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Five
Secrets for Parents to Help Encourage Responsible Use of the Internet
By Marty W Stewart
Web Site: Responsible Kids Network
Children are increasingly using the Internet for schoolwork,research,
communicating through e-mail and live chat, and downloading information
like music files and streamline video. As technology progresses and children
find even more need to use the Internet, parents must develop clear-cut
and consistent rules while children are online.
Establishing these rules can be quite a challenge for many parents. Since
most children over the age of 10 or 11 probably know more about the Internet
than mom or dad, it's imperative that parents continue to absorb what's
available to children and communicate and teach responsibility while spending
time online.
Many parents want to rely solely on content filtering software or kid-safe
Web sites, but many times this is just not enough. As children grow with
the ever-changing online landscape, parents must make sure children are
prepared to handle the content increasingly available to them.
Here are five secrets parents can use to encourage safe and responsible
use of the Internet:
Place your family's computer in a room in the house that is centrally
located and easy for parents to walk by to monitor or participate in what
a child is viewing. It is recommended not to let a child have a computer
in his/her room or behind closed doors. This will only contribute to a
child's false sense of security while on-line and hinder parents' efforts
to stay involved in what children are doing while using the computer.
Limit the amount of time a child spends on-line. Like any other activity,
using the Internet should be done in moderation and not interfere with
other healthy activities for children. Once a child chooses to spend time
on-line rather than interacting with other children face-to-face, or his/her
other interests seem to always come second to the computer, then it may
be time to review with the child how important is to show moderation while
enjoying the Internet.
Spend time with children online. Get involved with a child's interests
on the Internet. If a child is chatting with friends, e-mailing jokes
back and forth, or playing on-line games, a parent must keep up to date
on the various goings on. Sit down next to the child and observe what
they are using the computer for. Parents need to help children explore
the vast resources of the Internet, and educate them (and themselves)
on what the Internet has to offer. Surfing the Internet with a child or
establishing a joint e-mail account between parent and child will also
help parents stay in touch.
Monitor what your children are doing and where they are going while online.
This can be the trickiest of challenges for parents, but it is so vital
to make sure children do not stray into areas of the Internet that contain
inappropriate (even harmful) material. If a child strays from pre-designated
safe Web sites, parents should use healthy parenting skills such as reinforcing
agreed upon parameters (even taking away online privileges as a consequence
of not following rules).
Set up a "responsible use contract" between parents and children. Using
e-mail, surfing the Web and downloading flies are all activities that
children will be using while connected to the Internet and parents need
to make agreements with children on responsible behavior. By establishing
the rules of responsible use early, there should be no confusion as to
what is considered responsible and safe use of the Internet. (A FREE "contract"
is available at http://www.ResponsibleKids.net/contract.htm)
The Internet offers children unprecedented access to incredibly valuable
information and it's up to parents to promote responsible online use.
Marty W. Stewart is author of "How to Survive the Internet
With Your Kids," and "101 Tips on How to Survive the
Summer With Your Kids." Have questions about parenting
and the Internet? Email Marty: mailto:Marty@ResponsibleKids.net
FREE Family Internet Survival Guide
Email: mailto:safekids@sendfree.com
"How to Survive the Internet With Your Kids"
http://www.ResponsibleKids.net/internet.htm
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