Page 29 - Mangwanani Magazine - May Edition

LIFESTYLE

Keep your Child Safe Online

National Child Protection week is from 27 May to 2 June. Nowadays parents need
to understand how to keep children safe from cyber abuse while they are online.

Set Rules for Online Use Seven ways to help your child if they are being
bullied online:
Ÿ Time: Agree on how much time your child can spend
daily online on phones, laptops, tablets and TV. Screen Ÿ Let them share their concerns
time should be limited.
Ÿ Take their concerns seriously and stay calm
Ÿ Money: Enable a certain amount of data for the month
on devices and even link any additional data to the Ÿ Do not attribute blame even if your child has done
child’s pocket money, so that he/ she acts responsibly. something they were not supposed to

Ÿ Responsibility: Make sure your child knows that all Ÿ Report and take action against the cyber bully
devices are packed away during meals, homework
time etc.. and set a time for when device is packed away Ÿ Take action to prevent further bullying, like blocking
for the evening before bed. the contact

Ÿ Kindness: When referring to texts/ pictures/ games Ÿ If the bully is from school, report it to the teacher or
and so on. Always ask the question, “Can Granny see principal
this?” to decide whether or not the content is of a
harmful nature or not. Ÿ Remain sensitive to your child’s feelings.

The C’s of the Internet

Parents should be aware of the following:

Content

Ensure your child has access to only age-appropriate material online. Ensure you monitor what sites and
games your child is using and playing.

Contact
Be aware of all forms of contact, as anyone can bully or abuse your child online. Games
allow gamers to play against other people via text, voice or voice note. Young people
can also be vulnerable to contact those who have a sexual interest in them.

Commercialism
Look out for hidden costs and advertising. Children can easily run up bills and buy tokens for their games
accidently. It is best to password protect devices to avoid app purchases.

If you suspect a child is being hurt or abused, call
Childline on the toll free number: 08000 55555

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