![\"protecting](\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/shutterstock_731774509-300x157.png\")
Online safety conversations look dramatically different depending on the age and stage of your child. For very young children, toddlers through elementary school, parents have a golden opportunity to lay the foundations that will shape a child\u2019s digital perspectives and behaviors for a lifetime.<\/p>\n
One way to keep younger children safe online is simply to\u00a0begin<\/em>. How early, you might ask? From the day they arrive. If you\u2019ve ever seen a four-month-old reach for mommy’s smartphone only to cry when mommy takes it away, it\u2019s clear the baby has observed the culture around him. He knows that the shiny toy that hums is one of mommy\u2019s favorite things. It has the power to capture and hold her attention. It makes her laugh, cry, and influence her routine and emotions.<\/p>\n Modeling balanced screen habits is a powerful way to influence behavior as toddlers begin to discover television, apps, interactive toys, and online learning sites. At this stage, intentional steps such as limiting screen time, reviewing content, and talking with your little one in simple concepts about the images and stories encounter will help grow their digital IQs. Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping all screens turned off around babies and toddlers<\/span> younger than 24 months.<\/p>\n As kids move into elementary school, technology is often part of the learning experience. Some children (depending on the household) may even own smartphones. Because the integration of technology begins to increase, this stage requires parents to move with the curve of a child\u2019s online safety needs. Priorities: Securing devices kids take to school, setting filters on web browsers, limiting screen and gaming time, encouraging physical activity and hobbies, and having consistent, age-appropriate conversations about the online world is more important than ever.<\/p>\n While schools introduce kids to internet safety basics to protect kids online and do well to refresh concepts along the way, it\u2019s the consistent, intentional work of parents that shape the values and skills a child needs to navigate the online world. By putting some of these foundational principles in place early and committing to consistent follow-through, it’s possible to maintain critical influence as your children move into different phases of their digital lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Online safety conversations look dramatically different depending on the age and stage of your child. For very young children, toddlers…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":642,"featured_media":99334,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[75,76,3949,4452,4145,2205,4222,321,4827],"coauthors":[3359],"class_list":["post-99324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-safety","tag-cyberbullying","tag-cybercrime","tag-cybersafety","tag-cybersecurity","tag-data-breach","tag-protecting-kids-online","tag-social-media","tag-social-networking","tag-vulnerability"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nProtecting kids online<\/h2>\n
Move With The Curve<\/h2>\n
10 Online Safety Basics for Younger Children<\/h2>\n
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