A Child’s Blog: How to Keep It Safe and Fun

According to WiredSafety.org, over 6 million children write blogs. Even some top online news organizations have kid and teen contributors tackling subjects from national politics to consumer product reviews.

While blogging can provide a lot of benefits to kids, including improved writing, communication and social skills, there are also risks to consider.

If your child or teen decides to create a blog, here are some tips to make sure they are safe online:

Learn The Ropes

Set up a simple blog yourself so that you can learn the technical ins-and-outs of getting it started. The more you know, the more you can help your child.

Private or Public

Blogs are, by nature, very personal. But determine beforehand how much information you want your child to reveal. Is their full name okay or just their first name? Addresses, school information and other personal details should be left out. What is your stance on writing about local spots and including photos? Set the ground rules ahead of time.

Platform Protection

There are many social platforms that allow children and teens to set up blogs. Consider finding a service that allows your child's blog to be private and password-protected. That way, only family and trusted friends can view it.  Look for reputable, kid-friendly blog platforms.

Screen & Edit

How much oversight do you want over your child's content? What about grammar and spelling? Remember that what they post is a reflection of them. You might want to take a look at your child's entry before it posts to offer up suggestions. But be careful not to interfere with their creative process too much. It's supposed to be fun.

Monitor The Blog

Follow the posts on a regular basis and even more importantly, read the comments that may follow. It's important to get a full picture of your child's online activity.

Use the Time Wisely

Blogs can be extremely time-consuming. Make sure you talkwith your child about how much time is appropriate for them to spend blogging on a weekly basis. You don't want school or social activities to be negatively affected.