7 steps to good digital parenting

By:
Family Online Safety Institute
6/17/2024
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Parenting today's tech savvy kids can seem overwhelming. But you can do it! Take these seven simple, but still challenging steps, to becoming a good digital parent.

The 7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting provides parents with seven simple yet challenging ways to become a good digital role model. Each step provides three pieces of advice that parents can use to introduce online safety to their family.

1. Talk With Your Kids

  • Talk early and often, be open and direct, stay calm 

2. Educate Yourself:

  • Search online for anything you don’t understand, try out the apps, games, and sites yourself 

3. Use Parental Controls:

  • Set content and time limits on your kids’ devices, routinely check privacy settings on social media, monitor your kids’ use and their screen time 

4. Set Ground Rules and Enforce Consequences:  

  • Discuss and sign a family safety agreement. restrict where and when devices can be used, remove tech privileges when rules are broken

5. Friend and Follow But Don’t Stalk:

  • Follow your kids on social media, Respect their online space and freedom, Don’t flood their accounts with comments 

6. Explore, Share, and Celebrate:

  • Go online with your kids and explore their digital world, Share your own online experiences, Learn from each other and have fun 

7. Be a Good Digital Role Model:

  • Curb your own bad digital habits, know when and where to unplug, show your kids how to collaborate and be kind online

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