I’m sure many of you reading this blog grew up in a very different world than our children do.  We remember playing outside, and the streetlights coming on being our signal to get home.  In today’s 24/7 connected world, how do you as parents ensure that you kids are safe on the internet?  Where do you begin to even learn what children on the internet?  Knowledge is power, and we at Datahal have experience dealing with these kinds of issues – both on the residential and educational front.  While it might seem overwhelming, the goal of this post is to empower you as the parent with some knowledge and tools to stay on top of your child’s internet habits.

Many parents have come to us and asked, how do I keep my child off the internet when I don’t want them on there?  There are many ways in which to do this, but simply employing a wireless router or access point solution in your home can limit your child’s access to the times you specify.  Our Synology routers allow you to create a separate network for your children (think of it as a “guest” network” where the Wifi shuts off at 10pm as an example while you as the parents can maintain your internet access on your own network.  If your child finds a workaround to the rules, then they would face the consequences for doing so.

Let’s take it a step further – would you like to control WHAT your child does on YOUR internet connection?  If it came down to there being a need, of course.  Where do you even begin?  The same Synology router above you just setup for “guest” internet also comes with content filtering right in the system.  The interface is quite intuitive and we at Datahal can help you as the parent take charge over your internet connection.  We do this now for the school systems we support commercially.  There are also third-party solutions like OpenDNS which can help, but remember, none of these situations are 100% guaranteed.  The solution to the problem is education and communication – both with you as the parent and with your child.  Technology can be used as a tool or as a weapon and our goal with students is to help them learn how to be proper “digital citizens” and build a better world for all of us.

If you are a parent, guardian, educator and you have any questions please contact us for a consultation.  We can help you make sense of this crazy technology fueled world and lay out a framework for a positive, constructive internet experience for you and your loved ones.