2. The Internet is good for…
Start by explaining to your kids the many reasons
why the Internet is such a great resource. Tell
Learning them a bit about the history of the Internet, the
new philosophy behind its creation and how we’ve
Getting things Listening gone from slow dial-up connections to today’s
activity to music superfast broadband.
ideas
Explain to them the social, academic and
Talking to
friends Playing entertainment value of the Internet. Provide them
and games with some examples of great child-friend
family websites, such as:
Kids.Yahoo.com – Games, movies, music, jokes
National Geographic Kids - Fun facts, educational games
Nickelodeon – Videos, shopping, fun downloads
Funology – Recipes, science experiments, trivia, craft ideas
3. Setting Boundaries
It’s important to remind your kids that their Internet privileges come with great
responsibility. Explain to them the risks involved in using the Internet, but don’t resort
to fear-mongering. Tell them you respect their decision-making skills and expect them
to think critically when navigating the Internet.
Tell them to behave on the Internet just as they would in real-life. For example, they
know not to speak to strangers on the street and the same rule should be applied in
the virtual setting as well (read more on cyberbullying). Similarly, they know it’s wrong
to bully someone at school on the playground, so it’s equally wrong to bully someone
via the Internet.
You may also want to set a limit on how much time your child spends on the Internet
each day. Though the Internet can be a valuable resource, too much Internet-use can
discourage other healthy physical and social engagement.
4. Parental Controls and Monitoring
Teaching your children how to use the Internet responsibly is a crucial step
toward ensuring their safety on the web. However, your job doesn’t end
there.
It’s equally important to routinely monitor your child’s Internet usage and
to set parental controls on all your home computers. You can download free
Internet filter software that controls what your kid can and cannot see
when using the Internet.
Though it’s important to establish a certain level of trust between you and
your child, the Internet represents a myriad of temptations that can lead
even the most well-behaved kid astray. Also, mistakes do happen. Your child
could easily come across something inappropriate in set of search engine
image results, on YouTube video or by clicking on the wrong link.
In addition to installing parental control filters, it’s also important to
physically monitor your child’s Internet use. Keep your computer in an open
area of your home, such as the living room, so that your child is never left
alone with the computer for too long a timeframe.
