How to help your child with internet safety

How to help your child with internet safety

Now the question is how can parents actually help children with internet safety? Here are few possible ways a parent can definitely try to work out with internet safety for kids:

1. I have always believed that whatever mistakes a child commits it is the parent's job to take up the responsibility when it comes to young children. Since kids are innocent they are unaware of the possible threats and hence when they login to the net parents need to be aware of what the kids do, which pages they visit and which data or files they download. I am sure it may be difficult for parents to spy on a teenager, but children within the age group of 5 to 14 can definitely be kept under control. This is the age when a child can be more curious and that's why parents need to be more cautious.

2. My kiddoe's friend who is just 7 years old buys various musical CDs and online games by providing his father's credit card information. The worse part about this is his parents, who seem to be immensely proud of their child. Please stop being proud of such children and try to avoid this by stopping them by doing so ever again.

3. As a parent speak with the child about the internet safety and the grave danger it possess. I tried talking to my 9 year old and believe me he really got scared with the idea of the computer crashing and he not been able to play any game at all. So instead of telling the children in harsh words, try to be a bit manipulative and tell them how the threats can take their computer away from them. Parents should explain the child about how viruses enact the role of monsters in the internet world and how they can attack the computer and destroy their happiness.

4. Create a relationship of trust within you and your child. Let your child come and talk to you about anything that he found strange or uncomfortable while surfing the net.

5. Try to keep your personal information such as credit card information, passwords and bank account details away from your child. Always keep a tab on the browsing history of your child and keep a note of his activities.

6. We can block certain websites from our kids by the applications provided in the toolbar. Don't forget to do the same.

7. Kids are known to create fake accounts on various social networking sites by posing 18 year old. I recently got friend's request from a person posing MBA student, but it was his residence address which helped me find his real identity as it was in my cousin's neighborhood who also happened to be his mutual friend. On enquiring about him, my cousin told me that this person who sent me the friend's request was only in std 7 and has faked his identity. But to my surprise the way he scrapped and shared his opinions within the site would have never revealed his real age. Hence parents need to keep a check on such activities of their kids. I promised myself the next time I visit my cousin's place, I would definitely inform this kid's parents. Hope they care about it!

By Fellow Mumbaite