As the stay-at-home quarantining continues, children and young people are spending more and more time online. Some of the time, students are long-distance learning, connecting with their teachers in various platforms. But the reality is that children and young people are also participating in other activities on the internet. This is a time for parents and caring adults to be concerned about the amount of screen time children and young people are engaging in.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provides free resources and advice to parents, children, teachers and law enforcement regarding internet safety. Their website is www.missingkids.org. The following tips are from NCMEC.
Parents should connect with their children’s online lives. Children and young people can use guidance as to what platforms they can use and also how much time they are spending online. Younger children should not have access to their online devices in private settings behind closed doors such as bedrooms or bathrooms. Teenagers will demand more privacy, but parents should still be clear about their expectations for proper online behavior.
Parents should check in regularly with their children and teenagers about where they are going online. They should ask about positive and negative experiences they are having.
The more parents engage with their children and teenagers in online activities, the more the youth will perceive that adults respect their interests. Share social media and play online games together.
Experts caution that should a child or teenager receive an inappropriate message, whether it is sexual or cyber bullying, that taking the child’s device away is not the correct action to take. Report such inappropriate activity to the website, cell phone provider, law enforcement or to CyberTipline.org. Parents should work with the child or teenager in such a situation.
Time on online devices should be limited. There are plenty of other activities children and teenagers can engage in. These activities include walking outdoors, bicycling, throwing a ball around, playing Frisbee golf. Family activities are beneficial – board games, cards and even (especially) family prayer. And even though watching a movie (CD or video) is more screen time, watching one as a family brings the family together. Make popcorn and/or brownies. Watch a Pixar movie. I cannot think of any bad Pixar movie.
May you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy. May Saint Joseph protect us.
Rod J. Herrera, LCSW is director, Office of Child & Youth Protection, Diocese of Camden.
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