Online Safety Resources
Children and teens have more access to technology and social media than every before. Technology can bring many positives to your child’s life, including: staying connected to friends and family across the country and world; the ability to learn and research just about any topic they’re interested in; and access media that brings them joy (we’re looking at Bluey, Taylor Swift, and Punch the Monkey fans).
But even with those positives, technology and social media has been shown to have a negative impact on all of us. It can disrupt our sleep, make us self conscious, and anxious (the bad news cycle is never ending).
We want to help keep you and your family safe online, so that those positives can shine through! Below you will find resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Department of Homeland Security, ACHI, and more. These resources are meant to help you as a parent/guardian better understand the impacts of technology and social media, how to set up parental controls, and how to allow your child to still have access to the technology they want, but in a safe way.
This page is supported through a Healthy People 2030 grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Family Media Plan
Creating a Family Media Plan can help you and your children set media priorities that matter most to your family, in line with your values and routines.
know2protect
Understand the problem. Know the threats. Take action. These are the three ways you can fight online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
A Family Guide to Parental Controls
Parental controls enable you to control what your child accesses online. They can filter out inappropriate content, limit what images or online conversations can be shared, and set limits on screen time.
The Complete Guide to Apple iPhone and iPad Set-up and Parental Controls
A step-by-step guide to setting up parental controls on Apple devices.
Best Phones for Kids: The Ultimate Guide
A complete review of Gabb, Pinwheel, Troomi, and Bark phones. All are great, mission-minded organizations that want to protect kids online.
Parental Controls for Social Media on Mobile Devices: A How-To Video
ACHI has created this video as a resource to help parents/caregivers understand how to find and use parental controls on mobile devices.
Online Health & Safety for Youth: Best Practices for Families
The Center of Excellence produced a framework to help parents teach children how to use digital media and manage their presence on online platforms.
Conversation Starters for Families About Media
This resource gives parents & guardians ideas and examples to help start conversations with tweens and teens about technology, social media, and video games.
School Smartphone Policies: How Parents Can Help
This parent resource was developed to help parents support their child in following school phone policies while maintaining healthy communication during the school day and planning for emergencies.
The Calm Toolbox: Healthy Ways to Cope With Stress
The activities in this toolbox work to help calm your nervous system by slowing your breathing and heart rate, providing a positive distraction, or providing a physical outlet for releasing energy.
Reboot Your Family’s Tech Life
Screens and technology can be a resource for families but also can start to feel out of control. Here are some things you can do to reboot your family’s relationship with screens.
Glossary of Digital Media Platforms
The Glossary of Digital Media Platforms provides detailed information about video sharing, social media and gaming apps commonly used by children and teenagers along with mobile device systems and controls.
Early Childhood Development and Screen Time Toolkit
The Toolkit was developed for use by early childhood educators, childcare providers, early interventionists, home visitors, pediatricians, or other professionals who support families with young children.
Building Healthy Relationships with Media: Essential Skills for Children 10 and Younger
The following practical strategies are ways to build balance, critical thinking, self-regulation, and safety skills for toddlers through elementary school-aged children.
The Good and Bad of Social Media
The connection between social media and mental health is complicated and
personal. Everyone responds to social media differently. Here are a few ways to think about how social media impacts kids and teens.
