Kids and Internet Safety: Security Iniatiatives Parents Can Take

I was amazed to learn that children as young as fourth grade are already spending time on the internet. I went and looked around online to see if any of my children's friends were on there. I found no one that I knew, no, but I did find many that shocked me. Young teens and even preteens post pictures that are not ones I'd let my kids post. They create headlines that would make their parents take their internet privileges if only they knew...

That's the whole go getter right there. If only they knew. I cannot fathom that the parents of those young people with those pictures and those headlines know. This leads me directly to the point. The point is that the only way to keep your kids safe online, or anyplace for that matter, is to supervise. Parents are responsible for knowing what their children are doing and who they are talking to at all times. This is especially true concerning the internet. This supervision is what keeps kids safe because it allows parents to know and to intervene. When you notice some strange person chatting with your child you can stop it if you know about it.

Say your young one comes home from school and asks to use the internet. Do you say "Yeah, go ahead", or "Why? Why do you want to do?". Many parents just say yes. Their kids go off to their rooms or off to the computer room and close the door. The parents will only know what their kids are doing if they go and check. Many do not. It's these kids who end up in harms way. Their parents don't even see it coming because they were not checking.

When your child asks to use the Internet, ask why. Ask what they want to do. If they want a profile page let them have one. The lack of parental supervision is the problem, not the yahoo or aol messenger, or the site where friends meet to chat. If you always ask why then when the time comes that your child wants to join a site or wants to create a profile page you will know, from day one.

When that time comes demand to know the password. If your child is hiding nothing they will not hesitate to hand it over. I also encourage parents to create the page with their child. It's actually really fun. Being involved and supervising is how parent can keep their children safe online. When you as a parent are able to read and see what's going on, who your child is talking to, who is or has been talking to your child, and such then you can foresee and prevent problems. If there's a bully you can take care of it. If there's a weirdo hanging around you can make sure their gone by reporting and blocking. See? If you as a parent are not involved then you will not know if there is a bully or a weirdo. Take care, stay involved, supervise and be safe!