The 5th Most Concerning Issue for Parents

The #5 biggest concern for parents today is teaching your child to navigate social media responsibly and safely. I'm surprised that this isn't higher on the list, but, at least glad that it is on the list at all. We could fill a book about this topic alone. However, in this short space I'll only address the most important and include the internet and computers in general.

1. At what age should you allow your child to engage on the internet? Many experts tell us that children should not become active on social media until age 16, some countries say age 18.

2. Firewalls and parental controls: http://familytime.io/?gclid=CKPa0a6Rt80CFRIbgQodLuoIGQ This is a parental control app for your kid’s electronic devices.

3. Passwords: All of your computers at home should contain passwords that do not spell out words, don't contain birth dates or anniversary dates, and don't contain your names or pet names. These are easy for kids to discover.

TRUE STORY: A father was working on his computer and discovered a great deal of pornographic websites. He was horrified. After questioning his 11-year-old son he confessed that a friend of his had shown him how to get to the sites. As a result, he became addicted to pornography -- at 11-years old. After counseling and strict changes in the families household (new locks on the office door, new password, etc.) the boy was protected for a short while. One day, the boy entered the office with his father. The father signed on to the computer. What he didn't count on was his son's smarts! The boy looked into the window behind the computer and saw the reflection as his father entered the password. The son began engaging again. While the boy is now an adult and married with a family of his own, he still struggles with pornography addiction.

4. Educate the entire family: Educate about internet safety and know who your children are communicating with on social media. This curriculum is for all ages and has been created by Springfield Public Schools.

5. Know who your children are friending on social media.

The 2011 Movie, "Trust", is a must see for every parent. It is realistic portrayal of how easy it is to manipulate the minds of youth via social media. While the script is not about a single person, the story is true and represents what happens every day on social media.

TRUE STORY: In 2013 a colleague of mine in our anti-human trafficking work told me a story about his 12-year-old daughter. He is a pastor. He and his daughter were very close. He felt it was his responsibility to raise her to develop healthy relationships with boys so when she became an adult she would have the right perspective. One evening, the father had forgotten his cell phone so asked his daughter for hers so he could make a call to his church. When he raised the phone to make a call, a text popped up. The text was filled with profanity and explicit words about sex. The father was stunned. He immediately pulled over to the side of the road and began to question his daughter about the text. Long story short, the girl did not know him. He had found her on social media and began the process of grooming her by using the age-old technique of pitting child against parent. He was so skilled that he almost convinced the girl that her father was the bad guy. Long story short, the girl was days away from meeting the man in person and only God knows what she had been spared from.