10 Tips for Keeping our Children safe online

By Rita Davidson

We are living in troubling times. With the smut on Television, and in print magazines, it doesn’t end there. While most of us try to limit exposure by leaving the city, disconnecting cable TV,  or limiting friends, it seems “smut” has a life of it’s own, and has grown more clever to find our children unawares. This was brought up on my Facebook page, by a good friend, and I’ve been pondering this ever since. It’s a brave new world, or is it?

Enter the new mobile world! From iPads to iPhones and iPods. There is a frenzy to stay connected today like no other time.

Parents have even fallen into this trap. When kids get old enough to work, they want to stay in touch in an emergency. But these same phones that are supposed to keep our children safe, are portals to impurity at their fingertips and can present serious dangers to their souls.

Just one look on the internet you can see it is rife with complaints from parents in a frenzy to shelter their children from things we shudder to think about. What are these companies doing that can create such technology but neglect to be responsible to protect children at the same time?

Who could have imagined in just 30 short years, triple XXX rated video’s would be at a child’s fingertips?

Truly challenging times we are living in!

So while the secular companies keep creating the next best technology, with not a thought to our children’s safety, we must take measures to keep them safe. Here are some points to keep in mind:

1. Rethink: does your family each need their own cell phone? If yes, (and this IS valid in this day and age), can the younger ones have android cell phones with no internet abilities?
2. If your children are under 15 or 16 do they really need to have their own cell phone? What rules can you make up that would ensure their safety but make use of more creative ways when we never had these tools to use? Neighborhood watch, dropping your kids off and picking them up, or sharing chaperoning with other moms? What ideas can you come up with?
3. If you have computers in the home, do you have them in public places only so children are never alone in a room with them? Keeping them in the living room, or kitchen, a place where you are always nearby so there are no temptations or safety issues.
4. If computers are only in the main living areas, do you also have locks on them? There are many internet blocking programs that can be used on home computers to narrow down what comes through.
5. Don’t depend 100% on these blocking devices. It’s only when you become too secure, that your child will find a way around the program and get into something you wish they had never found.
6. On mobile devices: are you ensuring your younger children are always near you when using them? Have you disabled the Safari browser at least and installed a Filtering browser app instead?
7. If you have mobile devices with your older children that are away from home for long hours working, have you looked at mobile apps that can track usage, provide a history, lock the camera use, and such? You truly can never be too careful with these precious children under our care.
8. Keep in mind, there is so much more than porn to get into, but also cyber bullies, and predators online that could be chatting with your children. Some filters are better at all of this than others. So do your homework and if one doesn’t work try another.
9. Don’t be afraid (or too busy!) to sit down with your children on the computer or mobile devices and talk. Ask them what they are looking up? What are they playing? What do they find interesting about that game or such? Keeping the lines of communications open with them is the first line of defense with your children.

10. When all is said and done, have you been praying for your children? I mean praying for them since they were a baby? Praying for their purity and their faith so they will have the graces they need when they grow up and are in the world? Now is NOT too late. Start today praying for them. Don’t despair that it is too late. Even a child that has encountered pornography online, if caught early can become a source of sorrow for them and enough motivation to help them learn a good lesson that will stay with them all their life.

Here is a list of some Filters and Blocking apps for Computer and Mobile devices I have found. I haven’t used them all, and there are surely more, but try them out. If you have something you have used feel free to leave a comment about it below!

COMPUTER FILTERS:

Net Nanny

This is a filtering program promoted by Focus on the Family.

www.netnanny.com

 

SafeEyes

allows you to easily and effectively manage your family’s activities online.  Recommended by Dave Ramsey.

https://www.mcafee.com/SafeEyes

‎

Clean Internet

safe from Spam and Porn and more.

http://www.cleaninter.net/

 

MOBILE APPS:

Covenant Eyes

Covenant Eyes offers an Internet browser for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It is designed to replace Safari. This app is free to subscribers

http://www.covenanteyes.com/support-articles/how-do-i-use-the-iphone-browser-app/

 

Curbi

provides you with ability to totally manage your child’s mobile online experience. Stop in-app purchases, block adult content and set boundaries for social media use and time wasting apps.

http://www.curbi.com/

 

PageClean

PageClean works on all apps installed on your iPhone, iPad or iPod. Most adult content blockers only work in a single app, like Safari, but PageClean works for all apps, on wifi or cellular connections.

https://www.pageclean.com/

 

Lockdown Pro

Lockdown Pro, the paid version of the popular Lockdown ‘free’ app for iPhone and iPod Touch, you can password protect applications on iPhone and iPod Touch just like the free version. Seems to be for unlocked phones?

Lockdown Pro: Password Protect iPhone Applications

 

MOVIE FILTERING:

Clearplay is one of the most popular and perhaps the only filter for modern movies. We have some friends that have used this for years with great success. We have never gotten it but hope to soon. They also have a streaming filter now saving on even having to rent or buy the movie. Amazing!

https://www.clearplay.com/

 

SHARE with me YOUR resources that worked too?

God bless you for protecting your loved ones.

With love,

Rita Xo 🙂

©Copyright 2014 Rita Davidson  All Rights Reseved.

Rita is a Catholic wife, and mother of seven, with three autistic boys. Currently a writer, & published author, she is a former hairdresser, professional make up artist with a degree in Natural Health. She is now a Young Living Distributor. After overcoming a stroke, disabilities, and more, they recently lost everything in a devastating house fire that made them homeless for six months. She is determined to lead souls back to Christ by carrying their crosses with Joy!