CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

 

By Debbie Gordon

 

(NC)-Parents would never dream of sending their five-year-old anywhere unaccompanied. On the other hand, they may be comfortable allowing their teen to go to a movie with friends.

 

Obviously, when it comes to public places, the age and maturity of children determines the extent of their freedom. The same limitations should apply in the online world. The Internet is the most unrestricted public space in the world. An Internet connection allows the world into our homes and requires incredible and ongoing vigilance on the part of part of parents. Here are some practical protection tips from MSN Canada's Online Safety website http://safety.Sympatico.MSN.ca.

 

Learning the ropes: 5- 8-year-olds

 

. Make sure to discuss computers with children at an early age and be available to address their curiosity and answer questions. Investigate Parental Control software to help manage your child's online experience. Some new operating systems, like Windows Vista, actually come with parental controls. This will allow you to create profiles for each family member with appropriate settings like computer usage time limits and activity reports. If you're running Internet Explorer, you can set up the pop-up blocker to protect children from offensive pop-up windows. Encourage children to bring up anything they see or do online that makes them feel uncomfortable.

 

Evolving independence: 9 - 12-year-olds

 

. Teach children about privacy and the dangers of divulging personal information to people they don't know and on websites. Monitor their instant messaging, social networking and email contacts with online monitoring programs (like Windows Live OneCare Family Safety). With this online service, children will need parents' permission to communicate with new people. Keep Internet-connected computers in an open space in the house, not bedrooms. Create a list of Internet rules with input from each family member.

 

Social butterflies: 13 - 17- year-olds

 

. Insist that teens never arrange to meet someone they met online. Be aware of the sites frequently visited and make sure they are not visiting sites with offensive content. Discuss the dangers of posting personal information and photos on social networking sites. Teach your kids that they should not be using the Internet to spread gossip, bully, or threaten others. Create open lines of communication about online activities like gambling, chat rooms and pornography - make sure they can discuss these things without fear of Internet privileges being taken away.

 

From first learning how to use a mouse to later building social networking pages, children's online activities become very sophisticated, very quickly. As the boundaries between real and virtual become increasingly blurred, parents can play a huge role in protecting their children by setting clear guidelines.

 

Source:  News Canada