Protecting your Kids on the Internet

We hear of online predators all the time. You hear about things you can do to protect your children. Have you done them? We have two children that use the internet every day. Below are some of the rules we use that can help you make sure the internet is a safe place for your own children.

Make sure an adult approves adding an email address. Don’t allow your kids to send emails to people they don’t know, or subscribe to emails on websites. This can send junk mail to your children’s email box. Junk mail can contain information you do not want your children reading, as well as links to websites.

Keep the computer in a visible place in your house. If your children are surfing in private, you don’t know what they are viewing. It’s so easy to find bad stuff on the internet. Make sure you can see what your kids are visiting.

Go in after your child has gone to bed and check the internet history to see what websites they have visited. If you feel like they have been sending inappropriate emails, you can check their email also. You can see what they have sent and what they have deleted.

Provide a list of favorites for the websites they are allowed to visit. If they have heard about a new website, check it out first to make sure it is kid friendly. Don’t allow them to search through Google or another search engine. Making sure they stick to the approved list increases the odds that their internet viewing will be safe.

Following a few suggestions can help ensure that your children are safe when online. Our children live in a different world from the one we grew up in. Make sure they are safe.

Teaching about the Internet

Kids today have a different perception of the computer and the internet. Children in elementary school are being taught how to use a computer. Some school reports require internet sources. Teaching your children about the internet and setting some rules will help keep them safer.

First, help your children understand that seeing something on the internet doesn’t make it real. Friends that they meet might not really be children. Help them to understand how the internet makes everyone anonymous. Anyone can create a web site and make their information appear as fact.

Help them set up an email account that you can control. Limit the emails they send out, make sure they are to friends that they know. Set up an email filter so that unwanted email isn’t viewable to them. Decide on rules regarding registering for things on web sites, you may not want them doing this.

Set a limit on computer time. Experts advise that children have no more than two hours of television, electronic games, or computer use in a day. Monitor their time on the computer to try to keep within these guidelines.

Show them how to search for things they are looking for. There are several great search engines for kids. Some popular search engines that cater to children include www.yahooligans.com and www.ajkids.com. If you allow them to search for information through a search engine, monitor their web browsing to make sure they don’t end up where you don’t want them.

The internet can be a great tool for children, and provided a wealth of information, games, and other fun activities. Monitor their computer time, and watch where they are surfing. Always make sure that your kids are following safety rules when on the internet.