There has never been a better time to choose homeschooling as an education option with the wide array of technological tools available to make planning, learning, and connecting as easy as a Wifi connection. However, there are pitfalls that must be considered as well, especially in a Christian household. A simple internet search can easily lead an unsuspecting child to images and articles that are inappropriate or even obscene. Many search engines and apps have built-in parental control features and utilize user-generated information to block specific hashtags and searches. Unfortunately, too often those safety features are not as savvy as the producers of the inappropriate content.
Parents should investigate every app loaded on each computer, tablet and phone to make sure the content is age-appropriate and that only necessary notifications are sent to the producer. Parents should visit the Menu tab on each app to see if Parental Controls are available and utilize those options. There are additional steps that can be taken on the device itself that can protect the use of the camera, location information, and other privacy features. But the most important tech safety feature in a home or educational setting is knowledge and supervision.
Part of a child’s education, even a very young child, should be how to respond if an image or words appear on a computer or tablet that seem strange, inappropriate, or make the child feel uncomfortable. Young children can simply tell a parent and move on but these awkward moments can be used with upper-elementary and older children to springboard into a conversation about values, ethics, and Christian beliefs. These conversations can be uncomfortable, especially from a Christian perspective, but parents have to be aware that kids will get information from the world if they are not provided the information at home.
Kids should not be afraid to utilize a search engine to get information on a subject that interests them, but they should be aware that there is a possibility of searches leading to unexpected results. Google recently announced a new search engine that provides additional filtering and safety features so that parents can confidently allow their children to explore various subjects without encountering inappropriate content. Safesearchkids.com is a great place to start but kids can also utilize safe search options on other popular apps and sites. For instance, safevideosearch.com will filter YouTube content and return only videos approved for all audiences. Of course, additional parental controls and filters can and should also be used.
Researching topics of interest has never been easier; the internet has opened up a world of possibility to kids who are learning from home and, with the proper precautions, it can be done in a safe and responsible way. One of the biggest benefits of homeschooling is allowing kids to really dig into a subject that grabs their attention so it would be a shame if the fear of inappropriate content limited a child’s chance to learn. Between app and search engine selection, proper use of parental controls and limits and, most importantly, supervision and communication, the use of the internet to learn can be safely utilized by children in a homeschool setting.
Mimi Rothschild is a veteran homeschooling mother of 8, writer of a series of books called Cyberspace for Kids, and passionate advocate for children and education that is truly worthy of them. In 2001, Mimi and her late husband founded Learning By Grace, a leading provider of online Christian homeschooling Academies.