When schools are in session, our children spend time with homework which, for many, includes using the computer for resources. During vacations from school, our children spend more time with their favorite hobbies or interests, which are frequently accessed through computers.
Programs, games, artwork and books are available on the Internet for family enjoyment. Children can even participate in innovative and interactive games with players from the other side of the globe.
While the options that exist on the Internet are extensive -- to make friends, to talk to interesting people, to entertain themselves, to join in educational experiences, to get information and to conduct business, like any public gathering place, there are basic rules parents and children should discuss and follow. Many of the rules we put in place on the Internet are the same as other common sense do’s and don’ts.
It is our responsibility as parents to learn as much as we can about that aspect of our children's world.
The Internet may be a new environment for many of us; however, the same
commonsense rules we put in place for our children to follow each day still apply. In fact, keeping up with children on the Internet is really not much different from knowing where they go to play, who they see each day or if they look both ways before crossing the street.
If you wouldn’t want your children to give out personal information about your family in a public forum, then you wouldn’t want your children to give out that information in online forums either. You would want to know to whom they are giving information and how it will be used.
Take an interest in your children's activities, working to keep up with them and contributing to their security by providing them with a safe environment. Today that environment also includes the Internet, which not only supplies our children with additional resources for information for education, it also opportunities to "meet" new people through chat rooms and instant messaging.
Boundaries posed by the Internet include prohibiting face-to-face contact yet require an extra level of care as families define their own criteria for meeting and communicating with people online.
If you, as a parent, want to meet all of your children’s playmates and wouldn’t let your children talk to stranger on the street, then you would want to "meet" their online friends and set rules about talking to strangers online as well.There are "kids-only" chat rooms available, but child predators can provide fake information and sign on as a child.
Library access is an incredible asset for projects that your children may be researching. If you usually keep an eye on your children’s reading choices from your local library, you will want to do the same online.
The businesses of the world become part of a cyber mall through the Internet. Families can inquire about products as well as buy online. Parents and children can visit the sites of their favorite companies to learn about new products and to enjoy the entertainment value these sites provide. If you wouldn’t allow your children to go into a store to shop by themselves in an unfamiliar city, then you wouldn’t allow them to make unsupervised purchases online.
Here are some family-friendly tips:
- Spend time online together. One of the best ways to ensure a meaningful online experience for children is to explore the Internet together to learn what your children do and see online. Spending time online with your children provides an opportunity to talk about what is and what is not appropriate online behavior.
- Explore parental control technology options. Parental control software can help parents supervise online activity even if you can’t be with your children. Software packages offer the ability to: (1) help keep children from sending out personal information online, such as name, address or phone number; (2) allow Internet access only to specific predetermined sites or to sites with specific predetermined characteristics; (3) allow Internet access only at certain times of the day; and (4) provide a report of the places your children visit online. Many companies provide software products that are inexpensive and easy to install on your computer.
- Establish rules for online behavior. Although parents may want to be online with children as much as possible, that may not always be realistic. That is why it is important for families to develop their own set of clear, understandable rules for the online environment. It is suggested that the pledge include the following:
- If I want to explore parts of the Internet or another online service, I will...
- If a person I meet online asks for my address, phone number, school name, password or other personal information, I will...
- If I want to visit a Web site or play a game, and have to fill out a registration form, I will...
- If I want to buy something form a store I have visited online, I will...
Other family amendments may be added to this pledge. Rules may also be established as to limiting time families spend on computers in general. How you get involved in your children’s online experience will depend on the age and maturity of your children and how much autonomy you, as a parent, feel they can handle.
While the world of computers and the Internet provide our children with additional resources, there are challenges for parents. It is important to guide and protect children in this environment.
Resource: Direct Marketing Association, Get CyberSavvy! Washington, D.C.