Protecting Your Child from Online Dangers

Author Mandy Majors and her husband, Matt, knew their parenting had to shift into a different gear when their nine-year-old daughter asked where babies come from. It turns out her daughter’s friend had watched a sexually graphic video at home then shared details about it at school.

Mandy and her husband admit to overreacting to the situation by immediately saying no to all technology. Unfortunately, when they bubble-wrapped their daughter and tried to control her every move, a wall went up between them, and their connection and communication suffered.

As time went by, Mandy realized that her daughter had been exposed to harmful ideas while at school, which meant she was at risk whether or not she was allowed to access technology. That’s when Mandy and Matt changed their parenting strategy: instead of saying no to all technology, they decided to learn how to parent in the midst of it.

Mandy is joining me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to share what she’s learned about keeping children safe in a digital world. She offers practical insights and guidance for how to:

Avoid “crazy-parent” mode when dealing with technology.
Create dialogue and have a conversation instead of lecture.
Create a safe place that will help your child trust you in matters related to technology.
Adopt a no-secrets family policy.
Answer your child’s questions.
Set effective family screen guidelines.
Teach your kids to protect their hearts and minds.
Teach your kids to develop a moral compass.

When my boys, Trent and Troy, were young, Jean and I went back and forth about when to allow them to have smartphones. We chose to delay as long as possible. It was the right choice for us, but we were also keenly aware that we couldn’t always control the content on their screens. Instead, we controlled the conversations we had with them about that content.

Mandy Majors will help you do the same. Mandy is the founder of nextTalk, a nonprofit organization that helps keep children safe online by creating a culture of conversation in families, churches, and schools. Hear our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, or take us with you on our free phone app.

Her book Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital World: A Solution That Works: And 10 Practical Ideas for Implementing It is available to you for a gift of any amount. Click here for more information or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).