The internet has opened up a whole new world of opportunity for teens today.
There are many positive aspects to these new opportunities, including the ability to access information quickly.
As parents, it is important to be educated about the way teens can use-and abuse-the internet and all it has to offer.
Once armed with this information, you should make the decision to be involved enough in your teen's internet activity to monitor the ways in which your teen is using the internet.
Safety Safety has to be the top priority with teens and the internet.
There are so many positive uses for the Internet.
It has accelerated learning capabilities and made it possible for students to do independent learning projects and research that they would not have been able to do before.
There are now dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias at teens' fingertips.
Homework accuracy can be vastly improved.
Facts, history and a wealth of information have been made available at our fingertips.
The internet has also made it much easier to keep in touch with family, friends, and loved ones.
But when it comes to teens and the Internet, controlling who they talk to and what kind of information they share is critical.
Social Networking There are many social networking sites available to everyone on the internet.
They have proven to be a great way to keep in touch with friends and family as well as find people with whom we've lost touch.
What is important for parents to remember is that anyone can approach your teens on the Internet.
In order to keep your teens safe, arm them with information.
Tell them about the different approaches predators will take to gain access to a teen's trust and location.
Make your teen aware of behaviors and red flags in order to identify potential threats, like contact from someone they don't know, requests to meet, or encouragement to keep the contact a secret.
Teens need guidance and supervision to ensure that they are not posting inappropriate pictures or chatting with someone they don't know.
You can't just tell your teen not to use social networking sites; you need to teach them to use the sites responsibly.
Keep the computer in a public place like the living room to prevent your teen from taking unnecessary risk.
Risk While there are so many positive aspects for teens and the Internet, there is as much potential for it to pose a threat if misused.
There are predators that seek out the naïve trust that can be too easily gained from an unsuspecting teen.
The Internet can also become a problem with teens and time management.
It is so easy for time to slip away, letting other priorities take a back seat to the variety of activities the Internet has to offer.
There is everything from shopping online to Internet games and music.
If use of the Internet is allowed to be abused it can affect school performance as well as the ability to fulfill obligations and responsibilities at home.
Set clear limits for your teen about how much time they are allowed to spend online.
Safeguards There are several software programs available that can help control where a teen can explore on the internet, but the biggest safeguard is a parent's knowledge and guidance.
When it comes to teens and the Internet, close monitoring and open communication is key.
Parents must know and understand the potential dangers and then make the conscious decision to be involved enough to know how to handle teens and the Internet.