Internet Safety

The internet can be a wonderful and useful tool to enhance our knowledge about any topic. In seconds, we can know the capitol of Guam or how much corn Indiana produces in a single day ( I haven’t actually looked either of these up, but I’m sure the internet could inform us). It keeps us up-to-date on our favorite sports teams and celebrities, and enables us to be linked in at work and school when we need to be. In those same seconds however, a predator can “enter” our homes, and potentially harm our children. It is imperative then, that we teach ourselves, and more importantly our children, some basic internet do’s and don’t’s.

1. Parents! You need to become computer savvy. Learn how to use the internet, and keep up on all of the upgrades and latest security software

2. Find out where your child has access to the internet…school? A friend’s house? The library?

3. Check the history of your internet log to see what sites have been visited

4. Use parental control tools. Your service provider can assist you with determining what is best for your family, and how to use them

5. Keep the computer in a common area of the home. This tactic is not a “cure all”, but it does help in being able to supervise how long your child is spending on-line, as well as what they are doing while on-line

6. Tell your children to never give out any personal information on-line.

7. Do not post pictures of your children on social media outlets, especially if any identifying information is able to be viewed, e.g. the name of their school or sports team on a jacket or jersey, their name on a piece of clothing, etc. Any of these items may enable someone to trace your child’s whereabouts.

8. Keep an open dialogue with your children. Tell them to let you know immediately if someone makes any kind of sexual solicitation toward them (or any type of unwanted contact or message)

9. Model courteous behavior. Never tolerate bullying of any type.

10. There MAYBE some warning signs if a predator has made contact with your child. Your child may be using the computer late at night; may divert the monitor when you enter the room; may start receiving phone calls or gifts.

For more information about internet safety, you may visit www.preventchildabuse.org, and they have many resources to which you may link.

Some of this information was gleaned from Prevent Child Abuse America