According to de Muyshondt, the best way to keep your kids safe in a tech-savvy world is to create a set of guidelines. Or as she refers to it, a digital contract.
"I cannot stress enough the fact that every household should have a digital contract," de Muyshondt says. "Whether your child is just getting a device or already has one, it's important to lay out the rules." She adds that parents should make the contract with the kids, rather than for them, as it allows for more conversation about social media and technology. The contract should include things like when the devices can be used, what kids can access on them, and what type of things they should and shouldn't post online.
When making the contract, however, de Muyshondt says to focus on your family's rules and not those in other households — and emphasize that to your child.
"Don't worry about what other people are saying," she says. "This is what you want your child to understand: 'whatever they're doing, that's what that family does. This is what we do in our home.'"
