Internet safety for children:
Unfortunately in this day and age, Internet safety for kids
is something we have to teach our children, because when your child ‘surfs’
the net, they don’t necessarily know the dangers they can face online.
Just like ‘saying no’ to drugs and alcohol, giving out personal
information and pictures can lead to identity theft, and meeting with strangers
whom you’ve only talked to online can be very hazardous; has proven by
the recent wave of Internet of abductions by Internet predators.
Being aware of your child’s online activities is the best way to keep
them safe, but you can also use parental control programs to
help limit or monitor what they view or do when they go online.
You see, when your child uses the computer, parental control
is the key to their safety. What you don’t know your about kids are doing
online can hurt them and you too!
Ok, so you now have a computer at home and have access to the information superhighway.
Now what? Well keep in mind that your children also have access to that information
every time you let them go online too.
And teaching your children about online internet safety for
kids is your job! Take it very seriously. Using Internet filters,
Internet monitoring programs can help you create a child safe
Internet experience, but in the end the responsibility of keeping them safe
falls on you.
You need to teach your kids that it is not’t appropriate or safe to give
out personal information online. Teach them that they should never share any
passwords with anyone outside your family, never agree to meet someone in person
who you've only net online, and most importantly, set time limits for your children
going online and know what they do when they are in front of the computer.
Even if you don’t have a computer at home, it is a good idea to ask your
child what they know about Internet safety. Because more than likely they get
on the Internet at school, at a friend’s house or at the library, and
it is important that they understand what they should and shouldn't’t
do online.
Although your child's school may use an Internet content filter,
most of public libraries do not. So, teaching online safety
to your child is a must.
The Internet is a wonderful tool to be used for research and recreational purposes,
but as we said before many children are oblivious to the possible dangers that
can be present online.
The Internet is anonymous, so they think nothing can hurt them there. In most
cases that is true, but it is better to stay safe than end up being sorry.
Here are some important Internet safety rules you should share
with your children:
-
Don’t give out personal information (address, phone, town and name
of school, etc.) online, never agree to meet someone you’ve only talked
to online.
-
Never send your picture to someone you only know online
-
Don’t respond to messages that are mean or make you feel uncomfortable
-
Don’t give out passwords to anyone but family members and use good
‘netiquette’ when you are online.
There is no such thing as a child safe Internet, but when your kids follow
these simple rules they will have pleasant (and safe) online experiences.
We make a “child safe Internet” every time we focus on teaching
Internet safety for kids.
There are other ways we as parents can also keep our kids safe too. But by
knowing what your kids are doing online by being observant is the best way to
keep them safe, but having these types of Internet
monitoring programs as a back up can give you peace of mind.
For more information about parental controls software, Internet safety tips,
and teen peer pressure
you can visit our web site at: http://www.PCTattletale.com