The internet is a powerful tool, but children must be protected from its dark side.

The internet has become an integral part of our children’s lives. They have the world at their fingertips: access to endless games and videos, an ability to contact people across the world, and much more.

According to Ofcom, 86% of 3–4-year-olds have access to a tablet. After a brief chat about online safety, we might think they’re safe. But a recent study found most children act unsafely: 40% chat with strangers online; 53% publicly reveal their phone number; 15% try to meet a stranger, and 6% reveal their address.

Few know about viruses, online safety and privacy, internet safety, or basic online etiquette. They might unknowingly expose you to internet threats, put themselves in danger, or (as one child did) spend £3000 playing a game.

But digital tech can help their development. It gives them access to a wealth of information, and research indicates it can improve their: hand-to-eye coordination; language, and problem-solving skills. So, you don’t want to withhold it, but you need to take steps to protect them. 

The Laws on Internet Safety

By law, high-risk websites must work to protect your child. In the USA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protects those under 13. It prevents a website from using features without a parent agreeing.

Club Penguin, for example, requires a parent’s email address for users under 13. The main “chat” is disabled until approval is made. COPPA also protects them in other ways. It requires consent before they can legally collect personal information and restricts what they can ask.

You should utilize this law by making sure your child’s accounts are associated with your information.

Educate Them on How to Stay Safe

You can’t always manage their accounts. On a lot of websites, they just ask for a parent’s email address on sign up. There’s nothing stopping your child from using their own.

Because of that, you need to educate them. David Emm (senior internet researcher, Kaspersky Lab,) believes the first step is discussing online safety. The best opportunity to do so is at a young age, when they’re using the computer with you.

Emm encourages us to draw comparisons to the real world. The consequences are the same, so we shouldn’t do things unless we would in real life.

• Taking to strangers. We tell them to avoid strangers in real life. The rules still apply, people can lie about their age and they should never reveal their information.
• Warn them about the consequences of “risky behavior.” All children are prone to it, but those with learning difficulties are most at risk: in an attempt to assert independence, they follow dangerous curiosities. Talk about chat rooms, and don’t shy away from “sexy selfies,” online flirting, and drug use. Predators are looking for children who don’t know the dangers. 
• Make them share aware. What they put out is permanently available for the world to see. Outline the consequences of sharing information online and encourage them to be cautious.

These steps will prepare them for when they inevitably face the online world alone. 

 

         Manage and Monitor Their Behavior

 

The previous tips are good for educating. But it’s still good to check in and make sure they’re following what you talked about.

Unfortunately, the risks of the internet are twofold. They could encounter dangerous material online. But overusing the positive aspects can be detrimental too. WebMD indicates doing so drastically increases the risk of depression and anxiety in teenagers.

As such, you need to: continue to protect them from online dangers; and track their usage to prevent serious mental health problems. Unfortunately, this can be met with a lot of resistance.  44% of parents struggle to control their child’s screen time.

To manage their behavior, you could:

1. Keep devices in a common area of the house (like the dining room table). Make them ask to use them. Doing so will: help you keep tabs on why they’re using it; and discourage any risky behavior. According to the Hawthorne Effect, we act more cautiously when we know we’re being watched.
2. Avoid having your card details saved and make them ask before paying for things. Online marketers target children in games and videos. Don’t give them purchasing power or they might rack up debt.
3. Keep track of their usage and take away devices. Along with the mental health risks, a study (University of Cambridge) has shown spending too long online causes a fall in school results by up to two grades. They recommend spending no more than 2 hours online per day.
4. Become friends with your child’s contacts. According to Identity Specialist Tracy Hulver, children often enter a “popularity contest.” To grow their friend list, they add strangers. You can prevent this by adding their contacts to ensure they are only accepting from those they know.
5. Finally, monitor your child’s browser history. For Lead Threat Intelligent Agent Chase Cunningham, we can find a healthy balance between respecting their privacy and keeping them safe. For example, you could look at who they’ve been messaging but not read them.

Use FocusMe as Blocker Software

You can educate and monitor your children, but that might not be enough. Pornography, violent videos, and other adult sites are just a click away. What’s worse is pop-up adverts are exposing children to adult content they don’t want to see. Up to 34% of people have experienced unwanted exposure to pornography through misdirected links.

In addition, tracking their usage can be difficult. Especially if they’re using it while you’re at work. To regain control, we recommend using FocusMe as an online safety tool. Features include:

• Monitoring the time they spend on apps and websites. Presented in a visual graph, this will tell you if their behavior is healthy or you need to step in.
• An automated scheduler. Rather than having to manage daily, this controls how long they can spend on certain apps and websites. After a certain time, things chosen by you can be blocked.
• Blocking things you don’t want them to see. It’s impossible to bypass this and protects them from the unsafe parts of the internet.

 

FocusMe is controllable from a central device. Even if you’re not with them, you can monitor their behavior. It will only track those selected by you and is adaptable to your needs. Overall, our blocker software eliminates any worry or doubt. When it’s running, it’s impossible to access the websites you’ve chosen.

 

 

Try FocusMe

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Working smart is the best way to address the burden. This is how you’ll find it possible to get a lot more done in a shorter period of time.

Have a Support System in Place

The fact that you’re a single parent doesn’t mean you have to cope with everything on your own.

Studies show that social support has positive effects on mood and well-being. In addition, you can exchange ideas, find people to delegate tasks to and a crying shoulder to rest on when the burden gets to be too much.

Your family is there for you and the same applies to your friends. Connecting to other single parents and working as a team (to take care of the kids, establish your career, work towards obtaining a higher level of education, etc.) will also make your life easier.

Even if you have a wonderful support team in place, you’ll still need to remember to ask for help. If you seem like a strong person, others will not interfere in your life unless you ask for assistance. Don’t be afraid to let your vulnerabilities show – this is a strength on its own.

Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize

Reexamining your priorities will also help you pinpoint the unimportant things that you’re probably spending too much time on.

Many single parents attempt to be superhuman. They try to replace the missing person in the lives of their children in every way possible. Such an approach will contribute to burnout very soon and it’s entirely counterproductive.

There are things you can let go of without experiencing any negative consequences.

Lower your expectations and admit you can’t do it all. Give yourself a break – there are 24 hours per day and you’re a human being. As such, you’re not invisible to fatigue and physical limitations.

Are you a working mom who’s also taking care of the kids and trying to maintain a cozy home? You don’t have to deal with it all. Hiring some cleaning help, for example, will free a lot of time you can dedicate to the kids and to your career development. Eventually, you’ll end up earning more and being more capable of paying others to handle certain tasks instead of you.

Take Care of Yourself

Multi-tasking stresses out your body and your mind. This is why you should never neglect your personal needs.

Studies show that single parents rank among the people who sleep the least. Obviously, kids will interrupt your sleep. Still, you should get in the habit of going to bed early enough to ensure at least seven hours of sleep per night.

Find 30 minutes each day for a quick exercise session. Exercise improves your mood, enhances your focus and energizes you for the entire day. If you work out in the morning, you’ll find yourself much more capable of handling a plethora of tasks.

Finally, try to have a bit of a love life. This is going to be difficult when you have kids but you may want to check out online dating. It’s safe, it’s quick, it’s easy and you can put an end to it whenever you don’t feel right in the situation.

Eliminate Time Wasters

Optimizing your daily routine is also about identifying time wasting activities and getting rid of those.

Do you spend a lot of time trying to get the kids ready in the morning? If so, you should think of stimuli that will help little ones get out of bed, get dressed on their own and come to the table for breakfast without sulking.

Are you prone to dedicating time to activities like social networking, watching TV shows and texting with people who you don’t perceive as that close? These are some obvious time wasters you can either eliminate altogether or spend less time on.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy a favorite sitcom every now and then. Still, know your work hours and the amount of time you’d like to dedicate to your kids each day. Don’t allow time wasters to interfere with these important activities.

Simplify and Modernize Processes

There are so many processes you can simplify and modernize in order to save time and your sanity.

Grocery shopping with kids can be an experience from hell (and it usually is if you have a cranky little one to take care of while looking for the cereals). If you think that grocery shopping is taking a lot of time, you should opt for having the groceries delivered to your home.

Online dating is another example of a modern process that has already been mentioned.

You can pay bills online and make money transfers without going to the bank. Even if you’ve never tried online banking or utility payment before, these are pretty simple and they’ll save you a lot of time you could be dedicating to much more pleasant or productive things.

Remember that the trick is to work smarter instead of harder. If the morning commute is long and tiresome, ditch the car and opt for the subway. It will enable you to either have a chat with the kids or read a book. In addition, such a change will save you a lot of money.

You don’t have to be the incredibly tough, almighty single parent. It’s ok to acknowledge your weaknesses. Once you do, you can start looking for a more practical solution to all of your time management problems.

Dedicate a bit of time to analyzing your everyday existence, your habits and practices that the family has adopted. While these are well-known and comfortable, they could also be contributing to inefficiency. Change can be slow and painful in the very beginning. When you see the results, however, you’ll find the motivation to keep going.

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Maintaining a high level of efficiency as a working parent is far from the easiest task. Still, there are things you can do to boost your brain power, improve your focus and craft a daily routine that will help you do more in a shorter period of time.

To-Do Lists

A smart and well-organized to-do list is a great choice for people who have to manage so much.

Drafting a to-do list in the morning will give you a chance to pinpoint everything you need to complete during the day and to prioritize key tasks. If you don’t work smartly on the list, you’ll have a guideline that will eventually lead to a large portion of the tasks remaining unfulfilled.

Be realistic when drafting the list. You may want to cram dozens of things in it but will you really get to finish everything you’ve planned? If the answer is no, try to reduce the to-do list to a few manageable and most crucial tasks.

As you practice, you’ll become better at creating realistic guidelines to help you navigate through the day. Checking items on the to-do list will also enable you track progress and feel good about the work you’ve already done.

Get in the Habit of Starting Your Day Early

As a parent, you already know that sleeping in is a luxury. Still, many parents struggle with getting up early and completing many of their key tasks in the early hours of the day.

A schedule focused on productivity involves getting up as early in the morning as possible.

If you have a task that requires a lot of focus, try to tackle it before the kids wake up. Having to take little ones to nursery and school and beginning the daily madness will kill your concentration. You will get to work once you arrive at the office, which means that many precious moments will already be lost.

To accomplish this task, you may have to get in the habit of going to bed earlier than you’re used t. This is another good thing. Going to bed at 10pm, for example, will give you seven to eight hours of sleep if you wake up at 5 or 6am. This morning hour is early enough to give you some time to yourself before you have to get the kids ready for their daily activities.

Eat the Right Foods and Choose Supplements

A strong body is needed to do a lot during the day and to maintain excellent focus. A great body requires great fuel.

Eating the right foods is essential if you want to have energy throughout the day. If you don’t have enough time to eat a good meal, you should also consider supplementation to give your brain everything it needs to function properly.

If you want to enhance your productivity even further, you should opt for food sources or supplements that are rich in DHA, l-carnitine, ginkgo biloba and herbs like St. John’s wort. These enhance focus, improve memory and your mood and could even contribute to better sleep at night. Obviously, all of these components are required if you want to be productive.

Follow the Two-Minute Rule

There are dozens of small tasks that tend to be neglected because larger and more strategic processes are prioritized. As a result, such tasks remain on the to-do list for a long period of time and they’re never tackled in a convenient and effective manner.

When you have lots of such small tasks you’re postponing for the future, you should get in the habit of following the two-minute rule.

The rule is very simple – if you have a task on your to-do list that requires two minute or less for completion, you should do it immediately. Answering to a quick email, setting up a phone call appointment with a client, writing a greeting card or filing papers can all be completed quickly and effectively before you need to dedicate a longer period of time to something much more important.

Network with Other Professional Parents

Networking as a working parent should turn into one of your priorities.

Finding other who are in a similar situation as you is incredibly beneficial. You can learn how other parents are coping with the problems you face, what they do to recharge their batteries and how they find happiness in their hectic life.

If you are not finding support and understanding in your current social circle, you should look for new opportunities to communicate with similar-minded individuals. Surrounding yourself by positive people who have goals and aspirations in life similar to yours can be tremendously empowering. Not only that, such communication can open your eyes to new opportunities and personal growth chances you were oblivious of in the past.

In the beginning, it may feel like a conscious attempt at networking is reducing your productivity. You will have to dedicate some of your limited time to meeting other people and communicating with them. With time, however, you will find out that being successful and productive is about working smarter rather than working harder.

Finally, don’t forget to dedicate enough time to your family. Playing with the kids, building a tree house together and cooking a family meal can all give you the motivation needed to continue excelling at work. You’ll get your daily reminder about why you’re trying so hard. Precious family moments shouldn’t suffer for the sake of career establishment. Finding the balance between the two worlds you belong to is difficult but once you accomplish the task, you’ll feel an immense sense of accomplishment.

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The verdict is in: More than half of all kids ages 8 to 12 have their own cell phone. Kids ages 5 to 16 are spending six and a half hours per day in front of a screen, more than double the amount of screen time just 20 years ago. And 38% of children under 2 use a mobile device for media.

Reducing screen time for kids has been a hot topic in the current digital age, but you might be surprised to learn that the debate behind its effects has been going on long before smartphones and tablets emerged.

For decades, scientists and health advocates alike have cautioned parents that spending too much time in front of television screens links to childhood obesity, poor sleep habits, and social or behavioral issues. These dangers are still highly present today, but the bright LED screens and portability of modern devices are leading to new issues, such as those related to vision and posture. A study by UCLA also suggests that too much screen time could affect a child’s ability to recognize emotions and other nonverbal signs.

The facts are alarming, but that hasn’t halted the presence of screens from multiplying. Children today are growing up in the digital world, where electronic devices are mainstays at home and in the classroom. That’s why it’s becoming increasingly essential for parents to monitor and limit time spent in front of the screen.

Truth be told, your child’s health depends on it.

3 Tips for Reducing Screen Time for Kids

Like many daily actions, reducing screen time for kids is all about developing healthy habits. It won’t happen overnight, but with enough effort and initiative, you and your children can find your inner electronics-free zen.

#1 – It Starts with Setting the Right Example

Source: Pexels

This one might be a tough pill to swallow, but reducing your children’s screen time means you’ll likely need to slash your own first.

Kids aren’t the only ones who need limits when it comes to screen time. A recent Nielsen report indicates that American adults spend an average of 10.5 hours a day in front of a screen, up one full hour from the previous year. Adults who suffer from too much screen time are also at risk of obesity and other health issues, just like children.

Doing your own health a favor could be the catalyst your kids need to cut the wireless strings. Your children learn by observing you and others. If you’re continually plugged into your phone, checking work email, or watching tv, they’re more likely to deem these things acceptable.

That’s not to say you can never watch primetime tv again. Make it a point to engage in non-electronics-related activities when the kids are around, such as reading a book, doing a puzzle, or enjoying an outdoor activity. Your actions stand a chance of spurring new interests within them, so take advantage of the chance to choose activities that can potentially help them grow and develop new skills.

#2 – Use Screen Time as Family Time

Source: Unsplash

For some families, it’s all too easy to rely on televisions and tablets as secondary babysitters. After all, if your child is engaged with the digital world, you’re free to cook dinner, do the dishes, or complete a multitude of other tasks.

Leaving your child alone to entertain themselves with electronics robs them of the learning and connection opportunities these devices provide. This means you don’t always know what show they’re watching, what games they’re playing, or what they’re ultimately getting out of their time in front of the screen.

Instead, consider integrating screen-based activities into your family time. For example, you can watch a fun movie or documentary together, complete with snacks, pillows, and blankets. You can also play family-oriented games, such as the Hasbro Family Game Pack for PlayStation 4 (or whatever gaming system you have) or the Planet Earth DVD Board Game that includes on-screen gameplay.

Engaging in screen activities together offers several benefits:

First and foremost, it means you’re spending time together as a family. Fun events like Family Game Night help your kids create special memories of their childhood – and you’ll be a part of those memories.

In addition, it also means you know what information your kids are exposed to and how much screen time they’re getting.

#3 – Screen Time for Kids Should Be a Last Resort

Source: Pixabay

Does your child automatically lunge for the remote whenever they have free time? It’s not uncommon for the television or computer to become the go-to entertainment source. But that doesn’t mean you have to allow it.

Some families have found success by using electronics as a last resort. For example, you might mandate that your children must do a chore, play outside, do something creative, and read for a certain length of time before you grant access to the remote. Other families change their WiFi password on a daily basis, and children must perform a chore or other tasks to gain access.

This free printable checklist is an excellent tool when it comes to helping your children find things to do other than spend time in front of a screen. Or, you can create your own rules to play by.

Should There Be Exceptions to Screen Time Rules?

There are exceptions to every rule, but yours will depend on you as the parent. Some parents may lift screen time limits when their child is home sick and would prefer to watch movies because they can’t run around outside. Others may allow more video games on bad weather days when it’s either too wet or too cold to enjoy the outdoors.

Whatever exceptions you decide to make, be sure you don’t make them too often. An exception one day can easily become an exception for the next day, until it becomes a normal routine in your house.

In Closing

Screen-based media isn’t all bad, but it must be used correctly if you want your children to get any benefits from it. It’s up to you to ensure you’re not only helping your children develop healthy screen-based habits, but also showing them the adventures around them that no screen could ever match.

Are you just as tuned in to technology as your kids?

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