Bonding with your grandkids can take
many different forms. As the children get older, grandparents can take a back
seat, or be a source of reassurance, confidential communications, and words of
wisdom.

Buck the stereotypes and instead of
withdrawing, engage in a topic that may be more “flammable” with
their parents – being smart and staying safe in the
online world.

Dare I say, go a step further. Make
sure that you or the parents are monitoring social media accounts and know
about all the apps the kids are using. Many teenagers set up fake accounts so
the parents won’t know or see what’s going on.

Kids are trusting. They tend to have
a frame of mind that they already know the dangers of the online world and that
grownups are “out of it” because we didn’t even have the Internet when
we were young.

As adults, we appreciate the extent
of the risks, and we owe it to our offspring to learn about how to best empower
them to be safe.  

Keeping your safety tips short but
sweet is key when you want your grandchildren to stay engaged with you. Here
are eight lessons to teach them to help protect them online.

Don’t Give Personal Information

Explain to your grandchildren what’s
personal and what’s private. Things like their full name, address, and school
might seem like harmless information, but it can allow someone to find them.

Don’t Share Their Location

Innocent-looking things, like posting
pictures that show a recognizable site, can expose details about their lives.
Somebody could be following their routine and the places they regularly visit
if it’s broadcast on social media.

Teach them not to post vacation
photos while they are away from home. It is best to wait to post pictures after
they get back.

Don’t Accept Follow Requests from Strangers

Make social media accounts private
and go through the security settings with your grandkids. Only allow people they
know to follow them. It’s not good enough for your grandkid to accept a “friend
of a friend” as a buddy they can trust.

Report Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying includes threats,
rumors, impersonating another person, and posting unfavorable photos. Teach
your grandchild there is zero-tolerance for this behavior, from them or anyone.

Make sure they know that if they are
feeling bullied online, they need to report it to an adult immediately. If that
adult does nothing, tell them to let you know what’s happening.

Passwords Aren’t Supposed to Be Easy, Memorized, or Reused

Using complex passwords that are
unique for each account is a must. Educate your grandkids on what a secure
password is, and that it should be stored in a secure app on their device.

It shouldn’t be memorized. It should
be 12+ characters, with a mix of numbers, letters, and other characters. And
don’t use any real words, like their name or a pet’s name.

Private Chats on Social Media or in Games Are Where Predators Can Lurk

Private texting should only be with
people they know and trust. Tell them that if they start to feel uncomfortable
or someone is asking a lot of personal questions, it’s time to tell an adult. They
must NEVER agree to meet up with someone they met through a game or app in a
private chat.

Depending upon the ages of your
grandchild(ren), group texting should be discouraged. Bullying and mean
behavior are accentuated in group threads.

What Is Posted Online Lives Forever

Posting inappropriate remarks or
photos of themselves or others exercising questionable judgment can be damaging
to their reputation now or in the future. Emphasize to them that once something
is online, it‘s out there for the world
to see.

If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is

Offers for free stuff many times are a
way to get people to click on malicious links that have malware or dangerous
content. Explain this to your grandkids and teach them that it isn’t safe to click!
 

Ask your grandchild to allow you to
follow them on social media platforms. If you get invited in, you will have the
opportunity to have conversations about what is happening in their life, as
well as to see what they are doing online.

Remember, these aren’t just smart
rules for your grandkids; they are rules you should be following too.  

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How often
do you talk to your grandkids about online safety? Are you monitoring any of
their behaviors or do their parents do that? Do you have any other tips that
you share with them? Please tell us in the comments below.