10 Practical Tips for Protecting Your Kids from Toxic Online Media
5/30/2024
As Christian parents, it's crucial that we take proactive steps to safeguard our children's hearts and minds from the onslaught of unhealthy, inappropriate content online. Brent Dusing, founder of the Christian entertainment platform TruPlay Games, compares bringing a child into your home who's been exposed to toxic social media to "if you brought in a child who got to eat candy bars and ice cream for breakfast... laced with arsenic."
The values being taught through mainstream media are often the complete opposite of biblical principles. Only 30% of kids today believe in God, compared to 60% of adults. That's why protecting kids from online media has never been more important. To combat these concerning trends, here are 10 practical tips:
- Delay giving your child a smartphone as long as possible. Smartphones open the door to unfiltered internet access, social media, and countless apps you can't fully control.
- Keep computers and devices in a central location, not in bedrooms. This allows you to easily monitor activity and avoid secret usage.
- Install parental controls and content filters on all devices. Use tools like Covenant Eyes, Bark, Qustodio, Net Nanny, etc. to block inappropriate content.
- Create a technology contract outlining clear rules and expectations for responsible use. Have your child read and sign it.
- Actively monitor your child's online activity, including browser history, apps, and social media interactions.
- Limit total daily screen time and have device-free zones, like the dinner table and car rides. Prioritize face-to-face family interactions.
- Require devices to "go to bed" before your child does, docked in a central charging location overnight.
- Regularly discuss online dangers like pornography, predators, and cyberbullying. Coach your child on how to respond if exposed.
- Proactively point your kids to edifying, Christ-centered media choices, like TruPlay Games, that reinforce your family's faith and values.
- Model healthy tech habits yourself. Demonstrate the importance of balance and the priority of real-life relationships over screen time.
Remember, having a phone or device is a privilege, not a right. Maintain access to all passwords and make it clear that you will monitor activity because you love them, not because you're nosy.
Most importantly, keep the conversation going. Engage your child's heart and train them to view technology through the lens of God's Word. Pray for wisdom and discernment as you navigate parenting in the digital age. With intentionality and reliance on God's grace, you can raise kids who use technology in a way that honors Christ.
Sources and continued reading:
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-care/keep-your-child-safe-online
https://solascouncil.org/content-master/biblical-parenting-in-the-digital-age
https://www.ibelieve.com/motherhood/raising-teens-in-a-digital-age-things-parents-must-know.html
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/twelve-tips-for-parenting-in-the-digital-age