Internet Safety For Kids

All around the globe, the Internet and computers have become indispensable. We communicate with friends, search for information, shop online, use online banking to pay our bills and many other things that make our lives easier. However, there are also certain dangers that come with Internet usage. Aside from viruses, the Internet could also pose threats to our children if they are allowed to use it without proper monitoring software.

Parents can take preventive measures to tone down the dangers. But in order to be successful with the implementation of parental control software over the Internet, parents have to be tough. For the sake of your children's well-being, you need to be a parent and not a friend. We are all aware that identity theft, pornography.

A parent needs to know how to deal with computers and the Internet. Knowing how to check the previous websites recently visited, learning how cache is deleted and having the know-how in putting restrictions to unwanted websites are just a few of the skills parents need to have.

Never let your children access the Internet alone in a closed room.

Children may need privacy but hours and hours spent alone in front of the computer could spell trouble and should not be permitted. You would have no way of knowing what is going on behind that door unless you ask them and there's no guarantee that they will tell you everything. You need to encourage your children to talk to you openly about everything under the sun to build their trust and it is a good thing to start while they are still young. Never burst out in anger if your children would have opinions which are different from yours and when they say things that would upset you.

Computers should be placed in a common area.

The best place for the computer that your children are going to use is an open area like the family room. Never place computers in your children's bedrooms. You can set-up a schedule for family members to take turns using the computer. For your children's protection, children should not be allowed to use the computer unsupervised and isolated.

Educate your kids about Internet security.

Children will grow into responsible adults if they are trained at an early age. Teach your children not to provide personal information over the Internet. Make it a point to know the people in your kid's chat list and the ones they usually chat with. You have to instill in their minds that important information like their home address, their present school, the time their parents come home and other information that may pose a threat to their safety should never be given to anybody online.

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Internet Safety :Kidsguard4u

Now more than ever our children are using the internet for everyday activities such as homework, researching, and even chatting with friends. Children are more comfortable using computers because they have grown up around them.Children also have an inherent need to freely explore, and the internet is the perfect way for them to do so easily from their own home. This leaves them open to become easy targets for manipulative adults with varying motivations. Some online criminals would rather gain access to personal bank accounts, or steal your identity. Others may try to meet your child in real life to try to sexually or physically assault your child.

The internet provides no more safety than meeting a stranger in real life. Because of the false security, many people get scammed for information and they don't even realize. Many parents and teens alike might not want to believe this, but we should consider the facts. One in five children were solicited online in the past year. One in five were exposed to photos or videos of people with graphic sexual content. Things of this nature are also free and easy for a child to download. The numbers themselves are enough to scare anyone, but situations like this are easier to avoid than you might think!

It's important to talk with your children. Let them know what kind of people could be lurking, no matter how nice they might seem. Instruct your kids to limit online conversation to people you already know. If you have a child that wants to "chat" (strongly suggest otherwise), but if they MUST make sure they know what is appropriate conversation.Never under any circumstance should your child be allowed to give out any personal information such as name, phone number, email, and especially where they live, work, or go to school. Explain to your children disobeying these safety precautions could seriously harm the financial and physical well being of the entire family.

Parents want to think that our teenagers are older and wiser than our pre teens, but in reality they are more likely to get into trouble on the internet. Teens are more likely to venture around websites, exploring limitless information on everything from their favorite singer to downloading movies.Teenagers are more curious and will take bigger risks than children. They are also more likely to reach out and chat with people from the internet that they don't know personally. Remind your children that people can pretend to be anyone through a computer, so even if they think they know this person, be careful.

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Internet Safety For Kids - Tips For Parents' Peace of Mind

The newest concern for parents is Internet safety for kids. Children are growing up with information at their fingertips, but many of the places they go on-line are not safe. Chat rooms can expose children to unsavory ideas, and many other websites regularly collect information from children about their parents, their schools, and even their addresses.Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. Pedophiles are attracted to kids's websites too, and regularly try to lure kids into meeting them in real life. There have been many abduction cases that resulted in child molestation and even child pornography.The facts of on-line child abuse are hard to face, but parents can be relieved to know that there are many ways to improve Internet safety for kids. As with all child safety precautions, it is best to work actively with children so they can learn how to navigate the world's traps and tricks when they are on their own.In a perfect world, parents will always be able to monitor what their children see on-line, but of course this is next to impossible. By following the tips below, parents can gain more control of what their children see on the internet, and also rest assured that their kids will know what to do if accosted on-line.

The big picture is to agree on some "house rules" for using the Internet. Even better is to make a pact with them about on-line behavior. Here are some common rules many parents make for kids:

1. Never give your personal information on-line, including real name, address, and school. If any webpage asks for information, check with parents' first.

2. No meeting with people from chat rooms - unless parents' agree. Also, parents' should arrange to go with them to a first meeting.

3. Never send picture of yourself to others.

4. Never download any software with parental permission.

Further protection is to keep the computer in the family room, rather than in the children's bedroom. Or, agree on times when they are allowed to surf the Internet, so they can be monitored from a distance.

Kids want freedom of information, too, despite legitimate parental concerns for their safety. Often it is difficult to monitor them directly, so consider these tactics:

1. Check the Internet history weekly by clicking on preferences for most browsers.

2. Enable parental controls on search results for Google and the other main search engines.

3. Invest in software that tracks Internet history and also bars web pages that may be unsafe.

It is unfortunate that parents have to balance their children's trust with concerns for their safety, so I always recommend that the above tactics are used only as a "last defense."

source:http://ezinearticles.com