5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe Online

According to de Muyshondt, the best way to keep your kids safe in a tech-savvy world is to create a set of guidelines. Or as she refers to it, a digital contract.

"I cannot stress enough the fact that every household should have a digital contract," de Muyshondt says. "Whether your child is just getting a device or already has one, it's important to lay out the rules." She adds that parents should make the contract with the kids, rather than for them, as it allows for more conversation about social media and technology. The contract should include things like when the devices can be used, what kids can access on them, and what type of things they should and shouldn't post online.

When making the contract, however, de Muyshondt says to focus on your family's rules and not those in other households — and emphasize that to your child.

"Don't worry about what other people are saying," she says. "This is what you want your child to understand: 'whatever they're doing, that's what that family does. This is what we do in our home.'"

And we don't mean what happens if they violate your digital contract! Too often, kids try to make the argument that they are entitled to privacy on social media. But the digital world is anything but private.

"Kids need to understand, first and foremost: it's not private," de Muyshondt says of the Internet. "Anything and everything a child does online is accessible. Even if they have their security and privacy settings set up perfectly, it doesn't make a difference." Before your kids join social media, explain to them that anyone can see the things they post, and emphasize the importance of thinking twice before sharing something.

As hard as we try to push our kids away from social media, the fact is that it is a part of their lives. So rather than complain about it, de Muyshondt says parents should educate themselves on the topic.

"The more that you don't understand it, the further apart you're going to drive yourself from your child," she explains. She suggests testing the social media waters for a month to see how the sites operate and what kids find so appealing about them. Even if you delete your account after 30 days, the experience will help you connect and communicate with your child about the topic.

"Understanding the world your child is living in is so important," de Muyshondt says. "I'd rather be the engaged parent than the one that is like, 'Oh, kids today,' and rolls their eyes."

We hate when kids try to bend and break our rules, so why would we let them do that when it comes to a company's? While some parents may let their children join social media before they reach the required age, de Muyshondt says that's a major no-no.

"Those rules are set up for a reason," she says. "It's not like a kid is going to be missing out on Facebook at 10 years old." She adds that letting them join early sends the message that your child is "above and beyond the rules." And no parent wants a child thinking that!

One downside to letting your kid be active online is that they can become victims of cyberbullying. De Muyshondt says it's important to make kids aware that this happens and to come up with a plan for dealing with it.

"Just like you teach them what's not appropriate [for them] to post online, you should tell them what's not appropriate for someone to post or say about them," she says. "If they see something they don't like, have them tell you or another adult they trust." Depending on your child's age, de Muyshondt suggests talking to the parent of the bully or going to the police if the content is severe enough.