimes dont listen bless his heart though he does try the whole scope i think scares him so to deal with it hes like naw so i just hunker down and block people when he doesnt think im looking

  26. Heidi K. says

    They are 3 and 4 now. It’s a challenge to know when exactly they should be allowed to start using an iPad. So far, we’ve held off on that.

  27. Jendi Pagano says

    I am in the middle of this with my 11, 13, and 15 year old. They love it and want to jump in head first, but I see so many dangers. Most of all I struggle with monitor screen time, because screens are everywhere! Plus, their phone is also their camera so they like to take it everywhere.

  28. Sara Zielinski says

    I feel the biggest issue is filtering the junk that inevitably gets to kids, things like violent dora the explorer videos that may look kid friendly but are not kid friendly.

  31. Heather! says

    Our kids are 21 and 19 now, but digital safety issues were HUGE when they were teens! The older girl, in particular, was far too trusting of strangers online. She accepted friend requests from people she didn’t know and who had pretty obviously fake profiles. We also had problems with her shopping on eBay, then deciding she didn’t want (and couldn’t pay for) the items in the auctions she won. Somehow we made it through, but she just became a parent herself, so I’m sure there will be similar issues in a few years. Fortunately, we will be able to help her navigate the coming problems!

  33. Kelly D says

    The biggest digital parenting challenge I face is making sure my kids don’t talk to strangers online.

  34. Tee Anderson says

    My son is 11 and my daughter is 7. My biggest digital parenting challenge is trying to make sure they do not talk to strangers or making sure they dont hear or see anything they shouldn’t.

  36. Travelbuds says

    My kids are 12 and 13 and they both have phones (but no data plan). This was because they spend one week with me and then one week with their dad. The biggest problem with this though is getting them to follow the rules and only going on when they are allowed.

  37. Andrea Williams says

    Our boys are 22,20 and 15 now. There is always so much access to technology wherever you go now and training them how to be careful and wise in what they look for is always a challenge.

  38. aaron reck says

    I would love this so much. What a great and joyous thing to do in this fall time of the year. All the big holidays are starting to come up. I love to go walking and enjoy being outdoors and at the park and the lake. I have nieces and nephews aged 2 to 16.

  42. Stephanie Phelps says

    Mine are 24,25,27, and 29 and my biggest challenge is they always have those phones in their faces! That truly bugs me!

  43. Tina W says

    14 and 8. And trying to balance respecting their privacy with watching out for all the creepy pervs out there is a scary scary dance.

  44. MELISSA says

    I have a 15 year old son. I think my main challenge are the unknowns and the what ifs. I believe I’ve taught him well when it comes down to his phone and laptop. However, he is a teen with teen friends and not all of them make the wisest choices. He had to cut off a female friend because she took a screenshot of their conversation and posted it on Instagram. He was so mad. The first thing he did was he contacted her mom to discuss it with her. Then he unfriended the female.

  45. Jessica W says

    My little guy is almost 4. My biggest challenge is keeping him away from certain YouTube videos. I limit his YouTube time and monitor him closely, but he’s always clicking on strange videos with real people dressed up as Disney characters and acting out messed up stories. I hate those videos. I learned that you can login from a computer to block certain channel’s content from showing up.

  46. Ashley C says

    I have a 5 and a 6 year old and we’re just getting into the digital realm with them. I know it’ll get tougher as they get older! We’re still working out boundaries with them.

    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

  47. Laurajj says

    Our little one is now 7! Oh how time flies! For us…the biggest challenge is making sure he is safe…and his interest is peeking for digital media! His friends have phones…go online…use computers…and he really wants to also.

  51. Terry says

    My youngest granddaughter is 12 and the biggest issues are is getting her off of the phone at dinner, at bedtime and during family time.

  52. Cheryl B says

    My 6 year old Granddaughter, when she visits she likes to log into our internet. I worry about sites she may access.

  53. amy stonger says

    I have a 6 year old daughter, seven year old son, and 11 year old son. My biggest challenge is censoring what they watch on YouTube.

  54. Sarah Hayes says

    I have one 5 year old and struggle with making sure everything she sees is appropriate. even on kids youtube!

  55. Madonna says

    My children are grown but I have grandchildren. I worry what they are doing online and not being seen by adults. Its so easy to trick a child into thinking they are talking to another child and really its some monster wanting to take advantage of them.

  56. Jessica Naca says

    Thanks for all your great tips! My girls are both 7 and they love to play on their tablet. I am very good about keeping them on a use schedule. Sometimes we struggle to filter when they find/stumble on.

  57. Christina A. says

    My son is 19 and a college student and he has learned to manage digital media time fairly well but sometimes I do still give him a reminder to make sure to take time to disconnect…especially at dinner!

  58. Christina Z says

    I have a 24, 20 and 16 year old. My biggest digital parenting challgenge I would say is just worrying who your kids are talking to online. I feel like I have good communication with my kids and we have discussed online social media and all that comes with it. Just seems like you can never be too safe.

  60. Nicole Zerbini says

    My son is 7 and we struggle with the amount of screen time allowed. Between school and play, this can be quite a lot each day.

  62. Kenia says

    My twins are 8 and my oldest is 14. My biggest challenge is that I would like to learn more about how to block my kids from sites that are not appropriate for them.

  63. Susan Smith says

    My biggest digital challenge is try to control what they see on the Internet. My son and daughter are teenagers.

  64. Janice Cooper says

    My niece is 6 years old and the hardest part is making sure she is on safe websites. She loves using her tablet.

  65. Jackie M says

    My child is 3 years old and I’m worried about the internet safety in and out side our home in future.

  67. Maritess S says

    I have a 6 and 10 and the biggest digital challenge I have is how to limit the use of technology and spend more time on traditional play.

  68. Denise L says

    I have an 8 year old son and I worry about him searching for something wholesome and ending up on a page he shouldn’t be on. This could easily happen because of the ads that always show up at the top of the search list.

  69. Tiffany Banks says

    My children are 11, 10, & 7. My biggest challenge is having to tell them multiple times to get off their tablets. Then when they do get off of them its hard for them to fall asleep at night

  70. Natalie S says

    I have 3 boys, ages 5,7,and 9. And internet safety is always a concern for me. There is just so much out there that they can come across. I try to monitor them pretty closely whenever I let them have some computer time.

  71. Annmarie W. says

    My daughter has headed to college, but my son is 15. Our biggest challenge is getting him to unplug sometimes. It’s a constant battle to make sure he focuses on homework instead of gaming.

  72. Starla says

    This is so awesome. My biggest problem is constantly trying to get the kids away from the technologies. Also, monitoring what they are doing/ while keeping safety and children locks gets tough as well when you have different aged kids, lol.

  75. E. says

    One child is young grade school and 1 nursery. My biggest challenge is worrying about internet safety and setting boundaries.

  76. Heather Dawn says

    My biggest challenge is keeping them from playing games only, like Minecraft and Roblox.

  77. Kayte CookWatts says

    My nephew is almost 3 and he goes straight for the TV any chance he gets. He loves Daniel Tiger so my sister and I will let him watch it if he gets antsy in public sometimes but he wants it ALL the time. Limiting screen time can be a huge challenge, especially with littles that just want what they want when they want it.

  78. Ashley says

    My boys are 5 and 2. The biggest challenge is making sure the kid content on Youtube is actually kid friendly. How sad!

  79. Tracy Robertson says

    I don’t have any children of my own, but I work with developmentally disabled people and we definitely have internet challenges! I take my clients to the library but have to monitor where they go online.

  80. Terra Heck says

    I have two teenage girls, ages 15 and 17. Cleaning up their digital footprint is something I stress to them. I remind them often that what they post in the Internet could be looked at by potential colleges or jobs. Thanks.
    partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

  82. Evans B. says

    My daughter is 6, and biggest challenge is her getting into videos not age-approriate for her age, she sometimes finds videos meant for older kids. I only let her watch tablet for educational videos. I block when I see some videos but then there’s more.

  83. debbie s says

    11 downloading free games and then worrying about the online gaming chat rooms the kids go into and think it’s safe to tell where you live etc so we have strict rules use parental software and the tech devices are in the family room so we’re close by and ask him to be open about where he is going on the net to be aware of his safety

  85. Chrissy says

    I learned in this article that attacks on ATMs are getting a lot more sophisticated and often include malware. Pretty scary to think that ATMs are being attached digitally.

  89. amanda whitley says

    my kids are 4,6 and 11 and the biggest digital issue is making sure everything is child appropriate and annoying pop ups on everything when the kids are online

  90. Jen Rodrigues says

    5 years old and keeping them off social media sites like instagram that have no filters to block certain things

  91. Lisa Brown says

    my children are all adults and I did not have issue with the internet when they would be online or using electronics, they were alert and responsible.

  92. mami2jcn says

    Only my oldest is on the Internet and he’s 14. I worry about things he might be seeing online.

  93. Janet W. says

    My grandson is only 7 and our biggest internet challenge right now is him watching videos on YouTube of other children/parents that isn’t educational and is downright annoying to listen to.

  94. Shelby Terwell says

    My kids are 3 and 5, I don’t like using YouTube too much, since there is too much inappropriate things to stumble upon.