--- title: Teaching Your Children About Online Safety | NCHS description: Education about internet safety begins at home. talk to them regularly about what is appropriate behavior online. NCHS is a Nebraska Adoption Agency. image: https://blog.nchs.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/dreamstimemaximum_7828368.jpg --- [Donate](https://nchs.org/donate/) - - - - - [402.451.0787](tel:402.451.0787) [402.451.0787](tel:402.451.0787) - [130th Anniversary](https://nchs.org/130-years-nchs-celebration/) - [Calendar](https://nchs.org/events/) - [Careers](https://nchs.org/careers/) - [Get Involved](https://nchs.org/get-involved/) [Donate](https://nchs.org/donate/) [![Finalized-NCHS-Full-Color](https://blog.nchs.org/hubfs/Finalized-NCHS-Full-Color.svg)](https://nchs.org/) - [Family Support](https://nchs.org/family-support/) - Column 1 - [Pregnancy Services Offering resources, support, & guidance as you determine the best course of action for you & your family.](https://nchs.org/pregnancy-services/) - [Top Pregnancy Questions](https://nchs.org/pregnancy-services/top-questions/) - 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Whether it is to do school research, browse websites or playing online games with friends, it is important to make sure that they are safe and aware of basic internet safety. This means not leaving themselves open and vulnerable to strangers, not giving out personal information and speaking up if they have encountered someone online that is bullying them. We can’t take the internet away – it is part of everyday life, and confiscating phones and tablets will only be seen as unfair punishment. Instead, we need to [teach children to keep safe](https://nchs.org/summer-water-safety-for-children/) and savvy online.   **Understanding cyberbullying** Cyberbullying is the use of the internet and electronic communication in order to intimidate or threaten someone. 65% of children have [experienced some form of cyberbullying](https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cyberbullying.html), both from people that they know and from strangers. Just because this happens online doesn’t mean that it’s any less serious than bullying in person. In fact, the consequences are just the same. You should speak to your children about how best to deal with bullies. Firstly, they should tell an adult. Secondly, they should learn how to report and block the person in question. Make sure you praise them about this and tell them that [bullying is sadly common](https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewrossow/2018/05/06/you-no-longer-need-to-be-on-social-media-to-be-a-victim-of-cyberbullying/#4b5b89f730cd). The more we talk about it, the easier it will be to stamp out. It is also important to stress to your child that the bullying says far more about the bully than it ever does about the victim.  **Keeping personal information safe** To help make it clear exactly which information you are giving away, web designers work to make websites accessible so that everybody can [read and listen to all the content](https://websitebuilders.com/accessibility/). A minimalist design with transcripts helps to make it completely transparent when it comes to understanding what information you are giving to someone else. However, when you are on social media, it is not quite so easy. Sometimes, you think that you are having a conversation with a friend when in fact you are freely giving away valuable personal information. [94% of teenagers use social media](https://www.guardchild.com/statistics/), such as Twitter and Facebook, and restricting these channels is difficult. However, parents can teach their kids not to part with pertinent details online, such as passwords, addresses and financial information.  **Develop a trusting relationship** 69% of teenagers frequently receive online communications from complete strangers and don’t tell a parent or guardian. Many of these communications are innocent. Perhaps the communication is merely a friendly part of a [Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game](https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/stay-secure-mmo-games/1180/) (MMORPG), such as Roblox or Fortnite. However, 89% of unwanted solicitations are made through chat rooms and online instant messaging. You should aim to develop a relationship with your children where you can openly discuss what is going on online and how to deal with any inappropriate behavior. That way, they will hopefully tell you if one of their online relationships is questionable. Education about internet safety begins at home. Teach your children about stranger danger online and how to keep their personal information secure. Most of all, talk to them regularly about what is appropriate behavior online.  Security solutions are also important for the workplace. To learn more about IT solutions for your workplace, visit one of our supporters at [www.coretech.us](https://www.coretech.us/). [![NCHS Team](https://blog.nchs.org/hubfs/NCHS-Team-Author-IMG.png)](https://blog.nchs.org/author/nchs-team) [NCHS Team](https://blog.nchs.org/author/nchs-team) The NCHS team is committed to helping children, parents, grandparents, and families create a safe and loving home. To the NCHS Team, children always come first. By providing support to families and parents, NCHS works to ensure children have access to the care, love, and development opportunities they need to be successful adults. ## Related Blogs August 29, 2024 ##### Am I Ready for a Baby? Deciding to welcome a new life into your world is one of the most significant decisions you'll ever... Read More + May 16, 2024 ##### How Lifebooks Help Children Understand Their Adoption Journey As an adoptive parent or guardianship parent, you may have come across the term "Lifebook" in your... Read More + May 9, 2024 ##### Your Go-To Guide for Financial Support When Pregnancy Surprises You When you find out you're pregnant, and it's the last thing you were expecting, it can throw you for... 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