Internet Security - Software Available to Keep Your Children Safe Online
Children's safety online is of paramount importance these days.
Internet use has soared in recent years, and increased mobility means children of all ages are exposed to danger from an increasing number of sources.
As a busy parent, it is often difficult to adequately monitor and protect what your children see and do on the Internet, so here are some tips to help ensure that your child's Internet experience is a positive one.
Set Realistic Boundaries Internet safety is not an issue that has a one-size-fits-all solution.
Rules about Internet usage should be appropriate to the circumstances at hand and tailored to fit your child's age and maturity level.
Let your children know your expectations and rules for Internet usage, set age-appropriate limits, and have reasonable and realistic consequences in place for infractions.
Stay active, informed, and involved about Internet trends so that you have a realistic basis for setting limits and the actions you take with regard to Internet access and usage in your family.
Take Calm and Rational Approach It is important that parents keep the issue of Internet safety in context.
While incidents of cyber-bullying and online predators make big headlines, statistics show that youth are no more at risk now than they have been since the advent of free and widespread Internet use.
If your child does come to you with a problem or a question, don't overreact to the situation.
Calmly discuss the problem with your child and enlist their help in finding a solution.
This teaches children to handle problems rationally so that they can learn to handle conflict on their own.
As much as we would like to always be there to protect our children, over-protection does them no favors.
They are out there, in the real world and in cyberspace, and they must learn to detect and handle potentially hazardous situations.
Communication is Key The best time to deal with a situation is before it happens.
Keep an open and ongoing dialogue with your child about potential hazards and safety risks.
Let them know, with your words as well as your actions, that they can discuss their concerns with you without fear.
Your child should know, in a matter of fact manner, that situations may arise that can put them at risk, and what they can to do protect themselves, and what to do if they feel threatened.
Trust Your Children Learn to trust your child, as well as your instincts.
Whether they show it or not, your children do listen.
As long as you let them know the potential dangers that are out there, set appropriate limits, and keep an open dialogue with them where they feel free to express their concerns, trust that they can handle many situations that they encounter, and that they know they can come to you, without fear, for help with the situations that can't.
Internet use has soared in recent years, and increased mobility means children of all ages are exposed to danger from an increasing number of sources.
As a busy parent, it is often difficult to adequately monitor and protect what your children see and do on the Internet, so here are some tips to help ensure that your child's Internet experience is a positive one.
Set Realistic Boundaries Internet safety is not an issue that has a one-size-fits-all solution.
Rules about Internet usage should be appropriate to the circumstances at hand and tailored to fit your child's age and maturity level.
Let your children know your expectations and rules for Internet usage, set age-appropriate limits, and have reasonable and realistic consequences in place for infractions.
Stay active, informed, and involved about Internet trends so that you have a realistic basis for setting limits and the actions you take with regard to Internet access and usage in your family.
Take Calm and Rational Approach It is important that parents keep the issue of Internet safety in context.
While incidents of cyber-bullying and online predators make big headlines, statistics show that youth are no more at risk now than they have been since the advent of free and widespread Internet use.
If your child does come to you with a problem or a question, don't overreact to the situation.
Calmly discuss the problem with your child and enlist their help in finding a solution.
This teaches children to handle problems rationally so that they can learn to handle conflict on their own.
As much as we would like to always be there to protect our children, over-protection does them no favors.
They are out there, in the real world and in cyberspace, and they must learn to detect and handle potentially hazardous situations.
Communication is Key The best time to deal with a situation is before it happens.
Keep an open and ongoing dialogue with your child about potential hazards and safety risks.
Let them know, with your words as well as your actions, that they can discuss their concerns with you without fear.
Your child should know, in a matter of fact manner, that situations may arise that can put them at risk, and what they can to do protect themselves, and what to do if they feel threatened.
Trust Your Children Learn to trust your child, as well as your instincts.
Whether they show it or not, your children do listen.
As long as you let them know the potential dangers that are out there, set appropriate limits, and keep an open dialogue with them where they feel free to express their concerns, trust that they can handle many situations that they encounter, and that they know they can come to you, without fear, for help with the situations that can't.
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