Raising My Kids In The Age Of The Internet

Sadly, nowadays everything seems to revolve around the internet. This is where I got the idea of writing a blog post on raising my kids in the age of the internet. Whether it is smartphones, tablet, laptops/computers and whatever other electronic is out on the market, it seems like the internet is needed in order to be used. Hell, even TV’s now are ‘Smart TV’s’ and use the internet.

When I was growing up in the 90’s (born in the late 80’s) I honestly do not recall having ANYTHING which used or had internet. I was that generation where we played outside after school and with our toys. My brother and I were great at keeping ourselves busy. I don’t remember telling my parents I was bored (and my kids do all the time, yet they have internet!).

We did have the original antique Gameboy with the Mario game, but that was about it. And the games were so repetitive that I didn’t play on it all day. I literally would beat that ENTIRE game every single time I played it. Then dial-up internet came out and I was introduced to AOL. That shit was boring honestly. I waited for emails to feel cool (which I just deleted as they were junk) or stupid chat rooms which were not smart. And if someone picked up the telephone, the yelling started… “who picked up the phone and disconnected me?!” Yup, those were the days.

Now, all our children (well this generation in general) are born into all these electronics with internet which we did not have. The internet grew to the point where you can’t do ANYTHING without it. And because of that, our children are expecting the internet on the daily.

Even many schools nowadays use electronics and the internet in certain classes. It is just hard to keep away from it. Seems like raising kids in the age of the internet is now something we need to learn how to do properly. So whether you like it or not, our children are exposed to the internet and electronics daily. My girls FOR SURE are… not gonna lie. They watch YouTube, play Roblox… It’s just that generation where now toys are old school.

BUT, the internet literally impacts the ENTIRE family. Everyone is so busy doing their own thing that they forget about everything and everyone else around them. This is especially true for my kids. Many times I feel like I am talking to brick walls. And not gonna lie, I feel like it made my kids ‘stupid.’ Does that make sense? Like where did the common sense go?

This is why I am writing this post on raising my kids in the age of the internet. I need to do something myself about it and I feel writing this to inform you all will help me ACTUALLY put my foot down. Electronics and the Internet are a SCARY ADDICTION.

I have searched a little online and found some ways to help with the issue of technology and raising kids in the age of the internet. Because whether we like it or not, those are here to stay.

Besides for using monitoring services or parental controls, parents NEED to monitor what their children are doing themselves. Being a parent, we need to teach our children what is right and wrong when it comes to using the internet. Instead of building walls where they can’t use technology and the internet, it is better to explain things and teach them. Kids will listen if you show them you trust them. Otherwise, if you just take everything away, you are potentially going to be raising little rebels. Monitoring personally yourself helps create an environment of trust and where the child will feel comfortable talking about their digital activities. (I know mine do as they’re always talking about stuff they do on the internet LOL.)
The internet as we know it is a purposeful tool. It helps us work, study, and way more. But this all depends on how our children are using it. Older children use technology and the internet in schools for certain classes or daily researches in the library. As a parent, we need to make it clear to them that the internet is NOT meant for entertainment alone. They will get it. Trust me. Mine do. Sometimes LOL. And if they engage too much in internet usage and socialization, you may want to cut some technology time away. If they have a phone or Chromebook, just set a time thing on it where it shuts down. Easy peasy LOL. They are lucky they’re even getting some time daily to be on the internet!
In order to raise our kids in the age of the internet, you yourself also need to understand and know the platform well. How can you guide your child about the internet if you are not fully knowledgeable of the works of the internet and technology? For instance, my kids know how to use TikTok. I on the other hand have zero clue and need to learn it. We need to engage in what they are doing so that we can learn about it and have them avoid what is not appropriate, etc.
Make it known to your children that technology and the internet are not outside your authority. Children tend to respect their parents authority in things like getting good grades and doing their chores. But they should also know that we have the authority over technology and the internet as well. They should know we are doing this in order to protect them from any potential harm.

So the above are pointers I found on how to deal with raising my kids in the age of the internet and sharing them with you. Obviously you can do your own research, but I tried to narrow it down and make it straightforward. Hope these help us raise our children with ease this generation!

…and for a little more easy tips:
1. Screen time shouldn’t mean alone time – do these things together as much as possible.
2. Don’t let your children use their phones/devices for entertainment 24/7.
3. Parenting isn’t about keeping our kids away from the tools of the world but rather teach them how to use it properly. Teach them how to use technology effectively and to its fullest potential.
4. Everything is okay in moderation and is encouraged. This goes for the duration and content. Teach them to make wise media choices.
5. Create age restrictions on technologies used. This goes for social media, games, videos, etc.
6. Technology is used widely for engagement and communication, but communication face to face is still important.