It is undeniable that young people spend a lot of time on the Internet and while this does have benefits, too much can impact their life in many ways. There are so many temptations for a youngster with the information highway, gaming, gambling, porn and social media, to name but a few. As a parent, it can be challenging to keep track of their daily activities, especially if you happen to be a workaholic and are rarely at home.
Signs of excessive web use
Here are a few things to look for;
- Drop in grades – While there might be other reasons for your child’s grades to fall, you definitely need to investigate to find out. It is not uncommon for a teenager to chat all night on social media instead of doing their homework; some kids do not have the self-discipline to say no. It is, of course, possible that your child has other issues, which is why you should consider ABA therapy in Sydney from a leading Australian organisation.
- Spending all their time in their room – While you would expect a teenager to spend time alone, they should be getting some sunshine, playing sports with their friends and if this is absent from their daily routine, you should investigate what they are doing most of the time when in their room. There’s nothing wrong with reading, for example, or playing online games for a short time, but homework assignments must be done on time.
Web filters
If you are tech-savvy, configure your router to limit what your son or daughter sees online, you can even determine the amount of time they can use the Wi-Fi. If you are not familiar with the finer points of IT, ask your ISP provider if they can send an engineer to show you how to configure the network. Click here for tips on developing a better relationship with your child.
Play sports together
By creating engaging outdoor activities, you are limiting their online time, plus the experience is bonding; while we can give advice and point things out, you know your child better than anyone and if you sense an issue, discreetly start looking into it. Growing teenagers need a daily workout and if you happen to both be the outdoor type, get into something together.
Help your child to try new things
If you think your teenage offspring is spending more time online than they should, why not introduce them to new activities? It could be a sport such as boxing, MMA or a team sport; discovering new interests will likely lead to a different outlook, so do spend some time looking for things that you think your teenage son/daughter might like.
If you feel your child is spending too much time online, why not have an open discussion about it? This can be difficult with teenagers but try to remain calm and be logical.
Another thing to think about is cyber-security, which is an ever-present danger in today’s digital world.
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