How To Protect Your Child On The Internet

The first line of defense for children against inappropriate sites should be education and an understanding of self censoring. Children need to be aware of the perils that lurk on the internet. You would not let your children loose in the front yard without a warning. Why would different rules apply to the internet.

Next is the parent’s responsibility. Parents should be present and aware of when their young children are online and what they are doing, that said. This is not always possible or practical. Life happens, kids are famous for finding their way into things that are off limits and getting into mischief. It is for this reason that education needs to be the first line of defense.

Software Possibilities

If you feel this is not enough, you can install or utilize available parental software that will restrict content, block certain sites, and disable downloads and chats. If you choose this avenue realize that at the moment these products do not always live up to what they claim to accomplish. Kids are computer savvy and they can often find workarounds for these programs. It is unwise to let these programs be a false sense of security.

Showing Trust

Personally I feel that restricting internet usage and putting of blocks and security on the internet will lead my children to believe that I do not trust or have faith in them. I set tight expectations for internet usage and keep a distance, but remain observant. I want my children to have the freedom to discover new things on their own and develop interests. I have no desire to over parent or be over protective. I want them to feel safe and be confident that they can recognize inappropriate content. Most importantly keep the lines of communication open and talk about things that they discover or have questions about.

People learn to manage responsibility only by being given responsibility. Trust a child but do not expect more than is reasonable and let them know when they live up toi this trust. It is important to teach kids about the opportunities that exist on the internet and work them into the classroom. Use the proper children’s software to get the most out of your child’s homeschool education.