As we discussed his background, his writing and the new book, it was obvious to me that I wanted to interview Chad for this blog as part of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month for 2025. (On a related note, President Donald Trump issued a new National Cybersecurity Awareness Month proclamation on Oct. 17, 2025.)
I was impressed with many aspects of the book: It is short, an easy read, starts with why this issue is important, answers tons of practical questions, offers age-appropriate advice through high school, has talking points, a sample family tech contract, great pictures and much more.
Indeed, numerous previous blogs over the past 20 years have proclaimed that if you want to change hearts and minds regarding cyber etiquette, best practices, and helpful habits to protect people, start with families and home networks to really get attention.
Dan Lohrmann (DL): What got you interested/passionate about parenting and cyber safety?
As a dad of two, one in preschool and one in elementary school, I completely get it. Being a cyber professional, I’ve been able to develop some strong knowledge, and let’s face it, a bit of paranoia, that has helped me protect my kids. And I wanted to be able to share my knowledge with others as well so that everyone had the ability to protect their family. That’s really what sparked my passion for this topic.
DL: Why did you decide to write this book?
CR: The same questions kept coming up from parents everywhere and they deserved clear, practical answers. Writing the book was my co-author, Kae David's, and my way to take those one-on-one conversations and scale them so more families could benefit.
There are plenty of books that explain cybersecurity, but the average reader needs to look up every other word/acronym to understand. We wanted to make it easier for parents without a tech or security background to understand where to start without feeling overwhelmed. That’s also why we launched a companion blog to dive deeper into practical topics like setting up a tablet safely for a child or locking down social media settings. The goal is to make cyber safety approachable for families at every stage.
Life is busy. You don’t have hours to research every new app or trend. We wanted to create something short, simple and real, something you could pick up, flip through and actually use. Like the included tech contract that we encourage readers to rip out and fill in with their children. The goal was to empower parents, not scare them, to show that keeping kids safe online starts with connection and communication, not control.
DL: How did you connect with your co-author? How did that go as a team?
CR: I have a strong belief that corporate culture needs to be nurtured. I originally met Kae through our day jobs, consulting at Accenture. We met up frequently over coffee or lunch to discuss work and personal updates. We wanted to make a difference outside of enhancing corporate defense with our clients. We connected over a shared belief that cybersecurity doesn’t have to be intimidating and that everyone deserves the knowledge and ability to protect their children online. We both saw how lost parents felt when it came to online safety, and we wanted to create something practical and human-centered.
Working together went really well. We balanced each other out, across cybersecurity specialties and work styles. The process wasn’t always easy, especially when you are writing a book on nights and weekends, but the collaboration kept the content grounded in what families actually need.
DL: What are the top two or three things you want parents to know about protecting their child in the digital age?
CR: 1. Start the conversation early. Kids don’t need a lecture; they need to feel comfortable coming to you when something goes wrong online. This goes for schools too — ask teachers and administrative staff how tech is being used at your child’s school.
2. Set boundaries with them, not for them. Bring them into the process so they feel ownership. It builds trust and teaches responsibility.
3. Teach critical thinking. The best safety tool isn’t software; it’s your child’s mindset. Help them question what they see, who they talk to, and why privacy matters.
As a parent, I try to treat these like life skills, not restrictions. We’re not just keeping our kids safe; we’re preparing them to make smart choices for the rest of their lives. Lastly, freeze their credit. It takes some effort, but it is one of the best ways to protect their identity in an age where data is everywhere. I did it for my kids and wrote a blog about it so others can do it even faster than I did!
DL: How do you decide how much autonomy to give children?
CR: It’s really about earned trust. Every child is different, and their maturity matters more than their age. Let me also say, I’m a cybersecurity professional, not a therapist or child development specialist. But I like to explain what works for me personally in our blogs and the book. When children show responsibility, following rules, being honest about mistakes, you open up more digital freedom.
I like to think of it like teaching them to drive. You start in the driveway, then the neighborhood and eventually the open road. The goal isn’t to lock them down forever, it’s to guide them toward independence while you’re still there to help.
I practice the "devices don’t leave the first floor" method. I believe that devices shouldn’t go to their rooms at night. This allows for screen time monitoring and limiting screen time to healthy levels.
DL: What are your thoughts about phones in school?
CR: I don’t think phones need to be taken away at the door but also don’t see why K-12 students need them at their desks during class. Phones can be great tools for learning and safety, but they can also be huge distractions for some students. I think schools should create clear, consistent policies that protect focus in the classroom but still let parents reach their kids when needed. For example, keep the phone in your bag on silent during class time, limit use in between classes, be explicit about when phones can be used openly during school hours.
When it comes to my ability to reach my children, or them me, in case of an emergency, I think they should be available in their bags. Out of reach so they don’t distract, but available if required.
A school in St. Louis area just implemented a full ban. Some students are upset because they need their phone to track sports practice that could be canceled. But the reality is that the students are finding ways to entertain themselves with card games and writing “old school” notes. It’s certainly interesting seeing how this is implemented and the social dynamics behind it.
DL: What do most parents miss regarding this topic?
CR: A couple things on this. Parents (and educators) need to remember to teach the basics of using tech and what the Internet is. Children born any time in the last 10 to 15 years have tech all around them at all times. It’s important to simplify the messaging and teach them what a secret password is, what special information is (PII), that not everyone is who they say they are online — reinforce the basics.
Also, most parents underestimate the emotional side of online life. It’s not just about screen time and filters, it’s about how kids feel online. The pressure to fit in, the comparison, the constant feedback loop. It’s heavy stuff for a young mind.
That’s why emotional safety has to be part of the cyber safety conversation. Teach kids to recognize how online experiences make them feel and that it’s OK to take breaks or ask for help. Tech tools matter, but the real safety net is the relationship between parent and child. In order to stop cyber bullying, we have to teach them not to be bullies. It sounds simple but we were all kids, not everyone is nice all the time. My goal is to teach empathy and kindness in parallel to cyber dos and don’ts.
DL: Anything else you want to add?
CR: This isn’t about being a perfect parent, it’s about being a present one. You don’t have to know every setting or understand every new app. Let us help you help your kids; work through the practical steps at the end of each chapter and be informed of the risks. If you can create a home where tech is something you talk about openly, you’re already doing the most important part.
And for parents who want to go deeper, that’s exactly why we created the blog: it takes the ideas from the book and gives you step-by-step help for real-life scenarios.
FINAL THOUGHT
For more tips and resources for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025, see this Lohrmann on Cybersecurity blog from last October with plenty of ideas, tips and links to helpful content to keep safe online.
