Internet Security for Kids

Just like in the real world, the internet has its seamy side and can be a lot less fun for children if they find that rough side too soon. You can take some steps to protect them from the things that the internet has to offer by setting down a few house rules and then making sure that they get the attention they deserve.

Children who work online are proven to have better communications skills and learn more than those who do not, but that doesn’t mean the internet has nothing shoddy to offer them.

Stay Involved in Their Online Life.

Just as you would get involved and stay involved in their social life, you must also get involved in their online world and stay there.  If you would not let your kids visit the neighborhood five blocks away without walking them you should not let them just log onto the internet and stay there for several hours without at least knowing what’s happening there.

Preventing yourself from falling asleep as you visit the twentieth website devoted to online pets or toys is something that is nearly impossible to do but prior to your kids being 6 or 7 you need to be with them while they surf.

Once they reach seven or eight years of age, the experts say if you have taught them well then they can surf without you by their side but you should be close by and checking in frequently as to what they are doing.

Set Guidelines and Limits for Internet Use.

Make sure that you know when the kids are online, what sites they are using and then choose how long they can stay there. That depends a lot on the sites they visit of course. Children who are under age 8 or 9 who are visiting primarily sites like Webkinz or pet shop sites don’t require as much overseeing as others but still be certain they don’t spend several hours there, and check in frequently to make sure that they haven’t gotten bored and are now surfing other sites.

Some families also say that they permit certain sites to be part of the places kids can go online without permission but that anything new that they view and spend time on has to be seen and approved by mum or dad prior to being on the list of sites that they can simply go to without approval or someone viewing with them

Teach your children to take care of their own privacy by refusing to reveal things like personal information, schools, addresses, phone numbers or when they are at home or not  home.

Instruct them to never open an email from someone they don’t now to not reply to messages from those who they aren’t familiar with and to never arrange to meet anyone online.