As summer comes to an end and students head back to school, families are busy preparing for a successful year. One important part of that preparation is helping children develop safe and healthy digital habits.

Digital Safety at Home

From middle school through college, smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life. They help students stay connected with friends and family, complete schoolwork, and access information anytime. However, these devices also create opportunities for online risks that every family should understand, including cyberbullying, geolocation, inappropriate content, sexting, and malware.

One strategy to keep your child safe is creating a nightly “digital curfew.” Set a time when phones and other devices are put away. Keeping phones outside of bedrooms overnight limits unsupervised online activity and temptations that often occur late at night. This also can reduce distractions and encourage healthy sleep habits, which are beneficial for children and adults alike.

Maintaining ongoing conversations about online safety is just as important as setting boundaries. Talk with your child about protecting personal information, recognizing that people online may not be who they claim to be, and making thoughtful decisions before posting or sharing content. Help them understand that the internet is a public and lasting space where digital choices can have long-term consequences.

Digital safety is about more than screen time; it’s about helping young people make smart choices online. By establishing clear expectations, encouraging responsible technology use, and keeping communication open, families can help students confidently navigate their digital world throughout the school year.

Original reporting: Positively Naperville (Aurora area) — read the source article.