| One of the big areas today of concern for child | | | | is in real life. |
| safety is the internet. Parents must protect their | | | | 6. Show your kids how to respect others online. |
| children from online predators. | | | | Make sure they know that rules for good |
| Before you allow your child to go online without | | | | behavior don't change just because they're on a |
| your supervision, make sure you establish a set | | | | computer. |
| of rules that you can all agree on. | | | | 7. Insist that your kids respect the property of |
| If you're not sure where to start, here are some | | | | others online. Explain that making illegal copies of |
| ideas on what to discuss with your kids to teach | | | | other people's work/music, video games, and |
| them about using the Internet more safely. | | | | other programs, is just like stealing it from a |
| Here are 10 things you can teach kids to improve | | | | store. |
| their Web safety | | | | 8. Tell your kids that they should never meet |
| 1. Encourage your kids to share their Internet | | | | online friends in person. Explain that online friends |
| experiences with you. Enjoy the Internet along | | | | may not be who they say they are. |
| with your children. | | | | 9. Teach your kids that not everything they read |
| 2. Teach your kids to trust their instincts. If they | | | | or see online is true. Encourage them to ask you |
| feel nervous about anything online, they should tell | | | | if they're not sure. |
| you about it. | | | | 10. Control your children's online activity with |
| 3. If your kids visit chat rooms, use instant | | | | advanced Internet software. Parental controls can |
| messaging (IM) programs, online video games, or | | | | help you filter out harmful content, monitor the |
| other activities on the Internet that require a login | | | | sites your child visits, and find out what they do |
| name to identify themselves, help them choose | | | | there. |
| that name and make sure it doesn't reveal any | | | | Children are going online at younger and younger |
| personal information about them. | | | | ages, in fact, the fastest growing segment of |
| 4. Insist that your kids never give out your | | | | Internet users is now pre-schoolers. Many kids are |
| address, phone number, or other personal | | | | using the Internet at school by the time they are |
| information, including where they go to school or | | | | 6 years old, so they'll probably want to go online |
| where they like to play. | | | | at home around this age as well. Paretns must |
| 5. Teach your kids that the difference between | | | | protect them and using these 10 tips will get you |
| right and wrong is the same on the Internet as it | | | | in the right frame of mind to do just that. |