Using computers is a way of life for a lot of people these days. As adults, we’ve become more aware of the dangers of things like phishing scams and viruses attached to unsolicited emails, but we may not always think about dangers that may be lurking out there for our kids.
The Internet opens up a wonderful world full of knowledge, but it also provides access to dangerous people who prey on the innocent and unsuspecting. While there is the potential for children to be exposed to disturbing or inappropriate material, parents can largely prevent this by taking an aggressive, proactive role in educating their kids about the dangers of the Internet and how to use this tool wisely.
To make sure your children remain unaffected by the risks that are out there, it’s important to have a frank and open talk with them about safe Internet usage.
It’s also a good idea to set up some guidelines for computer use, such as specific days of the week, length of time allotted per session and a list of sites that are appropriate to use for research or fun.
In fact, you can spend some quality time with your kids by using the Internet together. If you are not computer savvy, don’t be intimidated if they seem to know more about the technology than you do. By working with your children and asking questions along the way, you’ll not only help them be safe and responsible online, you may also learn a thing or two!
Here’s a list of tips for you to go over when discussing Internet usage with your children:
- Never give out personal information about yourself or your family, especially your last name, any phone numbers, work or home addresses or where you go to school without asking a parent first.
- Never email a picture of yourself or anything else to strangers without asking a parent first.
- Never open emails, file attachments or web pages that you get from people you don’t know. Some of these files can be very harmful to the computer.
- If someone sends you something that you are not comfortable with, do not respond to it and let a parent know immediately. If someone sends you something mean or offensive, it is not your fault.
- Never agree to get together with someone you have “met” online without asking a parent first. People online are often not who they say they are.
- Never give out your password to anyone except a parent.
- Never download games or any other file without asking a parent first.
- If you ever get into a situation and you are not sure how to proceed, a parent will be there to advise you.
