Children plus Internet equal stress- enough said! Children have access to so much more information than our generation did at their tender young age. From the beginning of their tiny lives they have access to vast amount of information not only from the internet but from friends and TV, and most of the time they have a hard time taking in and processing the information.
Not only do they have access to people they have access to specific sites via our infamous World Wide Web; for example Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, dating sites, X rated sites, multitude of video games, and the list goes on and on. Their minds are over sensitized to this and all types of information, some of the sites that our children have access to are useful, but there are a plethora of sites out there that can hinder a child growth mentally and allow them to grow up faster than their chronological age . .
As a parent, I allow my children to have access to only certain sites at various ages. I try to stay two steps ahead of by forwarding their email to my email, not allowing my children on certain sites that I feel may be inappropriate, and installing software that displays sites they click onto while on the internet. Software is not the only precaution you need to take, one important aspect that some parents forget to do is to talk with their child about the importance of staying safe on the internet; and don’t stop there - just like changing your air conditioner filter you need to have periodic talks with your child about staying safe on the internet. You can read articles together and discuss them, talk with them, and role play on what could happen on the internet if you don’t stay safe.
Here are just a few of the many different programs out there to help our children stay safe on the web:
· WebWatcher 9.5/10 $97
· SpectorPro 6.0 8.8/10 $99
· SpyAgent 8.2/10 $89
Depending on what your family needs are you may find something else that suites your family better. Keep in mind these are just three of many different types’ of helpful programs out there for parents and children. You may find ones that are cheaper, but cheaper is not always better, shop around until you find the right one that fits your needs.
T There are parental controls on your computer, they may not be as intricate as some that you pay money for but it may be a start for you and your family. Keep in mind, if your child knows about the parental controls on the computer; they may try to hack into it, which will allow them on the sites that you may not want them on. Not my child?! Every parent feels that way, but every parent needs to be aware of the possibility that their child may feel the need to hack into the controls to be able to go to various sites that you as a parent, may not find appropriate.
In order to keep your child and your families’ personal information safe on the internet, here are the 10 Commandments of Online Safety you may want to review with your child at least monthly and have placed several places throughout the house:
1. I will not give out any personal information over the internet without my parents’ permission.
2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
3. When using the internet I will not use my picture or pictures of my family members.
4. The computer will be in the family room (not in a child’s room).
5. I will never agree to meet anyone that I met online without checking with my parents first.
6. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable.
7. I will not give out my internet password to anyone, not even my best friends, other than my parents.
8. I will check with my parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt our computer or jeopardize my family’s privacy.
9. I will be a good online and not to do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.
10.I will help my parents to understand what I like online, how to have fun, and teach them about how to use the internet, the computers, and all technology.
Undoubtedly, the internet and parenting have spawned new horizons when it comes to computers, the internet, and keeping our children safe. When it comes to your child’s mental health and staying safe it is unquestionably important to discuss the 10 Commandments of Online Safety with all children. When you feel uncomfortable with your child and what they are surfing on the internet than maybe it is time to sit down and discuss the importance of being safe on the internet, stick to the facts – they speak volumes.
Comments
Do you have any recommendation for kids with cell phones. I recently found Mobizim (www.mobizim.com) that provide a nice service to allow me to monitor how my kids are using their cell phones and let me see the websites they visit and view their SMS. What is your opinion about this service, any other recommendations.
I saw your listing of products and wanted to add another web filter that I currently use that your readers may like to check out. It's called Livia Web Protection - www.liviaweb.com The software works excellent to block my kids from going to adult websites or other sites like facebook or myspace that I feel they should not be accessing. They offer a free trial from their website, after the trial it's about $5 a month, which I think is well worth the investment.
Thank you for the heads up on Mobizim.com, I will certainly check it out. We just bought our children cell phones and so this is new territory to me, personally we check our childrens cell phones periodically. We also have the numbers that our children call and numbers that call them put onto our monthly bill, it is awesome. If I come across anything I will let you know. Take care!
another amazing site offering a fantastic way of protecting your kids is <www.puresight.com > and they offer a free trial. i found it incredible
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