In this day and age, it is nearly impossible to cut out the use of all technology and social media, especially with your kids. According to the Pew Research Center, kids ages 8 to 12 spend about six hours online every day, while teens spend an average of 9 hours online each day. But, since tweens and teens often keep their lives to themselves, it can be tricky to get clear answers as to what exactly they are doing online. And because of the unpredictability of the Internet, it leads parents to constantly worry about what they are doing, who is contacting them, and are they safe.

It is important to familiarize yourself with what your children are doing online and to have an open dialogue with your children about online safety. The National Crime Prevention Council provides several resources and tips for how to keep your kids safe on the Internet. It's also a good idea to teach them about responsible online behavior and cyberbullying. There are also kids safe search engines and Google safe search filters you can use to increase their safety online. But, if you are still wary about giving your children full Internet freedom, there are a few tools you can use to keep track of what they are up to online. Please note that ImOn has no affiliations with any of these apps.

Besides using apps to monitor your child’s online activity, you should also install an anti-virus software and anti-spyware software on your devices before your kids start using the Internet. This will help to secure and protect your computer from online hacking. And ImOn Communications offers TechHome Services that include both desktop security and parental controls for your online protection and peace of mind. For more information on ImOn’s TechHome services, visit http://www.MyImOn.com/TechHome.