For Parents

The Internet is a wonderful tool for kids to explore, discover, learn, and share information. At the same time, it comes with several risks like cyberbullying and online predators. The most important thing is to teach children to be safe and responsible. Parents need to be aware of what their sons and daughters are doing when using the Internet. Parents ought to communicate to their children the pros and cons of sharing personal information to strangers. Parents can use online tools with parent-control options to manage access to sites, and to monitor and track their child's online activity. Both parents and children should be aware of the safe and appropriate use of technology to navigate online spaces such as websites and social media. There are several resources available from educational institutions, government sponsored sites, and social service organizations to help educate parents and children.  Also, the Sri Sathya Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) program has many valuable and practical everyday lessons that can be incorporated into life applications, including online activity. 

Here are some suggestions for parents.

Ages 3-5: Focus on teaching kids about what the Internet is and how it can be used as a tool in their lives. Guide them to safe websites and take a very hands-on approach when it comes to allowing and limiting their child's time with online access.

Ages 6-9: Continue to play a hands-on role but allow children to explore their own interests such as instructional or entertaining videos or online games. This is also a great time to start teaching them about the dangers such as cyberbullying and online predators.  Screen time continues to be an important aspect of learning to practice self-control.

Ages 10-12: Around this age, most children will have their own device with access to the Internet such as a smartphone or tablet. They are also expected to use technology for their school projects.  A great way to teach online responsibility is to give the child the freedom to use their device (with parental restrictions, of course) and keep an eye on how children use their devices for continued growth and creativity.  Help them understand right from wrong, and practice right conduct online.

Ages 13-17: Being on the Internet as a teenager opens up a world of exciting possibilities and discovery. But it can also be a scary and challenging terrain to navigate. Social media and popular culture can play a huge role in dictating what a teen's relationship is with the Internet. As a parent, the goal should be to give teens a practical understanding of valuable resources on the Internet. Advise them to use discrimination in online communication (such as posts, texts, and emails). Teach them social skills such as being tuned to spotting fake news, phishing and financial scams. Suggest practices like daily meditation to help deal with stressful situations.

In summary

The basic principle is to guide our children to approach the online world in the same way we do in real life