About the authors vii
What other experts are saying about The Parents’ Survival Guide to
Children, Technology and the Internet ix
Introduction 1
Why you (and the world) need this book 1
How to use this book 7
1. Monitoring screen time in the
age of distraction 9
Are screens inherently bad? 10
What are the potential risks of too much screen time? 11
A quick word on brain development 17
So how can you manage screen time effectively? 18
Taking care of digital friendships 21
2. Internet addiction 25
Understanding internet addiction 27
Different types of internet addictions 30
Side effects of internet addiction 34
Internet addiction in adults 35
Healthy use of screens 37
Preventing addiction 38
Dealing with internet addiction 41
3. Sleep deprivation 45
Understanding the importance of sleep 47
Biology versus technology 49
Side effects of sleep deprivation in teens 54
Symptoms of sleep deprivation 57
Managing sleep deprivation with your teen 59
4. Parental controls 63
Looking at spyware options 65
Using network and browser filters 67
Considering monitoring software 68
Recognising the need for trust and privacy 69
Working out what’s best for your child 74
5. Cyberbullying and cyber abuse 77
Cyberbullying behaviours 78
Cyberbullying versus conventional bullying 80
Preventing bullying behaviours 88
Signs that your child is being cyberbullied 90
Signs that your child is a cyberbully 91
What to do if your child is being cyberbullied 92
How and where to report cyberbullying 97
6. Video games 101
Taking a balanced look at video games 104
Different types of video games 111
Playing online games safely 115
Video games and childhood obesity 118
Healthy video game habits 120
Managing video game addiction in children 124
Final thoughts for parents 128
7. Social media 131
Social media: Friend or foe? 132
Depression and anxiety and social media 138
Self-esteem, body image and gender norms 143
The pressure to be liked 147
The benefits of social media 149
Considering your own ‘sharenting’ 151
Sexting 154
8. Online grooming 159
Understanding online grooming 161
The six stages of child grooming 162
Who is at risk? 165
Profile of a predator 167
Parental and institutional grooming 172
Online grooming 173
Is my child being groomed? 176
Staying on the offensive and getting help 179
9. Offensive and illegal content 183
Online extremism and radicalisation 184
Online pornography 189
Actions you can take 194
Online shopping, scams and fraud 200
Scam warning signs 202
Tips for online shopping 204
Conclusion 207
References 211
